BUDOSHOSHINSHU: Code of the Warrior
By Daidoji Yuzan
Book 2
DO NOT MIX PERSONAL FEELINGS WITH DUTIES
     For a warrior in service, among his many peers there is likely to be a man with whom he has cut off relations for some reason or other. If, however, he is ordered by his lord to serve at the same post with this man, he should quickly go to the man's place and explain that he has been officially ordered to work with him and has accepted the order. This being so, it would not be to the lord's benefit if their personal feelings entered their work even by a hair, regardless of their former estrangement. He should go on to say that hereafter they mutually should have no distance between them, and at any rate should think of not letting their work for the lord be obstructed. If the man is his senior at the position he should think nothing of asking for his instruction. Simply, even if one of the two were given a different job tomorrow so that they discontinued working at the same post and their relationship were again broken off, up until that time they should agree to be quite without estrangement, and to work together with one mind. This is the correctness of a warrior. 
     It goes without saying that those men who work together and have no reason for former alienations should be friendly and intimate with each other. People are apt to fight for authority at the job, however, and instead of acting in an adult way and guiding the unaccustomed newcomer well, and will take pleasure in finding a careless oversight. This is a departure from the correctness of Bushido, and should be seen as sordid and unclean. 
     When facing times of violence, a warrior with such a disposition is a highly immoral coward who will grab the heads that others have taken and strike down his own allies. This is a serious matter to be considered. 
OLD HANDS AND DIRTY WHITE GARMENTS
     The saying that "white garments and officials are best when new'' is not particularly profound, but it does have something to When a white garment is new it is very pretty, but when one wears it for awhile first the neck and cuffs become soiled, and fairly soon the whole garment turns gray and rather unsightly. When an official connected with some matter is new, he is naive in all things, places great importance in the commands of his lord, and treats even trifling matters as great affairs. He is especially aware of his pledge concerning his duties, and is prudent and fearful of turning his back on any one of them. In this way there is nothing lacking in anything he is engaged in. But even a man like this, whom all the dan retainers praise as a selfless and honest official, after working a long time and learning all the ropes of his duties, will gradually become lackadaisical and careless, like he never would have when he was new. Not only that. When a man is new at his job, he follows the provisions prohibiting gifts and fine notes from people, and if they do arrive, sends them back with tact. If a situation arises where he absolutely must receive gifts, he sends out some appropriate return-presents the following day. Yet, even a man who performs his duties with such grace and receives everyone's praises begins to lose his sense of discrimination before one knows what is happening. While still working at his duties, greed and grasping begin to grow in his heart, even if just a little. In his heart he knows that there are regulations prohibiting the receiving of gifts, and it is therefore difficult to receive them openly. As all this is written on his face along with the hints on the edge of his words, people will be clever enough to understand his thoughts. Thus, though they put on a face of ignorance, they will make connections with him in secret; or, in establishing his illicit assistance, they will send him gifts using various methods. No matter how much he receives, however, he deludes the officials through return gifts, and thus his partiality and favoritism are established. 
     Being stained in this way is the same as when a white garment turns gray. However, one does not simply throw away a garment when it gets dirty, but if it is cleaned from time to time, it becomes white again and not unsightly at all. An official must also notice that his own heart has become somewhat stained. It is reasonable that if he will cleanse himself he can return to an unblemished state. 
     A garment, however, becomes soiled due to the natural grime of the human body, and the dust and dirt of the world; and if one will clean it with some good lye, the splotches and grime will fall away and the garment will be clean again. Now as there are various and sundry things that permeate the human heart and stain it deeply, one will not be able to make it pure again by simply giving it a good cleansing. Moreover, one can make do by washing a white garment only once or twice a year, but cleansing a man's mind must take place 26 hours a day, whether coming or going, sitting or lying down, no matter under what circumstances. Thus, each time one uses his mind, even if he cleanses and purifies it without the least bit of negligence, a little stain or blotch is likely to remain. 
     Now there are various cleansing agents for the various kinds of stains, and this is not limited to the washing of garments. Moreover, it is said that there are remedies to remove stains absolutely. Similarly, a convention holds that there are three agents for cleansing the mind of a warrior, and these are loyalty, righteousness and courage. According to the way one's heart has been stained, loyalty may cleanse it. Again, righteousness may cleanse a man's heart as well. And again, here is one more secret: If the stains remain fast in one's heart even after cleansing it with loyalty and righteousness, one need only add a little courage and use every last bit of his strength. He should then find himself absolutely and refreshingly cleansed. 
     This is the secret handed down by word of mouth concerning the cleansing of a warrior's heart. 
DISTINCTIONS IN FAMILY RELATIONS
     Those in this world who refer to their elder brother's sons, their younger brother's sons, and the sons of their sisters who have married into other families all as "nephews," without distinction, are townspeople and farmers. But a warrior must act with the courtesy of lineage in his heart, and without confusing the etiquette of good form. Thus, he is different from the other three classes. 
