Zen in the Martial Arts

Preamble

Well, what a fine kettle of fish KJN has gotten me into this time.

The original assignment was to read Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams. She didn't say any more than that. But of course YHAOS (your humble and obedient servant) can't stop there.

So follow my ramble through the world of Zen. You need to follow the links!

Introduction

We start by saying a little about Zen and its' ultimate goal, Enlightenment. We look at zazen, the meditation practice central to Zen. We look at how to find a Guide, the traditional paths to Enlightenment in various traditions, discuss the success rate in becoming Enlightened, look at Enlightenment in the Modern Age, look at the varieties of Zen which may or may not offer goals of their own, and discuss the ways you can pay for help along your path. Finally, we do a brief book review, look at an excerpt from another book on a similar theme, and go to a lengthy interview with the only martial artist I could find who claims to be awakened. We finish up with a list of quotable quotes from the book.

Zen and Enlightenment

Let's start by saying that talking about Zen is like using words to describe a smell. It is an experiential pursuit. So I'll touch on the definition of Zen many times. The descriptions will all vary somewhat. They will all be incomplete but none of them will be wrong.

The most informed source of information I've found are the Zen Ponderings of The Wanderling who became Enlightened at the age of 31 and has this totally humungous website about Zen with links to just about everywhere, including an on-line course called Awakening 101. So if you run into some text that doesn't quite sound like me, I probably picked it up there unless otherwise noted.

Zen is the path we travel to achieve Enlightenment. It is essentially not a religion in that God is not an essential part of Zen. Neither denying nor affirming the question of the existence of God, it really doesn't address itself to the issue at all. Which means of course that it is a path open to all, without having to worry about conflicting with whatever religion one may have (note that there are those that disagree with this, but they're in the minority). So you can be a Catholic Buddhist, or a United Church Buddhist -- Dr. Bruce McLeod, former moderator of the United Church of Canada and Pasteur at Bellefair United Church in the Beaches actually mentioned this point in a sermon I attended about 7 years ago -- and so forth. See also Zen and Christianity.

This would be a good time to read a bit more about What is Zen.

Central to the Zen path is the practice of meditation, in particular zazen (and zazen2) in the Buddhist tradition.

But meditation can take many forms. Some would argue that zazen is a variant of meditation in that meditation involves putting something into the mind, either an image or a sacred word that is visualized or a concept that is thought about or reflected on, or both. In zazen the mind is freed from bondage to all thought-forms, visions, objects, and imaginings, however sacred or elevating, and brought to a state of absolute emptiness, from which alone it may one day perceive its own true nature, or the nature of the universe. You might say that the object of the meditation is 'nothing'. Of course, set theorists might argue that the mind focused on nothing still contains an object of focus. But I digress...

And speaking of things to meditate on, I'll just drop in this reference to Zen Koans - those things like 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' And for even more fun Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors by John Shuler.

In Taekwondo & the Martial Arts: Mere Exercise or Trojan Horse? Ed Hird, a rector in North Vancouver argues 'that Taekwondo and the Martial Arts are not merely physical exercise, but in fact are Zen Buddhist meditational practices, both in their sitting and moving forms' - note that he considers this to be a bad thing, 'eroding the spiritual barriers between Zen Buddhism and the Christian Gospel, and potentially leading vulnerable children and teens into the early stages of eastern occultism'.

The background against which this practice/search is set can also take many forms. Look here for a vast listing of Awakened Teachers from most conceivable traditions -- Awakened is the term for someone who has become enlightened.

When you look at the translations of the things people say in many forms of meditation they sound very much like prayers.

Of course the central component to meditation is 'heartfelt concentration' - it's unclear that 'about what' matters. In fact one of the legends is of people becoming Enlightened and burning all their 'how-to' books. Uniquely, Zen appears a path that you can travel by yourself.

Not that guides may not be useful and The Wanderling has a lot to say about how to choose a guide. And a lot of people have a web presence aimed at least in part at separating you from your cash. But I suppose even if your goal is to bring enlightenment to all of mankind, a guy's gotta eat - right? Let caveat emptor be your guide.

Nevertheless there is a standard set of sign posts that many use to follow the path:

Buddha and the Path to Enlightenment by Raghavan Iyer (complex and long)

The Four Noble Truths & The Eightfold Path (real short and simple)

The 37 Aspects of the Path to Enlightenment

Even then, of course, there's no guarantee that you'll achieve enlightenment. In fact, even in the heyday of Zen, roughly 800 AD to 900 AD, in large communities devoted only to becoming enlightened, the success rate was between 1.8% and 6.3%.

