Masayuki Shimabukuro Hidenobu Hanshi

 

Un Maitre remarquable

Au cours des annees j'ai eu la chance et le privilege de rencontrer et d'etudier avec des maitres remarquables. 

Masayuki Shimabukuro Hanshi fut l'un d'entre eux. Je l'ai rencontre pour la premiere fois a Dothan en Alabama vers 2005. Il etait venu donner une demonstration de Iaijutsu durant notre camp d'ete de Yoshukai Karate. 

Je restai bouche bee...

Je commencai d'etudier le Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu (MJER) Iaijutsu le mois suivant  au Big Green Drum Dojo de Pensacola en Floride. 

 

Biographie de Shimabukuro Hanshi

Shimabukuro Hanshi nous a quitte bien trop tot, il y a deja pres de 10 ans. J'ai traduit sa biographie a partir du site officiel du KNBK, l'organisation en charge de l'instruction du MJER pour le monde en dehors du Japon. 

 

Masayuki Shimabukuro Hidenobu 21e Soshihan MJER (1948 -2012)

 

Masayuki Hidenobu Shimabukuro Hanshi est né en mars 1948 à Osaka, au Japon.

Il commenca l’etude des Arts Martiaux a l’adolescence avec le Judo, Karate-do, le Kobudo d’Okinawa et d’autres arts martiaux japonais traditionnels. Il obtint des grades de Dan dans plusieurs de ces disciplines avant de se concentrer plus specifiquement sur le Iaido (ou Iaijutsu), l'art du sabre des Samurai.

Shimabukuro Hanshi commenca l'etude du sabre en 1975 a Osaka, sous la supervision directe du 20ème grand maitre de Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu, Miura Takeyuki Hidefusa, Hanshi. Miura Hanshi le nomma Kokusai Bucho (président international) du Nippon Kobudo Jikishin-Kai en charge de faire connaître l’ecole Eishin-Ryu hors du Japon. De ce moment, Shimabukuro Sensei parcourut le monde pour enseigner le Iaido du Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu, le Jojutsu du ShindoMuso Ryu et d’autres arts martiaux traditionnels des samouraïs. Il mit en place des groupes d’etudes et des ecoles en Europe, en Amérique du Nord, en Amérique du Sud, en Amérique centrale, en Asie et en Australie.

Shimabukuro Sensei était l’eleve le plus ancien et le plus grade au sein du Nippon Kobudo Jikishin-Kai de Miura Sensei. Il était egalement un étudiant direct de Kenzo Mabuni, le grand maître de l’ecole de Karaté Shito Ryu.

Masayuki Shimabukuro a obtenu les rangs de 8ème Dan de Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido (Iaijutsu), 8ème Dan de Karate Shito-Ryu, 7ème Dan de Jojutsu Shindo Muso-Ryu et le titre convoité de Hanshi à la fois en Iaido et Karate-do. (Hanshi est le titre le plus élevé que l’on puisse atteindre dans les arts martiaux japonais traditionnels.)

Shimabukuro Hanshi était egalement representant officiel et directeur international et coordinateur des divisions Iaido et Battodo du Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. Il a également reçu Hachidan et Hanshi à Iai-faire par le Dai Nippon Butoku Kai et représentait la DNBK International pour enseigner l'art du sabre et du Budo à l'extérieur du Japon.

Grades et titres obtenus par Shimabukuro Hanshi

1963 - commence l’etude du Judo et Shorinji Kempo

1965 - commence l ‘etude du karate Shito-Ryu

1975 – commence l’etude du Iaijutsu du Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu sous Miura Takeyuki, 20e grand maître de Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu

1975 – commence l’etude di Jojutsu du Shindo Muso-Ryu sous Miura Takeyuki Hidefusa

1990 - nommé President du Nippon Kobudo Jikishin-Kai, Intl. par Miura Takeyuki Hidefusa

1995 - Établit le Jikishin-Kai International

1999 - reçoit le 7eme Dan de Shindo Muso-Ryu Jo-Jutsu.

