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Ten-Chi-Jin: A Comparison of Eastern and Western Philosophies

From 武神館兜龍 Bujinkan Toryu by Toryu

The Japanese concept of Ten–Chi–Jin is a fundamental principle in martial arts that represents the interconnectedness of heaven, earth, and man. In this article, we will explore the origins of Ten, Chi, Jin in Hinduism and its comparison with Western philosophies like the Christian trinity.

Ten-Chi-Jin: Origins and Meaning

Ten, Chi, Jin is a concept that originated in Japan but has its roots in Hinduism. In Hinduism, the Trimurti represents the three aspects of the divine: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). Similarly, Ten, Chi, Jin represents the three dimensions of existence: 天 Ten (heaven), 地 Chi (earth), and 人 Jin (man).

Ten represents the divine or spiritual realm, while Chi represents the physical or material world. Jin represents humanity and the connection between the spiritual and physical realms. The concept of Ten, Chi, Jin emphasizes the interdependence and harmony between these three aspects of existence.

Ten-Chi-Jin and Western Philosophies

While Ten, Chi, Jin has its roots in Hinduism, there are similarities between this concept and Western philosophies like the Christian trinity. The Christian trinity represents the belief in one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Similarly, Ten, Chi, Jin recognizes the interconnectedness of three distinct entities. In both concepts, there is an emphasis on the importance of the balance and harmony between these entities.

However, there are also differences between these concepts. The Christian trinity emphasizes the unity of the three persons, while Ten, Chi, Jin recognizes the individuality of each element.

Ten-Chi-Jin

Ten-Chi-Jin in Martial Arts

In martial arts, the concept of Ten, Chi, Jin is fundamental. Martial artists use this principle to understand the interconnectedness between their physical techniques, their mental focus, and their spiritual development.

For example, a punch can be seen as a manifestation of Jin, as it is a physical expression of the power that comes from both heaven (Ten) and earth (Chi). By understanding this concept, martial artists can learn to balance their physical techniques with their mental and spiritual development, leading to a more holistic approach to their practice.

The Importance of Balance and Harmony

One of the key aspects of Ten, Chi, Jin is the emphasis on balance and harmony. Martial artists who understand this concept can learn to balance their physical techniques with their mental and spiritual development. By doing so, they can become more effective practitioners, not just in their physical techniques but also in their overall approach to martial arts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ten, Chi, Jin is a fundamental concept in Japanese martial arts that represents the interconnectedness of heaven, earth, and man. While it has its roots in Hinduism, there are similarities between this concept and Western philosophies like the Christian trinity. By understanding this concept, martial artists can learn to balance their physical techniques with their mental and spiritual development, leading to a more holistic approach to their practice. The key to success in martial arts lies in achieving balance and harmony between these three aspects of existence.

Yudansha – Bujinkan Black Belt Guide

Discover the essential techniques of Bujinkan Dojo with Mats Hjelm’s “Yudansha.” This comprehensive manual is based on the Japanese concept of Ten, Chi, Jin, providing a practical and holistic approach to mastering this ancient martial art.

With detailed descriptions and accompanying photographs, “Yudansha” offers a step-by-step guide to striking, throwing, grappling, and weapons techniques. But it’s more than just a technique manual – it’s a guide to personal growth and spiritual development.

By applying the Ten, Chi, Jin principle to your training, you’ll not only become a more skilled martial artist but also a more balanced and harmonious person. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner, “Yudansha” is an essential addition to your library. Order your copy today and take the first step on your journey to mastery.

Yudansha Book by Mats Hjelm

The YUDANSHA Book by Mats Hjelm is available in different formats at Lulu.com.

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Bojutsu vs Kenjutsu vs Bojutsu vs Kenjutsu…

From 8þ Kabutoshimen by admin

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Cutting against his arm

This summer like most summers we train a lot more with long weapons since the dojo is too small to really use long weapons properly. This summer we train Bojutsu against Kenjutsu (long staff against sword). I think I teach and train a little different than most Bujinkan teachers out there, but I can’t really say maybe there is those who approach the training like I do. Let me explain.

