Way of the warrior japan. Code of Bushido - honor and life path of a samurai. History of the formation of the Bushido code. Seven Virtues of Bushido

The Code of Bushido is a set of rules of life that were supposed to ensure that the best members of society, the guardians, follow the true path. It has existed for more than a thousand years, but has not lost its value today.

Current and modern code of Bushido

The philosophy of the East attracts the attention of the progressive part of our society not by chance. In the age of flourishing unprincipledness and selfishness, market economy and competition, there is a longing for inner peace of mind, a desire to find support in life through solid, correct principles that can help not only the individual, but the entire society. In this regard, the Bushido code is most interesting. Despite the fact that it was created during the period of feudalism and met the needs of Japan of that historical period, its relevance is undoubted today in the Land of the Rising Sun with its information technology and progress. Of course, not all provisions are accepted by contemporaries, but the main point remains a defining feature of their society.

Philosophical foundations

Traditional medieval society in Japan was highly structured. Each class had certain rights and responsibilities, formed by tradition and enshrined state power. There are four categories of the population. Peasants, traders, artisans and military aristocracy. It was for the latter that the Bushido Code was created. The path of the samurai (warrior in Japan) was determined by moral ethical categories, which would provide support to the shogun, the lord. Existing ones determined the presence of entire clans. At its head was the master's house; smaller feudal lords swore allegiance to him, receiving estates from the owner of the land, and for this they served him faithfully until the end of their lives. The Bushido code was based on the concept of duty as a defining category in general, and in particular Confucianism, Buddhism and Shintoism. Attitudes towards death and life were formed under the influence of the ideas of reincarnation and karma, loyalty to duty and honor - with direct reliance on the category of the Confucian “noble husband”, respect for ancestors and the power of the emperor - based on the traditions of Shintoism.

Body and mind training

Western society is surprisingly pragmatic. The desire for comfort and relief from unnecessary suffering forces us to come up with new technical discoveries and medicines, but does not give a person either peace or confidence in the future. The Samurai Code of Bushido proclaims the unity of three components, allowing one to live and die with honor. Finding them requires intense work on yourself, which in itself denies the idea of ​​comfort and ease. Body training is important for a warrior. He must be strong, resilient, flexible, hardened, which will give him an advantage in battle. But all this means little without technology. It is she, like a master carpenter, who creates a thin product from an unhewn club. Technology can always withstand force alone. But the most important element is spirit. It is the inner spiritual strength that defines a true warrior, brave man, and hero. He is not afraid of death, which means he is not limited in his courage and honor.

Noble man

The Code of Bushido, of course, proclaims loyalty as a cardinal virtue. But it should be noted that the emphasis in the past, and even more so today, was placed a little differently. The main quality of a true warrior was nobility, which was seen in following the voice of conscience and truth, justice. If the master’s order required the samurai to renounce the truth, to act against the internal understanding of virtue, it was his duty to dissuade the lord from a shameful act. If he failed, a true warrior could not afford to tarnish his honor with an unjust deed. But breaking the oath of allegiance was also not appropriate for a noble man. The only way out was a ceremonial suicide ritual, which made it possible to leave this world with dignity. Thus, the samurai's code of honor - Bushido - demanded to follow justice and defend it at the cost of life itself.

Attitude towards death

The central theme of the worldview of the Japanese nobleman was death. It was based on the recognition by Eastern philosophers of the inevitability of death and its acceptance as a step towards a new, qualitative transition in the cycle of continuous rebirth. The Bushido samurai code prescribed spiritual and physical practices aimed at daily reflection on the inevitable death. This, on the one hand, was supposed to get rid of the fear of death, on the other hand, it made us appreciate the time allotted to everyone. All idleness and intemperance were condemned and seen in the context of the temporality of human existence as stupidity, which will certainly come back to haunt us in the future. One must leave this world with honor, just as one must live: without fuss, thoughtfully, clearly. The absence of fear of death did not mean that they strive for it and do not value life, quite the opposite. But if he is destined to die, then the real one will do the right thing. Europeans who witnessed the hara-kiri ritual were amazed at the composure and courage of the Japanese. This is the result of daily practice and a special philosophy in which a real man is raised from childhood. The only way to wash away the shame is to take out a ceremonial knife and stain it with your own blood.

Four Commandments of the Samurai

The Code of Bushido is life itself, so a true warrior knows exactly what to do in certain situations. But still, in the entire teaching, several basic commandments of a warrior can be distinguished. The first and main thing in social purpose is loyalty to its owner. life and actions. One's own benefit should never come before the interests of the master. The purpose of life is to be useful to the owner. The second postulate is perfection. On the path of the samurai, everyone had to strive for primacy, which lies in the righteousness of actions, honor and nobility. The next thing is the attitude towards parents. Filial duty is sacred, it includes not only the usual care of our parents, but also the upholding of family honor. Every action can bring glory or dishonor to the entire house. Being a worthy son of your parents is the strongest motive for improving yourself and making the right choice in life. And another great commandment is the call to be compassionate and help people. These basic principles determined the path of the warrior in Japan. They are still quite relevant in this country.

