AikiWeb Aikido Forums

AikiWeb Aikido Forums (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/index.php)
-   General (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1)
-   -   Doka of the Day (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10574)

dps 06-27-2006 09:07 PM

Doka of the Day
 
I think it would be interesting to see what everyone thinks the "Doka of the Day" means.

Doka of the Day - June 27, 2006

A person who
In any situation
Perceives the truth with resignation
Would never need to draw his sword in haste.

- Morihei Ueshiba

Mark Uttech 06-27-2006 09:17 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
It is about confidence. It could also be about the true curiousity of a follower of the way. There is no hurry to fight; there may not even be a fight! In gassho.

dps 06-27-2006 09:29 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

Mark Uttech wrote:
It is about confidence. It could also be about the true curiousity of a follower of the way. There is no hurry to fight; there may not even be a fight! In gassho.

I was thinking along the lines of thinking before reacting. Try to understand what the situation. (curiosity) is really about regardless of what you want it to be or judge it to be. I can see where that would lead to confidence.
My opinion, never be in a hurry to fight but always be prepared to fight.

Mike Hamer 06-27-2006 09:41 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
I believe it says that any one man who acknowledges that he is one with the universe, can use it (the universe)instead of attacking.

dps 06-27-2006 09:53 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

Mikel Hamer wrote:
I believe it says that any one man who acknowledges that he is one with the universe, can use it (the universe)instead of attacking.

What about the last two words in the last line that says." in haste". I think these two words imply drawing your sword to take action.

shadowedge 06-27-2006 11:03 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
My interpretation is that, O-sensei teaches us to understand that all things that happen is dictated by the universe (the truth)... we have to flow with this knowledge, to understand what our role should be in the given situation... and blend with it.... do what is appropriate... :)

mathewjgano 06-27-2006 11:23 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

David Skaggs wrote:
I think it would be interesting to see what everyone thinks the "Doka of the Day" means.

Doka of the Day - June 27, 2006

A person who
In any situation
Perceives the truth with resignation
Would never need to draw his sword in haste.

- Morihei Ueshiba

I would venture a guess that it means once a person has accurately recognized a situation for what it is, relegates him/herself to that situation (ie-harmonizes his mental and physical posture to behave in accordance with it) that person will not have to act before it's absolutely necessary.
Often, people try to create "temporal slack" in a situation by acting first, and for all I know sometimes you have to, but I think this speaks to when people do it incorrectly, perhaps out of fear.

dps 06-28-2006 07:11 AM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

David Skaggs wrote:
I think it would be interesting to see what everyone thinks the "Doka of the Day" means.

Doka of the Day - June 27, 2006

A person who
In any situation
Perceives the truth with resignation
Would never need to draw his sword in haste.

- Morihei Ueshiba

I would like to change the first sentence to ask what everyone thinks the "Doka for the Day" means for the body, for the mind and spirituality.

Ron Tisdale 06-28-2006 07:19 AM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
relaxation,
engagement,
equanimity.

Or mabye

square/balance
triangle/focus
circle/harmony

Or any other of a host of combinations.

Best,
Ron

Don_Modesto 06-28-2006 03:02 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

Ron Tisdale wrote:
Or any other of a host of combinations.

Yeah. What he said.

The first response might be to question the translation. In particular, I want to know how the Jpn for "situation," "percieves," "truth," "resignation," "draw," and "sword" are commonly used in Jpn.

By sword are we discussing samurai and KATANA? (Don't think so.)

Or are we discussin TSURUGI, i.e., the sword taken from the dragon's tail which Osensei said he favored?

The sword is a pretty standard Asian reference to the means of banishing delusion. Thus if you perceive truth, there is no delusion, ergo, no need to banish delusion, no need to draw a sword.

Ron Tisdale 06-28-2006 03:16 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Nice work that, Don.

Thanks,
Ron

akiy 06-28-2006 04:11 PM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

Don J. Modesto wrote:
The first response might be to question the translation.

The original doka is most likely:

「人は皆何とあるとも覚悟して粗忽に太刀を出すべからず。」

"Hitowa mina nanito arutomo kakugoshite sokotsuni tachiwo dasu bekarazu."

My own personal (uneducated) translation would be, "People should not draw the sword carelessly without resolve that anything can happen."

I'd like to hear interpretations from other Japanese/aikido scholars out there...

-- Jun

dps 06-30-2006 06:28 AM

Re: Doka of the Day
 
Quote:

Don J. Modesto wrote:

The sword is a pretty standard Asian reference to the means of banishing delusion. Thus if you perceive truth, there is no delusion, ergo, no need to banish delusion, no need to draw a sword.

But isn't the last two words in the last sentence ( in haste) mean that the sword will be drawn but not in a hurried manner.?


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:47 AM.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.