trading commandments from a samurai

trading is a lonely war
fought by we traders
everyday!

given below are some select precepts
from
The Dokkodo ("The Path of Aloneness" or "The Way to be Followed Alone")
written by Miyamoto Musashi
a great sumurai warrior
a week before he died in 1645.

after every commandment
i have given my interpretation/adaptation of it
for trading.

==

1. “Accept everything just the way it is.”
= accept the market reality in front of you.

2. “Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.”
= don't trade for pleasure

3. “Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.”
= don't jump or out of trade on shallow half-baked impulsive feelings.

4. “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.”
= don't take your trading skills too seriously, take the ability of market to surprise seriously.

5. “Be detached from desire your whole life long.”
= make money, but don't let money make you.

6. “Do not regret what you have done.”
= smile at your mistake, laugh off your profit.

7. “Never be jealous.”
= what you've got is good and enough and incomparable

8. “Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.”
= a loss is never final. it either stays back as lesson or returns as profit.

9. “Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself or others.”
= accept the reality, keep the power with yourself by not complaining.

10. “In all things have no preferences.”
= don't measure your profit or loss, just measure them by the lesson or experience.

11. “Do not act following customary beliefs.”
= dare to think!

12. “Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.”
= a handful of tools are enough if you are willing to submit.

13. “Do not fear death.”
= do not fear unforeseen loss.

14. “Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.”
= don't trade under pressure to accumulate profit. if you remain alive, markets will always be there. just keep learning the game.

15. “Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.”
= respect luck, acknowledge god's blessing, but don't drag them in the market.

16. “You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.”
= loss is honourable if the fighter is worthy.

17. “Never stray from the Way.”
= rise again!