The Daily Wisdom of Tadaka

[tadakasan]

(( OOC: I will be posting a bit of philosophy, wisdom, questions, or quips here. I have to promise myself only one a day and I will hold myself to that. But I'm also going to do everything possible to get one in every day. Anyways without further ado... ))

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "A samurai is supposed to suppress their emotions so that they will appear calm and in control, to not let emotion cloud their judgement. While a noble goal, it is ultimately one of the greatest causes of calamity in the Empire. An idea or desire is suppressed, a love unheeded, a tension politely ignored, a misgiving kept secret... and all turn into obsessions. The more something is ignored instead of being dealt with, the more hold it has on one's heart and mind.

So do not suppress your emotion; Instead, explore it, learn about it... then figure out what to do about it. I am not saying to always show your emotions or to show no restraint. Simply that, rather than push emotions down every single time for the good of so called honor, that a wise person figures out why they have the emotion and what to do about it to end up at the best result. This is what the spirit of Rokugan is that so many seem to miss; control of one's self beyond simple rhetoric, through the use of exploration and knowledge rather than obeying tenants given to you.

Heed these words and you will find a burden lifted from your life."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "The system of our society is inherently flawed. Though it was designed by the Kami in their wisdom, it is one of control and prejudice rather than merit and obedience rather than respect.

It is true that many respect their lords genuinely and there are those who's merit is recognized. But at the same time, so much is taken for granted; a samurai obeys their lord because what he says is Right, not because they agree with it or feel it is the best course of action. The peasants farm because that is what they are told to do, on pain of death; Certainly there are some who enjoy farming, but those who know the peasants understand that they farm out of necessity and fear more often then not.

How many peasants have had the ability to become great people, but have been quashed by our "system" of classifying them, wasting their intelligence, strength, or wisdom on the growing of crops when they could be doing so much more? And on the other side, how many samurai are unjust ignorant louts who don't deserve their status or power?

I do not know if this system will ever change, and surely it is not my place to attempt to change it on my own. I am... aware of the machinations of the so called "Kolat" to bring the rule of Rokugan back to the people, but I pay them no heed, no scorn or praise. If we are to change for the better, something larger must happen than a simple uprising or secret power struggle. It would have to change the way we look at things.

And frankly, I do not know what sort of thing that would be... Or its consequences."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Some speak of Enlightenment as a path; I tell you this is a false term. A wise man knows that paths are not just a way to get to one's destination, but they are also boundaries. If one stayed on the paths of the Empire, they would not see one tenth of it.

Instead, it is more correct to say Enlightenment is a journey. Like they say about a path, everyone's journey is unique. But regardless of how one goes about it, if one only sticks to the tried and true paths, they will never be able to fully realize that which they seek."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Do not dwell on the past too much; we can change where we go, but not where we have been. In other words, do not let thoughts of regret, revenge, nostalgia, or strong memories consume you.

This is not to say to forget the past; honoring the achievements that have come before and remembering the wrongs that have been done in the past is what makes us grow. But be sure you are doing so for that growth; Do not honor the past so much that you refuse to innovate, do not pine for a lost love so much that you do not learn to love anew, do not dwell on a wrong and make it into more than it is.

Too many times have I seen individuals and Clans acting on things far in the past under the misguided thought of blame, corruption, or friendship spread through generations. Every generation is born anew, a blank slate that writes itself, and drawing a picture of it solely based on others actions is as misguided as saying all inu are evil because one bit you in the past. Remember, an individual chooses their own actions, whether to obey or question, love or hate... and forgetting that we are individuals is the greatest crime the mind can make.

And know this in all things in the past; a son is not his father, a new love need not consume an old love, and a mistake is but a moment in time. Think on this the next time you decide to act, for any day may be your last chance to awaken."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Just like there are tenants to Bushido and Shurido, there are tenants that an Enlightened person should follow:

- assume nothing without proof
- do not dwell on the past
- do no harm without cause
- never expect things to turn out how you think they will
- never be too proud to take help from anyone, but never become dependent on it
- pay attention to your innermost thoughts and instincts that make up the real you
- do not complicate simple things
- do not remove yourself from the world
- do not ignore what anyone has to say or how they feel
- do not accept what you are told without questioning it
- accept the world as it is with eyes unclouded
- things in this world will not be caring, fair, or as you expect them to be
- things are never bad as they seem
- things are never as good as they seem
- nothing is absolute
- only you can change yourself
- do not become beholden to your senses
- learn to be comfortable anywhere at any time
- do not blame your mistakes on other people or things
- always make the most of an opportunity
- do not be blinded by traditions, fear, love, relationships, or prejudices
- you will never be near to learning the Truth of everything
- do not stop trying to learn the Truth of everything regardless
- simply learning is not enough; experiencing and teaching are the real test
- do not think of any rules as concrete, even these

