About DO and JUTSU arts

I have heard repeatedly over the past few years people who believe that the JUTSU types of Martial arts are superior to the DO types, when it comes to actual usability in a real fight.

Such people will pretend for example, that Jujutsu is superior to Judo in an actual confrontation in the street, because the dangerous moves of Jujutsu were remove from Judo so it could be safely practiced in competition.

This is a fallacy. You may debate for hours what is the best car in the world, but if I have to go to town now, the best car in the world is my car. In case of a confrontation, the best martial art in the world is the one you know - IF YOU MASTER IT - because the is the only one you have...

One day a guy called and asked me if I taught Kendo or Kenjutsu. When I told him we practiced both at our dojo, he explained - at length - that he was only interested in Kenjutsu, because Kendo was a modern - therefore worthless - version of Kenjutsu. So I asked him where he had practiced before and he acknowledged the fact he never had, but had read a lot about the subject. I invited me to come to the dojo for a try.

Interestingly enough this guy never showed up for class ...

 

This is a very interesting video - it shows the Sensei demonstrating fast action Kendo. He is wearing no Bogu and his opponent attacks Men repeatedly. Watch the speed of his action, I don't think his opponent was able to touch him but once, the rest of the time, he hit his Do, Kote or Men, (*) or a combination of these. Obviously, these guys enjoyed this greatly, and I myself really enjoyed watching them. 

Some experts will say that this would not have been practiced by real samurai, that because the Shinai is longer than a real Katana, and that is has no curvature, too much practice with the Shinai would create bad habits that would kill you on the battle field. And there is some truth to this. It is said that Yamaoka Tesshu liked to practice with very short swords for this reason. 

It is also said that when Miyamoto Musashi had to fight the famous Sasaki Kojiro who was using a very long sword (the drying pole) he carved an even longer Boken out of an oar and beat him with it.

Watch carefully this video and ask yourself honestly, would you really feel comfortable with your real sword fighting this little yellow devil armed with a wooden Boken ? 

The best Martial Art is the one you master.

Merry Christmas to all

Terminology :  

Do, Kote and Men are approved targets in Kendo : they are the sides and front of the abdomen, the wrists, and the top of the head. 

A Bogu is the armour used in Kendo to spar.

A Shinai is the flexible bamboo sword used in the Kendo video.

A Boken is a wooden sword the size of a real Katana sword, also used in Kendo and Kenjutsu Training.

Amazing research proves that training works !

In an experiment published by the Oxford Journal, British neuroscientists from the Centre for Neuroscience, Imperial College London compared the behavior and brain structure of a control group of individuals  - never involved with Martial Arts - with a group of karate black belts.

"Using 3D motion tracking, we investigated whether the ability to control ballistic arm movements was associated with differences in white matter microstructure. We found that karate experts are better able than novices to coordinate the timing of inter-segmental joint velocities" (in Individual Differences in Expert Motor Coordination Associated with White Matter Microstructure in the Cerebellum)

Translation : The Karateka punch faster...

Ouch !

Now this is amazing, Training works... If it were only for that, that study would represent a waste of lots of money and effort. There is an interesting aspect to this though : " the ability to control ballistic arm movements was associated with differences in white matter microstructure. " Translation : Training  locally modifies the structure of white matter in the brain. 

There are in the brain 2 types of matter : Grey and White, and apparently, the structure of that White matter is modified by training.

Then in another study published by the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, research found that Medittion involved changes in the white matter.

"In our work, we found that a form of mindfulness meditation, integrative body–mind training (IBMT), improved FA in areas surrounding the anterior cingulate cortex after 4-wk training more than controls given relaxation training. " (in Mechanisms of white matter changes induced by meditation)

Translation : Meditation changes the way white matter operates

Note that they don't say that the structure is changed, but that there are changes in the Way White matter operates. I tend to believe that changes in Functions are generally related to changes in Form - but I then, am no neuroscientist.

It is nevertheless interesting to link both information : 

• Training in Martial Arts modifies - locally - the structure of White matter in the Brain, and 
• Training in Meditation modifies the way This White matter operates.

This could mean that meditation is profitable to Martial Artists, and explain why some famous Sword masters were also practicing Zen (Miyamoto Musashi, Yamaoka Tesshu, Yagyu Munenori...)

This is also a good indication that practicing Martial Arts (or other physical activity developing speed and accuracy) would be profitable to Meditators...

