Bushidō 武士道Bushido literally "the way of the warrior”, is a Japanese word for the way of the samurai life, loosely similar to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code stressing frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death. Bushido was also influenced by Shinto and Zen Buddhism, allowing the violent existence of the samurai to be tempered by wisdom and serenity.

The Bushidō code is typified by seven virtues:

Rectitude 義 gi Courage 勇氣 yūki Benevolence 仁 jin Respect 禮 rei Honesty 誠 makoto Honor 名誉 meiyo Loyalty 忠義 chūgi

Rectitude 義 GiGi is to do the right thing.

Rectitude, also known as righteousness and/or justice is an attribute that implies that a person's actions are justified. Basically, everyone knows the different between right and wrong. Rectitude is the right. Rectitude is choosing good over evil.

Some decisions are pretty simple. Lying, cheating, stealing, back-stabbing…there is very little gray in those issues. They’re black and white. But what about things that are not so clear? With these decisions, you need to take your time, think it through, consider the consequences of your actions, to help you make the right decision.

The samurai use what’s known as 7 breaths. In Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai, it says, “One should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths…With an intense, fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgments within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side.”

Living with rectitude means making decisions that may be more difficult, or may be short-term less satisfying, or may not be as popular, but these will all be decisions that you know in your heart are the right ones.

Choosing to live with moral rectitude is a path towards self-respect. And while it might feel like it is restraining some behavior, it’s actually freeing. It’s a path towards living a guilt-free life. Any stress and guilt that you are putting on yourself with whatever immoral behavior you are participating in, will all be eliminated. It will be like a weight off of your shoulders.

Rectitude 義 Gi1. Write what rectitude means in your own words.

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2. Give an example of how you have made a good or right decision.

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3. Explain what using “7 breaths” means, how it is used and a situation it can be used for.

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Advanced: Read these two quotes and on your own paper tell what each of them mean to you.

‘Rectitude is one’s power to decide upon a course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering; to die when to die is right, to strike when to strike is right.’

‘Rectitude is the bone that gives firmness and stature. Without bones the head cannot rest on top of the spine, nor hands move nor feet stand. So without Rectitude neither talent nor learning can make the human frame into a samurai.’

Courage 勇氣 yūki Yuuki means brave, courageous energy.

Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Keep in mind that courage is not the absence of fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation but the ability to push past and keep going in spite of those limitations and/or hardships. Physical courage is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while moral courage is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.

Were you afraid the first day coming into class? If so, and you did it anyway you showed courage! As Kenpo students you show physical courage every time you kumite!

Bushido distinguishes between bravery and courage: Courage is worthy of being counted among virtues only if it’s exercised in the cause of Righteousness and Rectitude. Confucius says: ‘Perceiving what is right and doing it not reveals a lack of Courage.’ In short, ‘Courage is doing what is right.’

The samurai prepared themselves for death at all times. From the moment they woke up to the moment they went to sleep, they made themselves ready to die…so they didn’t fear it and accepted their fate. And that fearlessness and acceptance did permeate throughout the rest of their lives.

Samurai warriors of old had countless opportunities to prove their courage on the battlefield. There were many tumultuous times throughout the samurai reign. And warriors stood up and fought in the face of certain death. But courage doesn’t have to be a matter of life and death. Courage is admitting to your parents something that you did wrong, or apologizing to a friend for wrong actions. Learning to ride a bike the first time took courage as well.

Courage 勇氣 yūki1. Write what courage means in your own words.

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2. Give an example of how you have shown courage in your life.

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3. Give an example of an act of courage that you have witnessed.

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Advanced: Read these two quotes and on your own paper tell what each of them mean to you.

Courage is worthy of being counted among virtues only if it’s exercised in the cause of Righteousness and Rectitude.

Confucius says: ‘Perceiving what is right and doing it not reveals a lack of Courage.’ In short, ‘Courage is doing what is right.’

Benevolence 仁 jinJin is the benevolence that unites each human being to the other.

The meaning of benevolence suggests that one should pay alms to the poor, care for those in trouble, and take care of his fellow man. It can also mean a disposition to do good, an act of kindness, or a generous gift. Similar words are altruism, compassion, generosity. It has also been translated as selflessness, good will toward humanity, and brotherly love. The kanji itself is described as a man and the number two – implying the unity of two human beings.

In terms of bushido, A man invested with the power to command and the power to kill was expected to demonstrate equally extraordinary powers of benevolence and mercy: Love, affection for others, sympathy and pity, are traits of Benevolence, the highest attribute of the human soul.

