A Warrior’s Creed

Anonymous Samurai song – 14th century

I have no parents: I make the heaven and earth my parents.
I have no home: I make awareness my home.
I have no life and death: I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine powers: 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 design: I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.
I have no miracles: I make right action my miracle.
I have no principles: I make adaptability to all circumstances my principle.
I have no tactics: I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talent: 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.