The Ethics of your art...
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Shotgun Buddha
Brown Belt
We don't really talk about ethics much in training. Thats not to say there is no sense of personal development, thats present in both our training itself and the atmosphere in the club. We train hard and build strength and discipline, humility and control. We very much operate on a basis of leave your ego at the door, and those who try to domineer over others are quickly taught the error of their ways.
However we just never really talk about or discuss ethics, simply because we're too busy training.
However we just never really talk about or discuss ethics, simply because we're too busy training.
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In our school, the students (and instructors, since we're all students as well) are expected to behave as ladies and gentlemen, both inside, and outside the dojo. Courtesy is a very important aspect, in that even though you may not like the next guy, you are still expected to be courteous. After all, a simple bit of courtesy, leaving one's ego behind, can defuse a potentially explosive situation.
Students are expected to take responsibility for their actions, good, or bad.
The students are expected to not use their skills to provoke something.
However, if they're left with no other choice, then they're expected to defend themselves to the best of their abilities!
Students are expected to take responsibility for their actions, good, or bad.
The students are expected to not use their skills to provoke something.
However, if they're left with no other choice, then they're expected to defend themselves to the best of their abilities!
Langenschwert
Master Black Belt
The Liechtenauer verses start out like this:
Young knight, learn
to love God and revere women;
thus your honour will grow.
Practice knighthood and learn
the Art that dignifies you,
and brings you honour in wars.
Be a good grappler in wrestling;
lance, spear, sword and messer
handle manfully,
and foil them in your opponent's hands.
Strike in and hasten forth;
rush to, let it hit, or go by.
Those with wisdom loath
the one forced to defend.
This you should grasp:
All arts have length and measure.
-Tobler, Christian Henry. In Service of the Duke: The 15th Century Fighting Treatise of Paulus Kal. Highland Village: Chivalry Bookshelf, 2006.
So historically, the ethics of my art centred on Courtly Love, Church, Skill at Arms, and Bravery.
Fencing guilds (fencing meant fighting in general, not just swordsmanship) had oaths that were sworn by their members. Generally about being true to your Master, willingness to learn, not provoking fights, but defending one's self at need. Modern Historical European Swordsmanship organizations may or may not have such oaths.
Best regards,
-Mark
Young knight, learn
to love God and revere women;
thus your honour will grow.
Practice knighthood and learn
the Art that dignifies you,
and brings you honour in wars.
Be a good grappler in wrestling;
lance, spear, sword and messer
handle manfully,
and foil them in your opponent's hands.
Strike in and hasten forth;
rush to, let it hit, or go by.
Those with wisdom loath
the one forced to defend.
This you should grasp:
All arts have length and measure.
-Tobler, Christian Henry. In Service of the Duke: The 15th Century Fighting Treatise of Paulus Kal. Highland Village: Chivalry Bookshelf, 2006.
So historically, the ethics of my art centred on Courtly Love, Church, Skill at Arms, and Bravery.
Fencing guilds (fencing meant fighting in general, not just swordsmanship) had oaths that were sworn by their members. Generally about being true to your Master, willingness to learn, not provoking fights, but defending one's self at need. Modern Historical European Swordsmanship organizations may or may not have such oaths.
Best regards,
-Mark
All of the students are adults, many with families. If they don't have a sense of ethics already it's probably too late. Bad people and sketchy people have a way of not showing up again. The teacher has a way of making them feel unwelcome without saying so or being rude.
CuongNhuka
Senior Master
Cuong Nhu has a whole code of ethics, and new sets of philosophy required to be konw at each rank.
Fight hard, fight fair, Protect yourself and keep a level head while doing it. Basically, good sportsmanship.
I really don't think Martial arts should push ethics much beyond friendly training and competition. That's not the place of the martial arts instructor. IMO there are already too many nutty folks trying to push there own set of ethics on people, and martial artists have a habit of being rather odd
If people want to learn about ethics they should read books on it or take course on it through the University's Philosophy dept, but they should most definately not look to a martial arts instructor as a moral authority.
I really don't think Martial arts should push ethics much beyond friendly training and competition. That's not the place of the martial arts instructor. IMO there are already too many nutty folks trying to push there own set of ethics on people, and martial artists have a habit of being rather odd
If people want to learn about ethics they should read books on it or take course on it through the University's Philosophy dept, but they should most definately not look to a martial arts instructor as a moral authority.
