Hojo Shigetoki.1198-1261

If one will fix his heart in such a way and assist the world and its people, he will have the devotion of the men who see and hear of him.

One should not disregard, even in jest, the instructions of his parents. Although there should be no one, as parent, who would instruct his child for the worse, the children who use their parents' instructions are rare.

One should listen with a calm mind to what one's parents say, even if what they say is erroneous.

It is truely regretable that a person will treat a man who is valuable to him well, and a man who is worthless to him poorly. Even dogs and beasts will be glad and wag their tails when someone treats them well, and will bark at and run away from those who give them rough fare. It is in the value of being born a human being that if one is kind to those who treat him poorly, even they may change their ways.And even if they dont, he will have the love of the gods and Buddhas, and those who see and hear of his acts will praise him.

When one is at a drinking party he should always pay attention to and speak with the person at the lowest seat. Even if it is with the same wine that one is drinking, if he will feel sympathy for the man and pour for him, the man will be very pleased. One should be especially sympathetic with men of low positions. In their boundless gratification they will place great importance in one's orders.

When one is associating with prostitutes and dancing girls, he should not consider that, as they are such, he can go to excesses and speak in an overly familiar manner with them. One should act and speak in a simple and ordinary way. Going too far, one may bring shame upon himself.

"It is presumptuous for a man's parent to meddle with his children, and you may think that what i am about to say is exactly that, but i hope that you will sit peacefully with two or three of your children and read this to them. You should not think that what has been said here is simply something handed down to you from your father. You should understand that these are precepts for men in ages to come.

Again, as i feel unusually shameful about these things, do not let them out to other people."

See this as a memento

Of a person of the past,

And with one breath intone:

Namu Amida Butsu.