It is only those that by good fortune survived and won fame and status as sword masters who are now remembered. Accepting, however, that only these people should be remembered as sword masters, we lose sight of the sword saints. Although the names of some sword saints have disappeared, they were great individuals who had real power, comparable to those who managed to make a name for them selves. Takamatsu Sensei once said, Even if some are called masters, how many other masters were there? To evaluate a warrior by whether they were strong or whether they won a battle is a mundane and practical pursuit; the demeanor of the warriors known as sword saints has a beauty that resembles nature itself: snow, the moon, and flowers. Memories of the time I was taught the Budo of the nine currents by Takamatsu Sensei are like flashes of a dream that appear as profound images of transmission. This is the transmission of old soke (head of a current) to new soke, the transmission of master to disciple. The path could also be called the path of truth in nature. Masters and experts appear to shine like glittering stars. However, the path of the sword saints, like the passing of days from sun to moon, shows its color to both master and student. That color appears in five shades, which corresponds to the five guiding principles of the essence of Budo and Ninjutsu: 1. Learn first that whatever hardship you may have to endure is but temporary. 2. Always behave correctly. 3. Do not fall pray to avarice, indulgence, or egotism. 4. Sorrow and hate are both part of life; understand that they are gifts from the Divine. 5. Never stray from the path of faith, nor from that of martial arts. Aspire in the ways of both pen and sword. Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:45:06 +0000
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