理屈としては，学校教育で盛んな柔道・剣道・弓道とても，稽古者本人が，競技大会（試合）を目標とすればスポーツであり，しなければ武道であるということになる。つまり，稽古者本人の取り組み方次第で，武道にもなりスポーツにもなりうるということである。そして，この稽古者本人の取り組み方は，ひとえに，指導者の考え方や資質に掛かっている。つまり，武道を武道として正しく教え伝えられるかどうかは，稽古者本人が自ら気づかない限り，指導者に完全に依存している。この構造は，学校でも町道場でも，同じである。指導者の責任と影響力は，それほどに大きい。
Logically, even in judo, kendo, and kyudo famous in school education, if a student himself/herself regarded competitions (games) as his/her aim, his/her activity would be sports, and otherwise, it would be budo. In other words, whether the activity is budo or sports depends on the student's own orientation or attitude toward the activity. Additionally, it wholly rests with the thoughts or qualities of his/her teacher (master). Therefore, whether budo is properly taught and passed down depends on teachers (masters) perfectly, as long as students themselves do not realize the fact. This structure is seen both in schools and machi-dojos (places for martial arts in town). Teachers have heavy responsibility for and considerable influence on students.
May 17, 2011
Kata and Sports
武道は型で稽古する。ならば，乱取り（自由組手）はせず型のみの稽古をしているなら武道かと言えば必ずしもそうではない。空手道などには型競技（試合）というのがある。仮に稽古者がこれに勝つことを目標としてしまった瞬間に，それは武道ではなくスポーツとなる。例えば，日本刀の操作技法を修練する居合道は，基本的に型の稽古をひたすらするのみである点から典型的な武道のように見られることがあるが，実際には，審判を立てた型の競技大会というのがある。究極的には，その稽古者本人が，この競技大会を目標としなければ武道であり，目標とした瞬間にスポーツと化する。
We practice budo through kata. Then, if someone did not participate in randori (free fighting) and practiced nothing but kata, could we regard his/her activity as budo? The answer is that it would not be always. There are kata competitions (games) in karatedo and so on. Immediately when a martial artist think of winning in the competitions as his/her goal, his/her activity changes from budo into sports. For example, iaido, in which people practice the methods to manipulate a Japanese sword, tends to be considered one of typical budo in that they basically practice kata only, but they actually have kata competitions with rules and judges in iaido. Ultimately speaking, if the martial artist himself/herself did not set these competitions for his/her purpose, his/her activity would be budo. Otherwise, it would be sports.
We practice budo through kata. Then, if someone did not participate in randori (free fighting) and practiced nothing but kata, could we regard his/her activity as budo? The answer is that it would not be always. There are kata competitions (games) in karatedo and so on. Immediately when a martial artist think of winning in the competitions as his/her goal, his/her activity changes from budo into sports. For example, iaido, in which people practice the methods to manipulate a Japanese sword, tends to be considered one of typical budo in that they basically practice kata only, but they actually have kata competitions with rules and judges in iaido. Ultimately speaking, if the martial artist himself/herself did not set these competitions for his/her purpose, his/her activity would be budo. Otherwise, it would be sports.
May 15, 2011
Budo and Sports
スポーツとは，他者と勝敗強弱を競うことを主な目的とする身体活動であるとすれば，武道はスポーツではない。学校教育の中で行われる体育は，基本的にスポーツである。日本の学校教育における体育授業科目や課外活動（部活動）としても盛んな柔道も剣道も弓道も，ルールと審判を立てた競技（試合）に参加し，他者（他校）と勝ち負けを争うことが活動の目標であれば，それらはスポーツであって，武道ではない。学校教育に限らず，柔道のようにオリンピック競技が頂点となる活動はすべて，本質的に武道ではなくスポーツということになる。
Assuming that sports is physical activity of which the main purpose is to compete with others for win and loss, or strength and weakness, budo is not sports. Physical education in schooling is basically sports. Like many other sports, judo, kendo, and kyudo, which are famous as subjects or extracurricular activities at school in Japan, are not budo but sports, if the purpose of these activities are to participate in competitions (games) with rules and judges, and compete with others (other schools) for win and loss. Not only school education but also all of activities which aim for Olympic Games like judo, would be essentially not budo but sports.
