Niju Kun, the forgotten instructions!

 

Niju Kun, the forgotten instructions!

            Almost 77 years ago Funakoshi Gichin published his “20 guiding principles of Karate” as a guide for students training in True Karate.  Most of us are not even familure with them and I have been doing Karate for almost 35 years now. I have read them but hardly memorized them. I found out about them by accident when reading a book I had borrowed from my instructor and they really laid out why I train in Karate and now how I train.

                The Dojo Kun is an oath of behavior and a means to promote Karate to the world. It basically says “try hard and be a good person” in five different verses. The Niju kun however is more of a “how to actually train” kind of instruction from Master Funakoshi. While the Dojo Kun tells us how to behave, what not to do as a person and to work hard to be better (personally and in Life) The Niju Kun tells us to train a specific way, act a specific way and prepare a specific way. So, why is it a lost lesson?

                So, the Niju kun! It’s a series of principles that you read and learn how to follow Karate right? Well, like most things Karate it is not that easy. They are not exactly a “text” on how to train and follow Karate…they are a series of things to THINK about when you are thinking about Karate and then put your decipher cap on and figure out what they mean to you. Some seem very straight forwards and others seem really deep and meaning filled…the truth is that they all are deep and meaning filled and also very specific. They should also be required reading for all Black belts….in fact they are for any black belt that train with me.

                The more I study the Niju kun the more I see the pure genius of Funakoshi Sensei and his dedication to the true spirit of the art. Karate is a life time endeavor and should not be reserved for youth, the benefits for all those training range from stress reduction to better health. And as I get older my health needs a bit of a tweak from time to time, Karate is always my answer. The kun deals with so many approaches to Karate that it reveals a kind of flexibility in its approach to helping everyone who wants to participate in the art and it also has specificity as well. Truly a intelligent piece of work from a vastly intelligent person.

                While many of his peers were focused on specific people and specific facets of training in Karate, Funakoshi put his mind to making sure Karate grew out of what it once was, much like Itosu did, Funakoshi pushed for a more broad but singular specific approach to his Karate information and influence. He knew that if Karate was to grow that he would have to stretch out and reach out to all those that can benefit from it, which was more than just the athlete, or the wealthy land owner looking for distractions and meaning to their lives. Karate had to be for everyone!

                The Niju kun explores the ways to train in Karate. It does not say “Warm up first for 5 minutes then move on to half hour of Kata” . But, what it does do is give you an idea about what you should be feeling and your intent when training. Everyone should focus on the Niju kun as you move into black belt and see how you can apply it to your training regimen. I will first just show the Niju kun then I will break it down in my next few blogs.

 

Karate-do begins and ends with bowing.
一、空手道は礼に始まり礼に終る事を忘るな
Hitotsu, karate-do wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru koto o wasuruna

There is no first strike in karate.
一、空手に先手なし
Hitotsu, karate ni sente nashi

Karate stands on the side of justice.
一、空手は義の補け
Hitotsu, karate wa, gi no tasuke

First know yourself, then know others.
一、先づ自己を知れ而して他を知れ
Hitotsu, mazu onore o shire, shikashite ta o shire

Mentality over technique.
一、技術より心術
Hitotsu, gijutsu yori shinjitsu

The heart must be set free.
一、心は放たん事を要す
Hitotsu, kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu

Calamity springs from carelessness.
一、禍は懈怠に生ず
Hitotsu, wazawai wa ketai ni seizu

Karate goes beyond the dojo.
一、道場のみの空手と思ふな
Hitotsu, dojo nomino karate to omou na

Karate is a lifelong pursuit.
一、空手の修業は一生である
Hitotsu, karate-do no shugyo wa issho de aru

Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.
一、凡ゆるものを空手化せよ其処に妙味あり
Hitotsu, ara yuru mono o karateka seyo; soko ni myomi ari

Karate is like boiling water; without heat, it returns to its tepid state.
一、空手は湯の如し絶えず熱度を与えざれば元の水に還る
Hitotsu, karate wa yu no gotoshi taezu netsu o ataezareba moto no mizu ni kaeru

Do not think of winning. Think, rather, of not losing.
一、勝つ考は持つな負けぬ考は必要
Hitotsu, katsu kangae wa motsuna; makenu kangae wa hitsuyo

Make adjustments according to your opponent.
一、敵に因って轉化せよ
Hitotsu, tekki ni yotte tenka seyo

The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength).
一、戦は虚実の操縦如何に在り
Hitotsu, tatakai wa kyojitsu no soju ikan ni ari

Think of hands and feet as swords.
一、人の手足を剣と思へ
Hitotsu, hito no teashi wa ken to omoe

When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies.
一、男子門を出づれば百万の敵あり
Hitotsu, danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari

Formal stances are for beginners; later, one stands naturally.
一、構は初心者に後は自然体
Hitotsu, kamae wa shoshinsha ni ato wa shizentai

Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly; actual combat is another matter.
一、形は正しく実戦は別物
Hitotsu, kata wa tadashiku, jisen wa betsumono

Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique.
一、力の強弱体の伸縮技の緩急を忘るな
Hitotsu, chikara no kyojakutai no shinshuku waza no kankyu o wasuruna

Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way.
一、常に思念工夫せよ
Hitotsu, tsune ni shinen ku fu seyo