A Samurai’s Creed

A Samurai’s Creed
Anonymous, Circa 1300

I have no parents; 

I make the heaven and earth my mother and father.
 

I have no home; 

I make awareness my dwelling.
 

I have no life and death; 

I make the tides of breathing my life and death.

I have no divine power; 

I make honesty my divine power.

I have no means; 

I make understanding my means.

I have no magic secrets; 

I make character my magic secret.

I have no body; 

I make endurance my body.

I have no eyes; 

I make the flash of lightning my eyes.

I have no ears; 

I make sensibility my ears.

I have no limbs; 

I make promptness my limbs.

I have no strategy; 

I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy

I have no designs; 

I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.

I have no miracles; 

I make right action my miracle.

I have no principles; 

I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.

I have no tactics; 

I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.

I have no talents; 

I make ready wit my talent.

I have no friends; 

I make my mind my friend.

I have no enemy; 

I make carelessness my enemy.

I have no armor; 

I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.

I have no castle; 

I make immovable mind my castle.

I have no sword; 

I make absence of self my sword.