Koushinkan’s Sambo
Number 1: The Five Reflections
Origin:
The five reflections, or “Gosei”
in Japanese, were given to the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima
in 1932 by Rear Admiral Matsushita, then superintendent of the school. The
five reflections are often borrowed by organizations that teach and practice
Budo because of their applicability to the practice of martial arts and to
spiritual and physical refinement/endeavor.
Japanese Translation:
Hitotsu, shisei ni motoru,
nakarishika (Have I compromised my sincerity?)
Hitotsu, genkou ni hazuru, nakarishika (Have I spoken or acted shamefully?)
Hitotsu, kiryoku ni kakuru, nakarishika (Have I been lacking in spiritual
vigor?)
Hitotsu, doryoku ni urami, nakarishika (Must I regret the level of
my effort?)
Hitotsu, bushou ni wataru, nakarishika (Have I lapsed into laziness?)
Explanation:
Each of the reflections begins
with the word “One.” In Japanese, mottos and proclamations follow
this form, rather than listing elements “one, two, three,…”
The significance of this point is to understand that all of these precepts
are equally important. None are subordinated to another.
Each reflection ends with the expression, “nakarishika,”
a classical Japanese expression meaning “have I not?,” which is
close in flavor to the English, “hast thou not?”
Shisei ni motoru - Compromised
sincerity
Have there been times when I thought, “I must do such and such,”
but allowed the feeling of responsibility pass without following through?
Genkou ni hazuru
- Shame of words and actions
Am I guilty of making statements that are inconsistent with my actions?
Do I practice what I preach? Have I reneged on verbal commitments?
Kiryoku
ni kakuru – Lacking Spiritual Vigor
Has my spiritual strength been adequate? Have I treated any of my endeavors
as being of less than primary importance?
Doryoku ni urami –
Regret effort level
Have I tried hard enough? Are there cases in which I have decided ahead of
time that I cannot be successful, and hence not applied myself and given up?
Bushou
ni wataru – Lapse into laziness
Have I given 100% effort until the very end in all my endeavors? Have I decided
“what I have done so far is good enough,” and left important things
un-addressed?
Use of the Five Reflections in Our Practice:
At the completion of mokusou
at the end of practice, we will recite the Gosei in Japanese. As
we recite the reflections, we should think about our practice that day, and
think about
whether we can sincerely answer no to each of the questions the reflections
address.
Number 2: Bunburyoudou
“The two-fold path of pen
and sword.”
The concept of
bunburyoudou is that for a person to be well-rounded, he or she must
devote effort equally between physical and mental endeavors. A more literal
(and perhaps the original) interpretation is that a warrior must have training
both in martial arts and in literature. A more
modern interpretation would be that students must not only focus on their
coursework, but also on physical development and sports. The concept has been
stretched to commentary on how companies or even countries should be led.
For our practice in Kendo, meditation on the concept of bunburyoudou
reminds us that our physical training in Kendo is not complete without mental
conditioning. Likewise, our academic studies are bolstered by physical endeavor.
Both activities are supported by each other. Too much of any one at the expense
of the other is detrimental to our development as humans.
Number 3: Shishifunjin
“Everything including the kitchen sink.”
Shishifunjin is an ideal or
mindset, translated into action. The concept is very old, and originally comes
from China. In modern Japanese, this expression is translated as, “to
fight with violent momentum like a [Chinese] lion.” In Kendo, the shishifunjin
mindset is embodied by one who attacks relentlessly, bringing to bear in the
assault on the opponent all of his or her physical ability and mental creativity,
sparing no energy, focusing totally on the task at hand, with no thought for
subsequent opponents or activities.
Four Character Expressions:
You will see four character expressions often during your practice of Kendo. Most frequently, you will see them on tenugui. In Japan, they are commonly seen embroidered on either the outside (more common) or inside of the koshiita on the hakama. They also appear as calligraphy on ornamental plaques and scrolls, and embroidered into warm-up suits and team jackets. Their purpose is to provide motivation and provoke thought. Hyakurenjitoku (“practice [something] a hundred times and it becomes yours”) is another I have spoken about previously.
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