From the 1st Chapter
Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be
mindful of the Way of the Samurai, it would seem that we
are all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask,
"What is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?"
the person who would be able to answer promptly is rare.
This is because it has not been established in one's mind
beforehand. From this, one's unmindfulness of the Way
can be known.
Negligence is an extreme thing.
The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes
to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is
not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To
say that dying without reaching one's aim is to die a dog's
death is the frivolous way of sophisticates. When pressed
with the choice of life or death, it is not necessary to gain
one's aim.
We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic
according to what we like. But not having attained our aim
and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous
line. To die without gaming one's aim is a dog's death and
fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the
substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart
right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though
his body were already dead, he pains freedom in the Way.
His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed
in his calling.
A man is a good retainer to the extent that he earnestly places importance in his master. This is the highest sort of retainer. If one is born into a prominent family that goes back for generations, it is sufficient to deeply consider the matter of obligation to one's ancestors, to lay down one's body and mind, and to earnestly esteem one's master. It is further good fortune if, more than this, one has wisdom and talent and can use them appropriately. But even a person who is good for nothing and exceedingly clumsy will be a reliable retainer if only he has the determination to think earnestly of his master. Having only wisdom and talent is the lowest tier of usefulness.
According to their nature, there are both people who
have quick intelligence, and those who must withdraw and
take time to think things over. Looking into this thoroughly,
if one thinks selflessly and adheres to the four vows of the
Nabeshima samurai, surprising wisdom will occur regardless
of the high or low points of one's nature.'
People think that they can clear up profound matters
if they consider them deeply, but they exercise perverse
thoughts and come to no good because they do their
reflecting with only self-interest at the center.
It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness. In confronting a matter, however, if at first you leave it alone, fix the four vows in your heart, exclude self-interest, and make an effort, you will not go far from your mark.
Because we do most things relying only on our own sagacity we become self-interested, turn our backs on reason, and things do not turn out well. As seen by other people this is sordid, weak, narrow and inefficient. When one is not capable of true intelligence, it is good to consult with someone of good sense. An advisor will fulfill the Way when he makes a decision by selfless and frank intelligence because he is not personally involved. This way of doing things will certainly be seen by others as being strongly rooted. It is, for example, like a large tree with many roots. One man's intelligence is like a tree that has been simply stuck in the ground.
We learn about the sayings and deeds of the men of old
in order to entrust ourselves to their wisdom and prevent
selfishness. When we throw off our own bias, follow the
sayings of the ancients, and confer with other people,
matters should go well and without mishap. Lord Katsushige
borrowed from the wisdom of Lord Naoshige. This is
mentioned in the Ohanashikikigaki. We should be grateful
for his concern.
Moreover, there was a certain man who engaged a number
of his younger brothers as retainers, and whenever he visited
Edo or the Kamigata area, he would have them accompany
him. As he consulted with them everyday on both private
and public matters, it is said that he was without mishap.
Sagara Kyuma was completely at one with his master and
served him as though his own body were already dead. He
was one man in a thousand.
Once there was an important meeting at Master Sakyo's
Mizugae Villa, and it was commanded that Kyuma was to
commit seppuku. At that time in Osaki there was a teahouse
on the third floor of the suburban residence of Master
Taku Nut. Kyuma rented this, and gathering together all
the good-for-nothings in Saga he put on a puppet show,
operating one of the puppets himself, carousing and drinking
all day and night. Thus, overlooking Master Sakyo's villa,
he carried on and caused a great disturbance. In instigating
this disaster he gallantly thought only of his master and was
resolved to committing suicide.
Being a retainer is nothing other than hemp a supporter
of one's lord, entrusting matters of good and evil to him, and
renouncing self-interest. If there are but two or three men
of this type, the fief will be secure.
If one looks at the world when affairs are going smoothly,
there arc many who go about putting in their appearance,
being useful by their wisdom, discrimination and artfulness.
However, if the lord should retire or go into seclusion,
there are many who will quickly turn their backs on him
and ingratiate themselves to the man of the day. Such a
thing is unpleasant even to think about. Men of high position, low
position, deep wisdom and artfulness all feel that
they are the ones who are working righteously, but when it
comes to the point of throwing away one's life for his lord,
all get weak in the knees. This is rather disgraceful. The
fact that a useless person often becomes a matchless warrior
at such times is because he has already given up his life and
has become one with his lord. At the time of Mitsushige's
death there was an example of this. His one resolved attendant
was I alone. The others followed in my wake. Always the
pretentious, self-asserting notables turn their
backs on the man just as his eyes are closing in death.
Loyalty is said to be important in the pledge between
lord and retainer. Though it may seem unobtainable, it is
right before your eyes. If you once set yourself to it, you will
become a superb retainer at that very moment.
To give a person one's opinion and correct his faults is
an important thing. It is compassionate and comes first in
matters of service. But the way of doing this is extremely
difficult. To discover the good and bad points of a person
is an easy thing, and to give an opinion concerning them is
easy, too. For the most part, people think that they are
being kind by saying the things that others find distasteful
or difficult to say. But if it is not received well, they think
that there is nothing more to be done. This is completely
worthless. It is the same as brining shame to a person by
slandering him. It is nothing more than getting it off one's
chest.
To give a person an opinion one must first judge well
whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or
not. One must become close with him and make sure that
he continually trusts one's word. Approaching subjects that
are dear to him, seek the best way to speak and to be well
understood. Judge the occasion, and determine whether it
is better by letter or at the time of leave-taking. Praise his
good points and use every device to encourage him, perhaps
by talking about one's own faults without touching
on his, but so that they will occur to him. Have him receive
this in the way that a man would drink water when his throat
is dry, and it will be an opinion that will correct faults.