Written sources

The Bushido Code does not have a written code of laws as such. Quotes that are replete with the Internet are not always related to ancient reality. Many of them are modern adaptations of wisdom in general and Buddhist canons in particular. All these moral rules existed a priori, reproduced by society. Eastern philosophers believed that by writing down thoughts, we lock them in the prison of words, and they lose their reality and vitality. The main thing is not the words, but the meaning, time and place of the ideas expressed, a visible example. Everything flows, everything is mobile, an attempt to make static out of dynamics is detrimental to the main thing. But if you still have a desire to read the Code of Bushido, then the most useful and truthful reflection of the teachings can be found in the book “Collected Sayings of Master Hagakure”. It is a collection of sayings of a hermit samurai, which were recorded by his disciple at the beginning of the eighteenth century. By the way, Hakagure ordered him to burn the notes, but he disobeyed the teacher, and after the latter began distributing copies of the book. So much for your code of honor. One way or another, it is precisely thanks to this that we have a written source of bushido philosophy. Also of particular interest are the instructions for young samurai, authored by Daidoji Yuzan. His works were created in the same period, that is, at the beginning of the 18th century.

Hidden in the leaves

Eleven books make up the collection of sayings of Hagakure - "Hidden in the Leaves." Its name is very symbolic, because the truth is not exposed, but hidden. Conversations talk about the value of duty, conscience, responsibility and justice. The life of a samurai is a preparation for a dignified death, which is the only sincerity in our pretend world. The author clearly draws a distinction between valiant and faithful service to the owner and servanthood and lackeyness. A samurai lackey is one who has lost his conscience and honor. Vassal relations must be filled with dignity on one side and the other. All life is built on relationships, so a warrior shows kindness to others, especially to children and his wife, appreciating her loyalty and devotion to her husband in the same way as the master appreciates himself. The path of the samurai is straight, there is no place in it even for small lies, laziness, betrayal or cowardice. The willingness to quickly make a decision is valued more than long thoughts and philosophizing, which will inevitably lead away from the right choice.

Some conclusions

So, bushido is not only a martial art, but also the moral path of a warrior, in which he must prepare for inevitable death and accept it with honor. It is necessary to note the maximalist nature of Eastern teaching. But maybe this is exactly what is needed in our age of universal relativity and unprincipledness. The path of the samurai requires renunciation of selfishness and continuous work on oneself, renunciation of the search for profit, and the proclamation of the principles of goodness and justice in the deeds themselves.

BUSHIDO: THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR. The term bushido literally translates as "the way (of) the warrior (bushi)." Bushido broadly refers to a wide range of traditional Japanese samurai values. However, this concept appeared after the rise to power of the military class in the early medieval era and had different connotations in different periods. However, the Way of the Warrior represented the basic philosophy and code of conduct for the military rulers who presided over life in feudal Japan.

The word bushido was first used in Edo period Japan to refer to the set of values ​​and ideals of the ruling military class. Although uniformity in the principles of military morality was encouraged by the Tokugawa shogunate, there was still no official code of honor for the samurai. Even in times of peace, samurai had to maintain a fighting spirit and military skills, as well as constant devotion to their master, strictly fulfill their obligations to him and be ready to give up their lives (in battle or through ritual suicide) if necessary. Paradoxically, the qualities required of reliable warriors, such as courage in battle and respect for superiors, came to be associated with the military class only under the peaceful and centralized (though limited) rule of the Tokugawa shoguns. The principles of this code are discussed below in the section “Code of Military Honor”.

The Code of Military Morals was first presented as an official ethical system in the 17th-18th centuries. scientist Yamago Soko (1622-1685), who is credited with creating the image of the ideal samurai. Although Yamago did not use the term bushido, he described the warrior primarily as an example of morality, humble service and loyalty. According to Yamaga, the Way of the Warrior represented the efficient ideal of a feudal lord who paid the samurai for his service with his favor. The interdependence and bond between the military servant and his master became a necessary condition in the teaching that Yamaga's followers called the ethics of Bushido. Once Emperor Meiji restored supreme imperial rule in Japan in 1868, the samurai class was abolished along with the feudal economy. However, the military archetype formulated in the writings of Bushido during the Edo period continued to serve as a model for Japan. In 1899, Nitobe Inazo published Bushido: The Soul of Japan (1899), which defined the warrior spirit as the embodiment of the best that is present in traditional Japanese society and culture.

Despite the uniform picture of samurai ideals presented by philosophers and historians of the Edo period, the principles of warrior ethics changed throughout the feudal era. During the middle and late Heian periods, warriors were more interested in family honor than loyalty to their masters, as well as personal gain.

Since the end of the Kamakura period, it is difficult to accept that in times of social, political and economic upheaval, samurai strictly followed moral obligations and a sense of duty, rather than primarily focusing on professional duties and plans for the future.

