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Thread: What does it really mean....

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    Default What does it really mean....

    What does it really mean....

    O'Sensei


    Is this to really mean Master?

    * Grand Master?

    * Great Teacher?


    What?
    Richard Scardina

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    Here's an explination given by Meik Skoss

    "Finally, a little piece of data about the term O-Sensei. Many aikidoka of the Ueshiba persuasion (and I'm one, too, so don't get your sensibilities twisted into a knot) seem to think of it as referring *only* to Ueshiba Morihei sensei. Nope. That's just not the case.

    It's only a term implying a great deal of respect and I can think of a couple folk in recent memory for whom the term is/was also used. Two of 'em are alive today. So, one guy's O-Sensei is just another fellow's Joe Shlabotnick. Not a big deal but, technically the precise way to say it would be, "Ueshiba O-Sensei" meaning the the founder of Aikido--to differentiate him from, say, "Kato O-Sensei" (the 21st headmaster of Tatsumi-ryu) or "Sakagami O-Sensei" (the late headmaster of Itosu-ryu); also to differentiate him from his son, the second Doshu (Kisshomaru S.) and his grandson, Moriteru, the current Aikikai Hombu Dojo-cho. They're both Ueshiba Sensei, so it can be a little hard to know which one someone's talking about out of context. Not a big deal, just a little more information..."
    Joe Stitz

    "Black belt and white belt are the same, white belt is the beginning of technique. Black belt is the beginning of understanding. Both are beginner belts."
    - Doug Perry -Hanshi, KuDan -Shorin Ryu ShorinKan

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    Thanks for your re-ply/post. Am I to assume the term is meant to mean "founder"?
    Richard Scardina

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickster View Post
    Thanks for your re-ply/post. Am I to assume the term is meant to mean "founder"?
    http://www.koryu.com/library/wbodiford1.html

    Your answer would be in this article. You can use the search option in the main page with the word "founder".

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    Quote Originally Posted by Juan Perez View Post
    http://www.koryu.com/library/wbodiford1.html

    Your answer would be in this article. You can use the search option in the main page with the word "founder".
    Nice link, although not a conclusive, definitive answer.
    Richard Scardina

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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rickster View Post
    ...Am I to assume the term [o-sensei] is meant to mean "founder"?
    Nope.

    It means "honorable teacher" for wont of a better translation. When Aikido practitioners use the term, the man they are refering to happens to be the founder, but the term doesn't mean founder. (As mentioned above, one of the men often referred to as o-sensei is a 21st generation teacher, so clearly not the founder.)
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    Default literally

    O - Great
    Sensei - [one who has] gone before


    So in other words, a great man whose example we follow.
    Simon Keegan 4th Dan
    www.bushinkai.org.uk

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    Another use as stated in the article I linked to, is that if you have a father and
    son in the same dojo (like Ueshiba Morihei and Ueshiba Kisshomaru).
    O'Sensei could be used to refer to the father and Sensei to refer to the son.

    Here's another article on the topic.
    Joe Stitz

    "Black belt and white belt are the same, white belt is the beginning of technique. Black belt is the beginning of understanding. Both are beginner belts."
    - Doug Perry -Hanshi, KuDan -Shorin Ryu ShorinKan

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickster View Post
    Nice link, although not a conclusive, definitive answer.
    Well, I hope someone can give you one.

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    I think like Simon said- 'O' is an honorific prefix, and Sensei is...well...Sensei.

    I can't really see there being much more to it than that (at least when most people use it).
    -Michael Fitzgerald.

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    It's like a whole other language isn't it?
    Jim Boone

    Flick Lives!

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    Really Rickster, I think you got your answer, maybe not what you wanted. Since those don't seem to fit the agenda....

    Maybe O'Sensei means,

    "sleeps with another female student?" or "at least my house note is paid."


    Aaron Fields
    Seattle Jujutsu Club, Hatake Dojo
    Sea-Town Sambo
    www.seattle-jujutsu.org

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    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron T View Post
    Really Rickster, I think you got your answer, maybe not what you wanted. Since those don't seem to fit the agenda....

    Maybe O'Sensei means,

    "sleeps with another female student?" or "at least my house note is paid."
    Really? .......
    Richard Scardina

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    Yep, that is my line and I am sticking with it.

    Aaron Fields

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    Aaron, you've probably heard the one where the female student is going, "Oh sensei, oh sensei!" and he replies, "Not O'Sensei, just a shihan." rata tat ting!
    Doug Walker
    Completely cut off both heads,
    Let a single sword stand against the cold sky!

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