--- On Wed, 9/2/11, SteveW <[email protected]> wrote:
Technical expertise is not enough. One must transcend
dualistic thoughts about winning and losing.
MEL: This reminds me of a time when I came across Chuck Norris's biography, and
how he spoke about winning. It just didn't make sense to me
In traditional karate
fighting (I won't call it "sparring" as that implies a back-and-forth
exchange)the match is concluded with a single decisive blow. This may
or may not be practical for hand-to-hand combat, but it is excellent
for Zen training.
MEL: Thanks Steve. What you've said so far reminds me so much of a message from
the work HAGAKURE. Even the most useless has a chance of surviving an onslaught
if they only think of the welfare of the master. In our case, I think occupying
the mind so much about staying in one piece in the middle of adrenelin rush
would just get one seriously hurt, if not killed. I've been punched and
threatened with sharp objects before, but somehow I'm still alive. I don't
know. I personally don't know of anyone who has absolute 100% NO FEAR factor
before the encounter, and yet I don't recall seeing anyone show such
fear(read...care for stayin' in one piece) during and/or after the encounter.
Zen says, to care so much about the integrity of body and health is dualistic
Typically, the beginner is obsessed with second-
guessing what the opponent is going to do. This actually interferes
with smoothly reacting to the attack when it comes. In old sword
duels this would just get you killed. One must, after laying a solid
technical foundation, just let go of all expectations, worries and
speculations, all thoughts of winning and losing, and just face the
opponent in the emptiness of Mu-Shin (No-Mind).
MEL: How true, how true....and your above statements shakes my head in
disbelief when someone comes along and asks,"How do did you get your satori?"...
Thanks again Steve
Buddha be praised
Mel
