In my pack I carry
and read “The Way of the Samurai”
by Yukio Mishima.
This book is his translations
and personal interpretations
and read “The Way of the Samurai”
by Yukio Mishima.
This book is his translations
and personal interpretations
on the original classic Samurai
ethics and behavior book “Hagakure”.
ethics and behavior book “Hagakure”.
“Hagakure” literally means “Hidden among the Leaves”.
Mishima had a kimono full of secret pockets
that hid his idealistic self-reflections –
that hid his idealistic self-reflections –
he wrote this book three years before he performed
his dramatic ritual suicide
at the Self Defense Force headquarters in Tokyo.
at the Self Defense Force headquarters in Tokyo.
Mishima thought he was defending his Self –
the war, internalized, within.
the war, internalized, within.
After his death his book became famous –
the war, externalized, without.
the war, externalized, without.
Mishima rose to mythic heights,
a resplendent Bushido life depiction.
a resplendent Bushido life depiction.
“Bushido” means the “Way of the Warrior”,
it is at the heart of the beliefs and conduct of the Samurai –
the philosophy of Bushido is freedom from fear.
Samurai transcend their fear of death.
Transcendence of fear gives the peace
and power to serve
and power to serve
faithfully, loyally, and die well
if necessary as part of duty.
if necessary as part of duty.
The consistency of war in the 15th century
and the introduction of guns into battle
and the introduction of guns into battle
created a change in the code of the warrior.
The code developed from the Chinese concept of virtue -
warriors doing battle armed with the power of morals -
virtue in the Samurai code created chivalry -
transforming warriors to be armed for combat
with consideration of others,
protecting human sensitivity with utmost care.
with consideration of others,
protecting human sensitivity with utmost care.
Some people believe that Mishima
was a modern day Samurai slaying life.
was a modern day Samurai slaying life.
A clash of sword and pen,
warrior and poet philosophically Zen.
warrior and poet philosophically Zen.
He died a benighted death,
iconic as a hero martyr
while still prime in the youth of life.
iconic as a hero martyr
while still prime in the youth of life.
His code of conductivity
electively generated from the force within –
electively generated from the force within –
a part of the larger Self electric,
that we are all magnetically a part of,
that we are all magnetically a part of,
the Whole
water and fire,
female and male,
either and air,
Earth and Spirit essence of You and I -
You are your Self,
I am my Self.
At his moment of death
I wonder
if Mishima's last thought
was pure Zen spirit
guiding his Way.
~ ~ Other people's Fingerprints ~~
Yukio Mishima wrote in 1967;
“Each and everyone of us
hides within his subconscious mind
deep, blind impulses.
These are the dynamic expression
of the contradictions
water and fire,
female and male,
either and air,
Earth and Spirit essence of You and I -
You are your Self,
I am my Self.
At his moment of death
I wonder
if Mishima's last thought
was pure Zen spirit
guiding his Way.
~ ~ Other people's Fingerprints ~~
Yukio Mishima wrote in 1967;
“Each and everyone of us
hides within his subconscious mind
deep, blind impulses.
These are the dynamic expression
of the contradictions
filling one’s life
from moment to moment,
from moment to moment,
a manifestation
that has essentially nothing to do
that has essentially nothing to do
with social ideals for the future.
In youth these are manifested
in their boldest, sharpest form
in their boldest, sharpest form
Moreover, such blind impulses
appear in dramatic opposition,
appear in dramatic opposition,
even in confrontation with one another.
Youth possesses the impulse to resist
and the impulse to surrender, in equal measure.
One might redefine these as
the impulse to be free and the impulse to die.
the impulse to be free and the impulse to die.
The manifestation of these impulses,
no matter how political the form it assumes,
is like an electric current
that results from a difference charge –
that results from a difference charge –
in other words,
