The Heart and Soul of Bushido

The great Sioux chief, Sitting Bull, once stated that, “Warriors are not

what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights…” At
first this statement seems strange and contrary to what most people think
when they hear the term “warrior.” How is it that the warrior is not someone
who fights? Could it be that Sitting Bull didn’t really know what he was
talking about? Was he really “qualified” to explain what being a real warrior
means? Oh, wait, wasn’t he one of the warriors who defeated General Custer
in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, known to the Sioux people as the Fight at
Greasy Grass Creek?

Sitting Bull was one of the great warriors in one of the most well known
battles fought on American soil; he must know something about warriorship.
He was definitely not opposed to fighting for what he believed to be right,
especially when left with no honorable alternatives. He was obviously a brave
man who had the courage to meet his enemy face to face on the battlefield, as
opposed to being a man who claimed that there is “never any reason for violence,”
or that “violence never solved anything.” So what did this great warrior
mean when he stated that, “Warriors are not what you think of as warriors.
The warrior is not someone who fights…?”

Basically, what Sitting Bull is saying is that fighting is not the only component
or even the most important part of being a warrior. He goes on to
explain himself saying, “The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for
the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those
who cannot provide for themselves, and above all, the children, the future of
humanity.” This is what he was doing at the Battle of the Little Big Horn,
fighting for those who needed his protection, and this is also a very good
description of the true warrior and the warrior lifestyle.

The warrior lifestyle involves much more than the ability to fight and
defend yourself and those you love. It involves developing your character,
living a life of honor and integrity, defending those who can’t defend themselves,
taking care of the elderly and your family; in short, it involves service
to others along with perfecting your character. Many people seem to get hung
up on the literal definition of the term “warrior.” The literal definition, which
can be found in most dictionaries, defines the term “warrior” as someone
who is trained or experienced in warfare.

As far as the warrior lifestyle is concerned, this definition falls far short of
being complete. Throughout history, when the term “warrior” has been used,
it has carried with it a deeper meaning than simply “someone experienced in
warfare.” Warriors have been revered for their character as much as their
martial arts skills. The warrior was seen as a man of character, integrity and
honor, not simply someone who knew how to fight, or who was experienced
in fighting. It is true that the warrior should be skilled in the art of war or in
the martial arts, but this is only a small part of being a true warrior.

Gichin Funakoshi stated that the ultimate goal of karate is the perfection
of human character, not the perfection of one’s martial arts skills; this is basically
the same thing that Sitting Bull was trying to teach us. Being a true
warrior involves balance. The warrior strives for excellence in every part of
his life, not only in developing his martial arts skills, but also in his everyday
life. The warrior has to endeavor to perfect himself spiritually and mentally,
as well as physically. While it is true that the martial arts play an important
part in the life of the true warrior, the martial arts are only a part of the
warrior’s life.

There are many other parts of the warrior’s life which must also be addressed
if he is serious about living the warrior lifestyle. Character training is
definitely an important part of being a warrior. Without character training,
so-called “warriors” are nothing more than thugs, trained to fight, but with
no knowledge of what is worth fighting for. To educate someone in the martial
arts without regard to their character, is simply training a menace to society.
The ancient martial arts masters knew this and refused to train those who
they felt lacked the character and integrity needed to be given these dangerous
skills.

Character was important to the masters of old and was taken into account
before someone was trained. Today, the martial arts have become big business
and anyone with enough money can obtain as much training as they
want, no matter how poor their character may be. Are these people warriors
simply because they have purchased years of training and know how to fight?
Are gang members who know how to fight warriors? Well, if you go by the
literal definition, your answer would have to be yes, but if you go by the
definition that I use for the true warrior, the answer is definitely no.

My definition of a true warrior is someone who has the ability and will to
fight to protect himself, his friends, his family, and his ideals, and at the same
time, seeks the perfection of his own character through a life lived with honor,
integrity, and an unflinching dedication to what is right according to his own
code of ethics. The ability to fight is only a small part of this definition. The
true warrior has to develop more than his martial arts skills. The qualities of
the true warrior go much deeper than that.

Warriors should exhibit the best qualities among men. The true warrior
makes a firm decision to try to perfect his character and to live by a strict
code of ethics. His word is his honor. His duty stays fresh on his mind. He
lives life a little more seriously than most, but at the same time lives life to its
fullest. He sees through the veil of appearances covering most parts of this
world, but does so without looking down on those who are less perceptive.

Family and friends are important to him, and they know that they can
always count on him for protection and help in their times of need. He bases
his decisions on his code of ethics, and he instinctively knows right from
wrong, and chooses right. He knows that, at times there is a difference bexviii
tween what is right and what is legal, and what is wrong and what is illegal.
As Lao Tzu taught, “Highly evolved people have their own conscience as
pure law.”

The true warrior is able to hold his head high with honor because he knows
that he lives his life to the best of his ability, with honor and integrity. His
code is ingrained in his spirit and is a part of his being. Warriors walk alone
much of the time, as they prefer solitude to the company of lesser men. The
warrior is a man who shoots for excellence in everything he does. These are
the things which make someone a true warrior and the development of these
traits leads to the warrior lifestyle.

Warrior Wisdom: The Heart and Soul of Bushido is a journey through
the wisdom and character of the warrior lifestyle. Bushido literally means,
“the way of the warrior,” and that is what Warrior Wisdom: The Heart and
Soul of Bushido is all about – the way of the warrior. 

The Wisdom Warrior – Bohdi Sanders