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To Fight is to Lose
Jul. 18th, 2009 09:58 pmDear Grim:
Your picture [on another online-forum] titled "To fight is to lose" is making me think. Is that really the case? For me, to lose is to fight without plan and control, as is the case when one reacts as opposed to responds. What is your take?
Sincerely,
[name withheld]
Dear [name]:
Fr. Seamus Mulholland OFM, 8th Dan Shotokan Karate, 6th Dan Batto-Jutsu, wrote that martial arts are, "... built on respect then the greatest respect that can be given is to whatever exists as a thing in itself in the world as that thing. In other words, respect for life predominates all Martial Arts practice and training. So, when my students say to me 'What is the best self defence technique', I always tell them it is running away. It is running away because the way not to be attacked is not to be there, the best way not to hurt anyone else is to walk away. That way no one gets hurt, since the object of the Martial Arts is self perfection there is no perfection in aggression or violence. And therein lies the ethics of Martial Arts since it seeks to preserve the truth and reality of things as they are in the world without destroying them."
I train not to fight, but to work towards perfection of myself. To fight, more than what is minimally required to protect others or myself under situations where there is no choice but to use my training, is to fail the tenets of martial arts, or ... to lose.
Respectfully,
Grim
Your picture [on another online-forum] titled "To fight is to lose" is making me think. Is that really the case? For me, to lose is to fight without plan and control, as is the case when one reacts as opposed to responds. What is your take?
Sincerely,
[name withheld]
Dear [name]:
Fr. Seamus Mulholland OFM, 8th Dan Shotokan Karate, 6th Dan Batto-Jutsu, wrote that martial arts are, "... built on respect then the greatest respect that can be given is to whatever exists as a thing in itself in the world as that thing. In other words, respect for life predominates all Martial Arts practice and training. So, when my students say to me 'What is the best self defence technique', I always tell them it is running away. It is running away because the way not to be attacked is not to be there, the best way not to hurt anyone else is to walk away. That way no one gets hurt, since the object of the Martial Arts is self perfection there is no perfection in aggression or violence. And therein lies the ethics of Martial Arts since it seeks to preserve the truth and reality of things as they are in the world without destroying them."
I train not to fight, but to work towards perfection of myself. To fight, more than what is minimally required to protect others or myself under situations where there is no choice but to use my training, is to fail the tenets of martial arts, or ... to lose.
Respectfully,
Grim
