The meaning of Bu, the essence of Budo

[Tripitaka of AA]

After suffering the embarassing shock of discovering that my definition of Kongo Zen was seriously flawed (after nearly twenty years of mis-understanding the finer points). I should like to ask the sage scholars and mighty folk of E-Shorinji Kempo how they would answer this question which, if I recall, is one of the Howa questions required for grading (ni-kyu to ikkyu?).

Although the detailed answer could go on for a length, would someone care to post a kyu-grade version to start us off.

I was always trying to explain that the composition of the Kanji could partly explain the meaning. I would suggest that the symbol incorporated the concept of a man with a spear and the symbol for "stop". Then this would take on the the meaning of "to stop (two people) fighting". But I could never back up my statements with a proper scholarly reading of the Kanji. Has anyone managed to do this?


Edited for Spilleng misteks

[David Dunn]

David, since I can't read kanji this is not scholarly in any sense.

Mizuno Sensei sometimes draws the kanji for 'bu', going through it's components, which are 'two', 'spears', 'stop'. So your interpretation is right. Kaiso argued that this was the original meaning as 'bu' had come to mean warfare or combat in a general sense. 'Do' is the Japanese rendering of 'tao'. I'll quote Mr Draeger on its meaning, and await scholarly refutations:

Tao, according to both the Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, is nameless and unnameable, a unitary "that" from which all else springs. Such is the orthodox Taoist view. The Japanese, however, less inclined than the Chinese to abstract speculations about an "otherwordly" life, and favoring a pragmatic outlook, took the Tao - Do in Japanese - to be a more realistic concept, one that was applicable to man in his social relationships. They preferred the Confucian interpretation of the Tao as a nameable, named and multiple concept that nevertheless transcends both nature and man.

The basis for what the Japanese call do or michi "way", lies in these ancient concepts of the Tao carried to Japan from China. Whatever the original meanings for the Chinese, they were modified both by native Japanese beliefs like Shinto and by the social and political requirements of the ruling elite... the do is not a religion in itself... The essentially nonreligious outlook of the Japanese people did not add to the do in this sphere; their high degree of absorption in human relationships prevented this.

The Tao as do was therefore understood by the Japanese to be a "way" or "road" to follow in life. That way is endless and profound. It is long, steep and filled with numerous technical difficulties. It is to be travelled as a means of self-cultivation, and it leads ultimately to self-perfection.

I think it is fair to say that Kaiso's conception of Michi is one that is not austere or ascetic, but that Kenshi should be firmly rooted in the real world of human relationships. So Michi is 'half for yourself and half for others', which is why training is 'otegai renshu', training for each other (another plug for George's sutemi article is in order).

Mizuno Sensei sums up, the essence of budo is not simply to stop conflict, but to actually transform it - bu means you have the strength to do so.

That's briefly how I'd describe that element of philosophy.

[Tripitaka of AA]

Splendid David. Well done, Mr Dunn. I thank you.

[Eastwood]

Originally posted by David Dunn

'Do' is the Japanese rendering of 'tao'. I'll quote Mr Draeger on its meaning, and await scholarly refutations:

Tao, according to both the Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, is nameless and unnameable, a unitary "that" from which all else springs. Such is the orthodox Taoist view. The Japanese, however, less inclined than the Chinese to abstract speculations about an "otherwordly" life, and favoring a pragmatic outlook, took the Tao - Do in Japanese - to be a more realistic concept, one that was applicable to man in his social relationships. They preferred the Confucian interpretation of the Tao as a nameable, named and multiple concept that nevertheless transcends both nature and man.

The basis for what the Japanese call do or michi "way", lies in these ancient concepts of the Tao carried to Japan from China. Whatever the original meanings for the Chinese, they were modified both by native Japanese beliefs like Shinto and by the social and political requirements of the ruling elite... the do is not a religion in itself... The essentially nonreligious outlook of the Japanese people did not add to the do in this sphere; their high degree of absorption in human relationships prevented this.

