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 "A samurai in service is under a great debt and may think that he can hardly repay it except by committing junshi and following him in death. But that is not permitted by law... A man may wish for an opportunity to do something more outstanding than his comrades, to throw away his life and accomplish something, and if he resolutely makes up his mind to do something of this sort it is a hundred times preferable to performing junshi."
- From Daidoji Yuzan's Budo Shoshinshu
In other words, continuing service to the family of the daimyo is often preferable to killing yourself. One also has to remember that if you're a samurai, and your lord dies, and all those bushi who follow your lord commit junshi, then your lord's house is severely weakened.
It may be admirable to do this, from a samurai's standpoint, but it is incredibly stupid from a dynastic standpoint, and a forward-thinking samurai would realize that service to his lord's family took precedence over any selfish desire to follow his lord into death.
"Ronin" was often a synonym with "bandit," particularily after the Tokugawa era began. Before then, it was easily possible to be 'ronin' without the shame of also being a 'bandit.' Take a look at "The Seven Samurai." Six of the seven were ronin, and the seventh... well, he was a mere adventurer with a sword. And yet, all the ronin lived up to the code of the samurai.
If you want to call yourself a street sam, then by gosh you'd better live up to the three principles of Loyalty, Right Conduct, and Bravery, 2060-style.
- Loyalty: Even if the Johnson screws you over, as long as you're on the job, you do the job to the best of your ability. Save taking revenge until after the job is complete, if at all.
- Right Conduct: Don't be a villain. Don't take BTL's, drink excessively, etc. while you're on the job. Don't do these things at all if you can avoid it. Don't start unnecessary fights.
- Bravery: Don't back down from a fight unless it would be suicide.
There's more to being a "samurai" than just those three principles, but that's the core of Bushido.
>>>>>[This all sounds mighty nice...to bad it doesn't always work that way in the real world!]<<<<<
· Roadblock <09:58:46 / 19-04-57>
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