Week 2024-08: Kisshomaru Ueshiba - Collected Quotes

"When (someone) studies aikido with the intention of using it as a tool for fighting, they don’t last long. Budo is not like dancing or watching a movie. Rain or shine, you must practice at all times during your daily life in order to progress. In particular, aikido is like spiritual training practiced using a budo form. lt can never be cultivated as a tool by those who would use it for fighting. Also, individuals inclined towards violence cease to behave in that manner when they learn aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1957)

"In order to improve techniques we have to change the teaching method little by little, but I don’t think we will do something unreasonable like fixing a framework and forcing everything into it. I think we shouldn’t do that. The way aikido should be is spontaneous and naturalness itself. [...] Aiki techniques are varied and multi-faceted. They seem to be separate from one another, however, there is a unity and single order about them. This is where the exquisiteness of aikido lies, I think. Therefore, we have no intention of fixing a framework whether it be political, ideological or economic, that is, to form an organizational structure and force everything into it." (Kisshmaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1978)

"One becomes vulnerable when one stops to think about winning, losing, taking advantage, impressing or disregarding the opponent. When the mind stops, even for a single instant, the body freezes, and free, fluid movement is lost." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"Simply stated, aikido is a budo open to all people who aspire to unify the ki of the universe with the ki of oneself. For all members of the human race, it is the path to attaining harmony with all beings. The gates of aikido are open to people of all ages, classes, sexes, nationalities and races. Non-discrimination and non-exclusiveness are basic characteristics of aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"The burning desire of the Founder in establishing aikido was to keep the most valuable legacy of budo alive in the modern world. In order to accomplish his goal he went beyond differences in outward form to grasp the essence of each martial art and to bring it to life in a new form. The motivating force was his intense spiritual quest to discover a life-giving and life-affirming philosophy in budo. The result was the transformation of the heart of budo into the heart of aikido, the way of harmony and love."  (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"The subtle working of ki is the maternal source that affects changes in breath. It is also the source of martial art as love. When one unifies mind and body by virtue of ki and manifests ai-ki (harmony of ki), delicate changes in breath-power occur spontaneously and 'waza' (proper technique) flows freely." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"Ultimately, physical, psychological and spiritual mastery are one and the same. The egoless self is open, flexible, supple, fluid and dynamic in body, mind and spirit." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

Week 2024-07: On Budo

"True Budo is done for the sake of 'building peace'. Train every day so as to make peace between this spirit [Budo] and all things manifested on the face of the Earth." (Morihei Ueshiba, "Budo Training in Aikido", 1933)

"True Budo is practiced not only to destroy an enemy, it must also make him, or his own will, gladly lose his spirit (seishin) to oppose you." (Morihei Ueshiba, "Budo Training in Aikido", 1933)

"When (someone) studies aikido with the intention of using it as a tool for fighting, they don’t last long. Budo is not like dancing or watching a movie. Rain or shine, you must practice at all times during your daily life in order to progress. In particular, aikido is like spiritual training practiced using a budo form. lt can never be cultivated as a tool by those who would use it for fighting. Also, individuals inclined towards violence cease to behave in that manner when they learn aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1957)

"Simply stated, aikido is a budo open to all people who aspire to unify the ki of the universe with the ki of oneself. For all members of the human race, it is the path to attaining harmony with all beings. The gates of aikido are open to people of all ages, classes, sexes, nationalities and races. Non-discrimination and non-exclusiveness are basic characteristics of aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"The burning desire of the Founder in establishing aikido was to keep the most valuable legacy of budo alive in the modern world. In order to accomplish his goal he went beyond differences in outward form to grasp the essence of each martial art and to bring it to life in a new form. The motivating force was his intense spiritual quest to discover a life-giving and life-affirming philosophy in budo. The result was the transformation of the heart of budo into the heart of aikido, the way of harmony and love."  (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"What I want you to do is just take it as it is. Don't think too much. If you get involved with thinking about it, the whole thing gets lost or loses its purity. Don't think during practice - DO! The more you think, the further from the truth of budo you get: Budo is NOT an academic subject!" (Masaaki Hatsumi, "The Grandmaster's Book of Ninja Training", 1988)

"Although it is important to study and train for skill in techniques, for the man who wishes to truly accomplish the way of budo, it is important to make his whole life in training and therefore not aiming for skill and strength alone, but also for spiritual attainment." (Mas Oyama)

"Always remember that the true meaning of Budo is that soft overcomes hard, small overcomes large." (Mas Oyama)

"Budo is not about destroying other human beings with one’s strength or weapons, or annihilating the world by force of arms. True budo is channeling the universal energy (ki) to protect world peace, to engender all things fittingly, nurture them and save them from harm." (Morihei Ueshiba) 

"Budo training is to protect all things and nurture the power of unconditional divine love within" (Morihei Ueshiba) 

"If budo is not able to be utilized by people living in the modern age in the course of their everyday life, then surely it has no purpose." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba)

"It is a grave mistake to think that budo is about being stronger than your partner or opponent and that you have to defeat him. In true budo, there is no partner. Th ere is no enemy. True budo is to become one with the universe. It is to be united with the universe’s center. In aikido, we do not train to become strong or to defeat opponents, but to make even a small contribution to peace for all people in the world. To that purpose we must strive to harmonize with the center of the universe."  (Morihei Ueshiba)

