Bushido 01
Bushido Philosophy of Death [Related Post]
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| Katanas (Japanese Samurai swords) (source: the Metropolitan Museum of Art) |
“Bushido means to die.” — This is the famous declaration at the beginning of the book “Hagakure (葉隠; meaning ‘Hidden by Leaves’).” The “Hagakure” is one of the few books systematically expounding the Samurai’s code of conduct, written by a Samurai, Tsunetomo Yamamoto (山本 常朝; 1659-1719) in the Edo period as a spiritual and practical guidebook for Samurai.
Having said that, a Samurai was NOT mandated to give up his Life easily in vain. If so, a Samurai didn’t need to carry two Katanas (刀; Samurai swords) on his waist all the time to protect his own Life. Everyone, including you and me, is destined to die somehow at a moment in our lifetime, even though NO one knows When the end will come. NO human has ever lived without dying over millions of years without exception. So it’s the most important, How to die, and What for to die at any time when we MUST die anyhow.
Read the full article on nothingness but meaningless!
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| Ouroboros (Ουροβόρος) |
Bushido (武士道) – Samurai’s Philosophy
Death in Bushido Philosophy
Honor and Dignity for Death
Seppuku (Harakiri; 切腹) — the Meaning of Samurai’s Suicide
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| Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫) (1925-1970) |
Philosophical Interpretations of Seppuku
“Destiny must not only be endured, it must be loved and conquered, for that is the price of serenity—amor fati.” (“La mort volontaire au Japon” (Voluntary Death in Japan), Maurice Pinguet)
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| Osamu Dazai (太宰 治) (1909-1948) |
“Cato drew his sword from its sheath and stabbed himself below the breast. His thrust, however, was somewhat feeble... Accordingly, when Cato recovered and became aware of this, he pushed the physician away, tore his bowels with his hands, rent the wound still more, and so died.” (“The Life of Cato the Younger”, Plutarch)
Read the full article on nothingness but meaningless!
Further reading (sponsored by Amazon):
(sponsored by Amazon)
In this fascinating book, “Sun and Steel,” which was written in the years just before his dramatic death, the last Samurai Yukio Mishima declares his unique aesthetic philosophy! Yukio Mishima himself described “Sun and Steel” as "an intermediate form between confession and criticism." “Sun and Steel” mainly deals with the themes of his own body and mind, life and death, literature and martial arts, and is an important work when discussing Yukio Mishima's literature, philosophy, and his dramatic death (the Mishima Incident in 1970). In “Sun and Steel,” through two encounters with the "Sun" (Japan’s defeat in the summer of 1945 and his experience of traveling abroad in 1952), Yukio Mishima argues "thought," and "Iron" in relation to "muscle" as the weight of the iron mass through his bodybuilding exercise!
Table of Contents
Sun and Steel
EPILOGUE—F104
ICARUS
This comprehensive and accurate translation of the “Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai” is the classic standard book for martial artists or ALL those who are interested in Samurai and the Bushido as well as Japanese ethics and culture! Alex Bennett's completely NEW and highly readable translation of this “Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai” includes extensive footnotes that serve to fill in many cultural and historical gaps. This unique combination of readability and scholarship gives “Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai” a distinct advantage over previous English translations!
Table of Contents
Foreword
Hagakure in Context
Introduction
The Hagakure Phenomenon
Contextualizing the Historical Setting and Social Milieu
Contextualizing the Content
Unraveling the Essence of Hagakure
Conclusion
Idle Talk in the Dead of Night
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Pertaining to Fealty
Pertaining to Death and War
Pertaining to Women
Miscellany
Main Events in the History of the Saga Domain and Yamamoto Jocho’s Life
Hagakure Hierarchy
References
Inazo Nitobe’s “Bushido: The Soul of Japan” is a poetic inquiry into the ethos of Japan! Through a study of the way of the Samurai, in “Bushido: The Soul of Japan,” Inazo Nitobe identifies the 7 virtues most widely recognized in Japanese ethics: rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, veracity, honor, and loyalty. Originally written in English and only translated years later into Japanese, “Bushido: The Soul of Japan” has inspired many World leaders, including 2 US presidents—Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy!
Table of Contents
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Preface
Preface to the 10th and Revised Edition
Bushido as an Ethical System
Sources of Bushido
Rectitude or Justice
Courage, the Spirit of Daring and Bearing
Benevolence, the Feeling of Distress
Politeness
Veracity or Truthfulness
Honor
The Duty of Loyalty
Education and Training of a Samurai
Self-Control
The Institutions of Suicide and Redress
The Sword, the Soul of the Samurai
The Training and Position of Woman
The Influence of Bushido
Is Bushido Still Alive?
The Future of Bushido
About the Author