1999 - reçoit le 7eme Dan de Nippon Karate-do-Kai

2000 - reçoit le 8eme Dan de Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu.

2002 - reçoit le titre de Hanshi du Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu

2006 – Elu Instructeur d’Arts Martiaux de l’Annee du « Black Belt Hall of Fame »

2007 - reçoit le 8eme Dan de Karate par le Dai Nippon Butoku Kai

2007 - reçoit le titre de Hanshi du DAI NIPPON BUTOKU KAI en Karate.

2007 - Établit le et preside le Kokusai Nippon Budo Kai (KNBK) et devient le 21eme Soshihan (Grand'maitre) du MJER.

2008 - reçoit le 8eme Dan Iai-do du Dai Nippon Butoku Kai.

2008 - reçoit le titre de Hanshi Iai-do du Dai Nippon Butoku Kai.

2008 - nomine représentant de la division Internationalle de Iaido du DNBK

2008 - Nomine representant du Dai Nippon Butoku Kai aupres de l’etat de Californie

2013 - 23 mars, intronisé a titre postume au Pantheon du Dai Nippon Butoku Kai

Ouvrages ecrits par Shimabukuro Hanshi

• FlashingSteel
• Samurai Swordsmanship; Le Batto, Kenjutsu et Tamehigiri d'Eishin Ryu
• Katsu Jin Ken - LivingKarate

 

Shimabukuro & Long Hanshi demontrent un kata avance.

 

J'ai pratique et enseigne le Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu pendant plus de 15 ans aux Etats Unis, sous la direction de Shimabukuro Hanshi puis de son successeur Carl Long Hanshi. Rentre en France en Juillet 2021, j'espere pouvoir ouvrir en 2022 une classe de Iaijutsu pour continuer a enseigner l'art que mes maitres m'ont passe. 

Vous pouvez me retrouver sur les reseaux sociaux : 

Facebook Mokurai dojo

Twitter @mokuraidojo

Youtube Mokurai Dojo

Sodesurigaeshi - Okuden Tachiwaza #7

Sodesurigaeshi is the 7th technique of the Okuden Tachiwaza set of MJER.

SODESURIGAESHI (Brushing sleeves) ancient name KEN NO KOTO (Brushing sword) is the 6th move of the Okuden Tachiwaza set of advanced techniques taught in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and Muso Shinden Ryu Iaijutsu.

This video is one of a set of compilations of clips from films shot during the 20th century of several Japanese masters demonstrating their Art. 

 

The masters featured in these compilations are: 

• Kono Hyakuren / 河野百錬 (1898 – 1974) MJER - 2 demos.
  
• Iwata Norikazu (1913 – 2011) MJER
  
• Unidentified master, probably MSR
• Hakuo Sagawa (1917 – 2004) MSR
  
• Nagae Matasaburo (1910 - ) MSR
• Yamamoto Harusuke (1892–1978) MJER 
• Hakuo Sagawa (1917 – 2004) MSR

I have not been able to identify the master demonstrating at 1:29. If you know him, please send me his name (Thank you)

 

BUNKAI for Sodesurigaeshi

 

 

A BUNKAI is a practical application of a technique (waza), the essence of it. As you can see in this video, there may be several Bunkai for each technique.

Practicing a waza without understanding its Bunkai is more Dance than Martial Art. There is nothing wrong about dance, but you have to decide what you want to do. 

The masters demonstrating Sodesurigaeshi's bunkai are : 

• Hakuo Sagawa (1917 – 2004) MSR 
• Iwata Norikazu (1913 – 2011) MJER

 

Note : MJER : Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu; MSR : Muso Shinden Ryu

Zen and Martial Arts complementarity

It is common belief that Zen practice will help someone progress in Martial Arts. 

