A Warrior’s Creed

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 design:
I make “seizing 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 armour:
I make benevolence and righteousness my armour.

 

I have no castle:
I make immovable mind my castle.

 

I have no sword:
I make absence of mind my sword.

 

Anonymous Samurai; 14th century