This is extremely difficult. If a person s fault is a habit of
some years prior, by and large it won't be remedied. I have
had this experience myself. To be intimate with alt one's
comrades, correcting each other's faults, and being of one
mind to be of use to the master is the great compassion of a
retainer. By bringing shame to a person, bow could one
expect to make him a better man?
It is bad taste to yawn in front of people. When one unexpectedly has to yawn, if he rubs his forehead in an upward direction , the sensation will stop . If that does not work, he can lick his lips while keeping his mouth closed, or simply hide it with his hand or his sleeve in such a way that no one will know what he is doing. It is the same with sneezing. One will appear foolish. There are other things besides these about which a person should use care and training.
When a certain person was saying that present matters of economy should be detailed, someone replied that this is not good at all.
It is a fact that ash will not live where the water is too clear. But if there is duckweed or something, the fish will hide under its shadow and thrive. Thus, the lower classes will live in tranquillity if certain matters are a bit overlooked or left unheard. This fact should be understood with regard to people's conduct.
Once when Lord Mitsushige was a little boy and was supposed to recite from a copybook for the priest Kaion, he called the other children and acolytes and said, "Please come here and listen. It's difficult to read if there are hardly any people listening." The priest was impressed and said to the acolytes, "That's the spirit in which to do everything."
Every morning one should first do reverence to his master
and parents and then to his patron deities and guardian
Buddhas. If he will only make his master first in importance,
his parents will rejoice and the gods and Buddhas will give
their assent. For a warrior there is nothing other than thinking
of his master . If one creates this resolution within himself,
he will always be mindful of the master's person and
will not depart from him even for a moment.
Moreover, a woman should consider her husband first,
just as he considers his master first.
According to a certain person, a number of years ago Matsuguma
Kyoan told this story :
In the practice of medicine there is a differentiation of
treatment according to the Yin and Yang of men and
women. There is also a difference in pulse. In the last fifty
years, however, men's pulse has become the same as
women's. Noticing this, in the treatment of eye disease I
applied women's treatment to men and found it suitable.
When I observed the application of men's treatment to
men, there was no result. Thus I knew that men's spirit
had weakened and that they had become the same as
women, and the end of the world had come. Since I witnessed
this with certainty, I kept it a secret.
When looking at the men of today with this in mind, those
who could be thought to have a woman's pulse are many
indeed, and those who seem like real men few. Because of
this, if one were to make a little effort, he would be able to
take the upper hand quite easily. That there are few men
who arc able to cut well in beheadings is further proof that
men's courage has waned. And when one comes to speak
of kaishaku, it has become an age of men who are prudent
and clever at making excuses. Forty or fifty years ago, when
such things as matanuki were considered manly, a man
wouldn't show an unscarred thigh to his fellows, so he
would pierce it himself.
All of man's work is a bloody business. That fact, today, is
considered foolish, affairs are finished cleverly with words
alone, and jobs that require effort are avoided. I would like
young men to have some understanding of this.
The priest Tannen used to say, ''People come to no understanding
because priests teach only the doctrine of 'No
Mind.' What is called 'No Mind' is a mind that is pure and
lacks complication .' This is interesting.
Lord Sanenori said, "In the midst of a single breath,
where perversity cannot be held , is the Way. '' If so, then
the Way is one. But there is no one who can understand this
clarity at first. Purity is something that cannot be attained
except by piling effort upon effort.
There is nothing that we should be quite so grateful for as
the last line of the poem that goes, "When your own heart
asks." It can probably be thought of in the same way as the
Nembutsu, and previously it was on the lips of many people.
Recently, people who are called "clever" adorn themselves
with superficial wisdom and only deceive others. For
this reason they are inferior to dull-wilted folk. A dull-
wilted 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.
The word gen means "illusion" or "apparition." In India, a man who uses conjury is called a genjutsushi ["a master of illusion technique"]. Everything in this world is but a marionette show. Thus we use the word gen.
To hate injustice and stand on righteousness is a difficult thing. Furthermore, to think that being righteous is the best one can do and to do one's utmost to be righteous will, on the contrary, brig many mistakes. The Way is in a higher place then righteousness. This is very difficult to discover, but it is the highest wisdom. When seen from this standpoint, things like righteousness are rather shallow. If one does not understand this on his own, it cannot be known. There is a method of getting to this Way, however, even if one cannot discover it by himself. This is found in consultation with others. Even a person who has not attained this Way sees others front the side. It is like the saying from the game of go: "He who sees from the side has eight eyes." The saying, "Thought by thought we see our own mistakes," also means that the highest Way is in discussion with others. Listening to the old stories and reading books are for the purpose of sloughing off one's own discrimination and attaching oneself to that of the ancients.
A certain swordsman in his declining years said the following:
In one's life. there are levels in the pursuit of study. In
the lowest level, a person studies but nothing comes of it,
and he feels that both he and others are unskillful. At this
point he is worthless. In the middle level he is still useless
but is aware of his own insufficiencies and can also see the
insufficiencies of others. 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 .
These are the levels in general;. But 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 self-abasement knows the Way
to the end. It is said that Master Yagyu once remarked, "I
do not know the way to defeat others, but the way to
defeat myself. ''
Throughout your life advance daily, becoming more
skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today. This is
never-ending.
Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: ''Matters of' great concern should be treated lightly.'' Master lttei commented, "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously." Among one's affairs there should not be more than two or three matters of what one could call great concern. If these are deliberated upon during ordinary times, they can be understood. 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. However, if the foundation is laid previously, you can think of the saying, "Matters of great concern should be treated lightly," as your own basis for action.
A certain person spent several years of service in Osaka
and then returned home. When he made his appearance at
the local bureau, everyone was put out and he was made a
laughingstock because he spoke in the Kamigata dialect.