Matsuoka Roshi, himself a black belt in Judo as written at length about it. Taisen Deshimaru even dedicated his book Zen Way to Martial Arts to this subject.

Tameshigiri

In an article about  Zen and Martial Arts the author writes : 

"The Samurai achieved perfection in martial arts such as kenjutsu, kyujutsu, and jujutsu through the practice of Zazen"

But I have met several Martial Arts Masters who reached  a high level of mastery without practicing Zen.

Even if it had a deep influence on the ways of the samurai class,  saying that Zen was THE basis of their spiritual training is a questionable generalization.

Now this being said, here is this week's question to you all :

Do you think the practice of Martial Arts can help someone progress in Zen ? 

I hope you had a happy thanksgiving and saved lots of money by not spending any during black Friday...

Kenjutsu Seminar at Yoshukai Karate Dothan

You are invited to our first Bokken Week-end at the Yoshukai Karate Dojo in Dothan, AL on April 28, 29, 30. (Last week end of this month). During this seminar we will practice Kenjutsu and Jojutsu with partners and only use wooden weapons.

Crossed Bokken ready to attack, or separate...

Some people like to brag about being “naturals” at sword. I'm sure you've heard this before.... This is to say the least unfortunate. There is nothing natural about sword or stick fighting. It takes proper instruction, time and effort. Just as being an expert in Karate Kata or Heavy Breaking does not make you a fighter, practicing beautiful Iaido or Tameshigiri does not make you a swordsman. 

Shimabukuro Hanshi pressures Robin Ramirez

Short of actual fighting, paired practice is the best way to improve your distance and timing. It is also much safer... This is what we'll practice this week-end and will have fun doing it.

Programme : 

• Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Kenjutsu : Tachi Uchi no Kurai and Tsumeai no Kurai
• Kasumi Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu : First set of Kata
• Shindo Muso Ryu Jo Jutsu : Kihon and first four Kata.

Instructor : Frederic Lecut, 3rd Dan MJER, 5th Dan Yoshukai Karate.

Schedule :

Friday, April 28:  6:30 to 8:30 pm

Saturday, April 29 : 10:00 am to 5:00 pm with one hour lunch break

Sunday, April 30 : 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location : World Yoshukai Karate Dojo : 1791 Ross Clark Circle, Dothan, AL 36301

Cost : 1 Session $10.00, full week-end : $ 20.00

Shimabukuro Hanshi & Carl Long Hanshi

Contact : Frederic Lecut : (334) 798 1639, frederic.lecut@gmail.com

The Monk and the Samurai

There are several version of this tale. Sometimes, Hakuin is the hero. A Zen monk was once visited by a samurai warrior. “I want to know about heaven and hell,” said the samurai. “Do they really exist?” he asked the monk.   The Monk looked at the samurai and asked, “Who are you?”   “I am a samurai,” announced the proud warrior.   “A samurai, really?” exclaimed the monk.  “Look at yourself ! You're unkempt, dumb and dirty. Indeed you're a disgrace and an embarrassment to the whole samurai class ! What makes you think you could understand such insightful things? Go away and do not waste my time with your foolish questions,” the monk said, waving his hand to drive away the samurai.   The enraged samurai drew his sword to slice the monk's head off, and the monk calmly retorted,  “THIS,  is Hell.” The samurai was taken aback. His face softened. Humbled by the wisdom of the monk, he put away his sword and bowed to him. “And THIS, is heaven,”  stated the monk just as calmly. Most people think this story is about the compassion and courage of the Monk who does not hesitate to put his life in danger to teach the Samurai. They are missing the point. No matter how admirable compassion is, it does not help people break the chains of suffering. The problem is not Hell or Heaven, the problem is Liking or Disliking. By insulting the Samurai the monk sets in motion the whole chain of dependent origination. On hearing the words "unkempt, dumb and dirty", rage - suffering - dukkha -  instantly raises in the samurai.  His proud ego  - He - is born anew.  And as soon as he hears "This is Hell", he realizes what has been happening. This same ego  - He - dies. The monk in fact skilfully demonstrated to him the mechanisms of Dependent Origination: how our ego constantly dies and is reborn in us.  In our ignorance of the dharma we are addicted to the world and ego we have built. Until we figure out how we can use the same mechanisms that have been enslaving us to free ourselves, we will suffer, just like the samurai suffered when the monk insulted him. The Buddha himself taught that Dependent Origination was a complicated and subtle thing to realize. It is so confusing that  it has been interpreted in very different ways by numerous Buddhist sects. In Zen, we do not put much emphasis in studying it, relying on the Heart Sutra's  negation of it : "There is neither Ignorance, nor extinction of Ignorance, neither Old Age and Death nor extinction of Old Age and Death".  But for a slow and thick headed learner as me, studying the basics : 4 Noble Truth, 8 fold path, and Dependent Origination is very helpful. I do not take them as Dogma or Theories, but as Efficient Tools to be used toward a Practical Goal.  Take Dogen's "Dropping body and Mind". People who are much more advanced than me wrote fascinating and abstruse stuff about it. But if you study Dependent Origination, it appears very likely that Dogen was simply  referring to the 4th link of Dependent Origination : Body/Mind - Nama/Rupa and that there is no need to  think of anything more complicated than that.  Before you run, learn how to walk, always practice basics... The great way is not difficult,  For those who have no preference...