The Muromachi shogunate promoted even greater differentiation in warrior behavior, despite its attempts to restore stable, centralized military rule. Ambitious commanders took advantage of the collapse of political power, seizing land or consolidating power in the hope of improving their social economic situation. At the same time, improvements in weapons and the training of ordinary soldiers made the military an even greater potential threat in the eyes of provincial police (shugo), estate managers (jito), or vassals (gokenin) appointed by the shogun or court nobles. Typically, provincial samurai were granted positions of middle vassals, and therefore they had direct access to land and power, as well as military force, which could protect their interests. Thus, self-interest and opportunism flourished throughout the Muromachi period (as warriors gradually seized land and power in a critical political climate). In reality, medieval aspects of samurai behavior did not necessarily reflect the peaceful Edo period ideals of military service and qualities. The differences between the samurai of the early modern era and the warriors of the Middle Ages will be discussed below.

Aspects of the samurai code were based on established principles of military honor that are believed to date back to the Heian period, although there is doubt about this. Contemporary scholar Carl F. Friday has reexamined attitudes toward chivalry, camaraderie, and military ritual that had long been considered distinctive qualities, characteristic of warriors of the early Middle Ages. Friday and his colleagues believe that the code of military honor was more likely to represent an ideal of military service adopted in a later era than to reflect the actual life experience of feudal armed servants. Basically, samurai were professional warriors, obliged to sacrifice their lives for the honor of their lord. In Edo period Japan, the fighting tradition served as a reminder of the samurai (who had lost their former role under the peace brought by the Tokugawa shoguns) as a reminder of their former glory. In all likelihood, the samurai qualities denoted by the term bushido were formulated through romantic memories of the past rather than modern attitudes.

Today, many scholars recognize that the images of samurai heroes who performed epic feats, which are recounted in medieval works, most likely were intended to entertain the public, and did not represent historically accurate biographies of these characters. Such “war adventures,” known as gunkimono (sometimes also called gunki monogatari), first became popular in the 14th and 15th centuries and are discussed in more detail in Chapter 8, “Language and Literature.” The nostalgic charm of these dramatic tales helped shape the ideals of The Way of the Warrior. Later theorists and scholars revisited romantic notions of the Japanese samurai in their quest to create a moral code for military servants based on the ideals of the past.

Dil W. Japan. Middle Ages and Early Modern Times - William Deal. – M., 2011, p. 181-183.

Bushido(Japanese: 武士道 bushido, “the way of the warrior”) - the samurai code, a set of rules, recommendations and norms of behavior of a true warrior in society, in battle and alone, a military male philosophy and morality, rooted in ancient times. Bushido, which initially arose in the form of the principles of a warrior in general, thanks to the aesthetic values ​​​​included in it and respect for the arts in the 12-13 centuries, with the development of the samurai class as noble warriors, merged with it and finally took shape in the 16-17 centuries. already like a code of samurai ethics.

MEANING

“Boo” - stop the spear. Chinese philosophers also explain it as “the ability to stop, and therefore subjugate, weapons. Indicates the military sphere of samurai life

"Si" - warrior, man, soldier. Originally, in China, this word defined people who had mastery in a certain field and occupied their position in society thanks to learning, but were ready to take up arms when necessary. Thus, " bushi" is a person capable of maintaining peace both through art and military means.

“Before” is the way. The most important concept for most Eastern philosophies. It is an indication that this code has an impact on the entire life of the follower, a path from which one cannot leave.

STORY

Samurai morality was formed in general terms simultaneously with the shogunate system, but its foundations existed long before that time. Nitobe Inazo identified Buddhism and Shinto as the main sources of Bushido, as well as the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, which quickly spread among the samurai. What the samurai lacked in the canons of Buddhism and Confucianism was abundant in Shintoism.

Borrowings from Shintoism, which Bushido adopted, were combined into two concepts: patriotism and loyalty.

During the reign of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the “Code of Samurai Clan” was drawn up, which determined the standards of samurai behavior in service and in personal life. The second work dedicated to the chanting of the tenets of Bushido was a hagiographic description of the exploits of the daimyo Takeda Shingen in twenty volumes, the authorship of which was shared by Kosaka Danjo Nobumasa and Obata Kagenori. Somewhat later, the work of Daidoji Yuzan (1639-1730) “Elementary Fundamentals of Martial Arts” (“Budo Shoshin Shu”) appeared. And finally, in 1716, 11 volumes of the book “Hidden in the Leaves” were published, which became the “holy scripture” of the bushi. This curious work belonged to Yamamoto Tsunetomo, a former samurai of the Saga clan on the southern island of Kyushu. After the death of his master, daimyo Nabeshima Naoshige, whom he faithfully served for ten years, Yamamoto became a monk and devoted the rest of his life to summarizing the tenets of samurai honor.

