NIJU KUN

Gichin Funakoshi's 20 Precepts of Karate-Do

1. Karate begins with courtesy and ends with courtesy.

2. There is no first attack in Karate.

3. Karate is an aid to justice.

4. First control yourself before attempting to control others.

5. Spirit first, technique second.

6. Always be ready to release your mind.

7. Accidents arise from negligence.

8. Do not think that Karate training is only in the dojo.

9. It will take your entire life to learn Karate; there is no limit.

10. Put your everyday living into Karate and you will find "Myo" (subtle secrets).

11. Karate is like boiling water. If you do not heat it constantly, it will cool.

12. Do not think that you have to win, think rather that you do not have to lose.

13. Victory depends on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones.

14. The battle is according to how you move guarded and unguarded

      (move according to your opponent).

15. Think of your hands and feet as swords.

16. When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you.

      It is your behavior that invites trouble from them.

17. Beginners must master low stance and posture,

      natural body positions are for the advanced.

18. Practicing a kata is one thing, engaging in a real fight is another.

19. Do not forget to correctly apply: strength and weakness of power,

      stretching and contraction of the body and slowness and speed of techniques.

20. Always think and devise ways to live the precepts every day.

 

The beginnings of modern-day karate date back to 560 AD when Daruma Boddhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, left western India and traveled thousands of miles alone to teach in China. He found many students eager to listen to his  ideas but physically unable to keep up with him. So he designed a method of  training to develop his followers' physical strength, which he considered a crucial aid in attaining spiritual strength. His reasoning became the basis of karate-do, or “the way of the empty hand.” Although he felt that the way of Buddha was preached for the soul, he taught that “the body mind and soul are inseparable.” Shotokan Karate is one of the oldest and most popular styles of Karate. It was developed at the beginning of the last century by Master Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. Two relatively different styles - in spirit as well as in mechanics - used to  exist in Okinawa in late 19th Century: Shorei-ryu and Shorin-ryu The former was designed for well built people, placed emphasis on developing physical strength and was impressive in its shear power. The latter was light and quick, with  fast strikes and counterattacks, designed for people who were small in size and very agile.  After years of intense study of both styles, Master Funakoshi arrived at a new understanding of martial arts, and a novel style was created, that  combined the ideals of Shorei and Shorin. As in all  Karate styles it is Katas, formal sequen ces of basic techniques, that form the  backbone of the tradition. The traditional  Japanese martial arts, Judo and Kendo, two of the seven traditional paths to enlightenment in Japanese classical culture, were heavily centered around combat  (Kumite). Master Funakoshi instead, in the centuries old Okinawa tradition, sought a path to spiritual depth through individual technique. Thus, Shotokan  initially developed as a formal style with little Kumite application, instead focusing on breathing, releasing energy and  outstanding mind and body control. In 1922, the first Karate Demonstration was held in Tokyo by Master Gichin Funakoshi and had  made a powerful impression on the Japanese public. After that, Karate became  very popular and spread very fast in Japan. From the beginning, Master Funakoshi  insisted on teaching Karate to college students. The first Karate-do Club was in  Keio University. Today, Karate-do is spread into many countries around the  world. In May 1948, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was founded by the students of Master Gichin Funakoshi, and the standards of training (Kihon, Kata,  Kumite) and competition were established. The word Shotokan is composed of three kanji characters in Japanese.  The sho character is taken from the word matsu which means pine tree. To is the character for waves. Pine  Waves is supposed to mean "the sound that pine trees make when the wind blows through their needles." Some people also translate this to mean the waves that  pine trees seem to make visually when bending in the wind. Master Funakoshi signed his works of calligraphy with the pen name Shoto. That is where the first part of  the name of this type of karate came from. The word kan means building. The name Shotokan comes from the world's first karate dojo, which was constructed in 1939 by  Funakoshi's students. They placed a plaque over the door that said "Shotokan",  or " The Hall of Pine Waves", in honor of Funakoshi.  This first dojo was completely destroyed in an American bombing raid on Japan in 1945. Characteristics of Karate-Do By training  hard many characteristics of karate can be influenced positively, like persistence, discipline, self control and correct behaviour. Het concept "Do" (way) means this development of oneself. For Karate-Do three aspects can be distinguished: Karate-do as improving the physical condition; Karate-do as a competitive Karate-do as selfdefence MIZU NO KOKORO     This refers  to the mental attitude while facing an actual opponent. It refers to the need of  making the mind calm, like that of an undisturbed body of water. Smooth water reflects accurately the image of all objects within its range, and if the mind  is kept calm, comprehension of the opponents movements, both psychological and physical, will be both immediate and accurate, and one's  responses, both defensive and offensive, will be appropriate and adequate.   On the other hand, if the surface of the water is disturbed, the images it reflects will be distorted. In other words, if the mind is preoccupied with thoughts of  attack and defense it will not properly comprehend the opponent's intentions  creating an opportunity for the opponent to attack. TSUKI  NO KOKORO This refers to the need to be constantly aware of the totality of the opponent and his/her  movements, just as moonlight shines equally upon everything within its range. This means that one should watch just part of the opponents body such as the hands or feet, rather watch the entire body. With the thorough development of this attitude, the consciousness will be immediately aware of any openings in  the opponent's defenses. Clouds blocking the light of the moon are likened to nervousness or distractions. These distractions stop the light from shining on  everything. Likewise, they make comprehension of and reaction to the opponent's  moves more difficult than they need to be.   MASTERS Gichin Funakoshi (1868 - 1957) Founder of the modern karate Masatoshi Nakayama (1913 - 1987) Founder of Japan Karate Association Taiji Kase Shotokan Karate Ryu Kase Ha Hirokazu Kanazawa Shotokan Karate Do International Federation Keigo Abe Japan Shotokan Karate Association Hidetaka Nishyama International Traditional Karate Federation [home] [history] [general info] [about] [events] [links] [contact] built by gft

