Analysis of the Showa (Part 2)

Continuing from the previous post...

Way of the Warrior, Spirit of the Samurai, or Simply Bushido?

武士道の精神 Bushido no Seishin which is commonly translated as the "spirit of the warrior’s way." Here in lays the discrepancy in the cultural context of the term and its usage. What is the 'Way' of the 'Warrior'? What is the 'Spirit' of a 'Warrior'? I don't know about you, but when I hear the word 'Warrior' I think of the WWF Wrestling character, the Ultimate Warrior which is obviously out of context. But, this is the problem of vocabulary choice that needs to be addressed. Furthermore, the question needs to be addressed, is this kind of “spirit” still appropriate for application in our modern society? If we expect people to repeat this in order to advocate its message of ‘peace’ we must be sure the message is relevant and easily understood by everyone.

 

Let’s take a moment to contemplate the above questions. During my research I came across an explanation of the interpretation of the Showa used in Australia, it can be found on their website: pg=public.showahttp://www.chitoryu.com.au/resources/index.php?pg=public.showa

In their introduction they state that the original Japanese is “impossible to accurately translate into English as many of the words do not have a direct translation.” I agree that it is very difficult translate old Japanese poetry and philosophies into modern English accurately. It may be impossible to translate them directly but not accurately. It is necessary to contemplate them and assess your level of understanding of Karate Do based on your interpretation of such things as the Showa.

There are many essays that address the concepts and the philosophical teachings of the Japanese martial arts. Each of them are nothing more than some one’s interpretation of the concept and their interpretations are based on their level of understanding of the "trinity" that I spoke of in the post titled, "The Trinity of Proficiency in Karate Do: Technical, Cultural, and Linguistic Ability." Rarely are such essays written by people who are already recognized 'experts' in that field when they are researching and writing. Usually, they come to be known or referred to as 'experts' afterwards. I strongly urge every serious practitioner of Karate Do to make efforts to attempt to understand these concepts for themselves and relate them to their own personal context within the study and practice of Karate Do. But, please keep in mind that all of our understanding is limited by a number of factors, a great deal of which are very personal in nature. When it is all said and done, we are talking about interpretation and this journey of understanding is a very introspective one.

Two Important Concepts Within Karate Do Practice (Part 2)

Introduction
The next concept that I would like to write about is 文武両道 Bun Bu Ryo Do, this is the concept of developing one's academic and physical skills and is commonly a focal part in the foundation of the approach to teaching many Japanese martial arts especially 剣道 Kendo and 空手道 Karate Do.

 

I am sure that the concept of Bunburyodo is familiar to you or, at the very least, you have heard your Sensei talk about the concept during your training. Its presence in the Japanese education system is resonant. I have often heard references made to this concept both in the classroom and the dojo during my time here. I'm confident that you can find a great deal of information on this topic on the Internet and in martial arts texts.

 

At first glance, this may seem to be just another mystical Asian concept, but like many of these concepts, it will quickly become clear the more you research that there is nothing mysterious about it at all. If anything, the concept is poetic. Have you heard the famous saying, The pen is mightier than the sword? While this concept combines both of these in an eloquent balance. In fact, this is one of the main principles of Bushido. In this is where we find the beauty and the strength of the way of the 'warrior'. In modern society this concept has become more and more theoretical, but in feudal Japan this is what helped many 侍Samurai maintain their sanity enabling them to balance the grotesque nature of the gruesome things that they did during war time with the ability to recognize and appreciate the beauty of something like the cherry blossoms in full bloom while at peace. The contrast of feelings and actions, of what is in our hearts and what our bodies must do could also be likened to bunburyodo. (Our thoughts and feelings are represented by the pen and our actions are represented by the sword)

 

 

However, in the modern academic context the study of subjects has taken precedence over the practice of combat so much so that many teachers whom I know and have taught with often stressed the importance of the physical element in the form of maintaining a strong healthy body in order to achieve the best academic results possible.