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This morning, I read The Unfettered Mind, a series of 3 short essays by a Rinzai Zen Buddhism monk named Takuan Soho. He was adviser to Musashi and some of the other big swordsman, shogunate, emperors, and daimyo of his era. If you'd like to read it, there's a PDF at the link. This was recommended to me as essential reading for my Samurai arts by my sensei.
It's a book about applying Zen Buddhist philosophy to martial arts, particularly swordsmanship. The great samurai of the era, particularly the style founders, felt there was something lacking still in their work. Soho, who never once used a sword, watched them practice and saw their minds would grow stuck and frustrated. So he wrote these treatises and a new way was born.
I'm not Zen nor Buddhist myself; I do admit it has influenced me, but I'm always Shinto through and through. However, it did reinforce a lot of what I knew and am figuring out as a swordsman myself.
He emphasizes living in the present. Make everything about it. No distinction between before and after; just move now.
He emphasizes not letting your mindset become stuck in any one part of yourself, your weapon, your enemy, his weapon or stance, or such. The second you do, you get cut down. You become of No-Mind and let your mind sit nowhere, enabling it to encompass everywhere.
He speaks of planting seeds now and both inner influence and effect, inner influence and outer effect, and so on. We must be enriched and learn. We cannot learn without experiencing things for ourselves; no amount of words will ever convey perfectly a concept.
Do not be ignorant or be happy with it. Do not let your mind become stuck. The only way you will obtain No-Sword, No-Mind, No-Thought is to be as free as a river able to wash down on all and anything. For with it, it matters not if you are armed, unarmed, against one or ten men, you will win. That is your No-Sword and your No-Mind.
Things are transitory. Be mindful of wisdom and do not be thoughtless, but know what it means to have integrity and virtue, which are all but lost on modern man.
Though what hit most was his essay on death. It's the second one and for a long time in my life I was obsessed with the notion of heroic death. It would be the only way I'd accept I'd die. I sought it like a fool. This is not what samurai need. This only bears the sword that brings death.
It's a common misconception that samurai sought death and craved it. In reality, they were conditioned to accept its inevitability and accept it if it were to strike. But never to trade your life for something that isn't at least worth as much as it. Until then though, they lived now, as they may die tomorrow, but they would fight to prolong it.
From this is born the sword that brings life. Only with this attitude can I lead by example and make men under me good and spread goodness and prevent evil. Only now with all this reinforcement have I begun to appreciate what life is. Life is worth more than any other wealth, and I'll need it to go as long as possible to bring life to as many as I can.
My lot is a sad one. Even in this era, I am a swordsman. Skill wise, that is no longer pragmatic for large scale warfare, but it is what I am good at and I shall not be ashamed of it just as I should not be ashamed of what I am not good at. I kill to bring life and protect. So long as evil and death exist, so shall the need for good and protection.
I must lead now by example so others in my lot can face this without fear so long as humans seek to hurt. It'll be years of practice before I or anyone can obtain a No-Mind and a No-Sword, but it will come.
It will come.
Just so long as I do not force it nor get stuck.
This book isn't for everyone. It's aimed at old samurai and only exists now to help serious martial artists like me and as a good sidenote in Zen. But it's good philosophy about how to lead a good life and to stop getting stuck in the past or present; nothing is going to go away, not even the bird on the horizon seemingly disappearing. I'd recommend a read over of it as it only took me about an hour to get through it.
And in that I find the integrity many won't or refuse to look into and ponder.
But am I admirable? I cannot determine that. Only my life and actions and sword can. So I shall tread this path, as it was made for me and reasons why it was matter not, and find out if I have any dignity and virtue in this existence.
Until then, I shall flow and work and it will come in time.
It will come.
It's a book about applying Zen Buddhist philosophy to martial arts, particularly swordsmanship. The great samurai of the era, particularly the style founders, felt there was something lacking still in their work. Soho, who never once used a sword, watched them practice and saw their minds would grow stuck and frustrated. So he wrote these treatises and a new way was born.
I'm not Zen nor Buddhist myself; I do admit it has influenced me, but I'm always Shinto through and through. However, it did reinforce a lot of what I knew and am figuring out as a swordsman myself.
He emphasizes living in the present. Make everything about it. No distinction between before and after; just move now.
He emphasizes not letting your mindset become stuck in any one part of yourself, your weapon, your enemy, his weapon or stance, or such. The second you do, you get cut down. You become of No-Mind and let your mind sit nowhere, enabling it to encompass everywhere.
He speaks of planting seeds now and both inner influence and effect, inner influence and outer effect, and so on. We must be enriched and learn. We cannot learn without experiencing things for ourselves; no amount of words will ever convey perfectly a concept.
Do not be ignorant or be happy with it. Do not let your mind become stuck. The only way you will obtain No-Sword, No-Mind, No-Thought is to be as free as a river able to wash down on all and anything. For with it, it matters not if you are armed, unarmed, against one or ten men, you will win. That is your No-Sword and your No-Mind.
Things are transitory. Be mindful of wisdom and do not be thoughtless, but know what it means to have integrity and virtue, which are all but lost on modern man.
Though what hit most was his essay on death. It's the second one and for a long time in my life I was obsessed with the notion of heroic death. It would be the only way I'd accept I'd die. I sought it like a fool. This is not what samurai need. This only bears the sword that brings death.
It's a common misconception that samurai sought death and craved it. In reality, they were conditioned to accept its inevitability and accept it if it were to strike. But never to trade your life for something that isn't at least worth as much as it. Until then though, they lived now, as they may die tomorrow, but they would fight to prolong it.
From this is born the sword that brings life. Only with this attitude can I lead by example and make men under me good and spread goodness and prevent evil. Only now with all this reinforcement have I begun to appreciate what life is. Life is worth more than any other wealth, and I'll need it to go as long as possible to bring life to as many as I can.
My lot is a sad one. Even in this era, I am a swordsman. Skill wise, that is no longer pragmatic for large scale warfare, but it is what I am good at and I shall not be ashamed of it just as I should not be ashamed of what I am not good at. I kill to bring life and protect. So long as evil and death exist, so shall the need for good and protection.
I must lead now by example so others in my lot can face this without fear so long as humans seek to hurt. It'll be years of practice before I or anyone can obtain a No-Mind and a No-Sword, but it will come.
It will come.
Just so long as I do not force it nor get stuck.
This book isn't for everyone. It's aimed at old samurai and only exists now to help serious martial artists like me and as a good sidenote in Zen. But it's good philosophy about how to lead a good life and to stop getting stuck in the past or present; nothing is going to go away, not even the bird on the horizon seemingly disappearing. I'd recommend a read over of it as it only took me about an hour to get through it.
And in that I find the integrity many won't or refuse to look into and ponder.
But am I admirable? I cannot determine that. Only my life and actions and sword can. So I shall tread this path, as it was made for me and reasons why it was matter not, and find out if I have any dignity and virtue in this existence.
Until then, I shall flow and work and it will come in time.
It will come.
