Budo Begins And Ends With Rei

[pboylan]

There is an old saying in budo circles, that "Budo begins and ends with rei." Rei is usually translated as bow or courtesy or etiquette, but is that what it really means? When I start unpacking this simple phrase, I find a lot more to it than just bowing at the beginning and end of practice. I ended up writing this blog post about it.

http://budobum.blogspot.com/2015/01/...-with-rei.html

What do you think? Is it more than just etiquette, or am I barmy from being dropped on my head at the dojo too many times?

[mkrueger]

I think you are spot on. We could use a bit more of this at my own school. From time to time, I have also been guilty of hurrying through the bows and どうもありがとうございます. The stories of your two teachers and their lessons in gratitude and thankfulness were especially inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

[pboylan]

Thank you Matthew. It's easy to slip into perfunctory habits. It's something I watch out for in myself as well.

[Wakimono]

I always understood this saying as having tactical value, i.e. reiho is a basic part of heiho, or in other words, there is no good self-defence without good manners. I believe many bushi understood it that way back in the day

[Brian Owens]

There is an old saying in budo circles, that "Budo begins and ends with rei." ...Is it more than just etiquette?

I think if we change one word in the expression, it becomes more meaningful: "Budo begins and ends with respect."

Dojo etiquette is one way we show respect, but it is not an end in and of itself; only a means to an end.