In ancient times the word "warrior" was expressed as "bow and horse," and men of both high and low rank attained the heights of the martial arts by practicing archery and horsemanship. In recent times the warrior considers the long sword, spear and horsemanship essential and disciplines himself accordingly. Beyond these there are the many arts of archery, marksmanship, iaido and judo; and it is important that young warriors exert themselves day and night, and learn these arts well.
Especially the warrior of low rank should learn to ride well. Even though the horses be extremely deficient or unruly, he should be able to ride them without hindrance. This is because horses that are both easy to ride and beautiful are the rarest things in this world. And even if such horses existed, they would be owned by warriors of high rank, and thus, hardly horses reined by lower-class warriors.
If one will only become accomplished in horsemanship, he will be able to select a horse with some deficiency, bad habits or unruliness, but which is still good. This he will be able to buy at a low price for his own use, and it will be the same as always having a horse that is valued far above his own resources. Generally speaking, paying great attention to the coloration and markings of a horse's coat is a matter for warriors of the upper classes. For a warrior of the lower classes it is essential to understand that he should simply search out a horse that is good, regardless of whether its color pleases him, or whether it has markings on its coat, or is one that people dislike. Many years ago, among the warrior generals of the Murakami dan in Shinshu, there was an accomplished warrior named Gakuganji who led 300 horsemen. He developed a tradition of having horses both for himself and the dan's retainers that had color and coat markings ordinarily despised by others. He would not train the dan's samurai on a regular riding ground, but would go out with 50 to 100 horsemen to the wide field below the castle, and, himself taking the lead, would gallop about the field in a cross-like pattern. He praised as good riders those who could ride freely in such a way that when they looked about ready to fall could regain the saddle, and when they looked as though well-mounted could quickly leap to the ground. Those not so accomplished were known as poor riders. Thus, in those days, even the retainers of Takeda Shingen were known to watch adversaries such as Gakuganji very carefully, and this was great praise for Gakuganji's art. Moreover, although it is a fine thing for a warrior to be a lover of horses, there is both bad and good to this. Warriors of old loved horses because, when there was a battle, and they put on their armor and banners, they became heavier and were unable to walk well. Thus, they could not perform battle maneuvers without horses. In this way, their horses acted in place of their two legs. And, if some incident occurred, it would be by riding these horses that they would take the lead and excel in military sincerity. Further, when one went out to meet the enemy in battle on this horse, according to the situation, it was not unlikely that the animal, too, would receive serious wounds and forfeit its life. Therefore, although a horse is but a beast, such men thought of them with sympathy, and carried it in their hearts to be diligent in always feeding them and rubbing them down.
Of those who are called horse lovers today, nine out of ten will search out a low-priced horse with bad habits that the owner has become tired of and correct its habits, or will find a short horse that has been used in the countryside, and train and groom it. And because it is only their intention to sell these horses at high prices to those in search of such animals, they never have good horses of their own. Such men, without exception, have natures that are no different than those of horse traders and brokers, and for that reason are inferior to those who do not love horses at all.
It is essential that a warrior in the service of a lord has the prudence not to gossip about the wrong-doings he has observed concerning his companions. This is because one should be circumspect enough to consider that he himself is no saint or sage, and that over a long period of time has certainly made mistakes and had misunderstandings.
One might think it natural that especially those warriors who are chief retainers and dan elders, and who are above all other samurai, should be equal in character, wisdom and wit to the gravity of their office and stipend; and that since this is not so, criticism is reasonable. In the long run, however, it is not. The reason for this is as follows. The men who became chief retainers and elders for the Shogun who ruled the entire country were chosen from the many provincial and castle lords, and chiefly on the basis of their personal characters. Thus, to the extent that they were men who were already officials, it was considered that none of them would be lacking in talent. For the clans of the lords governing the various districts and provinces, however, there were very few samurai from among the many within the clans who were fit in terms of stipend and lineage who also would be able to take the positions of chief retainers and elders. Therefore, because it was difficult to choose men strictly on their personal characters, the lords chose men largely of the common run who were blessed in terms of their stipends and lineages, and added these to the ranks of chief retainers and dan elders. The lords thought that with time and experience these men would become accustomed to their work and would later be of good service. Thus were these positions filled.
Such chief retainers and dan elders may be a bit wanting in terms of their positions and offices. It should be said, however, that it is a mistaken notion to think that one can observe these deficiencies and then blame, judge or slander these men. The reason is that human beings are like the grass and trees which some years flower and bear fruit and other years do not. Thus, there may be intelligent parents who have children naturally lacking in ability, or there may be children who exceed the talents of their parents, and this has been so since times past.
It is not that the lord does not see these deficiencies, but he does not forget the loyalty and exertions of generations of the man's ancestors, and, according to his lineage, has placed him in a position of some gravity. This is certainly reasonable, and as a retainer one should take pleasure in and be thankful for such a thing.
