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ichi
04-19-2003, 06:06
I wanted to make my 100th post something other than Spam, so I thought I would turn you all on to a book by Inazo Nitobe, titled ‘Bushido, The Soul of Japan'. ‘Bushido' means literally ‘Military - Knight - Ways', the ways which fighting nobles should observe in their daily life. I'll put it in the Monastery, or should it go in the STW Library? oh well . . .

Bushido is equivalent to the Medieval concept of ‘Chivalry', which I am sad to say is lacking in modern society and, as the numerous threads in The Org attest, online. Taunting, boasting, name- calling, gloating, overall arrogance and bad manners can be found quite readily in the GameSpy lobby and in the games.

Please do not get me wrong, there are quite a few ladies and gentlemen online - those who live by a code of honor. There are also a few punks who could learn a little - maybe even realize how they are (or at least, how they come across to the rest of the world).

First published in 1905,‘Bushido, The Soul of Japan' was written when many of the samurai traditions were still practiced.

Bushido according Nitobe, was based on Buddhism and Shintoism. Shinotism beleives in the innate goodness and Godlike purity of the human soul. Shinto shrines are devoid of objects of worship; a plain mirror hangs in the sanctuary. The human heart, which, when perfectly placid and clear, reflects the very image of the Deity. Equal to the ancient Delphic injunction ‘Know thyself'.

The principles of Bushido are: Justice, Courage, Benevolence, Politeness, Sincerity, Honor, Loyalty, and Self-Control.

Justice (or Rectitude) is the power of deciding upon a certain course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering; to die when it is right to die, to strike when it is right to strike. ‘Gishi' was a name for a man of rectitude and was considered superior to any that signified mastery of learning or art (the 47 Ronin are also known as Gishi).

Courage is a virtue only when exercised in the cause of Righteousness. Confucius defines courage by explaining ‘Perceiving what is right, and doing it not, argues lack of courage'. Courage should not be confused with rashness (to run unnecessary risk, to rush into the jaws of death), which leads to what was called ‘a dog's death'. Valor, fortitude, bravery, fearlessness, are the most popular virtues, easily grasped by a young man's mind.

The spiritual aspect of valor is evidenced by composure - calm presence of mind. Tranquility is courage in repose. A truly brave man is serene, never taken by surprise. In the heat of battle he remains cool.

Love, magnanimity, affection for others, sympathy, and pity are recognized to be the supreme virtues - the highest of all the attributes of the human soul. Universally true, ‘the bravest are the tenderest'. ‘Bushi no nasake' - the tenderness of a warrior, recognizes justice - to power to save or kill.

Benevolence to the weak or the vanquished was extolled as behavior becoming to a samurai. Modesty, actuated by respect for others' feelings, is at the root of politeness.

(How many times I have listened to experienced players bitch about newbies, or those less-skilled players, or the victors in an online game bad-mouthing the beaten, Gah, what crap&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Bushido considers lying (or dishonesty) to be a weakness. Pity the poor fool who would try to cheat/hack the game to get an advantage. Obviously doesn't get it.

The sense of honor includes self-dignity and worth. It may be describes as the opposite of disgrace. A samurai's good name was of high importance. (Some of the folks online hide behind the firewall, acting any way they please because they think know one will find out it was them, or if they do find out, who cares what others think What a shame that we think that it is only what we think that matters).

Samurai were assumed to be loyal. Loyalty, in my mind, now distinguishes the great clans from the others. It is not skill, or numbers, or CWBs, but the loyalty of a clans members that most impresses me (or disgusts me, in several cases).

Finally, Self-Control. It was considered unmanly for a samurai to show his emotions on his face. ‘He shows no sign of joy or anger' was a phrase used in describing great character. Calmness of behavior, composure of mind should not be disturbed by passion of any kind. (I have heard so many mean things said at the moment of defeat, usually directed at an opponent who used ‘unfair' tactics, or at an ally that did not live up to expectations).

Buy the book, its a great glimpse into feudal Japan. The comparisons between the samurai code and chivalry are great.

I hope that we can adopt a code of chivalry or bushido online. The atmosphere here in The Org approaches this. Not to say that we can't have flame wars, or criticize others. Maybe we can be a little more kind to each other, help each other out.

The victories will come, and be forgotten, but the sense of community or friendship is the onyl thing that will last. Too bad many don't get that simple fact.

Hopefully the punks can learn that it is important to, as Krast says ‘Cut Heads Off', but also to behave decently. Not only online, but in the game of life as well.

ichi

spmetla
04-19-2003, 07:58
Totally agree with you. Except I'd want to expand this to all of modern society.
I'll check out Bushido when I swing by borders tomorrow.

There's a copy of Bushido Shoshinshu (Code of the Samuri) a few inches from my head that I browse through every few days.

redrooster
04-19-2003, 11:05
Aye

Lechev
04-19-2003, 15:02
I had find that its an iroy for the Japs to write a book about Chivary of the feudal age when during the Second World War they had committed all sorts of atrocities in the name of their Emperor.

