"I have come to understand that the Way of the Samurai is that of dying. When a warrior comes to a life-or-death situation, there is for him only the quick choice of death. There are no other details; be determined and advance.
To say that dying without reaching one’s aim is to die in vain is a frivolity of wimpish samurai. When pressed with the choice of life or death, it is no longer necessary to gain one’s aim. We all want to live, and in large part we reason our way into clinging to life. Now, not pursuing our aim and continuing to live: that is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. But if you sacrifice everything to obtain your goal and die short of fulfilling it, you have nothing to be ashamed of.
This is the essence of the Way of the Samurai: you must die anew every morning and every night. If you continually preserve the state of death in everyday life, you will understand the essence of Bushido, and you will gain freedom in the Way. Your whole life will be without blame, and you will succeed in your calling."
The Matheson Trust; Yamamoto, Tsunetomo, Hagakure: In the Shade of the Leaves, Section 2 (p. 3) http://themathesontrust.org/library/hagakure-book-of-the-samurai
How do I make death a quick choice? If I want to live without shame, I've got a lot of work to do.
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| © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / , via Wikimedia Commons |
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