Mencius, a follower of Confucius, sums it up, as “a benevolent man is ever mindful of those who are suffering and in distress”. Nitobe theorizes that benevolence is seen as the tenderness of a warrior giving mercy intentionally when justice demands payment, and the warrior has the power to exact the payment.

There is a distinct difference between being benevolent and doing something benevolent. Every time a new person comes to our dojo, we make an extra effort to introduce ourselves and make them feel welcome. It’s not something we have to think about, we just do it. For example: At a tournament, we help each other and our competition with getting gear on, knowing where to go, and what to expect. We should step in to coach kids we don’t know whose instructor is tied up simply so they can do well in their sparring match. Our dojo and its members operate from a base of benevolence, not cutthroat rivalry. It isn’t a one-time event; it is our mode of operation.

Benevolence 仁 jin1. Write what benevolence means in your own words.

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2. Give an example of how you have been benevolent in your life.

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3. What is something that you can do to become more benevolent?

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Advanced: Step outside the dojo doors in your mind and ask yourself – what opportunities do I face every day to be benevolent? Bushido is a way of life and can’t simply be checked in and out at the dojo door. Nitobe urges us, “The cultivation of tender feelings breeds considerate regard for the sufferings of others.” We must work at it constantly – especially in today’s culture that drives us to focus only on ourselves.

On a scale of 1 to 10, low to high, how would you rate your level of benevolence overall? Does it vary depending on what life situation you’re in? Is it easy for you to be selfless? Has anyone ever been benevolent to you when you didn’t deserve it? Do you see the suffering around you or do you turn your eyes from it?

Respect 禮 reiRei is politeness, respect shown in social behavior.

We show respect by speaking and acting with courtesy. We treat others with dignity and honor the rules of our family, school and nation. Respect yourself, and others will respect you.

This character can also be translated as propriety, good manners, politeness, rite, worship or an expression of gratitude.

Why do we bow in martial arts? What Sensei yells when we are to bow – “rei” – is also the word for respect, the “why” we bow.

The definition of respect means, “to hold in esteem or honor”, or “to show regard or consideration for”, or “to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with”. The kanji character is also translated as “thanking; gratitude”. This is what we learn bowing is all about – thanking our sensei for teaching, our fellow kohai for working out with us, whoever pays the bills that keeps our dojo open, all those who’ve trained before us so we can learn, etc.

The rituals that we have in martial arts were developed as training devices for youth. Our elders, senseis, instructors, and the great masters of old have learned, fine-tuned, and passed on to us this knowledge (basics, kata, dojo etiquette, etc). We show them respect when we give 110% in our efforts to practice what they’ve taught us. We also show them respect when we respect others in martial arts, no matter their background, style, or differences.

What does this look like? We bow when we enter the dojo, the training floor, before and after kata, to our partners, to our instructors. We line up our shoes as carefully and as meticulously as we can. We keep our uniforms clean and in good repair. We stay silent during class so we can listen, then learn, then practice. We bow to black belts when they enter the room. At tournaments, we still practice what we’ve learned even if others don’t. We dig deep and practice with all that we have.

Be prepared for those who claim you are OCD or silly for such tasks. But remember – respect is not something you demonstrate to win someone’s approval. Again, bushido is a way of life and can’t simply be checked in and out at the dojo door. If respect is simply an outward manifestation of rectitude, courage, and benevolence; then we should be showing a lot of respect.

Respect 禮 rei1. Write what respect means in your own words.

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2. Give an example of how you have been respectful outside of the dojo.

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3. What is something that you can do to become more respectful?

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Advanced: Now that we’ve investigated where we are regarding the previous three bushido virtues, let’s begin looking at where we can improve how we let it show in terms of respect. Start by thinking through all the little bitty details at the dojo. Are you just going through the motions of bowing, putting your shoes in line, etc? Or are you aware of the respect attached to these actions? Where can you take this into your life outside the dojo?

Honesty 誠 makotoMakoto means truth in word & action, to follow truly the Law of the Universe.

The quality of being honest; uprightness, fairness, truthfulness, sincerity, frankness. This is what you see when you look up the word in a dictionary. Looking up the word honest, though, you find a deeper attempt at definition: honorable in principles, intentions, and actions, upright and fair; gained or obtained fairly; genuine or unadulterated. Can you imagine our world today if everyone could trust each other’s word?

Sadly, our Western culture accepts and even encourages dishonesty at certain times. Little white lies, living in denial of reality, lying to protect yourself or others; these are all ok today. Very few people bat an eye when adults tell stories of lying to a police officer to get away with speeding. In fact, if a ticket isn’t given, the audience celebrates the person’s ability to twist the truth.

