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【Series of Budo Essay vol.4】“Awareness” [second half]

Why Awareness is so important in Bujutsu?

CHIBA Shusaku,One of the most genius Kenjutsu-ka

２） One night training given by CHIBA Shusaku to a messenger boy

It was middle of 19th century when the long lasted Japanese feudal époque was coming to the end. One of the most genius Kenjutsu-ka in the history had appeared in EDO (Tokyo). He had changed the way of Kenjutsu training completely from old mysterious and accordingly not logical system to a modern logical way by using soft wooden stick called SHINAI. Finally he had got more than 3,000 students in his Dojo which became the biggest Kenjutsu school in the history.
When his name has become well-known all over Japan, he received a sudden visitor in one late evening. The visitor was a man, not Samurai, who worked at EDO castle as a messenger boy. He started to tell his sudden visiting purpose with pale face.
“ This evening I was coming back home from my work. When I was walking along a dark path with no passenger at all, a Samurai suddenly appeared from the side darkness and stood in front of me. He draw KATANA (sward) and tried to cut me. He was a murderer by fun. I got so scared and was about to fell down on the ground but scarcely kept standing and asked him to wait. I explained him that I had such important thing to do as my duty in the next morning accordingly could not die that time. I asked him to wait just one day. Then he told me that he might wait one day if I could promise to come back the same time same place alone. So, I promised him to keep my words. Then he released me.”
After hearing his story, Shusaku told that messenger boy as,
“ So, you ask me to help you by sending a skilful my student to kill that murderer ?”
A messenger boy ignored it immediately.
“ No, sir. It is not what I want from you. I do intend to keep my promise for my pride. But I do not want just to be killed so easily by that murderer. I am fully resigned to die, but I want to attack back against him to give him even a small damage, if it is possible. I never want to die as a poor miserable powerless victim”
His answer impressed Shusaku a lot, so he decided to teach him one technique which might realize his wish.
Next evening that messenger boy came to the place where the murderer was waiting for his return. The murderer draw his KATANA by saying “ What a bravery man to come back here alone. It is pity to kill such a courageous person, but I have to do it.” Then the messenger boy also draw KATANA which was rent by Shusaku, and put it high up then he closed his both eyes. He just kept the positioning without moving.
The murderer came closer to cut the man. When the distance became close enough for his Katana to cut the man, he so suddenly felt strong attacking intention radiated by the man. He felt the man’s upped Katana is about to cut him down at that moment. The murderer stepped back quickly to avoid the man’s counter attack. He was so scared this counter attack that he could not step forward to the man at all. After half an hour has passed when several murderer’s attempt to attack the man failed, he put his KATANA back to its case and left the place by whispering “ You have won, brave man.”
When the man convinced that the murderer had left enough far away and could not feel his existence around him anymore, he lost his tension and falled down on the ground with a feeling he could survive.
On that night Shusaku taught the messenger boy as
1) Be fully resigned to die, never have a hope to survive
2) When fight started, put a Katana up and keep, then close both eyes to avoid any turbulences arisen in your mind
3) Make full use of your sensitivity so that you can feel the exact moment when the murderer attacks you.
4) At that very moment quickly and sharply pull down your upped Katana.
5) By this act, you could make a counter attack against him even the damage he gets might be a small one.
And they trained this simple technique all through that night till dawn. On that night when the messenger boy told the story, Shusaku noticed that the murderer should have a certain high skill from the fact he granted to wait one day. And he thought he could utilize that point. If so, he should carry some level of Awareness which detects attacking intention radiated by the messenger boy if he could do it. Otherwise there is no possibility at all if a messenger boy should simply fight against the murderer by Katana. There will be no match at all between them. No help no hope.
He let the boy resign to die and to concentrate to make a counter attack so that he could radiate an attacking intention. To make this attacking intention’s radiation sure, he also let the boy close his both eyes, because blind situation can avoid the boy to see the murderer’s movement which surely cause him a strong fear and accordingly he cannot make concentration. With that situation the messenger boy finally succeeded starting to radiate attacking intention which might frighten the murderer strong enough. In this case, Awareness is found first by Shusaku when he noticed the murderer’s level according to the fact he granted to wait one day, then by the murderer, who detected attacking intention radiated from the messenger boy exactly as Shusaku expected.

