The Sum of the Parts


Parts being the fundamental principles of martial systems. The sum being the entire whole that are the parts of the fundamental principles in order to master the martial arts. It becomes very apparent when studying the principles separately, parts, that in order to get the most of the principles one must know them all and have the ability to work them as a complete set or the sum of the parts. 

The principles are chocked full of inferences to how they all depend on one another to get maximum effectiveness in applying the principles to martial systems. You would think this would be obvious as any discipline in life requires much more than knowing one or more parts of a whole. To achieve a wholehearted practice of martial arts means taking all the parts and causing them to work symbiotically much like the concept of yin-yang. All the parts are the various stages of either yin or yang or maybe yin and yang as it traverses through its dualistic paths.

This is the teachings of the ancient classics, it is the law of the universe and it is the meaning applied to martial systems such as Isshinryu, the one heart or wholehearted system of Okinawan karate. Tatsuo-san studied and lived the ancient classics. He was a sumuchi using the ancient Chinese classics including the astrological charts, etc. He also tried his very best to transcend the obstacles created by the differences in cultures, i.e. wester vs. asian, to pass on to us the key to his beliefs and knowledge, i.e. the ken-po goku-i (chock full of symbolism, etc.). 

Sansai, Hakke and Inyo


Sansai [三才]

The characters/ideograms mean "three powers; heaven, earth and man." The first character means, "three," the second character means, "genius; years old; cubic shaku."

Sansai refers to the three powers represented within the ancient classic, "I Ching." In the hakke or eight trigrams the three lines generally refer to the three powers. There are several combinations up to the hexagrams used in the I Ching that hold the positions of heaven, earth and man. Some understand this to mean heaven-man-earth where man standing on the earth is open to the influences of the heavens and earth. This is maybe the simplest theory of the three powers.

In Isshinryu Tatsuo-san believed wholeheartedly in the three powers. He used such classic beliefs along with some ancient classics such as the I Ching for his work in divination or fortune telling. At the entrance to one of his dojo you will see characters referencing this belief and work to include his birth hexagram.

Since the hexagrams, 64, are derived from combinations of the eight trigrams, hakke, you will immediately notice their influence toward the new system of Isshinryu by the eight empty hand kata. It also becomes apparent when you receive the original "eight" ken-po goku-i along with the silk promotion certificates (i.e. these were presented to many of the first American practitioners in the late fifties and early sixties, etc.). 

A.J. Advincula sensei often speaks of the three powers within Isshinryu, i.e. Naihanchi-n-Sanchin, Chinkuchi, and muchimi-n-gamaku. This seems to be the core or essence of the make up of Isshinryu. 

There are many other symbolic representations toward the three powers through out the Isshinryu system as created and named by Tatsuo-san. Take a look at the Isshinryu-no-megami, etc.

Hakke [八卦]

The characters/ideograms mean "eight trigrams; divination signs." The first character means, "eight," the second character means, "a divination sign." 

The eight trigrams are a product of the one. The one being the great tai chi that at the birth of the Universe separated into the two, the in-n-yo or yin-n-yang. The yin and yang were represented by a single solid line and single broken line. The two lines are then combined into pairs making four pairs called young yin, young yang, old yin and old yang, etc.

These four have a third line to represent the three powers creating eight trigrams or hakke, the divination signs used to create the sixty-four hexagrams used in the ancient classic, the I Ching. 

The eight kata of Isshinryu as created through divination processes over many years of practice by Tatsuo-san are given birth from the one, Tatsuo-san, through the marriage of the two, Naihanchi from Shorinryu and Sanchin from Gojuryu, giving birth to the one, Isshinryu or the one heart way. Within Isshinryu the essence that is fundamental principle of the system are chinkuchi, muchimi and gamaku, i.e. whereby the true power of the system manifest. 

In all things there is one and in Isshinryu, born from the one to the many as manifested by the three powers within Isshinryu, i.e. the father and mother paired to give birth to the one where the three powers combine and are named, Isshinryu. A manifestation of the two forces, yin and yang or naihanchi and sanchin or shorin and goju - soft-hard/yin-yan/in-yo. 