"Karate is Budo and if Budo is removed from Karate it is nothing more than sport karate, show karate, or even fashion karate-the idea of training merely to be fashionable." (Mas Oyama

"Karate that has discarded Budo has no substance.  It is nothing more than a barbaric method of fighting or a promotional tool for the purpose of profit.  No matter how popular it becomes, it is meaningless." (Mas Oyama)

"The true value of Budo is to train the mind to see clearly and maintain spiritual strength." (Toshitsugu Takamatsu)

"True budo is to discipline the self and to lose the will to fight  [...] It is to lose all enemies, and is an absolute path for self-completion. The martial techniques provide discipline for the journey of uniting the spirit and the body through channeling the laws of heaven. Techniques provide the medium for ‘Way’." (Morihei Ueshiba) 

Week 2024-06: Taisen Deshimaru - Collected Quotes

"During zazen, brain and consciousness become pure. It's exactly like muddy water left to stand in a glass. Little by little, the sediment sinks to the bottom and the water becomes pure." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"If we achieve satori and the satori shows, like a bit of dogshit stuck to the top of our nose, that is not so good." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"In a fight between a strong technique and a strong body, technique will prevail. In a fight between a strong mind and a strong technique, mind will prevail, because it will find the weak point." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Harmonizing opposites by going back to their source is the distinctive quality of the Zen attitude, the Middle Way: embracing contradictions, making a synthesis of them, achieving balance." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"If you are not happy here and now, you never will be." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Keep your hands open, and all the sands of the desert can pass through them. Close them, and all you can feel is a bit of grit." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Religions remain what they are. Zen is meditation. Meditation is the foundation of every religion. People today feel an intense need to go back to the source of religious life, to the pure essence in the depths of themselves which they can discover only through actually experiencing it. They also need to be able to concentrate their minds in order to find the highest wisdom and freedom, which is spiritual in nature, in their efforts to deal with the influences of every description imposed upon them by their environment. Human wisdom alone is not enough, it is not complete. Only universal truth can provide the highest wisdom. Take away the word Zen and put Truth or Order of the Universe in its place." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Think with the whole body." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Time is not a line, but a series of now-points." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"The body moves naturally, automatically, without any personal intervention or awareness. If we think too much, our actions become slow and hesitant." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"To practice Zen or the Martial Arts, you must live intensely, wholeheartedly, without reserve - as if you might die in the next instant." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"To receive everything, one must open one's hands and give." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Train the body and develop stamina and endurance. But the spirit of competition and power that presides over them is not good, it reflects a distorted vision of life. The root of the martial arts is not there." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Zen is not a particular state but the normal state: silent, peaceful, unagitated. In Zazen neither intention, analysis, specific effort nor imagination take place. It's enough just to be without hypocrisy, dogmatism, arrogance - embracing all opposites." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"We feel our shell keeps us safe, but it crushes us and others, and keeps out light and sun." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"We should learn to think with our fingers." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"What is called zazen is sitting on a zafu [pillow] in a quiet room, absolutely still, in the exact and proper position and without uttering a word, the mind empty of any thought, good or wicked. It is continuing to sit peacefully, facing a wall, and nothing more. Every day." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"You cannot separate any part from the whole: interdependence rules the cosmic order." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"You must concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day, as though a fire were raging in your hair." (Taisen Deshimaru)

Week 2024-05: Huangbo Xiyun - Collected Quotes

"As soon as the mouth is opened, evils spring forth. People either neglect the root and speak of the branches, or neglect the reality of the 'illusory' world and speak only of Enlightenment. Or else they chatter of cosmic activities leading to transformations, while neglecting the Substance from which they spring - indeed, there is NEVER any profit in discussion." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Consider the sunlight. You may say that it is near, yet if you pursue it from world to world you will never catch it. You may say it is far, yet it is right before your eyes. Chase it and it always eludes you; run from it and it is always there. From this example you can understand how it is with the true nature of things." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Here it is - right now. Start thinking about it and you miss it." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Nothing is born, nothing is destroyed. Away with you dualism, your likes and dislikes. Every single thing is just One Mind. When you have perceived this, you will have mounted the Chariot of the Buddhas." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Observe things as they are and don't pay attention to other people." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Our original nature is [...] void, omnipresent, silent, pure; it is glorious and mysterious peaceful joy - and that is all. Enter deeply into it by awakening yourself." (Huangbo Xiyun) (Huangbo Xiyun)

"People are scared to empty their minds
fearing that they will be engulfed by the void.
What they don't realize is that
their own mind is the void." (Huangbo Xiyun)

'Studying the Way' is just a figure of speech, a method of arousing people's interest in the early stages of their development. In fact, the Way is not something which can be studied. Study leads to the retention of concepts, and so the Way is entirely misunderstood." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"The foolish reject what they see, not what they think; the wise reject what they think, not what they see." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered his real nature, how can there be anywhere or anything separate from it? [...] Therefore it is said: 'The perception of a phenomenon IS the perception of the Universal Nature, since phenomena and Mind are one and the same.'" (Huangbo Xiyun)