Kote haneage followed by Haneage
Kote haneage followed by Haneage

First of all you learn how to use the staff, spinning and striking etc, this is mostly solo-training. Then you learn the Keiko Sabaki Kata (movement practice techniques) in my dojo we only practice one technique for the whole two hour class. Some students really have problems with coordination, others capture it quicker. In this first step I don’t mention distance, timing or anything except which strikes and blocks to make. This can also be solo-training and done alone against an imagined opponent.

Second I take the sword and we focus on how to handle the situation the best way with a sword. If he is attacking me with the staff I immediately counter him by stepping forward. I’m not gonna step backwards defending myself all the time, when he steps in to strike me in his preferred distance out of my reach; I boldly step in at the same time and block the staff and get even closer into my preferred distance so I can cut him with the sword. As I see it this is the only chance I have against a longer weapon, there is no point of running backwards.

Catching the staff and Tsuki
Catching the staff and Tsuki

Thirdly I take the staff again. I attack the kenjutsu-ka fully (not really, but almost) and make sure he does a good block, and as he block I don’t stay frozen or try to push harder on him. As I strike I’m already prepared for the next movement when he comes in and try to cut me, I move out to my distance and do the next strike.

Then I take the sword again and try to avoid being hit from this point in the technique, by blocking and countering again. I’m not really gonna give up or run away. If I can cut I will cut.

Then again I take the staff and try to deal with this really difficult opponent, I avoid his cut and counter him until the end of the technique where I make it impossible for him to do anything. Then the technique is finished without changing the sequences of the strikes, the only thing that is flexible is the distance and the timing. And this is where the true training comes in.

Then at the end of the class we record a short demo to video which will be available for download later. This is how we spend our two hour trainings at Kaigozan Dojo this summer.

No henka, no variations, true to the technique.

Kote haneage as he try to cut my left arm
Kote haneage as he try to cut my left arm

I always thought quality is better than quantity. It is amazing how cleverly these techniques is made up, it is so much more than executing the strikes rapidly against a rather passive opponent. If the opponent (sword-guy) is good and understand how to use the sword there is really not many options to change the technique and do something different, the possibility for henka becomes very narrow, what you can change is very small details. For me this is what henka means, you failed your initial technique and need to adapt because of miscalculation.

I know there are those out there only doing henka-training, but how do you do henka training only, henka of what? If you try to train yourself into intuition without basic foundation you are doing something I don’t understand. You weren’t born out from nowhere, someone did something very basic with someone and you was born. How do you henka anything into existence?

Victory ending of the technique
Victory ending of the technique

If anyone is interesting I’m doing three more one day Bojutsu mini-seminars this summer.

Happy Training!

/Mats

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What good is your martial arts skills against a government tyranny?

From 8þ Kabutoshimen by admin

If you don’t understand this, I question your whole reason for training martial arts! We are supposed to be role models and smarter than common people, at least that is what we are telling each other with varying confidence. Most people in Bujinkan seems to be caught up is some kind of romanticised imagination of being some kind of ninja warrior, far from today’s reality. It is fun dreaming away fighting with swords and shurikens. We talk about defending against what can not be seen, but have you even thought about what that means?

I don’t like to bring in politics and religion into training because we are all free to believe what we want. But when the politics stray from democracy and becomes tyranny I have to speak up against it. It is easy to see what is happening in USA with all these crazy events. I’m not talking about the two brothers bombing the Boston marathon, I’m talking about the media blowing things out of proportion scaring people and 9000 police army closing a whole town busting into innocent people’s homes taking away their constitutional rights. At the press conference the police say that we should not look at any other pictures than those they approved, telling us to only trust them. Now media is criticising themselves for jumping into conclusions and imply that in the future they will stick only to the official story without questioning. To me that is a strong sign on tyranny taking over.

You must understand that there is a lot of money to be made keeping people scared, just follow the money and you will understand.

