Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai
by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

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Book Summary Information

Author: Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Translator: William Scott Wilson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); Japanese (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Deluxe Edition
Published: 2002-08-30
ISBN: 4770029160
Number of pages: 192
Publisher: Kodansha USA

Book Reviews of Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

Book Review: A Code for the Modern Corporate Type
Summary: 5 Stars

I was looking around for a time for a book on ethics that directly spoke to the issues of those in the professional warrior class. Why? Well for those of us in the corporate world, those that have any depth of experience that is, that there are issues of ethics popping up quite frequently.

The company that you work for likely presents you with a set of values the day that you start working for them, which is OK, that is if you do not think for yourself. While those values may suffice for many, it is important to remember that it is at the end of the day your choice to believe in those stated values and follow them, it is a part of the work contract that you have with your employer.

I for one, am one of those people who do think about the ramifications and consequences of what it is that I do, and what values I do follow, I have to. I have studied the subject as deeply and thoughtfully as I can. When it comes to ethics, the values of some company's managers that say that they follow these values does not always match the truth of their actions, sad but sometimes true.

So what happens when you find out your beloved company's values are merely words on a piece of paper, and that your manager doesn't really act in manner that is in line with those values? What do you do? How is one really supposed to deal with the challenges of this kind of work environment?

Reading up on the ethics of those who had to fight their way through life, literally, does give one pause to at least think about it, since it was this culture that produced one of the more civilized of society's. (WW II notwithstanding, the murders and the like that followed during Japanese expansionism).

Why? They lived in harsh times, and where conduct and honor, (professionalism would be the modern day equivalent), were the measure of a man. (Women also followed the Code of the Samurai). It can be reasonably argued that Japanese society is one of the most polite a standard of behavior that one could come in contact with. I took my time and measured it against every other single military code of conduct that has existed through out time, and found it intriguing. It shares common ground with other texts that speak on matters of ethics.

While some advocate religious or spiritual texts for principles and guidance for their careers, and some of those are superlative, I am not knocking them, in fact I applaud them as most are shared by myself. However the challenge is when you are in a tough situation sometimes it is better to just walk away and save your honor.

Think about how ethics plays out in your life and how it is measured, are they your ethics? Are they a code of honor that actually honors others, or are they borrowed? How deeply have you thought about your own ethics?

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Summary of Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

Hagakure ("In the Shadow of Leaves") is a manual for the samurai classes consisting of a series of short anecdotes and reflections that give both insight and instruction-in the philosophy and code of behavior that foster the true spirit of Bushido-the Way of the Warrior. It is not a book of philosophy as most would understand the word: it is a collection of thoughts and sayings recorded over a period of seven years, and as such covers a wide variety of subjects, often in no particular sequence.
The work represents an attitude far removed from our modern pragmatism and materialism, and possesses an intuitive rather than rational appeal in its assertion that Bushido is a Way of Dying, and that only a samurai retainer prepared and willing to die at any moment can be totally true to his lord. While Hagakure was for many years a secret text known only to the warrior vassals of the Hizen fief to which the author belonged, it later came to be recognized as a classic exposition of samurai thought and came to influence many subsequent generations, including Yukio Mishima.
This translation offers 300 selections that constitute the core texts of the 1,300 present in the original.
Hagakure was featured prominently in the film Ghost Dog, by Jim Jarmusch.

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