Exploring the Essence of Bushido and Its Relevance Today

While waiting for a connecting flight at Moscow's international airport in 1990, then my boss said to me, "You should adopt a samurai mindset." To be honest, at that time and in that place, I didn't fully grasp what he meant. However, later on, I purchased a book titled BUSHIDO, which provided explanatory notes. According to Mr. Inazo Nitobe, the original author in 1900, the code of the samurai, known as Bushido, was developed through the samurai way of life and the essence of Japan, profoundly influenced by Shintoism, Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism, over several centuries. Bushido comprises seven virtues of the samurai: 1) rectitude or justice, 2) courage, the spirit of daring and endurance, 3) benevolence, a sense of empathy, 4) politeness, 5) veracity or truthfulness, 6) honor, and 7) loyalty. The meaning of the fifth virtue is similar to that of "noblesse oblige." In Japan, we do not formally learn Bushido in schools, but rather absorb its values spontaneously through daily habits, annual events, traditional ceremonies, martial arts, and other aspects of our culture.

Popular posts from this blog

Transforming Knowledge into Decision-Making Wisdom

Image
In any era, accurately understanding the present circumstances and making informed decisions relies on gathering dependable information from diverse perspectives and relying on personal knowledge and experiences. Consequently, obtaining essential knowledge, applying it practically, and cultivating a habit of thoughtful consideration is advantageous. Essentially, it's crucial to empower individuals to convert necessary life knowledge into the wisdom required for decision-making and action-taking. This becomes increasingly critical amidst the overwhelming influx of conflicting information.
Read more

Nurturing the Cycle of Positive Emotions within the Human Heart

Image
Naturally, when others treat us kindly, it sparks joy within and a desire to reciprocate that kindness either to them or others. This human reaction might be rooted in trust and forms an unseen chain of positive emotions that plays a role in maintaining social order and stability. It's within our hearts to either strengthen or break this chain, as both actions are closely linked. Therefore, it's crucial to overcome our negative emotions and cultivate spiritual strength, fostering a sacred and healthy sentiment to prevent our feelings from turning destructive. To achieve this, it might be beneficial for us to spend more time daily connecting with our inner selves in a way that suits them.
Read more

Mindfulness and the Alchemy of Happiness: Insights from Archbishop Ryokan Ara

Image
  The Archbishop of Tendai Buddhism, Ryokan Ara (1928-2019), once shared a perspective on the mind: “All things in this world arise from the mind, and the mind can change them. Both within this house and within this world, through this mind, they can become either hell or paradise.” All people live their lives with more or less pain and worry. This is what Buddhism calls “earthly desires”. Suffering and worries bring about a variety of painful emotions such as sadness, anger, envy, and anxiety, and instill “bad habits in the mind.” Therefore, since it is difficult for people to give up earthly desires as long as they are alive, Ryokan Ara proposed to reduce earthly desires by practicing “habits of a calm mind” that are good for the mind and soul. It emphasizes that nothing in this world is fixed forever and that things are always changing, so it is important to understand the truth by looking at things in a big-picture way. What is needed here is the mindset of not being particular and
Read more