Shane: This ain't no ancient culture here, mister. Ghost Dog: You know, in ancient cultures, bears were considered equal with men. Thus it is important to make the best out of every generation. For this reason, although one would like to change today's world back to the spirit of one hundred years or more ago, it cannot be done. That this spirit gradually dissipates is due to the world's coming to an end. It is said that what is called 'the spirit of an age' is something to which one cannot return.This understanding extends to all things. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. By doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet.

When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. There is something to be learned from a rainstorm.If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment.Existing where there is nothing is the meaning of the phrase, 'Form is emptiness.' That all things are provided for by nothingness is the meaning of the phrase, 'Emptiness is form.' One should not think that these are two separate things. Our bodies are given life from the midst of nothingness.The Way of the Samurai is one of immediacy, and it is best to dash in headlong. When one has made a decision to kill a person, even if it will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead, it will not do to think about going at it in a long roundabout way.At such a time it is good to take out and apply some powdered rouge. It may happen that when one is sobering up or waking from sleep, a samurai's complexion may be poor. It is good to carry some powdered rouge in one's sleeve.If one becomes like a revengeful ghost and shows great determination, though his head is cut off, he should not die. Even if a samurai's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should still be able to perform one more action with certainty.

It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break through to the other side.

In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths.

Even though it enters into the midst of a thousand of them, it gives no attention to any bird other than the one that it has first marked.

According to what one of the elders said, taking an enemy on the battlefield is like a hawk taking a bird.

Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: 'Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.' Master Ittei commented, 'Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.' (00:23:01).

It is said that the world we live in is not a bit different from this. When you have something like a nightmare, you will wake up and tell yourself that it was only a dream.

It is a good viewpoint to see the world as a dream.

Not to forget one's master is the most fundamental thing for a retainer.

If one were to say in a word what the condition of being a samurai is, its basis lies first in seriously devoting one's body and soul to his master.

If one understands things in this manner, he should be able to hear about all Ways and be more and more in accord with his own. It is the same for anything else that is called a Way. One should not look for anything else in the Way of the Samurai. This is the substance of the way of the samurai. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily.

The Way of the Samurai is found in death.

Samurai meditation