Thursday, November 23, 2017

The Path of Aloneness


独行道 / Dokkōdō



世々の道を背く事なし
Do not turn your back on the various Ways of this world

身に楽しみをたくまず
Do not scheme for physical pleasure

に依怙(頼ること)の心なし
Do not intend to rely on anything

身を浅く思い、世を深く思う
Consider yourself lightly; consider the world deeply

一生の間欲心思わず
Do not ever think in acquisitive terms

我事において後悔せず
Do not regret things about your own personal life

善悪に他を妬む心なし
Do not envy another's good or evil

いずれの道にも別れを悲しまず
Do not lament parting on any road whatsoever

自他ともに恨みかこつ心なし
Do not complain or feel bitterly about yourself or other

恋慕の道思いよる心なし
Have no heart for approaching the path of love

物ごとに数寄好む事なし
Do not have preferences

私宅において望む心なし
Do not harbor hopes for your own personal home

身一つに美食を好まず
Do not have a liking for delicious food for yourself

末々代物なる古き道具所持せず
Do not carry antiques handed down from generation to generation

わが身に至り、物忌みする事なし
Do not fast so that it affects you physically

兵具は格別、世の道具たしなまず
While it's different with military equipment, do not be fond of material things

道においては、死をいとわず思う
While on the Way, do not begrudge death

老身に財宝所領用ゆる心なし
Do not be intent on possessing valuables or fief in old age

仏神は貴し、仏神をたのまず
Respect the gods and Buddhas, but do not depend on them

身を捨てても名利は捨てず
Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor

常に兵法の道を離れず
Never depart from the Way of the Martial Arts

Dokkodo (独行道) Miyamoto Misashi 1645.
Graphic: Vagabond (バガボンド) Takehiko Inoue 1998.