Inyo [陰陽]

The characters/ideograms mean "cosmic dual forces; yin and yang; sun and moon, etc." The first character means, "shade; yin; negative; secret; shadow," the second character means, "sunshine; yang principle; positive; male; heaven; daytime." 

Stand, Flow, Move


"Stand like a mountain, flow like water, move like the wind." - Steven J. Pearlman, The Book of Martial Power

This is one of those quotes that could have come from Lao Tzu in a Tao Te Ching sort of way. There are a couple of others that work along this same theme, i.e. "the mind of wu-wei; flows like water, reflects like a mirror, responds like an echo" and "sit like a turtle, walk like a pidgin, sleep like a dog; develop inner quiet."

All are Zen-like quotes used to teach a martial art mind-state. It relates to words or terms such as "Zanshin" meaning loosely present moment mind where the mind is only in the present moment. This speaks to being in the exact moment where your entire attention is at that exact moment. It is our entire conscious/subconscious state in any given instant or moment. This seems to be the crux of properly applying the fundamental principles of martial systems, i.e. the type of mind-state training necessary to alleviate other states of mind that are not necessary or even productive in martial arts applications in self-defense.

We must, in the fight, have full attention, focus and awareness in that moment of violence. We need that awareness or zanshin for everything happening in that exact moment even as it moves to the past bringing in a new moment. Consider it the training for total focus and commitment. How you do this is another long training session. 

Gokui - seeing all sides ....


This is also often translated as "the ultimate state or wisdom" of the individual or martial artist. It is about learning the ultimate understanding of the system. In the fighting arts, we need to discern what is called omote and oku. Then we must understand to gokui. First learn the skills then as skills improved learn the mind until it unwinds and flows like water. When this occurs the martial artists shall be exposed to things beyond comprehension - gradually, the deeper principles of fighting. 

The ken-po goku-i is a type of Zen martial koan that leads to the ultimate state or wisdom that is gokui. 

As to the principles of fighting one must decide what is hidden and what is revealed? It is a matter of weighing the intellect and capability of each individual who studies a martial art that then teach them the Way by ensuring they release the bad and learn the art of bujutsu, so they may attain the laws of the gokui, the true path to martial arts, and develop the undisturbed, presence of present mind that is mushin-no-kokoro. This is an individual journey that one must take themselves for themselves to achieve discipline, diligence and mastery. 

To mastery is to train hard, diligently and daily to achieve a balance of shin, mind, and i, will, and to create both kan and ken to reach a place where nothing is clouded, all distractions removed, and the martial artists will know what the true void is - the way of the martial artists. 

This is gokui, the ultimate state or wisdom of Isshinryu no Karate. 

Mushin no Kokoro


無心の心

The characters/ideograms mean "heart of no mind." The first character means, "nothingness; none; ain't; nothing; nil; not," the second and fourth character means, "heart; mind; spirit."

The meaning as it applies to martial systems of practice is one must train the mind to be empty of all thought and emotion when acting. It can also be to have a detached mind, a mind free from encumbrances to respond to any stimulus. The mind shall not be set to any specific place or thought, but free and flexible to respond to any situation. This is thought to be the essence of the state of mind of martial arts. This explanation seems to fit for the term, as stand alone, mushin. What does mushin no kokoro then mean?

It means heart of no mind. It might mean that to have mushin or no-mind/empty-mind is the "heart" of all martial arts. This is merely my theory. It is literally the mind, heart and spirit of nothingness of the mind. Martial artists philosophically speaking must remove all distractions of the mind, heart and spirit. To achieve a clean and free mind from mindless meanderings, a heart free from encumbrances of the heart that speaks to the emotional side of humanity and the spirit or mind-set that promotes the ability to take appropriate actions in a conflict be they simply avoidance to the extremes of physical violent battles for survival. It is a moral compass for the martial artist. It is the ultimate state of present moment presence.