The Tao as do was therefore understood by the Japanese to be a "way" or "road" to follow in life. That way is endless and profound. It is long, steep and filled with numerous technical difficulties. It is to be travelled as a means of self-cultivation, and it leads ultimately to self-perfection.


I think it is fair to say that Kaiso's conception of Michi is one that is not austere or ascetic, but that Kenshi should be firmly rooted in the real world of human relationships.

David,
Your post gave a nice, tight sense of the terms, but the Draeger part made me feel a bit queasy. The way he tries to make Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu stand in for China and make Confucius somehow typically Japanese grated, and then when he called on a Japanese outlook that is essentially nonreligious (!?), I was reminded that whenever I read him I get a strong feeling that he just disliked Japanese people, as a race. Draeger's comments fit in perfectly with Ruth Benedict's wartime anthropological assessment of Japan as a warlike race in which individuals knew who they were only insofar as the nation showed them the way (do) of exisiting as an individual. Kaiso critiqued this sort of thought, but unlike Draeger, he criticized in order to show his people how to re-organize and actually realize their own lives. So, can we ditch Draeger and get a different definition on do?

I'll suggest a good starting point for understanding the Way as we need to understand it now. Kaiso admired the Chinese and thought the Japanese could learn from them, and I imagine that's partly because the Chinese in the early 20th century took some of the roughest lessons in history that the 20th century history had to give. The person whose grasp of the Way seems most valuable to me is an early twentieth century Chinese author, Lu Xun.

From the story, "My Old Home"
I thought: hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made.

I think Kaiso learned a similar way of thinking about the idea of a Way. There's a book of quotes from Kaiso's lectures, and the section on the characteristics of Budo doesn't have any definitions of the Way, but rather hits the same topics again and again of how the pursuit of individual strength in fighting always leaves you in the position of roadkill or cannon fodder, and that real understanding of budo builds a way for others to join their strength with yours. Or, to put it in Lu Xun's excellent words - "when many men pass one way, a road is built." Near as I can tell, Kaiso was teaching us that a real "do" takes elements of "bu" and extends out of it a road along which many people will choose to pass, because it makes their lives better. IMHO, that sounds like Shorinji Kempo.

By the way, I really do recommend Lu Xun as one of the great 20th century authors. Check out the books, A Call To Arms, or Selected Stories of Lu Xun.

[Tripitaka of AA]

I think this (general discussion of Howa), is where the E-Budo forum can come into its own. During normal training there may be questions raised that we never have time to answer. The answers will often be as close as possible to the definition taught by our own instructor, which in turn come from his instructor. Hearing the opinions and definitions from different branches of the Shorinji Kempo tree can definitely benefit one's understanding.

Do we have any more to add? Perhaps from somewhere else in the world again?

[David Dunn]

So, can we ditch Draeger and get a different definition on do?

Michael, more than happy to do so. I sometimes get a bit frustrated that Draeger is the only history of Japanese budo in English. I also sense a dislike of Japan, and he gets a bit polemical at times. I get even more frustrated that Kaiso's ideas are all there in Kyohan, but the lack of an English translation means that those of us that are unable to read it have to scratch around.

The reason that I cited Draeger is because he points out the non-mystical nature of do, which I think is in keeping with Kongo Zen. I guess the last paragraph that I cited chimes with my understanding. As you probably know in the rest of that chapter he goes on to describe a very ascetic form of training, self-mortification almost, that bears no relation to Kaiso's otegai renshu. Rupert Cox, a kenshi of Doki Mori Sensei, and Mizuno Sensei, has a book about zen arts that we should perhaps read (I haven't yet), in which he discusses Shorinji Kempo in a wider context.

Thanks for pointing up the Lu Xun reference. I will chase it up. Is the book of Kaiso's quotes in English?

[Tripitaka of AA]

David, could you check the link please, it is coming up with a message from Amazon.co.uk saying a Web Browserr error.

Are you saying that Rupert's book is available? How much spondoolicks? Quanto costa? Combien?

[David Dunn]

David, I fixed the link (I think). Its thirty eight of your English readies. You can get it direct from the author.

