Bravery and cowardice are not things which can be conjectured in times
 of peace.  They are in different categories. -- Hagakure
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 It is good to carry some rouge in one's sleeve.  It may be that when one
 is sobering up or waking from sleep, his complexion may be poor.
 At such a time it is good to take out and apply some powdered rouge.
 -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 There are times when a person gets carried away and talks on without
 thinking too much. But this can be seen by observers when one's mind is
 flippant and lacking truth. -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Even if one's head were to be cut off, he should be able to do one more
 action with certainty. ... With martial valor, one should become like a
 revengeful ghost and shows determination, though his head is cut off, he
 shall not die. -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 If you attach bags of cloves to your body, you will not be effected by
 inclemency or colds. -- Hagakure
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 Furthermore, drinking a decoction of feces from a dappled horse is the
 way to stop bleeding from an injury received by falling off a horse.
                               -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Intelligence is nothing more than discussing things with others.
 Limitless wisdom comes of this. -- Hagakure
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 Humanity is something done for the sake of others, simply comparing
 oneself with them and putting them in the fore. -- Hagakure
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 Courage is gritting one's teeth; it is simply doing that and pushing
 ahead, paying no attention to the circumstances. -- Hagakure
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 It is said that much sake, self-pride and luxury are to be avoided by a
 samurai. -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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In the judgement of the elders, a samurai's obstinacy should be excessive.
A thing done with moderation may later be judged insufficient.  I have heard
that when one thinks he has gone too far, he will not have erred.  This sort
of rule should not be forgotten.     -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 ... But in the end, the details of a matter are important. The right 
 or wrong of one's way of doing thing is found are trivial matters.
                              -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Furthermore, if you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to
  have your corpse facing the enemy. -- Hagakure
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 A warrior should not say something faint hearted even casually. He
 should set his mind to this beforehand. Even in trifling matters the
 depths of one's heart can be seen. -- Hagakure
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 Being superior to others is nothing other than having people talk about
 your affairs and listening to their opinions, the general run of people
 settle for their own opinions and thus never excel.         -- Hagakure
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 In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions within the
 space of seven breaths. Lord Takanobu said, "If discrimination is long,
 it will spoil." -- Hagakure
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 When one's own attitude on courage is fixed in his heart, and when his
 resolution is devoid of doubt, then when the time comes he will of
 necessity be able to choose the right move. -- Hagakure
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 Lord Naoshige said, "The Way of the Samurai is in desperateness. Ten
 men or more cannot kill such a man. Common sense will not accomplish
 great things. Simply become insane and desperate"        -- Hagakure
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 The occurrence of mysteries is alway by word of mouth.   -- Hagakure
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 Calculating people are contemptible...  
   Furthermore, scholars and their like are men who with wit and speech
 hide their own true cowardice and greed.  People often misjudge this.
                                -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 You cannot tell whether a person is good or bad by his vicissitudes in
 life. Good and bad fortune are matters of fate. Good and bad actions
 are Man's Way. Retribution of good and evil is taught simply as a moral
 lesson.                        -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Practice in letter writing goes to the extent of taking care in even
  one-line letters. -- Hagakure
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  Moreover, according to what the priest Ryozan heard when he was in the
  Kamigata area, when one is writing a letter, he should think that the
  recipient will make it into a hanging scroll. -- Hagakure
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  ... you should practice diligently with the bamboo sword every day.  
  Superiority is not just a matter of secret techniques
  ... All professions should be done with concentration.
     -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 If there is something that must be done, it is better not to rely on others.
                                     -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 To treat a person harshly is the way of middle-classed lackeys.
                                  -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Learning is a good thing.  But more often it leads to mistakes. ...
 For the most part we admire of our own opinions and become fond of arguing.
                                    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and show ourselves
 to be beginners. In this we do much harm. 
                                    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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    One should be careful with menials and the like.
    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 ... customs have changed; people attach importance to being beautiful
 before society and to household finances. What things a person should
 be able to accomplish if he had no haughtiness concerning his place
 in society!                    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  It is a wretched thing that the young men of today are so contriving
  and so proud of their material possessions. Men with contriving hearts
  are lacking in duty. Lacking in duty, they will have no self respect.
     -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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After reading books and the like it is best to burn them or throw them away.
                                    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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An affected laugh shows lack of self-respect in a man and lewdness in a woman.
                                      -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  It is not good to settle into a set of opinions. It is a mistake to
  put forth effort and obtain some understanding and then stop at that.
    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Speaking of other people in this way is no different from an exchange
  between low class spearmen. It is vulgar. -- Hagakure
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 There are two things that will blemish a retainer, these are riches and
 honor. But if one remains in strained circumstances he will not be
 marred.                         -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom
 nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory
 or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing
 this you will awaken from your dreams. -- http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 That one's own district is unsophisticated and unpolished is a great
 treasure. Imitating another style is simply a sham. 
   -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: "Matters
 of great concern should be treated lightly." Master Ittei commented,
 "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously."
   -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Through you life advance daily, becoming more skillful than yesterday,
 more skillful than today. This is never-ending. 
  -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Recently, people who are called "clever" adorn themselves with
  superficial wisdom and only deceive others. For this reason they are
  inferior to dull-witted folk. A dull-witted person is direct.
    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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It is bad taste to yawn in front of people.  When one unexpectedly has to
yawn, if he rubs his forehead in an upward direction, the sensation will stop.
