The Samurai Creed Amplified

by Anonymous, 1300s CE, Japan

1. I have no parents; I make the heaven and earth my mother and father.
   
   • 'I' refers to the ego as the seat of individuality.
     
   • 'No parents' implies that the healthy ego is unborn.
     
   • 'Heaven and earth' refers to the deep spiritual meaning of man as the conduit between heaven and earth. This requires daily practice.
     
   • 'My mother and father' implies viewing heaven and earth as dear as one's parents.
2. I have no home; I make awareness my dwelling.
   
   • 'I' as the ego is not a fixed entity. It is dynamic and in constant motion.
     
   • 'No home' implies that the ego does not actually dwell in the body like a soul or an imaginary thing. Rather, the ego is a distinct characteristic of a sentient being, be it human.
     
   • Then this 'I', not being fixed in place, is free to move with the flow of the mind.
     
   • 'Awareness' refers to the sole purpose of the ego to become healthy and free.
     
   • 'My dwelling' implies that awareness is the one abode in which the ego is eager to seek shelter in.
3. I have no life and death; I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
   
   • 'I' is awareness that respects all that which is.
     
   • 'Life and death' refers to the notion that breathing meditation helps us to focus on life and death.
     
   • 'I' is the ebb and flow of breath itself.
     
   • 'The tides of breathing' refer to breathing itself, which comes and goes like the tide.
     
   • 'My life and death' also implies the ego is alive when one is awake, and appears to die when one is asleep. In a deeper sense, life refers to "awareness" and the spiritual life. In contrast, death refers to the worldly life.
4. I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power.
   
   • 'Divine power' implies a spiritual gift.
     
   • 'Honesty' is that spiritual gift.
5. I have no means; I make understanding my means.
   
   • 'Means' refers to resources available to the mind.
     
   • 'Understanding' is the means by which the mind makes awareness its sole purpose.
6. I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secret.
   
   • 'Magic secrets' refers not to mysticism. For no one knows their own true character until they come to accept other people's character as they become aware of their own.
7. I have no body; I make endurance my body.
   
   • 'No body' implies that material comfort is not enough.
     
   • 'Endurance' refers to the willingness accept such comfort and endure its needs mindfully.
8. I have no eyes; I make the flash of lightning my eyes.
   
   • 'Eyes' refer to spiritual insight through meditation.
     
   • 'Flash of lightning' implies sudden awareness achieved through careful meditation on a koan.
9. I have no ears; I make sensibility my ears.
   
   • 'Ears' refers to hearing with the heart.
     
   • 'Sensibility' implies that by such deep hearing, the mindful person develops common sense.
10. I have no limbs; I make promptness my limbs.
    
    • 'Limbs' implies nimbleness of mind.
      
    • 'Promptness' refers to the quick wit of which a mind is capable.
11. I have no strategy; I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.
    
    • 'Strategy' refers to a course of action based on a plan to achieve a specific goal.
      
    • "Unshadowed by thought" implies that whoever takes such a course avoid second-guessing the outcome, lest it spoil the plan.
12. I have no designs; I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.
    
    • 'Designs' implies seeking a specific outcome.
      
    • “Seizing opportunity by the forelock” give you the means to achieve that outcome
13. I have no miracles; I make right action my miracle.
    
    • 'Miracles' refers to a positive outcome.
      
    • 'Right action' achieves such an outcome with benefit to all who witness such a miracle.
14. I have no principles; I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
    
    • 'Principles' implies having a strong moral code.
      
    • 'Adaptability to all circumstances' implies willingness to adapt to changing circumstances with grace and charm.
15. I have no tactics; I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
    
    • 'Tactics' is self explanatory.
      
    • 'Emptiness and fullness' suggests the tactics have to do with awareness through meditation. Emptiness implies the stillness of bliss; fullness, the insight achieved.
      
16. I have no talents; I make ready wit my talent.
    
    • This is straighforward.
17. I have no friends; I make my mind my friend.
    
    • With friends around, how can make my mind my friend? Only in taking time out to meditate can I truly know my mind.
18. I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy.
    
    • This too is straighforward. Careful watch your mind and see!
19. I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
    
    
20. I have no castle; I make immovable mind my castle.
    
    
21. I have no sword; I make absence of self my sword.
    

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These are guidelines, and thus are metaphor for mindful living.