Serving with too much gusto, or cherishing your lord excessively may lead to mistakes; but it will bring to fruition the goal in one’s heart. It is said that excessiveness in anything is harmful, but service is surely the exception. In this case, failure through overzealous attention to duty is nothing short of honorable.
Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai(p. 126)| Tsunetomo, Yamamoto
Yamamoto Tseunetomo was a samurai clerk during Japan’s Edo period from 1603 to 1868. He wrote the Hagakure around 1716, later in his life, once he became a monk. The Hagakure is the secret wisdom of the samurai, made public.
Serving with too much gusto, focus, or dedication may bring mistakes, but it keeps the wanderer on the path, as opposed to serving with too little gusto, focus, or dedication, which will certainly bring mistakes, while keeping the wanderer OFF the path.
Wanderers must wander down paths to grow and find fulfillment.
When we speak of service, we do not mean serving a lord who is an individual; we mean serving your paths in Body, Mind, and Spirit(BMS), the three domains of mankind.
Over-serving means you’re showing up, but your energy is too high volume, a distraction that prevents the wanderer from effectively moving down the path.
Imbalance.
You want to hone your focus and energy to a point, like a laser, so your focus and energy are effective, as opposed to chaotic and out of your control. Control is order and order prevents mistakes. An overzealous demeanor is honorable, but ineffective.
Failure or ineffectivity because of overzealous attention may be honorable, but it doesn’t give you the outcome you desire. Overzealous dedication is honorable and ineffective; it is much better to be honorable and effective, but this isn’t always possible. Regardless, you must promote honor with effectiveness to promote order and keep destruction and chaos at bay.
Do not be honorable and ineffective when you can be honorable and effective.
Avoid dishonor like it is a contagious and fatal disease.
Musashi Dokkado Precept 20 | You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honor
Honor rewards the spirit, but may punish the body and mind. This is acceptable if there is no other option. But if you have the option to reward and effectively fulfill Body, Mind, and Spirit(BMS), this is the better choice because it more effectively supports fulfillment for the individual and their three domains, as well as for society, fate, and the universe.
Excessiveness on the path is good because the path is the path to fulfillment. A good life.
Excessiveness pertaining to pleasure is bad because pleasure cannot be fulfilled. A terrible life.
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