Seen in this light, when one spends a long time in ado or the
Kamigata area, he had better use his native dialect even more
than usual.
When in a more sophisticated area it is natural that one s
disposition be affected by different styles. But it is vulgar and
foolish to look down upon the ways of one's own district as
being boorish, or to be even a bit open to the persuasion of
the other place's ways and to think about giving up one's
own. That one's own district is unsophisticated and unpolished
is a great treasure. Imitating another style is simply
a sham.
A certain man said to the priest Shungaku, "The Lotus
Sutra Sect's character is not good because it's so fearsome."
Shungaku replied, "It is by reason of its fearsome character
that it is the Lotus Sutra Sect. If its character were not so,
it would be a different sect altogether." This is reasonable.
At the time when there was a council concerning the promotion
of a certain man, the council members were at the
point of deciding that promotion was useless because of the
fact that the man had previously been involved in a drunken
brawl. But someone said, "If we were to cast aside every
man who had made a mistake once, useful men could prob-
ably not be come by. A man who makes a mistake once will
be considerably more prudent and useful because of his repentance.
I feet that he should be promoted.''
Someone else then asked, "Will you ;guarantee him?"
The man replied, "Of course I will."
The others asked, "By what will you guarantee him?"
And he replied, "I can guarentee him by the fact that he
is a man who has erred once. A man who bas never once
erred is dangerous." This said, the man was promoted.
At the time of a deliberation concerning criminals, Nakane Kazuma proposed making the punishment one degree lighter than what would be appropriate. This is a treasury of wisdom that only he was the possessor of. At that time, though there were several men in attendance, if it had not been for Kazuma alone, no one would have opened his mouth. For this reason he is called Master Commencement and Master Twenty-five Days.
A certain person was brought to shame because he did not
take revenge. The way of revenge lies in simply forcing one's
way into a place and being cut down. There is no shame in
this. By thinking that you must complete the job you will
run out of time. By considering things like how many men
the enemy has, time piles up; in the end you will give up.
No matter if the enemy has thousands of men, there is
fulfillment in simply standing them off and being determined
to cut them all down, starting from one end. You will finish
the greater part of it.
Concerning the night assault of Lord Asano's ronin, the
fact that they did not commit seppuku at the Sengakuji was
an error, for there was a long delay between the time their
lord was struck down and the time when they struck down
the enemy. If Lord Kira had died of illness within that
period, it would have been extremely regrettable. Because
the men of the Kamigata area have a very clever sort of wisdom,
they do well at praiseworthy acts but cannot do things
indiscriminately, as was done in the Nagasaki fight.
Although all things are not to be judged in this manner, I
mention it in the investigation of the Way of the Samurai.
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 people's
talk are for the purpose of prior resolution.
Above all, the Way of the Samurai should be in being
aware that you do not know what is going to happen next,
and in querying every item day and night. 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.
There are two things that will blemish a retainer, and
these are riches and honor. If one but remains in strained
circumstances, he will not be marred.
Once there was a certain man who was very clever, but it
was his character to always see the negative points of his jobs.
In such a way, one will be useless. If one does not get it into
his head from the very beginning that the world is full of
unseemly situations, for the most part his demeanor will be
poor and he will not be believed by others. And if one is
not believed by others, no matter how good a person he may
be, he will not have the essence of a good person. This can
also be considered as a blemish.
There was a man who said, "Such and such a person has a violent disposition, but this is what I said right to his face... This was an unbecoming thing to say, and it was said simply because he wanted to be known as a rough fellow. It was rather low, and it can be seen that he was still rather immature. 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.
It is not good to settle into a set of opinions. It is a mistake
to put forth effort and obtain some understanding and then
stop at that. At first putting forth great effort to be sure that
you have grasped the bastes, then practicing so that they may
come to fruition is something that will never stop for your
whole lifetime. Do not rely on following the degree of
understanding that you have discovered, but simply think,
"This is not enough."
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.
These are from the recorded sayings of Yamamoto Jin'-emon:
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.
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.
It is carelessness to go about with one's hands inside the
slits in the sides of his hakama.
After reading books and the like, it is best to burn them
or throw them away. It is said that reading books is the
work of the Imperial Court, but the work of the House
of Nakano is found in military valor, grasping the staff
of oak.
A samurai with no group and no horse is not a samurai
at all.
A kusemono is a man to rely upon.
It is said that one should rise at four in the morning,
bathe and arrange his hair daily, eat when the sun comes
up, and retire when it becomes dark.
A samurai will use a toothpick even though he has not
eaten. Inside the skin of a dog, outside the hide of a tiger.
How should a person respond when he is asked, "As a
human being, what is essential in terms of purpose and
discipline?" First, let us say, "It is to 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. When
one is attending to matters, there is one thing that comes
forth from his heart. That is, in terms of one's lord, loyalty;
in terms of one's parents, filial piety; in martial affairs,
bravery ; and apart from that, something that can be used by
all the world.
This is very difficult to discover. Once discovered, it is
again difficult to keep in constant effect. There is nothing
outside the thought of the immediate moment.
Every morning, the samurai of fifty or sixty years ago
would bathe, shave their foreheads, put lotion in their hair,
cut their fingernails and toenails rubbing them with pumice
and then with wood sorrel, and without fail pay attention to
their personal appearance . It goes without saying that their
armor in general was kept free from rust, that it was dusted,
shined, and arranged.
Although it seems that taking special care of one's appearance
is similar to showiness, it is nothing akin to elegance.
Even if you are aware that you may be struck down today and
are firmly resolved to an inevitable death, if you are slain
with an unseemly appearance, you will show your lack of
previous resolve, will be despised by your enemy, and will
appear unclean. For this reason it is said that both old and
young should take care of their appearance.
