Bushido: Ethical And Moral Code

Bushido, an unwritten ethical and moral code that was adhered to by the samurai warrior class in Japan. Bushido encompasses many aspects of religion and philosophy. Although bushido was only passed through word of mouth it held great influence in Japan and it may yet hold this influence. It is the code of laws that decided the behavior and lives of Japan’s noble warrior class. To attain a grasp of what bushido really is one must first understand its sources and origins. Bushido or The Way of the Samurai, literally translates to military knight way, and indeed similar to European chivalry. It was formed through time and became prevalent during the time that feudalism reigned supreme within Japan. Even though the samurai were a warrior class,
Shintoism is a religion with shamanistic beliefs that concerns itself with the connections between people and their ancestors and the gods. Reverence and loyalty to the gods and ancestors is at the center of shinto, as well as the belief that within in the human heart has godlike purity. In shinto god can be everything as long as it is awe inspiring. This implies that a human being ultimately good. In shinto bad happens due to defilement and it is an occurrence in life, which can be purified through cleansing and exorcisms. When applied to to bushido it is exemplified in loyalty and reverence to their master, and used to decide whether or not something is right or
Bushido is about the mind and the body in unison, knowledge is useless without action thus becomes wisdom. This wisdom translates to how a samurai is supposed to behave with his surroundings. First and foremost a samurai is supposed to remove self-interest and act selflessly. If one can act selflessly he can attain a purity of the mind and this is what is sought after because it is the simplicity of the mind which is crucial to making decisions. To quote from the “Hagakure” “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.” That is why one must try to always better himself by doing more, knowing more and not become complacent with one’s ideas and