     For example, because the son of one's eldest brother is the legitimate heir of the family and will carry on its main branch, even though he is one of many "nephews," it is he who will carry on the family line of one's father and eldest brother. Should one's eldest brother die and his son become head of the family, one would show the same courtesy to him as he did to his father and eldest brother. This is done not out of respect for his status as nephew, but simply to show respect for the ancestors of the main branch of one's family. As for the second and third sons of one's eldest brother, or the sons of one's younger brothers, one's dealing with them may be managed with the usual uncle-nephew relations. It is natural, however, that the sons of one's sisters, although absolutely "nephews," should be treated with a little more reserve and respect than usual, both in speaking and in writing, because they are nephews who have received another family name. Moreover, one should understand that if a nephew, younger brother, or even one's own child has been adopted by another family, he should absolutely be treated as an unrelated person. One would hardly use the expressions spoken when the family is together, for example, but rather the reserved greetings one uses when meeting an outsider. If one is of a mind to treat his son or younger brother in the usual manner even after their adoption by another family, the adopting father, family, and family retainers are liable to fill their hearts with scorn, wondering if they shouldn't return the adopted son to his former family. However, if the relatives of the adopting father are unstable, the family unsettled, and its continuance difficult, it will not be easy to give up one's real child or younger brother. Such things happen. 
     Next, there may be a case when one's daughter is married, and after a child is born the father dies, leaving the young child to inherit the position of successor. It is essential to understand that, in such a situation, when discussing the matter with the deceased husband's parents, one should leave eight or nine out of ten matters for the man's family to handle. If the house's finances have been troubled from the time the husband was alive, and it seemed as though they would be a burden on all his relatives, it would, in the end, be reasonable to ascertain one's daughter's problems and then do whatever was necessary to help her. If after the husband's death, however, there seemed to be no problem, and the family seemed to have some property, one should be resolved to not appear as a meddler to the father-in-law. This is also the righteousness of a warrior. One is sure to be criticized by others as being unreasonable if he carries on private conversations with his daughter while her child is still young (thus acting as a guardian). 
     Finally, there are times when the house of a main family, a certain lineage, or household master sinks into decline and falls without a trace. It is the true intention of a warrior never to treat the persons involved badly, but to reestablish the original line, and periodically to show interest and sympathy toward their problems. 
     To look at a man's circumstances and respect him if he seems prosperous, even though he is undeserving of respect, or to hold a man in contempt if he is in decline even if he is not a contemptible person, is the nature of townspeople and farmers. It is not the righteousness of a warrior. 
FORBIDDEN SLANDER OF A FORMER LORD
     Functioning as a samurai, one may intend to stay with the dan of the lord he is serving for generations; yet something happens and he separates from it. He then receives the assistance of another lord and begins to serve him, easily enough if there are no difficulties between himself and his former lord, but also even if there is some problem and he must make various apologies in order to leave. This is the proper decorum of the martial clans of both past and present. If, through such reasons, one becomes a retainer of another lord, though he grows acquainted and familiar with the new dan's senior samurai, and meets in intimate conversation with them, he should never slander the dan of his former lord, even in jest. 
     Fixing this rule in one's heart is the primary accomplishment of a warrior. The reason for this is that the world is wide, and being born a Japanese warrior, one will surely receive the patronizing blessings of one of the many greater or lesser lords in the four quarters of the country. One might have his children brought up and himself taken care of while living within the dan grounds, and make the promise of lord and retainer through some former karma, even if for but a little while. 
     If one understands this line of reasoning, he should not slander, even in jest, a man to whom he looked as lord for even just one day. It is on a par with every menial and footman to be lacking this judgment, and to go about with an expression of knowing all the calumny concerning one's former lord about whom society knows nothing, and to expose all manner of tales. Even if a man has committed some act of misconduct and is punished publicly, one should not slander the man if he is one's former lord. And, even if someone asks, trying to make one reveal something of the matter, it is the correctness of a warrior not to relate anything concerning that misconduct. 
RULES FOR A GUARDIAN
     In the battles that occurred during the Warring States Period in our country, there were samurai who accomplished great feats and died being struck down in combat, or who died receiving many wounds from which they never recovered. The provincial lords and generals felt great sympathy for such men, and if they had sons even less than a year old, arrangements were made so that their heirship would be properly provided for. If the child were not yet of age to serve in battle, the lord might order one of the late father's younger brothers who was a ronin to take temporary charge of his older brother's property and act as guardian to his child while the child was yet underage. Such a position was called jindai, although nowadays it is referred to as bandai. 
     There are ancient rules for the warrior who takes up such a responsibility. Because this is a matter of the succession of an older brother's heirship, it is natural that the child should be viewed as one's own (even though he is really the guardian's nephew). The youngster should be treated with true sympathy and given a good upbringing. Moreover, as the guardian should take charge of his brother's inheritance at that time, it is essential that he gather not just the armory and harnessry, but all other various goods into one place, and select someone in the family to carefully examine the property and record it all in detail in a notebook. 
