Samurai vs. Ninja

Paper Summary:

This well-researched and clearly written paper details the numerous differences in both the Samurai and Ninja philosophies. Due to the differences in their religious and social origins, valuing ceremony versus intimidation and their general code of fighting ethics, the Samurai and the Ninja followed different paths of honor. The writer details the religious aspects of both Japanese warriors. The Samurai were strongly associated with religions that enforced inflexible dogmas. The Samurai were generally Shintoists or followers of Confucianism. In contrast, the Ninja were associated with religions that did not have strict unmovable dogmas. The Ninja were mainly Zen Buddhists. This paper examines the Samurai and Ninja's role and status in Japanese society. The Samurai were considered an exalted part of society, whereas the Ninja were perceived as social outcasts. The writer also delves into the fact that the Ninja and the Samurai warriors occupied different social classes and approached life with very different personal philosophies. The fact that the Samurai and the Ninja held such different values helps to explain the vast differences between the two groups of warriors, which are detailed in this paper.

From the Paper:

"Although the Ninja were considered social outcasts, they were not solitary. In fact, the Ninja worked in organizations, which were separated into three layers: jonin (high ninja), chunin (middle ninja), and genin (low ninja). The ninjas all worked under a daimyo. Structure within Ninja groups ranged, with some having little structure and others being organized almost like an army unit ("Ninja"). However organized, all Ninja followed the ninpo or okite. The most important rule of the ninpo was to keep the secret of the Ninja. In fact, the most severe crime was to leave a Ninja family and not return ("Ninja"). Those who did so were called nukenin, and their family members would bring them back, whether dead or alive ("Ninja"). This was done in order to prevent ninjas from revealing the secret of the Ninja or of revealing the identity of the daimyo for whom the ninjas were working."

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