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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: skillful soldier. Afterwards, in the time of the Eikyo [1] war, he so
distinguished himself that high honors were bestowed upon him. But when the
house of Kikuji came to ruin, Isogai found himself without a master. He
might then easily have obtained service under another daimyo; but as he had
never sought distinction for his own sake alone, and as his heart remained
true to his former lord, he preferred to give up the world. so he cut off
his hair, and became a traveling priest,-- taking the Buddhist name of
Kwairyo.
But always, under the koromo [2] of the priest, Kwairyo kept warm within
him the heart of the samurai. As in other years he had laughed at peril, so
now also he scorned danger; and in all weathers and all seasons he
Kwaidan |