"The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants"

Gichin Funakoshi

Founder of Shotokan Karate-Do

The beginnings of modern-day karate date back to 560 AD when Daruma Boddhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, left western India and traveled thousands of miles alone to teach in China. He found many students eager to listen to his  ideas but physically unable to keep up with him. So he designed a method of  training to develop his followers' physical strength, which he considered a crucial aid in attaining spiritual strength. His reasoning became the basis of karate-do, or “the way of the empty hand.” Although he felt that the way of Buddha was preached for the soul, he taught that “the body mind and soul are inseparable.” Shotokan Karate is one of the oldest and most popular styles of Karate. It was developed at the beginning of the last century by Master Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. Two relatively different styles - in spirit as well as in mechanics - used to  exist in Okinawa in late 19th Century: Shorei-ryu and Shorin-ryu The former was designed for well built people, placed emphasis on developing physical strength and was impressive in its shear power. The latter was light and quick, with  fast strikes and counterattacks, designed for people who were small in size and very agile.  After years of intense study of both styles, Master Funakoshi arrived at a new understanding of martial arts, and a novel style was created, that  combined the ideals of Shorei and Shorin. As in all  Karate styles it is Katas, formal sequen ces of basic techniques, that form the  backbone of the tradition. The traditional  Japanese martial arts, Judo and Kendo, two of the seven traditional paths to enlightenment in Japanese classical culture, were heavily centered around combat  (Kumite). Master Funakoshi instead, in the centuries old Okinawa tradition, sought a path to spiritual depth through individual technique. Thus, Shotokan  initially developed as a formal style with little Kumite application, instead focusing on breathing, releasing energy and  outstanding mind and body control. In 1922, the first Karate Demonstration was held in Tokyo by Master Gichin Funakoshi and had  made a powerful impression on the Japanese public. After that, Karate became  very popular and spread very fast in Japan. From the beginning, Master Funakoshi  insisted on teaching Karate to college students. The first Karate-do Club was in  Keio University. Today, Karate-do is spread into many countries around the  world. In May 1948, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was founded by the students of Master Gichin Funakoshi, and the standards of training (Kihon, Kata,  Kumite) and competition were established. The word Shotokan is composed of three kanji characters in Japanese.  The sho character is taken from the word matsu which means pine tree. To is the character for waves. Pine  Waves is supposed to mean "the sound that pine trees make when the wind blows through their needles." Some people also translate this to mean the waves that  pine trees seem to make visually when bending in the wind. Master Funakoshi signed his works of calligraphy with the pen name Shoto. That is where the first part of  the name of this type of karate came from. The word kan means building. The name Shotokan comes from the world's first karate dojo, which was constructed in 1939 by  Funakoshi's students. They placed a plaque over the door that said "Shotokan",  or " The Hall of Pine Waves", in honor of Funakoshi.  This first dojo was completely destroyed in an American bombing raid on Japan in 1945. Characteristics of Karate-Do By training  hard many characteristics of karate can be influenced positively, like persistence, discipline, self control and correct behaviour. Het concept "Do" (way) means this development of oneself. For Karate-Do three aspects can be distinguished: Karate-do as improving the physical condition; Karate-do as a competitive Karate-do as selfdefence MIZU NO KOKORO     This refers  to the mental attitude while facing an actual opponent. It refers to the need of  making the mind calm, like that of an undisturbed body of water. Smooth water reflects accurately the image of all objects within its range, and if the mind  is kept calm, comprehension of the opponents movements, both psychological and physical, will be both immediate and accurate, and one's  responses, both defensive and offensive, will be appropriate and adequate.   On the other hand, if the surface of the water is disturbed, the images it reflects will be distorted. In other words, if the mind is preoccupied with thoughts of  attack and defense it will not properly comprehend the opponent's intentions  creating an opportunity for the opponent to attack. TSUKI  NO KOKORO This refers to the need to be constantly aware of the totality of the opponent and his/her  movements, just as moonlight shines equally upon everything within its range. This means that one should watch just part of the opponents body such as the hands or feet, rather watch the entire body. With the thorough development of this attitude, the consciousness will be immediately aware of any openings in  the opponent's defenses. Clouds blocking the light of the moon are likened to nervousness or distractions. These distractions stop the light from shining on  everything. Likewise, they make comprehension of and reaction to the opponent's  moves more difficult than they need to be.   MASTERS Gichin Funakoshi (1868 - 1957) Founder of the modern karate Masatoshi Nakayama (1913 - 1987) Founder of Japan Karate Association Taiji Kase Shotokan Karate Ryu Kase Ha Hirokazu Kanazawa Shotokan Karate Do International Federation Keigo Abe Japan Shotokan Karate Association Hidetaka Nishyama International Traditional Karate Federation [home] [history] [general info] [about] [events] [links] [contact] built by gft