Awareness, utilized as a tool of tactics/strategy

Awareness, which can be attained thorough BUJUTSU training, could also be diverted to a tool of tactics and strategy. It is quite natural if we think over what Awareness is. A few numbers of best established Kenjutsu-ka like Munenori and Musashi who attained the highest level of Awareness, they finally recognized themselves that they are not only skilled Samurai warriors but tactics or strategist who can teach those principles even to kings or Shogun. This is because they noticed the essence of Awareness.
For Kenjutsu-ka, Awareness can be used as a tool to win the match/fight. In the same way it can be used as a tool to make tactics and strategy for a country. That is Awareness.
When TOKUGAWA family had made final victory in the long lasted war period and has united Japan by name of Shogun, there was no more possibility of war in all over Japan. As a result, all Samurais had started work just same as public servant in western world. They had lost their original duty to fight and kept working as a clerk or civil officer who wear KATANA as a symbol of Samurai. In such circumstance there could be only a small numbers of Samurai who were superior in Bujutsu. Almost of all upper classed Samurais were not good at Bujutsu at all, they could not understand Awareness at all. Accordingly those upper classed Samurais, i.e. upper classed officials regarded well skilled Samurai who deeply mastered Awareness like Munenori and Musashi, just as well skilled soldiers but not more.
When they hear that Munenori or Musashi talking about state matters from point of strategy, they all thought “how this soldier could talk such difficult matter as a strategy ” and showed their unpleasant behavior against Munenori and Musashi. Especially for Musashi who did not carry any title at all, their behavior which arose from their lack of understanding of Awareness, should be unbearable at all. He should have spent a lot of his energy in his later life to struggle with such unreasonable treatment given to him.
In 1904, time passed 3-4 hundreds years after Musashi and Munenori’s epoch, Japan faced to the severest crisis that it had to fight against Russia, one of the biggest and strongest country in the world, for the sake of its future. At that time it had passed only 35 years since Japan stopped feudalism and started as a modern country. Nobody believed that Japan could win the fight against Russia. It looked like a fight between small kid and big wrestler. The governor who ruled Japan at that time were all survivors from MEIJI revolution civil war and accordingly they all equipped excellent Awareness with which they noticed well enough the extreme difficulty to carry out that war. So, they tried almost everything so that Japan could survive. They convinced that Japan could never ever win but they wished not lose in any mean which was the only chance Japan could survive.

It was a miracle that Japan could win both in sea and field with a tremendous one side victory, but they knew Japan would surely be defeated if they continued the war. So they accepted peace conference without a certain compensation paid by Russia which was normal to receive for the war winner. The all the Japanese newspapers claimed their cowardice and even criticised them as traitors. But they did not change their tact because they believed it was the only way to let their motherland survive for the future, and it was right.
Again 35 years passed since the miracle victory against Russia, Japan had started war against China and later U.S.A. U.K. etc. At that time Japanese military which were controlled by a group of arrogate stupid high ranked officers governed entire country. They had repeated stupid thoughtless plan without strategy and drove Japan to the death end. There was nobody among them who had Awareness. They caused Japan and neighbor countries disaster and killed ten millions people in Asia.

How to attain this Awareness, after all

Although Awareness could be attained not only through Bujutsu training but other training like religion and art, as mentioned before, Bujutsu training is the best and shortest way to get it. It is because in Bujutsu one can lose life when he loses match and accordingly he must do every possible effort to win, i.e. to survive. And it is one of the most important key factors to win whether one has sharp Awareness or not. So, to attain sharp Awareness was definitely necessary for Bujutsu trainees.
One who keeps the strong and serious will to win could only attain Awareness. On the contrary one who keeps such strong confidence that he shall always win could never attain Awareness. It is a good example that the former mentioned arrogant war leaders of Japanese military in 20th century.
Then many readers might get a doubt as
“Could we attain Awareness by training such modern Budo with which we never fight for life? “
This is quite important point and my answer is clear as “No”. One can never attain Awareness through the training of modern Budo which has become competitive sports. If one really intend to attain Awareness, one should train Budo so seriously that he puts his life on it. It is easy to say but quite hard to realize this.
When somebody asks me if I have Awareness, I just have to say “No unfortunately”. 15 years ago when I was travelling in south France with my family, I was stolen my purse in my pocket by Romany kids. My wife and daughter criticized me so hard with saying “How it is possible that a Budo-ka like you got your purse stolen by kids?” I also admitted their blame was reasonable because I myself thought I was blamed to be unconscious at that moment and was ashamed of it. If I had paid some attention around me I surely could notice it and could avoid that situation. Then after 3 years have past sine that affair happened, when I was sitting in a coffee shop in Warsaw with my wife, I suddenly felt strange mood on the man sit behind me. Soon I noticed his right hand was approaching to my left side pocket of my jacket. Immediately I stood and turned him with choking his neck by my left hand. It happened without thinking but my body just moved automatically. And thanks to this happening, although my level of Awareness was such low, I could recover my honor among my family.
Coming back to the theme, nowadays there must exist not many Bujutsu-ka in Japan who really mastered and attained high level of Awareness. And the number is surely deceasing every year. After a half century Japanese will not believe Awareness anymore because they cannot see such person who can show Awareness any longer. And they will take same response as Westerners when they watch Samurai movies where the skilled Samurai noticed the attacking intention behind him and make counter attack before he is attacked. They all might take it as not real and just a play in movies. I do regret it a lot.

