THREAD: The Ethic of the Japanese- the Death of Atsumori

In the late 12th Century, the Genji clan defeated the Heike clan in a bitter war for supremacy. When the Genji won, the victorious Minamoto established a NEW WARRIOR GOVERNMENT. Our story is born of this medieval age...

“In the sound of the bell of the Gion temple echoes the impermanence of all things. ... The proud ones do not last long, but vanish like a spring night's dream. And the mighty ones, too, will perish like dust before the wind.”

- Opening lines, from “The tale of the Heike”

Kumagai Naozane rode along the narrow beach path. His intention was to intercept one of the Heike’s great captains. Just then his eye fell upon a single horseman who was attempting to reach a ship in the offing. Kumagai beckoned with his war fan, taunting him...

“Shameful! To show an enemy your back. Return! Return!"

The fleeing warrior heard this and rode back to the beach; Kumagai pounced without hesitation, engaging him in mortal combat. Hurling his enemy to the ground, he tore off the helmet to cut off his head, when he beheld the face of a youth of barely sixteen or seventeen years.

The boy had a delicately powdered face, with carefully blackened teeth. He was just about the age of Kumagai’s own son - and his features held a great power and handsomeness. "Who are you?" he asked. "Tell me your name, for I will spare your life.

“Nay, first say who you are," replied the young man.

"I am Kumagai Naozane of Musashi, a person of no particular importance."

"Then you have made a good capture," said the youth. "Take my head and show it to some of my side, and they will tell you who I am.

Though he is one of their leaders," mused Kumagai, "This will not turn victory into defeat. When my son Kojirû was but slightly wounded at Ichi no tani this morning, did it not pain me? How this young man's father would grieve to hear that he had been killed! I will spare him."

Just then, he saw Kajiwara coming up with 50 horsemen. "Alas!" he exclaimed through tears- "though I’d spare your life, the countryside swarms with our men; you can’t escape. If you must die, let it be by my hand. I will see that prayers are said for your rebirth in Paradise."

“Indeed..it must be so," said the young Prince. "Cut off my head at once!" Kumagai was overcome by compassion— his hands shook as he wielded his blade. Eyes swimming in tears, he hardly knew what he did, but there was no helping it; weeping bitterly, he cut off the boy's head.

“Alas!" he cried, "why is the life of a soldier so arduous? Only because I was born of a warrior family must I suffer this affliction! How lamentable it is to enact such cruel and vindictive deeds! He pressed his shaking face to the sleeve of his armor and mournfully wept.

Then, wrapping up the severed head as he stripped off the young man's armor - discoverIng a flute in a brocade bag...

“Ah," he exclaimed, "it was this youth and his friends who were amusing themselves with music within the walls this morning. Among all our men of the Eastern Provinces I doubt if there is any who has brought a flute with him. How gentle the ways of these courtiers!"

When he brought the flute to the Commander, all who saw it were moved to tears; he discovered then that the youth was Atsumori, the youngest son of Tsunemori, aged sixteen years. Thus the mind of the great Lieutenant and warrior Kumagai was turned to the religious life.

How different the ethics of these mortal combat practitioners from medieval Japan. The reverence toward aesthetics...the unwavering determination. The respect for the spirit of his fellow man despite this. An ability to be all these, yet emote - properly and at the right time...

All of these qualities remain unmatched til this very day. If you’d like to behave similarly in a world whose ethics and respect have soured, I have crafted a free PDF for your Benefit. Download below. Become Men, become Women https://gumroad.com/l/BeastModeBuddhist