     Now when the child safely reaches the age of 15, it is proper that the guardian present the documents to the lord, giving him a clear account of the situation and explaining that the child will be 16 years of age the following year and, while still young, should now be prepared to be of good use as a warrior. He will also explain that he, as the guardian, now wishes to hand over the stipend that he has been in charge of up until this time to the rightful heir in hopes that he will be of good service to the lord. 
     At that time, depending on the lord, the guardian's requests might be considered as proper, but he might also be ordered to continue on in such service for another two or three years, due to the heir's youth. It is absolutely essential that the guardian refuse this, regardless of the gravity of the lord's order. When his request is granted, he should hand over all his brother's property that he had recorded in the notebook from the beginning to the last nail. This should not be limited to the materials he put in order while being guardian, but everything he was put in charge of during that time should have been recorded and turned over to the heir. 
     It may happen that a guardian be put in charge of an in- heritance of 500 koku, for example, and that the lord may offer to give the heir 300 koku of that sum and the guardian the remaining 200 in view of his years of guardianship. It is essential that the guardian strongly express that such a thing would be good fortune beyond his deserts, but to deplete his brother's house would cause it hardship, and to please order that all his brother's stipend be handed down to the rightful heir; and that he, the guardian, be given permanent leave. 
     Such should be the true intentions of a warrior who is called a guardian. 
     The true intentions of a warrior who is called a guardian are not to withhold the inheritance of a nephew who has reached the age of serving in his first battle; or, though turning it over, to have allowed for the loss of all his elder brother's property, or the house to run down without repairing it while being guardian; to make up loans and accounts payable that his brother did not pay and press these against his nephew; or to sponge on his young nephew by importuning him for rice allowance or money. 
     This is something that should be understood. 
THE SPIRIT OF "EVEN THOUGH A WARRIOR DOESN'T EAT ..."
     Up to 50 to 60 years ago, when the many ronin who were striving to come up in the world said, "I must be able to have at least two horses ..." what they meant was, "I must have a stipend of over 500 koku." When they said something like, "If I could have at least one skinny nag .. ." what they meant was, "If I could have at least 300 koku .. ." Finally, if someone said, "If he would only let me carry one rusty spear .. ." what he meant was, "If I could receive a stipend, even of 100 koku ..." 
     Up until that period, the old customs of the waniors r~ mained, and these sayings came from the disposition of not wanting to speak in definite numbers from one's own mouth as to how many hundreds of koku one would work for while moving up in the world. "Even when a samurai hasn't eaten, he will use a toothpick," and "A hawk will not pick grain, even when starving" are also sayings of that period. Young samurai did not speak of their own personal gains and losses, nor did they talk about prices. When they heard talk of women and sex, they turned bright red. Men who wanted to become real samurai, even though it was beyond them, yearned after the spirit of the old-style waniors, and wanted to learn to be like them. Their disposition was definitely not one that could accommodate life at the expense of pride. 
FRUGALITY, TOO, IS FOR THE SAKE OF SERVICE
     It is essential that a warrior in the service of a lord always be frugal regardless of his rank, and employ considerable judgment in not wearing out his family finances. Even if a warrior does spend his stipend on something profitless and wears down his finances once, if he quickly changes his way of thinking, economizes here and curtails expenses there, pays close attention to everything and lives in simplicity, he will have repaired his finances in no time at all if he has some extra in savings. When a man of humble position imitates those in the higher ranks, putting his resources into useless things and damaging his finances, as he has no extra savings, his affairs will steadily decline. Thus, no matter how much he tries to economize, it will be of no use. As things go on he will wear out his finances to the point that he can go neither forward nor back. This is inevitable. Moreover, people should keep the circumstances of their home finances a secret. On the other hand, as a man employed, he should be on the same level as his comrades, and thus, inevitably, will have to make expenditures. In such a situation if there is nothing else to be done he will spend his wit in various contrivances, saying things he shouldn't say, doing things he shouldn't do, and gaining a reputation as a man learned in insincerity and lacking in shame. These things and the occurrence of outrageous rumors are in the end faults stemming from a mismanagement of one's finances. 
     Thus, a warrior of humble rank should be resolved to this from the very beginning, live according to his finances, employ judgment in not making expenditures on useless things, and spend money only on the things he must. This is the way of frugality. 
     There is, however, something one should be mindful of in this matter of frugality. When men of either high or low rank think of nothing but frugality, begrudge making expenditures, cut down on their cost of living, and esteem simplicity exclusively, their finances soon take a turn for the better, and the more they hold on to the money that they didn't have before, the more they rejoice in its gradual increase and are pained by its passing from their hands. And as time passes with such shabby hearts, they do not do the things they should do and lack all sense of ceremony, thinking only of the accumulation of money. 