At the end of this article, I would like to express my thanks to Mr. Sean Leather, my Jujutsu student comes from U.S.A., for his big effort to have corrected my Japanese English to formal English.

18 September 2017 Makoto KURABE – SHISEIDO
representative of
AIKI JUJUTSU GYAKUTE-DO

th_DSC_0246Text by　Kurabe Makoto Shiseido

Born in 1950. When he was in his 30s, he began learning Gyakute-do Jujutsu, which was derived from Hakkoryu Jujutsu in the 1970s. Just before reaching the age of 40, he moved from Japan to The Netherlands and continued to master and develop Gyakute-do. In October of 2013, after adding the system of Aiki-Jutsu that he developed himself, he transformed Gyakute-do into Aiki-Jujutsu Gyakute-do, and became 2nd Soushi, grand master, of Gyakute-do. After retirement, he left The Netherlands and began promoting Aiki-Jujutsu Gyakute-do both in Japan and in Poland  as his main pursuit. He is also teaching his Gyakute-do to Budo fan in the world via corresponding course.

 

 

You can read Original Japanese text here!

Awareness（察知能力）、武術で習得すべき最も重要なこと

C.  何故武術でAwarenessが重要となるのか

その２ 千葉周作が茶坊主に教えた必死の一手

　封建時代も終わりに近づいた江戸時代末期に、千葉周作という剣客が出現して竹刀で打ち合う北辰一刀流を起こして日本の剣術を大きく転換し、江戸（当時の東京）で3千人もの弟子を抱える大道場を構えるまでになりました。その高名が日本中に轟く様になったある日のこと、お城勤めの茶坊主が真っ青に顔を青ざめて相談に訪れました。

　その茶坊主が語るには、

「夜も暮れて一人で城下がりをして帰宅途中に、人通りも無く真っ暗な川縁の通りで辻切りに襲われました。その際は上役から命じられた大切な用事を抱えていたので、せめてその用件だけでも済ませたい思い、切られるのを一日だけ待ってもらうようその辻切りに訳を話して頼んだのです。そうするとその辻切りは「人として約束を守るなら一日待ってやる」と言って、その場は危害を加えず逃してくれました。」

　それを聞いて千葉周作は茶坊主に言いました。

「すると相談の件というのは、助けが欲しいわけですかな」

　茶坊主は頭を振りながら答えました。

「滅相もありません。私は約束を守って今晩同じ場所へ一人で戻るつもりです。唯おめおめと切られるわけにも行かないので、今江戸でご評判の高い千葉先生に一手ご指南いただきたくまかり越しました。少なくとも見苦しくないように、たとえ一手でも相手に切り返せれば本望です。」

　茶坊主の覚悟の程に気持ちを動かされた千葉周作は、彼に一晩掛けて希望を叶える一手を教えました。

　千葉周作に教授を受けた茶坊主は、辻切りが待つ通りへとやってきました。茶坊主が来るのを見て、辻切りは「坊主よく約束を守ったな、殊勝なり」といいながら刀をスルリと抜きました。

それを見た茶坊主は千葉周作から貸してもらった一振りの刀を鞘から抜き、辻切りに向かって上段に構えると、静かに目をつぶりました。

　辻切りは茶坊主に近づいて一刀の元に切り殺そうとしますが、その瞬間に上段に構えた茶坊主の刀が鋭く振り下ろされて自分が切られてしまう気配を濃厚に感じ、どうしても足が前に出せません。そのまま半時ほど経ち精神的に疲れた辻切りは「坊主、俺の負けだ。この勝負は終わりだ。」と捨て台詞を吐くと刀を鞘に納めて去っていきました。足音が十分に遠ざかったのを確かめてから茶坊主はゆっくりと目を開き、刀を上段に構えたままでそのまま腰を抜かすようにへなへなと地面に崩れ落ちたのです。