Yukizure - Bunkai

Yukizure is the first waza of the Okuden Tachi waza set of the MJER Curriculum...

The Bunkai of Yukizure is that you are being escorted ("escorted" is the literal meaning of "Yukizure") to a place you don't really want to go by two guys you don't really like.  They may not be really bright, because they have left you with your sword.

One of them is on your right, the other one on your left.

While walking with them, you take a smaller step to be behind them, bump onto your left escort from behind, draw and cut the right escort's neck or left shoulder. This cut is one handed, it is Nukitsuke.  Immediately follow up by cutting the other escort with a two handed kirioroshi.

In this video taped on February 1st, 2014, at the Shindai Aikikai of Orlando, FL, Carl Long Kyoshi demonstrates the Bunkai of Yukizure.

If you are interested in learning Traditional Japanese Swordsmanship, the KNBK website provides valuable information about various aspects of the Art, as well as addresses of schools (dojo) licensed to teach Iaijutu in the USA and other countries.

The Secret of Kendo

Once upon a time, a very proud young samurai visited a famous Kendo Master and asked him : 

"What is the secret of your Art?"

The Master quietly grabbed his shinai, twirled it above his head and strongly whacked the young man on the top of his head. 

Surely he received satori!

 In "Zen and Martial Arts" by Taisen Desshimaru

Don't you love these old Masters...

Bow and Musket in Japanese warfare.

The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow date from the Yayoi period (ca. 500 BC–300 AD). The first written document describing Japanese archery is the Chinese chronicle Weishu (dated around 297 AD), which tells how in the Japanese isles people use "a wooden bow that is short from the bottom and long from the top." The bow was used a a weapon of war as well as for hunting. 

 

When the Portuguese arrived in Japan in 1543, they brought with them muskets or harquebuse. Within 20 years the Japanese blacksmith were able to manufacture their own muskets usually called tanegashima.

The bow kept being used alongside the tanegashima for quite a while because of its longer reach and accuracy and mostly because its highly superior rate of fire. A good archer could fire 30 to 40 arrows during the time it took a musketeer to reload his musket. 

 

However, it was much easier and faster to train a musketeer than it was to train an archer. This allowed Oda Nobunaga (and his ally Tokugawa Ieyasu) to annihilate the traditional samurai archer cavalry army of the Takeda clan with an army mostly consisting of peasants armed with tanegashima in 1575 at the Battle of Nagashino.

