17 This was ten years after Yamamoto Jōchō (Tsunetomo) took up the tonsure. Jōchō was 52 years old and Tashiro Tsuramoto was aged 33. The meeting place was Jōchō’s thatched hut, secluded in the mountains.
18 Jōchō’s pseudonym.
19 These poems represent Jōchō wistfully sharing his thoughts with an open heart and purity represented by the beauty of the cherry tree (yama-zakura) far removed from the hustle and bustle of the mundane world, and Tsuramoto’s reply expresses his gratefulness for his counsel.
20 Tashiro Tsuramoto’s pseudonym.
21 The term kokugaku, literally “national learning,” is more commonly associated with the textual and interpretive study of classical Japanese literature, a field of academic inquiry that flourished during the Tokugawa period. In the case of Hagakure, it refers to the formation of the Nabeshima domain, the genealogy of its lords, and its political systems and customs.
22 Originally Ryūzōji Iekane (1454–1546), he was a formidable warlord during the Warring States period, whose many victories culminated in the Ryūzōji family’s hegemony over the Saga domain. He changed his name to Gōchū when he entered the priesthood.
23 Risō is the posthumous name of Nabeshima Kiyohisa (1468–1552), a retainer of Iekane. He was also the grandfather of Nabeshima Naoshige, who was to take over control of the Saga domain from the Ryūzōji family.
24 Ryūzōji Takanobu (1529–1584) was a powerful warlord who gained hegemony over the province of Hizen and surrounding districts. His mother remarried Nabeshima Naoshige’s father, thus making the two brothers-in-law and close allies.
25 Nippō was the posthumous name for Nabeshima Naoshige (1538–1618). He formally became the lord of Saga in 1607, inheriting it from the Ryūzōji family, and was referred to as the hanso, or Nabeshima domain founder. His son, Katsushige, became the first lord (shodai) of the domain after his father’s death.
26 Worshipping the ancestral spirits of people not related to the Nabeshima clan or the domain.
27 Buddhism, Confucianism, the martial arts, or aesthetic pursuits.
28 Literally “the mouth of victory.”
29 Nabeshima Katsushige ordered that these two books on military tactics be compiled by Ishida Ittei and others in 1651.
30 Torinoko is eggshell-colored traditional Japanese paper made primarily of high-quality, glossy Diplomorpha sikokiana fibers. This domain procedural guidebook was known as the Torinoko-chō.
31 See Book 1-101.
322 See Book 2-69.
1. Although it stands to reason that a warrior must abide by the tenets of the martial Way,33 it seems that many are guilty of dereliction in this respect. If asked, what is the essence of budō? there are few who can answer this question without hesitation because it has not been taken to heart. This clearly shows negligence in understanding the warrior’s Way. This is appallingly careless.
2. The Way of the warrior (bushido) is to be found in dying.34 If one is faced with two options of life or death, simply settle for death. It is not an especially difficult choice; just go forth and meet it confidently. To declare that dying without aiming for the right purpose is nothing more than a “dog’s death”35 is the timid and shallow way of Kamigata warriors.36 Whenever faced with the choice of life and death, there is no need to try and achieve one’s aims. Human beings have a preference for life. As such, it is a natural tendency to apply logic to justify one’s proclivity to stay alive. If you miss the mark and you live to tell the tale, then you are a coward. This is a perilous way of thinking. If you make a mistake and die in the process, you may be thought of as mad (kichigai), but it will not bring shame. This is the mind-set of one who firmly lives by the martial Way. Rehearse your death every morning and night. Only when you constantly live as though already a corpse (jōjū shinimi) will you be able to find freedom in the martial Way, and fulfill your duties without fault throughout your life.
3. A man in service (hōkōnin) needs only to place his lord at the center of his heart. Nothing is more desirable than this. Having been born into the service of the honorable house of Nabeshima, a clan that extends back many generations, we should appreciate the magnitude of the largesse (on) successive lords have bestowed upon our ancestors, and be prepared to sacrifice body and soul in reverential servitude. On top of this, it is beneficial if one has wisdom and other talents that can augment competent service. Even a man who is useless and unable to accomplish anything effectively, however, will be a trusted servant so long as his allegiance is wholehearted. Relying only on cleverness and talents [devoid of single-minded devotion] is a lower form of service.
4. There are those who are born with a quick wit, and others who need to withdraw and contemplate matters carefully to find an answer. Although there is considerable disparity in natural talent between men, by discarding one’s own predispositions and carefully contemplating the “Four Oaths” (shiseigan)37 tremendous wisdom will emanate from within. People are apt to think that serious matters can be solved through meticulous introspection, but the predominance of egocentric motivations leads to malevolent ideas that come to no good. It is too much to ask for foolish men to become selfless. Therefore, if one seeks to resolve a problem, let it sit for a while, take time to think about the “Four Oaths” and subdue any self-centered thoughts, and then you will be able to proceed without faltering.
5. As actions are typically based on one’s own limited intelligence, selfish desires transpire and men inadvertently turn their backs on the Heavenly Way (tendō), resulting in wickedness. Others will view this as repugnant, weak, constricted, or lax. When it is difficult to invoke true wisdom unimpeded by selfish motivations, consult a man with insight. He will be able to offer selfless and candid advice as the matter is of no concern to him personally, and he will thus be able make rational judgments. Such recourse will be viewed by others as being firmly-rooted and prudent. It is akin to an enormous tree with many roots; by contrast, the self-centered wisdom of one man is like a