敵の力と頭脳をあなどるとろくなことがない
Teki no chikara to zunou o anadoru to roku na koto ga nai.
“It never pays to underestimate your opponent’s strength or intellect.” - Japanese proverb
A warrior never underestimates their opponents. In swordsmanship, it is said that the margin of death is one inch and so, a warrior can never rely on a petty trick to defeat their opponent. Author, Natsume Soseki described a cheap stratagem as kogatanazaiku (小刀細工) or “short sword tactic.” With this, there’s a connotation that one hides their “short sword” or motives only to reveal them when up close and when least expected. A warrior is supposed to be person of high moral character and we see this virtuousness in three of the eight Virtues of Bushido: honesty, honor and righteousness. Thus, a true warrior would never act immorally and resort to an underhanded trick. A warrior doesn’t resort to a trick because of virtue, but because of strategy as the warrior always assumes that their opponent’s skills are greater or equal to their own. All warfare is based upon deception, but in this case a trick is a tactic which can only be used once and if it doesn’t work then it leaves the trickster completely vulnerable. If a trick is akin to deceptively pulling out one’s short sword then if the timing or trick isn’t completed perfectly, then it would leave the person open and also reveal their true motives. An example of a cheap trick is throwing one’s sword which, as a rule, a warrior never does because if they missed then they would be weaponless and thus completely vulnerable. A samurai is supposed to be virtuous and proud and would never stoop so low as to shame themselves with a cheap trick. Therefore, because a warrior prides themselves on fair play, then they would never underestimate their opponent and so they would never resort to relying a cheap shot or a dirty trick.
Today’s goal: As you maneuver throughout your day, try to notice if you are underestimating someone who may be carrying a hidden sword.