Although you say that this is troublesome and time-consuming,
a samurai's work is in such things. It is neither busy-
work nor time-consuming. In constantly hardening one's
resolution to die in battle, deliberately becoming as one
already dead, and working at one's job and dealing with
military affairs, there should be no shame. But when the time
comes, a person will be shamed if he is not conscious of these
things even in his dreams, and rather passes his days in self-
interest and self-indulgence. And if he thinks that this is not
shameful, and feels that nothing else matters as long as he is
comfortable, then his dissipate and discourteous actions will
be repeatedly regrettable.
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? One should be especially diligent in this con-
cern.
Furthermore, during the last thirty years customs have
changed; now when young samurai jeer together, if there is
not just talk about money matters, loss and gain, secrets,
clothing styles or matters of sex, there is no reason to gather
together at all. Customs are going to pieces. One can say
that formerly when a man reached the age of twenty or
thirty, he did not carry despicable things in his heart, and
thus neither did such words appear. If an elder unwittingly
said something of that sort, he thought of it as a sort of
injury. This new custom probably appears because people attach
importance to being beautiful before society and to
household finances. What things a person should be able to
accomplish if he had no haughtiness concerning his place in
society!
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 self-respect.
According to Master lttei, even a poor penman will become
substantial in the art of calligraphy if he studies by
imitating a good model and puts forth effort. A retainer
should be able to become substantial too, if he takes a good
retainer as his model.
Today, however, there are no models of good retainers.
In light of this, it would be good to make a model and to learn
from that. To do this, one should look at many people and
choose from each person his best point only. For example,
one person for politeness, one for bravery, one for the proper
way of speaking, one for correct conduct and one for
steadiness of mind. Thus will the model be made.
An apprentice will not be up to his teacher's good points
in the world of the arts either but will receive and imitate
only his bad ones. This is worthless. There are people who
are good at manners but have no uprightness. In imitating
someone like this, one is likely to ignore the politeness and
imitate only the lack of uprightness. If one perceives a
person's good points, he will have a model teacher for anything.
When delivering something like an important letter or other written materials, grasp it firmly in your hand as you go and do not release it once, but hand it over directly to the recipient .
A retainer is a man who remains consistently undistracted twenty-four hours a day, whether he is in the presence of his master or in public. If one is careless during his rest period, the public will see him as being only careless.
Regardless of class, a person who does something beyond his social standing will at some point commit mean or cowardly acts. In the lower classes there are even people who will run away. One should be careful with menials and the like .
There are many people who, by being attached to a martial art and taking apprentices, believe that they have arrived at the full stature of a warrior. But it is a regrettable thing to put forth much effort and in the end become an "artist." In artistic technique it is good to learn to the extent that you will not be lacking. In general, a person who is versatile in many things is considered to be vulgar and to have only a broad knowledge of matters of importance.
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.
Moreover, if at the time that you are asked to perform
some function you have deep happiness or great pride, it will
show exactly as that on your face. This has been seen in many
people and is rather unbecoming. But another type of person
knows his own defects and thinks, "I'm a clumsy person but
I've been asked to do this thing anyway. Now how am I
going to go about it? I can see that this is going to be much
trouble and cause for concern." Though these words are
never said, they will appear on the surface. This shows
modesty .
By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and
show ourselves to be beginners. In this we do much harm.
Learning is a good thing, but more often it leads to mistakes. It is like the admonition of the priest Konan. 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.
Last year at a great conference there was a certain man who explained his dissenting opinion and said that he was resolved to kill the conference leader if it was not accepted. His motion was passed. After the procedures were over the man said, "Their assent came quickly. I think that they are too weak and unreliable to be counselors to the master."
When an official place is extremely busy and someone comes in thoughtlessly with some business or other, often there are people who will treat him coldly and become angry. This is not good at all. At such times, the etiquette of a samurai is to calm himself and deal with the person in a good manner. To treat a person harshly is the way of middle class lackeys.
According to the situation, there are times when you must rely on a person for something or other. If this is done repeatedly, it becomes a matter of importuning that person and can be rather rude. If there is something that must be done, it is better not to rely on others.
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to pet wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything.
In China there was once a man who liked pictures of dragons, and his clothing and furnishings were all designed accordingly. His deep affection for dragons was brought to the attention of the dragon god, and one day a real dragon appeared before his window. It is said that he died of fright. He was probably a man who always spoke big words but acted differently when facing the real thing.
There was a certain person who was a master of the spear.
When he was dying, he called his best disciple and spoke his
last injunctions :
I have passed on to you all the secret techniques of this
school, and there is nothing left to say. If you think of
taking on a disciple yourself, then you should practice
diligently with the bamboo sword every day. Superiority
is not just a matter of secret techniques.
Also, in the instructions of a renga teacher, it was said that
the day before the poetry meeting one should calm his mind
and look at a collection of poems . This is concentration on
one affair. All professions should be done with concen-
tration .
Although the Mean is the standard for all things, in military affairs a man must always strive to outstrip others. According to archery instructions the right and left hands are supposed to be level, but the right hand has a tendency to go higher. They will become level if one will lower the right hand a bit when shooting. 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.
There is a way of bringing up the child of a samurai. From the time of infancy one should encourage bravery and avoid trivially frightening or teasing the child. If a person is affected by cowardice as a child, it remains a lifetime scar. It is a mistake for parents to thoughtlessly make their children dread lightning, or to have them not go into dark places, or to tell them frightening things in order to stop them from crying .
Furthermore, a child will become timid if he is scolded
severely.
One should not allow bad habits to form. After a bad habit
is ingrained, although you admonish the child he will not
improve. As for such things as proper speaking and good
manners, gradually make the child aware of them. Let him
not know avarice. Other than that, if he is of a normal nature,
he should develop well by the way he is brought up.