 

Education of a Young Samurai

Below is an other excerpt from the Book “My Narrow Isle” by Sumie Seo Mishima. She was born at the beginning of the 20th century on a Samurai family. Although at this period Samurai had lost their privileges, their spirit was still very much alive. After the death of her father the author was still in third grade, and she went to live with one of her maternal aunt in Tokyo. Here she explains a little more about her Uncle, and the education he received as a young samurai.

Uncle had a very serious face. He seldom smiled and almost never laughed or got angry. His movement was slow and ceremonious. Whenever I showed any sign of haste or feeling, he told me that it was most unbecoming to a samurai woman. 

Once I was struck in the street by a signboard blown off by the wind. He said it was most careless of me to be struck by such a thing as a signboard. One should train oneself to have self control enough to dodge any unexpected attack.

When he was young, he ans his two brothers were disciplined by their father under a rule that anyone in the family might strike any other person at any time of the day and night even when the victim was asleep, provided in the latter case the attack was made with a sufficiently loud cry preceding the blow. The one struck was not to make any complaint, however severe the blow might be. 

In this way the young samurai were trained to self composure coming from supremely trained watchfulness, which Uncle said had proved useful in saving him from various possible accidents even after samurai sword-fighting had been made illegal.

His swords had long been put aside, but anyone could tell he was a samurai by his lordly carriage. 

 

If you think this was harsh, consider the attitude these young men were able to develop. This kind of upbringing makes you become totally responsible for yourself. Something happens to you, you have nobody else to blame but yourself. 

We are surrounded by sorry people - of all political horizons - who keep blaming society for how unfair life is to them. Not much can be done for them. If you try to ease their pains, they will find something else to feel sorry about. If they had received this kind of education, they would probably not have this kind of attitude. 

And let us be clear about this. We are all responsible for this, not just their own parents...

 

Beside that, I  am also a firm believer in letting kids fights at school – open hand fights – no knives or guns of course. Fights allow testosterone and resentment to be vented before they accumulate so much that you feel the need to kill someone with a gun. 

Before we ask teachers to carry guns, we should let kids settle their disputes with their fists.

But this is another story...

The sound of a wet towel

"My Narrow Isle: The Story of a Modern Woman in Japan"  is the first part of the autobiography of Sumie Seo Mishima. She was born in Japan at the beginning of the XXth century in a Samurai Family, and received a western type of education in the US after World War I.

The end of the XIXth and the beginning of the XXth centuries were times of great changes in Japan. The society basically switched from a feudal to a westernized capitalistic structure in a matter of 2 generations.

At the beginning of her book, the author remembers how her younger sister's old nurse - whose husband had died in the wars of the Meiji Revolution - used to say: 

"Don't ever, ever flap a wet towel to dry it when you take a bath. It gives out a sound exactly like the sound of a human head struck off!"

The old lady and many of her generation had seen many human heads cut off and be displayed by the roadside...

The old woman was trying to remind young generations of the horrors of what had happened. Unfortunately this was not enough, and the same terrible things happened again a few decades later during the invasion of China by the Japanese troops. 

The tension brewing today between China and Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands is - at least partially - fuelled by the remembrance of these atrocities. 

If we cannot learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes...

The Last Words of Huineng

As I was sharing with Elliston Roshi my sorrow at the passing of Shimabukuro Hanshi, he suggested I checked what Hui Neng had to say about his own passing, about 1200 years ago. I happened to be reading in Heinrich Dumoulin's “Zen Buddhism, a history – India and China.“ the part about Hui Neng, the 6th Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, who was an extremely influential figure of the development of Buddhist Zen in China. 

