Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke

by Thomas Cleary, Eric Michael Summerer (Narrator)

Code of the Samurai is a four-hundred-year-old explication of the rules and expectations embodied in Bushido , the Japanese Way of the Warrior. Bushido has played a significant role in shaping the behavior of modern Japanese government, corporations, society, and individuals, as well as in developing modern Japanese martial arts within Japan and internationally. The Japanese original of this book, Bushido Shoshinshu, (Bushido for Beginners) , has been one of the primary sources on the tenets of Bushido, a way of thought that remains fascinating and relevant to the modern world, East and West. This handbook, written after five hundred years of military rule in Japan, was composed to provide practical and moral instruction for warriors, correcting wayward tendencies and outlining the personal, social, and professional standards of conduct characteristic of Bushido , the Japanese chivalric tradition. With a bright, conversational narrative by Thomas Cleary, this book is indispensable to corporate executives, students of Asian Culture, martial artists, or anyone sincerely interested in Japan and its people.

Genres: Nonfiction

3 pages, Audio CD

Published October 13, 2020

About the author

Dr. Thomas Francis Cleary, Ph.D. (East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley), was a prolific translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Muslim classics, with a particular emphasis on popular translations of Mahāyāna works relevant to the Chan, Zen, and Soen systems.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, an introduction to the bushido way, and how to apply methods of discipline into day to day life in a way to feel useful and purposeful to others, and not sacrifice the morals that make a samurai.

[Kryssa Jacynth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but impactful book. The words within may have been written by a man who lived long ago but they still carry weight even in our modern society. A nice companion to life.

[Dean HOCK1NG · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review is low but it’s partly my fault as I thought the book would be different to what it was. A good background and history lesson but it was not that engaging.

[Jon Ribeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected it would come with modern day examples of bushido, but instead it's interesting for the historical value

[Taranjeet Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

100% written by an overlord

[RoninKam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read filled with key points from the samurai culture. Not so much modern can be translated to modern ways!