Ming the Mechanic:
A Samurai’s Creed

The NewsLog of Flemming Funch
 A Samurai’s Creed2008-02-21 13:04
15 comments
picture by Flemming Funch

Cool. The creed of a samurai, written around 1300 by an unnamed author. Via Chris Corrigan
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.


[< Back] [Ming the Mechanic]

Category:  

15 comments

21 Feb 2008 @ 20:43 by bushman : Hmm,
works for me. :}  


22 Feb 2008 @ 05:47 by Lionel @82.225.26.8 : :-)

Powerful. And also feminine.  



29 Feb 2008 @ 07:35 by Roan Carratu @98.202.63.219 : Zen Influence
Definitely a zen student Samurai. Richly adapted as a response to some other Samurai creed, much like the No mind, No mirror poem of the ancient zen master in China. I would bet it dates from the time Zen was introduced into Japan. Just a thought.  


18 Mar 2008 @ 03:18 by democritus : addition
i have no gods, i make myself aware of my own divinity  


14 Apr 2008 @ 17:53 by George Strait @89.41.122.44 : A Samurai’s
Really Powerful.
I like Samurai’s .  



2 Sep 2008 @ 17:08 by MMA Extreme @66.177.105.90 : Samurai
Bushido.  


12 Jan 2009 @ 19:14 by Music @93.125.15.70 : Samurai
Yes, Powerful...
What do you mean Mr. MMA Extreme?  



12 Feb 2009 @ 19:43 by Virginia Hoyt @67.72.98.46 : Samurai Creed
I think it is wonderful, thank you  


24 Mar 2009 @ 15:48 by Buddy @199.106.52.17 : .
I have no shoes. I make socks with flip-flops my shoes.  


28 Mar 2009 @ 23:15 by Jack Mehoff @75.134.58.179 : far out!!
Duuuuuuuuuude!  


29 Mar 2009 @ 05:32 by Dan Wong @99.226.25.87 : Samurai's Creed
I have no voice, I make righteousness and truth my voice.  


2 Apr 2009 @ 11:39 by Yamamoto Tsunetomo @85.160.90.18 : FAKE
this has nothing to do with bushido.. read Yamamoto  


13 Apr 2009 @ 04:01 by nic @98.230.2.132 : add-ons
this creed is complete. it doesn't need anyone's help. try not to make jokes about a serious thing, especially if they aren't even funny.  


14 Apr 2009 @ 04:48 by Organic Boy @68.96.86.99 : Samurai
I have no jokes, I laugh at thoes who take things to seriously (sometimes myself)  


6 May 2009 @ 17:44 by Tokugawa Ieyasu @90.229.199.115 : Read the creeds again.
Those who add their own rules of conduit, like "I am god" and "I am truth" should read the creeds again. That kind of thinking is not the way of the samurai at all.  


Your Name:
Your URL: (or email)
Subject:       
Comment:
For verification, please type the word you see on the left:


Other stories in
2009-10-27 23:59: Compassion Exercise
2009-10-26 23:48: The power of appreciation
2008-02-20 15:38: Experiencing
2007-11-07 00:50: Say what you feel
2007-11-06 23:38: Steve Habib Rose
2007-06-21 19:16: How does one have a blogversation?
2007-06-20 21:53: Self-portraits
2007-06-15 16:26: Life instructions
2007-06-07 21:16: Creativity 100
2007-06-07 12:32: A technique for producing ideas


[< Back] [Ming the Mechanic] [PermaLink]? 


Link to this article as: http://ming.tv/flemming2.php/__show_article/_a000010-001914.htm
Main Page: ming.tv