As he knew his death was coming, Hui Neng addressed his disciples in this way :

" Good bye, all of you. I shall depart from you now. After I am gone, do not weep worldly tears, nor accept condolences, money, and silks from people, do not wear mourning garments, If you did so, it would not accord with the sacred Dharma, nor would you be true disciples of mine. Be the same as you would if I were here. And sit all together in meditation. If you are only peacefully calm and quiet, without motion, without stillness, without birth, without destruction, without coming, without going - this then is the great Way. After I have gone, just practice according to the Dharma in the same way that you did on the days that I was with you. Even though I were still to be in this world, if you went against the teachings, there would be no use in my having stayed here. "

The Cherry Blossom is to flowers, 

what the Samurai is to men.

Writings of Suzuki Shosan - II

A warrior asked Suzuki Shosan, "They say the law of Buddha and the law of the world are like the two wheels of a chariot. But nothing would be lacking in the world even without Buddhism. Why liken them to two wheels of a chariot?”

Shosan replied, ‘The law of Buddha and the law of the world are not two separate things. According to a saying of Buddha, if you can enter the world successfully there is nothing more to leaving the world.

“Whether Buddhism or worldly law, there is nothing more than reasoning correctly, acting justly, and practicing honesty.

“There are differences in depth of honesty. Not twisting reason, preserving justice, correctness in social relations, not crossing people, not being egotistical - these constitute honesty in the worldly sense. This is a way into the deep via the shallow.

“Honesty in the context of Buddhism means realizing that all conditioned phenomena are illusions, and using the original reality-body in its natural state. This is true honesty.

“The fact is that the ordinary people are very sick patients, while the Buddha is a very great physician. Ordinary people ought to recognize sickness first. In the ignorant mind that fluctuates, there is the sickness of delusion, there are sicknesses of greed and false views, there are sicknesses of weakness and injustice. Based on the mind infected by the three poisons, there are diseases of eighty-four thousand afflictions. Getting rid of this mind is called Buddhism. How is this any different from worldly law?

“People who attain the Way know the principle of fundamental emptiness, use principle and duty as a forge to temper this mind day and night, get rid of the residue of impurities, make it a pure unhindered mind-sword, cut through the root of selfish and obsessive thoughts, overcome all thoughts, surmount everything, and are unfazed by anything, unborn and undying. These are called people of the Way.

“Now, then, ordinary people are those who take the falsehood of illusions to be true, produce a selfish mind attached to what has form, develop greedy, angry, and ignorant thoughts, create all sorts of afflictions and lose their basic mind, always distracted, overcome by thoughts as they occur, racking their brains and belaboring their bodies, without buoyancy of mind, vainly passing the time benighted, alienated from themselves and fixated on things. This is called the mind of ordinary people.

‘That being so, you should know the different terms for the original mind. It is called the adamantine actuality, the indestructible body of reality, This mind is not hung up on things; it is unafraid, unshakable, undismayed, unfazed, undisturbed, and unchanged, master of all. Those who realize this and use it effectively are called great; they are said to have iron guts, and to have attained the Way. People like this are not obstructed by myriad thoughts; able to let go of all things, they are very independent.

“However, people who would practice the Way of Buddha will be unable to succeed unless they have an intrepid mind first. It is impossible to gain access to the Way of Buddha with a weak mind. If you are not rigorously observant and do not practice vigorously, you will experience misery along with those afflictions.

“One who overcomes all things with a firm mind is called a wayfarer. One who has thoughts fixated on appearances, is burdened by everything, and so suffers misery is called an ordinary person.

“So people who work up the courage of violence with an afflicted mind may have the force to’ break through iron walls for the moment, but violence ‘eventually comes to an end. The mind of a strong person, being immovable, does not change. If men who are warriors cultivate this, why would they not attain a strong mind?

“Even people of outstanding heroism, when the killing demon of impermanence comes lose their usual power, their ferocity, and ability to exert any effort. When they try to open their eyes they cannot see anything; their ears can't hear, their tongues shrivel and can't speak. When the killing demon enters the heart and destroys the internal organs, breathing becomes difficult, pain invades their bodies, and under it they become unable to overcome and kill the demon of impermanence, unable to bear the great hardships of the mountain of death, drowning in the river between here and the afterlife, shamed at the court of the king of death, falling forever into the three evils and four dispositions, disgraced generation to generation, lifetime after lifetime, as self and as other, unable to escape. 