Langenschwert
Master Black Belt
I really don't think Martial arts should push ethics much beyond friendly training and competition. That's not the place of the martial arts instructor. IMO there are already too many nutty folks trying to push there own set of ethics on people, and martial artists have a habit of being rather odd
Ain't that the truth.
Indeed. You're better off learning ethics from Kant and Aristotle, and morals from your faith tradition, and your parents. In fact, I would say it's "categorically imperative" (
) to study Kant. Best regards,
-Mark
can "friendly training and competition" even be defiend as "ethics"?
Then again, for a sporting environment, that is probalby sufficient.
But we are not that. To be successful at our school you have to
work hard, that is a value we teach.
You have to be honest - in what you say and what you do.
You have to be respectful.
You have to have self-control.
You have to own up to your weaknesses and faults, answer for your mistakes... basically have good character.
How these ideas are applied and how they are taught is radically different for adults and children, males and females. Since we are not training for a sport, we get a WIDE variety of people as students. From hyperactive 5 year olds, to high school athletes, to 50 year old MDs. Everyone has different needs, but everyone is trying to do the same thing - learn something, improve themselves.
So a challenge for one of our older guys, a lawyer or Doctor, might be more about aggressiveness, or putting in the repititions to master some physical aspect (self-control, honesty, hard work)
For a kid it might be controlling her temper, practicing and coming to kempo class, and doing homework (self-control, honesty, hard work).
Same principles, different applications.
Then again, for a sporting environment, that is probalby sufficient.
But we are not that. To be successful at our school you have to
work hard, that is a value we teach.
You have to be honest - in what you say and what you do.
You have to be respectful.
You have to have self-control.
You have to own up to your weaknesses and faults, answer for your mistakes... basically have good character.
How these ideas are applied and how they are taught is radically different for adults and children, males and females. Since we are not training for a sport, we get a WIDE variety of people as students. From hyperactive 5 year olds, to high school athletes, to 50 year old MDs. Everyone has different needs, but everyone is trying to do the same thing - learn something, improve themselves.
So a challenge for one of our older guys, a lawyer or Doctor, might be more about aggressiveness, or putting in the repititions to master some physical aspect (self-control, honesty, hard work)
For a kid it might be controlling her temper, practicing and coming to kempo class, and doing homework (self-control, honesty, hard work).
Same principles, different applications.
Whilst I in general terms have a strong agreement with what has been expressed above with regard to ethics and morals being inculcated at an earlier age than most people start martial arts, it does no harm for instructors to show a good example of ethical behaviour.
Some people have not had the benefit of what most of us would consider a 'good' upbringing and come to martial arts with precepts that are less than inspiring. As tellner noted above, sensei can winnow these people out of the classes quite quickly if they wish to but isn't it also laudible to try and broaden their viewpoint and expose them to ideas of alternate moral choices that they might otherwise consider?
Some people have not had the benefit of what most of us would consider a 'good' upbringing and come to martial arts with precepts that are less than inspiring. As tellner noted above, sensei can winnow these people out of the classes quite quickly if they wish to but isn't it also laudible to try and broaden their viewpoint and expose them to ideas of alternate moral choices that they might otherwise consider?
TaeKwon-Do has a set of ethical principles, as follows:
Tenets:
Courtesy
Integrity
Perseverance
Self-Control
Indomitable Spirit
Student Oath:
I shall observe the tenets of Taekwon-Do
I shall respect my instructors and seniors
I shall never misuse Taekwon-Do
I shall be a champion of freedom and justice
I shall build a more peaceful world
These are taught explicitly and implicity in class - both through discussion and demonstration. Martial arts, IMHO, are more than physical movements - certainly, many (if not most) people get into a martial art in the beginning to learn the physical motions, but it goes beyond that. Learning to control your body - your physical motions - is only the first step. Along with that, you need to learn to control your mind - including, but not limited to, controlling your reactions. This begins by teaching students when they can, and cannot, use the skills taught in class - the self-defense skills, yes, but also the discipline that allows them to learn the skills in the first place, that causes them to come back to class to continue to learn no matter how difficult the skills are to master - and then how to expand those skills outside of the class environment.
Do I expect my students to be saints? No - certainly, I'm not one, although I try to do the right thing - but I do expect my students to learn specific rules of behavior as part of the discipline of class, and I also expect them to expand those rules of behavior outside of class whenever appropriate - to be polite to people because it is the right thing to do, to stand up for their friends or get help for them (as appropriate) and so on. Do I think that this is specific to martial arts? I really don't - I think it is incumbent on us as members of society to demonstrate the behaviors we wish to receive from others - else how will they learn what we expect from them? MA is just one way to do that.
