13th Century Karate

The name “Karate” originally written 唐手 ("Chinese hand") in Okinawa could also be pronounced “Tode”. It was changed to 空手 ("empty hand") at the beginning of the 20^th

century. 

The main reason for this change was the willingness on the part of most Okinawan Masters, to see Karate become part of Japanese mainstream culture. Gichin Funakoshi, main artisan of the introduction of Karate in Japan, and a student of Zen, writes in one of his books that the change was to remind the Heart Sutra saying : “Form is emptiness, Emptiness is form”.

In the following 13^th century text, translated from Japanese by Trevor Leggett in his book “The Warrior Koans”, “Karate” is mentioned both in relation to Zen and Martial Arts. This is an interesting indication that “Karate” was known by Japanese people in a Martial Arts context way before the introduction of the Okinawan Art on Mainland Japan.

A Koan is a paradoxical riddle given to Disciples of certain Zen sects to meditate upon.

Kamakura Koan No. 44 : Wielding the spear with empty hands

Nanjio Masatomo, a SoJutsu Master of the Spear, went to Kenchoji to sit in meditation, and afterwards spoke with priest Gio about using a spear on horseback. 

Gio said, 'Your Honour is indeed an expert in So Jutsu. But until you understand the method of using the spear with empty hands, you will not grasp the ultimate secret of the way.'

The Teacher added, 'No spear in the hands, no hands on the spear.'

The Spear Master did not get it!

The Teacher said further, 'If you don't understand, your art of the Spear is a little affair of the hands alone.'

In December of 1256 Fukuzumi Hideomi, a government official, was given the koan 'wielding the spear with empty hands'. He wrestled furiously with it to no avail. One evening, exhausted, he crept into a little grotto near the meditation hall, and sat there in meditation, repeating again and again “Kara-Te, Kara-Te (empty hands, empty hands)”.

Another monk heard Hideomi repeating 'Kara-te, Kara-te', and thought he was saying 'Kane-dase, Kane-dase (give some money, give some money)'. He thought it was a robber and raised the alarm. The Jikijitsu (head-priest in charge of the meditation hall) made a quick search around the dojo and found Hideomi.

Hideomi was indeed very ill with tuberculosis, and absorbed as he was with the koan, he had forgotten to eat for several days. He was extremely weak and actually on the brink of death. The Jikijitsu hit him on the head saying, 'Let not this heart be set on any place' and he gave a big Katzu shout.

Hideomi nodded, and quietly died.

JUTSU, DO, MU

An inscription by Nobuhide Ohama on Gichin Funakoshi's memorial erected by the Shotokai at Engaku-ji, a Zen temple in Kamakura reads:

Funakoshi Gichin Sensei, of karate-do, was born on June 10, 1870, in Shuri Okinawa. From about eleven years old he began to study to-te jutsu under Azato Anko and Itosu Anko. He practiced diligently and in 1912 became the president of the Okinawan Shobukai.

In May of 1922, he relocated to Tokyo and became a professional teacher of karate-do. He devoted his entire life to the development of karate-do.

He lived out his eighty-eight years of life and left this world on April 26, 1957. Reinterpreting to-te jutsu, the Sensei promulgated karate-do while not losing its original philosophy. Like bugei (classical martial arts), so too is the pinnacle of karate “mu” (enlightenment): to purify and make one empty through the transformation from “jutsu” to “do”.

Through his famous words “Karate ni sente nashi” (There is no first attack in Karate) and “Karate wa kunshi no bugei” (Karate is the martial art of intelligent people), Sensei helped us to better understand the term “jutsu.” 

In an effort to commemorate his virtue and great contributions to modern karate-do as a pioneer, we, his loyal students, organized the Shotokai and erected this monument at the Enkakuji.

“Kenzen ichi” (“The Fist and Zen are one”)

The above is the English translation of the Japanese text.

Because some of the Japanese words or expressions do not have an accurate translation in English, and are (or should be) well known by practitionners of traditional Japanese arts, (DO, JUTSU) the translator chose to not translate them. But when it came to MU, he did however between parenthesis his own interpretation : "enlightenment".

