Zen at War

A few years ago, 2 distressing books entitled "Zen at War" and "Zen War Stories" were published by Brian Victoria about the attitude of the Zen Establishment right before and during World War II in Japan. During this difficult period, a number of Zen Masters gave their support to the Japanese Imperial Army. This was very unfortunate, but they were very likely unaware of the atrocities committed in Korea, China and other Asian countries by the Japanese forces. (Are we really aware of what is going on in Pakistan or Afghanistan ?)

Apparently and according to various authors, Victoria tried to strengthen his case by distorting the words of a number of prominent Zen teachers. Among those are Kodo Sawaki, teacher of Taisen Desshimaru and Gudo Nishijima - and D.T. Suzuki who first translated in English the Lankavatara Sutra - among others - Excusez-moi du peu ! Quotations from these masters were mistranslated and taken out of contest to make them seem like war-mongers when this was quite the opposite.

I suggest you read this article and decide for yourself. 

I don’t know Japanese so I can’t judge of the validity of the arguments on the translations. However, I have been practising Japanese Martial Arts for a few years and I would like to add some wood to the fire of discussion. So here we go :

Zen does not preach the gospel of mercy, in fact Zen does not preach anything at all. Zen is practice.

The connection between Zen and Martial Arts dates from the beginnings of Zen in Japan – i.e. the 13th century when the Mongols of Kubilai Khan twice tried to invade (in 1274 and 1281). These were difficult times for Japanese society.
 

If you want to understand more about the connection between Zen and Martial Arts, I suggest you read Trevor Legett’s "Zen and the Ways” and “The Warriors Koans”, Taisen Desshimaru (another disciple of Kodo Sawaki Roshi) – “Zen and Martial Arts”, Yamaoka Tesshu’s “The sword of no-sword”, or Omory Sogen’s “Introduction to Zen training”. These are all books by men of great accomplishment in Zen and/or Traditional Japanese Martial or other Arts. 

The same sword and swordsman kills and gives life – no distinction. This is not a deep philosophical thing. If you see someone ready to hurt some innocent person, you slice them, your sword killed one person, and gave life to the other person. It is that simple. If you believe otherwise, you are mistaken. You might not be able to do it, but do not blame Buddhism or Zen for that. It is just that you were not able to do it.

There is no shame if you did nothing because you did not know how to handle a sword. No need to be killed yourself. However, if you are fluent in Martial Arts and are not able to use them when necessary, or if you use them too easily when you should not, you have a problem, and society has a problem. 

This is where Zen can help.

 

Yagyu Munenori was chief martial art instructor to the first and second Tokugawa shogun. (Early 17th century). Only once in his life did he draw his sword when a small group of rebels tried to assassinate the Shogun. Munenori, who was himself a disciple of Takuan Soho - sliced them down.
 

In his book “Heiho Kandesho” translated by Scott Wilson as “the Life-giving sword” Munenori clearly explains the identity of the life giving and the killing sword.

Things are not complicated. To become fluent at anything, you need to practice. It is true of Zen, it is true of Martial Arts. You need to practice Zazen, you need to practice Kendo or Calligraphy. If you don’t practice, you are wasting your time. 

And here I am, writing...

The unification of Japan

The second half of the 16th century saw the final unification of Japan.

3 men of exception carried out this amazing task.

• Oda Nobunaga (1534 – 1582)
• Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537 – 1598)
• Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 – 1616)

One of the various warlords plundering the land which was only nominally under the authority of an emperor isolated in Kyoto, Nobunaga began the process of unification.

Nobunaga only united about 30 % of Japan. He had given momentum for is successors but was assassinated by one of his disgruntled generals in 1582. 

Both Hideyoshi and Tokugawa were his faithful vassals. 

Hideyoshi,  a military genius, was the son of a farmer. He raised in the military through his own valor. He has often been compared to Napoleon. Practically, Hideyoshi achieved the process of unification.  In 1590, he was controlling most of Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu was a general and vassal of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi. After Hideyoshi's death in 1598, Ieyasu got rid of his son and installed the Tokugawa shogunate that would last 250 years. 

There is a Japanese saying: "Nobunaga pounds the national rice cake, Hideyoshi kneads it, and in the end Ieyasu sits down and eats it."

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.

The Last Samurai was French !

I loved the Last Samurai movie, and think Tom Cruise did a great job in it.

I learned a few weeks ago, from a fellow Iaido student that the story of Nathan Algren was actually inspired from the life of an actual French Army officer named Jules Brunet.

Brunet was part of a first military Mission sent by the French government to Japan to modernize the troops of the Shogun in 1867.

Jules Brunet in 1890

In 1868, the Shogun was overthrown in the Boshin War, the Emperor Meiji was restored to full power and the French military mission was ordered to leave Japan by Imperial decree.

