Hagakure

I am only going to explain this once. A few years back there was a film from Jim Jarmusch called "Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai", very quirky, violent, and maybe pointless. Right up my alley. Each larger scene was introduced from a black screen with an obscure, sort of zen quote from a mysterious reference, the Hagakure. The words were written in the 17th century by an aging retainer of the last of the rebellious Daimyo that struggled against the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate. His name was Yamamoto Tsunemoto. He was not a particularly distinguished swordsman, or poet, or any of the traditional samurai skills, by then samurai was becoming an executive secretary class, warring arts were in decline by legislation. He said a lot of cool things, and many that are now dated and strange...

I will throw out some of my favorite of both types for comment. This is one of my absolute favorites.

There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything. - Hagakure, Chapter 1

Just digest that one for a minute... If that does not move your mind or your spirit, take me off your email list. :^)