The Last Samurai TEST

Who is Katsumoto?
Click the card to flip 👆
1 / 25
Terms in this set (25)
Who is Katsumoto?
Leader of the samurai; comes from a line that has faithfully served the Emperor for hundreds of years
Who is Nathan Algren?
Cynical alcoholic, Civil War and Indian Wars veteran; he is haunted by the massacre of the Native Americans. He initially helps the new Meiji Restoration government train its first Western-style conscript army. During the army's first battle, he is captured by the Katsumoto and taken to the village of Katsumoto's son, where he falls in love with the samurai way of life and joins their army.
Who is Nobutada?
Katsumoto's son; the samurai army go and stay in his village as they prepare for war. He befriends Nathan Algren; also, teaches him the Japanese (samurai) way of life. Dies defending the rest of the samurai to escape.
Who is Ujio?
Katsumoto's right hand man; he is fiercely protective of his leader and believes strongly in the samurai way of life. He challenges Nathan Algren to a fight two times (first one destroying him, the second one tying).
Who is Taka?
Sister of Katsumoto; the wife of a Samurai slain by Nathan Algren; initially, she feels a lot of shame when Nathan stays at her house and wants to commit suicide, but later on, she starts to really care for him.
Who is Simon Graham?
Englishman photographer who has lived in Japan for many years. He befriends Nathan Algren and helps him learn a little about the Japanese culture. He also helps Katsumoto escape from the Imperial Army.
Who is General Hasegawa?
He was a samurai who once fought beside Katsumoto; now fought with the Japanese Imperial Army. When his army was defeated against the samurai, he asked Katsumoto to help end his life since he (a samurai) could not stand the shame of defeat.
Who is Colonel Bagley?
American soldier who used to command Nathan Algren; he has killed innocent women and children (Native Americans). Nathan hates him. He represents the US military presence in Japan as they tried to get a treaty with Japan.
Who is Omura?
Businessman from Japan who is assisting the Emperor in westernizing their country. He initially hired Nathan Algren to train the Japanese Imperial Army; he wanted to suppress the samurai army. He does however think that Katsumoto is an extraordinary man, but he wants to ultimately kill him to stop his army.
What is seppuku or harakiri?
The Japanese ritual of suicide; it is a way to keep their honor. They stab their stomach.
What does "No Mind" mean? (also why is it called "no mind"?)To free your mind of "mental constructs", the perceptions of ourself+other people are created by the mind (fears, doubts, opinions, etc.) No mind because it is without any grasping at a (selfish) self.What does our mind do to ourselves?Buddhists think we are all just limiting ourselves which puts us in a sort of prison BUT enlightenment is freeing us from that. Samurais → they are freeing their mind of PREVIOUS concepts. EX: The MatrixWhat is our original mind?Original mind is prior to thought, prior to desire, prior to any conceptualization at all.Why is no mind and enlightenment significant?Humans see everything with a cause but something without causality (formless) has all potentiality.When a person defines themselves, what happens? (Enlightenment/No Mind)When a person defines themselves (in terms of language, beliefs, etc.), they create a form for themselves, then they are no longer able to be anything else. BEFORE, they were formless so they could/can be anything. When you become SOMETHING, you give up being ANYTHING/EVERYTHING. EX: Fist analogyWhat conditions a person's mind?Causes (spec. environmental causes)How do you essentially free your mind and find the TRUTH?You have to strip away your perceptions with the environmentWhat is zen?Empty mind of biases, mental constructs. You have to see from all perspectives. We teach ourselves from our own mind. Purpose is to discipline the mind itself, to make its own master, through insight into its nature.What is enlightenment?Overcoming one's limited perceptions and limited selfWhat is the concept of dualities?You cannot have one opposite without the other. The two opposites are not actually that different. All pairs are just differing "degrees" of the other.What is inter-being?What is no self?What is karma?What is reincarnation?What does the elephant story show (wholeness)?