Japanese Philosophy

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The way of the warriors: Bushido
Part one: expansion of the argument
The Samurai were the warriors during the pre-modern Japan. Later, they became the ruling military class which eventually developed to be the highest ranking social caste in the Edo period (1603-1867). The samurai used various weapons like guns, spear, and arrows though their main symbol and weapon was the sword. They were expected to lead their lives based on the ethic code known as Bushido (the way of the warrior). Bushido was in nature Confucian and, therefore, emphasized the concepts such as ethical behavior, loyalty to the commander, respectful and self-discipline. Many samurai were also influenced by the practices and teaching of Zen Buddhism.
The samurai were not only trained assassins but also led their lives according to a strict ethical conduct identified as Bushido. The ethical conduct influenced every aspect of their lives. The code was similar to the western concept/notion of chivalry (good manners or loyalty). The samurai were fierce warriors, although firmly believed in kindness, honor, frugal living and majorly loyalty to their master. The ultimate honor of these warriors was to die in their military service to their commander. The Samurai regarded suicide known as “seppuku” as an admirable and brave alternative rather than being defeated in a battle. As the Samurai started declining and its final downfall in 1871, Bushido strengthened itself and became the moral code/standard/conduct of the Japanese culture. There are seven fundamental principles which represent the spirit of Bushido, and these include justice, courage, honor, compassion, sincerity and honesty, loyalty and duty.
The origin of the Samurai can be traced during the Helan Period, and their efforts were committed to suppressing the native Emishi people living in the Tohoku Region. In this period, wealthy landowners increasingly were hiring warriors. These wealthy landowners gained a lot of wealth, grew independent of the state government and created their own armies for the sake of their own protection.
The “Taira” and “Minamoto” were the two most powerful clans of the landowning clans. These two powerful clans (“the Taira” and “Minamoto”) challenged the state government and fought for supremacy over the whole country. The “Minamoto” became victorious and developed a new military government during 1192, led by the superior military commander (shogun). This was how the Samurai developed and eventually ruled over Japan for next 700 years.
15th and 16th centuries were the chaotic periods of the warring states. Japan split into many independent states that were continuously at war with each other. As a result, warriors were highly demanded. In the late 1500s, the country reunited again. In the Edo period, a rigid social casts system placed the samurai as the most important social group in the societal structure followed by the farmers while artisans and merchants followed that order respectively. During this period, the samurai were compelled to live in the castle, and they were the only ones permitted to possess and carry swords. They were paid in rice by their feudal lords.
Literary, Samurai implied the serving warriors, and that was what the samurai were doing; they were serving the Shogun. Being a samurai was considered as a noble birthright. The warriors were elite guards serving in the Imperial court. These were fierce warriors who were highly trained to be equipped in martial art skills, which enabled them to work as artists, teachers or bureaucrats. These came later when the term “samurai” was romanticized, and the idea became multi-functional. Besides their fighting skills, samurai were working in different occupations when the country was not at war. They were ready to die in their service as professional fighters. They had more time to develop themselves spiritually, to involve themselves in arts and teaching. The warriors had to evolve themselves into a lifestyle that was honorable.
The Samurai lived by an ethical conduct of honor known as bushido. This code was constituted of seven virtues that were expected to be applied in their fighting skills and their moral values. The Samurai were required to live by these principles to be considered honorable. The warriors feared to experience disgrace, but this was a reality that was hovering over them because they had to put their lives in risk during war. They always wanted reputation and honor, and these were what these ancient soldiers lived for. When looking at the seven principles, they seem to be timeless. There is no reason modern people should not adopt them into their present lives. People in the modern world can be inspired to become virtuous persons by reading the seven principles of Bushido.
The seven virtues of bushido included the following. First, justice, which is also known as integrity, is the most important virtue of all. This entails acting in the right way and creating right decisions that are morally and ethically correct. Justice principle expected the warriors to be honest when dealing with people and creating decisions. The second principle is politeness. In the samurai sense, politeness is more than just being kind. Politeness is about caring for others. According to this principle, true warriors should not just show their strength, but should be polite even to their rival enemies. The third principle is courage, and courage is only genuine/real courage when it is applied with righteousness. The Samurai considers a true warrior as courageous always in his life whether he faces danger or not. The fourth principle is honor. Bushido advises warriors that they only have one judge in their lives, and that is their individual self. Warriors’ characters shine through decisions they make, adopt and how they apply for them. This virtue concerns about getting respect from others and about individual reputation. The fifth principle is compassion. Bushido says that a samurai is powerful, and this power must be utilized for good reasons. The samurai are encouraged to show compassion and kindness for everyone, and to show sympathy, affection, mercy and help others. The sixth principle is sincerity and honesty....