7/29/2019 Zen and Karate

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Zen and Karate

Roshi Sogen Sakiyamaspeech during Budo Sai Symposiumheld in Okinawa on August-22-1998 Today, the Okinawan Karate, born in Okinawa, is being globalized, and last year,a world meet was held in Okinawa on a grand scale. With this trend as a turning point, it seems indispensable to me togive a serious reconsideration on the cultural value of Karate vhich we can be proud of throughout the vorld. On the

other hand, with the popularization of Okinawan Karate abroad, various questions have so far been raised from amongthe Karate teachers and students of the foreign countries.In trying to grasp the core of Karate, they tend to ask such questions as: "What is the relation between the Karate as asport and the Karate as a martial art?", and "What is the spiritual and cultural aspect of Karate through which we aresupposed to build up our personality?" Some Karate teachers and students express their yearning for the Orientalculture which they hope they may be able to understand by deepening their Karate practice. With the popularization ofKarate throughout the world as mentioned above, certain Karate teachers from abroad are not satisfied any longer by amere training of Kata or by the physical training in the form of contests and matches, but they seem to be seriouslylonging for salvation of their souls through Karate practice. Under these circumstances, we have to realize that a timehas come when we have to appreciate the Okinawan Karate from a broader viewpoint. The quality of the OkinawanKarate should be elevated as that of a martial art through which we can complete our personality. There are three kindsof Karate: Karate of a lion, Karate of a tiger. and Karate of a fighting dog. When the Karate player stays as quiet as asaint keeping his power inside, and is able to win without fighting, we call his Karate "Karate of a lion". Even if the

Karate player has strength, we call his karate "Karate of a tiger" if he appears full of fighting spirit. If the Karate player isalways concerned about fighting, and enjoys fighting, we call his Karate "Karate of a fighting dog". I earnestly hope thatyou teachers and students will be so wise to make the choice of the kind of Karate that you will practice and transmit. Iearnestly hope that you exert yourselves to make the Okinawan Karate "Karate of a lion". This is the essential point inorder to qualify the Okinawan Karate as a martial art. In his lecture titled "On Karate-Do", given in Osaka in 1936.Teacher Chojun Miyagi, a Saint of Karate, expressed his philosophy as follows: 'The core of the Karate-Do is soprofound that it can only be comprehended when, as in the case of the martial arts in general, the player can completelygrasp the meaning of 'Transmission outside scriptures and not rely on letters'". I was very deeply impressed to knowhow earnestly and tacitly Teacher Miyagi exerted himself in approaching the core of Karate. I should say Teacher Miyagiis the very Saint of Karate who taught us 'The Karate of a Lion' There is an aphorism that 'if your heart and mind are notright. Then your sword (Karate) can not be right'. From ancient times. swordsmen and karate students used to placeimportance on this aphorism. In the world of sports where people tend to be attached to the winning and losing, it maybe difficult to understand what "right heart and mind" and "right swords" mean. However, this aphorism has a very

significant and fundamental philosophy of martial arts based on which the martial arts can become a culture, giving us aguidance as to how to live. I sincerely hope that you always realize that Karate is never a means of killing and injuringpeople, but that the purpose of Karate is to train your body and spirit and pave a way towards creation of a peacefulsociety. Thank you very much.

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