sake (pronounce sa-ke), a rice-beer which is the principal alcoholic drink of the Japanese.
samurai, in feudal times the warriors, two-sword men. Below them were the common people: farmers, artisans, and merchants.
satori, Buddhist enlightenment.
seppu’ku or haraki’ri, suicide by piercing the abdomen. In feudal times it was the exclusive privilege of the nobles and samurai.
shogun, in pre-Meiji times the actual ruler of Japan; succession was hereditary as long as a family could remain in power. The Shogun was always invested by the Emperor.
shuyo, self-discipline; mental training.
sonno joi, ‘Restore the Emperor and expel the barbarians (Westerners).’ A slogan of the Meiji Restoration.
sumimasen’, thank you; I’m sorry; ‘this never ends.’
sutra (Sanskrit), short collections of dialogues and aphorisms. The disciples of Gautama Buddha wrote such sutras in the conversational idiom of their day (Pali).
tai setsu, Higher Law.
tari’ki, ‘help of another.’ Spiritual blessing which is an act of grace. Vide jiriki.
tonari gumi, small neighborhood groups of about five to ten families.
yoga (Sanskrit), a form of ascetic philosophy and practice prevalent in India from earliest historical times.
zaibatsu, big business; influential members of the economic hierarchy.
Zen, a Buddhist cult introduced from China and important in Japan since the twelfth century. It was n upper-class cult of the rulers and warriors and still contrasts with the great tariki Buddhist cultsith their huge membership.