Defining Budo:
Evolution of Spirit
by Christopher Caile
Budo is the inheritor of classical Japanese warrior
spirit and military technique, but it has evolved
in new directions and towards new purposes. While
it is a direct descendent of samurai heritage, modern
Budo's philosophy, spirit and purpose would hardly
be recognizable by the warriors of ancient Japan.
Budo means "martial way" and refers to those martial
disciplines whose ultimate goal is spiritual, ethical
and/or moral self-improvement. Thus while budo diciplines
were (technically) based on the previous warrior arts
(bujitsu), they developed a new emphasis, one that
separates the martial spirit and mind from an external
focus on war and killing (and service to others) and
redirects them inwardly towards self-improvement.
The characters "Bu" and "Do" in budo are rich in meaning
and have many secondary meanings (see below). In earlier
periods of Japanese history, however, budo had a different
meaning. It was used to define the ethical and moral
principles that motivate or guide the practice of
bujitsu, the military way or doctrine. This military
way later became known as bushido.
"Do" is the Japanese pronunciation the Chinese term
Tao (for Taoism) meaning the way to suppress violence
and return to the way of the universe. It is a composite
of two characters integrated into one, the first signifying
movement and the second head or chief. Combined, the
characters have the meaning of the chief means of
direct movement, or the main road, a term figuratively
used to mean the way, as to enlightenment. Implied
also are Taoist concepts of non-resistance, goal-lessness,
and loss of ego (not surprisingly shared by Zen since
the formation of Zen in China was derived from Indian
meditative Buddhism strongly influenced by Taoism).
But while Chinese Taoism developed strong otherworldly
or religious connotations, the Japanese had a more
practical, less abstract interpretation, one more
focused on the pragmatic dimension of human relationships.
This led to the concept of the way or road toward
self-development. This could lead to a spiritual awakening,
but to a Zen one of intuitive perception, insight
and enlightenment.
"Do" martial disciplines were not practiced for fun
or lightly undertaken. Training was rigorous, hard,
austere - a long process of dedication and discipline.
The focus was on the process, the internal fulfillment
and joy of just doing rather than being goal oriented
(such as a focus on winning). Emphasis was on learning
through doing, not words. Ideas and concepts were
seen as short lived and shallow. Real learning, it
was believed, took time and was slowly accumulated
from experience - as the body gained its own knowledge
and reactions without the mind needing to knowing
why. But the body could not freely move and react
or be open to intuitive perception if emotions, fear
and thoughts clogged the mind and confused perception.
That's where "do" draws on Zen training to free the
mind through development of no-mind (Mushin) and an
unstaying mind, the mind that may glance at something
but not stay (Fudoshin). The nature of unending study
of "do" is summed up in the old story of a young disciple
who approaches his Zen master and asks how long he
will have to study Zen before he learns it. The master
replies, "Until you die."
Budo is an ougrowth of those Bujitsu arts that were
perfected during a period of almost constant warfare
in Japan stretching from the 8th to the 16th century.
During this time "budo" referred to the ethical ideals,
or ways of the warrior most popularly known as Bushido,
and included such concepts as obedience, loyalty and
respect. Budo as a system of fighting ways, however,
evolved during the feudal period of peace that followed,
the Tokugawa era (1600-1867) (better known as the
Edo era), that preceded the modern era. To bolster
stability the Tokugawa military authorities instituted
a rigid class structure and system of political controls
over is populous while externally the nation was isolated
from foreign contact. But these measures could only
mask deep currents of change (economic and military)
that would shake the feudal system to its foundation
and and spur the beginning of the modern age. Economic
power, once based on land (agriculture) and feudal
relationships (rights to work land in return for obligations),
was being challenged by the rise of a prosperous and
strong and merchant class. At heart of this feudal
structure was the professional warrior who provided
loyalty and service in return for stipends or the
right to work land. But their role had changed and
their military viability (power and predominance)
was beginning to be called into question. Seeking
to reduce the potential for violence, the government
politically subdivided the bushi, and their efforts
were re-directed into arts (as poetry, drama, tea
ceremony) and education. Training in martial skills
was tolerated but as huge numbers of bushi were transformed
into bureaucrats, accountants and administrators (especially
in urban areas), their motivation to train martial
skills suffered. Another and more ominous challenge
was rising on a technological level. Government conscripts
with guns called into question the very viability
and/or superiority of classical weapons and tactics.