DIFFERENCES FROM THE KNIGHT CODE OF HONOR

Sometimes people who do not understand Japanese culture and history directly transfer their ideas about the chivalric code of honor to bushido. However, due to cultural differences, this is not entirely true. For example, an act that is considered good manners from the point of view of the chivalric code of honor may be perceived as hypocrisy from the point of view of Bushido. The requirement to give an “honest word” would be considered by a Japanese warrior as a personal insult, since bushido forbade lying and not keeping promises. At the same time, from the point of view of bushido, a warrior must always be ready for battle, and therefore a surprise attack on a non-attacking enemy using iai-jutsu corresponds to bushido, but from the point of view of the knightly code of honor, such an attack is considered dishonorable. It should also be noted that an attack using iai-jutsu could also be carried out on a neutral person, if the latter was exceptionally impudent, and the very fact of launching an attack was considered in this case a declaration of war. A true samurai, going on a campaign, made three vows: to forget his home, to forget about his wife and children, to forget about his own life.

PHILOSOPHY OF BUSHIDO

If we ignore practical principles, the true spiritual meaning of the teachings of Bushido is that a warrior must live, realizing that he can die at any moment, that every minute spent during life must be appreciated, because it may be the last. Only someone who understands that he may be seeing this for the last time can look at the world with such love and notice what ordinary people in the bustle of life they don’t pay attention. He feels how the sun warms him with its rays, how beautifully the birds sing and the leaves of the trees rustle, like a leaf, falling from a branch, spinning, falling into a stream, quickly floating with the flow. Therefore, there were many poets among the samurai. Many were interested in Noh theater, calligraphy and fine arts.

This is interesting: the importance of preparedness for death for Bushido is illustrated by this example from Hagakure.

One of the shogun's subjects came to Lord Yagyu, a sword master, and asked to be accepted as a student. Mr. Yagyu wanted to know what kind of martial arts school this person had gone through before deciding on an apprenticeship. He replied: “I have never practiced any of the martial arts. But when I was a child, I suddenly realized that a warrior is a person who does not mind losing his life. This belief has been kept in my heart for many years, and now I never think about death. The amazed Mr. Yagyu responded to this: “The most important principle of my tactics lies in this. Until now, none of my disciples have been able to understand this principle with all their hearts,” and immediately handed over a scroll certifying his mastery.

The fathers of Bushido distinguished two types of courage: natural masculinity, the signs of which were recklessness, rudeness, hot temper and cockiness; and conscious courage, which everyone can cultivate in themselves, regardless of what is given to them from birth. From the very childhood of the boy, much attention was paid to instilling courage in him. Bravery reaching the point of madness in complete self-denial and contempt for death - this is what a true warrior should strive for. Guided by this principle, many great warriors of those times, possessed by battle madness, cut deep into the ranks of the enemy alone and remained alive.

The report was prepared by Shai M.E., DBO181 group

Bushido is a set of rules and norms for the “ideal”, “true” samurai, created in medieval Japan. Samurai of the 12th and 13th centuries wrote advice and instructions for new generations of warriors. The Bushido Code was not considered by contemporaries as a literary monument or cultural value. This is a book of action, the practical side of life, helping an active and active person, and not a way to have fun, spend a pleasant evening, read something exquisite and forget the next day.

The word "Bushido" consists of 3 hieroglyphs, each of which has great meaning. The hieroglyph “bu” means “to stop a spear,” or in the modern interpretation, “to subjugate a weapon, to master it.” However, there is an expanded interpretation that says that “bu” includes “bun”, that is, literature, calligraphy and other activities not related to military affairs. The second hieroglyph “si” means “warrior, noble person.” The third character "do" is "way", the Japanese equivalent of the Chinese "dao". Thus, “Bushido” is “the path of the ideal warrior.”

The book amazes the unprepared reader almost from the first lines, announcing the most important position of samurai philosophy: “The way of the samurai is found in death.” Famous Japanese writer and Bushido aficionado Yukio Mishima notes that the words at the beginning of the book indicate her "unprecedented fanaticism." However, he notes a paradox, as a result of which these same words “gave him the strength to live.” Bushido says: “If, by strengthening his heart with determination every morning and every evening, a person can live as if his body had already died, the path will be clear for him. His whole life will be impeccable, and he will achieve success in his field.”

Bushido pays attention Special attention death and the correct attitude towards it, giving this issue great importance. In fact, a special attitude towards death distinguishes a warrior from ordinary person. One day a man came to the martial arts teacher Yagyu Munetori and asked to become a student. However, there was something in the appearance of the newcomer that made Mr. Yagyu suspect that the man was a master of some kind of martial art. But the man replied that he had never practiced any martial arts. Then the experienced Mr. Yagyu suggested that the potential student had some deep conviction. The man agreed: “When I was a child, I suddenly and unexpectedly realized that a warrior is a person who does not mind losing his life. Because this feeling was kept in my heart for many years, it turned into a deep conviction, and now I never think about death.” Mr. Yagyu was so amazed by the wise answer that he immediately initiated the man into a master of martial arts, presenting him with a certifying scroll.