However, Brunet chose to remain with the faction loyal to the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu , also favorable to the Interests of France.  He resigned - actually deserted - from the French army, and left for northern Japan with the remains of the Shogunate's armies to help them organize the resistance to the imperial troops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jules Brunet and his Samurai Team

When the troops loyal to the Shogun were decimated, Brunet managed to board a ship and sail back to France where he was court martialed for his desertion. As he was immensely popular in France, where newspapers had published his story, he  just received a 6 month time out sentence, after which he was reinstated and promoted in the Armed Forces. 

Takuan, Munenori and the Tiger

In November, in the 13th year of Kanyei (1636), a Korean ambassador came to pay tribute to the Third Shogun Tokugawa Iyemitsu. He presented to him various Korean products, among them a live tiger.

One day, the Shogun went to see the tiger with his retainers. Zen Master Takuan and Kenjutsu Master Yagyu Munenori were among them.

The tiger was about 5 feet in height. The Shogun was interested in its fur. "How fine its fur!" he said to his attendants, "Can any of you go and touch it?"

No one answered.

"Does it look so fierce to you?" said the Shogun. "What do you think Yagyu" he inquired."You are a master swordsman and expert at military arts. Surely your kenjutsu ability can overcome the tiger. When you succeed it will do credit to the virtues of Japanese Military expertise and will be an honor to Japan abroad."

Munenori bowed to the Shogun and rose quietly. With an iron fan in hand, he approached the tiger. Munenori stood before the pen, and ordered the gardener to open its door. "Is it safe to open?" inquired the gardener. "It is safe,' replied Munenori. At this, the gardener opened the pen. The tiger held itself in readiness to leap, but Munenori entered the pen fearlessly, holding out the iron fan in front. All looked on with breathless interest, and the Korean envoys stared in amazement.

The animal became very nervous. But Munenori remained calm. He edged along, holding out the iron fan in front pointing it at the animal's eye. It gave a roar. Munenori kept his eye upon its breathing, aimed his fan at the tiger and gave a loud kiai. The tiger reluctantly drew back. The people were astonished. When Munenori shouted once more, the tiger bent its forelegs and stooped with its jaw on the ground. Munenori smiled and walked slowly out of the pen.

The Korean envoys were impressed...

Munenori bowed before his lord.

"You have done well, Lord Yagyu," said Master Takuan. "This display of your ability surely will convince every ruler of foreign lands of the glory of Japanese Military Arts, I have been your friend for many years but had never seen you display your ability to that extent before.

As Takuan had spoken, the Shogun asked him. "The tiger was crushed by Yagyu's swordsmanship. If you could tame it by virtue of Buddhism, it would be the greatest national glory in foreign countries. I wish you to try at once, Takuan."

Takuan laughed and said, "It may not be so interesting or glorious. But as you wish my Lord, let me tame the animal."

He bowed to the Shogun and went down to the yard, walked straight to the tiger and opened the pen himself. When the gardener tried to stop him, he had already entered the pen.

The tiger became roared in anger. Fearless and smiling the Priest entered the pen and closed it himself. He stood before the tiger, turning up his sleeves.

The people opened their eyes in amazement at his boldness, being unable to guess what he intended to do. The tiger at first appeared ready to spring at the intruder, but far from taking the offensive, it stepped back with its back raised and rounded like a rock, overwhelmed by the Priest's friendly manners.

Takuan walked toward the tiger, bent a little forward and thrust out his left hand before the nose of the animal who licked it.

Yagyu Munenori sighed and lowered his head, struck with admiration.

Takuan stroked the tiger on the head, he laid down like a puppy and played with him.

The Master laughed merrily and sat astride the tiger.

In future posts :  

• The meeting of Master Takuan, Miyamoto Musashi - an other famous sword master - and a venomous snake... 
• The fight between Master Kaicho Yamamoto - founder of Yoshukai Karate - and an other Tiger.

Patience...

The original Chinese meaning of the Kanji NIN 忍 (as in Ninja) means patience, endurance. In Japan NIN evolved into shinobi, meaning to hide, to sneak in...

Three men laid the foundations for modern Japan and were to rule in succession :

• Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), warlord of the province of Owari,

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), one of his generals,

• Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), Nobunaga's junior ally.

Nobunaga, known for his cruelty, almost unified Japan but was betrayed by one of his lieutenants and slained.

Hideyoshi, known for his impetuosity, finally unified Japan and brought the end of the Civil War Era. When all Japan was unified and no enemy could be found, he tried and failed to conquer China. He died from old age in 1598 without ever becoming Shogun.

When Nobunaga was slained, Ieyasu, known for his patience, decided not dispute about Hideyoshi's claim for regency and kept the position of No.2 in Japan. When Hideyoshi died, Ieyasu vanquished his successor at the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He got the title of Shogun in 1603, established his Shogunate in Edo, known as Tokyo today, and his dynasty ruled until 1867...

The following tale is told about these three extraordinary rulers :

There was a little bird who wouldn't sing. Nobunaga said, “little bird, if you don't sing, I'll kill you." Hideyoshi said, “little bird, if you don't sing, I'll make you sing." Tokugawa said, “little bird, if you don't sing, I'll wait for you to sing."