あの日千葉周作が茶坊主に教えた一手とは、

１）命は助からないものと覚悟しろ

２）相手に向かって上段に構え、雑念を払うために両目を閉じろ

３）感性を働かせて、相手が自分に近づいてきて正に刀を振ろうとする瞬間を感じろ

４）その刹那、迷わず上段に振りかざした刀をまっすぐ下へ振り下ろせ

５）これで助からないにせよ、相手にも相当の手傷を負わせることが出来るだろう

ということでした。

　つまり千葉周作は、相手の辻切りが茶坊主の希望を叶えて一日の猶予を与えたことから、技量の低くない剣客であると想定しました。それならば相応のAwarenessを備えているはずだから、それを利用しようと考えたのです。そうでなければ侍と茶坊主では単に剣を握っての戦いとなれば大人と子供ほどの差があって全く勝負になりません。手の施しようが無いのです。

　茶坊主に辻切りが感知するほどの十分な殺気を発せられるようにするため、まず生き延びることを諦めさせ、死を覚悟で相手にも傷を負わせることに集中させました。雑念を払って殺気を強めるために両目を閉ざさせました。目を開いていれば相手の動きや迫ってくる剣先が目に入り、恐怖で気持ちが乱されてしまうからです。

　この状態で、茶坊主は十分に鋭い殺気を発せられるようになりました。それは辻切りに接近を躊躇わせるのに十分なものでした。

　この場合のAwarenessは、最初に辻切りのレベルに気がついた千葉周作の“気付き”、次に茶坊主の発する殺気に気がついた辻切りの“気付き”の2つです。

D.  兵法へと通じるAwareness

　武芸を鍛錬して得られるAwarenessですが、これは単に武器を扱う武術に留まらず、戦術を考える兵法へと発展しました。Awarenessというものを考えれば、それは至極当然のことでしょう。 武術を極めた、つまり最高レベルのAwarenessを習得した柳生宗徳や宮本武蔵が、自分たちは剣を持って戦う唯の剣客ではなく戦術更には戦略を練り人に教えられる兵法家であることを後に自認するようになりますが、これは彼らがAwarenessの本質に気がついたからに他なりません。剣客ならば自分を中心にAwarenessを働かせますが、自分ではなくそれを組織、国家に置き換えれば、正に戦略、戦術への発展するのがAwarenessなのです。

　日本中で戦争が頻発していた戦国時代が終わり、徳川将軍の世になって戦争の無い平和な時代となった江戸時代では、武士というのは西洋で言えば政府や地方組織の官僚に他なりませんでしたから、武術に秀でていたのは本の一握りに過ぎません。上級官僚ともいえる上位の武士たちは、従ってAwarenessの観念に乏しく、柳生宗徳や宮本武蔵をせいぜい腕の立つ剣客程度にしか看做していませんから、彼らが国家としての在り方を兵法の観点から論じ始めると、皆一応に「この剣客風情が生意気な口を利く」と言って露骨に不愉快な態度を示したものでした。 特に一介の浪人に過ぎなかった宮本武蔵にとって、そうした自分の兵法への世間の無理解には耐え難いものを感じていたに違い有りません。宮本武蔵の後半の人生は、そうした強い自負とそれを認めようとしない世間との葛藤の日々であったことでしょう。

　時代は下りますが、近代化を果たしたばかりの日本が国の存亡をかけて世界でも抜きん出た軍事大国のロシアと闘わざるを得ない局面に陥りました。当時の日本を指導していた人たちは明治維新の動乱を生き残った勤皇の志士達で、彼らは白刃の飛び交うさなかを切り抜けて生き延びた人たちですから当然ながら格段に発達したawarenessを持ち、どう転んでも日本はロシアに勝てないことが分かっていました。しかし其の勝てない戦争をしなければ日本の将来は無いことも重々分かっていたので、知恵を絞りぬいて何とか負けないように戦をすることを考えたのです。 そしてそのためにありとあらゆる知恵と努力を重ねました。その結果歴史に残る圧倒的な大勝利を得ました。しかしそれ以上続ければ確実に負けることが分かっていたので、そうした背景が分からない不明な新聞や世論の徹底的に叩かれながらも、賠償金が取れないロシアとの講和を急いだのでした。

　この偉大な指導者達とは全く反対だったのが、其の後の支那事変、太平洋戦争と無茶な戦争を始め、尊大さと傲慢さから発した無策を数限りなく重ね、三百万人以上の国民を犬死させた嘗ての大日本陸海軍上層部の軍人たちでした。 彼らには、このAwarenessが見事なくらいに欠如していました。この様な人たちが日本をそして周囲の国々をめちゃくちゃにして多くの人たちの命を奪ったのです。