The philosophy of the samurai glorifies the readiness to give up life at any moment, calls to consider every minute as the last, to see the beauty in natural phenomena. Every breath in itself is valuable and beautiful, and admiring the cherry blossoms is true happiness. However, in such a look there is no sadness and sadness; on the contrary, awareness of the finitude of life leads to increased experiences and sensations. If you take every day as if it were your last, then life process saturated with colors. Ordinary tea drinking turns into an exciting process full of joy if you realize that the cup of wonderful drink you drink may well be your last. A reverent and lyrical attitude towards the beauty of nature was reflected in the refined poetry of Matsuo Basho, which later became a national trait of all Japanese.

The path of a warrior is not a heavy duty, not a lifestyle imposed by someone, but a voluntary, existential and ethical choice of a free person. To confirm the light and joyful view of the life of samurai, I will cite an indicative passage from Bushido: “Human life is truly short. It's better to live it doing the things you like. The world is a dream, and it is stupid to live in this dream, observing unpleasant things and doing only what you don’t like.” Bushido does not approve of excessive seriousness and gives a positive formula for the correct attitude to problems: “Matters of great importance should be treated lightly. Matters of little importance should be taken seriously.”

A samurai is distinguished from an ordinary person by extreme determination, a fanatical desire to achieve a goal no matter what, despite any circumstances. “Quickly stamp your foot and walk through the iron wall,” this phrase reveals the greatness of the samurai spirit. Bushido encourages samurai by praising determination and belief in one's unlimited capabilities: “Nothing is impossible. If a person shows determination, he can move heaven and earth at will. But because people are indecisive, they cannot dare to do this. To easily move heaven and earth, you just need to concentrate.”

Bushido warns of the dangers of overthinking key moment, the samurai must think everything over in advance, and during the battle, reject all extraneous thoughts and concentrate on the process of the fight. Mr. Aki said: “On the battlefield, if there is freedom of choice, then there will be no business. You cannot defeat the enemy by reasoning. When you stand in front of a tiger’s den, the most important thing is not to reason.” It was believed that a samurai must show exceptional perseverance; moderation was considered shameful for a warrior: “When a person thinks that he has gone too far, in fact he has done everything right.”

A famous speech by a samurai teacher explained the understanding of courage from the point of view of Bushido: “Young people should persistently cultivate determination and courage. To do this, you need courage to settle in your heart. If the sword breaks, such a person will strike with his hands. If his arms are cut off, he will pin the enemy to the ground with his shoulders. If the shoulders are cut off, he will bite the throats of ten or fifteen enemies with his teeth. That's what courage is."

In everyday activities, during the study of any sciences and crafts, Bushido glorifies dedication, discipline and concentration. You need to calmly and peacefully, balancing success with failure, go about your business, striving to achieve perfection in it. Although Bushido says that no one can ever say that they have achieved an ideal in something, one should selflessly strive towards the goal. The samurai, having suppressed doubts and an excessive desire to succeed, begins to study some business, as if rushing into battle. Nothing other than the current activity matters to him. About concentration in Bushido it is said: “Be true to the current thought and do not get distracted. Keep trying and don’t do anything else, but live thought by thought, moment by moment.” Bushido calls not to think about success, emphasizes the stupidity of pride, but notes the paradoxical fact that with the right samurai attitude to business, luck often accompanies those who follow the path of a warrior: “Throughout your entire life, move forward every day, becoming more skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today. This journey never ends."

As in any book of instruction, the code of Bushido criticizes the deteriorating morals of young people. Young samurai are condemned for talking only about money matters, profits and losses, secret styles of clothing and love affairs: “It can be said that before, when a person reached twenty-three years of age, there was no place in his heart for despicable thoughts, and therefore no one talked about things like that. If an older person accidentally said something like that, he considered it some kind of insult.”

In samurai ethics, revenge was a dish not to be served cold. Bushido advises samurai not to put off revenge, because delay in such a matter leads to failure. If the warrior does not take revenge, he will incur shame on himself. Bushido instructs the samurai in the book’s usual paradoxical style: “To take revenge, you just need to break into the offender’s home and die by the sword. There's no shame in this. While you are thinking about the fact that you must definitely finish off the offender, time will pass. While you think about how many people the enemy has, time will not stop moving, and in the end you will give up this thought.” The fact that a samurai will die without taking revenge, having entered into a battle with obviously superior enemy forces, does not make sense, from the usual point of view. However, Bushido explains: “Even if the enemy has thousands of people, you will have fulfilled your duty if you go against them, filled with the firm determination to cut them all down, from first to last.”

Medieval samurai selflessly took care of their appearance, regardless of the circumstances: every morning they took a bath, shaved their foreheads, lubricated their hair with a special liquid and carefully cut their nails. Weapons and armor were wiped down and kept in perfect order. It may seem that such special care for appearance is similar to the desire to impress. This would have been strange for the samurai warrior class in the Middle Ages. However, there was a completely different meaning hidden in caring about appearance: “Even if you know that you may die today, and are full of firm determination to face inevitable death, if you meet death with inappropriate appearance, then you will show that you did not prepare in advance. Your enemies will treat you with contempt and consider you unkempt. For this reason, it is said that both old and young should take care of their appearance.”

