Where Is the Book of Mysteries for Japanese Swordsmanship?

Japanese Swordsmanship is now known to be "Kendo". The name, "Kendo" was the one given after Meiji Restoration in 1867. Before Meiji era, it was referred to as either "Kenjutsu" or "Hyoho". It was the end of the sixteenth century and first half of the seventeenth century when Japanese Swordsmanship started to be systematized. It was this period when legendary masters of "Kendo" appeared and left their extraordinary stories on their skills, fights, and spirits.

"Ono" was the second pupil of the legendary master, "Ito". Ito had two pupils. The older pupil was "Zenki." Zenki was a big and powerful swordsman. Earlier, he was helping Ito to show their swordsmanship to opponents. Later he became jealous of his own master, Ito. The master Ito did not like Zenki's style of using his body size and power as an advantage to defeat enemies. However, he was strong and continued to defeat Ito's enemies. Ono, in contrast, was a moderately built, skinny person. He was more an intellectual type than a swordsman. He was skillful, speedy, and flexible. He could win against fighters who were bigger and stronger than him. Ono could not win against Zenki however. Zenki's strength was power, skill, and speed combined.

Ito, close to his death, summoned these two pupils and told them to fight. He showed the Book of Mysteries for Ito style Kenjutsu to both of them. He concluded that the swordsman, who won, would be given the book and the name to be the official successor of Ito style Kenjutsu.

Zenki was glad. He believed he would win and become the Master. Ono thought his chances of winning were not large. He did not give up and continued to think of how to win. During the fight, Ono used "Willow tree technique" rather than going against the power Zenki tried to use. Ono defeated Zenki.

The master Ito summoned Ono, after their fight. He handed a lacquer painted box to Ono and asked him to open it. Ono bowed to his master and the box and opened the box. It was empty. There was nothing inside of black lacquered box. Puzzled, Ono asked Ito the meaning. Ito said, "You defeated the person you and others believed to be stronger than you. That was the mysteries of my style of Kenjutsu." Ono was still frowning. Ito continued, "Do not you understand? It is you. You are the mysteries of my swordsmanship." The master continued that there were two essential reasons why Ono won. i. Ono did not give up. ii. He continued to think about how to win.

Ito meant that Ono mastered the essentials of swordsmanship by defeating an obviously opponent than himself. No matter how many times a swordsman wins, if he defeats only weaker people, he is not a master. Only ones who win obviously stronger enemies are an invincible. Therefore, he was the master. He did not need any book, any more.




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The strong is not strong because his strength. Zen - 9

I am putting out same picture as yesterday's post. The picture is "Kan-Non". This is not directly related to Zen or Zen Discussion. But, I hoped to mention about "Kan-Non" as an important part of Buddhism.

Origin of Kan-Non was not known well. But Kan-Non was well worshipped in Vietnam, Hong-Kong, China, Japan, and many Asian Countries.

Sometimes, Kan-Non was compared to Mother Mary and she is Buddhism's symbol of unlimited mercy as Mother Mary is for Christianity. It is said that she has 1000 hands to help and give mercy to people. Some of statues in Japan shows her 1000 hands. In Edo Shogunate age when Christianity was prohibited by Shogun Government, Christian people build statue of Mother Mary which looks like Kan-Non to hide their religion. I think either Mother Mary or Kan-Non minds it.

Kan-Non was deeply related to Japanese Buddhism history as well. When Buddhism was first introduced to Japan in 552 AD, it took some time to deeply founded in Japanese culture. Several Emperors promoted it not so successfully. Japan did have its original religion, Shinto, that time.

Queen Ko-Myo (701 - 760) was from non-emperor family, devout believer of Buddhism. She promised to clean and wash 1000 people so that they could understand the mercy of Buddhism. An old woman was the last 1000th person the Queen must have cleaned. This woman was a leper and demanded that Queen should have clean her fester skin with Queens tongues and lips. Queen Ko-Myo without hesitation kissed this old lady and cleaned her skin as requested. Not a half done, this old woman showed her real herself to Queen Ko-Myo. This old woman was Kan-Non changed her appearance, tested Queen's faith. Kan-Non promised Queen Ko-Myo Buddhism will be the first religion in Japan with her effort.

Encouraged by Kan-Non, Queen Ko-Myo continued to evangelize Buddhism and Buddhism became first religion in Japan. Today in Japan, Buddhism lives with people and it is almost impossible to separate Buddhism from Japanese daily lives.

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The strong is not strong because his strength. Zen - 8

There was a Zen Priest famous for wisdom in 17th century. People believed that there is nothing in the world that this priest did not know. Local king was interested to try this priest wisdom and knowledge. The king had a picture with Tiger. It was a masterpiece of famous painter and the tiger looked really like alive. He told subject and people at night this tiger came out of picture and annoy him. He wanted the famous wisdom priest to help him. This was a king's lie to test the priest's wisdom.

