An examanitaionwork of a Waldorfpupil about:
"The History of the Samurai".
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Tradition of the Shinkage Ryu
In a mind, which is absolutely free of thoughts and emotions,
even the tiger finds no space to strike his claws in.
One and the same wind blows through the pinetrees on the mountainridge,
and over the oaktrees in the valley.
But why does one hear different sounds?
No thinking, no imagination, perfect emptiness.
And still there moves something which follows its own way.
The eye can see it, but no one can lay hand upon,
as the moon in the river.
This is the secret of my school.
Clouds and mist are changes of half height,
above them sun and moon circle eternally.
Victory is only for whom, even before the fight,
who has no thoughts of himself,
and dwells in the no mind of the great way.
The tea master and the samurai
A daimyo had to visit the shogun and had not enough samurai and so he orded the tea master
to put on an armour and to accompaning him. As soon as they reached Edo a ronin discovered
the unsure attitude of the tea master and challenged him for a duell. After long trials
of explanations he could not other as to give in. Depressed he went to his daimyo to
ask for support. He sent him with a letter of recommendation to a known master of swordart.
Reaching there he explained his situation. The swordmaster answered: "I do not believe you.
You are a master of an art". - "Oh", the tea master said, "I can serve tea". - "Very well", said
the sword master, and let everything being brought for a tea ceremony. "I request you to serve
me tea". - "Very good", answered the teamaster and began. As he began con- centrating for the
ceremony he was closely watched by the swordmaster. After having tea, the swordmaster
mentioned: "It is impossible to teach you in 12 hours the art of swordmanship, nor do
certain hints will do. I recom- mend that when you meet your opponent begin your preparations
with the same attitude as when you serve me tea. I am quiet sure, that the guy will take
his legs and be off, before you finish". As the swordmaster said, so he did. As the ronin
saw the collectedness of the tea master he began to rea- lize, that a victory will be
rather unlikely.
Story from tradition
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Unknown tradition:
I have no parents. Heaven and earth are my parents.
I have no dwelling place, the Seika Tanden (belly area around the navel) is my dwelling place.
I have no power, loyality to the truth is my power.
I have no means, obediance is my means.
I know no magic, ki is my magic.
I have no body, stoical equanimity is my body.
I have no eyes, the light of lightning are my eyes.
I have no ears, sensitivity are my ears.
I have no limbs, readiness and fast reaction are my limbs.
I have no law, selfdefense is my law.
I know no strategy, to kill and to guarantee life is my strategy.
I have no plan, to take the opportunity is my plan.
I have no miracle, the teaching of the Buddha is my miracle.
I have no principles, to adapt o all conditions is my principle.
I have no capabilities, readiness and fast reaction are my capabilities.
I have no friends, the heart is my friend.
I have no enemies, unawareness and carelessness are my enemies.
I have no armour, humaneness and consciousness of duty are my armour.
I have no fortress, the fudoshin (unshakeable mind) is my fortress.
I have no sword, mushin (no mind) is my sword.
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