So, in summary, of those searching for it - a very unZen attitude - only a few achieve it. For some however, it just happens -- for example -- Ann Faraday, Ramana Maharshi, and John Wren-Lewis -- sort of a bonk on the head from the giant cosmic rubber mallet.

Just to refresh our minds, 'Enlightenment refers to the experience of deep insight into the true nature of reality...living one's day to day life from the enlightened point of view which includes an awareness of other people's full humanity and our connectedness with them'.

My personal paraphrase and attempt to de-mystify the Enlightenment (don't you just love the big 'E'?) concept would be something like 'a state of seeing the true nature of reality, without the Self filtering and interpreting that reality, and the interconnectedness of everything'

Steps Along The Way or Not

Lest you think that all Zen is the same, we should look at the main types of Zen (The Five Varieties of Zen) and the person seeking that little extra edge might be particularly interested in Joriki which could also be viewed as the first step on the road to Enlightenment.

And if Iron Body disciplines are your thing you should check out White Light Shields

Short Cuts to Glory

A review of organizations that will help you on your road to Enlightenment For A Price.

Zen in the Martial Arts - by Joe Hyams - a short review

Joe Hyams has practiced a wide variety of martial arts for almost 30 years when he wrote this book. He had the good fortune of spending his time with the luminaries of the martial arts scene, most notably Bruce Lee, Ed Parker, Jim Lau, and Bong Soo Han, legends in the martial arts in North America. It also gives him a good hook for the reader.

The role of Zen in the martial arts...is to free the individual from anger, illusion, and false passion...it de-emphasizes the power of the intellect and extols that of intuitive action. And this book...readers may learn to apply the principles of Zen, as reflected in the martial arts, to their lives...and open up a potential source of inner strength they may never dreamed they possessed.

Joe doesn't claim that this is an instructional book, which is just a well. In each chapter he highlights a snippet of zen or pseudo-zen-like wisdom that he picked up from one of the luminaries with an example of how he applied it in his daily life -- everything from improving his tennis game, being more productive at work, overcoming his insecurities. Not to mention making him a better fighter.

The intriguing chapters of the book relate to aspects of Zen that are very unstressed in the mainstream Zen literature because they deal with action and projecting into the world. Projecting your Ki, Seizing the Moment, Mushin, the Power of Focus all deal with things that have direct applicability to the martial arts. Self-healing, overcoming fear, and not wasting your time are somewhat less Zen-like, even though they may be valuable life skills.

As a side note fear plays a large role in the Zen path to Enlightenment, particularly in the process of letting go of the self that clouds your perception of reality.

What is perhaps unsatisfying, or perhaps encouraging, is that his main theme is you try to do it (any given aspect that he's described) and eventually you will? may? may not? succeed in doing it. He really doesn't give you any tips on how to get to these places where the funky stuff becomes a natural part of you. He also doesn't give any examples of good ideas that he's been totally unable to implement.

The greatest short coming of the book is it's lack of discussion of meditation practice as being in any way involved in achieving these 'groovy' abilities, unless you count the admonition to workout hard and often and keep trying as pointing you in the direction of active meditation.

The book's greatest strength is suggesting ways in which the martial artist can broaden his/her horizons and cross-pollinate the lessons learned in life and the martial arts. It is an excellent introduction to seeking avenues for further growth and development.

It is also mercifully short. I doubt whether anyone but a martial artist would find this interesting reading. The style is at best cumbersome and even though the content is great, the manner in which it's written do not make it an enjoyable read.

An alternate approach to same idea is found in the following:

What is Budo?

From Zen Way to the Martial Arts by Taisen Deshimaru

Budo is the way of the warrior; it embraces all the Japanese martial arts. It explores through direct experience and in depth the relationship between ethics, religion, and philosophy. Its association with sports is a very recent development; the ancient writings are essentially concerned with a particular form of cultivation of the mind and a reflection upon the nature of the self: who am I? What is I?

In Japanese, do means the way. How do you walk on this way? How can you find it? It is not just learning a technique, still less is it a sporting match. Budo includes such arts as kendo, judo, aikido, and kyudo or archery; yet the ideogram bu also means to cease the struggle. In Budo the point is not only to compete, but to find peace and mastery of the self.

