2015 - NinZine 3.0

Genzō: Creating Illusion

kumafrDecember 3, 2015

Albert Einstein said that “The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
Yesterday was my first class with Sensei since last August. I just arrived the night before, so I was happy that he added an extra class Wednesday afternoon for his birthday. The class was special.
After he asked me to open the class, Sensei did many variations with taijutsu, sword, Bō, and kunai. He also spoke about illusion.
Illusion is created when “kago, genzai, mirai”, (past, present and future) are not three, but when they become one. (1)
To uke’s perception there is nothing, as we don’t move away and do not seem to fight back or to counter his attacks. There is no intention, only Genzō, illusion. (2)
At some point, after launching a sword attack, Nakadai sensei commented that “sensei was there, but then he was not”. Later, my friend Juan-manuel Serrano, attacking sensei with a tsuki with a kunai, thought he was going to stab him: “I really thought I was going to stab him, and it put me off balance”, he said afterwards.
Every time, sensei’s movements were slow and soft. He compared this to the feeling of the Sakki test. You move naturally without even trying to avoid the attack. When you do not try to avoid the attack, and move slowly, uke’s perception is wrong. It forces the attacker to stop, slow down, or move away. That was quite impressive to watch.
When “kago, genzai, mirai” are not separated anymore, uke is unable to prioritize his actions, therefore, he is trapped in his illusion of reality. Sensei said that it takes a full cycle of 42 years to manifest this confidence. Being 84 year-old since yesterday, he already lived two cycles.
At the end of the class, we had a half hour discussion with him. He said that since he met Takamatsu Sensei and trained with him for 15 years, he never stopped training in the following 42 years, that is until now. (3) The new cycle of development of the Bujinkan beginning now, will be different. The study of body mechanics ended last year (2014), and we are now moving at the mutō dori level. (4)
Uke is “blinded” by our lack of intent, as if he is walking in pitch black. His original intent is modified by his illusion of reality, because he is attached to his fake perceptions. To him, Tori appears like a phantom. (2) Genzō (幻像), illusion, becomes Genzō (幻増) as our natural attitude increases his illusion.
What we do is not what he perceives, and what he perceives, is not what we do.
過現未, kagenmi, the three temporal states of existence, are unified, they are one, so that to uke we are zero. For uke, “the distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
________
1. 過去/kako/the past; bygone days; the previous|a past (i.e. a personal history one would prefer remained secret); one’s past|past (tense); preterit; preterite|previous life
現在/genzai/now; current; present; present time; as of
未来/mirai/the future (usually distant)|future tense|the world to come
2. 幻像/genzou/phantom; vision; illusion
3. Takamatsu Sensei left us in 1972. This was 42 years ago in 2014.
4. Mutō dori: 無灯/mutō /without lights (ie blind) / mutō dori was also the theme for 2015.
5. 像/zou/statue; image; figure; picture; portrait
増/zou/increase
6. 過現未/kagenmi/past, present and future; three temporal states of existence

Hatsumi Sensei Expands Into A Ninpo Type Feeling

Michael GlennNovember 17, 2015November 17, 2015

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael Glenn

flower across from the pillar of Kyōbashi. Photo by Michael Glenn

Next week I will travel again to Japan for Bujinkan training. My 3rd time this year. That may seem excessive, but the experiences I enjoy each trip help me discover the “secrets” of our art. For example, here is a lesson from Hatsumi Sensei that taught me how to be a lucky ninja.

One Friday night Hatsumi Sensei was showing us ninjutsu. Sometimes people who don’t understand our art ask, “when is Hatsumi Sensei going to teach ninjutsu?” Well he teaches these secrets all the time. But the secrets are hidden in plain sight… If you understand what you witness.

He began by striking with a koppo ken. But the koppo ken doesn’t arrive directly. It is hidden within the pattern created in the kukan. Soke said,

“Don't strike in one pattern. Expand into a ninpo type feeling.”

Then he called me out to demonstrate. I punched. He started to perform what I thought would be a ganseki nage. But that evaporated. And as the form disappeared I was thrown by something else.

Then Hatsumi Sensei said that we cannot hold onto form. Don’t let what you are holding become an obstacle. He continued to say that もっけさせる mokke saseru is a きまり句 kimari-ku of ninpo taijutsu.

Well, this saying of ninpo is quite deep. It has layers of meaning. Mokke is something unexpected, like a mysterious apparition. But, to keep it simple, we can just consider that doing the unexpected in a fight can lead to victory.

But “mokke” can also refer to getting lucky, like a sudden windfall. Except here you create your own luck. In another class I had with Hatsumi Sensei many years ago, he said,

“you have to be the type of person that lucky things happen to”

So how did Soke create his own luck when he threw me? He made the form of ganseki, then let it go. In that gap, that space that opens up when the form is abandoned, freedom occurs. And the opportunity to “get lucky” appears.

