The Question
As in all things, there is a duality. In Budo, there is also something called “shunkan” meaning “the moment”. If you train with Soke, you truly realize how critical this is.
This also ties directly in to the point of “no technique” or further, “no fixation”.
Last Tuesday night, Soke said that the way to enlightenment in Budo Taijutsu is to see through. -”Minuku”
He made the analogy of taking all the 9 Ryuha and turning them transparent. When you layer them on one another you can hold them up and then can see through the 9 traditions. On the other side, you will see what enlightenment is. In Ninpo you need to learn how to disappear and become transparent.
Toda Sensei did and therefore our trandition lives on.
Timing, distance and luck are all important, but there is a time for questions and a time to listen.
Ninpo Ikkan
February 22, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I love how you tie the beauty of the Bujinkan with the beauty of life. Keep it up. I’m listening.
February 22, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Deep stuff. This echos Soke’s teaching: “Return to zero”.
Wonderful job, Doug. We all appreciate you keeping us connected.
Thanks,
Rick
February 22, 2008 at 10:35 pm
I really like this:
>> there is a time for questions and a time to listen.
Very well said.
February 23, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Doug-san,
Is “minuku” 見抜く [ みぬく ] ? And is this a pun on Soke’s name?
The “on” for 抜 is “hatsu,” yes? “mi hatsu” instead of “hatsu mi”?
Thanks for the forum,
Stu Klemm
Bujinkan Abi Dojo Oro Valley Shibu
February 24, 2008 at 11:13 am
Doug, it is always a pleasure to read your insights and opinions, I look forward to each new post.
I’m hoping to be in Japan towards the end of april so will hopefully experience your observations myself but in the meantime, re enlightenment, I get confused. Are we talking buddhist enlightenment and nehan? Because for sometime I have been working on trying to understand, practice and relate taijutsu to this. My take being if you become enlightened and reach a state of nehan, with your mind at peace you will hopefully obtain happiness and hopefully avoid conflict. Also should conflict be unavoidable being in a state of nehan your mind is clear so you have “no technique” and see through the situation allowing you to succeed.
Training being the medium for obtaining enlightenment since amongst other things enables the positive use of energy, develops confidence, encourages social interaction, breaks down racial and cultural boundaries, maintains health and well being, spirit and mind.
Im I getting the wrong end of the hanbo?
rgds
February 25, 2008 at 8:48 am
I may be wrong, but when you said “Minuku”, I thought of Mi being sight and Nuku from drawing a sword, or drawing out… In my dictionary with those two Kanji, Minuku is listed as “seeing through”.
Hatsumi Sensei is famous for changing Kanji for a pronounciation to give a Henka of a common word so my limited knowledge of the Japanese languageis just that, limited…
But, rather than a time for listening, could this also mean drawing out teachings, like drawing a sword, rather than waiting to be fed?
February 25, 2008 at 6:20 pm
There are times when a pre-concieved question in mind will prevent you from hearing a more important answer, freely given. Worse, there are times when the rush to ask a pre-concieved question prevents and gets in the way of the more important answer being given.
More to the point, “the moment is lost”.
I think that learning to feel these moments as they are about to arise, and moving out of the way long enough to let the flowers blossom is a skill and discipline worth building.
In a like sense, there are other moments where it will suddenly dawn on you that the timing is perfect to ask a certain question that has been nagging at you for a while. Learn to see and catch those too, as they come and pass in a moment. Have the courage to speak up quickly and clearly.
Moving with nature, instead of imposing our wishes upon it.