A question regarding menkyo kaiden starting branch schools

[morpheus]

Sorry for the long title. But I wanted to inquire as to the opinion of others regarding modern day menkyo kaiden leaving a koryu to start a branch school. While I understand this happened with frequency in the past, is it a common practice nowadays? Also do these branch schools fall under the umbrella of koryu?
thanks for your input.

[hyaku]

Indeed a difficult question to answer with so many variables to take in to account. It involves the manner which the certification was given and the very character of both giver and receiver.

Menkyo Kaiden is the not the ultimate level we would perhaps think it is. As I have said before Yagyu gave a blank certificate to Hosokawa to sum up the total teachings on paper.

I would question the fact that some go there seperate ways without the sanction of the teacher that certified them. That the principle purpose is to bring people together rather than go thier own seperate ways.

A new thing has come in that they did not have to contend with before. "The Association" which usually only allows one group of a ryu. I have seen people split that will even start their own association in trying to seek recognition.

I have just about experienced the spectrum now with the extremes of people actually asking for the big MK to some teachers retiring and giving nothing. Some just wander off after they got it as if to say they were just hanging in there to get one.

To bring up another thread that went into the advantages of sword practice, tea ceremony and Budo Seishin, I often see something sadly missing and perhaps get more respect from the fish in my aquarium let alone "Budo Seishin".

Recently I have seen two teachers issue three Menkyo Kaiden. Seems to be a tradition of some sort.

But only one is taught everything as a full cup being transferred in to a new one and that's not written on the paper.

The problem is for us lowly students and people on the fringe to sort out who is who.

I have menkyo kaiden myself but I wont push it. Its a peice od paper!