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 devine power-I make honesty my devine 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 ahve no eyes-I make a flash of lightning my eyes
I have no ears-I make sensability 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 designs-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 adaptabillity 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 armor-I make benevolence and righteousness my armor
I have no enemy-I make carelessness my enemy
I have no castle-I make immoveable mind my castle
I have no sword-I make absense of self my sword.
-Anonymous Samurai,Fourteenth century.