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Creed of a Samurai
I have no parents - I make the heavens and earth my parents.
I have no home - I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death - I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power - I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means - I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets - I make character my magic secret.
I have no body - I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes - I make the flash of lightning my eyes.
I have no ears - I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs - I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy - I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy.
I have no designs - I make "seizing the opportunity by the forelock" my design.
I have no miracles - I make right action my miracles.
I have no principles - I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics - I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents - I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends - I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy - I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor - I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle - I make immovable mind my castle.
I have no sword - I make absence of self my sword.
Anonymous samurai, fourteenth century
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