Each page of the book surprises with its inner strength and harmony. Japanese samurai showed miracles of courage, endurance and determination because they strived for this. The principles and views of Bushido became main reason the emergence of the historical phenomenon of “ideal” samurai warriors. Is this further proof that consciousness determines existence?

- the national religion of the Japanese), also became an area of ​​philosophical knowledge, a subject of ethics. Being fused with Eastern philosophy, bushido was in the nature of practical moral teaching. considered it a method of improving mental and physical hygiene. Bushido morally comprehended the philosophical world teaching as a whole and was called upon to teach the samurai " right life"in feudal Japanese society. It combined the theory of being and the study of the human psyche, resolved issues related to the concept of the essence of the individual, his role in the world around him, the meaning of life, good and evil, moral values and moral ideal. , had to be clearly aware of his moral duty, in particular his personal duties towards the overlord, he had to evaluate his actions and deeds himself, morally condemn himself in case of wrong actions, violation of his duties and duty. Such moral self-condemnation usually entailed suicide, which was performed according to a certain ritual by opening the abdomen with a small samurai sword. Thus, the samurai washed away with blood the dishonor that dishonored him.

Bushido as a way to regulate warrior behavior, did not rely directly on any special institutions that forced compliance with moral norms, it was based on the power of conviction, public opinion, example, education, traditions and the power of moral authority individuals, marked . Principles of Bushido were not combined into a special set of rules and were not set out in any literary monument of feudal times, but they were reflected in legends and stories of the past, telling about the loyalty of a vassal to his feudal lord, about contempt for death, the courage and fortitude of samurai.

Death has become the highest form of virtue. He who offends virtue must perish. He who fails to defend virtue must also perish. It is as normal as the sun rising and night falling, as any law of nature. Therefore, bloody vendetta and mass beatings of enemy soldiers were as natural for the samurai as mass suicide in connection with defeat or individual suicide. A sense of honor. Self-esteem was instilled in samurai children from childhood. The warriors strictly guarded their “good name” - the feeling of shame was the most difficult for the samurai. A Japanese proverb says: “Dishonor is like a cut in a tree that gets bigger and bigger over time.”

Honor and glory were valued more than life, therefore, when one of these concepts was at stake, the samurai, without hesitation, gave his life for it. Often, because of one word that offended the honor of a samurai, weapons were used; Such bushi fights usually ended in death or injury.

In all his actions, the samurai had to proceed from considerations of the highest justice and honesty, which, of course, was a utopia in times of insidious intrigues, conspiracies and internecine wars. Nevertheless, the samurai were very scrupulous in particulars. Proverb “bushi wa ni gon nashi” (“the samurai’s word is sacred”) did not appear by chance, for samurai despised lies. Contempt for lies did not prevent them, however, from justifying flattery, bragging and cunning, which on occasion could be called “military”, and their refined aestheticism often bordered on sadism.

For a samurai, lying was tantamount to cowardice.

The samurai's word carried weight without any written obligations, which, in his opinion, were degrading. As a rule, the word given by the samurai was a guarantee of the veracity of the assurance. Many of the samurai looked at the oath as a humiliation of their honor. Apparently this is why there is no word for "lie" in Japanese; the word "uso" is used to deny truth (makoto) or fact (honto). Except purely professional characteristics inherent in the warrior class, the samurai should, according to Bushido, also have benevolence, mercy, a sense of pity, generosity, and sympathy for people. Samurai's Mercy (Nasake Bead) was not simply a blind impulse, it stood in a certain relation to justice, since it meant the preservation or destruction of life. Compassion was considered the basis of mercy, because “a merciful person is the most attentive to those who suffer and are in misfortune.” The etiquette of war required the samurai not to shed the blood of a weaker, defeated enemy. Based on this, compassion was declared for the weak, helpless, humiliated by the special virtue of the samurai. However, the principle of mercy, which bushido considered the property of every warrior, was often violated by the cruel reality of feudal times, when samurai robbed and killed the civilian population of defeated principalities and clans. The appearance of a “true” samurai should also contain the principles of “filial piety”, determined by the ancient concept of patriarchal clan, and “brotherly affection”. The Japanese knight was already taught in childhood to disdain merchants and money, which was supposed to make his conscience “incorruptible” throughout his life. Samurai, who did not understand the purchasing power of coins, was considered well-mannered. Naturally, every bushi understood that without the availability of funds it is impossible to wage war, nevertheless, counting money and financial transactions were presented to the lowest representatives of the clans.

Bushido developed in warriors a love of weapons, which was supposed to instill in the samurai a sense of “self-respect” and at the same time responsibility, since samurai ethics considered the indiscriminate use of the sword to be dishonorable and prescribed its use only when necessary. All this was achieved through education, the main purpose of which, according to Bushido, was the development of character; The code of honor considered the development of the mind, the gift of speech and prudence to be secondary elements. At first glance, many of the principles of Bushido may seem positive in themselves, such as integrity, a strongly negative attitude towards the accumulation of wealth, and a general disregard for money and material assets, as such. One cannot but arouse sympathy when a person develops such qualities as courage, self-control, truthfulness, modesty, self-esteem, etc.

