Our way of life, our morals, ethics and the values we hold today were shaped hundreds of years ago by those born into warriors castes, part of the ruling elite of their country. Warriors who's job it was to protect their country, their lands and the people who worked for them and of course their family.
The codes below are from three very different warrior castes from three very different time periods.
The codes below are from three very different warrior castes from three very different time periods.
From the violent times of the Vikings and the knights of the Dark and Middle Ages to the fairly peaceful times of the Samurai one hundred years after the start of the Tokugawa Era with no feudal wars to fight, they all follow a similar path, the path of right living.
Not only do these codes allude to warrior values, more importantly they show and teach how to live a full life in all aspects of life.
But the most important thing about these codes is that they are ideals. If you have read the books from which the basic tenets above come from; you will see that these codes are more complicated than at first glance and in regards to that, some of the laws behind the basic headings have absolutely no relation in todays society.
As with all ideals these codes are to be aspired to. How difficult it must have been in days gone by to live up to these standards every single day in a world much different from our own. How difficult now in our fast paced, instant gratification and self orientated world to strive to live rightly.
Leaving the warrior ethos aside, the code titles above should serve everyone today. Today there is no warrior caste, you are not born into it as you would have been, todays warriors volunteer for duty. It is the social aspect of the codes that are important in the make up of our society through its citizens.
To a certain degree most follow a code taught from infancy to adulthood, taught by parents and teachers. These are a very loosely held set of rules.
We are taught good from evil.
We are taught right from wrong.
We are taught truth from lies.
As we grow we learn the superficial differences but we are not taught there deeper meaning in regards to how we may live.
We are taught 'Always tell the truth' but not when 'Not to tell the truth' When is it right not to tell the truth?
We are taught right from wrong, but not when doing wrong is the right thing.
We are taught good from evil, but not when doing an evil thing may be for the better, for good.
For myself; I follow the Nine Noble Virtues as best I can but when I meet someone new I also ask these three questions to help steer me on a correct course:
Do I like them.
Do I trust them.
Do I respect them.
As our world becomes ever more 'ME, ME, ME' orientated and more violent; should society as a whole adopt a set of codes to follow.
I personally think we should, the codes we are loosely taught are failing us, we see it all of the time, corrupt political ruling class, celebrities who are fawned over even though they may be drug users, thieves, liars and cheats. The role models of the next generation.
But who should teach this set of codes?
School Teachers?
Parents?
Martial Arts Instructors?
I wonder if it may not already be too late.
So I ask you. Do you have a code?
Stay Dangerous
Rock
Not only do these codes allude to warrior values, more importantly they show and teach how to live a full life in all aspects of life.
But the most important thing about these codes is that they are ideals. If you have read the books from which the basic tenets above come from; you will see that these codes are more complicated than at first glance and in regards to that, some of the laws behind the basic headings have absolutely no relation in todays society.
As with all ideals these codes are to be aspired to. How difficult it must have been in days gone by to live up to these standards every single day in a world much different from our own. How difficult now in our fast paced, instant gratification and self orientated world to strive to live rightly.
Leaving the warrior ethos aside, the code titles above should serve everyone today. Today there is no warrior caste, you are not born into it as you would have been, todays warriors volunteer for duty. It is the social aspect of the codes that are important in the make up of our society through its citizens.
To a certain degree most follow a code taught from infancy to adulthood, taught by parents and teachers. These are a very loosely held set of rules.
We are taught good from evil.
We are taught right from wrong.
We are taught truth from lies.
As we grow we learn the superficial differences but we are not taught there deeper meaning in regards to how we may live.
We are taught 'Always tell the truth' but not when 'Not to tell the truth' When is it right not to tell the truth?
We are taught right from wrong, but not when doing wrong is the right thing.
We are taught good from evil, but not when doing an evil thing may be for the better, for good.
For myself; I follow the Nine Noble Virtues as best I can but when I meet someone new I also ask these three questions to help steer me on a correct course:
Do I like them.
Do I trust them.
Do I respect them.
As our world becomes ever more 'ME, ME, ME' orientated and more violent; should society as a whole adopt a set of codes to follow.
I personally think we should, the codes we are loosely taught are failing us, we see it all of the time, corrupt political ruling class, celebrities who are fawned over even though they may be drug users, thieves, liars and cheats. The role models of the next generation.
But who should teach this set of codes?
School Teachers?
Parents?
Martial Arts Instructors?
I wonder if it may not already be too late.
So I ask you. Do you have a code?
Stay Dangerous
Rock
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