I'd like to turn everyones attention to the fact that I did not say Funakoshi drew an influence from the samurai as it was already there! And had been for centuries before his time, the origins of true Karate are shrouded in mistery therefore who is to say Samurai as well as the techniques of the Shaolin temple have an influence in Karate. I am just saying after e-mailing top masters from JKA honbu, our own master Ohta and my own research has concluded with very good explanations from Japanese masters that the Samurai had such a big impact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following is from the JKA website:
Karate is not a game of points, weight classes or showy demonstrations. It is a martial art and way of life that trains a practitioner to be peaceful; but if conflict is unavoidable, true karate dictates taking down an opponent with a single blow.
Such an action requires strength, speed, focus, control. But these physical aspects are only part of the practice; they are just the vehicle, not the journey itself.
True karate is based on Bushido. In true karate, the body, mind and
spiritthe whole personmust be developed simultaneously. Through kihon, kumite and kata we learn to control our movements. But more im-
portantly, we learn to give up con-
trol too. We can perform the tech-
niques without thinking about them, and remain focused without having
to concentrate on any one thing. In essence, the body remembers how
to move and the mind remembers
how to be still.
This harmonious unity of mind and body is intensely powerful. Even the greatest physical strength and skill are no match for the power of wholeness.
The result of true karate is natural, effortless action, and the confidence, humility, openness and peace only possible through perfect unity of mind and body. This is the core teaching of Zen, the basis of Bushido, and the of the JKAs karate philosophy.
Karate is not a game of points, weight classes or showy demonstrations. It is a martial art and way of life that trains a practitioner to be peaceful; but if conflict is unavoidable, true karate dictates taking down an opponent with a single blow.
Such an action requires strength, speed, focus, control. But these physical aspects are only part of the practice; they are just the vehicle, not the journey itself.
True karate is based on Bushido. In true karate, the body, mind and
spiritthe whole personmust be developed simultaneously. Through kihon, kumite and kata we learn to control our movements. But more im-
portantly, we learn to give up con-
trol too. We can perform the tech-
niques without thinking about them, and remain focused without having
to concentrate on any one thing. In essence, the body remembers how
to move and the mind remembers
how to be still.
This harmonious unity of mind and body is intensely powerful. Even the greatest physical strength and skill are no match for the power of wholeness.
The result of true karate is natural, effortless action, and the confidence, humility, openness and peace only possible through perfect unity of mind and body. This is the core teaching of Zen, the basis of Bushido, and the of the JKAs karate philosophy.
Therefore I suggest we all get on with our lives and accept the word of the head of the JKA.
Silk Road School <
silk.road.school@...> wrote:
Zev, I'd turn that suggestion back on you and "strongly suggest" that you
yourself do quite a bit more research into the samurai and martial arts,
before you take so condescending a tone - especially with someone like that
polite Australian, who's gone to such trouble to avoid insulting another
party on the list. The available histories of the samurai class - and there
are a number of them available, if you're willing to take the trouble to
read them - do not readily support your view. In fact, as Paul pointed out,
the best indications are that the only link between the Okinawans (who
originated karate) and the Japanese bushi (or samurai)... were that they
fought against each other.
Dojo traditions are frequently not very good history, and this one you've
cited sounds like a classic of the type. To be sure, modern karate stylists
may have chosen to be influenced by classical samurai traditions of bushido,
but that does not mean that these traditions had anything to do with the
early development of the art of karate itself. I don't doubt that your
senseis are telling you the truth as they believe it: but as I say, dojo
traditions are not very reliable as history. Where did your teachers get
this information? How far back does it really go? And can they prove it?
If their evidence stands out in contradiction to all the documented sources
from history, then I'd have to say they're only carrying on what they were
told themselves. That doesn't make it history.
Certainly there is evidence that many bushi practised empty-hand grappling
as an adjunct art to the weapon styles that were their mainstay - but karate
(which in its earliest form, as I recall, simply means 'Okinawan hand') is
very distinct from the aiki-jutsu which we have evidence of bushi
practising. Aikido could lay a more direct and more convincing claim to the
ancestral influence you describe. Really - study some more; learn some more
about what you're talking about: you won't find support for your argument
in reputable history. And you will be less likely to insult someone the way
you've done here - someone whose manners are rather better than yours, based
on the evidence at hand. Is rudeness part of your dojo tradition too? Does
it show respect for your art to insult a fellow practitioner when he
disagrees politely with you? Because that is clearly what you have done.
And that is not the Way.
And to the fellow who said that "The Okinawans... were samurai," I'm pretty
sure that claim can't be backed up with reliable history either. (Tony?
Nate? Any comments on this?) As you noted, the Okinawans did regard
themselves as a separate nation: so to claim that they were samurai is a
direct contradiction of that idea, since the samurai were a distinctly
Japanese phenomenon. This is like saying that the Shaolin monks were
samurai. I agree that you should never take the martial arts at face value
(I've got thirty-odd years of practise and study behind me at this stage).
But that includes the oral traditions that are passed down: you can't take
those at face value either. At least, not if you hope to have any real
grasp of history.
Gereg
zevlord wrote:
*snip* Then perhaps you have not studied true JKA Karate, there is such a
strong influence from Bushido it is so plain. I suggest you study for a
longer length of time. Try reading some of the books by Funakoshi, Demura
and Nakayama. Or you could e-mail the mother association in Tokyo the JKA.
The web site is www.jka.or.jp
I strongly suggest you do more research into the Samurai and martial arts.
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2004 15:01:54 +0100 (CET)
From: "\" "
Subject: Re: Re: Samurai and Zen
I have posted elsewhere - so just a quick note.
'Bushido' has been discussed here at length. As a formalised code it makes a
very
late appearance - I would view it as a code based on how previous
generations had
lived, rather than a particular code on which the samurai modelled his life.
I might go so far as to say that the 'appearance' of the code - as someone
writing
'The Way of the Warrior' or whatever, signifies that way was already
slipping into
history...
Zen, similarly, although around since the 12th century, had a relatively
unimportant
influence on the development of the samurai, and almost none on the
development of
swordsmanship, compared to Shingon, Shinto and Taoism.
Zen as a 'major player' or major influence begins in the Edo period, with
traces visible
in the end of the Sengoku. Whilst one might cite Musashi, or better Yagyu
Munenori
and Kamiizuni Nobutsuna, these men knew of Zen as a training regime, but
their
martial philosophy was founded on Shingon, Shinto and Tao.
Notably Takuan Soho, the Zen master, friend and 'spiritual director' of some
notable
swordsmen, employed elements of mikkyo - esoteric Buddhism - in his
teachings.
The appeal of Zen to the warrior is primarily because of its near silence on
issues of
morality and its focus on the 'act' and the 'now' etc. It suited a warrior
ethic, especially
one that for long periods of history would not bear examination in light of
the so-called
'code' it professed to live by.
In short, if bushido was the code, in any real sense, how come the history
is so full of
deceits, deceptions and betrayals?
Thomas
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