Many martial artists struggle with this. People who are attracted to martial arts tend to want to control a fight, control danger, control themselves. But, if you are holding onto form or seeking to control a situation, there may be no room for luck.

You should make room for own luck. Just add your email to get the details about my latest Japan training. … Read More

The 生き様 Ikizama of Bujinkan Sanshin and Mutō Dori

Michael GlennOctober 24, 2015October 24, 2015

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael Glenn

日本庭園 nihon teien in Aoyama. photo by Michael Glenn

You might learn one thing in class, and then another time, you learn the opposite. Ura and Omote. These are not contradictions, but rather they are part of one another. Like 陰 in and 陽 yo.

In my own classes, we recently studied 隼雄 shunū and 隼足 shunsoku. For these mutō dori, Hatsumi Sensei has suggested that we don’t try to catch the opponent’s sword. Instead we should entrap the sword’s very existence (生き様 ikizama).

This means you don’t focus on the weapon as a physical object. You focus on it’s entire existence in space and time. What is the weapon’s potential in any moment? Soke says,

“in mutō dori, the past present and future, the time before drawing the sword, after drawing, or when the sword has been re-sheathed., what may be called the nature of the sword’s existence(生き様 ikizama) … one entraps that.”

This is because the nature of the sword itself is not a threat. One moment it may be tucked in a corner or sitting on a rack gathering dust. In a different time it is red hot metal being hammered into shape by the smith. In all of the sword’s existence, how much of its life is spent in violence? Maybe just the space of one breath.

While this gives us some insight and philosophical strategies for mutō dori, there is a flip side. Last week I taught the opposite of entrapping the sword’s existence. What is this ura of mutō dori?

In this class, we were drilling 居合間合 iai maai using Gogyō no Kata. You have all heard how important sanshin is in Bujinkan training. And this is one example why. When you truly embody sanshin, you can do it with any weapon.

But people can’t. Someone who knows perfectly well how to do sui no kata... you give them a weapon and suddenly they fumble. This is where the ura side of mutō dori can help.

The opposite of entrapping the sword’s existence is to set it free.

For example, instead of trapping the sword’s existence, we set it free. This is the way to “use” any weapon. Let the nature of the weapon itself free as you move through space and time. Then the patterns of the weapon’s existence can emerge to protect you.

This is what sanshin teaches. It is 自然観 shizenkan, an insight of nature. Soke said that Takamatsu Sensei told him that having 自然的度胸 shizenteki dokyou (natural courage) was the most important. This is what arises out of the sword’s existence when you set it free. This is what you can learn from the 生き様 ikizama of sanshin.

If you want to study sanshin with me, here is the seminar schedule: Upcoming Bujinkan Sanshin Seminars… Read More

A Guide to Happiness – Kōfuku No Shiori（幸福の栞）

Shawn GrayOctober 21, 2015

From The Magick & The Mundane » Bujinkan by Shawn Gray

A couple of weeks ago I posted a few of observations about Kōfuku No Shiori on Facebook – posting a longer follow-up here at the suggestion of friends.

Kōfuku No Shiori (幸福の栞), which translates as “A Guide to Happiness“, is a short text by Takamatsu Sōke. In seeing the Japanese original again recently, a number of things came to mind and I thought it might be good to post an English translation that will perhaps breathe some new life into this well-known and meaningful piece. Here’s the Japanese original:

幸福の栞
皆さん、互いに憂を捨てて幸福を得ましょう。皆さん、幸福は人生最高の満足です。悲しみとか不満とかを捨て、思い直すのも幸福です。災害、病害を前知して覚り改めることも幸福です。皆さん、幸福は眼前に持って居ります。これを掴むと掴まぬにより、不幸とも幸福ともなるのです。何人もお聞きになり、お尋ね下されて、幸福の栞を拾おて下され。
Let’s break it down and see what we can find …