     'I`his is what is known as being miserly. Such a quality among farmers and merchants is one thing, but a miserly warrior is completely useless and a man to be despised. The reason is that the thing we hold far more precious than money is our one single life, and yet there are many in this world with such despicable characters that they regret using their money more than their sense of duty. How much more then, will they be incapable of the principle that would have them throw away that one irretrievable life? 
     This is the understanding concerning the use of frugality. 
A SPLENDID ENTRANCE, BUT PLAIN LIVING QUARTERS
     When a samurai in service is having a house given to or built for him by his lord, it is most reasonable that the appearance of the outer gate and entrance and the aspect of the formal sitting room be rather splendid, yet in accordance with the man's social position. This is because in any castle town--even for the homes of samurai living outside the castle precincts--when the quarters of all the samurai have a pleasing look to the stranger or foreigner who passes by, the place itself will seem prosperous and all the retainers settled. This will also perhaps be somewhat beneficial to the lord. 
     Beyond that, it is reasonable to be resolved not to spend much on construction for the area where one's wife and children will stay, and to endure any sort of shabbiness, as long as the rain does not leak in. 
     Speaking specifically, during the Warring States Period even the daimyo who were lords of castles constantly kept in mind being under seige. Accordingly, there were definite regulations keeping the houses low, the area between the rafters narrow, and the construction expenses light, even for the residences attached to the secondary and tertiary citadels. How much more so then for the houses of those samurai living by the outermost ramparts? When faced with untoward events they would burn and destroy their houses themselves, and thus did not build them to last forever. For this reason extremely light construction is said to be "built like residences around the castle." 
     Knowing this, it is difficult to say that it is a good thing for a samurai set on being a warrior even in the present times of peace to run the length and breadth of things he enjoys in the construction of his house, adding an excess of materials, and thinking that he will live there forever. 
     Moreover, when one experiences something like an unex- pected disaster by fire, there are difficulties in leaving the remains as an empty residence even for a short while, and it would thus be imperative to quickly build oneself a fitting, small hut. When a man enjoys using construction materials to excess and then gets deeply into debt for them, it can be said that he behaves improperly. 
COMPANIONS IN PLAY ARE UNNECESSARY
     It is essential for a warrior who is serving as a retainer to have been familiar, both in private and in public, and intimate daily with those among his many comrades who are brave, love duty and honor, have wisdom and wit, and are well-spoken. Such warriors are rather few among one's many colleagues in the dan, but even one or two of such men are more than a match for any number of the rest of one's friends. Such men are reliable in any situation. Generally speaking, warriors do not choose their friends, and the way they will join up with anybody, frequently meeting over food and drink, is not a good thing. 
     The reason for this is that for intimacy in the relationship of warriors, there should be cordiality and a mutual ascertaining of each other's dispositions over a period of many days. But meeting temporarily and in a too free and easy manner, saying things like "Hey, that's interesting!" or "What a pal!" is not the manner in which one warrior deals with another. Being extremely discourteous and unmannerly, falling all over each other throughout the night singing ballads and songs from puppet plays is not the correct way to behave. Often just when men think it fine to call each other "buddy" and "chum" there is violence over some small matter, the relationship is ruptured, and there is no one there to set it right. In the end, neither man is of the clear disposition to renew the friendship. Although the outer appearances of such men may be those of warriors, their minds would seem to be the same as those of laborers and coolies. One should have a sense of shame and prudence. 
IT IS SHAMEFUL NOT TO KNOW THE CLAN HISTORY
     It is best that a warrior in service should have a deep and detailed knowledge of the origin of his lord's dan, the facts concerning the generations of the dan's ancestors, and the stories concerning all the lineal relations to the lord. He should also know the background of those family retainers who are famous throughout the area. This goes without saying for men who have served a long time, but also applies to newcomers. 
     The reason for this is that one may be seated talking with a man from another dan and be questioned concerning his own lord's. If he had neither understanding nor knowledge of that subject, he would be thought of as rather shallow, regardless of what a fine retainer he might generally seem to be. 
BRAGGARTS, NOT SLANDERERS
     Among the oral traditions of the samurai of old, it was said that a samurai who was endeavoring to be a real warrior must understand that one should not speak badly of the provincial. lords and doctors in the world. This is because, although the person himself may not be involved, it may happen that one of his relatives or kinsmen may seek employment within the criticized lord's domain. At such a time, people who know that one has spoken badly of that lord may wonder how it has been allowed that his kinsman may seek employment with him. Their scorn will be unavoidable. 
     Moreover, though one may not send someone from his own house to the doctor he has spoken ill of, a friend or relative may become extremely ill, and then recover totally through that doctor's treatment. At such a time one would have to thank the doctor with great ceremony and courtesy for curing the man. 