I could say there are 25, but the last one is as true of any of them; perhaps none of these are the true tenants that one needs to follow. Perhaps there are many many more. Either way, there is nothing wrong in me saying that these are at least in the right direction for one's life; Enlightenment is truth, wisdom, experience, and self knowledge. These tenants will do much to help one achieve that goal."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Do not ignore art. Without the concept of art, the patterns of the Heavens lose all meaning. That said, there is art all around if you just but look; the shape of a masterfully crafted katana, the elegant branching of a tree's limbs, the seams and flow of a simple kimono, the flow of words in a conversation, the flow of blood from a wound, or the more obvious sculptures and paintings.

What is important, if you do nothing else, is to look for the art in what you do. It will open your eyes to a world of growth you never knew."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Some say the world is inherently selfish, greedy, and cutthroat. Every good deed has an ulterior motives and every time of peace is filled with conspiracies. I say this with certainty; while it is true that every deed a person does they do for a reward (happiness, honor, duty, money, power, etc.), that does not make all deeds selfish.

Instead, one must simply ask what the action is and the result. For instance, if a person makes others happy in order to make themselves happy, is it not a net gain for the world? And at the same time, even if the motivations are poor such as pride and jealousy... if the way the person shows their pride is by creating works of art or putting great care into the kingdom they're proud of, how can such a thing be said to be bad.

Do not worry about such things; an Enlightened person knows to take what is given and to respond accordingly. One must look past illusions, but looking for illusions where there are none and wasting your mind, body, and chi on a constant search for corruption and conspiracy... it will never let you have peace or happiness; or Enlightenment."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Rushing ahead frantically is no better than not looking where you are going at all. Think of it as a river; if you do not look, you will run into rocks and other hazards. On the other hand, if you rush ahead, you are in just as much danger, for you are so busy rushing forward and tired from the effort that you will not have the proper time to adjust your course. And both ways share the same sorrow of your eyes missing all the peace and and beauty that you pass by.

So pay heed and know the proper "flow" of your life, adjusting only as needed to reach your goals and destinations. You will be much richer for doing this."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "On a holiday, relax. Dedication to work is indeed honorable... but so is honoring the memory of those who created the festival or holiday. Relaxing when it is honorable to will better prepare you for the work you have ahead of you as well."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "One must learn to keep one's mask on and when to take it off; People will say masks hide true feelings, but I say they can also free us of worry. Much like a face of resolve we wear to hide the sorrow of a loved one's passing, masks can help us deal with things without emotion or appearance interfering in matters.

Of course, there are some times when it should be taken off; in private, with loved ones when speaking alone, when in the presence of the Emperor, or when one wants to show their emotions in order to build understanding amongst people. Most of the time though, leave it on; that is the way of Rokugan, and it is more right than most of us know."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "Your state of being is not as important as your state of mind. You can be branded, scared, mutilated, touched by the taint... but in the end it is your mind that interacts with the world. A corrupt body with a right mind is tragic but noble, a perfect body with a corrupt mind is the worst thing imaginable."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "If you can make one time of your day pleasant, make it the morning. Just as a first impression of someone often colors your view of them, the feelings you have when you wake up color the rest of your day. Achieving this balance of feelings in the day is more difficult than stealing secrets from the Scorpion though, so do not be discouraged. Practice, determination, and the rest is done."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "End every day better than you started, no matter how bad it is. Learn something, meet someone, make the world better, listen to a new song or poem, see a new painting or statue... find some way to enrich yourself. If you do this, no day will ever be wasted."

[tadakasan]

Tadaka said - "If you are always ready to fight, sword in hand, you will find it extremely to do so many things like hold someone tight, swim, eat a good meal, paint, play go... you find yourself ready for battle but ill-prepared for so many other things. On the other hand if you are always relaxed and off guard you will find that you can enjoy life, but only so long as no troubles come up.

Instead of being either, it is better to be of a flexible state of mind; be aware, be decisive. be prepared. If you are in this flexible state, there is nothing that can come up that you will not be ready for. With your awareness you will find yourself able to tell when the right time to be ready is; with your decisiveness you will find yourself needing no time to switch from relaxed to ready; and with being prepared you will find that thought and action can act as one.

Be ready for anything, without being ready for anything. In this way you can do anything, all the while no one else will no you are. This is the position of greatest enjoyment and advantage."