And now we got CISPA coming, Obama said he will veto it, we’ll he said that about NDAA (indefinite jail without court or jury!) to and then signed it anyway New Year’s Eve 2011/12 in “secrecy”…

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Shoninki books

From 8þ Kabutoshimen by admin

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I got a question today about these books, if they are important for Bujinkan practitioners.
http://www.coloradospringsninjutsu.com/Shoninki.html
http://www.shoninki.com/home/Welcome.html
For what it’s worth here is my answer.

Hello. I don’t think it is very important today, but probably very interesting in historical view. I know Don lived in Japan for many years and probably discussed the book with the Shihan when he run into problems in translation. I don’t know who the other person is, he might be better in Japanese, but if he haven’t been training he might have missed some things. Both books probably have errors, why not get both?
But I don’t believe it is that important, the knowledge is old. There is better modern books about survival skills, medicine, tools etc today.

Thanks for the links, I didn’t know Don also had a translation.

Happy training!

Mats

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Modern warrior coming to Stockholm in October

From 8þ Kabutoshimen by admin

Dean with the Bufuikkan menkyo

There are many people in the Bujinkan who claim to teach reality based techniques without any real experience. There is however a few people that can do this, and do it very good. And one of the best one I know is my close and good friend Dean Rostohar Shihan from Croatia. With his experience from the civil war in former Yugoslavia, and as a former police officer he certainly knows what he is talking about.

Dean goes to Japan to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Shihan several times per year. He always train three trainings per day, to make out most of his time in Japan. Hatsumi Soke always put him up to teach about his experiences. When he was there earlier this month even more so, Soke used him as Uke often to teach the real feeling. Soke also awarded him with the Bufu-ikkan menkyo which he only give to his top students.

When Dean doesn’t go to Japan he practice in his own Dojo with over 100 students. He also attend many courses and seminars and further his studies in many areas with instructors outside the Bujinkan. He also practice shooting and military tactics with SPECWOG, and teach many seminars and courses.

In October 29-30′th I’m organizing a seminar with him in Stockholm. I can’t emphasize enough how important a seminar like this is for everyone training in the Bujinkan system. Especially if you want to learn self defense and tactics how to defend yourself against a knife or pistol. Running backwards on a flat floor in the dojo all the time until the opponent overextend himself and fall down is fine, but how reality based is the training, really? Your instructor may say this is reality, and then do something pretty stupid and cover it up with a henka and flow so that you don’t see how stupid the first response really was. OK, sorry! The word “stupid” might be a strong word, I know there is good teachers out there, but far from all. Being “stupid” is also a learning process that we all need to go through, but staying on the stupid level is just stupid ;-) .

I know there is many seminars all the time, and find the time and money to all is difficult. All I ask of you is to ask yourself what do you want from the training? If you think it is fun as it is in your dojo and you don’t care much about reality then fine, good luck! If you on the other hand think that being able to defend yourself is important, then you should really try to attend this seminar (or any other Seminar with Dean)! I promise it will be very eye opening, and you will see your training with different eyes.

Both knife and pistol is very scary weapons, defending against them is very difficult. But it is possible if you also know how to use them as weapons. If you don’t know how to use the weapons properly how can you say that you know how to defend yourself against them.

Dean Rostohar together with Noguchi Shihan, Hatsumi Soke and Kan Shihan.

This is the feeling Hatsumi Soke teach in Honbu dojo all the time. All instructors take what they want and do what ever they feel like for various reasons. By Hatsumi Soke using Dean in Honbu dojo so much, and constantly ask him to teach and explain in front of him, as well as being his Uke must mean that Hatsumi Soke appreciate what Dean is doing. I think also that Hatsumi Soke is learning from Dean as he watches.

So with this I really recommend you to come to this seminar! The web site is in Swedish, but there is translation buttons on top of the web site. If you have problem with the language, you can always contact me, I know the translator is not always 100% correct.

Remember to sign up, because the places is very limited!