Why did he chose "enlightenment" when Mu is generally translated as "Emptiness" ?

Enlightenment : to make oneself empty through the transformation of Jutsu into Do...

How can I transform Jutsu into Do ?

A Deadly Serious Attitude

In Karate do Nyumon, (Page 43) Funakoshi Sensei writes about Training :

Each and every punch must be made with the power of your entire body behind it. With the feeling of destroying your opponent with a single blow. You must believe that if your punch fails, you will forfeit your own life. Thinking this, your mind and energy will be concentrated, and your spirit will express itself in the fullest. … You will find that training with a deadly serious attitude will over time benefit not only your study of karate, but many other facets of your life as well. Life itself is often akin to a match with real swords. With a lukewarm attitude toward life – such as assuming that after every failure you will always have a second chance, what can you hope to accomplish in a short life span of fifty years ?

Although this is about Karate Training, I believe it also applies to every training, and among them to Zen. We should practice with a deadly serious attitude, as if each one of our expiration were our last one, and concentrate right then (Right Zen ?) !

AH ! What if this one were my last breathe ? What if I'd drop dead right now with my mind entangled in my daily life worries !

OK, do I practice like that? Of course not, give me a break, I am no Master but a beginner trying to figure it out, and only my experience of Martial Arts is what best helps me on my way !

And on this way Humor is good, and we should keep it flowing too. Have a deadly serious attitude, and at the same time not beat ourselves too hard on the head when we fail.

Always stand back up after we fell and learn from our mistakes.

Let's have a deadly serious attitude, and when our mind wanders around, let's bring it back home and start over again, as if it would again be our last breathe...

Front Stance

I just finished reading Karate Do Nuymon by Gichin Funakoshi. Funakoshi Sensei introduced Karate to mainland Japan in the early 20th century. He was also in Okinawa the school teacher of Tsuyoshi Chitose Sensei – founder of Chito Ryu Karate, and instructor of Kaicho Yamamoto, founder of Yoshukai Karate.

Karate-do Nyumon provides interesting insight about etiquette, spirit and historical aspects of Karate and in the way it was taught in Okinawa before the 20th century. It also points to connections between Zen and Karate. I’ll come back to this later.

I was however surprised by some pictures, which in some cases do not seem to really match the text.Were these pictures added after Funakoshi Sensei wrote the book ?

For example, Funakoshi Sensei’s description of the Front stance Zenkutsu Dachi emphasizes very clearly : “make sure both feet point in the same direction”.

But then, in the picture illustrating the stance, the front foot is directed to the front and the back foot is perpendicular to it!

The 2 most common mistakes in front stances are :

1. Stances too low and/or too wide, and

2. Back foot turned to the outside (which usually happens BECAUSE the stance is too low)

Front stances should not be so low that they prevent one to move quickly. Very low front stances are not adapted to actual fighting. They might look good to certain judges for Kata performance, and they certainly will help build strong legs, but there is no way one can move quickly from a very low front stance, when the weight is not on the ball of the foot.

Boxers, or Kendoka are fast. They keep their feet close to each other turned in the direction of the opponent, with their weight toward the front of their feet. Personally I try to focus my weight right behind the ball of the foot (first point on the Kidney Meridian).

And Front stances should be done with 2 feet parallel. Actually, the front foot could even be turned slightly inward, to improve traction from the toes, and the back foot parallel to it can push forward. This allows fast moving in all 4 directions. I do not understand how anybody could fight with their back foot flat and sideways. It does not allow for quick moves, nor to deliver enough power in Gyaku Tsuki.

Sensei Chitose, who was a Medical Doctor and spent a great deal of time studying the human body mechanics, recommended a stance where the feet were slightly turned inward. This can be seen today when Chito Ryu people practice Seisan or Sanchin Kata (This also protects your groin).To me this makes perfect sense, providing here again, that you do not turn your feet too much inward, which would also prevent the ability to move fast. Once again, it is a matter of finding the right balance.

Anyway, Karate do Nyumon is a good book, You should read it if you can et a hold of it. Soon I'll take you of the Heart Sutra quoted by Funakoshi Sensei !