"Concerning martial valor, merit lies more in dying for one's master than in striking down the enemy."
Cette citation tirée de l'Hagakure résume l'ensemble du traité de Yamamoto: c'est un guide centré sur la façon de vivre et de mourir.
A partir des deux paragraphes d'ouverture, l'Hagakure fournit un puissant message destiné à l'esprit du samouraï. Il offre des croyances difficiles à saisir pour nos esprits occidentaux, pourtant fascinants dans leur poursuite de service absolu.
Né en 1659, Tsunetomo Yamamoto a dévoué sa vie au service de son maître, le Shogun Mitsushige Nabeshima et son clan, réussissant à s'élever au rang de respecté samouraï. A la mort de son maître en 1700, Yamamoto renonce au monde et se retire en hermitage. Pendant sa retraite, un ami proche et disciple de Yamamoto va recueillir les pensées de son maître. Bien que Yamamoto demanda à ce que le travail ne soit jamais publié, l'Hagakure ("Dissimulé Derrière les Feuilles"), a survécu, en infuencant le développement d'une culture et servant de base au Bushido, la Voie du Samouraï.
Ici sont rapportés des extraits du livre Bushido, The Way of the Samuraï (de Justin F. Stone, éditions SQUAREONE CLASSICS), qui constitue une explication de texte de l'Hagakure. Bushido reprend certains passages importants et marquants de l'Hagakure pour mieux les développer.
"I have found the essence of Bushido: to die! In other words, when you have a choice between life and death, then always choose death: this is all that you must remember. It is neither troublesome or difficult. You have only to go on with a clenched stomach. Any other ideas are unnecessary and futile"
How can you reform others if you disgrace them?
It is of utmost importance to admonish others with the intention of helping them to overcome their faults; and not put others to shame, which is the same as abuse or insult.
People you can trust
If you abandon those who have made blunders, you cannot hope to make great people out of them. It is those who have never made a mistake who are in great danger.
Models to imitate
Even a bad calligraphy (handwritting) will be fairly improved if a good model is used for imitation.
Also, you have better take one good, strong point from each person and construct one good model out of individual merits.
Friend's loyalty
Of those who once helped you, you must not drift apart from them throughout your life. It is in these unfortunate circumstances that your friend's sincerity is made clear.
The Liked and the Disliked
Those who like to be of help to others who even take delight in humbling themselves to work under the authority of their own colleagues - surely they are liked.
Consulting others
If you judge and manage every affair while depending only on your own small learning and wisdom, ou will fall contrary to the Way of Heaven and become partial and evil. Be eager to be given advice and talk to other persons not involved in your problem. They are impartial standpoints and will prevent you from lack of warning. You won't repeat wrongdoings the rest of your life.
Handlings difficulties
If the water rises, the ship rises too.
To win is to overcome yourself
Hyogo Narutomi once said: "to win is to overcome your own side. To win, your own side must overcome itself. To win one's self is to overcome the body with the mind. Unless you train your spirit and your body every day to such an extent that there is none comparable to you among the tens of thousands of samuraï on your side, it will be impossible for you to defeat your enemies.
Success and failure
Small mistakes do not spoil a great accomplishment. Only those who have made some mistakes can also accomplish great works. If you have great principles, your small faults can easily be justified.
Hagakure: le Livre Secret des Samouraï, de Yamamoto Tsunetomo
