A Warrior’s Creed

I have no parents ~
I make the heavens 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 my 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 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 miracle.

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.

~Anonymous Samurai, 14th century.