　12年ほど前の話ですが、ある武道団体の偉い人がオランダでの武道演舞会に先立つ挨拶で、「嘗て日本では祖国と同胞を守る立派な人間を育てるために武道を奨励し、多くの若者が武道を習った。人間として恥じない行いをする軍人を育てるのに日本の軍隊では武道の修練は必須科目だった」と話されました。この方は特にいつの時代の軍人と特定したつもりは無く、あくまでも一般的な軍人というつもりで話をされたのでしょうが、話した場所が問題でした。オランダでは第二次世界大戦で、自国の植民地としていたインドネシアに進駐してきた日本陸軍に酷い目に合わされ、残虐非道で傲慢な日本軍人というイメージが染み付いて消えない国ですから、そこで「武道と軍人礼賛」の話をすれば強い反発を受けるのは必須です。

　案の定、英語で通訳された内容を聞いたオランダ人たちの反応は途端にしらけました。悪いことにこの方は聴衆の反応に気がつくことなく同じ内容を3回も繰り返しましたが、オランダ在住暦の長い通訳をしていた女性は2回目から通訳するのを自分の判断で止めて事なきを得ました。あのまま通訳を続ければ間違いなく会場でブーイングが起こり、折角の公演そして後に続く演舞が台無しになるところでした。

　この事は文化であれ情報であれ、発信ということはそれを受ける受信側のことも十分に配慮して行わないと、真意が通じないだけでなく誤って悪意に取られて取り返しの無い結果となってしまうこともあると云う大切な教訓となりました。

E.  Awarenessの習得方法

　先にも述べましたが、Awarenessは武術以外の修行でも身に着けることは勿論出来ます。 但し武術修行が一番Awareness を習得しやすいということはできます。それは武術では命を掛けて勝負を行って負けたら命がなくなりますから、それこそ一戦ごとに必死で取り組まなければなりません。 従って勝って生き残るためにはAwarenessを鋭く磨くことが必要不可欠であったためです。 武術におけるAwarenessは「負けたくない、負けられない」という命を懸けた痛切な思いがあってこそ磨けるものです。自分の技量は最高と自惚れて負ける恐怖感を抱かない者には決して身に付きません。前に述べた戦争を指導した大日本帝国の軍人たちがその良い例です。

此処まで書くと、当然次の疑問が生じます。

「それでは生死を掛けた勝負を行わない現代の武道で果たしてAwarenessは習得できるのであろうか」

　これは非常に大切なポイントです。結論をはっきり申してしまえば

“スポーツ化した現代の武道では、いくら一生懸命やっても無理”と断言します。

Awarenessを習得したいのであれば、武道をスポーツではなく、勝負の一つ一つに命を掛ける真剣な心がけで望むしかありません。口で言うのは簡単ですが、実行するのは至難の業です。私自身もAwarenessを会得しているかと尋ねられれば、正直に“出来ていません”と答えるしかありません。

　7年ほど前にフランスのアビニヨンを観光中、ジプシーの幼い子供たちにズボンのポケットに入れた財布を掏り取られてしまったことがありました。このときは一緒に旅行していた家内と長女から、「武道家の癖に何たる失態」と非常にきつい非難を浴びました。確かに非難されるのも尤もで、もう少し気配りがあれば掏られた際に気が付けたケースだと自分でも思います。このことがあってから自分でも意識的に気をつけるようになり、その３年後にワルシャワの喫茶店で後ろに座った男の様子がおかしいことに気がついた私は、男の手が私の背広のポケットに伸びてくるのを直ぐに察知して、無意識のうちに体が動いて男の首筋を片手で締め上げていました。これで家族に対してめでたく名誉挽回ができました。

　話を戻しますが、現代ではAwarenessを会得した武道家は日本でもそう多くは居られないでしょう。せいぜい数えるくらいだと思います。そしてその数は減る一方でしょう。このまま続けば、いつしか日本でも欧米と同じように、時代劇で背後に殺気を感じた剣豪が攻撃される前に振り返って相手を切るようなシーンで、聴衆がわざとらしさにしらけてしまうようになるのは目に見えています。

　残念です。

合気柔術逆手道宗師

               倉部 至誠堂   

At the starting of AIKI Web Course

Cooperating with BAB Japan Co., Ltd., hereby I start AIKI Web Course in order to realize my long-standing desire to let as many as martial arts fans all over the world have the correct knowledge of AIKI and learn how to practice AIKI.

This course consists of
Part 1 as introductory articles, I explain a wide range of knowledge about what AIKI is, which contains 6 lessons.
Part 2 as main articles, for beginners/intermediate level, I explain how to practice AIKI to master. It contains 24 lessons.

The each lessons will be uploaded on BudoJapan website one by one every week.
I hope as many people as possible will be interested in AIKI and become able to practice it by following this course.

AIKI Web Course　25 Lessons

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