Moreover, the child of parents who have a bad relationship
will be unfilial. This is natural. Even the birds and beasts
are affected by what they are used to seeing and hearing from
the time they are born. Also, the relationship between father
and child may deteriorate because of a mother's foolishness.
A mother loves her child above all things, and will be partial
to the child that is corrected by his father. If she becomes the
child's ally, there will be discord between father and son.
Because of the shallowness of her mind, a woman sees the
child as her support in old age.
You will be tripped up by people when your resolution is
lax. Moreover, if at a meeting you are distracted while an-
other person is speaking, by your carelessness you may think
that he is of your opinion and you will follow along saying,
"Of course, of course," even though he is saying something
that is contrary to your own feelings, and others will think
that you are in agreement with him. Because of this, you
should never be distracted even for an instant when meeting
with others.
When you are listening to a story or being spoken to, you
should be mindful not to be tripped up ; and if there is something
that you do not agree with, to speak your mind, to
show your opponent his error, and to grapple with the situation.
Even in unimportant affairs mistakes come from little
things. One should be mindful of this. Moreover, it is better
not to become acquainted with men about whom you have
formerly had some doubts. No matter what you do, they will
be people by whom you will be tripped up or taken in, To
be certain of this fact you must have much experience.
The saying, "The arts aid the body," is for samurai of
other regions. For samurai of the Nabeshima clan the arts
bring ruin to the body. In all cases, the person who practices
an art is an artist, not a samurai, and one should have the
intention of being called a samurai.
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.
Ordinarily, looking into the mirror and grooming oneself
is sufficient for the upkeep of one's personal appearance.
This is very important. Most people's personal appearance
is poor because they do not look into the mirror well
enough .
Training to speak properly can be done by correcting
one's speech when at home.
Practice in letter writing goes to the extent of taking care
in even one-line letters.
It is good if all the above contain a quiet strength. Moreover,
according to what the priest Ryozan heard when he
was in the Kamgala area, when one is writing a letter, he
should think that the recipient will make it into a hanging
scroll .
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. When words that one should not use slip out, if one will speak his mind quickly and clearly, those words will have no effect and he will not be obstructed by worry. If there is, however, someone who blames a person for such a thing, one should be prepared to say something like, "I have explained the reason for my careless speech. There is nothing else to be done if you will not listen to reason. Since I said it unwittingly, it should be the same as if you didn't hear it. No one can evade blame." And one should never talk about people or secret matters. Furthermore, one should only speak according to how he judges his listener's feelings.
The proper manner of calligraphy is nothing other than not being careless, but in this way one's writing will simply be sluggish and stiff. One should go beyond this and depart from the norm. This principle applies to all things.
It is said, "When you would see into a person's heart,
become ill." When you are sick or in difficulties, many of
those who were friendly or close to you in daily life will
become cowards. Whenever anyone is in unhappy circumstances,
you should above all inquire after them by visiting
or sending some gift. And you should never in your whole
life be negligent toward someone from whom you have received a
favor.
By such things the consideration of others can be seen.
In this world the people who will rely on others when they
are in difficulties and afterwards not give them a thought are
many .
You cannot tell whether a person is good or bad by his vicissitudes in life. Good and bad fortune are matters of fate. Good and bad actions are Man's Way. Retribution of good and evil is taught simply as a moral lesson.
Because of some business, Morooka Hikoemon was called upon to swear before the gods concerning the truth of a certain matter. But he said, "A samurai's word is harder than metal. Since I have impressed this fact upon myself, what more can the gods and Buddhas do?" and the swearing was cancelled. This happened when he was twenty-six.
Master lttei said, "Whatever one prays for will be granted. Long ago there were no matsutake mushrooms in our province. Some men who saw them in the Kamigata area prayed that they might grow here, and nowadays they are growing all over Kitagama. In the future I would like to have Japanese cypress grow in our province. As this is something that everyone desires, I predict it for the future. This being so, everyone should pray for it."
When something out of the ordinary happens, it is ridiculous to say that it is a mystery or a portent of something to come. Eclipses of the sun and moon, comets, clouds that flutter like flags, snow in the fifth month, lightning in the twelfth month, and so on, are all things that occur every fifty or one hundred years. They occur according to the evolution of Yin and Yang. The fact that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west would be a mystery, too, if it were not an everyday occurrence. It is not dissimilar. Furthermore, the fact that something bad always happens in the world when strange phenomena occur is due to people seeing something like fluttering clouds and thinking that something is going to happen. The mystery is created in their minds, and by waiting for the disaster, it is from their very minds that it occurs. The occurrence of mysteries is always by word of mouth.
Calculating people are contemptible. The reason for this
is that calculation deals with loss and pain, and the loss and
gain mind never stops. Death is considered loss and life is
considered gain. Thus, death is something that such a person
does not care for, and he is contemptible.
Furthermore, scholars and their like are men who with
wit and speech hide their own true cowardice and greed.
People often misjudge this.
Lord Naoshige said, "The Way of the Samurai is in
desperateness. Ten men or more cannot kill such a man. Common
sense will not accomplish great things. Simply become
insane and desperate.'
"In the Way of the Samurai, if one uses discrimination,
he will fall behind. One needs neither loyalty nor devotion,
but simply to become desperate in the Way. Loyalty and
devotion are of themselves within desperation."
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."
It is spiritless to think that you cannot attain to that which
you have seen and heard the masters attain. The masters are
men. You are also a man. If you think that you will be inferior
in doing something, you will be on that road very
soon
.
Master lttei said , "Confucius was a sage because he had the
will to become a scholar when he was fifteen years old. He
was not a sage because he studied later on." This is the same
as the Buddhist maxim, "First intention, then enlightenment.''