Assuming that sports is physical activity of which the main purpose is to compete with others for win and loss, or strength and weakness, budo is not sports. Physical education in schooling is basically sports. Like many other sports, judo, kendo, and kyudo, which are famous as subjects or extracurricular activities at school in Japan, are not budo but sports, if the purpose of these activities are to participate in competitions (games) with rules and judges, and compete with others (other schools) for win and loss. Not only school education but also all of activities which aim for Olympic Games like judo, would be essentially not budo but sports.
May 04, 2011
Purpose of the Practice of Budo
なぜ武道の稽古をするのかと問われれば，究極的には，何のためでもないと答えるしかない。武道は，喧嘩に勝つために行うものではない。また，稽古は，乱取り（自由組手）や型演武のような競技試合で勝つために行うものではない。つまり，武道は，他者との勝敗強弱を競うことが目的ではない。結果的に強くなるかもしれないが，強くなることそのものが目的ではない。不測の事態に護身術として役立つ場合もあるかもしれないが，そんなことは日常生活において滅多に起きないので，護身のためというのが主要な目的にはなりえない。稽古は，身体を鍛え，集中力・洞察力・判断力を養うけれども，それは副産物であって，最終の目的ではない。伝統的な武芸文化の伝承にもなるが，伝承そのものが目的でもない。何のためでもない。坐禅と同様，ただ稽古する，それだけである。
何事も 打ち忘れたり ひたすらに 武の島さして 漕ぐが楽しき （摩文仁賢和 糸東流開祖）
If a budo-ka (martial artist) was asked why he did his practice on budo, he could not but reply that ultimately he did for nothing. Practicing budo is not for beating down the enemy in a street fighting. Also, it is not for winning such a competitive game as randori (free fighting) or kata-enbu (kata performance). That is to say, the purpose of budo is not to compete with others for win and loss, or strength and weakness. Though practicing budo may result in becoming stronger as compared with others, the relative strength itself is not the purpose of budo. Though it strengthens muscles and develops such abilities as concentration, insight, and judgement, these profits are just secondary products, not the ultimate goals. Though it has a role to inherit the traditional culture of martial arts, the inheritance itself is not the purpose. It's for nothing. Practicing budo is nothing but practicing budo, like zazen.
nanigotomo uchiwasuretari hitasurani bunoshimasasite kogugatanoshiki (Kenwa Mabuni, the patriarch of Shito-ryu)
[interpretation] When I dismiss everything from my mind and entirely practice karate in order to find the ultimate state of martial arts is my favorite and happiest time.
If a budo-ka (martial artist) was asked why he did his practice on budo, he could not but reply that ultimately he did for nothing. Practicing budo is not for beating down the enemy in a street fighting. Also, it is not for winning such a competitive game as randori (free fighting) or kata-enbu (kata performance). That is to say, the purpose of budo is not to compete with others for win and loss, or strength and weakness. Though practicing budo may result in becoming stronger as compared with others, the relative strength itself is not the purpose of budo. Though it strengthens muscles and develops such abilities as concentration, insight, and judgement, these profits are just secondary products, not the ultimate goals. Though it has a role to inherit the traditional culture of martial arts, the inheritance itself is not the purpose. It's for nothing. Practicing budo is nothing but practicing budo, like zazen.
nanigotomo uchiwasuretari hitasurani bunoshimasasite kogugatanoshiki (Kenwa Mabuni, the patriarch of Shito-ryu)
[interpretation] When I dismiss everything from my mind and entirely practice karate in order to find the ultimate state of martial arts is my favorite and happiest time.
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