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Old 03-14-2007, 06:37 AM   #1
billybob
 
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Dojo: Academy of Warrior Spirit
Location: tampa
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Thoughts

A haiku:

Gentle fisherman
Frees the entangled seabird
That bites his kind hand.

A story:

Master Master!

Master Master was well renowned in a certain province at one time.
Master Master had many followers: he taught martial arts, tea ceremony, household harmony, and calligraphic writing.

Master Master wrote many books, and expounded to great detail on each of his endeavors. He thought that other masters who eschewed recording in writing were being lazy, or afraid to get caught making an error.

One day a student arrived from a different school. He showed the proper respect and was sent to study calligraphy. The student bowed and studied. He did well, and several months later was asked if he wished to study martial arts. Again the student bowed.

Master Master taught many of the martial arts classes and would occasionally defeat his finest students - so they could benefit from his training. He would then direct the students to his books so they could learn in which techniques they were lacking. The new student never threw anyone, and seemed always to be thrown.

Master Master asked the new student to approach. He did so, and bowed. Master Master told the student to throw him. The student bowed and stood in place without moving.

Master Master laughed, and said again, "Come, throw me." New student bowed again and remained in place. Master Master said "Let me show you," and stepped toward the new student. His foot never reached the ground and he flew through the air, and of course, landed on his feet. "Do that again," instructed Master Master. New student stood still. Frustrated, Master Master again approached new student and was thrown without knowing what was happening to him, and held to the ground in a painful hold.

"HA!, I know this hold", said Master Master. "Surely, you have read my books and garnered all my secrets. This is how you have defeated me."

Respectful as always, new student said one word only, "Balance."

Master Master replied "Well, of course 'balance'. My students learn
that from their first moment here. You must have executed tens of
thousands of repetitions of these techniques to have defeated me so handily. I do not hold it against you - for I have given freely in my
writings."

New student - "Balance."

Master Master said, "Fine. We will have one more contest - I have
been developing some secret techniques that no one knows". Master Master took his stance, circling new student who merely pivoted to continue facing the Master. With a flurry of movement Master Master moved in and as you may have predicted succeeded in throwing new student, but new student remained supple and as he fell backwards turned his body, and where he had been about to meet the earth - now the Master met the earth and the new student was standing, and he said one word: "Balance."

Years later Master Master was continuing to contemplate what had
happened, researching, writing, questioning all he knew about the
techniques that the new student had used.

He was drinking tea while reading a faded book, one of the leaves
stuck in his throat and he choked - just then all the years of research, study, and inquiry, came to him in a (painful) insight: BALANCE.

He realized he could help many people by writing of his discovery,
but then he remembered that the new student already knew the secret: Balance. So, he decided to let the choking become a full blown histamine reaction, and die, which he promptly did. He was buried with his books, the tea cup was put down.

Moral of the Story: be very careful when drinking tea.

Another story:

Student student

Student student liked that some believed him to be a feral child. He was not, as he could speak, and had been raised by nuns. He lived in a province that held wooded areas and subsisted by eating wild berries and roots, and sometimes stole from local farms. Nearby was a settlement at the foot of a tall mountain, and there lived a Master who some say had been teaching for several lifetimes.

Student student set out to meet the Master and defeat him. He came upon the Master as he sat reading under a tree. "This is an old man", thought Student student, "I can defeat him easily, then I will be the Master and I will send his foolish students away - so they can learn the hard lessons I have learned".

Student student leapt before the old Master, ready for battle. The Master was on his feet in a moment and swung a staff. Student student moved and in a blink had the old man on his back helpless. "HA! I have defeated you Master!"

Master said nothing.

"I can kill you now," said Student student. The Master remained still and looked up at his attacker. Minutes passed and neither moved nor spoke. Student student withdrew and took the Master?s staff with him. "I am the Master now," he said.

"You have many scars," said the Master of the foothills settlement.

"I live as I please, and have survived many attacks," said Student student proudly. "This scar is from a tiger!"

"Impressive," said the Master.

Frustrated, Student student said "I don't care to impress you. It was a small tiger."

"Impressive none the less. If I may ask, why did the tiger attack you?"

"I don't remember," replied Student student.

"Do you remember the other attacks?"

"Screw yourself and burn in Hell."

Master considered, then asked another question: "Why do you live here in the woods?"

"The nuns who raised me were cruel. One hit me so hard my nose always points to the right."

"Indeed."

"Yes, he was an evil nun."

"He?"

"Yes, long story, former Master! I have work to do closing down your ridiculous school. I have heard your people laughing together at night. They know nothing of the difficulties of the world! What have you been teaching them?"

"What is it that you know, young Sir?" the Master asked of the angry, red-faced young man before him.

"I have a supreme gift. You can not possibly understand it. But I will tell you. I can prevent anyone from killing me. I experience a different world - time slows for me. I become an animal! You will not believe me, but I can feel the weather change, and I know when the tides flow leagues away."

"A beautiful gift young man. So, how is it that you are so scarred?"

"As I said, old fool, I have been attacked many times."

"By whom?"

"Any I meet."

"Have you no friends whom you trust?"

"Trust leads to betrayal. If you were truly a Master, you would know that!"

Master considered again, then rose to his feet. "I have heard enough young man. Defend yourself."

Student student rolled over and stood - casting the captured staff aside. The Master moved in, and as you may have guessed, defeated Student student with the barest movement.

Student student shouted "NO", and jumped to his feet. Again and again they engaged and Student student finally grew tired.

"Fifty times you have defeated me, you son of a fish! It would be honorable to kill me not insult me so," whined Student student.

"What of your gift?"

"It didn?t work!"

"Are you sure? You see, I was not trying to kill you."

"Bastard."

Master smiled, then asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Always," answered Student student.

"Come, let us go to my school and eat."

"I have no friends there!"

"You have one."

"Where????", asked Student student.

"We?ll work on that shortly," answered the Master, laughing softly.

Master turned and walked toward the mountain. After a few minutes Student student joined him.

"Master may I ask a question?"

Master was silent.

"Do you know someone who can help me get my nose to not always point right?

"Yes," came the answer.

"Oh, good. But, I have no money to pay this physician."

"You assume much young man. I have several students who are left handed whom I want you to meet."

"Thank you Master!........oh, ....shit."

"If training were easy, you would not believe in it. The skill you have learned is truly impressive. Few have ever defeated me as you did."

"Master, how did you come to know so many ways of doing one thing?"

"Trust."

"I trust you. What is the answer to my question?"

"More training."
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Old 03-14-2007, 07:12 AM   #2
Pauliina Lievonen
 
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Re: Thoughts

Very nice! Made today a better day.

kvaak
Pauliina
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Old 03-14-2007, 11:58 AM   #3
ChiefDaddy
Dojo: Ronin Bushido Aikido
Location: Lexington, KY
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Re: Thoughts

Good stories. I especially like the first one; we should always remember to keep balance in all aspects of our lives.
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