However, the morality of the samurai class served only the class of this class; it was valid only among the military-service nobility and did not extend to the relations of the bushi with the lower strata, which were outside the laws of samurai morality. An analysis of the relations between samurai and the lower social strata of the feudal community of Japan - peasants, artisans, pariahs, etc. shows that the moral principles of bushido were not equivalent for the ruling class and the common people. If modesty ordered the samurai to behave emphatically politely and modestly with his master, to be patient, then in relations with a commoner the bushi, on the contrary, behaved arrogantly and arrogantly. There was no question of any politeness here. Self-control, which required the warrior to control himself perfectly, was also unacceptable in the attitude of the samurai to the common people. The warrior did not try to restrain himself at all if he was dealing with a peasant or city dweller. Any insult to the honor and dignity of a bushi (even if it only seemed to him) or disrespect for the official position of a warrior allowed him to immediately use a weapon, despite the fact that bushido taught to resort to the sword only in case of emergency and always remember the sense of responsibility for weapon. Nevertheless, cases of indiscriminate use of the sword very often led in feudal times to numerous murders of civilians by samurai. The same can be said about the cultivation of benevolence, which occupied one of the important places. Professional warriors, accustomed to cruelty, were far from mercy, compassion, feelings of pity and sympathy for people.

Numerous wars, which lasted several centuries until the unification of the country at the beginning of the 17th century, were fought under direct participation samurai, who were alien to the consciousness of value human life, since they committed the most cruel acts, not stopping at murder, and developed in themselves traits that were contrary to humanity.

The life of an enemy, in the eyes of a samurai, was not worth a penny, so in the heat of battle there could be no question of mercy and compassion. It was possible to pardon the vanquished only for tactical reasons or in anticipation of a rich ransom. Each new kill on the battlefield was supposed to stimulate the personal courage of the samurai - thus, the enemy acquired the properties of a kind of passive stimulus of courage. This is where it starts cannibalistic custom of kimo-tori. According to Shinto beliefs, the source of courage in the human body is the liver (kimo). It was believed that by eating the raw liver of a defeated enemy, you would receive a new charge of courage. The most bloodthirsty samurai cut the enemy in two from the left shoulder to the right side with a technique kesa-giri (“monk’s cloak”) and immediately, snatching the quivering liver from the living body, they devoured it.

Many researchers have written about the ritual dissection of the abdomen, seeing in it remnants of barbaric rituals, Shinto sacrificial mysteries and shamanic cults. Here we again encounter the thesis of “virtue confirmed by death.” It is no coincidence that a samurai sinned against the commandments Bushido, but who did not commit an act of a vile nature, was spared the shameful ceremony of execution. The overlord sent him orders commit seppuku, in order to thus restore the honor of the name. In this case, the family of the convicted person was not persecuted.

Virtue, in the understanding of the samurai, was a complex conglomerate of moral principles. The only question that remains is about the role of the individual in this system of moral priorities.

Japanese researchers are inclined to believe that the basis of all traditional ethics of the Japanese people is the idea of ​​“on” - “repayment for good deeds.” This is where hierarchical connections and relationships between people originate. In the cosmogonic views of all the tribes of the Far Eastern region (the area of ​​cultural influence of ancient China), the Universe appears as a gigantic single organism, a product of life-giving bioenergy (Chinese - qi, or Japanese - ki), endlessly divided into a myriad of parts that form all kinds of organic and inorganic connections. A person, being one of such connections, cannot be outside a connection of a higher order, which is the collective - family, clan, clan, state - and then, respectively, Asia, the World, the Universe. Man is the begetter of all compounds of a higher order and the begetter of his descendants for his descendants and subordinates. These are.

postulates common to Shintoism, Buddhism and Confucianism A participant in such a world order should have felt a sense of gratitude to all “generators” and show respect to his parents, ancestors and deities of the clan, superiors, the ruler, then to the emperor (tenno) as the beginning that holds the nation together, and to his divine ancestors who shape the Universe . The Shinto doctrine of the “state as a single body” (kokutai), the head of which is the emperor, was perfectly complemented by the Confucian doctrine of the “world family”, where the classical triad - Heaven and Earth, giving rise to man - subordinated all links in descending order social structure . The practical way to fulfill the “debt of gratitude” for the samurai was to follow the five classical “constancies”: humanity, justice, good morals, wisdom and truthfulness. All these virtuous properties, as is known, according to the Confucian canon, were intended to regulate the norms most important relationships

(gorin): between master and servant, father and son, husband and wife, elder and younger, and between friends. made serious demands on the bushi for the fulfillment of “on”, developing abstract ethical principles into a coherent practical system. First of all, the warrior had to cultivate detachment from personal good. Next, this detachment had to be transformed into a spirit of conscious self-sacrifice for the sake of the interests of duty. A person imbued with the spirit of self-sacrifice and having internalized the law of honor, together with the law of humanity, had to direct all his efforts to achieve the common good within his family, clan, etc. Here the principle of mutual protection and support came into play.