Do, the way, is the method, the teaching that enables you to understand perfectly the nature of your own mind and self. It is the way of the Buddha, butsudo, that leads you to discover your own original nature, to awaken from the numbness of the sleeping ego (the little self, the limited "me") and accede to higher, fuller personhood. In Asia this way has become the supreme morality and essence of all religions and philosophies. The yin and yang of the I Ching, the "existence is nothing" of Lao Tsu, have their roots in it.

What does this mean? That you can forget your personal body and mind; attain absolute spirit, nonego. Harmonize, unite sky and earth. The inner mind lets thoughts and emotions pass by; it is completely free from its environment, egoism drops away. This is the wellspring of the philosophies and religions of Asia. Mind and body, outside and inside, substance and phenomena: these pairs are neither dualistic nor opposed, but form one unseparated whole. Change, any change, influences all actions, all relationships among all existences; the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of one person influences every other person; our movements and those of others are interdependent. "Your happiness must be my happiness and if you weep I weep with you. When you are sad I must become sad and when you are happy I must be so too." Everything in the universe is connected, everything is osmosis. You cannot separate any part from the whole: interdependence rules the cosmic order.

Throughout five thousand years of the history of the East, the sages and philosophers have fixed their attention on this spirit, this way, and transmitted it.

The Shin Jin Mei is a very ancient book, originally Chinese, and at one point it says, shi dobu nan: the way, the highest way, is not difficult, but you must not make choices. You must entertain neither affection nor distaste. The San Do Kai (or "interpenetration of essence and phenomena") says, similarly, "If you cherish one single illusion, separation comes, as between mountain and river."

One of the things Zen means is the effort of practicing meditation, zazen. It is the effort to reach the realm of thought without discrimination, consciousness beyond all categories, embracing and transcending every conceivable expression in language. This dimension can be attained through the practice of zazen and of Bushido.

And direct testimony from The Only Enlightened Martial Artist I Could Find.

Quotable Quotes from Zen in the Martial Arts

A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it his every action. - SAMURAI MAXIM

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment. - LAO-TZU

When you seek it, you cannot find it. - ZEN RIDDLE

For the uncontrolled there is no wisdom, nor for the uncontrolled is there the power of concentration; and for him without concentration there is no peace. And for the unpeaceful, how can there be happiness? - BHAGAVAD GITA

Patience the essential quality of a man. - KWAI-KOO-TSU

Power of mind is infinite while brawn is limited.- KOICHI TOHEI

Life unfolds on a great sheet called Time, and once finished it is gone forever. -CHINESE ADAGE

The mind should be nowwhere in particular. - TAKUAN

When you and your opponent are one. There is a coexisting relationship between you. You coexist with your opponent and become his complement, absorbing his attack and using force to overcome him. - BRUCE LEE

Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. - CHUANG-TZU

Softness triumphs over hardness, feebleness over strength over that which is immoveable. This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them, of mastery through adaptation. - LAO-TZU

Control your emotion or it will control you. - CHINESE ADAGE

The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life. - SAMURAI MAXIM

I can defeat you physically with or without a reason. But I can only defeat your mind with a reason. - JIM LAU TRY SOFTER

A young boy traveled across Japan to the school of a famous martial artist. When he arrived at the dojo he was given an audience by the Sifu. "What do you wish from me?" the master asked. "I wish to be your student and become the finest martial artist in the land," the boy replied. "How long must I study?" "Ten years at least," the master answered. "Ten years is a long time," said the boy. What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?" "Twenty years," replied the master." "Twenty years! What if I practice day and night will all my effort?" "Thirty years," was the master's reply. "How is it each time I say I will take work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked. "The answered is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way." - ANNONYMOUS

To know and act are one and the same. - SAMURAI MAXIM

In order to achieve victory you must place yourself in your opponent's skin. If you don't understand yourself, you will lose one hundred percent of the time. If you understand yourself, you will win fifty percent of time. If you understand yourself and your opponent, you will win one hundred percent of the time. - TSUTOMU OSHIMA

Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious. - DAISETSU SUZUKI

The mind of a perfect man is like a mirror. It grasps nothing. It expects nothing. It reflects but does not hold. Therefore, the perfect man can act without effort. - CHUANG-TZU

The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be. - BRUCE LEE