Get off your butts...

Calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu

Last acquisition for the Dojo : A Calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu - Zen, Sword and Calligraphy master of 19th century Japan.

Yamaoka Tesshu was the founder of Muto Ryu style of Kenjutsu - also practiced by Omori Sogen Roshi (see my other post about this other remarkable Master).

Tesshu also negotiated with Saigo Takamori, leader of the Satsuma rebellion who inspired the famous movie "The Last Samurai".

Although this is just a piece of paper with ink on it, I am proud and happy to display in the dojo the work of a true Master. 

May this inspire us all on our ways. 

On a more practical account, if you know someone who could read this, I would highly appreciate their interpretation ! 

Sexual Passion ...

One day, His disciple Chiba told Yamaoka Tesshu : "To really practice Zazen, one has to cut off all sexual passion" 

Tesshu laughed : "Oh really ! And how are you going to do that ? Is not sexual passion the root of all existence ?"
"I will separate from my wife and all other women - this way sexual temptation will not arise !"

"Brilliant ! Is that not a little selfish ? What about your wife? The faithful companion of these past 20 years? ... Staying away from women is no way to cut off sexual passion; it's just trying to suppress it !"

"Then how should I cut it off ? "

"Throw yourself fully into the world of sexual passion - all of them. There only you will find release from them. Love your wife with all your heart, and find enlightenment in the middle of everyday's life!"...

Tesshu's position agrees with one principle of modern psychology: the more we try to suppress something we do not like about ourselves, the more it comes back to haunt us. 

One major difficulty met by mystics of all traditions is sexuality. Denying the body's needs is a tricky thing.

If you prevent the safety valve on top of your water heater to open, the pressure builds up inside and eventually, the whole thing blows up with great damages...

KABOOM...

This does not mean Tesshu's recommendation would safely apply to everyone of us. Actually, his wife was so unpleased with his way to deal with sexual passion that she threatened to divorce him and kill their children (she was indeed of Samurai Blood) to make him adopt a different path.

The Noble Eightfold Path does not deny sexuality but recommends to not use it in a way that could harm anyone.

We are living here and now, cravings and attachments are real, because we make them so. Believing that the satisfaction of Sexual Passion - or any other craving - can give us happiness is a mistake. Believing we can obliterate it and that this will make us happy is another one. 

If you mimic someone else, your Zen is dead.

The Rinzai Roku is a collection of the teachings of Master Rinzai (Lin Ji in Chinese), who lived in China in the 9th century. He was the founder of what would be known in Japan as the Rinzai School of Zen.

One day a visitor asked to Yamaoka Tesshu to comment for him about the Rinzai Roku. Master Tesshu told him that an other Zen Master Kosen Roshi was lecturing on this regularly in Kamakura. The visitor told him that he wanted to hear his lecture.

Tesshu agreed and took his guest to the dojo. There he demonstrated Muto Ryu swordsmandhip with one of his disciples in front of the visitor. 

"So, what do you think of my lecture about the Records of Rinzai ?" Asked Tesshu.

The visitor, impressed by the demonstration - did not answer. 

 

Tesshu kept on : "Since I am a samurai and swordsman, I best can explain Master Rinzai's teachings through Kendo (literally "the Way of the Sword). No matter how powerful is your intellect, if you mimic someone else, your Zen is dead..."

I have read 2 versions of this story - This one in "The sword of no sword" by John Stevens. In the other in "An introduction to Zen training" by Omori Sogen, Tesshu invites his guest to a sword bout. No wonder the visitor was left speechless... Yamaoka Tesshu was considered the best swordsman of his era.

Compare this with the story of the Nun Shido who, when asked by the Abbott of the Enkakuji temple to discourse about the same Rinzai Roku, drew her Short sword and told him: "I am a woman of warrior lineage and I should only declare our teaching when really face to face with a drawn sword. What book should I need?"

It is very likely that Master Tesshu was aware of this story as it is part of a collection of Early Warrior Koans - of which he owned a sample.

This is important, and refreshing :

"If you mimic someone else, 

your Zen is dead..."

The Zanshin of a Zen Master

Sword Master Yamaoka Tesshu studied Zen under several Masters. The last barrier he had to pass was the "flashing swords" koan given him by Tekisui, abbot of Tenryuji in Kyoto. 

Tekisui was a no-nonsense, hardheaded type of Zen Master required for a strong willed Sword expert such as Tesshu. 