Moral was low.
These changes led to efforts by some bushi, bolstered
by strains of Confucian thought, to re-create the
experience and preserve spiritual and ethical ideals
of the past (classical warrior) but in new form (budo
disciplines) and with a new emphasis - on serving
the individual and society as a whole. This spurred
development of new schools of armed and unarmed martial
disciplines (ways) that arose during the Tokugawa
Era of peace in Japan (after 1600) based on bujitsu
(the professional fighting arts of professional warriors
developed in previous times) but where combat skills
were practiced to perfect the self, the discipline
itself used as a vehicle to preserve the traditional
warrior spirit (including their ethical and moral
precepts). Classes were also opened to the public.
Much later these new schools have been collectively
referred to as Classical Budo. And as in earlier Bujitsu,
Budo also shared a pervading Zen influnce. Meditation
was used to focus the mind (without thought or ego)
and hard, repetitious training (including kata that
mimicked the danger and reality of combat) created
a process of spiritual forging that produced discipline,
technique and intuitive perception. Technical mastery
was seen as one step along the road to ultimate spiritual
awakening, self-improvement and insight. In short,
budo redefined bujitsu. While bujitsu's goal had been
to master violence through development of superior
technical skill in order to kill other professional
warriors, budo's aims were to control violence (self-defense)
and improve the self. Effectiveness of technique became
secondary. Codes of conduct or etiquette also changed
in the transition. Once defined by the necessities
of self-defense and the potential for combat, etiquette
was often transformed in Classical Budo into modes
of social courtesy, manners, respect, correct form
and means to demonstrate both non-ego as well as the
individual's role within the larger group. The transition
from bujitsu to classical budo saw kenjitsu (sword
art) became kendo (way of the sword) and the art of
the halbred (type of lance) naginata jitsu, became
naginata-do, etc.
But the trasnformation had not yet been completed.
Bujitsu and classical budo disciplines, in turn, helped
inspire yet another generation martial disciplines
starting in the 1850's and continuing today known
as Modern Budo. These diciplines often include competitive
formats such as kendo (sword), judo (throws/grappling)
and karate-do (strikes/kicks) but not always as with
most styles of aikido. As with classical budo, modern
budo emphasizes the personal, ethical and spiritual
development as the ultimate goal of training. Combat
skills are practiced to perfect the self, the discipline
itself used to as a vehicle to preserve the traditional
warrior spirit (including their ethical and moral
precepts). Classes are generally also opened to the
public. Modern budo is also often classified under
the term Shin Budo.
What gave rise to this newest generation of budo:
dissatisfaction. Critics believed that something had
been lost in classical budo, that reliance on kata
and repetitive practice in training produced shallow
technique. They argued that the disciplines had become
more form than substance and full commitment was held
back - neither the technique nor the people were really
tested. These views were the impetus for the development
of many modern budo disciplines. Many adopted competitive
formats designed to revive the rugged confrontations
of warrior times, but remained mindful of the larger
focus of serving the individual's spiritual and self-development.
Budo's (as well as Classical Budo) emphasis on personal
development, it should be noted, stands in contrast
to the practitioners of Bujitsu who gave personal
service and absolute loyalty to others. In recent
times some have argued that modern budo has itself
gone too far, that emphasis on competition and winning
have corrupted the "do" roots of the disciplines and
that these disciplines should be described as "martial
sports," not "martial ways." While some modern budo
as aikido, kendo, judo and karate-do have become widely
practiced and popularized the total number of modern
budo schools has diminished dramatically due to consolidation,
neglect and loss of interest. Another term for modern
budo is gendai budo, gendai meaning "modern," the
term usually applied only to those martial diciplines
with a wide following.
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