Would you say this disgrace is insignificant because shallow people don’t know of it ? Even in the illusory human society disgrace is nothing to take lightly; how much the more so is eternal disgrace ?

“Can someone ignorant of this logic be called someone who knows principle or embodies justice? Think ahead before you act.

If you know the principle, you should fear it. If you embody justice, use the fierce and firm mind-sword to cut down the enemy of birth and death and live in great peace.”

Somehow, this story reminds me of the - probably apocryphal - episode of the viper coming upon Takuan Soho and Miyamoto Musashi meditating together.

How about that ?

Suzuki Shosan quotes - I

Suzuki Shosan is among the most dramatic personalities in the history of Zen. Born in the province of Misawa (present day Aichi Prefecture) in 1579, he became a retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1541-1616), who unified Japan after the battle of Sekigahara. At age 41, after being enlightened by deities claiming to be the Nió, the guardians of the temple gate, he became a monk and developed a highly original teaching style strongly imbued with the warrior spirit. The warrior’s life, Shosan believed, was particularly suited to Zen study because it demanded vitality, courage, and "death energy," the readiness to confront death at any moment. Emphasizing dynamic activity over quiet contemplation, Shosan urged students to realize enlightenment in the midst of their daily life.

Advice to warriors :

Do your job with your mind as taut as an iron bow strung with wire. This is the same as Zen meditation.

Use your mind strongly even when you walk down the street, such that you wouldn’t even blink if someone unexpectedly thrust a lance at your nose. All warriors should at all time be in such state of mind in everyday life.

There is a practice designed to enter the Way of Buddha by means of your profession. You should apply this idea, that a man born in a house of valor, polishing a sword and sporting a bow, should always exert the strongest attention, as if he were marching right into an army of ten million men.

The strongest men and the greatest martial arts masters are born that way, so no effort can attain that; but when it comes to exerting our whole heart and disregarding our lives, to whom should we be inferior? No one should think he’ll lose, even to the greatest warriors. Why is that? Because if you back off such a person, who will back off you?

Thus consider that you are always on duty, required to firmly apply your full attention. If you slack off, you’re useless. 

Remember such a stable and firm attitude is itself meditation practice. There is no other method of concentration to seek. Buddhism itself is about applying full attention steadily, without being disturbed by external things. Developing a confident attitude that is never pained or vexed or worried or saddened or altered or frightened is called attaining Buddhahood.

There are those who discuss the amount of rewards and size of entitlement of those who have exercised considerable military ability, put their lives on the line, ground down their bones, and become famous. They are foolish! Why not do a warrior’s deed, costly though it be, for the sake of loyalty? People who think of rewards are nothing but military merchants.

There are myriad different methods of practice, but essentially they amount to no more than overcoming thoughts of yourself. The source of suffering is ego, the thought of self. To know this is reason. Once you know the reason for suffering, your sense of duty evokes effort to extinguish the thought of self with a genuine courageous mind. Fools can’t understand the source of misery and happiness; people without a sense of duty cannot break the bonds of life and death.

The Fighting Man of Japan

I edited and uploaded onto Scribd.com a very interesting book which had been  poorly scanned by Google. Written by F.J. Norman, a British officer who had spent years in Japan at the end of the 19th century, this book entitled " THE FIGHTING MAN OF JAPAN - The training and exercises of the Samurai" describes the Military Training and Education in post Meiji Restoration Japan.

Chapters III and IV are particularly interesting as they respectively treat of Kenjutsu and Ju Jutsu. The author had the rare honor and privilege of probably being the first Westerner admitted to train at high level in these 2 noble arts; and in the process he also became friend with the last Tokugawa Shogun 's Maitre d'Armes...

Full contact Kendo...

