The Way of the Modern Ronin, Part 4

 Essays and Thoughts on the "Dokkodo"
Part Four
Do Not, Under Any Circumstance, Depend on a Partial Feeling

Sasaki Kojiro (right) engages Miyamoto Musashi on the shores of Ganryū Island (courtesy of Wikimedia).

The 3rd maxim of Musashi's final masterwork is one of my favorites.  And, yes, I understand that in Zen you should not "pick and choose".  For instance, the 3rd patriarch of Zen is often quoted as having said, "the great Way is not difficult for those who do not pick and choose... if you wish to see the Way then do not hold opinions for - or against - anything."  That quote aside, this one is still one of my favorites.

On with the commentary...

We rarely make poor decisions - in life, in the dojo, in the gym - when we are decisive.  Even then, if our decisive actions do fail, we will not regret what has been done.  For in holding nothing back, we have nothing to regret!

In his book No Fear Zen: Discovering Balance in an Unbalanced World, Roshi Richard Collins (abbot of the New Orleans Zen Temple) has this to say about partial feelings and regret: "I have made some big mistakes in my life by acting on what I thought were wholehearted feelings, but most of my mistakes (at least the ones I have regretted) were decisions I made upon partial feelings.  Beginning Zen was not one of them.  Zen requires that we throw ourselves into the practice with a whole heart.  It is just as important to act this way in anything we do, with urgency and complete devotion, 'as though our hair is on fire.'  If we love our children in this way, choose our profession in this way, buy houses in this way, marry in this way - we may still make mistakes, but we are unlikely to suffer regrets, since there is nothing else we could have done, and we will not be haunted by the road not taken even if the road taken was not all it was cracked up to be."  

On the other hand, I would add, we can actually have the correct knowledge about what to do, but if we are indecisive, if we hold back, then we will fail all the same.  But here - unlike our incorrect but very wholehearted choice - we will have regrets.  And you will especially have regrets if you believe the very thing you didn't do would have been successful.

Always keep this in mind: In battle - even if the "battle" is sparring in your dojo/dojang or going for a max single in your dungeonous garage gym - a partial feeling will only lead to failure.  True success occurs when one makes the "correct" choice and acts wholeheartedly and decisively!