[Eastwood]

Originally posted by David Dunn

I get even more frustrated that Kaiso's ideas are all there in Kyohan, but the lack of an English translation means that those of us that are unable to read it have to scratch around.

David,
The book of quotes from Kaiso is also Japanese only now, but there are some good places to scratch around. One I found under the search term "hoplology" is a group of electronic journals:

http://ejmas.com

In particular, there was an article by Karl Friday in Inyo at
http://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_friday_0202.htm

The part on "budo" starts like this:

Karl Friday in Inyo

Karl Friday: Budo is NOT a religious practice, nor is it an expression of any religious faithÊ (a point that I've argued at length in several forums, including my *Legacies of the Sword* book).Ê It's an utterly secular practice, compatible with a wide range of religious beliefs--or lack thereof.Ê But in the worldview of medieval and early modern Japan (which underlies the whole budo concept), the bugei came to identified as a "michi," or "path," toward the same sort of transcendent understanding of the universe as was sought in various religious/philosophical traditions.

In early Japanese usage, the term referred simply to specialization or proficiency; but during the middle ages, "michi" took on a deeper meaning, as it merged with ontological and epistemological constructs drawn from Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.Ê All three philosophies embrace the idea that some extraordinary level of understanding exists at which one can comprehend the phenomenal world as a whole, and that this level of understanding is attainable by virtually any human being who seeks it diligently enough.Ê Followers of Confucianism or Taoism call this achievement "sagehood"; those of Buddhism, "enlightenment."

Check it out.

[Edited to fix the link]
/Anders

[David Dunn]

Thanks Michael I will. I'm not sure about 'transcendence' or 'enlightenment'. I think one can gain far more knowledge of nature and the universe through physics

[satsukikorin]

There was another discussion in another thread (which I can't locate) that suggested our interpretation of the elements of the "bu" kanji is mistaken. If someone can find that stuff and give a link from here, that would make this old thread more valuable.

Actually, though, I am posting here because I came across a webpage that furnishes some new (to most of us) information on "bu":

http://www.koryubooks.com/library/dlowry8.html

[don]

Originally posted by satsukikorin
There was another discussion in another thread (which I can't locate) that suggested our interpretation of the elements of the "bu" kanji is mistaken. If someone can find that stuff and give a link from here, that would make this old thread more valuable.

E-Budo.com > Koryu Bujutsu > Koryu: History and Tradition > Kobudo/koryu?

http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/show...kobudo%2Fkoryu

P Goldsbury
Moderator

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Japan
Posts: 511
Re: Okinawa also.....Sorry!

quote:
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Originally posted by fifthchamber
Hello Mr. Smith.
Yes....I did forget that the Okinawan 'Kobudo' arts are more often associated with weapons and that this could be where Hanna B. had seen the term..Thanks for the reminder!
I also agree with the 'Bu' pointer....I have also seen it said that the lower left character can be read as 'Sei/Sho' meaning 'correct' which gives the nuance of 'correct spear' also...Although I am aware that the language experts consider the 'Dome' usage to be correct now...Many paths up the mountains
Regards.
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Well, yesterday I heard a lecture given by a professor of budo history at Waseda University and he was very clear that BU was completely neutral in meaning. 'Stop spear' is a romantic interpretation beloved of martial arts experts. 'Todome(ru)' originally meant 'hito no ashi ashiato' = a man's footstep, and from there to one line or perhaps two (opposing) lines of men advancing holding spears. The most succinct explanation I have seen is on p.1279 of 'Gendai Kanjigo Jiten' (Œ»‘㊿ŽšŒêŽ«“T), edited by Testsuji Atsuji (ˆ¢’Ò“NŽŸ) and published by Kadokawa, though Morohashi's 'Daikanwa Jiten' has a much longer and more detailed explanation. The professor, who is also a shihan of Tomiki aikido, jokingly complained about Japanese martial arts instructors who do not know what they are talking about.

