The saying of Shida Kichinosuke, “When there is a choice of either living or dying, as long as there remains nothing behind to blemish one’s reputation, it is better to live,” is a paradox. He also said, “When there is a choice of either going or not going, it is better not to go.” A corollary to this would he, “When there is a choice of either eating or not eating, it is better not to eat. When there is a choice of either dying or not dying, it is better to die.”
When meeting calamities or difficult situations, it is not enough to simply say that one is not at all flustered. When meeting difficult situations, one should dash forward bravely and with joy. It is the crossing of a single barrier and is like the saying, “The more the water, the higher the boat.”
The Matheson Trust; Yamamoto, Tsunetomo, Hagakure: In the Shade of the Leaves, Section 57 (p. 18-19) http://themathesontrust.org/library/hagakure-book-of-the-samurai
There have been times in my life when my resolve caused me to embrace the more difficult challenges, and times when I've allowed laziness or complacency to win the day. Can seeking resolute acceptance of permanent death, give us courage to risk the mini-death of failure?
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