Is there a religious or spiritual side of Ninjutsu?

[amishman]

I am curious if the art of Ninjutsu as trained by schools associated with Soke Hatsumi's Bujinkan Budo has any spiritual, religious studies, or ways of life one will be taught or shown as they progress through training? Or it is strictly Taijutsu and other martial arts that is taught?

I am hoping to be part of a martial art that not only teaches self defense but a spiritual way of life also. Much like Shaolin where at the temple they study Chan Buddhism, is there something many Ninjutsu practitioners study on the religious spiritual side of life?

Thanks

tj

 

[aplonis]

I took ninjutsu up for a very brief period, just long enough to be assigned various study materials that purported to be authentic spiritual teachings which inspired the original ninjas. Everything I was given to study, the Hayes book in particular, was complete and utter bunk.

I can call it thus because it purports to be Shingon Buddhism and cannot be so. It is exactly the sort rubbish you would expect to hear at a cocktail party where a soldier type waxes philosophical after having briefly scanned through a philosophical tome far too deep for his understanding. All of the symbolism was bent and twisted to some totally unrelated military outline. Their explanation of the meaning for elements in the stupa (chorten) was outrageous in the extreme.

Thus the story of a winter spent with a Chinese military outcast in a cave learning these spiritual "secrets" I can well believe. The result is just exactly the half-baked nonsense you would expect to result from 2nd hand teachings from a soldier and part-time student of philosophy handed 3rd hand to someone through a language-translation filter and mis-remembered years later 4th hand to others. That part alone I can lend credence to. That alone and nothing else.

I can call it thus because Shingon Buddhism is the Japanese variant of Tibetan/North Indian (Tantric) Buddhism. Although no great expert myself, I have given quite some years of both study and practice to genuine Tibetan Buddhism under the kind guidance of several native born Tibetans, one in particular, an incarnate lama from Kham now resident in Canada.

If you want to know the original doctrine of Shingon/Tibetan Buddhism go to the sources direct. Do not accept their twisted variant from quasi-ninjas. There are very good books and other materials available for your interest in this area if it is genuine.

 

[Doc_Jude]

If you want real Ninja philosophy, follow the path of GreatBigGrandmaster Robert Hamburger:
http://www.realultimatepower.net/

 

[stephen]

I am curious if the art of Ninjutsu as trained by schools associated with Soke Hatsumi's Bujinkan Budo has any spiritual, religious studies, or ways of life one will be taught or shown as they progress through training? Or it is strictly Taijutsu and other martial arts that is taught?

I am hoping to be part of a martial art that not only teaches self defense but a spiritual way of life also. Much like Shaolin where at the temple they study Chan Buddhism, is there something many Ninjutsu practitioners study on the religious spiritual side of life?

Thanks

tj

This is a question bound to be difficult to answer. I have my own, rather thought out, answer to your question. Which I would be happy to share at a local pub after you bought be a beer (I would be happy to get the next round).

I have a feeling that others might have a similar response.

I will say that I believe that all benefits (physical, mental, spirtual) in training come from actually training. As I've heard said in Japan, "Budo is a doing thing."

It works for me but: your miliage may vary - past performance is not indicative of future results - eye protection should be worn at all times - you should consult a physician/medium/rabbi/spirtual advisor/900-number before beginning any training program.