“Most people these days are geared to judge by evidence of the end product. Conduct- the way we reach that end-is not always given consideration. Yet within the context of Japanese Budo, by elevating the status and importance of conduct, or Saho, we gain a different, potentially useful perspective.The ends are largely secondary to the means, or the conduct by which we meet those ends. This was particularly important in a culture like old Japan’s, where the weight of philosophical and religious thought was balanced towards the notion that winning, losing, profit or poverty were matters determined by fate. Mankind had little control over the vicissitudes of life. What he could control in the face of prosperity or adversity, was his saho, his conduct in the face of what fate offered.”
“… Personal behaviour and the constant maintenance of a strong spirit are considered more relevant attributes than the more measurable qualities of success and failure…”
(The Essence of Budo. Dave Lowry Chapter 11, Budo Saho)
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