Ideals of Bushido, although they come down primarily to an apology for fanatical fidelity to duty, in general they are opposite to the ideals of stupid army soldiery. Even sophisticated use of weapons in itself, in isolation from spirituality, cannot serve as confirmation of the personal merits of a samurai: "A man who gains a reputation by technical excellence in martial arts, just stupid. Due to his lack of understanding, he concentrates all his strength on one thing and achieves success in this matter, refusing to think about everything else. Such a person is good for nothing!”, says Yamamoto Tsunetomo.

Samurai Valor should manifest itself not in arrogance, not in empty fanfare and reckless blind courage, but in stubborn daily work above oneself, in carefully polishing one’s skills and striving to rise to a new level:

“Young people should improve their qualities as warriors so that everyone has a firm belief: “I am the best in Japan!”
At the same time, the young samurai must sensibly evaluate his studies every day and quickly eliminate any gaps and shortcomings that are discovered. Anyone who does not understand samurai valor in exactly this sense will not be able to achieve anything,” explains “Hidden in the Leaves.” The pride and arrogance of a samurai at first glance contradicts the principles of bushido, but the same work interprets pride as one of the pillars of samurai honor: “There are two types of pride - internal and external. A samurai is insignificant who does not have both types of pride. Pride can be likened to a blade that must be sharpened before being sheathed. From time to time the blade is removed, raised to eye level, wiped clean, then sheathed again. If a samurai constantly swings a drawn sword, everyone will think that they should not approach him, and he will have no friends. At the same time, if the sword has never been taken out of its scabbard, the blade will fade, and people will no longer respect the owner.” The pride and self-respect of a samurai had to be manifested not only in courage on the battlefield, but also in the perseverance so necessary for everyone in Everyday life: “Even in a casual conversation, a samurai has no right to complain. He must constantly control himself so as not to accidentally utter a word incriminating his weakness. From a random remark uttered casually, one can guess the true nature of a person,” writes Yamamoto Tsunetomo.

It is not surprising that in the feudal clan system, where the well-being of the bushi and his family depended entirely on the location of the overlord, the main one of all the “five types of human relations” once and for all became the connection between master and servant. Although in didactic Confucian textbooks like “The Twenty-Four Dutiful Sons of China,” loyalty to the master often took precedence over filial piety and constantly over parental love, which belongs to the sphere of “sensitivity.” Legends about famous samurai and literary works in which truth is intertwined with fiction are replete with examples of the triumph of vassal duty over ties of kinship and friendship.

The plot of slaughtering one’s own son (daughter, grandson) to save the life or honor of members of the overlord’s family has become widespread. There is nothing to say about the joy with which the samurai sacrificed his life on the altar of serving the great law of giri. To be the shield and sword of the master - the bushi saw this as their duty and the only opportunity to follow their Path (Do). The only guarantee best execution The duty destined for the samurai in his earthly life was to master the secrets of the martial arts and, through them, the secret of the universe, the harmonious unity of Heaven, Earth and Man.

It is also worth dwelling in more detail on the dogma of absolute loyalty of the vassal to the overlord, which forms the basis of the morality of warriors.

It is undeniable that the idea of ​​a servant's devotion to his master was not always selfless. , but did not forget to demand a reward for their “military valor.” The numerous petitions outlining the circumstances of the manifestation of valor, written for the purpose of receiving a reward, indicate that the morality of the samurai was not a true morality of self-sacrifice. All the interests of the samurai were focused on supporting their family and ensuring the future of their descendants, while loyalty to the lord was only a means to achieve this goal.

The consequence was the samurai’s desire to stand out among others, to accomplish a personal feat and thereby distinguish himself before his master, to earn fame, honor and, accordingly, reward. Hence the specificity and originality of samurai squads of the Middle Ages. The personal armies of the feudal princes were not a single whole, but rather a mass of lone warriors striving for a heroic act, which in no small measure determined the huge mass of feats accomplished by the samurai.

The literature about wars of the Middle Ages is literally filled with references to these “heroic deeds.”

Thus, there is a dual attitude of samurai to wealth. Samurai emphasized their contempt for money and everything connected with it. Morality dictated this. As for the large feudal lords, it was especially beneficial for them to cultivate this principle among professional warriors. Samurai ideology developed it and directed it in a certain direction, subordinating it to the goals of serving the master. A person, captured by the idea of ​​​​contempt for material values, was supposed to become a machine in the hands of the feudal lord, stopping at nothing, blindly fulfilling the demands of the daimyo and obeying only him alone. Such a warrior, however, should not, due to his incorruptibility, betray his master until death and under any circumstances. On the other hand, both vassals and feudal lords were the same in essence. And feudal princes and