     Such things happen, and one should be mindful of them. If one will keep such things in mind, there should be relatively few things to regret in his life. There are people, however, who have little understanding of this principle. They make skin-deep judgments on events, rattle on about anything that comes to mind, and without any reservations or thoughts about what may happen later, spread rumors concerning people they have no business talking about. They will even recount the evil deeds of people with whom they have absolutely no connection. Such people become well-known as slanderers and scandal-mongers, and in the end their failure is due to the lack of close examination and understanding of Bushido. 
     Now if a man found for certain that someone was speaking badly of him, he would react by feeling the action unreasonable and possibly the result of someone's grudge, and would likely consider the man who speaks ill of another behind his back to be unlike a samurai and rather shabby and insolent, indeed. Moreover, no matter how much this is considered to be simply "backbiting," there may be times, according to the circumstances, when one cannot just ignore it. For although one may try to overlook and ignore such gossip, it is certain that it will remain long in one's heart and give him rancorous thoughts. 
     When one is feeling this way, no matter how badly another is speaking of him, it is better to understand that simpletons unworthy of thought or blame are the only people who engage in this behavior. 
     In this connection, one should understand that although a braggart and a slanderer seem to be alike, they are greatly different. 
     The reason is that among the warriors of long ago, there were many who had reputations as braggarts. Among the chief retainers of the Shogun, men such as Matsudaira Kagaemon and Okubo Hikozaemon were great braggarts, and in those times there were at least three to five samurai who were considered to be braggarts in the clans of all the provincial lords. Those who were called braggarts then had distinguished themselves at least a number of times in meritorious martial deeds and were matchless in the ways of Bushido. However, because they were prone to lack of understanding of their own particular times and possessed a certain stubbornness, they were without people to converse with, although they had reputations as warriors, they received no fiefs or positions and, considering this unfair, became warped and prejudiced, saying whatever they liked, regardless of who was listening. Nevertheless, the lord, chief retainers, and dan elders as well, treated these men as exceptions and overlooked these things. Thus, they became more and more willful, lost all manners and reserve, spoke about the good and evil of others to their hearts' content, and passed their entire lives as blusterers. 
     When these men were young, they accomplished military feats that ordinary men could not accomplish, had confidence in their own abilities, and bragged accordingly. 
     Today with the world at peace, no matter how brave one may be born, there is no place to establish his merits and hence a reputation. Thus, without the experience of fastening on their armor at least once, men will sit duwn with their cronies and talk about the faults of their lord's dan, will criticize the dan elders and functionaries, and will talk to their fill about their associates, thinking themselves very clever when they are nothing but fools. The difference between them and the braggarts of long ago is the same as between day and night or black and white. Those of today we could call slanderers and halfwits. 
BOTH CONTRADICIION AND FLATTERY ARE FAILURE OF DUTY
     There will be times when a warrior serving a lord will be on duty near his master, and be asked by him for his opinion concerning his own functions or other outside matters. At such a time, when the man gives his general opinion and his lord disagrees with him, if he thinks the lord's reflections are not according to reason, he should listen prudently to him, end the matter by saying that his own thoughts were erroneous, and wait until the lord is in a better state of mind. When the situation is conducted in this way, the lord may change his thoughts on the matter, so that his wise considerations will not be amiss, and this will be to his benefit. 
     Having no compunction in contradicting the lord repeated- ly and telling him that he is wrong, should depend on a man's position. Generally, for a retainer not connected personally to the dan itself, such action is considered extremely impolite and is not done, no matter how much one may think it to be beneficial to the lord. 
     However, there is nothing more outrageous and disloyal than to seemingly change one's own opinion and flatteringly agree with the lord, admitting one's own mistakes, wanting only to be in his present good graces while knowing in one's mind that his opinion is contrary to reason. Generally speaking, it is a prime and conscious consideration of a warrior in service not to allow even a hairsbreadth of the desire to curry to the lord's favor into his mind. When one has worked diligently in his own duties and has still not come into the lord's favor, he should be resolved that it is a matter of his own unavoidable misfortune. This is one of the basic intentions of a warrior in service. 
DISCERNING A BRAVE MAN FROM A COWARD
     When speaking of Bushido, the three qualities considered essential are loyalty, integrity and courage. When these three virtues are perfectly combined in one man, he is called a samurai of the highest quality. It is easy to link these three in one breath, but a weighty matter to understand them in one's heart and then put them into practice. Thus, it has been said since ancient times that it is rare to find a samurai of the highest quality even among a hundred or a thousand warriors. In this connection it is an easy thing to discern a warrior of loyalty or a man of integrity, as these qualities appear in one's everyday behavior. But there is some doubt if a man of courage can be distinguished in this uneventful period of peace. Such a doubt, however, is not justified. The reason is that the courage of a warrior is not exhibited for the first time when he dens his armor, takes up spear and halberd, faces the field, and is locked in battle. A man's ordinary life at peace reflects his courage or cowardice just like a mirror. 