A warrior should be careful in all things and should dislike to be the least bit worsted. Above all, if he is not careful in his choice of words he may say things like, "I'm a coward," or "At that time I'd 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 one's sleep. If a person with understanding hears such things, he will see to the bottom of the speaker's heart. This is something that should be carefully thought about beforehand .
When one's own attitude on courage is fixed in his heart, and when his resolution is devoid of doubt, then when the time comes he will of necessity be able to choose the right move. This will be manifested by one's conduct and speech according to the occasion. One's word is especially important. It is not for exposing the depths of one's heart. This is something that people will know by one's everyday affairs.
After I took up the attitude of a retainer, I never sat sloppily whether at home or in some other place. Neither did I speak, but if there was something that could not be done properly without words, I made an effort to settle things by putting ten words into one. Yamazaki Kurando was like this .
It is said that even after one's head has been cut off, he can still perform some function. This fact can be known from the examples of Nitta Yoshisada and Ono Doken. How shall one man be inferior to another? Mitani Jokyu said, "Even if a man be sick to death, he can bear up for two or three days .''
In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions
within the space of seven breaths. Lord Takanobu said,
"If discrimination is long, it will spoil. " Lord Naoshige said,
"When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten will
turn out badly. A warrior is a person who does things
quickly.''
When your mind is going hither and thither, discrimination
will never be brought to a conclusion. With an intense,
fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgments
within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being
determined and having the spirit to break right through to the
other side.
In admonishing the master, if one is not of the proper rank
to do so, it shows great loyalty to have someone who is of
that rank speak and have the master correct his mistakes.
To be on a footing to do this one must be on cordial terms
with everyone. If one does this for his own sake, it is simply
flattery. One does this, rather, in his concern to support the
clan on his own.
If one will do it, it can be done.
Bad relations between retired and present rulers, father and son, and elder and younger brothers develop from selfish motives. The proof of this is that there are no such bad rela- tions between master and retainer.
It is unthinkable to be disturbed at something like being
ordered to become a ronin. People at the time of Lord Katsushige
used to say, ''If one has not been a ronin at least seven
times, he will not be a true retainer. Seven times down,
eight times up."
Men like Narutomi Hyogo have been ronin seven times.
One should understand that it is something like being a self-
righting doll. The master is also apt to give such orders as a
test.
Illnesses and the like become serious because of one's feelings.
I was born when my father was seventy-one years old
and was hence a rather sickly child. But because I have had
the great desire to be of use even in old age, when the chance
came I improved my health and haven't been sick since.
And I have abstained from sex and have consistently taken
moxa cautery. There are things that I feel have definitely had
effect.
There is a saying that even though one burns up a mamushi
seven times, it will return each time to its original form.
This is my great hope. I have always been obsessed with one
idea: to be able to realize my heart's desire, which is that,
though I am born seven times, each time I will be reborn as
a retainer of my clan.
Yamamoto Jin'emon once said that it is best for a samurai to have good retainers. Military affairs are not matters for one person alone, regardless of how useful he tries to be. Money is something that one can borrow from people, but a good man cannot suddenly be come by. One should sustain a man kindly and well from the first. And in having retainers it will not do to nourish oneself alone. If you divide what you have and feed your lower ranks, you will be able to hold good men.
A person with a bit of wisdom is one who will criticize the times. This is the basis of disaster. A person who is discreet in speaking will be useful during the good times and will avoid punishment during the bad.
Being superior to others is nothing other than having people talk about your affairs and listening to their opinions. The general run of people settle for their own opinions and thus never excel. Having a discussion with a person is one step in excelling him, A certain person discussed with me the written materials at the clan office. He is better than someone like me in writing and researching. In seeking correction from others, you excel them.
It is bad when one thing becomes two. One should not look for anything else in the Way of the Samurai. It is the same for anything that is called a Way. Therefore, it is inconsistent to hear something of the Way of Confucius or the Way of the Buddha, and say that this is the Way of the Samurai. If one understands things in this manner, he should be able to hear about all Ways and be more and more in accord with his own.
For a samurai, a simple word is important no matter where he may be. By just one single word martial valor can be made apparent. In peaceful times words show one's bravery. In troubled times, too, one knows that by a single word his strength or cowardice can be seen. This single word is the flower of one's heart. It is not something said simply with one's mouth.
A warrior should not say something fainthearted even casually. He should set his mind to this beforehand. Even in trifling matters the depths of one's heart can be seen.
No matter what it is, there is nothing that cannot be done. If one manifests the determination, he can move heaven and earth as he pleases. But because man is pluckless, he cannot set his mind to it. Moving heaven and earth without putting forth effort is simply a matter of concentration.
A person who is said to be proficient at the arts is like a fool. Because of his foolishness in concerning himself with just one thing, he thinks of nothing else and thus becomes proficient. He is a worthless person.
Until the age of forty it is best to gather strength. It is appropriate to have settled clown by the age of fifty.
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.
When someone is giving you his opinion, you should receive it with deep gratitude even though it is worthless. If you don't, he will not tell you the things that he has seen and heard about you again. It is best to both give and receive opinions in a friendly way.
There is a saying that great genius matures late. If something is not brought to fruition over a period of twenty to thirty years, it will not be of great merit. When a retainer is of a mind to do his work hurriedly, he will intrude upon the work of others and will be said to be young but able. He will become over-enthusiastic and will be considered rather rude. He will put on the airs of someone who has done great works, will become a flatterer and insincere, and will be talked about behind his back. In the pursuit of one's development, if he does not make great effort and is not supported by others in his advancement in the world, he will be of no use.
When one is involved in the affairs of a warrior such as being a kaishaku or making an arrest within one's own clan or group, people will notice when the time comes if he has resolved beforehand that no one can take his place. 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.
When on the battlefield, if you try not to let others take the lead and have the sole intention of breaking into the enemy lines, then you will not fall behind others, your mind will become fierce, and you will manifest martial valor. This fact has been passed down by the elders. Furthermore, if you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing the enemy.
