Absolutes

There are no absolutes in karate-do. There are no absolutes in life. When we study and interpret the kenpo gokui we are learning our own kenpo gokui.

Review the kanji of the kenpo gokui and then the words in English and you find differences or at the least openness to interpretation. I firmly believe the English translations are the interpretation of the person translating the kanji to English which gets its influences from the persons environment, thoughts, teachings, and so on.

The gokui as translated by Tatsuo Sensei may just be his interpretations. I firmly believe he provided the kanji version along with his English version to help us follow his concepts and through diligent and serious training on our part become something unique to each of us as individuals. This would be similar to how he came to be the creator of Isshinryu because he took the training and teachings of his Sensei and brought them together into the one heart method with strings or links to his training in the classics to include the kenpo gokui.

I believe he meant for us to follow our own path and find our own true meaning of the kenpo gokui thus using his version along with his concepts as a personal gift to help us create our own.

When we practice the "way" are we not trying to reach our own nirvana, not Tatsuo Sensei or Nagle Sensei or Advincula Sensei nirvana but our own.

So let us say that there are no "absolute" interpretations to anything in the kenpo gokui except the characters which we should use to find our own true heart and then polish it until if shines brightly as the sun shines its benefits upon the earth and humanity.

Let the gokui be represented by the moon while it cycles with the sun and earth allowing us through repetitive, serious, and diligent practice to reach "one" with the gokui creating our own pome of karate-do.

If there are so many interpretations of kata and kihon technique (bunkai) which began with the basics taught from Tatsuo Sensei to the interpretations of today's Sensei can not there be the same with the kenpo gokui and the concepts of Tatsuo Sensei?

Keep asking Questions? Study the concepts and gokui as thoroughly as we do the waza of Isshinryu.