The king called the priest. The king told the priest of the tiger story and asked the priest to help him. The priest promised the king to help. He asked the king to give him an hour to prepare. When this priest reappeared in front of the king, he was with Japanese sword, armor, and ropes, ready to fight. The priest stood in front of the tiger picture with full guard stance with his Japanese sword.

The priest shouted out loud to the king "My Lord, I am ready to fight and catch the tiger. Please call the tiger out of the picture." The only thing the local king could do was to admit that he lied and apologized to the priest.

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http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/05/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_03.html
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http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_30.html
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The strong is not strong because his strength. Zen - 7

Today I would like to talk about another oxymoron "lose to win". In more Zen Discussion form like, "If you want to win, you lose. If you lose, you will win." I do not know if this is a fiction or true story, but there is a sword master in 15th century. And this is a story about the master and his student boy. The boy asked this master to teach him sword skill to defeat his clan's enemy who killed the boy's father. The master moved by the boy's enthusiasm, taught him skill for about a year. One day the master called the boy and told him "You are not strong enough to defeat your father's enemy. But there is just one way you can defeat him. It is not easy. Do you like me to teach it to you and try it?"

The boy asked how he could. The teacher said "Plan to fight against him twice. The first fight you will inevitably lose. But do not to be killed in the first fight. You will win the second one." The boy was puzzled but he fought the first fight as taught. The boy lost, badly wounded, but survived. One year later, the boy asked his enemy to fight again. His enemy was surprised the boy is still alive, but agreed to fight the second time.

In his second fight the boy successfully defeated his father's enemy. The boy told his teacher that his enemy was not even half the man in his first fight, still puzzled. The teacher told the boy that his enemy was in his half way defeated because he was shocked by the boy survived and still want to fight despite of the first fight. The teacher continued "You acquired stability of mind by lost and almost being killed in the first fight. Instead, your enemy is so relieved by the fight won, and lost his mental stability shocked by your survival and intention to fight again. Your mind stability reached to the point that the skill cannot overcome. I knew you won."

I know the teacher is "Itto-sai Itoh" the boy is "Tenzen Mikogami". Both are legendary masters in Japanese sword art, Ken-do. Again I do not know this story is true or fiction. Even fiction, it still tells us importance of mind stability and the mechanism how one can gain or lose it.

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http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_30.html
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The strong is not strong because his strength. Zen - 6

Let's turn to 2nd story of Zen Discussion. Buddhism teaches people ultimate status of mind to be stable as a mountain. It is not just simple stability, but stability upon danger, life or death, usually panicky situation. To achieve this stability, they talk about maintaining "Emptiness" of emotion. It is the status of "Nothing is Everything and Everything is Nothing". This status is called "Heart of Buddhism".

One day, the student asked teacher if an animal like a dog had "Heart of Buddhism". The teacher immediately answered it didn't. The student asked why it didn't. The teacher said because they did not know they had "Heart of Buddhism".

The contradiction is clear here. Teacher answered back first animals did not have "Heart of Buddhism". Then he said they did, but they did not know. It seems to me that this is more meanings than just not knowing is same as do not have it. This status of mind is not easy to just understand or believe in its existence. If one has even a slight doubt or disbelief in its status, one will never be able to achieve "Heart of Buddhism".

It seems to me this applies to the success in business or life. If one does not believe he could succeed, he will not most probably.

Related post:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/05/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_03.html
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http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/05/strong-is-not-strong-because-his.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_30.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/strong-is-not-strong-because-his.html

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The strong is not strong because his strength. Zen - 5

Musashi Miyamoto is this sword man's name. He fought 60 times in his life and never lost one. There were so many famous fights including infamous one. He killed 13 years old son of Sword Master who Musashi killed in earlier duel, too. The 13 years old boy was brought into the duel by students of Dojo. Musashi needed to kill the boy to confuse 30 Dojo students. He killed more than 10 in the duel including the boy and run away. It might have been only way for him to survive.

The most famous duel is the one against his rival, Kojiro Sasaki who was famous for skills and speed of steel art. It was said that he used 6 feet sword with no problem and could cut fast flying swallow twice.

In the duel, Musashi was late about 2 hours to appear in the place. Kojiro tried not to be upset. But he could not control his emotion. When Musashi appeared, Kojiro rushed to him and pulled out his sword of 6 feet and throw away the sheath. Musashi said to Kojiro "You are already lost. Your sword has no place to be back in." In addition, Musashi to be effectively fight against long sword of Kojiro's prepared 7 feet wooden sword he himself made from boat oar. Musashi kept his sword behind and the tip of it into the ocean water so that Kojiro could not figure the length.

Musashi won the duel despite the fact that Kojiro's skill might have been well over Musashi's. This is another example "The strong is not strong because of his strength." Musashi knew his weakness and covered it by mind control and physical preparation. Despite of his skill, Kojiro lost the duel due to the fact that he could not keep "Status of Peace" in his mind.


Related post:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/05/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_02.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/05/strong-is-not-strong-because-his.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/strong-is-not-strong-because-his_30.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/strong-is-not-strong-because-his.html

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