Slashdot: Wisdom From The Last Ninja

[Bob Hubbard]

Wisdom From The Last Ninja



Posted by Zonk on Friday April 28, @07:42PM
from the real-ultimate-power dept.
I Could Tell You But... writes "The AP has a story about ninjutsu master Masaaki Hatsumi, last living student of Japan's last 'fighting ninja.' He offers advice from the heart of Ninjadom, like 'always be able to kill your students,' and describes the current popular ninja image as 'pathetic.' At age 76, students are speculating on his successor, who may for the first time be non-Japanese." From the article: "As I cautiously raise the sword with a taut two-handed samurai grip, my sparring partner gingerly points to Hatsumi. I avert my eyes for a split second - and WHAM! The next thing I know, I'm staring at the rafters. Keeping your focus is just one of the lessons thumped out on the mats of the Bujinkan Dojo, a cramped school outside Tokyo that is a pilgrimage site for 100,000 worldwide followers. They revere Hatsumi as the last living master of ninjutsu - the mysterious Japanese art of war practiced by black-masked assassins of yesteryear."



(Read More)

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

"...always be able to kill your students"

I like that!

 

[ManOfVirtues]

That article was a really good (non biased) observance of our practices and traditions. It really gives an inside peek to what we are all about. Very good read.

 

[Bigshadow]

I read it, a couple of versions actually, from different media outlets. I didn't think it really said a whole lot. I really didn't see the point in the article at all. It was empty of anything really meaningful to anyone practicing the art. Well there was one thing, but it really isn't important.

It was fanciful for the non-practitioner.

As for "be able to kill your students", I believe that is also in the book Understand, Good, Play.

 

[rutherford]

Is Ben reprinting that book, or are you just teasing because you have a copy?

My opinion of the article is less kind, and I particularly dislike most media spin and headlines given to it after it was received from AP. Slashdot's summary is particularly bad.

 

[Bigshadow]

Is Ben reprinting that book, or are you just teasing because you have a copy?

My opinion of the article is less kind, and I particularly dislike most media spin and headlines given to it after it was received from AP. Slashdot's summary is particularly bad.

It wasn't meant as a tease, I do have a copy, I had forgotten that it was out of print.

 

[Flying Crane]

"The AP has a story about ninjutsu master Masaaki Hatsumi, last living student of Japan's last 'fighting ninja.'

Is this true? I understand Mr. Hatsumi is the inheritor of the art, but are there no other students of Mr. Hatsumi's teacher, who are still alive? Whether or not they are part of the Bujinkan?

 

[rutherford]

Is this true? I understand Mr. Hatsumi is the inheritor of the art, but are there no other students of Mr. Hatsumi's teacher, who are still alive? Whether or not they are part of the Bujinkan?

This is true, as far as I know.

Toshitsugu Takamatsu died April 2, 1972.

 

[Monadnock]

"...always be able to kill your students"

I like that!

What does it mean?

That you should always be better skilled than your students?
That you should not be attached to keeping your students?

:idunno:

 

[ManOfVirtues]

probably a little bit of both.

 

[bencole]

Is Ben reprinting that book, or are you just teasing because you have a copy?

It wasn't meant as a tease, I do have a copy, I had forgotten that it was out of print.

I do plan to reprint the book AFTER Jan. 2008, if there is enough interest. I've got a new form on the website that allows people to let me know if they would be interested in a reprint.

When I can confirm enough interest, I can consider (after Jan. 2008) reprinting the book. That's when I should have enough time, money and energy to try a reprinting.

Cheers!

-ben

 

[Yama Arashi]

"...always be able to kill your students"

I like that!

What you may not realize is that he means you students will never be as good as him, the master. Translation: if that is Hatsumi's way of thinking each generation of Soke will be weaker and weaker until you are left with nothing. It's actually sad if that is what he believes

 

[heretic888]

What you may not realize is that he means you students will never be as good as him, the master. Translation: if that is Hatsumi's way of thinking each generation of Soke will be weaker and weaker until you are left with nothing. It's actually sad if that is what he believes

I think we've found a troll, ladies and gentlemen.

Laterz.

 

[bencole]

What you may not realize is that he means you students will never be as good as him, the master. Translation: if that is Hatsumi's way of thinking each generation of Soke will be weaker and weaker until you are left with nothing. It's actually sad if that is what he believes

Not at all. It is very clear that Takamatsu-sensei could have killed Hatsumi-sensei at any point in their training time together. But without revealing everything, Takamatsu-sensei gave Hatsumi-sensei everything that was necessary.

If you believe that, despite keeping going, you will NEVER improve to the point of your teacher, then what you say is true. In the end, we will be left with nothing.

But if you believe, as Soke does, that if you keep going, you can get BETTER than your teacher, then we are left with something more with every new generation.

So, the teacher can still always be able to kill the student, but one day when the teacher is no longer around, the student will surpass the teacher.

-ben

 

[matt.m]

There are good aspects of the read. I have found that a lot of things we hold dear and believe to be true as children and young adults turn out to be b.s. :shrug:

 

[rutherford]

There is some more discussion of this news item here:

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33498

 

[Grey Eyed Bandit]

*Thread Hijack*

Bencole, could you check your inbox please?

*/end thread hijack*