For History Wonks: The Myth of Zen Connection to Samurai, Bushido and Martial Arts

[Jippou]

Kelly, I’m so glad you dug this article up and commented on it. It is very interesting! My BA is in History and I happened to take a course on Modern Japan starting with rise of
The Tokugawa Shogunate and moving into the Meiji restoration and then the various wars the author mentions here during college. I’m glad I have that background because this made perfect sense.
Gassho,
Jason
SAT


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[Chikyou]

This is a wonderfully interesting thread! Thanks for clearing up this myth.

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[Getchi]

Jundo, thankyou very much for this!!!

As said, there is nothing to stop modern practitioners fromm incorporating belief structures into there martial practices. I would wager at least one accredited Jedi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jediism Judoka would be operating somewhere in theworld.

I pursued a particular martial art mainly for spiritual insights, and it was anaeye-opener (mind expander) when Soke declared "this is combat; not spirituality". That taaught me to be brave in the face of change pretty quick.

A valuable and deliciously ironic spiritual lesson for me.



Thanks,
Geoff.

sattoday

[Myosha]

Hello,

I'll read the article later. Just an anecdote I heard: If you get the 10th Dan in Karate, you also receive a white belt because you "never stop learning". I don't know how accurate this is, but when I heard it, I loved the intention.

Gassho, Max
#sattoday

Hello,

NOW this makes sense: historically every student receives, and keeps, the same belt throughout study. It becomes black from usage, perspiration and plain dirt.

At satisfaction of study student/master receives new white (always a beginner) belt.

Thank you.


Gassho
Myosha
sat today

P.S. Found a link for examples of time needed to advance. The belt WOULD be black.^^

http://jka.or.jp/en/karate/dan_rank.html

[Souchi]

Thanks for the pointer, Jundo! That sure is one of the myths that pops up during a lot of discussions.

Gassho,
Stefan

SatToday

[Makkusu]

Hello,

I'll read the article later. Just an anecdote I heard: If you get the 10th Dan in Karate, you also receive a white belt because you "never stop learning". I don't know how accurate this is, but when I heard it, I loved the intention.

Gassho, Max
#sattoday

[Tom]

tks! Gassho, ST.

[Tairin]

Thank you for the history lesson.

The article on "Zen & the Art of Archery" was interesting. I read the book quite a while before truly practicing Zen and have from time to time struggled to reconcile the story in the book with my experience on the cushion.

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

[Jundo]

One argument I have heard, and I think it has some merit, is that for westerners incorporating zazen allows us to take up martial arts as an actual "do", path, instead of simply another sport. That it provides us a gateway into a way to approach life that we would otherwise lack, that the samurai had as a condition of their culture and environment, and that is essential to martial arts...

Yes, I do not want this article to be taken as meaning that Zazen and Martial Arts cannot and do not have a beautiful and powerful connection, and that Zen Practice cannot be part of Martial Arts! Of course, that it not true. I know that my wife's Aikido is as much moving Zazen as the dancing we danced in our Zazenkai today, and the Whirling Dervishes I spoke about there ...

It is just that, historically, the picture was a little more complicated. Also, Zazen can help us find that "actual do" that is many arts of life ... such as cooking, cleaning, changing the baby diaper, working, painting, dancing, being in the hospital, sewing, dealing with the whole world ...

Gassho, J

SatToday

[BenG]

Very good read.

From my experience of Aikido traditions in America and Australia there are a variety of relationships stressed between zazen and the work on the practice mat. For some that relationship is non-existence while for others it is considered nearly essential.

I practice with Birankai, which was founded by the late Chiba Sensei, and for us there is a great amount of importance placed on zazen as a regular, hopefully daily, practice. Dojos generally have scheduled sits as part of the pattern of practice.

One argument I have heard, and I think it has some merit, is that for westerners incorporating zazen allows us to take up martial arts as an actual "do", path, instead of simply another sport. That it provides us a gateway into a way to approach life that we would otherwise lack, that the samurai had as a condition of their culture and environment, and that is essential to martial arts...