In opposition, the samurai strove to accept the reality of truth – truth of the world around them and truth of how they were seen by the world around them. Likewise, accepting the reality of truth within was a battle samurai fought. Being able to look at yourself in the mirror and truthfully accept who you are inside must happen before you can begin to accept the reality of the world.

It is so easy for us to lie to ourselves and this is the first and bloodiest battle we fight. Did we *really* cheat on jumping jacks? Did I *really* bow correctly? Did I *really* do all of my pushups? Does it matter if I screw up on kata and have to drop and do pushups? Especially as a black belt – how embarrassing! BUT! The damage done *inside* if we don’t honestly admit to ourselves that we cheated on kata is a million times worse than what it looks like for a black belt to do pushups for cheating cadence.

We can justify and rationalize all we want and today we most likely will not get caught when we “cheat the system”. This is one of those places within martial arts that “the rubber has to meet the road.” Are you striving to live the virtues of Bushido? Honesty is not up for negotiation. Can you truthfully say that when you give your word that it means the same to you as it did to the samurai?

Honesty 誠 makoto1. Write what honesty means in your own words.

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2. Give an example of how you have been honest outside of the dojo even if you weren’t asked.

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3. What is something that you can do to become more honest?

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Advanced: In the earlier text, what does this mean: This is one of those places within martial arts that “the rubber has to meet the road.”

Are you striving to live the virtues of Bushido?

Can you truthfully say that when you give your word that it means the same to you as it did to the samurai?

Honor 名誉 meiyo Meiyo is to enjoy a good reputation, honor.

The 6th virtue of Bushido, honor is “a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability that affects both the social standing and the self-evaluation of an individual or corporate body such as a family, school, regiment or nation”. The key word is perceived. From multiple definitions of the word comes the idea that my honor is only as good as what other people see it to be. But is this what honor means for us in the martial arts?

Honor does not depend on what others think. It *does* take into consideration what others have taught you. It *does* heed what your mentors, your fellow kohai, and your sensei says. But ultimately, your own personal honor is judged from within. And without the previous 5 tenets of Bushido, your judgment will be skewed.

But, what about when you are insulted? What about when you are accused of something you did not do? You must temper and balance these outward perceptions of our honor with magnanimity and patience. Rather than fly into a rage at a perceived insult, we must rely on the previous 5 tenets of Bushido and respond from them.

This is where it gets tough. From the beginning, following the tenets of Bushido transforms us from inside out. Honor is where what is inside us shows itself to the outside world. What will others see? Will they become hungry for what we have? Will they see a life lived so differently than everyone else around them that they ask?

Also, the Samurai would take it one step farther, they must also be worthy of honor. Are you worthy of the honor you carry?

Honor 名誉 meiyo1. Write what honor means in your own words.

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2. Give an example of a person you feel has honor and explain why.

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3. What is something that you can do to become more honorable?

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Advanced: Explain the difference in having honor and the Samurai code of being worthy of honor. Which one is determined by others thoughts and which is determined by your own thoughts? Which one is more difficult to obtain? Why?

Loyalty 忠義 chūgi Chuugi is to act faithfully, to be loyal.

Loyalty is defined as “faithfulness to commitments or obligations” and gives fealty, devotion, constancy, and fidelity as synonyms. Inherent in all of these descriptions is that loyalty comes from a choice.

In America today, loyalty can be seen in many forms. The most blatant example might be avid sports fans. Even when a beloved team is having a terrible season, a loyal fan will still cheer them on, hope for the best; and even attend games where a loss is expected.

When the going in life gets rough, however, do we stay the course? Do we remain focused on our path and our goals and refuse to allow what’s around us drag us off course?

The last of the traditional Bushido tenets, loyalty, or chugi in Japanese, seems to be the epitome manifestation of the pr evious six tenets in a samurai’s life.

So, first and foremost, to what are we loyal? Our dojo, sensei, fellow kohai? Our family, friends, country? Our faith? Bushido itself? Ourselves?

Secondly, how deeply are we loyal? On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your loyalty to your martial arts training? To the study of Bushido? To striving for excellence not only during class but every second of every day?

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. Loyalty springs from understanding and choosing to follow the previous virtues of Bushido. The path lies before you, clear and well-traveled for centuries. Many travel it now and you will not be alone when the going gets tough. Will you stay the course?

Loyalty 忠義 chūgi1. Write what loyalty means in your own words.

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2. List what you are loyal to and try to put them in order.

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3. Who do you think is loyal to you?

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Advanced: If you ask a black belt, your spouse (boy/girlfriend or BFF), or a co-worker what their honest appraisal of your loyalty is, what do you think they would say? Would you truly honestly be willing to hear what they say? Even better, what would you do with what they say?