Essence of a Samurai

No figure is more emblematic of Japan and the Japanese than the samurai, the heroic warriors who lived by the code of bushido - the way of the samurai - founded upon loyalty, justice and honour. The warrior tradition in Japan is as ancient as the country itself, but the true samurai emerged during the late Heian period (mid 12th century) and thereafter ruled Japan for some 800 years. During this time, the classic Japanese martial arts evolved, and with them the bushido code.

The most important influence on the code of the samurai was the introduction of Zen Buddhism during the Kamakura period (1192-1333 AD), which became the philosophical basis of bushido. Bushido demands, above all else, the willingness to face death - and facing death willingly means conquering fear. According to Zen principles, fear can only be truly conquered by eliminating the notion of self. By the period of the Warring States (late 15th -16th centuries), the most colourful period of the samurai chronicles, Zen and bushido had taken deep root among the samurai, and had penetrated into the culture and values of the Japanese people as a whole. The traditional samurai way of life came to an end after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when the social structure that had supported the samurai for many centuries was subjected to sweeping change. Ironically, it was the samurai who had been instrumental in bringing the Meiji Government to power, and there were a number of rebellions by the disenfranchised warriors, the most famous being the Satsuma Rebellion led by Saigo Takamori, `the last samurai'.

Today the samurai spirit and the code of bushido live on, notably in the practice of the martial art of kendo. Kendo means literally `the way of the sword'. Based upon traditional samurai swordsmanship, it transmits the ancient traditions and has attracted many followers. The essence of this classical martial art is that, in the pursuit of the desired aim, mental training is even more important than physical training - a fact that is now recognized in Western sports psychology. Kendo , the practice of which is always preceded and followed by a Zen kendo meditation, is an ideal means of personal development, as it is designed to perfect of kind of discipline necessary to cultivate alertness, speed of action and direct cognition, - qualities that are as important today as in the days of the samurai.

Here are ten famous samurai sayings that bear on the theme of the primacy of the mind, translated from the Japanese by Minoru Kiyota, kendo teacher and Professor of Buddhist Studies.

Ten Samurai Sayings -

1. Duel 'One finds life through conquering the fear of death within one's mind. Empty the mind of all forms of attachment, make a go-for-broke charge and conquer the opponent with one decisive slash.' - Togo Shigekata.
2. Stance. 'An effective stance is to be attached neither to the opponent's sword nor to one's own sword.' - Yagyu Toshiyoshi.
3. Mental Calm. 'The undisturbed mind is like the calm body water reflecting the brilliance of the moon. Empty the mind and you will realize the undisturbed mind.'
   - Yagyu Jubei.
4. Mental Evenness. 'To be swayed neither by the opponent nor by his sword is the essence of swordsmanship.' - Miyamoto Musashi.
5. Self. 'Conqueror the self and you will conquer the opponent.' - Takuan Soho.
6. The Immoveable Mind. 'The mind unmoved by external distraction produces physical mobility.' - Yagyu Renyasai.
7. Tricks, Feints and Schemes. 'The hands manipulate the sword, the mind manipulates the hands. Cultivate the mind and do not be deceived by tricks, feints and schemes. They are the properties of a magician, not of the samurai..' - Saito Yakuro.
8. Maturity. 'Mental bearing (calmness), not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai. A samurai therefore should neither be pompous nor arrogant.' - Tsukahara Bokuden.
9. Peace. 'Conquering evil, not the opponent, is the essence of swordsmanship.' - Yagyu Munenori.
10. Samurai Character. 'An unpolished crystal does not shine; an undisciplined samurai does not have brilliance. A samurai therefore should cultivate his mind.' - Anonymous.

A Samurai's Saying -
The Way is a natural way of the Universe, and to learn it, one must revere
Heaven, love man, and live one's life from first to last in self-control.'
- This saying by Saigo Takamori was much valued by Omori.