A Warrior's Creed
Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century

I have no parents; I make the heavens and the earth my parents

I have no home; I make awareness my home

I have no life or death; I make the tides of breathing my life and death

I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power

I have no means; I make understnading my means

I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secrets

I have no body; I make my endurance my body

I have no eyes; I make the flash of lightning my eyes

I have no ears; I make sensibility my ears

I have no limbs; I make promptness my limbs

I have no strategy; I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy

I have no designs; I make 'seizing opportunity by the forelock' my design

I have no miracles; I make 'right action' my miracles

I have no principles; I make adaptability to all circumstances' my principles

I have no tactics; I make emptiness and fullness my tactics

I have no talent; I make ready wit my talent

I have no friends; I make my mind my friend

I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy

I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor

I have no castle; I make immovable-mind my castle

I have no sword; I make absence of self my sword