Classical Martial Art Thought
Ken Harding
Part One
Sometimes instead of reading a whole book, it is more useful to the student to study only a few phrases, just as a large banquet can be too much to eat at one sitting. This way you can focus only on the important ideas. I shall share with you some ideas from classical eastern martial thought, and in some places offer some commentary.
I will start with Miyamoto Musashi, from The Book of Five Rings. He says "If you want to learn the science of martial arts, meditate on this book; let the teacher be the needle, let the student be the thread, and practice unremittingly." This means that the student should attach him or herself to the teacher in the same way that a thread is attached to a needle, so that when the needle passes through the fabric of Budo, that the thread is pulled along with the needle. As the needle guides the thread through the fabric, so the teacher guides the student. But this is not enough. He also says that you must practice constantly. A teacher cannot make you good; he can only show you the way. I can only show you the door: you must be the one to walk through it. But remember that the art is not the door, it is what is behind the door. This part is harder to see. The door is our bujutsu, or fighting techniques. Going through the door leads to Budo, or the way of the warrior. Many people wrongly think that the door is the destination, and stop there, trying to grasp tightly onto techniques.
Also, you must not be confused by the different uses of the word Budo. In the sense I have just used it, I mean it as it is literally written: Bu (war) Do (way), or the Way of the Warrior. Think about how we use this word. It is the Budo of Budo Taijutsu. But there is another, more modern use, one used to refer to recently-developed peacetime martial arts, such as Aikido and Iaido, or their sport equivalents Judo and Kendo. These are often referred to as budo, to distinguish them from traditional, wartime systems of combat, which are called bujutsu. But this is a recent distinction (see Draeger below).
Musashi also says: "When you attain certain discernment of the principles of mastering swordsmanship, then, when you can defeat one opponent at will, this is tantamount to being able to defeat everyone in the world. The spirit of overcoming others is the same even if there are thousands or tens of thousands of opponents." I think this is an important point, worthy of contemplation.
Musashi writes of an idea that I express frequently: "In martial arts it is necessary to practice daily to attain familiarity, treating them as ordinary affairs, so the mind remains unchanged." This is self-explanatory, but should be meditated on, and kept in mind while training. This "unchanged" mind is what Takuan Soho referred to as being unmoved-- the ordinary mind. It is the desired state of the advanced martial artist, but it does not come quickly.
Another deeper idea Musashi relates is "Even if you strive diligently on your chosen path day after day, if your heart is not in accord with it, then even if you think you are on a good path, from the point of view of the straight and true, this is not a genuine path. If you do not pursue a genuine path to its consummation, then a little bit of crookedness in the mind will later turn into a major warp. Reflect on this."
Here is an important point: "Having attained a principle, one detaches from the principle; thus one has spontaneous independence in the science of martial arts and naturally attains marvels: discerning the rhythm when the time comes, one strikes spontaneously and naturally prevails. This is the way of emptiness." In this Zen-like teaching, first a person must gain understanding of the principles. Once this is done, through much practice and careful observation, then you must "detach" yourself from it, that is, reach a state where you do not dwell on anything, for if you don’t, then you will never be able to use what you have learned. First you must fill yourself, and then you must become empty. But some people do not realize that you must first fill yourself, attain the principles, before you can be empty or formless. Do not be the empty that was never filled.
"You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough."
Musashi’s Book of Five Rings is available for free download on this website.
Donn Draeger was a U.S. Marine officer who went to Japan after WW2 and became involved with traditional Japanese martial arts. He gained teaching licenses in several styles, and became a respected martial artist, historian and author.
He states, early in his book Classical Bujutsu: The Martial Arts and Ways of Japan, that "there is a substantial difference between the classical Japanese warrior and his modern counterpart, the soldier." This point seems to be lost on many people today. He goes on to talk about the distinction between modern and traditional Japanese martial arts.
"Readers will notice the complete lack of mention in this book of such internationally known disciplines as judo, karate-do, aikido, and kendo. In fact, none of the so-called do forms find a place in this book. The omission is deliberate. There are very great differences between the bujutsu, or martial arts, and the budo, or martial ways. The bujutsu are combative systems designed by and for warriors to promote self-protection and group solidarity. The budo are spiritual systems, not necessarily designed by warriors or for warriors, for self-perfection of the individual. Since the latter [budo] were not developed during the period in which the classical warrior functioned as a leader of an effective political and social ruling institution, the budo are outside the scope of this book."
He has brought up another point that is lost on most people today. Not all "martial arts" are really martial arts. Not all were founded with the same intention, nor practiced for the same purpose. But in modern times, all are presented to the public as the same thing. This has led to public misconceptions, and the true martial arts becoming diluted.
I shall end with some thoughts of mine. They might sound strange at first, but you should think about them and see how you can implement them in your daily life.
"Do not throw rocks at the moon. Do not get angry at the setting sun." What does this mean? There are certain things that will happen in life, regardless of your plans and desires. Schemes will fail. Accidents will happen. People will die. You will experience ill fortune. You will meet rude, disrespectful people during your lifetime. You will encounter bad drivers on the road. The nature of life-- and the nature of humanity-- make these things as certain as the setting sun and the changing of the seasons. They are to be expected. Deception, betrayal, disappointment and tragedy are as much a part of nature as the sun and moon.
"In the end, there is no such thing as surprise for the ninja." -Takamatsu Sensei
So you should not get angry at these things, any more than you would throw rocks at the moon-- for you cannot harm the moon by throwing rocks at it, nor can you stop the sun from setting by begging it to do so.
Similarly, you should not rejoice at the rising of the sun. Good things are also a part of nature. Why be excited at the coming of Spring? It is simply a part of the unending cycle. Why be happy at finding a twenty dollar bill on the street? Chances are that some good things will happen to you, whether or not you are a good person. Do not be tossed around on the waves of life's ups and downs. Developing the immovable spirit means being unmoved by external forces— not being pleased or upset, made happy or made angry by things outside yourself. This is the way to inner calm.