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Prepared to Die: 決死の覚悟 Kesshi No Kakugo


How much do you sacrifice for training? Does it seem like a lot? We might consider this in light of what Hatsumi Soke and his teacher Takamatsu O-Sensei have offered us.


Hatsumi Sensei said,

... when I had an opportunity to meet with Takamatsu Sensei a year before he passed away, I was told by him, "You are now all right as a budoka. I have taught you everything. I have been able to repay the kindness of Toda Sensei, Ishitani Sensei, Mizuta Sensei."

Takamatsu had such gratitude to his own teachers, that he devoted himself to Hatsumi Sensei and to the tradition that they shared with him. Those who have been dedicated teachers understand the responsibility and sacrifice this was. Add to this the burden of the very survival of nine ryuha and all the history and wisdom they contain, and it cannot be considered lightly.

Our Soke obviously does not take it lightly. He states,

"... I have decided to bare and show budo to the world, as well as demonstrate my personal techniques. In becoming bare is hidden 決死の覚悟 kesshi no kakugo, the resolve to face death."

Shall we give less of ourselves or our training?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 16, 2010 at 10:51 AM

    Not being a teacher in the bujinkan, I don't have the same in-depth insight into the idea of sacrifice. That being said, I feel I have my own, very basic understanding of this. It is so hard to find the balance in life and how that fits in with training. Family, work and training; the sanshin of these have to balance for us to stay as sane as we can! It seems that the more I sacrifice to make the training happen, the more I have to sacrifice in the other aspects of life as well. Putting more quality time in with the family or working more at home, to maintain the balance the force each requires more. It's interesting how training provides a natural energy to keep us moving through all of this. But does that really make it sacrifice? Thank you for the post Michael, it leaves much to think about.

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