 

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flashback my past 15 years on the internets

From 8þ Kabutoshimen by admin

I just found my old web site on archive.org :-) , and a lot of memories comes back. When I made my first web site (in 1994 or 1995?) there was only one other web site on the whole internets that contained the word "Bujinkan" (I think his name was Shawn (an American not Canadian ;-) )). But before that I operated my own Fidonet BBS called 2:201/2123 Moko no Tora BBS on a computer under my bed between 1992-1996 (approximately, I don't remember exactly). I was also at Compuserve when they got their first modem pool in Sweden. At that time you could not access the internets from your home as a private person. There was no provider that offered a modem pool you could call up, it was only at big companies and university's at this time. Until Ragnar Lönn started Algonet in 1994 offering a connection for private persons. If I remember correctly, I got my subscription around Christmas time, and immediately started learning HTML by making the web site.

There was only the MS *plorer and Netscape browsers, I remember Netscape was better because you could change the colours on the fonts and background. There was HTML programs, but they where buggy, annoying and didn't keep up with the new features that the Netscape browser gave. So I learned typing HTML with a simple text editor. I still do this, but I also use a CMS system (this site is on W0rpqr*ss ).

Over the years I had projects that grew too big to handle. More and more people got Internet and found my web site, I see that in the oldest record on the way back machine at archive.org that in May 2000 I had 154 016 hits since march 1995, I'm not sure if that counts the hits I had before on my Algonet page (yes it still sucks!). In January 2002 I had 426 844 hits, Anyway some of the bigger projects was...

BUUYUU www.martial.arts links project

This was link site with thousands of Martial Arts links, driven by a text database, but someone had to manually update with new links, lot's of work. Thanks to Baubak G who helped me with this!

Masai forum board

Means polish your sword or skills. With a couple of thousand members it could sometimes get maybe too political, but often there was good discussions. Back then people where new to the internets and was willing to share stuff, even if it wasn't well researched (me included).

NinZine

NinZine actually started before in my Fidonet and Compuserve days. It was a type of multimedia magazine where you needed a PC with DOS to make it work. Later Liz made Ura & Omote which was more text based articles. I think I only released five or six issues. I tried to find the old zip files but can't find them. If anyone have them, please contact me :-) . I have planned for a while to use the NinZine name again for the bujinkan.me web site project.

Bushikai (the whole Bujinkan world on one site)

Was a kind of portal for each country that showed links to web sites, clubs and local seminars for respective country. Here is Sweden for example (13 training groups, 23 web sites and 6 seminars registered at the time).

Ryu-ha history

This was probably the most popular segment. Thanks to Peter C who gave me most of the school information in the beginning. I added more and more to the pages without thinking or being able to check it's sources.

At the end I removed most of the ryu-ha history notes because I was fed up with some people who knew better that liked to critizice instead of helping, people who took the information and presented it as their own. But mostly because it became too much work, people expected me to update the web site continually, and I wasn't making any money on it. In 2005 I moved the forum to another web site, and about his time I went from 10 000 hits per month to a couple of thousand.

today...

Sure I miss some of the projects a little, but if it means I have to do all the work and it is too much work or I don't enjoy it I won't do it any more. But I moved some of the projects to the bujinkan.me web site...

  • The bujinkan.me/ninzine is the new NinZine! It is a script that get articles via selected RSS sources. Contributions is by people with their own blogs that I think make a good contribution to the Bujinkan community.
  • The Dojo locator is the new Dojo address database!. This is now handled by Google places, just make sure to include Bujinkan as a tag to get included here.
  • The Seminar database is practically the same as before.
  • The links..., when I started there was no Google!

My Kabutoshimen / Kesshi web site is more my personal web site and blog, if you are interested in what I'm up to. The Kaigozan Dojo web site is my dojo. I got a bunch of other sites to, I keep it separated (Bujinkan, me, dojo etc.)...

Well I don't know how to wrap this article!
Can't believe I've been doing this for more than 15 years!
I wonder how it will look like in another 15 years?

Anyway... HAPPY TRAINING!
( I think I used this phrase for 15 years to :-) )

/Mats…

Taihen Kuden Shinden by Arnaud Cousergue

From Kabutoshimen by admin

Here is another old article I had on my web site 10 years ago, enjoy!