Therefore, even though one might hear something very unreasonable from such chief retainers and dan elders, and think that he cannot just let it pass, he should restrain his own desires and finish the matter with proper decorum. Surely had it been the lord, there would not have been one word of rebuttal, no matter how unreasonable his words might have been. As the chief retainers and dan elders speak for the lord, it can be said that their word is the same as the lord's order itself. As there is a difference between the lord and his retainers, however, it is reasonable to put one's thoughts into words as politely and harmoniously as possible. It is the correctness of the warrior to consider that speaking whatever is on one's mind in a rough manner to men who hold the important positions of chief retainers and elders is a great discourtesy to the lord, no matter how "right" one may be.
Well then, the officials who carry out the various duties of the time are not chosen entirely for their lineage and parentage, but are selected from the many samurai of the dan chiefly on the basis of their personal characters. And as this is so, it is reason- able that none of them will be naturally lacking in talents. How- ever, because there may be some men with whom the lord is pleased, and whom he plans to gradually accustom to his service, there may also be some young and immature men ordered to serve at his side. With such men there are likely to be some occasional misconceptions, carelessness or lack of discrimination; but it is not a good thing to blame, trouble, slander or ridicule them. No matter how naturally able a person might be, when there is something lacking in him one should conclude the matter with the understanding that it is due to youth.
Generally speaking, all the men with duties such as the chief retainers, dan elders and other officers make their orders under the lord's discernment, and therefore, speaking badly about their affairs is the same as slandering the lord himself. Moreover, when one needs the help of those men for some business or another, he will have to be discreet about his mood, place his hands to the floor, bow low and humbly ask for assistance. At such a time will he not have to purse the lips that until now slandered and ridiculed in secret, and for whatever use it is, speak things worthy of a warrior? Such things should be reflected upon deeply.
The Ways of Loyalty and Filial Piety are not limited to the warrior class alone. For the classes of farmers, artisans and tradesmen as well, these two Ways are to be thoroughly followed in the relations between father and child, master and servant.
However, in the case of farmers, artisans, and tradesmen, manners and etiquette are secondary. For example, when a child or a servant is sitting together with a parent or master, it makes no difference even if he does all sorts of rude things like sitting cross-legged, having his hands in his pockets, or speak- ing without putting his hands on the floor. All is well as long as his mood is not rough, and his true intentions are in placing importance in the parent or master. This is the loyalty and filial piety of these three classes.
In Bushido, the Ways of Loyalty and Filial Piety cannot be completely fulfilled if etiquette is not kept thoroughly in form, no matter how much they are guarded in the heart. It is, for example, unacceptable for one who would follow the Way of the Warrior to act in a rude or negligent way in front of his parents, much less in front of his lord. The loyalty and filial piety of the warrior are in being steadfast and not the least bit rude even in places where the master's and parents' eyes do not reach.
For example, no matter where one stops for the night and lays down to sleep, he should not place his feet in the direction of his lord even for a moment. Likewise when hanging up spears and halberds, the cutting points should not face in the lord's direction.
Beyond this, when listening to or speaking about matters concerning one's lord, if lying down, one should sit up; if sitting up normally, one should straighten his posture. It is exactly such deportment that is said to be the true intention of the warrior. But to stretch one's feet out in the lord's direction while knowing well where he is, speaking about the lord while lying down, receiving a handwritten letter from one's parents without proper ceremony, reading such a letter while sitting cross-legged or lying down, throwing it into a corner or using it to clean a lantern: all these come from untrustworthy thoughts, and are not in the true mind of loyalty and filial piety of the warrior. A man with such a disposition does not know what duty is, and this because he has not drawn the distinction between himself and others. When meeting men from other places or clans, such a man will relate and explain the bad things about his own lord's dan. If a complete stranger simply acts in an intimate way toward him, he will happily and without reserve relate every one of the bad stories ridiculing his parents and siblings, slandering everyone. Thus, sooner or later he will receive punishment from his lord or parents, will meet with some great disaster, or will, meet a death belittling a warrior's name. Even if he does live, he will be reduced to a life-style without value, and at any rate will be unable to spend his life without incident. And this is reasonable.
Connected with this, during the Keicho period (1596-1611), among the retainers-of Fukushima Saemon Tafu Masanori there was a brave samurai by the name of Kani Saizo. As a general of foot soldiers, Saizo was in charge of the Kurogane Gate of the inner castle at Hiroshima in Geishu. Here he kept constant watch day and night, but because of his extreme old age he would lie down and take naps to rest. Once while he was napping, an acolyte who served at the side of Lord Masanori brought him a pheasant from a hawking party, explaining that the bird was caught by the lord's own hawk and was thus being sent by the lord to Saizo. When Saizo heard this he got right up, put on a hakama that he had earlier taken off and placed nearby, faced the castle proper, received the present with decorum, and spoke a thanksgiving to the lord. Then he scolded the acolyte, saying, "What a child you are, and what a simpleton! This was a matter of the lord's wishes and you did not announce it as such, but rather related it to me just as I lay there! If you were not a child there would be a way of dealing with you, but as you are an acolyte I will let it pass." The acolyte was terrified and hurried back, relating the situation to the other young pages. Thus, the story was eventually heard by Lord Masanori, who summoned the acolyte and inquired about the situation. When the acolyte had told the story about Saizo in full, Lord Masanori said, "The impropriety was yours, and Saizo was clearly reasonable in becoming angry. I wish all the samurai of Aki and Binge provinces had minds like Saizo. Then anything could be done."