The Warrior's Rule Author:Thomas Cleary Dominated by warriors for hundreds of years, over time Japan adapted the ancient philosophies of the East to the realities of warfare and military training, producing the demanding discipline of Bushido, the Way of the Warrior. As a ruling class wielding both civil and military power, the samurai sought to reconcile these roles by advocating an... more » ethic of austerity, vigilance, self-control, service, and sacrifice.« less