The Way of the Modern Ronin, part 22

 Essays and Thoughts on The Dokkodo
Part 22
Never Veer from the Way

"Samurai contemplating the Way" (design by C.S.)

We have come to the "end-of-the-road" of Musashi's The Dokkodo.  This last musing is at once extremely basic and simple, and also - because of its very simplicity - is a profound and never-ending well to be explored to greater and greater depths of both interiority and physicality.

The "Way" (that we are to never veer from) is the "Do" in "Budo" or "Karate-Do."  Many times, when used by Musashi, and by other Zen/Budo textualizers, this Way is the same as a "path" or even a "discipline."  It's very straightforward when used in this manner, and it's meant to be.  You must follow Musashi's path in the way that he intended if you are to become a skilled exponent of his sword-school.  But the Way can, and often does, mean the Tao.  Now, and let me be clear on this point, there are also times when "Tao" is used to mean something "basic" such as a "path that one follows," but more often, it's pointing toward Tao as ontological reality.  This is Tao as "the way of heaven," and points toward the Transcendent, yet somehow Empty, Unicity at the heart of all things.  This Way is "the suchness of things," to use a Zen term.  It is the very nature of that which we see before our eyes.

Some students went to visit Zen master Taisen Deshimaru at his hermitage in France.  "How long must we practice zazen?" they asked.  The master grew silent for a moment, until Silence itself began to envelope him.  Finally, he said, "until you die."

To never veer from the way means never; it means that Budo is a lifelong pursuit, a lifelong practice.  If this isn't your attitude, then you simply don't practice true Budo.  And in order to maintain a lifelong practice, you need discipline.  It is a commitment that must be made if one is to be a true martial artist.  For training in the Budo is not like going to college and getting a degree, or earning a certification in some sort of course so that you can teach it to others.  You are not "finished" when you receive a certain black belt ranking, or when you are promoted to "instructor" at your martial arts school.  If this is your idea of Budo, then rest assured: you have NO idea what makes for true Budo.

Now this doesn't mean that all budoka should follow the same path, or that "true Budo" looks the same everywhere that it is practiced.  On the contrary, as your years of practice matures and ripens, you may find that you specialize in a different aspect than when you were younger, or you may find yourself taking up a different form of Budo altogether.  Many mature budoka who have been training for decades find that, as they age, they are naturally drawn toward the non-physical dimensions of training, and the philosophical, inner dimension of the Budo takes on at least as much - if not more - importance as the physical, outer dimensions.  The older budoka often achieves a balance of hard/soft, of yin/yang that she simply wasn't able to achieve when she was younger, and only focused on the physical, often aesthetic, dimensions of practice.

In order to progress to a true depth in Budo (or in Zen), in order to "gain" as much from the martial arts as possible, the budoka must do something that seems at odds with one's goal.  The true budoka must have mushotoku mind.  Mushotoku means "no profit, no gain."  For many a budoka - especially when they have trained for a few years, and are just beginning to see that there might be more "depth" to their practice than they realized before - mushotoku can be real stumbling block.  Many simply can't understand how - or why for that matter - you practice without the goal of "gaining" or "getting" something from the training.  But one of the main reasons people take up Budo or Zen in the first place, and the reason they stick with it once they do take it up, is because they are tired of the "seeking" after peace-of-mind (mental and emotional success) or fitness (physical success) that they have been chasing their entire lives.  And they see in Budo something that can fulfill this lack, even if they can't quite pin down what that "something" is.

Roshi Richard Collins, in his book No Fear Zen, says that it is a mistake to think of mushotoku as an "escape" from profit and gain, because it's not a rejection of profit or gain.  "It is simply a recognition that there is a state of mind in which profit and gain play no part, "Collins says.

When following the Way of Musashi, it's important to maintain mushotoku mind as much as possible throughout this lifetime of training.  Oddly enough, mushotoku mind is the very thing that will allow us to make lifelong progress.

As you continue your journey in Budo (and if you haven't taken up Budo practice, but find that you are interested in it, then please take it up, and "see" for yourself), remember that practice is not "expensive," for it doesn't require much from us materially, but it does require that you give all in some areas.  Give all of your determination.  Give all of your commitment.  And give up all of your expectations.  In return, you might just receive everything.