Tenets:
Courtesy
Integrity
Perseverance
Self-Control
Indomitable Spirit
Student Oath:
I shall observe the tenets of Taekwon-Do
I shall respect my instructors and seniors
I shall never misuse Taekwon-Do
I shall be a champion of freedom and justice
I shall build a more peaceful world
These are taught explicitly and implicity in class - both through discussion and demonstration. Martial arts, IMHO, are more than physical movements - certainly, many (if not most) people get into a martial art in the beginning to learn the physical motions, but it goes beyond that. Learning to control your body - your physical motions - is only the first step. Along with that, you need to learn to control your mind - including, but not limited to, controlling your reactions. This begins by teaching students when they can, and cannot, use the skills taught in class - the self-defense skills, yes, but also the discipline that allows them to learn the skills in the first place, that causes them to come back to class to continue to learn no matter how difficult the skills are to master - and then how to expand those skills outside of the class environment.
Do I expect my students to be saints? No - certainly, I'm not one, although I try to do the right thing - but I do expect my students to learn specific rules of behavior as part of the discipline of class, and I also expect them to expand those rules of behavior outside of class whenever appropriate - to be polite to people because it is the right thing to do, to stand up for their friends or get help for them (as appropriate) and so on. Do I think that this is specific to martial arts? I really don't - I think it is incumbent on us as members of society to demonstrate the behaviors we wish to receive from others - else how will they learn what we expect from them? MA is just one way to do that.
Darth F.Takeda
Blue Belt
To crush our Enemies,
See them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of their women!
Just kidding, but we dont pretend to be Monks or Spiritual examples, they have this thing called Religeon for that.
We train to preserve the art, we train to protect our families, our community and ourselves from assult, oppression and in some casese insult to oour core sense of right and wrong.
We do not teach you to be a nice guy, if that happens as a result of the discepline of study, then good, it's a bonus, but not our goal.
Jujutsu is an art of war, and should be treated as such, with serious intent and focus.
You take this hard line to protect what is soft and gentle in the World.
See them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of their women!
Just kidding, but we dont pretend to be Monks or Spiritual examples, they have this thing called Religeon for that.
We train to preserve the art, we train to protect our families, our community and ourselves from assult, oppression and in some casese insult to oour core sense of right and wrong.
We do not teach you to be a nice guy, if that happens as a result of the discepline of study, then good, it's a bonus, but not our goal.
Jujutsu is an art of war, and should be treated as such, with serious intent and focus.
You take this hard line to protect what is soft and gentle in the World.
Steel Tiger
Senior Master
The martial world needs ethics if it is to operate as we want it to. We teach and learn ways of injuring and killing people, but we are, generally, not the military. It is necessary to put in place a set of rules or at least guidelines to make sure students and teachers alike do not abuse what they have learned.
These are the aims and beliefs of my school.
"It is our belief that society is natural to mankind and that it is appropriate, therefore, to ensure that society is well ordered and just. We further believe in the equality and inalienable claim to dignity of all people and hold that the goal of our existence is both self-betterment and the veneration of the struggle that realises it.
We hold that ultimate authority over all matters rests in a natural order and that a sustainable culture and human contentment can only be realised by submission to that order. We reject all attempts to limit that order by use of definitions and cognitive understanding and seek, instead, communion with nature through prayer, meditation and mystic contemplation. We refuse to submit to any form of authority that is mandatory, baseless or unjust.
With these beliefs in mind, it is the aim of the Society to provide all people with an opportunity to learn and practice the art of self-defence in a readily accessible cultural medium, one suited to its host country, and to promote an appreciation of the contributions of all peoples to the martial arts."
These are the aims and beliefs of my school.
"It is our belief that society is natural to mankind and that it is appropriate, therefore, to ensure that society is well ordered and just. We further believe in the equality and inalienable claim to dignity of all people and hold that the goal of our existence is both self-betterment and the veneration of the struggle that realises it.
We hold that ultimate authority over all matters rests in a natural order and that a sustainable culture and human contentment can only be realised by submission to that order. We reject all attempts to limit that order by use of definitions and cognitive understanding and seek, instead, communion with nature through prayer, meditation and mystic contemplation. We refuse to submit to any form of authority that is mandatory, baseless or unjust.
With these beliefs in mind, it is the aim of the Society to provide all people with an opportunity to learn and practice the art of self-defence in a readily accessible cultural medium, one suited to its host country, and to promote an appreciation of the contributions of all peoples to the martial arts."