  -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 When one is not capable of true intelligence, it is good to consult with
 someone of good sense. -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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... But even a person who is good for nothing and exceedingly clumsy will be a
reliable retainer if only he has the determination to think earnestly of his
master.  Having only wisdom and talent is the lowest tier of usefulness.
 -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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... One should think well then speak. ... -- Hagakure
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 Human life is a truly short affair. It is better to live doing the
 things that you like. ... Personally, I like to sleep. And I intend to
 appropriately confine myself more and more to my living quarters and
 pass my life away sleeping. -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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... There is dignity in paucity of words. ... -- Hagakure
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 It is written that the priest Shungaku said, "In just refusing to
 retreat from something one gains the strength of two men." This is
 interesting.                -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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People with intelligence will use it to fashion both true and false and will
try to push through whatever they want with their clever reasoning.  This is
injury from intelligence.
  Nothing you do will have effect if you do not use truth. -- Hagakure
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 A person who knows but a little will put on and air of knowledge. This
 is a matter of inexperience. When someone know something well, it will
 not be seen in his manner. This person is genteel.         -- Hagakure 
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 It is bad to carry even a good thing too far.  Even concerning things such as
 Buddhism,  Buddhist sermons, and moral lessons, talking too much will bring
 harm.  -- Hagakure                             http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 The priest Keiho related that Lord Aki once said that martial valor is
 a matter of becoming a fanatic. I though that this was surprisingly in
 accord with my own resolve and thereafter became more and more extreme
 in my fanaticism.               -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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... Within the tedious talk of old folks are their meritorious deeds.
                               -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Last year I went to the Kase Execution Grounds to try my hand at beheading,
 and I found it to be an extremely good feeling.  To think it is unnerving 
 is a symptom of cowardice.         -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 If one's sword is broken, he will strike with his hands. If his hands
 are cut off, he will press the enemy down with his shoulders. If his
 shoulders are cut away, he will bite through ten or fifteen enemy necks
 with his teeth. Courage is such a thing                     -- Hagakure
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 Ikuno Oribe said, "If a retainer will just think about what he is to do
 for the day at hand, he will be able to do anything. If it is a single
 day's work, one should be able to put up with it. Tomorrow, too, is but
 another single day."            -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 To calm one's mind, one swallows his saliva. This is a secret matter.
 When one becomes angry, it is the same. Putting spittle on one's
 forehead is also good. In the Yoshida school of archery, swallowing
 one's spittle is the secret principle of the art.        -- Hagakure
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 When one departs for the front, he should carry rice in a bag. His
 underwear should be made from the skin of a badger. This way he will
 not have lice. In a long campaign, lice are troublesome.
                              -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Singlemindedness is all powerful.                      -- Hagakure
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  Tether even a roasted chicken.                         -- Hagakure
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  Continue to spur a running horse.                      -- Hagakure
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  A man who will criticize you openly carries no connivance.
                      -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  A man exists for a generation, but his name lasts to the end of time.
                                -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Money is a thing that will be there when asked for, a good man is not
  so easily found.              -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  To ask when you already know is politeness. To ask when you don't know
  is the rule.                  -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Wrap your intentions in needles of pine.                -- Hagakure
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  One should not open his mouth wide or yawn in front of another. Do
  this behind you fan or sleeve. 
                              -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  A straw hat or helmet should be worn tilted toward the front.
                       -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Looking everywhere, they found his corpse in the garden adjacent to the
living area.  When they turned it over blood flowed from the stomach.  The man
had cut open his stomach and put the genealogy inside and it was not damaged
at all.  From this time I it was called the "Blood Genealogy". -- Hagakure
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If you cut a face lengthwise, urinate on it, and trample on it with straw
sandals, it is said the skin will come off.  The was heard by the priest
Gyojaku when he was in Kyoto.  It is information to be treasured.
                                -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 When faced with a crisis, if one puts some spittle on his earlobe and
 exhales deeply through his nose, he will overcome anything at hand.
 This is a secret matter.       -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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   Furthermore, when experiencing a rush of blood to the head, if one
   puts spittle on the upper part of one's ear, it will soon go away.
                               -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Dohaku's wife suffer some severed fingers.  Dohaku's wound was a severed
neck bone, and since only his throat remained intact, his head hung down in
front.  Now boosting his head up with his own hands, Dohaku went off to the
surgeon's.                        -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 Among the words spoken by great generals, there are some that were said
 offhandedly. One should not receive these words in the same manner, however.
    -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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 The essentials of speaking are not in speaking at all. If you think
 that you can finish something without speaking, finish it without
 saying a single word.        -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  To open one's mouth indiscriminately brings shame, and there are many
  times when people will turn their backs on such a person.
                                 -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  There is a saying of the elders' that goes, "Step from under the eaves
  and you're a dead man. Leave the gate and the enemy is waiting." This
  is not a matter of being careful. It is to consider oneself as dead
  beforehand.                     -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  Never to be out done in the Way of the Samurai.
  To be of good use to the master.
  To be filial to my parents.
  To manifest great compassion, and to act for the sake of Man.
     -- Hagakure http://bereft.net/hagakure/
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  If one dedicates these four vows to the gods and Buddhas every
  morning, he will have the strength of two men and will never slip
  backward. One must edge forward like the inchworm, bit by bit. The
  gods and Buddhas, too, first started with a vow.       -- Hagakure