He also was an accomplished martial artist even though he never held a sword in his hands. During their formal encounters at Tesshu's home, the building shook with the sounds of Tekisui's tools :  shouts, iron fists, a heavy stick, pushing Tesshu on the Zen way.

Tesshu's close and senior disciple Murakami Masatada resented Tekisui's rude treatment of his master—after all, Tesshu was a personal adviser to the Emperor himself. And so Murakami secretly vowed to dispose of the arrogant monk. 

One night he followed him, intending to assassinate him.

Unfortunately, whenever Murakami was about to make a move, the Zen Master would suddenly glance over his shoulder, change direction, or disappear in one of the temples along the way. Murakami tried again the next two nights but never could get anywhere close to the very aware Zen master.

When finally Murakami gave up and confessed his plot to Tesshu. Tesshu laughed: "You immature fool! Even with a dozen of accomplices, you'd never be able to get near that Master."

Murakami began Zen training under Tekisui.

The Fudo Sutra

The Holy Fudo Sutra as written by Yamaoka Tesshu in "The Sword of No-Sword"

Once during an assembly of the Buddha's followers, Fudo appeared.

This Fudo was tremendously powerful :

Great compassion was evident in his pale dark complexion,

Great stability was obvious as he assumed the Diamond Seat,

And great wisdom was manifest in the flames surrounding him.

Brandishing a sword of insight he cut through the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion;

His samadhi-rope bound the enemies of Buddhism.

Formless like the empty space of the Dharma body,

Fudo settles nowhere but lives in the hearts of sentient beings.

Devoted servant of all, he encourages the well-being and ultimate salvation of sentient beings.

When the entire assembly heard this teaching they joyously believed and received it.

Fudo Myo - the epitome of fiery dynamism and invincible imperturbability, is a Patron saint of Swordsmen. He is also the protector of Buddhism, using his sword to cut the 3 poisons of greed, hate and delusion, and his rope to tie down the enemies of Buddhism.

Fudo-Shin (Japanese: 不動心 - literally and metaphorically, "immovable mind", "immovable heart" or "unmoving heart") is a state of mental equanimity or imperturbability. A spirit of unshakable calm and determination, courage without recklessness, rooted stability in both mental and physical realms. Like a willow tree, powerful roots deep in the ground and a soft, yielding resistance against the winds that blow through it.

In the Fudo Dachi Karate stance, sometimes translated as "Immovable stance", Immovable refers more to this Fudo Shin spirit. Fudo Dachi is a stance that allows for fast moves in every direction. What really is immovable is the resolve to prevail.

Short Zen Story

When he still was a young student of Zen, Yamaoka Tesshu (founder of Mu to Ryu school of Kenjutsu) once visited Dokuon of Shokoku.

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness.”

Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.

If nothing exists," said Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"

Calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu, who became a Zen and Calligraphy master as well as a Kendo Master.

Its meaning is "Tiger" .

Zen and the Samurai : Yamaoka Tesshu

Yamaoka Tesshu was born in Edo (modern day Tokyo) in 1836. Tesshu was born into a samurai family. Tesshu practiced kendo from the age of nine, starting in the Shinkage Ryu Tradition. Later his family moved to Takayama where he studied Ono Ha Itto-Ryu.

When he was twenty-eight, Tesshu was defeated by a swordsman named Asari Gimei and became his student. Although larger and younger, Tesshu could not match his teacher’s mental state. During training sessions, Asari was known to force Tesshu all the way to the back of the dojo, then out into the street, knock him to the ground, and then slam the dojo door in his face. Confronted with this challenge, Tesshu increased his efforts in training and meditation continuously. 


Even when he was eating or sleeping, Tesshu was constantly thinking about fencing. He would sometimes wake up at night, jump out of bed, and get his wife to hold a sword so he could explore a new insight. Then, one morning in 1880, when he was 45 years old, Tesshu attained enlightenment while sitting in zazen.

Later that morning he went to the dojo to practice Kendo with Asari. Upon seeing Tesshu, Asari recognized at once that Tesshu had reached enlightenment. Asari, declined to fence with Tesshu, acknowledging Tesshu’s attainment by saying, “You have arrived.” 
  
Shortly after this, Tesshu went on to open his own school of fencing he named Mu To Ryu (Literally the School of No Sword).


Tesshu's Life is described by John Stevens in a beautiful book : The Sword of no Sword.