Mastery Of and Through the Martial Arts
Surviving a battle depends upon maintaining a state of mind unaffected by external factors or internal weakness; thus the connection between self-mastery and martial prowess is an old, strong and logical one. A sincere study of a traditional East Asian martial system under enlightened guidance has much to offer. Just as Musashi emphasized in his own life and in his treatise on the Way of martial strategy, there are few undertakings that can compare favorably with what a properly conducted martial system has to offer you for personal development.

Although it may seem contradictory that arts or skills designed for killing can be used for self-improvement, the seeming paradox is resolved via the Eastern experience of recognizing and using the weapons and ways of destruction--the life-taking sword--to be the fundamental tools and means of perfecting valued human qualities--the life-giving sword. This has been possible particularly in the East, where the doctrines of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism (and in Japan, Shinto) all place emphasis on positive personal development only within broader contexts of human society and the natural order of the cosmos.

Exactly when martial disciplines began to incorporate these more developmental, philosophical aspects is beyond the scope of this book. Certainly the contributions of Zen Buddhism, particularly to the Way of the Warrior in Japan, are especially noteworthy in this regard; both Zen and feudal militarism gained prominence in Japan at about the same time (ca. AD 1200). As D.T. Suzuki details in his essay on "Zen and the Samurai" in Zen and Japanese Culture, there are sound, natural reasons for this affiliation. Zen appealed morally and philosophically to the samurai because it "teaches us not to look backward once the course is decided upon, [and] because it treats life and death indifferently." The fact that Zen relies upon and develops intuition over intellection would also be attractive to warriors for whom active thought during the heat of combat actually may be life-threatening. In addition, Suzuki contends that "Zen discipline is simple, direct, self-reliant, self-denying," ascetic traits that go well with the "fighting spirit." Such emphases from Zen, when added to the normal regimen of warrior training, produced fighters of superior quality.

This blend of warrior training with Zen guidance makes for a particularly effective path for achieving the personal growth and self-control that can lead one to mastery. The combination of intensive physical training, self-discipline, and overall mind-body control garnered via proper martial training is difficult to equal in any other single Way. The martial arts, when learned and practiced effectively and with the correct frame of mind, offer uniquely rich possibilities for mastery of technique, form, and self.

But beware the Warrior's Way. For many, the image conjured up by reference to "martial artists" is that of domineering ruffians, little more than disciplined bullies. It is the image of the Cobra Kai instructor from the Karate Kid films; the evil overlord against whom Bruce Lee is pitted in his famous Enter the Dragon; the vile villains against whom Chuck Norris so frequently battles. Even in Japan, where the combination of Zen and martial training have blossomed magnificently from their fecund cross-fertilization, the excesses of the Japanese military during its years of Asian-Pacific expansion have strongly tainted perceptions of the positive personal development possible through martial pursuits.