- Mats 2010-08-18

---

Background: This article was the result of me asking about the Shu Ha Ri (learn the technique, break the technique and then leave the technique) on a mailing list. And the response was so good that I thought more people should be able to read it. Click on the image on the right and it will explain the meaning of the Kanji. Shu-Ha-Ri is not only a Bujinkan term, it can be found in many Japanese Budô arts. And as Arnaud explains below, not necessarily just Budô, it involves everything we learn and master. Enjoy the article!

/Mats Hjelm - January 2000


Taihen Kuden Shinden by Arnaud Cousergue

Mats said: "I need some more information about that. I think most japanese Budô arts have this saying. Can someone give me a few comments or more information about this?"
The process of learning for human beings (maybe animals too) follows three basic periods:

you learn the new stuff,

you understand the new stuff,

you go beyond the new stuff, making it your own stuff.

If we take the process of learning how to ride a bicycle we have the following steps:

  • When you are a kid you first learn to stay balanced on your bike, you learn to stay up (i.e. not to fall). To help you keep your balance, your parents (Sensei?) add two small wheels to your bike so that you cannot fall on your side so easily. With the help of the wheels, you can learn to move the pedals and you can move forward.
  • Then you develop your experience by playing with your friends (training with partners) over the months. You fall sometimes but, little by little things get easier. You begin to feel and understand how the whole thing works and you free yourself from the "form".
  • After a while, you know how to ride your bicycle, you do not fall that much, you do not think on "how to ride" but more on "how to get to this place". You know how to ride a bicycle and you adapt your knowledge to your environment.

By learning how to ride your bike, you followed the three steps of: learning, breaking and leaving! But this is not the end of the story. You have been riding your bike for a few months and the little wheels are bent upwards because you trained hard. They do not touch the ground any more, but you don't know it. You think you are still using them to balance your bicycle and prevent you from falling. One day, your parents (Sensei?) see that and with a tear in their eyes admire your mastery :-) Watching you, they even saw that sometimes these little wheels where preventing you from riding properly. Because they love you, because they are proud of you they decide to take out these little wheels that you do not really use anymore, to make you more free of your movements.

Alas the whole process is to be followed again! You have to learn a different way of riding your bicycle. Everything you knew from experience is not good anymore.

  • you have to learn a new form of moving because without these little wheels you feel unbalanced (even if, without knowing it, you were not using the little wheels anymore). You fall again very often and you get more pain and bruises as you progress in learning this new process.
  • After a while you understand the new rules. You learn new angles you can use to change direction. Your bicycle becomes more the extension of your self.
  • After a small period of time, you do not pay attention anymore to your bicycle, you are more interested in getting to some place(adapting the technique to the environment). Your movements are free you are not limited anymore by the little wheels (basics?).

And if one day you want to learn how to ride a motorbike, you will have to go through another (yet the same) learning process of "learn-break-leave".

This is the same in Budô. You first learn the body motion trying to reproduce what your teacher is showing. You cannot do it but you try hard to understand the "mechanics" of motion.

Then by training hard with your partners you build YOUR understanding of body motion and little by little you adapt it to your own body and capabilities. You break the forms and use what is good for you leaving what is not. You break every step into small parts so that you can integrate them easily in your body natural movements.

One day, the movement is no more your teacher's movement but it is yours. You reached the "leave the form" step until you get a deeper understanding of it that will put you again through the learning process and the three steps.

Now, if we want japanese names we can give the following names for these steps:

  • learning the form = TAIHEN: learning through body motion,
  • breaking the form = KUDEN: breaking the form through the experience you develop by yourself, with your partners and with the help and advises of your teacher,
  • leaving the form = SHINDEN: you create your own form "naturally", your own spirit feeds your understanding of body motion. you can adapt your actions without thinking because you are one with the technique, you are above the form. The movement exists and you "manifest" it naturally, including it in different situations and environments.

For me this is what Hatsumi Sensei is teaching us. He is not only teaching movements or techniques. He is giving us freedom and this freedom can only be attain through hard practice, sweat and bruises. There is no limited time to get it, this is a whole life study!

I hope this will help you Mats :-)

Arnaud Cousergue

http://kumafr.wordpress.com/

January 25'th 2000…