Gassho

Ben

ST


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Hey Tom,

Nicely said.

Gassho, Kyotai
ST

Thanks for the article, have been wondering about these questions (Samurai, martial arts and Buddhism), for a long time. Since Thucydides, history's been a story of people reinventing and reinventing the past.
In the world Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community, there's been a debate in the last 10 years about whether or not it's better to practice without the 'gi', or kimono, the white cotton pyjama-like suit invented by the Judo community in the 20th century. (Karate, which adopted the gi later use a lighter version.) Some advocates of 'no gi', perfer surfwear; tight shorts and body-hugging T-shirts, saying the gi is an outdated "Japanese superhero outfit" best left in Manga comics. They're vaguely into the same slipstream as the article above.
It can be hard to see much Zen in cagefighting.
That said, there's an alchemy to sparring. Personally, I do Judo and grappling. Sparring takes the dark emotions, fear, pride, need to dominate, to bully perhaps, and transforms them into mindfulness. If you drift from the moment you get thrown, swept, choked, joint-locked. If you wallow in your comfort zone of pet moves for too long, someone will come and throw, sweep, choke or joint-lock you. "Leave your ego at the door," said my instructor back in 2007, describing how he too was thrown, swept, etc. Eventually you get better at being in the zone.
The Dojo, for me, is like the kitchen; it holds a mirror up to my many weaknesses, give's me a chance to work on them, and come back tomorrow. The outside world of jobs, relationships, and circumstance doesn't always give you a second chance.
Now it's true, people may come to the gym or dojo, broken, angry, confused, and bring those feelings to the mat. There's plenty of Samsara. But so there is in the Zendo.

[Tom]

ps, Gassho, Sat Today.

[Tom]

Thanks for the article, have been wondering about these questions (Samurai, martial arts and Buddhism), for a long time. Since Thucydides, history's been a story of people reinventing and reinventing the past.
In the world Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community, there's been a debate in the last 10 years about whether or not it's better to practice without the 'gi', or kimono, the white cotton pyjama-like suit invented by the Judo community in the 20th century. (Karate, which adopted the gi later use a lighter version.) Some advocates of 'no gi', perfer surfwear; tight shorts and body-hugging T-shirts, saying the gi is an outdated "Japanese superhero outfit" best left in Manga comics. They're vaguely into the same slipstream as the article above.
It can be hard to see much Zen in cagefighting.
That said, there's an alchemy to sparring. Personally, I do Judo and grappling. Sparring takes the dark emotions, fear, pride, need to dominate, to bully perhaps, and transforms them into mindfulness. If you drift from the moment you get thrown, swept, choked, joint-locked. If you wallow in your comfort zone of pet moves for too long, someone will come and throw, sweep, choke or joint-lock you. "Leave your ego at the door," said my instructor back in 2007, describing how he too was thrown, swept, etc. Eventually you get better at being in the zone.
The Dojo, for me, is like the kitchen; it holds a mirror up to my many weaknesses, give's me a chance to work on them, and come back tomorrow. The outside world of jobs, relationships, and circumstance doesn't always give you a second chance.
Now it's true, people may come to the gym or dojo, broken, angry, confused, and bring those feelings to the mat. There's plenty of Samsara. But so there is in the Zendo.

[Kyonin]

Thank you Jundo! History nut here!

In my years in Karate-Do, my (Korean) sensei always warned me about the loose connections between zen and martial arts. Same was with my Aikido sensei. She is Japanese and loved the samurai culture, but she was very clear that Aikido was a modern martial art.

Fo r what I learned with them, all the misconceptions came much later in time. Most of the stories and links were made up before and during WWII so Japan could develop a stronger national identity.

I'll give these articles a nice and slow read.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Hoko]

Sweet! Cool read.
Thanks for sharing, Jundo.
Gassho,
Hōkō

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