Best regards,


__________________
Peter A Goldsbury,
Professor,
Graduate School of Social Sciences,
Hiroshima University

________________________

Home > Language > Sensei/Shihan as "Teacher" in Japanese
by Peter Goldsbury

http://aikiweb.com/language/goldsbury1.html

1. The first example focuses on the relation between the meaning of a word and the elements of the characters used to write the word.

Everyone knows that aikido is a Japanese budo. This anglicized Japanese word, when written in Japanese is composed of two Chinese characters 武 and道. If you consult a monolingual Japanese dictionary, you will usually find the word under ぶ, in the hiragana syllabary. In the Kojien, for example (p.2,350), three meanings of the word are given:

(1) 武士の守るべき道。武士道;
(2) 武術に関する道 (opposed to 文道);
(3) 武道方の略.
Rough translations of the above are:
(1) Way which should respect & preserve (the ideals of) the Bushi; Way of the Bushi;
(2) Way related to Martial Skills (opposed to the Way of Letters);
(3) Abbreviation for Methods of Budo.)
Here we will concentrate purely on 武. A consequence of the presence of Chinese characters in the Japanese language is that, in addition to the usual monolingual Japanese dictionaries, there are also Japanese kanji or Chinese character dictionaries, which give the meanings of the individual characters. In Kadokawa's 大字源 Daijigen, the largest one-volume kanji dictionary available, there are 11 meanings listed for this character, in order of historical development. The meanings range from: half a step (半歩 -- a measurement of walking); a footprint; remains; evidence; to succeed to or inherit; war; brave(ry); warrior; the art of war, all supported with quotations from literature. However, after listing the meanings of the complete character, Japanese kanji dictionaries generally give an explanation of the construction of the character itself (called 解字 kaiji, in Japanese). This character is composed of two elements: 止 and 戈. The first element is a character which originally meant 'foot' or 'advance', but which means 'stop' in present-day Japanese, and the second element is a character which means 'hoko', a kind of Japanese halberd. Thus with 武, the explanation usually found is of men holding halberds marching forward in a line. However, one eminent aikido sensei once explained the "real" meaning of 武 as 'stopping spears/weapons', concluding that aikido as a martial art was essentially peaceful. Actually, in some kanji dictionaries, this explanation is specifically declared to be mistaken. The mistake is supposed to be anachronism--reading into an old character a 'modern' meaning, which was not there originally.
However, there is another aspect to the matter. Japanese children spend many years in the daunting and remorseless task of learning by rote all the Chinese characters they will need at school and in daily life and kanji textbooks are full of aids for learning the character. The 'peaceful' explanation could well be a very suitable mnemonic for learning the character. Nevertheless, remembering 武 as 'stopping spears' might well help one to remember how to write the character correctly, but this memory aid should not be confused with an explanation of what the character originally meant and means now. Note that this problem simply does not exist for written languages based on an alphabet.

So we can pose the questions suggested in an earlier paragraph:


(i) What was the original meaning of the word in Japanese? Presumably it was the same as the Chinese meaning (the measurement of a man's footstep). There are many Japanese kun readings of the word: 'ato', 'shinogu', 'take' (as in 'takemusu'), being just a few.
(ii) What was the Chinese-derived meaning of the word? Again, the Chinese reading is wu and this was taken over as BU or MU. The meaning must have evolved, as with any other word in a living language.
(iii) What is the meaning in present-day Japanese? Here the 'peaceful' meaning, described above, might be quite plausible as a recent possibility, since the Tokugawa period ushered in an end to the wars that had plagued Japan for many centuries earlier. The samurai, or bushi (武士: the first character is the same) had little to do but administer estates, write letters and practise the martial arts. The only problem is that it does not appear in the dictionary and it would be a linguistic mistake to isolate this later hypothetical meaning as the "real" meaning of the word.

[Tripitaka of AA]

Hi Don

Thanks for adding to this thread. It is a fascinating subject.

I was a bit confused by your post, simply because the layout made it difficut to separate the various different elements (you have quoted from several different people/sources, but whether they are responding to each other is not clear).