They should feel ashamed of themselves when they use their Katana to behead the POWs ( Katana is a symbol of a samurai ). Although these acts had been committed in the older generations and like what the Sicilians proverb had stated ", A father's fault should not pass on to his son ". I believe for those who had suffered under their hands during that period, will not be forgotten easily.... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

To make matter worst, until now they still dun admit what they had done in Naking or the treatment of the allies POWs and their history text books has been edited in such a way that the younger generation is not told of their pass mistakes. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

If only they can be like the Germans, admit their pass mistakes, ask for forgiveness and just carry on with their life to educate their next generation not to repeat the same mistakes they had done. For these, I find that the Germans volks deserved the respect for what they had done to prevent another tragedy to humanity. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

ichi
04-19-2003, 17:39
Lechev: Proving that there is good and bad in all. Anything can be perverted. Look at the Crusades and the Inquisitions, hoping to turn people toward God, but winding up burning them at the stake.

Today it seems that Islam has been perverted to justify killing civilians, suicide bombing, enforced piety. This has caused the concept of Freedom in America to become perverted by secret trails, holding arabic types without trial, invasion of privacy just to keep me free.

There are those in Serbia who still protect war criminals, those in Iraq that hide the high ranking members of Hussein al Tikriti's regime.

It would be nice if the Japanese could face up to Nanking and other WWII atrocities. I choose to focus on the positive side of Bushido, for what it can do for me.

ichi

Lechev
04-19-2003, 17:50
Well said m8. Yes, I agree with you that many things in life is like a double edge sword. I might be a bit OT back there. Thanks for enlighting me. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

Crimson Castle
04-19-2003, 21:18
Hello,

Kondasha(hope i got the spelling correct) has just released a book by MUSASHI: 5 RINGS.

Its got all sorts of information about the philosophy of a samurai by the most famous one: Musashi.

As for the Japanese being brutal and all. They were extremely brutal to each other, to foreigners it was a whole lot worse. Part of this has to do with hubris: irrational pride. They believe they are utterly superior to everyone else. It takes a complete utter disaster for them to shake them away from their thinking.

Even, after the 2 A bombs had dropped, when the Emperor announced the surrender of Japan in WWII, he never once used the word "defeated". Instead he said, "...the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage..."

Sjakihata
04-21-2003, 09:50
Try also to read Musashi: A Book of Five Rings and Hagakure (the last with a more sicentific approcah to feudal japans culture etc).

Muneyoshi
04-23-2003, 05:57
Read em before, pretty good reads actually

Dîn-Heru
04-24-2003, 17:12
Well put, words to live by. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

DojoRat
04-24-2003, 20:47
Underlying many of the virtues of Bushido is humility. You bow whenever you enter or leave the Dojo. The Sensei doesn't have to be there, you could be alone, you still bow. Yes, it's tradition but it's somethere more. It's an acknowledgement that no matter your talent or your willpower you are only a part of the whole, an infinite that will continue without you.

Longshanks
04-27-2003, 16:59
Bushido was never perverted. It was always a brutal military code. The values of the Japanese Army in WW2 were no different from the values of the Samurai. As such, its a good thing Bushido is a thing of the past.

ichi
04-27-2003, 23:44
Longshanks:

Bushido can be considered to be the Japanese equivalent of Chivalry, a code of honor. It is, at its core, firm, but never brutal for the sake of brutality.

Just as with all concepts (Christianity, Islam, Chivalry, Nationalism), much that is bad has been done under the guise of Bushido. But that does not change the basic set of values, which are inarguably decent and good.

It is a good thing that the excesses of the samurai are no more, but Bushido lives on in the heart of all good ronin.

. . . and that is a good thing.

Once again, I invite you to read up on the subject; you might find you are mistaken about Bushido.

ichi

Longshanks
04-28-2003, 05:05
What you aspire to Ishi is the romantic Bushido, something which never really existed. To use the chivalry example, its a bit like Arthur and the Round Table. Knights in reality however, were far different from the romantic fantasy. The same goes for the Samurai.

Some principles of Bushido are also very flawed. Unquestioned loyalty to one's lord for example. If applied to every day life, that would mean unquestioned loyalty to a man like Saddam or Hitler if he was your "lord."

ichi
04-29-2003, 00:48
Longchanks:

Bushido, The Soul of Japan, Inazo Nitobe, Pg 92 "Bushido did not require us to make our conscience the slave of any lord or king. Thomas Mowbray was a veritable spokesman for us when he said:

'Myself I throw, dread sovereign, at thy foot.
My life thou shall command, but not my shame.
The one my duty owes; but my fair name,
Despite of death, that lives upon my grave,
To dark dishonour's use, thou shall not have.'

A man who sacrificed his own conscience to the capricious will or freak or fancy of a sovereign was accorded a low place . . .

Such an one was despised as ne-shin, a cringeling, . . . or as cho-shin, a favourite who steals his mater's affections by means of servile compliance. . .

. . . it was quite a usual course for the samurai to make the last appeal to the intelligence and conscience of his lord by demonstrating the sincerity of his words with the shedding of his own blood."

So I disagree, respectfully, with your contention that Bushido would lead me to follow, blindly, Hitler. Only those without a moral compass, and the strength to follow it, would be inclined to toadie up to a despot. Those with a code of honor would be more likely to 'stand up' to evil.

ichi