A Warrior’s Creed

I have no parents – I make Heaven and Earth my parents.
I have no home – I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death – I make the tides of breathing life and death.
I have no divine power – I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means – I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets – I make character my magic secret.
I have no body – I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes – I make the flash of lightening 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 designs.
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 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.
(written by a 14th century samurai)