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.
