Precepts

For the most part, we admire our own opinions and become fond of arguing.
In this we do much harm.

A warrior should be careful in all things and should dislike to be the least bit
worsted.

When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten will turn out badly. A
warrior is a person who does things quickly.

Lies and insincerity are unbecoming. This is because they are for self-profit.

When someone is giving you his opinion, you should receive it with deep
gratitude even though it is worthless. It is best to both give and receive
opinions in a friendly way.

A person who becomes fatigued when unhappy is useless.

If you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing
the enemy.

It is bad taste to yawn in front of people. It is the same thing with sneezing.

Throughout your life advance daily, becoming more skillful than yesterday,
more skillful than today. This is never-ending.

Ones word is especially important. It is not for exposing the depths of ones
heart. This is something that people will know by ones everyday affairs.

Recently, people who are called clever adorn themselves with superficial
wisdom and only deceive others. For this reason they are inferior to dullwitted folk.
A dull- witted person is direct.
If one looks deeply into his heart with the above phrase, there will be no
hidden places. It is a good examiner. One should be of the mind that,
meeting this examiner, he will not be embarrassed.

Above all, if he is not careful in his choice of words he may say things like,
Im a coward, or At that time Id probably run, or How frightening, or
How painful.
These are words that should not be said even in jest, on a whim, or when
talking in ones sleep.
If a person with
understanding hears such things, he will see to the bottom of the speakers
heart.

A warrior should not say something fainthearted even casually.

He should set his mind to this beforehand. Even in trifling matters the depths
of ones heart can be seen.

In a higher level he has pride concerning his own ability, rejoices in praise
from others, and laments the lack of ability in his fellows.
This man has worth. In the highest level a man has the look of knowing
nothing.
There is one transcending level, and this is the most excellent of all. This
person is aware of the endlessness of entering deeply into a certain Way arid
never thinks of himself as having finished. He truly knows his own

insufficiencies and never in his whole life thinks that he has succeeded. He
has no thoughts of pride but with selfabasement knows the Way to the end.

Matters of great concern should be treated lightly. Matters of small concern

should be treated seriously.
Thinking about things previously and then handling them lightly when the
time comes is what this is all about.
To face an event anew solve it lightly is difficult if you are not resolved
beforehand, and there will always be uncertainty in hitting your mark.
A man who has never once erred is dangerous.

When the time comes, there is no moment for reasoning.

And if you have not done your inquiring beforehand , there is most often
shame.
Reading books and listening to peoples talk are for the
purpose of prior resolution.

Victory and defeat are matters of the temporary force of circumstances.

The way of avoiding shame is different. It is simply in death.
Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate.
Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this.
A real man does not think of victory or defeat.
He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will
awaken from your dreams.

It is because a samurai has correct manners that he is admired.

Speaking of other people in this way is no different from an exchange
between low class spearmen. It is vulgar.

One should search throughout his whole life how best to follow the Way.
And he should study, setting his mind to work without putting things off.
Within this is the Way.

If you can understand one affair, you will understand eight.

An affected laugh shows lack of self-respect in a man and lewdness in a
woman.
It is carelessness to go about with ones hands inside the slits in the sides of
his hakama.
Whether speaking formally or informally, one should look his listener in the
eye.
A polite greeting is done at the beginning and finished.
Speaking with downcast eyes is carelessness.

Become of the mind that is right now pure and lacking complications.
People in general all seem to be dejected.
When one has a pure and uncomplicated mind, his expression will be lively.

The person without previous resolution to inevitable death makes certain

that his death will be in bad form. But if one is resolved to death beforehand,

in what way can he be despicable?

in this concern.

One should be especially diligent

It is a wretched thing that the young men of today are so contriving and so
proud of their material possessions. Men with contriving hearts are lacking in
duty.
Lacking in duty, they will have no selfrespect.

Regardless of class, a person who does something beyond his social standing
will at some point commit mean or cowardly acts.

When something is said to you by the master, whether it is for your good or
bad fortune, to withdraw in silence shows perplexity.
You should have some appropriate response. It is important to have
resolution beforehand.

By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and show ourselves to
be beginners. In this we do much harm. It is worthwhile just looking at the
deeds of accomplished persons for the purpose of knowing our own
insufficiencies. But often this does not happen. For the most part, we admire
our own opinions and become fond of arguing.

To treat a person harshly is the way of middle class lackeys.

One should always take the attitude of standing above others in martial
valor, always feel that he is inferior to no one, and always cultivate his
courage.
In the stories of the elder warriors it is said that on the battlefield if one wills
himself to outstrip warriors of accomplishment, and day and night hopes to
strike down a powerful enemy, he will grow indefatigable and fierce of heart
and will manifest courage.
One should use
this principle in everyday affairs too.

You will be tripped up by people when your resolution is lax.

You should never be distracted even for an instant when meeting with
others.

When one has the conviction that even the slightest artful ability is harmful
to the samurai, all the arts become useful to him. One should understand
this sort of thing.

It is said that one should not hesitate to correct himself when he has made a
mistake.
If he corrects himself without the least bit of delay, his
mistakes will quickly disappear.
But when he tries to cover up a
mistake, it will become all the more unbecoming and painful.

If you think that you will be inferior in doing something, you will be on that
road very soon.

A warrior should be careful in all things and should dislike to be the least bit
worsted.

When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten will turn out badly. A
warrior is a person who does things quickly.

A person who is discreet in speaking will be useful during the good times and
will avoid punishment during the bad.

When discussing things with someone, it is best to speak appropriately about

whatever the subject may be.
No matter how good what you are saying might be, it will dampen the
conversation if it is irrelevant.

Lies and insincerity are unbecoming. This is because they are for self-profit.

Furthermore, if you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your
corpse facing the enemy.

Though it is not profitable to have others lead the way, or not to be

quarrelsome, or not to be lacking in manners, or to be humble,
If one will do things for the benefit of others and meet even those whom he
has met often before in a first-time manner, he will have no bad
relationships.

Above all, one should not divide ones way into two. One should strive in the
Way of the Samurai.

It is said that much sake, self-pride and luxury are to be avoided by a

samurai.
There is no cause for anxiety when you are
unhappy, but when you become a little elated, these three things become
dangerous.
Look at the human condition. It is unseemly for a person to become prideful
and extravagant when things are going well.
Therefore, it is better to have some unhappiness while one is still young, for
if a person does not experience some bitterness, his disposition will not
settle down.
A person who becomes fatigued
when unhappy is useless.

Meeting with people should be a matter of quickly grasping their

temperament and reacting appropriately to this person and that.
Especially with an extremely argumentative person, after yielding
considerably one should argue him down with superior logic, but without
sounding harsh, and in a fashion that will allow no resentment to be left
afterwards.

One should perceive their nature to be one of quiet strength.

Courage is gritting one s teeth ; it is simply doing that and pushing ahead,
paying no attention to the circumstances. Anything that seems above these
three is not necessary to be known.

People who thought "I'll get to it later" never will.

To do good, is to endure suffering.

The right and wrong of ones way of doing things are found in trivial matters.

One should be wary of talking on end about such subjects as learning,

morality or folklore in front of elders or people of rank. It is disagreeable to
listen to.

One word will suffice. One should think well and then speak.

People who talk on and on about matters of little importance probably have
some complaint in the back of their mind. But in order to be ambiguous and
to hide this they repeat what they are saying over and over. To hear
something like this causes doubt to arise in one's breast.

Talking too much will bring much harm.

Only think about the day at hand.

As everything in the world is but a sham, Death is the only sincerity.