ABSTRACT
I . "Seppuku" (Harakiri) III feudal days the ethical ideal of tile Sall1urai ,vas
to give Ui) 11is life for 11is lord alld llis CQUlltry. WIlel1 it becatne 11ecessary for 11im to die, ]le resorted, by preferellce, to a pail1ful metll0d of diselnbowellillg himself by cutting il1tO his stomach with a sword-called by foreigl1ers harakiri~ bllt more commonly ]{110W11 as seppztkzt amol1g the Japanes~. This act of daring ,vas considered as a mallifestation of Busid6, the spirit of the Samurai.
