The Samurai book Series by A. R. Berg
Samurai history and Philosophy BOOKS
The Samurai book series is an extensive study of bushido; the books describe the historical evolution and philosophy of the Japanese Warrior in great detail.
You can take a look at the book series reviews & send us yours!
There are four books in the series:
1. Samurai: Ascension | English PDF available
2. Samurai: Spirit of the Warrior | English PDF available
3. Samurai: Legend | English translation is being edited
4. Samurai: Sakura Blossoms | WIP
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Samurai: Ascension (Volume I)
The image of the samurai, those stoic warriors, is shrouded in mystery. Their tracks can easily vanish in the past or become obscured in the future, but stay firmly rooted in our minds and in reality as they fearlessly follow the Way of the Warrior beyond time and space.
The samurai spirit is still burning. Thousands of years from today the samurai might still contemplate the Beauty of Eternity during tea ceremony or open their eyes wide and smile in their Zero fighters enveloped in flames. Are they ghosts of the past or messengers of the future? Who were these worshipers of beauty? These creators of an aesthete-murderer culture who lived on a razor’s edge and reveled in the taste of blood? Who were these valiant and virtuous warrior-philosophers who achieved ultimate freedom by rising above life and death?
Let us try to reassemble this mosaic to uncover their Way and the manner in which they created a heroic, vivid, and distinct model of existence that not only seems alien to us, but is antagonistic to our current reality.
Table of Contents | 38 chapters
1. Land of Yamato
2. The Way of Gods
3. Penetration of Buddhism and Confucianism in Japan. Amalgamation of Religions
4. The Emperor and His Court
5. Origin and Development of The Samurai
6. Turmoil and The Samurai Rise to Power
7. The Great War Between the Taira and Minamoto Clans
8. Come and Take Him!
9. The Fate of Yoshitsune Minamoto (1159-1189)
10. The First Shogun
11. The Mystical and Religious Worlds of the Samurai
12. Samurai Views on Life and Death
13. Harakiri
14. The Sword
15. Giri
16. The Way of the Sword: The Samurai Spiritual and Psychological Training System
17. Ronin
18. The Burden of Heaven
19. Samurai Society. The Samurai and Family
20. Sword and Kin
21. Mongol Invasion
22. The Ordeal
23. Fall of The Kamakura Shogunate
24. The Emperor Endeavors to Retrieve Power. Confrontation of the The New Dynasty of Shoguns
25. Golden Age of The Samurai. The Onin War. Provincial Wars
26. Feudal Wars. First Contact with Europeans. National Integration
27. Toyotomi Hideyoshi
28. The Great Dictator
29. Sparrows Can’t Think Like Eagles
30. Peace and Isolation
31. Musashi
32. Victory by Calmness
33. The Forty-Seven Ronin
34. The Black Ships
35. A New Age. The Abolishment of the Samurai Class
36. The Yasukuni Shrine
37. The Ideal Is a Guiding Star
38. Epochs
- Japanese Characters (Kanji)
- Family Emblems (Mon)
- Timeline
- Gallery -
Samurai: Spirit of the Warrior (Volume II)
Initially released in 2004, Spirit of the Warrior has become the handbook of admirers of the bushido Wisdom. It is popular among those who practice martial arts as well as those who have an interest in medieval studies or our life from a spiritual point of view.
For what did the great warriors of Japan live and die? What is the sacred mission of a samurai? What is truly essential not only for a medieval Japanese knight, but also for every true man of any epoch? You will find the answers to these questions in the new book, Spirit of the Warrior: The Philosophy of Will by A. R. Berg.
Spirit of the Warrior is a creative research on the legacy of samurai. It contains numerous aphorisms and sayings of Japanese warriors, stories and philosophical reflections. The focus of the book is the concept of Will―the basis of bushido. The book casts light on several aspects of the esoteric Samurai Doctrine which cannot be missed if you truly seek to comprehend bushido...
Table of Contents | 55 chapters
1. Being a warrior is your religion
2. A look into the past?
A look into the future!
3. Why study bushido today?
4.Where there is will,
there is the Way.
The philosophy of will.
5. A mystery bird
6. Way
7. Сomprehending your immortality...
8. A gulp of air
9. Keystone
10. The beauty of a flower
11. Philosophy of life and
death transcendence
12. Silence reveals the truth
13. Cold water
14. Emptiness
15. Take each moment as it comes!
16. “At that time” is “right now”
17. A sophisticated image of force
18. Combat
19. Teacher
20. Destiny
21. Hell and heaven
22. Lengthen your way
23. Sword
24. The great creed and the minor creed
25. Social medium
26. ImperialCult
27. Friendship
28. Family
29. The basics of samurai training
30. The cult of ancestors
31. Samurai and old age
32. One life
33. Miyamoto Musashi
34. Distinct morals
35. Samurai must be the color of cherry blossoms
36. To a military commander
37. Patience is the supreme courage!
38. Sword and chrysanthemum
39. Purity
40. The source
41. The legend of the ascension and purity of the samurai's spirit
42. The symbol of wisdom
43. Master
44. State of mind
45. Flash of lightning
46. Spirit and body
47. Steadfastness
48. Worrying changes nothing
49. State of the warrior
50. The way of force
51. Total determination
52. Masculine philosophy
53. Willpower and onrush
54. We must take fire from history, not ashes!
55. Shoulder to shoulder
- Historical figures
- Terms
- Japanese characters
- Gallery
"Bushi-Do is indeed a mighty source of strength. Those who comprehend it acquire consistency of spirit, as well as an uncluttered, active, and tranquil mind. If this is what you seek, this book is for you. There are numerous books about the samurai, most of which simply regurgitate facts. The worthier books are analytical. The most valuable ones let readers draw their own conclusions.
I have spent years reviewing every word in this book in an effort to bring it to the level where it not only exists but is alive, generating energy. While writing, I called upon the Spirit of the Samurai and felt joyful when I felt its fire kindle in my mind. This book is the fruit of deep reflection and purification. My friends say the book ‘works’ for them. I hope my modest efforts will make a difference in your life too."
―A. R. Berg about Samurai: Spirit of the Warrior