( Great Master's thoughts) What is Karate
KARATE NI SENTE NASHI
(There is no first attack in Karate)
2. The only real obstacle to lerning Karate is you yourself, always keep this in mind.
3. To ask may be a moment's shame, but not to ask and remain ignorant is a lifelong shame.
4. Parting the clouds and seeking the way.
5. You may train for a long time, but if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning Karate is not very different from learning to dance. You will ever have reached the heart of the matter: You will have failed to grasp the quintessence of Karate-do.
6 You cannot train through words. You must learn through your body, enduring pain and anguish as you strive to discipline and polish yourself. You must believe that if others can do it, you can do it too.
7. In all things one must have a clear mind.
8. One will improve, one will get worse, one will memorize a Kata and understand lightly the meaning of it and learn to use his hands and feet without reluctance. But unless one keeps his mouth shut as he improves himself, he will have ememies all around him; Penitence and his own himility are the greatest admirble qualities of a Karate trainee.(To-te-Jutsu)
The movements of the Kata and the performers breathing must relate, and the fast sequences of technique must be executed in one breath.
- Whilst facing an opponent in combat, the mind should be as calm as the undistrubed water of a still lake.
- A Kata is not an accumulation of basic techinques but a whole form which from the beginning to end must be perfromed in a flowing, But active and energetic way as if it were a living entity, not just a series of movements.
-Kancho Kanazawa Hirokazu
We all seem to understand "reaching our goals" but few people understand " never give up."
Enlightenment is not a result of practice - it is practice itself.
- There is no end to learning, when we feel that we have learned everything, it means that we have learned nothing.
-Kensho Furuya-
"Keep in mind that life and deathare right before your eyes: you may want to retreat but teh enemy will not allow it."
-Morihei Ueshiba-
-Gichin Funakoshi-
1. During the Practice you should imagine your are on the battlefield. When blocking and striking make the eyes glare, drop the shoulders and harden the body. Now block the enemy's punch and strike! Always practice with this spirit so that when on the real battlefield, you will naturally be prepared.
2. When practicing stances make sure your back is straight, drop your shoulders, take your strength and put it in your legs, stand firmly and put the intrinsic energy in your abdomen, the top and bottom of which must be held together tightly. -Anko Itosu-
1. When there is no more conflict in your mind, then you are really living. This is the true gift Karate can give us.
-Teruyuki Okazaki-
1. To Kill with one blow or to emerge from a match or fight always victorious are objectives that only the beginner can serioulsy believe in.
2. Only when it become absolutely necessary should you raise your hand against another person and even then, your intention should not be to kill or even injure your opponent but only to block his attack.
3. In coming to a perfect understanding of one's opponent's position yu will achieve a unity with him and words like victory and defeat will be seen to be meaningless.
4. Beginning with body and mind training, continuing with the training of the spirit, you appreciate that the bo;dy and mind are not two different things but one. This is true practice.
-Shigeru Egami-
1. Do not be afraid of making mistakes; be afraid of not learning what valuable lessonses they have to offer you.
2. When a student is dissatisfied, he is not really dissatisfied with the teacher or the art; He is dissatisfied with himself and is hiding from it.
3. Anyone who trains to see even the smallest detail of the technique or art will progress quickly.
4. Without the courage to enter your whole mind and body into your training, you will never understand anything.
-Kensho Furuya-
-Control your emotion or it will control you. :- Chinese adage.
-Patience, the essential quality of a man. -Kwai-koo-Tsu.
-Satisfacation lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.
Mahatma Gandhi ( Mohan Dass Karam Chand Gandhi - Indian leader)
He who wishes to know the road through the mountains must first ask those who have already trodden it.:- Anonymous.
You and your opponent are one. There is a coexisting relationship between you. You coexist with your opponent and become his complement, absorbing his attack and using his force to overcome him. :- Bruce Lee
1. Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.
2. Karate-do may be referred to as the conflict within yourself,or a life long marathon which can be won only through self discipline, hard training and your own creative efforts. :- (Shoshin Nagamine)
1. Always in history, those who loved fighting were destroyed, but those who didn't know how to fight were also destroyed. Goodness and strength will last and lead others down the right path.:- Haukin Song of Meditation
The Mind should be nowhere in particular :- Takuan.
The eyes gaze with concentrated spirit. :- Chang San Feng
A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action.The
angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life.-Samurai Maxim
- A Master is one who returns day after day to the basic techinques and fundamentals. Mastery is am matter of the daily struggle to perfect the simplest ot techinques and ideas. :- Martial Arts Axiom.
1. Almighty is one and never feel fear even of Death if you are going to do good cause for the betterment of Society and decide to win.(Guru Gobind Singh Ji - Tenth Guru of Sikhs)