Zen and the Martial Arts

[Gyakuto114 123]

I spent a year in a Korean Zen temple. I was thinking about becoming a monk. I had many little kenshos (experiences). They definitely led to something interesting conceptually that allowed me to get better at kungfu.

Would you elaborate on how kensho made your Kung Fu ‘better ‘.

For those who don’t know, Kenshō (見性) is a Japanese Zen Buddhist term meaning ‘seeing one's [true] nature’ or ‘perceiving the essence’ of reality. It refers to an initial, often sudden, awakening experience or insight into buddha-nature, distinct from full, permanent Buddhahood, and requires further practice to deepen. Quite a step upward in consciousness!

 

[Gyakuto114 123]

I've looked into this and it's amazing but true. All of the early patriarchs were highly skilled martial artists.
As was Confucius, Mencius, etc.

Can you give us a reference for these data so we can read them ourselves, see if they’re credible etc?

 

[Gyakuto114 123]

As was Confucius, Mencius, etc.

I count myself as an amateur authority on Confucius but I’ve never read that he was involved in the martial arts, let alone a ‘highly skilled martial artist.’ Can you tell us exactly where you have read so I can see if it’s a credible source. I’m intrigued!

 

[Same Trick59 10]

No need go to a temple in Korea to know more, this stuff found in Judaism, Christianity and Ancient Greek culture..
Zen - Sema/Semion - Shama/Simeon - Simon . To hear/listen, sign(revelation).

 

[isshinryuronin4 3]

I’ve never read that he was involved in the martial arts,

The one who supposedly planted the seeds for Chinese Buddhism and the exercises that eventually became kung fu was Bodhidharma in about 600AD. If memory serves me, he did come from a warrior culture. However, Confucius lived a good 1000 years before that! I also don't know any story of him even knowing empty hand MA. He may have studied archery as part of his general education but that's far cry of him being a martial artist of high skill.

 

[hoshin160022 1]

Zen is simple really.
When sitting, just sit. When eating just eat. When punching someone in the face just punch and if cutting someone down with a sword just cut them down with the sword.

 

[Hyoho]

I wonder if Takuan disowned him, or if he actually never knew him at all.

Of all of the claims about Musashi, the ones concerning his Zen practice are the most tenuous. And that is saying a lot when you consider his other legends.

I'm actually disappointed Takuan mentioned Yagyu and not Musashi. I would like to believe that he took Takuan as his teacher and became enlightened.

Oh well...

Musashi actually wrote Gorin no Sho in Kana so as not to draw on the Confucian Analects or Buddhist precepts. So basically, it's an "understand it as you can" writing based on your actual experience. His other works, however, deeply draw on Buddhism, such as Dokkodo. You need to understand the deeper meaning of kanji. This is why some HNIR members have increased their studies in Buddhism. Just one quote from Musashi in Dokkodo can be extended into a page of translation and explanation. Does one have to take up Zazen. I would not have thought so, but as Musashi did himself, hours of quiet meditation are an asset. Hyoho6

 

[isshinryuronin4 3]

Zen is simple really.
When sitting, just sit. When eating just eat. When punching someone in the face just punch and if cutting someone down with a sword just cut them down with the sword.

I've called this "mind of a dog" who lives in the moment and doesn't over think anything. They are Zen masters (who occasionally lick their balls).

 

[windwalker099114 144]

No need go to a temple in Korea to know more, this stuff found in Judaism, Christianity and Ancient Greek culture..
Zen - Sema/Semion - Shama/Simeon - Simon . To hear/listen, sign(revelation).

Having spent time in Korea — during my military service and later working in high tech — A friend invited me to her early morning practice, chanting with the her sister monks up in the mountains. Truly a profound experience.

Even without understanding the Korean language, the sound of the chanting permeated everything until only it was left.

I was told that for many lay monks, it could take 3 years of working around the temple before one was allowed to fully live there, though requirements likely differed depending on the temple and practice.

“Appledog” mentioning Korea piqued my interest, memories of long ago…

 

[Appledog50 3]

Having spent time in Korea — during my military service and later working in high tech — A friend invited me to her early morning practice, chanting with the her sister monks up in the mountains. Truly a profound experience.

Even without understanding the Korean language, the sound of the chanting permeated everything until only it was left.

I was told that for many lay monks, it could take 3 years of working around the temple before one was allowed to fully live there, though requirements likely differed depending on the temple and practice.

“Appledog” mentioning Korea piqued my interest, memories of long ago…

Yes, it's interesting isn't it, you can go there and live and work and meditate and learn for an entire year and it is not even half of what you need to do to become a part of it. And for most people, they are not even aware that this kind of dedication exists. Or that it is, actually, the only way to achieve certain things...

'ishi no ue nimo sannen', as they say. Not a one-off thing, but quite common in the ancient world.

One must understand, zen is a career. For the rest of us, we may get quite good, but we are not monks yet forever dilettantes.

 

[Gyakuto114 123]

Zen is simple really.
When sitting, just sit. When eating just eat. When punching someone in the face just punch and if cutting someone down with a sword just cut them down with the sword.

That’s Sōtō Zen.

In Rinzai you ask, ‘What am I sitting upon?’ ‘What is it that is eating?’ ‘Who is punching this thing that is called a face?’

I don’t really get on with koan practise, it’s not for me and that’s not uncommon. Most are ancient, with a Chinese historical context (alien to Westerners). A Rinzai roshi will find alternative methods for people like me. So I decided to create my own koan and associated watto that would chime with me and my background and then get approval from my roshi which he gave. Here it is:

A Zen master saw a strong samurai furiously practising his cuts.
"What are you trying to achieve?" ask the master.
"I want my cuts to be so strong they might split the world in half!" exclaimed the Samurai.
Being a swordsman of much repute in his past the master said
"Then, you should use less power in your cuts; be gentle and describe a huge arc with your blade.”
The Samurai tried this and, much to his surprise, his cuts became more powerful and effective.
The Zen master then asked, "What do you think you could cleave if you used no power at all?"

The watto is "What can you cut with no power?"

 

[Gyakuto114 123]

Having spent time in Korea — during my military service and later working in high tech — A friend invited me to her early morning practice, chanting with the her sister monks up in the mountains. Truly a profound experience.

Even without understanding the Korean language, the sound of the chanting permeated everything until only it was left.

I was told that for many lay monks, it could take 3 years of working around the temple before one was allowed to fully live there, though requirements likely differed depending on the temple and practice.

“Appledog” mentioning Korea piqued my interest, memories of long ago…

I’ve only experience a profound samadhi twice in my life. Once when fitting optical sections of cells together, a complex visuospatial task rather like doing a 3D jigsaw puzzle, for hours on end and once in a Japanese drumming class. There’s something about repetition of something that requires concentration that pushes you into that state. Unfortunately, there was nobody ready to whack me with a kyōsaku/keisaku and slap me into awakening!