By Sue Peterson
The other day in class, Sensei made several martial arts references I’d heard for the first time many, many years ago. The first was the “Dojo Kun”, or training motto. The second was a phrase, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” This blog discusses the first one, but I bring up the second one so you can think about it on your own and possibly write your own blog about what it means to you.
As far as I’ve seen, Aikido doesn’t have a professed “Dojo Kun.” However, when I started in Shotokan karate years ago, we were required to recite the five tenets of our Dojo Kun at the end of every class. Here it is:
- Seek perfection of character
- Be faithful
- Endeavor
- Respect others
- Refrain from violent behavior
The fact that these are all numbered as ‘1’ is not a type-o. They are numbered this way because they are all considered equally important.
Of course while we were on the dojo floor, traditional martial arts etiquette was the rule and was reflective of our motto. The Dojo Kun, recited at the end of class, reminded us to carry these guidelines out into our regular lives. But how many people really do that?
It wasn’t until several years after I’d stopped training regularly at karate that I really came to appreciate and apply the Dojo Kun. At the very toughest point in my life, it popped into my head and I clung to it for dear life! It reminded me that no matter how bad life or people treat you, there’s a higher road you can choose to get to the other side. Sometimes you need to remind yourself to “Seek perfection of character” when you’ve acted poorly, other times it is a reminder to “Respect others” when you’ve offended someone. For me at that time, it was “Endeavor.”
Regardless of the situation, I think the Dojo Kun covers almost every aspect of our lives. It is present in our good times and can provide steel for the bad times.
There is a lot of talk about carrying Aikido into our daily lives just the way karate-ka carry the Dojo Kun. Aikido teaches us to go around barriers or redirect bad energy or intent. We learn to care for our opponents and control ourselves. We learn to go with the flow. There is no Dojo Kun for Aikido because the lessons are in the art itself if you look closely enough.
Hitotsu. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto
Hitotsu. Makoto no michi wo mamoru koto
Hitotsu. Doryoku no Seishin wo yashinau koto
Hitotsu. Reigi wo omonzuru koto
Hitotsu. Kekki no yu wo imashimuru koto
The following, written by Osensei, was posted for many years at Hombu Dojo. It is a little different from the Dojo Kun, but does guide our practice.
O Sensei’s rules for training Aikido
1. Aikido decides life and death in a single strike, so students must carefully follow the instructor’s teaching and not compete to see who is the strongest.
2. Aikido is the way that teaches how one can deal with several enemies. Students must train themselves to be alert not just to the front, but to all sides and the back.
3. Training should always be conducted in a pleasant and joyful atmosphere.
4. The instructor teaches only one small aspect of the art. Its versatile applications must be discovered by each student through incessant practice and training.
5. In daily practice first begin by moving your body and then progress to more intensive practice. Never force anything unnaturally or unreasonably. If this rule is followed, then even elderly people will not hurt themselves and they can train in a pleasant and joyful atmosphere.
6. The purpose of aikido is to train mind and body and to produce sincere, earnest people. Since all the techniques are to be transmitted person-to-person, do not randomly reveal them to others, for this might lead to their being used by hoodlums.