Kuden is Key

     The translation of the Budo Taijutsu book is coming along and taking up most of my free time.  The biggest reason why I have not been posting to this blog as of late.The process has brought me again much closer to Soke with plenty of opportunity to ask him specific questions pertaining to the text.  As most of the readers of this blog know, getting a straight answer out of Soke is quite challenging.  However, Soke’s face changes and his answers are very passionate when he begins talking about his experiences with Takamatsu Sensei. This is a time that I really listen hard to his words.  His stories and recollections of training with Takamatsu Sensei are vivid and very interesting.

I have just finished the chapter on Takagi Yoshin Ryu and had several questions for Soke regarding the waza and other things.  What I noticed is that after each section of waza, there is a record of text pertaining to the fact that there exist many more Kuden waza.  I’m very aware of what Kuden means, but I thought that I would ask Soke the significance of the Kuden.  Kuden for those who don’t know, is the tradition that is past on via word of mouth.  It is the things that are told, and not written. In a sense, the real experience of the Ryuha is the relation between student and teacher and then eventually Soke.  Ku is written with the Kanji for “mouth” and Den written with the kanji for “tradition”

He explained to me that the secret of the Ryuha is in the Kuden, and that this is part that must be passed on via experience through training.  Of course, there is an element of change and evolution as things are passed on.  This is the natural flow of history and the pure form of tradition.  Tradition is not unchanging, it is dynamic and changing, to think otherwise is to stop the tradition.  What is written is what was put down at the time, but it truly is the kuden that binds the ryuha and the tradtion.

I have said many times in many other posts, that the only way to experience the tradition is to train close to the source of that tradition consistently, until it becomes internalized. This is another example that only solidifies that statement.

Soke also mentioned to me that when he was given the Sokeship by Takamatsu Sensei a year before his death, that at the time he really had no understanding of what Takamatsu Sensei had bestowed upon him. Only today is he able to fully realize what he was taught and what Takamatsu Sensei meant in his words to Soke.

Soke said that because he lacked confidence, the only way he felt he could muster the confidence was to trust his teacher and to find what he had be given through continuous training.   Luckily for us, that Kuden and tradition was kept alive by Soke’s passion for training and desire to live up to the tremendous responsibility that Takamatsu Sensei had given him. We are all very lucky to be part of this Kuden.

I realized again that without Soke’s Kuden the densho mean nothing.

The Human Weapon

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     Last week we were visited by the film crew and staff of the History Channel Show, “The Human Weapon”.

Fellow Budoka Yost Fulton was in town for business at the time and was given the task by Soke to manage the process.  They filmed for about one week and then did their challenge and off they went. (with a few scars)

Both stars of the show Jason and Bill are good guys.  They are traveling the world learning various martial arts from the gems of the martial arts community.

They both seemed very excited about the chance to train with the Bujinkan Dojo, the only surviving Shinobi.

In the end we had to accommodate their desire for some sort of contest.  Well, given our art that is not so easy to do.

We ended up having a game of tag using Tombu weapons with victory going to the one who could score the first 5 hits.  Kinda like a game of chambara.  It was good fun and a good training experience for Bruce and me.

Take a look when it airs.  I hope that it puts us in a good light.

Are you really Shihan?

Is not Shihan a word and title that should be reserved for the Japanese teachers?- I questioned Soke.

Soke said, “No”.  “Shihan means gentleman teacher and nothing more”.

 Up to us to keep that title.

Words are worthless

The Buddha said that words are the root of all evil.  I believe him.

There are some that desire to talk and there are those that desire to train.Which one will you be? 

When the time comes for your internalization of Budo to show itself, do you want it to be a mastership of words or the ability to survive? 

Writing any further makes me a hypocrite… 

Throw whatever you can to survive, rocks, words, or even high priced rocks.

Keep with the times

Bufu Ikkan