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The
teachings of Dai sensei Funakoshi Gichin were always filled
with philosophical meaning. His twenty admonitions to students of
karate are universal in their wisdom and the application of karate-do
not only in the Karate dojo but also in daily life |
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Don't forget that Karate begins and ends with etiquette and
courtesy. |
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The
Emphasis on courtesy is not just for the sake of learning proper behavior
but also to build humility and respect for other beings. |
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Karate
should only be used when one is attacked first. |
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Karate-do
is the art of empty handed self defense. This defensive aspect
of the art is emphasized repeatedly to a student of karate so
that the art is never misused . The extent to which the great masters
laid emphasis on this is can be seen in the Shotokan Karate-do Kata,
where the first movement is always a block. |
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The
trait of righteousness is what makes karate the art that it is. |
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To stand
up for truth and uphold all that is right and truthful makes the Karateka
unafraid in the face of danger This can also be seen in the Dojo Kun. |
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Firstly
know yourself and only after that can you know another. |
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Man is
always critical of others or has opinions about others. This advise
is another example of the emphasis the Master laid on humility when
he expounds that unless you know yourself, your own weaknesses, your
desires, your fears etc.,and your own strength, it is difficult to
fight someone else about whose nature you know nothing at all. |
| § |
The right mental aspect is as important as the physical
aspect of the technique. |
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To
carry out a technique one needs to be able to do it physically, in
order to do it correctly, one must understand it completely but
to execute it completely one must have the right attitude.
Therefore the emphasis on training should not solely be on the physical
aspect but the karateka should also build up the right mental attitude. |
| § |
It
is necessary to detach your mind when practicing. |
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The mind
is amongst the most difficult things to control. The practice of karate
inculcates self discipline which demands a control over the mind.
This is because complete undivided attention is needed when practicing
Karate. If one's mind is occupied with matters other than that being
done at any given moment, then completely mastery whether physical
or mental over what is being taught at that point of time cannot be
achieved. Therefore a cold mindset completely detached from everything
else except what is being done or taught is necessary. |
| § |
Laziness
makes ruin. |
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No explanations
are necessary for this since the practice of Karate-do directly involves
the eschewing of laziness. |
| § |
Don't
think that karate is only in the dojo. |
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The term
Karate-do means the way of Karate. It is necessary for those who walk
this path to know that the way of karate cannot be restricted only
to the confines of the dojo. It is the manner in which one conducts
one's self not only in the dojo but also outside of it in the day
to day activities of life. |
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Karate
training is throughout life. |
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It is
necessary for those who practice the way of karate to know that training
is not to be restricted only to the period of the dojo practice but
that the essence of the art is that it can be trained throughout one's
life. Unlike many other forms of physical training, karate -do can
be used to stay healthy both physically and mentally. The self discipline
inculcated thus also helps one spiritually throughout one's life. |
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If
you Karate-ize everything then there is exquisiteness. |
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Funakoshi
Dai-Sensei used Zen philosophy to propagate the essence of karate-do.
This admonition to those who practice karate is again his manner of
stating that when you use the philosophy of karate-do in everything
you do, then everything that you do can be seen in a different perspective. |
| § |
Karate
is just like hot water if you do not give it heat it will become cold
water. |
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One of
the most commonly used adages in the JKA Karate-do, this simple but
very effective line states in a direct manner the need for training
everyday and why it is most necessary to do so, if you want to keep
your standard high. |
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You
need not think of winning but it is necessary to think of not losing
either. |
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Very sound
advice to a martial artist often given to competitors by their coaches.
Dai Sensei Funakoshi in a single sentence metes out this advice of
the need to be totally aware of the present. By thinking of
winning , one's mind is occupied by this aspect rather than being
completely aware of the present. Similarly, if at any point of time
things do not seem to be going well for oneself, it is
very important that one does not think of losing either. What is needed
therefore is to only concentrate on executing the technique as per
the strategy thought out to the best of one's ability. |
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You
must change your attitude and technique according to the enemy. |
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Again
a simple but straightforward explanation that every person is different
and that every situation begets a different reaction. There always
is a case by case answer to any situation and one needs to adapt oneself
accordingly. |
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Fighting
is dependant on the control of truth and feinting or faking. |
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Strategy
is the use of half truths and the presentation of what seems to be
the truth but in reality far from it. Masking one's intentions till
the last minute is true control of strategy and mastery of this is
necessary for the winning of any situation in one 's favor. |
| § |
You
must think of a person's hands and feet as swords. |
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Karate-do
started out as a purely art of self defense at a time where the average
native of Okinawa was banned from using or carrying weapons and this
being the case, in the ancient days to parry a sword cut, one had
to make one's hands and feet weapons that could be equal stature
and strength. In modern times though the situation is completely
different, karate-do being a martial art, one's hands and feet are
one's weapons therefore the necessity to train accordingly. |
| § |
Once
a man comes out of a gate there are a million enemies. |
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Never
rest because every moment of life is always a challenge seems
to be the message that is given by this advice. Once one has taken
a step forward, one must move ahead fighting keeping the spirit up. |
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Kamae
(Pose) is for beginners later it is natural instinctiveness. |
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The concept
of the relation between muscle memory and instinct was not scientifically
proven when Dai Sensei Fuankoshi wrote the Niju kun.
However one can interpret his advice in this light. Repeatedly training
correctly in the basics as a beginner makes these techniques to become
a second nature moving them to the realm of the instinct. Therefore
instinctive reaction can be based on karate. |
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Kata
should be correct, Jissen (actual combat) is different. |
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The term
kata means "formal way". The oyu
of the bunkai of kata is however
based on Jissen or actual combat. Therefore do the kata
in the right manner, with the knowledge that Jissen
is different. |
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Don't
forget the basic principle - Expansion and Contraction of the body,
The Correct use of power, and Speed during movement. |
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Dai Sensei
Funakoshi stressed on the 3 principles of kata.- 1) the Expansion
and contraction of the body. - in large and small movements 2) The
correct usage of power. In movements where strength if required use
strength, in the movement that one has to relax, and not use strength,
such should be the case 3) the usage of speed and slowness of movement
in movements where acceleration or deceleration is required. |
| § |
You
must plan and devise strategy. |
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Always
have foresight in everything you do. Plan well and think strategically,
have backup plans incase the ones devised do not work. |
