There are essentially three aspects, or pillars, that contribute to the formation of authentic systems of budo, the classical and traditional martial arts of Japan and Okinawa. Providing continuity throughout an art and allowing for the expression of the cohesive nature of traditional systems, these pillars are the elements that often separate traditional forms of budo from many of the modern “fighting arts” that today seem to be cobbled together on an almost weekly basis! Remembering that a system is: 1) an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole1 or 2) an ordered and comprehensive assemblage of facts, principles, doctrines, or the like in a particular field of knowledge or thought2, we can see that these pillars were part of the very basis for the systematic organization and expression of true forms of budo, budo that can correctly be referred to as “martial systems”.
The first pillar is that of waza, or technique, and the refinement of that technique. This is an absolutely fundamental aspect of training. It is the very foundation of study within traditional forms of budo; there are no short cuts here. However, techniques, in and of themselves are of little use when considered in isolation from the rest of a given system; the purpose of technique is made manifest only when expressed within the context of the art (or arts) from which a technique is drawn. One may liken technique to the alphabet or characters of written language. One must first learn an alphabet (or perhaps the strokes that comprise a character) before one can spell or write words or construct sentences, let alone write an epic novel.
The second pillar is that of gensoku, or principles, the “fundamental guiding laws of natural phenomena3” as well as guiding “rules or methods for application in action4”, which serve, if you will, as the “operating system” of a given art. In fact it is this given set of “guiding” rules and the understanding of how they are applied within an art that defines individual arts. In short, they are what make a given art distinct from another. As the operating system, this pillar also represents the approach to and expression of strategies within in a given art. It therefore dictates the tactics, executed in accordance with the principles that underlie the particular art, that are employed to manifest the art’s strategies and thus achieve the desired outcome of a martial engagement.
Regarding principles as fundamental guiding laws of natural phenomena, i.e., the laws of physics, and their relationship to the techniques of budo, it must be understood that everything that exists in the phenomenal world is subject to, or governed by, these laws. They are in short, inviolable. However, the fact that there are indeed inviolable does not necessarily mean that they are always automatically correctly “harnessed”. Therefore, it stands to reason that the most efficient martial arts, or efficient expressions of an art, would be those that operate in very strict accordance with those laws. The founders of such martial arts systems paid very close attention to these laws, embracing a deep understanding of them and incorporating their rigourous study into the very technical fabric of what became highly evolved or efficient martial traditions. The result of such an approach to the formulation of a tradition is often a form of budo in which the physical expression of its methods is one of effortless technical execution.
Relaxed movement, subtlety and minimal effort yielding maximum effects are hallmarks of this expression. Observing a demonstration of such arts, one might view such technical expression as seemingly magical. However, it is nothing of the sort. Such technical expression, precisely because it is based on principles of natural law, is in fact, completely replicable. A principle based approach that yields maximum effect through minimal effort is also the key that enables one to study and continue to progress in budo well into one’s advanced years.
A third and equally important pillar is that of philosophy and ethics, the principles that serve as the fundamental doctrines or philosophical tenets of an art. In this sense, the term principle refers to guiding ethical rules or obligations of moral conduct. This pillar may be thought of as the “conscience” of a given art. This critically important pillar is that which elevates martial arts from the level of mere systems of organized methods of violence to that of budo; to that of ways that have the potential to polish our hearts and minds, to elevate our life conditions and to positively affect those around us.
If the waza, or technical pillar or foundation of an art is the “alphabet” of a martial tradition, the principles that comprise the second pillar represent the ability to construct words, sentences, paragraphs and eventually a whole narrative that communicates complex expressions, thoughts and understandings. In other words, principles breathe life into techniques, transforming them from tools that may seem to have limited application, or methods that can be executed only under certain conditions or within a certain framework or environment, into tools that have almost limitless potential. The third pillar guides the consciousness or mindfulness, the heart, with which we deliver the “narrative”. It is this pillar, working in concert with the other two that fosters the way of the true warrior heart: a victorious life of fearlessness, respect, dignity and compassion, attributes that can provide one with the personal power to face these most challenging of times with courage and the resolute will to overcome all obstacles that one may face.
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Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
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