If one does not get it into his head from the very beginning that the world is full of unseemly situations, for the most part his demeanour will be p… - Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Jōchō’s discourse is multifaceted and ostensibly chaotic, but the spirit of Hagakure can best be summed up by the four simple oaths he alludes to throughout the text: I will never fall behind others in pursuing the Way of the warrior. I will always be ready to serve my lord. I will honor my parents. I will serve compassionately for the benefit of others.

Nothing is impossible. With single-minded resolve (ichinen), heaven and earth can be moved as one pleases.

Lord Aki once said that martial valor is a matter of becoming a fanatic. I thought that this was surprisingly in accord with my own resolve and I thereafter became more and more extreme in my fanaticism.