     Why is this so? A man born with a sense of courage will ad- vance in high spirits all that is good, and avoid in the same way all that is bad. In his dealings with his lord and parents he will make his endeavors with unparalleled loyalty and filial piety. Having the least bit of spare time, he will put his mind to Learning, and not be negligent in his practice of the martial arts. Being careful to avoid extravagance, he will dislike wasting even a penny. One should not think, however, that this is due to a mean or shabby spirit, because for necessary things he will spend without regret sums with which others would not part. As for places or activities forbidden by his lord's house laws or disliked by his parents, he will not go to them no matter how much he may want to, and will desist in such activities no matter how difficult they may be to stop. In all events he will not turn his back on the desires of his lord or parents. He will protect his health fully and will keep in mind the desire to perform at least once in his life a great meritorious deed. Having such a disposition, he will be deeply mindful of his own constitution and be moderate in his desires for food and drink. He will give wide berth to and be very prudent in matters of sex, that primary deluder of men, and, other than that, will endure anything. All these evidence a man's courage. 
     A coward, on the other hand, will respect his lord and parents only on the surface, and in reality will not value them at all. He will give no thought to the house laws of his lord or to the aversions of his parents, but rather will walk about the places he shouldn't and do things he ought not, putting his self- indulgence before anything else. This man will enjoy sleeping in the morning and sleeping at noon, and will greatly dislike anything connected with Learning. Even in his performance of the martial arts, which are the calling of a warrior, he will be completely lacking in discipline. Practicing a little of this and a little of that, he will speak knowingly of his pride in the arts, regardless of his lack in them. He will waste, without a thought of the future or the past, the little bit of stipend he may receive, spending any amount of money on sumptuous meals or useless and idiotic things. With anything else he will be stingy and tight-fisted. He will not even consider repairing the enameled lattice cords of the old armor he had received from his parents, much less wanting to update or repair the deficiencies in his ab- solutely necessary armory and saddlery. Such a man gives no consideration to the fact that when becoming ill he would not be able to serve his lord and would cause his parents anxiety and hardships. Thus, he indulges in gluttony and overdrinking, giving himself up to lasciviousness, and chipping away at the fiber of his existence. These all arise from a weak and irresolute mind, a mind unable to endure things for long. One would not be far off the track in judging them to be symptoms of a cowardly, weak-hearted warrior. 
     Thus, one can distinguish with no confusion the brave man from the coward, even in times of peace and tranquility. 
THERE IS NOTHING SO HIGH-PRICED AS A WARRIOR
     For the upper-class warriors it goes without saying, but for those of the lower classes as well, a samurai who receives a fitting stipend from his lord and serves in his allotted duties should never, even for a moment, consider his body or his life as his own. 
     The reason is as follows. In the warrior class, there are two kinds of men who serve. 
     The attendants and footmen below the foot soldiers, for example, receive small stipends and rice allowances although they work to exhaustion both night and day. On the other hand, no one in this class is required to give up his one important life in the service of his lord. Thus, he will never be accused of being totally outrageous even if he were to flee or show cowardice in the warrior's most important place of service: the battlefield. However, can one say that service lies only in selling one's efforts? 
     A warrior is a man who is determined to serve with the primary understanding that he will give up his one important life for his lord. Thus, although he does not have to work himself to exhaustion like those of the lower positions, at the time when his general is in need, he will not move one foot in retreat and will die a resplendent death, or else will stand in front of his lord or general, stopping the arrows loosed by the enemy with his own body. That the lord values this highly and looks out for his men, always giving them generous stipends, is natural when the country is at war. But today, when the world is at peace, there are no such needs, and there is nothing quite so high-priced or expense-involved as a warrior. 
     The reason is, and this goes without saying for a warrior of high position, that over a period of ten years even a small stipend of 100 koku becomes a salary of 1,000 koku. How much of a stipend, then, has been received over the decades since one's father's and grandfather's generations, and how much money would this be? In this way it is essential to consider carefully the depth of the lord's favors as well as his intentions in supporting his retainers. 
     And what are those intentions? It is not that the lord is unaware of the great outlay involved in the yearly dispersement of large stipends to the samurai of the dan, both high and low. But thinking of the men who served in former times of altercation, he knows that in the event of some unexpected disturbance, generals must be outfitted and troops put in the field, and should such a thing happen to him the military necessities would be considerable. 
     For a fief of 100,000 koku, for example, the troops and materiel requested by the Shogunate would be 170 mounted men, 60 foot soldiers equipped with bows, 350 foot soldiers equipped with rifles, 150 spears, and retainers to the general. As to the number of troops above that, it would be according to that particular general's ability and thoughts on the matter. Moreover, after this number of troops has been pulled out and taken to the front, the castle cannot be left open to itself, and a sufficient number of men must be left behind to guard it and keep it strong and defensible in case of an emergency. When one plans for such situations, he usually thinks that the dan has numerous people; but when the emergency arises, men will be in short supply. 