1) 皆さん、互いに憂を捨てて幸福を得ましょう。

The first thing that strikes me when I read the Japanese is the use of 皆さん (“Mina-san“), which means all or everyone. It begins the first sentence, and you can see that it appears at the beginning of two other sentences in this text as well. This is interesting because it indicates that Takamatsu Sōke was consciously addressing a group of people – all of the readers. The original context may have been such that it was intended for his own students, or for a specific group, such as a group of Hatsumi Sōke’s students at the time. Nevertheless, when we read it today, we can read it as if it’s addressed to us, the readers, as well. Why is it significant that the text is addressed to everyone? The rest of the first sentence sheds more light on that, beginning with the next phrase, 互いに (tagai-ni), which means together, mutually, or with each other. The opening sentence ends with the verb 得ましょう (emashou), meaning to obtain or to attain, with the verb ending (~shou) being used to further suggest togetherness in the same way that we use the word “let’s” in English (tabemashou = let’s eat; ikimashou = let’s go). So, in writing about Happiness (幸福, kōfuku), the author isn’t simply saying, “Be happy”, he’s saying “Everyone, let’s attain happiness together.” That’s quite a significant difference. There’s more here, too. He also refers to the throwing or casting away (捨てる) of sorrow (憂, urei – also translated as grief, etc) in this same context of togetherness. An accurate rendering of the first sentence in English would thus be, Everyone, let’s together cast away sorrow and attain happiness.

2) 皆さん、幸福は人生最高の満足です。

Once again, he begins with 皆さん, Everyone, and simply states that happiness is the most satisfying thing in life (a more direct, literal rendering would be, happiness is life’s ultimate satisfaction).

3) 悲しみとか不満とかを捨て、思い直すのも幸福です。

Ultimate satisfaction sounds great, right? Everybody wants that! The author recognizes that it’s not that simple – human beings struggle with feelings of sorrow and discontent. The author urges us to find Happiness by discarding those negative feelings and taking another look at our situation. Sorrow (悲しみ, kanashimi) and discontent (不満, fuman) are pretty straight-forward to translate, and although 捨てる (suteru, used above as well) has a wide range of possibilities (such as “throw away, “leave behind”, “discard”, “abandon”, “dispose of”, etc.), I thought “cast away” fit well in this context.

What I found interesting here was 思い直す (omoi-naosu). Omoi is from Omou (思う), “to think“. Naosu (直す) is interesting here because not only does it have the meaning of doing something again (repeating something), but also because it carries the sense of “fixing”, “correcting”, or “repairing” something in the process. For example, in addition to having the sense of repeating something, Naosu is also commonly used to say things like “I’ll fix the chair” or “I’ll correct the issue”.

I’ve rendered Omoi-naosu as “re-thinking” to convey the sense, which I think is implied in the original Japanese, that Happiness is achieved here not only by simply looking back upon sorrow and discontent in life, but by actively choosing to discard sorrow and discontent and re-think (re-frame or “correct”) our perspective on our life experiences. I think Takamatsu Sōke is observing that Happiness doesn’t come from our external circumstances but from the perspective that we choose to take on those circumstances: Casting sorrow and discontent away and re-thinking is also happiness.

4) 災害、病害を前知して覚り改めることも幸福です。

Like the previous sentence, this one is simple, direct, and to-the-point in the Japanese. The first two terms are 災害 (saigai – calamity, disaster, or misfortune) and 病害 (byogai – disease or blight). Saigai can perhaps be understood as the calamity itself, and Byogai as the bodily effects of the calamity. 前知 (zenchi) refers to foreknowledge or anticipation, 覚り(satori) means understanding (but also with the sense of enlightenment or spiritual awakening), and 改める (aratameru) refers to correcting, rectifying, or improving – similar to the idea expressed by Naosu above. Once again, Happiness isn’t a product of our circumstances, but a product of our perspective. Anticipating and correcting one’s understanding of the ravages of calamity and disease is also happiness.

5) 皆さん、幸福は眼前に持って居ります。

Again, 皆さん, Everyone. Again, short and to-the-point: Everyone, happiness is waiting there before your eyes.

6) これを掴むと掴まぬにより、不幸とも幸福ともなるのです。

There are a couple of interesting points here as well. The first is the use of これ (this) at the beginning. What does this refer to? Does it refer to happiness? It could, yes. It could also refer to the previous sentence as a whole, which gives a different sense to what follows: whether you grasp (掴む, tsukamu) this or don’t grasp (掴まぬ, tsukamanu) this. So the phrase could mean a) whether you grasp happiness or not, or b) whether you grasp the point of the previous statement (about happiness waiting there before your eyes) or not. Maybe they’re both the same thing. ;-)

Another interesting point here, I think, is the mention of 不幸 (fukou, unhappiness) as the alternative if you don’t grasp it: Whether you grasp it or not determines your unhappiness or happiness.

