Samurai or ninja. what would you choose.

[Mitsunari]

I feel like there are some people here saying that Ninjas killed people. :\

They didn't.

Primarily, they were spies and reconnaissance agents, were they not?

[ivolga]

I feel like there are some people here saying that Ninjas killed people. :\

They didn't.

That depends whether we are talking about history (where the terms "ninja" and "samurai" were not as mutually exclusive as it would seem) or popular culture (where ninja is a stealthy assassin dressed in black).

Anyway, I'd choose ninja: don't want to commit seppuku because of some stupid honor stuff or because my boss have screwed up

[musashika]

Samurai - "those who serve".
To serve loyally is to evolve spiritually, to grow in stature and to live an honourable life in the service of another.
I train in Aikido, Jo Butsu and Iaido. In Iaido when we bow to our sword we become spiritually at one with it - it is our soul.
In Aikido we seek unity of mind body. Aikido sword does not to kill - it corrects bad behaviour.
The way of the warrior for Samurai - Bushido - is a path of spiritual attainment through dedication, loyalty, honour and surrender.

Ninja - "Stealers in".
Criminals for hire. Highly trained, skilled in martial arts, yes, but criminal nonetheless, and in no crime can one find honour, spiritual attainment or the respect for oneself or others. Others are a source of wealth, to be served for money or to be killed for money.
The criminal is counter to the moral, ethical and spiritual progress of a people. It brings no good to any in this life but the criminal.
It is selfish, and selfishness allows for no sympathy or compassion; it does not protect the weak, the oppressed and the needy widow or orphan. Without these qualities the world remains in a state of perpetual misery. Selfishness leads to atavism and atavism is the death of all human qualities. We are reduced to the status of animals.

The superficial attractiveness of Ninja is an emotional response from our inner child, our undeveloped self which sees not reality but only a picture show where we are the star. It is vanity, and vanity, like selfishness, leads to the destruction of the self.
It is a great sadness that the 1868 Meiiji Restoration heralded the destruction of these fine people who sought perfection in everything they did, and saw the introduction of western corporatism. I curse Commodore Perry and his black frigates.
I would choose Samurai.
Musashika.

[SunXia]

I was under the impression that a lot of Ninja were also Samurai, they were just serving their Daimyō by infiltrating the forces of another.

[Tiger of Kai]

Ninja - "Stealers in".
Criminals for hire. Highly trained, skilled in martial arts, yes, but criminal nonetheless, and in no crime can one find honour, spiritual attainment or the respect for oneself or others. Others are a source of wealth, to be served for money or to be killed for money.
The criminal is counter to the moral, ethical and spiritual progress of a people. It brings no good to any in this life but the criminal.
It is selfish, and selfishness allows for no sympathy or compassion; it does not protect the weak, the oppressed and the needy widow or orphan. Without these qualities the world remains in a state of perpetual misery. Selfishness leads to atavism and atavism is the death of all human qualities. We are reduced to the status of animals.


It is a great sadness that the 1868 Meiiji Restoration heralded the destruction of these fine people who sought perfection in everything they did, and saw the introduction of western corporatism. I curse Commodore Perry and his black frigates.
I would choose Samurai.
Musashika.

None of this is true. None of it, really.