     Also, it is natural to think that, because this is a period of peace and there are many warriors without masters, should an emergency arise it would be easy to quickly employ them. But whether a person's station is high or low, what is important to them is familiarity. Of course, as these men are warriors, even if quickly employed they should not be lacking in usefulness. But if a warrior has not imbued himself with many years of the lord's generous favors and the receipt of his daily kindness, if he has not brooded over the desire to be of some service and to repay the lord's former kindnesses, then he will not stand in true usefulness at the time of greatest need. 
     Because men like provincial lords and generals think in this way, they will employ a great number of samurai of both high and low rank, even though they have little need of them in ordinary times. 
     Now among the many samurai whose families have been in the dan for generations there may be some who are ill-favored, or naturally and totally inept or apparently stupid. But the lord will look over these men with generous supervision and grant them their stipends without discrepancies. In times of emergency, due to the former kindness and familiarity shown them, these men will not think twice about putting their lives on the line. That the likely useful works of such men is a great treasure and something to be relied upon is exactly the inner thought of provincial lords and generals. 
     If this is so, then a retainer must not only surmise the inner thoughts of his lord, but should also investigate thoroughly what his own inner thoughts and intentions should be as a man in service. 
     As the duties of guard, attendant and messenger services are simply the duties of a warrior being there in times of peace, they are so commonplace that it would be difficult to call them the service of a warrior of real note. But if tomorrow some unexpected event were to occur, if only one will practice the martial arts with the intention of encouraging others with unsurpassed loyalty; if he will have the proper number of men, horses, and armor for both warriors and horses prepared; and in the case of such an event, though he says nothing to others, if he will resolve in his heart with the war god, Marishiten, as his witness to always perform the three functions of being the first on the field during attacks on open areas, being the first over the wall in attacks on castles, and taking the hindmost position in case one's allies are in retreat, allowing no others these positions regardless of the number of samurai in one's group--he will have the intentions of a warrior of service. 
     Moreover, beyond grounding oneself in the aforementioned intentions, one must consider neither his body nor his life as his own; and must know that it is difficult to judge at just what moment he will be of use to his lord. He will therefore value his life all the more, and avoid neglecting his health by overeating, heavy drinking or incontinence. And he will want to prolong his life by at least one more day knowing that he should sacrifice it in performing at least one valuable service for his lord. Thus, he will not consider dying in bed of disease as his true intention. Even more so will he be resolved and extremely careful in the knowledge that it would be extreme disloyalty and great unrighteousness to become involved in senseless fights and arguments, cutting down one's friends and associates and losing his own life. 
     One's great care, then, should be to avoid speaking loosely. Generally, it is despicable for a warrior to use many words. Nevertheless, when those who do not understand this engage in useless talk, an argument develops; and when the argument grows heated, a fight occurs; and when this happens there will be abusive language for certain. And it stands to reason that when two warriors meet with mutually abusive language, there is one chance in a million that the affair will end without incident. Therefore, the man who has an understanding of this before an argument begins, who has considered his life devoted to his lord from the beginning, and who controls his anger, is called a warrior of loyalty and a man of discrimination. Now among one's many associates within the dan there are likely to be some who are either crazy or fools. When such a fool speaks unreasonably, people around him will act as though they don't hear him and will avoid his presence. This only makes him think that others are afraid of him, and he becomes more inflated with himself, spitting out all sorts of offensive language, and in the end speaking insufferable abuse to everyone. When such an incident happens to a warrior, it is considered to be a terrible disaster. If by some chance one should happen into such circumstances, he should quickly make a decision while under the abuse, calm his mind and heart, judge the conditions of the place and time, and if there are obstacles (to settling the matter right there), leave the place and return to his dwelling. He should then finish both his official and private affairs, and make sure that he cherish no more thoughts of this world in his heart. With those associates who happened to be there and would know the circumstances of the argument well as witnesses, he should write up a document. In this way he should watch for his chance and take his revenge fully for the incident, setting his mind to committing suicide quickly thereafter or inviting an investigation and committing seppuku. At such a time all his associates will be impressed that his actions were quite reasonable, and they will surely be considered as admirable in the lord's mind as well. At such a time, will this not serve as a bit of an apology for disloyalty as well? 
     The young men without such thoughts, however, will be carried away by the anger of the moment and clash with the fool, meeting a sudden and meaningless death. This is simply because such men do not know that the life of a warrior who serves is dedicated from the beginning to his lord, and is not something of his own. 
     This is something that should be very well placed in one's heart. 
DO NOT FORGET SENSITIVITY TOWARD THE DISCOMFORT OF OTHERS
     When a warrior who is in service is living either at his own home or at the fiefs boarding house, and one among his com- patriots in the area is gravely ill or has some cause for distress, even though he may not be on intimate terms with the man, he should be strictly circumspect concerning things like loud laughter and music. He should also instruct his wife, children and servants on that matter without fail. 