Anyhow, there was another thread that also mentioned this same subject which has a post also worth quoting in full;

Originally posted by hsuntzu (Yoshi Karahashi)
Couple ways to look at this, but here one...

One of the kanji dictionary I have, "Shinsen Kanwa Jiten" by Shogakukan lists three potential meanings for "bu". Very roughly:

1) Constructed of "hoko (spear/halberd)" and "tomaru (stop)", taken together to mean stopping fights with power/weapon.
2) Alternatively, "tomaru" is really "ayumu (walk)" and means to move forward with a weapon.
3) Another alternative, "hoko" means to step over something, and combined with "ayumu" means to take a step forward.

Looking a bit deeper, in the Shuowen-Jiezi (sorry if I'm messing up this in Chinese... In Japanese it is the setsumon-kaiji ?à•¶‰ðŽš -- which by the way is what the Shorinjikempo Kyohan and the Tokuhon explanations are based on) is said to be the source of the "weapon-stop" explanation as given in (1) above. This Shuowen-Jizei/Setsumon-Kaiji was written in 100AD. See http://shuowen-jiezi.wikiverse.org/
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Shuowen_Jiezi
http://www.tabiken.com/history/doc/K/K165R100.HTM

and said to be the first dictionary of its type, that is explaning kanji/chinese characters.

I've heard that the Shuowen-Jiezi/setsumon-kaiji does have inaccuracies in it. Inaccuracies in the sense of adopting "colloquial" interpretations rather than the "true" origins. The explanation for "bu" is said to be one of them. I think another example I've heard is the explanation given for the character "dragon".

So, to a scholar and/or purist, going by the weapon-stop explanation may be an issue, but it has been around for over 1900 years now, and personally, I'd say that's long enough to make it a reasonable way to interpret the character. .. especially in the light of how "bu" and "budo" should be in today's society.

Gassho,


__________________
Yoshi Karahashi
San Francisco USA WSKO Branch
http://www.geocities.com/sfshorinji/

"it has been around for over 1900 years now". I think this is an aspect of the debate which often gets lost in the details. Everyone is quick to jump on the poor Martial Arts Teacher who offers the erroneous definition... yet it has been commonly accepted as a meaning since way before most of the Arts were in existence. Linguists and Scholars think BIG, almonst like geologists (for whom the word "recent" might include dinosaurs, Ice Ages and even Black & White Minstrel TV shows ).

[David Dunn]

Sorry my posts are a bit terse at the moment. Very busy at work.

Kaiso's point is what is the original meaning of bu, not what it means today. One suspects that he had some knowledge of Chinese, given the decades he spent in China. I think that his readings of 'hito' as being two people leaning on each other, and of 'gyo' as young people being carried on the backs of old people might not be accepted as the meainings of the characters now, but they are equally useful explanations for kongo zen.

[Pippo_Jedi]

Gassho

hi everybody, I add my little knowledge on the subject since the original post asked a kyu kenshi opinion of it (I'm currently 1st Kyu, I'll be holding my sho dan grading in february).
I red your post on the meaning of budo and I think, of course with profound respect for all the interesting and important things you said, that you are going astray from the true meaning of the discussion.
I was tought that BUDO means 'stop two spears' as a kanji. the meaning of 'stop two spears', from a general point of view, are many. From my knowledge for a kenshi of shorinji kempo budo means a goal to attain: to don't have need to fight (physically or in other means). A fight starts because two persons need and want to fight (out of fear or hate). If one of those two spears does not have the will to fight there will be none because it takes the 'energy' of two people to fight; unless the other one is so determined to start one there will be none.
When someone has listened and understood (please note I didn't wrote only undestood because it's difficult to really understand, to make your own, such ideas) such a thing, the fact that this concept originally speaking comes from the words BUDO or other words is less important than the message itself.
speaking only about the litteral meaning of the words budo seems to me like the old saying about "looking at the finger and not at the moon".

As always with respect and limited by his knowledge
Filippo zolesi

kesshu