From 武神館兜龍 Bujinkan Toryu by Toryu

忍術と修養 Ninjutsu and Cultivation (Page 136-139) from the book 忍びと忍術 Shinobi to Ninjutsu by 山口正之 Masayuki Yamaguchi

忍術と修養 Ninjutsu to Shūyō (Ninjutsu and Cultivation)

Of the three ranks in the house standing of ninja—upper, middle, lower, or in other words 上忍・中忍・下忍 jōnin・chūnin・genin—’tis once been stated, but whate’er be said, the ideal whereto 忍学 ningaku aspireth is jōnin. Then, in ninjutsu studies, what manner of person did they educate as the ideal image of ninja? In general, the following ten articles are raised as the basic qualifications thereof.

[First] One who possesseth in full the five virtues of 忠 loyalty・勇 bravery・謀 stratagem・功 merit・信 trust, and moreover whose body be sound.

[Second] One who in ordinary times is mild, dutiful, with few desires, esteemeth natural philosophy, whose conduct is upright, and who beareth 恩 on (obligation) and forgetteth it not.

[Third] One skilled in eloquence, who readeth widely books domestic and foreign, whose wisdom and stratagems be deep, who in common discourse comprehendeth swiftly, and is not ensnared by another’s wiles.

[Fourth] One who knoweth heaven’s mandate, possesseth both Confucian and Buddhist principles, ever keepeth in heart that life and death be fated, striveth to depart from selfish desires, and giveth heed to the words of ancient sages and worthies.

[Fifth] One who liketh to know the law of warriors, who hath a heart firm in loyalty and bravery toward the ancient soil, who admireth the style of famed persons of 和漢 wakkan (Japan and China) that, when pressed by righteousness, in stead of the lord’s command destroyed the enemy with wisdom and stratagems, who giveth heart to military advantages and war methods, and possesseth the temperament of heroes.

[Sixth] One who daily liketh not to dispute with others, who is mild yet hath dignity, deep in righteousness, hath the name of a good person, without front or back, and of whom rumors spread even in his own and others’ countries and townships.

[Seventh] One whose wife, children, kin, and such be upright, and who hath no harm from 反忍 han nin (that is, betrayer ninja).

[Eighth] One who hath traveled the various provinces and knoweth well the customs of divers places.

[Ninth] One who hath well learned ninjutsu, is quick in plots, hath literary talent and excelleth in calligraphy, most practiced in ninjutsu, and thick in aspiration toward military advantages.

[Tenth] One who, needless to say of military arts, is versed in divers arts, hath acquired amusements such as poetry and prose・song and dance・music・imitation, and performeth them fitting to the occasion, without clumsiness.

This be the guiding principles of ninjutsu education. Truly, one can but marvel. If forced to say, ‘twould be called the educational policy of a ninjutsu university. The way to be jōnin is hard indeed. The above is extracted from the article “The Manner in Which One Should Employ Ninja” from within the ningaku book 万川集海 Bansenshūkai, written three hundred years ago from now.

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