I watched the Matrix and Ghost Dog one day after seeing the other. For me they where two of the greatest movies ever.
That quote from the Bushido is great one for me.
What think is largely misunderstood is what sword fighting is all about. In our days we fear death from a bullet we cannot see, so the stress of modern combat is knowing that you can die anytime without any warning.
A sword fight is different. You see the enemy approaching, and you know one will not survive, or maybe both will die from terrible wounds (warning, graphic content!).
I have a real sword (I need a special licence for it) and its scary as hell! I only use it for demonstrations and without using any strength I can cut a cabbage in half. Bones are very hard, so you can cut an arm, leg or a head with some strength, but in combat one would go for cuts and stabs. Its a lot less spectacular but lethal or disabling anyway.
You can take imagine what a REAL swordfight would be like just by looking at this training. These guys are crazy, I would not do these techniques at this speed without full protection.
It take a lot of courage just doing the kind of training that video shows! Now, imagine what a real swordfight would be like…
A samurai would need great mental discipline to face certain death, either by the hand of the enemy or by its own hand. The way they could face such destiny is to accept it and live it constantly in the mind, so that when it happens a samurai could face it with honor.
The thing is, the author lived in a time of peace, when samurai became mostly bureacrats. Nonetheless, he likes to brag how he likes to practice his cut in prisoners sentenced to death. Watch out, we’ve got a badass over here.
That is quite true, and the same thing happened in Europe with the Knights.
A warrior class has its time, but when it is no longer useful it prolongs its privileges by taking a “high moral code” as its reason for existing. This is the origin of the Bushido and a Knights code. The fact is that they where both romanticized versions of what a real warrior life would be.
The real samurai where actually head hunters, many times using treachery in battle. The real unification of Japan happened due to firearms introduced by the Portuguese. Once unified Japan did a unique thing, it made firearms forbidden and only the samurai could have swords. The Bushido is as much as a control measure as it is a moral code.
The knights story is similar. The romantic version of knight’s duel is false, many times soldiers on foot would interrupt a duel to help their lord when he was losing.
The interesting part is that the “moral code” gets transmitted to popular culture, so that even today we talk about knights as people fighting to protect the weak (usually a female). The Japanese are even more immersed in the Bushido code, as we could see on WWII.
Getting back to the subject:
In truth we are all going to die, and its a good thing. Can you imagine the bore it would be to live 1000 years?
In my opinion, either we die well or screaming and kicking, it does not matter. What really matters is that we live well. Sometimes people die without ever living fully, taking risks, doing what they love, being free, just for FEAR. Fear of failing, of getting hurt, going through hard times.
I actually have no fear of dying. But that is what I say now, I cannot guarantee what I do when its inevitable. Yesterday and the day before I went flying in a ultralight with friends that recently finished training. They where nervous wrecks, and they where the pilot in command! I was not nervous at all.
alchemist 3 years, 7 months ago.
