The Unfettered Mind – Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master
22
He responded, "There are many people in this world who cannot abide being insulted and
who  will  quickly,  along  with  their  foes  of  the  moment,  throw  away  their  lives  in  a  fight
This is having right-mindedness foremost in mind and taking one's life lightly. It is dying
for right-mindedness rather than for wealth or life.
"Those  who  were  cut  down  in  the  face  of  battle-their  number  can  hardly  be  known.  All
were  men  who  died  for  right-mindedness.  With  this  in  mind,  it  can  be  said  that  all  men
value right-mindedness over desire and life."
I  said,  "Dying  because  someone  is  vexed  at  being  insulted  resembles  right-mindedness,
but  it  is  not  that  at  all.    This  is  forgetting  oneself  in  the  anger  of  the  moment.    It  is  not
rightmindedness in the least.  Its proper name is anger and nothing else.  Before a person
has  even  been  insulted,  he  has  already  departed  from  right-mindedness.    And  for  this
reason, he suffers insult.  If one's right-mindedness is correct when he is associating with
others, he will not be insulted by them.  Being insulted by others, one should realize that
he had lost his own right-mindedness prior to the offense."
Right-mindedness is a matter of extreme importance.  Its substance is none other than the
Principle  of  Heaven,  which  gives  life  to  all  things.    When  this  is  acquired  by  the  human
body,  it  is  called  one's  nature.    Its  other  names  are  virtue,  the  Way,  human-heartedness,
probity and propriety.  While the name change
s according to the situation, and though its
function is different, in substance it is only one thing.