I never said that your statement was an empty psuedo-philosophical
platitude. Someone else did, not me.
What I was saying is that statements about facing death are a lot more
meaningful when coming from someone who has the experience of actually
facing imminent death in battle or facing an enemy. Of course we all will
die eventually.
I just happen to think that Yamamoto's statements in "Hagakure" about how
"death is the way of the warrior" and his writings about how too many
samurai "act like women" and his criticisms of the 47 Ako ronin were not
very meaningful in light of the fact that he had never faced an
imminent-death situation.
Here is a meaningful statement about facing death, written by Oishi
Kuranosuke and his colleagues in 1702. I found the statement within the
following link:
http://www.blackmask.com/thatway/books162c/taja.htm#1_0_3
The 15th year of Genroku, the 12th month, and 15th day. We
have come this day to do homage here, forty-seven men in all,
from Oishi Kuranosuke down to the foot-soldier, Terasaka
Kichiyemon, all cheerfully about to lay down our lives on your
behalf. We reverently announce this to the honoured spirit of
our dead master. On the 14th day of the third month of last
year our honoured master was pleased to attack Kira Kotsuke no
Suke, for what reason we know not. Our honoured master put an
end to his own life, but Kira Kotsuke no Suke lived. Although
we fear that after the decree issued by the Government this
plot of ours will be displeasing to our honoured master, still
we, who have eaten of your food, could not without blushing
repeat the verse, 'Thou shalt not live under the same heaven
nor tread the same earth with the enemy of thy father or lord,'
nor could we have dared to leave hell and present ourselves
before you in paradise, unless we had carried out the vengeance
which you began. Every day that we waited seemed as three
autumns to us. Verily, we have trodden the snow for one day,
nay, for two days, and have tasted food but once. The old and
decrepit, the sick and ailing, have come forth gladly to lay
down their lives. Men might laugh at us, as at grasshoppers
trusting in the strength of their arms, and thus shame our
honoured lord; but we could not halt in our deed of vengeance.
Having taken counsel together last night, we have escorted my
Lord Kotsuke no Suke hither to your tomb. This dirk,[7] by
which our honoured lord set great store last year, and
entrusted to our care, we now bring back. If your noble spirit
be now present before this tomb, we pray you, as a sign, to
take the dirk, and, striking the head of your enemy with it a
second time, to dispel your hatred for ever. This is the
respectful statement of forty-seven men.
-----Original Message-----
From:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of james wilson
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 8:22 PM
To:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [samuraihistory] Re: hitokiri kawakami gensai?
Yes you are correct but what is empty psuedo-philosophical platitude though.
Love, Grace, and Peace
"Boal, Nina" <
Nina.Boal@...> wrote:
Hello, Mr. James
In some ways, yes. But facing death from a comfortable castle -- which is
where Yamamoto was situated when he wrote "Hagakure" is not the same as
facing death under direct attack, such as in a battle against an enemy who
is using swords, spears, guns, other weapons against you. Or facing death
when your castle has been confiscated, your lord has died via seppuku at the
Shogun's order, and you are on the outside without clan or master -- and it
is your duty to avenge him.
Nina
-----Original Message-----
From:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of james wilson
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 11:14 AM
To:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [samuraihistory] Re: hitokiri kawakami gensai?
Hello Ms. Nina but isnt everyday to live is to face death? And If you are a
samurai or merchant then you face death no matter who or where you are.Being
the best assin shouldnt have any thing to do with something such as
honorable becasue you are the person doing the dirty work. So the best assin
should be the best at his job or the one who got the most kills and got away
with it something to that sort.
Love, Grace, and Peace
"Boal, Nina" <
Nina.Boal@...> wrote:
-----Original Message-----
From:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Kitsuno
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 9:56 PM
To:
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [samuraihistory] Re: hitokiri kawakami gensai?
--- In
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com, "Boal, Nina"
wrote:
> Maybe we could get into a discussion of what constitutes the "best"
samurai,
> or even what constitutes a "good" samurai? There would be plenty of
argument
> here over the issue of what makes a "good" samurai. Is it skill in
weaponry?
> Is it courage? Is it loyalty? Is it general character?
>
> Nina Boal
As long as it doesn't involve "who followed Bushido the best"...
---------------------------------------------------------
Aaaah, don't get me started on "bushido." I may raise a few hackles with the
following, but one of my pet, pet peeves is someone quoting from "Hagakure"
by Yamamoto Tsunetomo as if this were THE definitive manual on "bushido." I
keep hearing people quote from this work, especially the famous line, "the
way of the samurai is facing death."
In the first place, Yamamoto wrote this treatise as a private correspondence
to members of his clan. It never was intended to be read by the general
public in feudal Japan, much less by people all over the world in many
languages.
But more importantly, in my humble(?) opinion, Yamamoto had never been in a
battle and thus knew nothing first-hand about facing death. He lived in a
peaceful castle during the 18th centurey, some of the most peaceful times in
Japanese history. It's not that difficult to write stuff about how a samurai
should face death when ensconced in a place where facing death doesn't come
into the equation of one's existence at all.
If anyone wants to know about facing death, read some of the accounts by the
47 Asano retainers who avenged their lord (whom Yamamoto had the temerity to
criticize from his own relatively comfortable spot). Or else read any
account from any common battlefield soldier in history, one from Japan or
from any other country.
Nina
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