If everyone were in accord and left things to Providence,
their hearts would be at ease. If they are not in accord,
though they would do acts of righteousness, they lack
loyalty. To be at odds with one's companions, to be prone
to miss even infrequent meetings, to speak only cantankerous
words---a1 come from a shallow foolishness of mind. But
thinking of the moment of truth, even though it be unpleasant,
one should fix it in his mind to meet people cordially
at all times and without distraction, and in a way in which
one will not seem bored. Moreover, in this world of
uncertainties one is not even sure of the present. It would be
worthless to die while being thought ill of by people. Lies
and insincerity are unbecoming. This is because they are for
self-profit .
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.
Manners between husband and wife are not different from
this. If one is as discreet in the end as he is in the beginning,
there should be no discord.
There is a certain priest who is said to be able to get everything accomplished by means of his cleverness. There is not a monk in japan today who can oppose him. This is not the least bit strange. There is simply no one who sees through to the foundation of things.
Senility is when one goes about doing only that towards which he is most inclined. One is able to suppress and hide this while his vigor is still strong, but when he weakens, the essential strong points of his nature appear and are a shame to him. This manifests itself in several forms, but there is not a man who does not get senile by the time he reaches sixty. And when one thinks that he will not be senile, he is already so, It can be thought that Master lttei had a senility of argumentation. As if to show that he alone could support the House of Nabeshima, he went about with a senile appearance to prominent people's houses and chatted amiably with them. At the time, everybody thought that it was reasonable, but thinking about it now, it was senility. For myself, with that good example and the feeling that dotage was overtaking me, I declined to participate at the temple on the thirteenth anniversary of Lord Mitsushige's death, and I have decided to stay more and more indoors. One must get a clear view of what lies ahead.
If one is but secure at the foundation, he will not be pained by departure from minor details or affairs that are contrary to expectation. But in the end, the details of a matter are important. The right and wrong of one's way of doing things are found in trivial matters.
According to a story at the Ryutaiji, there was a master of the Book of Changes in the Kamigata area who said that even if a man is a priest, it is useless to give him rank while he is under the ape of forty. This is because he will make many mistakes. Confucius was not the only man to become unperplexed after reaching the age of forty. Upon reaching the age of forty, both wise and foolish have gone through an appropriate amount of experience and will no longer be perplexed .
Concerning martial valor, merit lies more in dying for one's master than in striking down the enemy. This can be understood from the devotion of Sate Tsugunobu.
When I was young, I kept a "Dairy of Regret" and tried to record my mistakes day by day, but there was never a day when I didn't have twenty or thirty entries. As there was no end to it, I gave up. Even today, when I think about the day's affairs after going to bed, there is never a day when I do not make some blunder in speaking or in some activity. Living without mistakes is truly impossible. But this is something that people who live by cleverness have no inclination to think about.
When reading something aloud, it is best to read from the belly. Reading from one's mouth, one's voice will not endure. This is Nakano Shikibu's teaching.
During happy times, pride and extravagance are dangerous. If one is not prudent in ordinary times, he will not be able to catch up. A person who advances during good times will falter during the bad.
Master lttei said, "In calligraphy it is progress when the paper, brush and ink are in harmony." Yet they are so wont to be disjointed!
The master took a book from its box. When he opened it there was the smell of drying clovebuds.
What is called generosity is really compassion. In the
Shin'ei it is written, "Seen from the eye of compassion, there
is no one to be disliked. One who has sinned is to be pitied
all the more." There is no limit to the breadth and depth
of one's heart. There is room enough for all. That we still
worship the sages of the three ancient kingdoms is because
their compassion reaches us yet today.
Whatever you do should be done for the sake of your master
and parents, the people in general, and for posterity.
This is great compassion. The wisdom and courage that come
from compassion are real wisdom and courage. When one
punishes or strives with the heart of compassion, what he
does will be limitless in strength and correctness. Doing
something for one's own sake is shallow and mean and turns
into evil. I understood the matters of wisdom and courage
some time ago. I am just now beginning to understand the
matter of compassion.
Lord Ieyasu said, "The foundation for ruling the country
in peace is compassion, for when one thinks of the people
as being his children, the people will think of him as their
parent." Moreover, can't it be thought that the names
"group parent" and "group child" [i.e., group leader and
member] are so called because they are attached to each
other by the harmonious hearts of a parent-child relationship ?
One can understand that Lord Naoshige's phrase, "A
faultfinder will come to be punished by others," came from
his compassion. His saying, "Principle is beyond reason,"
should also be considered compassion. He enthusiastically
stated that we should taste the inexhaustible.
The priest Tannen said, "A clever retainer will not advance. However, there are no cases of stupid people coming up in the world either."
This was Nakano Shikibu's opinion.
When one is young, he can often bring on shame for a
lifetime by homosexual acts. To have no understanding of
this is dangerous. As there is no one to inform young men of
this matter, I can give its general outline.
One should understand that a woman is faithful to only
one husband. Our feelings go to one person for one lifetime.
If this is not so, it is the same as sodomy or prostitution. This
is shame for a warrior. Ihara Saikaku has written a famous
line that goes, "An adolescent without an older lover is the
same as a woman with no husband." But this sort of person
is ridiculous.
A young man should test an older man for at least five
years, and if he is assured of that person's intentions, then
he too should request the relationship. A fickle person will
not enter deeply into a relationship and later will abandon
his lover.
If they can assist and devote their lives to each other, then
their nature can be ascertained. But if one partner is crooked,
the other should say that there are hindrances to the
relationship and sever it with firmness. If the first should
ask what those hindrances are, then one should respond that
he will never in his life say. If he should continue to push the
matter, one should get angry ; if he continues to push even
further, cut him down.