     This is not entirely on account of the opinions of the man in distress, but is prudential in avoiding the contempt of all one's compatriots and the slander of being both extremely unceremonies and rude. 
THE WARRIOR WHO STRIKES HIS WIFE IS A COWARD
     When the wife of a true warrior does something that is not in accord with his wishes, the most reasonable thing to do is to give her an explanation of what is right so that she will understand well, and, if it is a small matter, forgive her and be patient. If, however, he feels that she is ex- tremely ill-tempered and, in the end, likely to be of little use, he should give her a complete divorce, and return her to her parents. This is yet another thing. 
     On the other hand, a man who does not do this, but, being determined that this women is his wife, raises his voice in all manner of abusive and insulting language at a person whom others called "madam" and "my lady," acts in the manner of the day laborers who live in the back streets of the towns and villages. At any rate, such behavior is not to be excepted from a warrior who has previously served in full capacity. Needless to say, flailing one's sword about or striking her with one's fists is unspeakably outrageous, and all of these acts are those of a cowardly warrior. Specifically speaking, consider the age of the daughter of a warrior when she is ready for marriage. Although a man of that age is quite emphatically likely to not take being struck, it is a woman's plight to be patient while being obliged to shed tears. As a rule, the unfair act of seeking out an opponent who is unable to resist is absolutely not the deed of a valiant warrior. 
     The man who loves to do the things a valiant warrior hates and does not do is said to be a coward. 
COMPLETE ONE'S DUTIES WITHIN THE DAY; ONE SECOND AHEAD IS UNCERTAIN
     For a warrior serving a lord, there is a primary understanding concerning the execution of his daily duties, as difficult and unending as they are. Specifically speaking, it is the important resolve to do one's duties within the day allotted, rather than thinking that one will have unlimited time in the future. The reason for this is that, for the men in this uncertain world, neither high nor low are able to tell what tomorrow may bring. This being so, it is also difficult to judge what unforeseen event may occur between master and servant. If nothing untoward happens, such a relationship may continue for many years to its natural conclusion. But when one first has the resolution to do at least the duties of the day, he will not suffer from boredom, will neglect nothing, and will be mindful of doing things within the day allotted. Thus, one will be assiduous and naturally without carelessness or lapses of memory. 
     However, if one thinks that the world will go on without change and that he will have unlimited time in which to perform his duties, as time passes he will become bored with things, his mind will slacken, and his spirit will become negligent. He will put off until tomorrow not only his lord's more unpressing concerns, but also those that should be briskly talked over and brought to a conclusion, and thus matters will pile up and be neglected. 
     Moreover, brushing off this comrade and throwing blame on another, there will be no one to come to one's aid, one's affairs will not only become distasteful but will also increase, and in the end there will be many matters left unsettled. 
     These are all matters that occur from a neglectful mind that does not discern that a warrior's duties should be done on the day allotted, but rather relies on the days and months ahead. 
     One should pay extreme attention to this. Now a warrior whose duties are fixed to a certain number of days in a row each month should be resolved that, if the shift of duties comes at 6:00 p.m., he should know the distance between his domicile and the lord's establishment, should note the length of the day, and should always leave a little early, no matter what the circumstances might be. One should understand this well. 
     To be resentful about having to leave for one's assigned place of duty and idle about having one more cup of tea, one more smoke at the pipe, or bits of conversation, first with one's wife and then with the children, time passes on and a man will leave his home late, hurrying along the road in a confused state disregarding what passers-by may think. He will burst into his office sweating profusely and, while using a fan even in the dead of winter, will make up a poor excuse about being late because of some unavoidable business. This will sound like theatrical farce to anyone with sense. 
     In particular, being on duty at the lord's establishment is the first among a warrior's duties because he is guarding the lord's residence, even if just for a short while. Thus, one should never be late due to his own personal affairs, regardless of what the circumstances may be. 
     Moreover, even if one has an understanding of this and comes to work early, it is extremely unbecoming to be restless and yawn when one's replacement is late, acting as though one cannot stand to be in the lord's establishment a bit longer and as if one wanted- to return home soon. One should be prudent about this. 
     It is reasonable to ask relief from one's duties when his parents are so ill that he should be there to look after them. When a child is ill, it depends on the parent's position and circumstances. This is because a parent, regardless of his status, cannot help feeling uneasy at a child's illness; but if he is of the position to be able to assign one or two retainers to look after the child in his stead, and if the illness is not too grave, there is not sufficient reason to be absent from his post. It is yet another thing if a warrior of low position has no steady retainer to look after the child. 
     Above all, it is totally out of the question for a warrior of low position, much less one of high position, to be absent from his official duties with the excuse that his wife is sick. However, it could be said that staying home is reasonable if her illness is grave, or one reports that he himself has contracted the disease and must not go out.