7) 何人もお聞きになり、お尋ね下されて、幸福の栞を拾おて下され。

I like the way that Takamatsu Sōke ends this piece. He doesn’t say, “There’s my advice, take it or leave it” or, “That’s the word on finding happiness, there you have it.” He encourages the reader to go out and find the guide for Happiness for themselves by asking (お聞き) and inquiring (お尋ね) of everyone (何人も). Ask others, get opinions, and find it for yourself: Ask everyone, inquire of them, and find the guide to Happiness.
I think these together form a pretty accurate translation of Kōfuku No Shiori:

Everyone, let’s together cast away sorrow and attain happiness.
Everyone, happiness is life’s ultimate satisfaction.
Casting sorrow and discontent away and re-thinking is also happiness.
Anticipating and correcting one’s understanding of the ravages of calamity and disease is also happiness.
Everyone, happiness is waiting there before your eyes.
Whether you grasp it or not determines your unhappiness or happiness.
Ask everyone, inquire of them, and find the guide to Happiness.

‘Kōfuku’, by Hatsumi Sōke

Takamatsu Sōke led an adventurous life, but in hearing and reading stories over the years, “happy” isn’t always the first word that comes to mind – at least not when one looks at the external circumstances of his life. But as the wise Ninjutsu master teaches us here, it’s our internal perspective that matters. Looking back over painful or unfortunate circumstances, re-considering, re-thinking, and re-orienting our perspectives can allow us to lead fuller, happier lives. In a recent message I received from Shiraishi Sensei, he referred to ‘the study of Ninjutsu, which creates happiness’. I’m willing to bet that he’s read Kōfuku No Shiori a couple of times.

The Skipping Stone

Kasumi An Study CenterOctober 10, 2015

From Kasumi An Study Center 　霞庵スタディセンター by Kasumi An Study Center

The Skipping Stone

Ishi Tobashi 石飛ばし（Mizu Kiri 水切り)

By now, you may have heard that Hatsumi Sensei is using the analogy this year (2015) of a skipping stone to convey aspects of his martial art movement to us, his students. It is a wonderfully poetic expression to help us understand a very natural occurrence. When you skip a stone across water, it naturally skips across the surface in an easy natural way. According to the contact with the surface of the water, any waves, wind, etc., it moves naturally and freely to the next point of contact until it`s momentum is exhausted. The stone is free and moving without attachment to a particular point on the water. Imagine if the stone got attached to a certain point and said, `I like this spot. I think I will stop here.`. It would sink itself. It would find itself drowning all to soon. But all too often as martial artists, we find ourselves attached to a certain technique or idea, even ideas of what martial arts are or are not! By getting caught up in fixed ideas or techniques, we often find ourselves struggling, trying desperately to tread water with the weight of our ideas and techniques pulling us down into the dark depths. There is a Gokui (inner secret) that Sensei shared with us. When you are bogged down with no chance, only by throwing ourselves away (sutemi 捨て身）will a new tide rise and carry us along. This is a teaching worth reading over several times. Like they say in Japan about dried squid, the more you chew it the more flavorful it becomes!

In terms of Taijutsu (body movement art), the skipping stone gives us a nice image of moving naturally from one position to the next without getting stuck physically or mentally on a certain point or technique. As well, it asks us to move in a fluid connected way based on the movement of the opponent or uke. Based on the movement of the uke is very important. The movement of the uke helps determine and even dictates our next shift. Like the condition of the water and the wind help determine the next point of contact of the stone. Trying to do a certain movement without regard to the opponent`s movement, can be disastrous! The stone skips naturally from point to point. So should we, as martial artists, move without greed or intent of a determined outcome, naturally from point to point as lead by the movement of uke. We must learn how and when to let go, release, and move to the next natural space. Learning to let go is of utmost importance to the martial artist.

Hatsumi Sensei wrote a beautiful kakejiku (hanging scroll) for a student and friend of mine. (Alan-the Malteze falcon) It reads 飛石神道。Flying Stone Divine Path. The character Kami (神) can be interpreted many ways. Divine, Nature, Godly etc. If you recall the saying from Shinden Fudo Ryu `Ultimate Nature`(自然至極）Shizen Shigoku, you may find a feeling that fits with you. Can we touch this natural path? Can we connect with it in our arts and life? Of course. In fact we already are. we just need not block it, we must practice letting go, sutemi. Physically by releasing grips and techniques that are not working and mentally by not trapping ourselves in set ideas, thinking, and predetermined movement. And perhaps in a more humanistic way by parring away the unnecessary and rediscovering a more natural stance. Only when we can develop the sensitivity to let go, can we begin to move with the essence of the skipping stone. Feeling and sensing the grand power of nature flowing in, through, and around all.

Bufu Ikkan

Paul

Recent Posts

Most Used Categories

Year: 2015

Genzō: Creating Illusion

Hatsumi Sensei Expands Into A Ninpo Type Feeling

The 生き様 Ikizama of Bujinkan Sanshin and Mutō Dori

The opposite of entrapping the sword’s existence is to set it free.

A Guide to Happiness – Kōfuku No Shiori（幸福の栞）

The Skipping Stone