I completely agree that the samurai’s duty was to serve his Lord. And it seems completely reasonable that not all samurai faced death with calmness and equanimity. Simultaneously, it’s also easy to conclude that zen practices were not always effective from samurai to samurai, just as the practice of zen or Catholicism or Islam today vary from one person to another.

Not all samurai were proficient with the sword, or geniuses with gardening. Yet, it remains true that they represented a group in history who were taught to stay calm in the face of death. Our modern day versions of people who stare death in the face are not formally trained to do so. I’m thinking of astronauts, Formula One drivers and others. How their occupations affect these kinds of people meditatively is a curious question.

For me, it’s been a powerful exercise. Thanks for your great comment!