The Nothing Teacher
Soke often tells us that what he is doing is not something that can be taught. After many years trying to recreate his movement and somehow misunderstanding the meaning of the above message, I have given up, allowing for the following realization. It cannot be done, and Soke is telling the truth. Maybe this an obvious discovery, but looking back on this, I believe it to be the critical to the PATH of the Budoka.
In my early training days, I can remember trying to be something , to look like the celebrity Ninja in the magazines and books, as well as striving to copy my various teachers in their movement. Often people would say, hey you move like ” Nani Nani Shidoshi” Well, now that’s something , or was it? “あればなしーなければあり, or you must have something before you can have nothing, and if you have nothing, then you (might) have something.
The truth is that Budo is not something that can be taught or learned. So, how can we grow? The answer is simple-we can do NOTHING, but train. This training must be something before it can be nothing. It must be honest and true-Right mind and proper intuition to remain on the right path. You must train correctly, in the presence of a master.
A true “teacher” only inspires and does not teach, because there is nothing to teach.
Budo is a lonely path
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About
My name is Doug Wilson, originally from the US (CA). I have been studying martial arts for almost 30 years, 20+ of those years in the Bujinkan. I have spent 14 of those years in Japan training at the Hombu Dojo. I act as a main interpreter for the Hombu Dojo and have co-translated the above books by Hatsumi Soke, released by Kodansha International. I feel that the time is right to provide my acquired information to the Bujinkan public about training in Japan. I guess I can say from my unique position and close proximity to Soke, I can provide a perspective that most can not. Here, I will post what I have recently learned, translated, experienced, and interpreted as well as been told to say. Some may find the content to be too direct or controversial. It is not meant to be, it is the truth provided in a “zero” way to those people who are interested in hearing it. It is not a place designed to draw fire from those who live online, expending energy arguing about things that mean nothing. I am a student of Hatsumi Soke and this is MY perspective. I hope to provide an insight to the dedicated practitioners of Hatsumi Soke’s Budo and the Bujinkan.
Doug Wilson-15th Dan, Bujinkan Hombu Dojo
*Profile photo by Sheila*
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The lonelier the path the greater community
I love this article! I believe you have driven home a super-important point!
I like to think of true Budo teachers as “tour guides”, they say,…. “come walk down this path with me that I am familiar with and I’ll point you in the general direction, but you must negotiate the terrain by listening and observing how “I” negotiate the terrain”. No direct instruction is given, just follow….replicate……explore…and cultivate your interpretation, over and over and over again….
I think you encapsulated into words a very important part of teaching and the nature of humanity. We only do three things in life, eat, sleep and fall. And I think this statement describes that sentiment accurately. I attended your Longmont seminar. If you remember me I am the one that sat out. I learned a lot that day, and now, in returning to my training, I’m trying to incorporate it into my taijitsu. Thanks, and I hope I can train with you standing up soon.
Indeed budo does seem to be a lonely path. I guess even lonelier if there isn’t anyone to even train with. I long for the ones sent to me from the God(s).
Always a pleasure reading your blogs, Doug. Thanks for sharing. Hope you get a chance to come to New York sometime.
Truly amazing!!! The more I train in Budô, the more I realize I don’t have a clue! That really keeps me going, to find my own path and truth.
Well I don’t know much about being nothing, but at least you have to be good, or at least try to.
Being nothing I honestly interpret it as being nothing to you, but a lot to others.
Hi Doug,
It was great seeing and training with you in Granite Bay this month.Glad to see you made it back to Japan safe and sound.I would highly recommend getting a copy of Doug’s seminar in Ireland.There is enough material here to work on for the remainder of the year.
If you are to get a broader base experience of our Budo,it is essential to train with as many Buyu and teachers in the Bujinkan as possible.By taking responsiblility for your own training,you’ll eventually become the teacher you may be looking for…..the nothing teacher.Take care!
Dave
I am reminded of Hatsumi soke’s painting of the frog jumping, trying to grab the leaf that is dangling overhead. We keep jumping, keep reaching further, and hopefully some day, some moment the lights will go on.
The only real hope we have is seeing that the lights appear to be on in some others, Hatsumi soke himself being the prime example.
Over time we do learn things, how to carefully demonstrate some of the principles and phenomena we see Hatsumi soke performing on the fly as easily as a child crawls or a dog barks.
But we can only ‘codify’ so much, so far before we are forced to say, “I really don’t know how, but…”, and then we keep trying anyways, and sometimes, things will happen. For some, clearly, an understanding is attained.
In the body, perhaps, more than the mind.
I have to ask: Does this mean you are abandoning your DAT theory?
Doug – Funny it so happens that I read your artical today. I’ve been out of the loop for awhile. Sometimes it’s for the best to look inside from outside to get that fresh perspective. Anyway during my interval I’ve been thinking alot about the same things you’ve written. To save time and another similiar blog post (my dojo’s blog) I’ll just recognize the message and know that it echos through time and space – usually the case when such information derives from a consciousness thats accessible to all who sincerley (practice & train) pursues the path. Budo and life is no different – if there were secrets to life, most people will not want to experience it, rather just get the secret – well the obvious would become their truth.
PS: I believe there is no truth (secret) – life is ever changing – for some, it’s a life form (art).
Thanks Doug for the reminder! ;o)
The mind plays with toys at the edges of understanding and then confuses this playing for understanding. The point being that very few actually trust Soke. If a person cannot recognise their theorising – and the source of that theorising… well, suffice as to say that there is only one authority in this art.
Hi, i like this article as it has a clear light to guide all those following the path of the budoka, especially in times when they hit a ‘wall’.
Jon Knowles, Hiken Dojo – Shinshin Ichijo Dojo.
Hi Doug,
very nice. Thank you for having posted this!
It reminds me of the people I met in the Bujinkan.
One day one can really distinguish between the people who really inspire someone and accompany oneself on it’s own path and the other people who touch your life only supeficially.
But even the best teacher can only open some doors, the rest of the way will have to walked by oneself.
In a way one can see the anology to life itself…