Furthermore, the older man should ascertain the
younger's real motives in the aforementioned way. If the
younger man can devote himself and pet into the situation
for five or six years, then it will not be unsuitable.
Above all, one should not divide one's way into two. One
should strive in the Way of the Samurai.
Hoshino Ryotetsu was the progenitor of homosexuality
in our province, and although it can be said that his disciples
were many, he instructed each one individually. Edayoshi
Saburozaemon was a man who understood the foundation of
homosexuality. Once, when accompanying his master to
ado, Ryotetsu asked Saburozaemon, "What have you understood
of homosexuality?"
Saburozaemon replied, "It is something both pleasant and
unpleasant.''
Ryotetsu was pleased and said, "You have taken great
pains for some time to be able to say such a thing.''
Some years later there was a person who asked Saburozaemen
the meaning of the above. He replied, "To lay down
one's life for another is the basic principle of homosexuality.
If it is not so, it becomes a matter of shame. However, then
you have nothing left to lay down for your master. It is
therefore understood to be something both pleasant and unpleasant.''
Master lttei said, ' 'If one were to say what it is to do good, in a single word it would be to endure suffering. Not enduring is bad without exception."
Until one reaches the ape of forty it is better to put off wisdom and discrimination and excel in vitality. According to the person and the rank, though a person has passed the age of forty, if he has no vitality, he will pet no response from others.
Recently, a certain person on his way to Edo sent home a detailed letter from the first night's inn. Though he was a person who neglected such things when he was busy, he excelled other people in being as attentive as this.
In the judgment of the elders, a samurai's obstinacy should be excessive. A thing done with moderation may later be judged to be insufficient. I have heard that when one thinks he has gone too far, he will not have erred. This sort of rule should not be forgotten.
When one has made a decision to kill a person, even if it
will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead,
it will not do to think about going at it in a long roundabout
way. One's heart may slacken, he may miss his chance, and
by and large there will be no success. The Way of the Samurai
is one of immediacy, and it is best to dash in headlong.
When a certain man was going to the sutra readings at the
Jissoin in Kawakami, one of his pages got drunk on the ferryboat
and began to pester one of the sailors. When they landed on
the other side, as the page had drawn his sword, the
sailor took a pole and struck him on the head. At that time
the other sailors all ran up together carrying oars and were
at the point of striking the page down. However, as the
master passed by with an air of not knowing what was
happening, one of the other pages ran back and apologized to the
sailors. Then, pacifying his comrade, he accompanied him
home. That night the page who had been drunk learned that
his sword was being taken away from him.
Now, first of all, it was an insufficiency on the master's
part not to have reproved and pacified the drunken page
while they were on the boat. Furthermore, even though his
page had acted unreasonably, after he had been struck on
the head there was no reason for an apology. The master
should have approached the sailor and the drunken page in
an apologetic manner and cut them both down. Certainly he
was a spiritless master.
The resolution of the men of former times was deep. Those between the ages of thirteen and sixty went to the front lines. For this reason men of advanced years hid their age.
For serious affairs that bear directly on oneself, if one does not take care of things by making his own judgment his foundation and breaking through headlong, matters will not be brought to a close. In conferring with people about matters of importance, there may be many cases when your affair is thought lightly of, or when people will not speak of the real circumstances. At such times one must use his own judgment. At any rate, it is sufficient to become a fanatic and choose to throw away one's life. At such a time, if one thinks about doing things well, confusion will soon arise and he will blunder. In many cases one's downfall may be brought about by an ally who is trying to do something for one's benefit, or one may be killed by his friend's kindness. It is the same as when one requests permission to become a monk.
Lord Naoshige said, "An ancestor's good or evil can be determined by the conduct of his descendants .'' A descendant should act in a way that will manifest the good in his ancestor and not the bad. This is filial piety.
It is a wretched thing that one's family lineage be thrown into confusion with an adoption based on money alone. Such a thing is immoral from the beginning, but it is extreme wickedness to be thus immoral with the excuse that without doing so one will be unable to afford even today's rice.
When Nakano Shogen committed seppuku, the members of his group gathered at Oki Hyobu's place and said various bad things about him. Hyobu said, "One does not speak bad things about a person after his death. And especially since a person who has received some censure is to be pitied, it is the obligation of a samurai to speak something good of him, no matter how little. There is no doubt that in twenty years Shogen will have the reputation of a faithful retainer." These were truly the words of a seasoned man .
To place one's armor out splendidly is a fine discipline, but it is sufficient if it is simply all accounted for. Fukabori Inosuke 's armor is a good example. Men of high rank and with many retainers will also need such things as money to set aside for campaign use. It is said that Okabe Kunai made bags equaling the number of men in his ;group, affixed a name to each, and put in the appropriate amount of money for a campaign. This sort of discipline is profound. As for men of low rank, if they cannot make the proper preparation at the time, they should rely on assistance from their group leader. To this extent, it is necessary for the group leader to be on intimate terms with his men beforehand. As for men who are under the master's direction, and especially for those who are with him directly, it is better to be without preparation money. At the time of the summer maneuvers at Osaka, a certain person brought along twelve monme of refined silver and went off with Master Taku Zusho. This, of course, would have been fine if he had simply ridden off early. I think that it is better to dispense with such care.
In carefully scrutinizing the affairs of the past, we find that there are many different opinions about them, and that there are some things that are quite unclear. It is better to regard
such things as unknowable. Lord Sanenori once said, "As
for the things that we don't understand, there ere ways of
understanding them. Furthermore, there are some things
we understand just naturally, and again some that we can't
understand no matter how hard we try. This is interesting."
This is very profound. It is natural that one cannot understand
deep and hidden things. Those things that are easily
understood are rather shallow.