You can read or dowload this book at http://www.scribd.com/doc/99921047/Fighting-Man-of-Japan.

Heaven and Hell

Mugen and I often have meaningful conversations at red lights, and may not see that it turned to green. Not long ago on my way to Karate, I had stopped at a red light. The light must have been green for 3 seconds, and some idiot behind me honked. 

That pissed me off !  I really felt like getting off my car to go punch the moron in the face.

Now what is amazing is the speed at which this happens. It is unreal ! In a matter of a few milliseconds, you switch from Dr. Jekyll to Mr Hide. (I've heard that some women have the ability to do that even faster, but this is a different story...).

No seriously, it is hard to believe, It is so fast, no conscious ego involved. Pure, Row Anger Flaring. 5 skandhas at work.

• Form : the honking,
• Sensation: the sound hits the eardrum;
• Consciousness : awareness of the sound;
• Perception : someone is not happy,
• Mental formation - pure, row anger.

Later on the Ego becomes involved. Anger needs to be resolved - it really is not good for the body : high blood pressure, adrenaline overflows, stomach acidity...

• Either give up to Anger and blindly act upon it : Go punch the moron's face, or just wait 5 more seconds before starting the car; (You're an ass, I can be a bigger ass), or 

• Try to deflate Anger through reasoning : "Look, you are not going to do this, you have other things to do, you are already late for class, and moreover this guy could have a gun... and then it is not the Zen thing to do, after all, he might be distraught because his child is sick, or he just learned his wife is having an affair (too bad, he is a moron anyway...)

So here actually,  Ego is not always the bad guy. It can be a good concept, a good trick contributing to the survival of this creature and to the harmony of society. Ego has - in theory - the power to chose between blind action only triggered by emotion ("emotion" from ex-motion : out of it comes motion - or action), or to consider the consequences of various possible actions in response to a situation and accordingly chose a wiser course of action...

Great danger comes when the ego is not even involved and action is carried out without any rationalization, just on a whim.

Actually, the ability to properly act under such condition was considered positive by samurai, and is very likely the goal of training of modern elite soldiers. This is what Heijoshin is about. Instinctively knowing what to do in any situation. (read the Hagakure) 

It is not, however, a simple thing to do. To get to that point request years of practice. Needless to say, I am not there yet. I wish I would not have these bouts of anger (rage?), and I am thankful I am able to control them.

I'll keep training. 

Long ago in Japan, a samurai, retainer from a clan well known for their fierce (cocky...) attitude, went to visit Zen Master Hakuin. The Samurai was a big, proud man, used to getting whatever he wanted.

"Hakuin!" shouted the Samurai at the temple door, "I want a word with you right now!"

Master Hakuin rose from his cushion. He took his sweet time to stretch his legs before turning toward his visitor. The large figure of the impatient Samurai blocked the temple entrance.

"Well, monk," grunted the samurai, " They say you are a wise man ! If that is so, tell me about Heaven and Hell!"

Hakuin looked carefully at the fierce-looking Samurai and finally replied, " Did you disrupt my meditation to ask something every fool knows about? You immature fool! What kind of a second class soldier are you ? Look at yourself !You are so unkempt. Your hands and feet are dirty. Your hair is uncombed, you stink, and above all your sword - did you steal it from a kid - is rusty and so obviously neglected that it would not even slice a cucumber ! You are ugly and your mother dresses you funny. And you dare ask me about Heaven and Hell? Leave this temple right now, and never come back again!"

The Samurai was furious! No one had ever dared to speak to him that rudely. In a flash he drew his sword and raised it high above his head. "You filthy monk will die for those words!" he roared.

Hakuin quietly looked up and told him: 

"THIS is what Hell feels like..."

The samurai instantly froze, his sword in mid-air, realizing that Hakuin had risked his own life to teach him. He lowered his sword and deeply bowed to Hakuin. 

"And THIS is what Heaven feels like..." said Hakuin...