Surrounded by a forest
of enemy spears -
enter deeply and
learn to use your mind as a shield.
(Tom’s note: As is well known, Morihei Ueshiba (O-Sensei) studied many different martial arts, including the Hozoin-ryu Sojutsu, a school of spear arts.
From all these arts, and his Omoto-kyo beliefs, he was able to draw theories and techniques that finally manifested in his aikido.
The doka involving the spear seem to give clues on many levels - that of actual technique, strategy, and timing, and the preparation through practice that these imply.
One thing that I find to be interesting in his spear analogies in these dokas and in other things I’ve read, is his philosophy of the “one” and “the thousand.” (And, perhaps, there is some more depth to this along the lines of the Taoist view of creation where the one proceeds to two that proceeds to the creation of the “ten thousand things.”)
O-Sensei talks of viewing an attack of “the thousand” as that of one, which to me is an instruction on how to handle randori-type attacks, of what to look for, and when finding it, to handle it with a technique as we would a single opponent.
As important, and to me even more interesting, is his instruction to view the attack of “one” as that of the thousand.
What this tells me is to watch not just what is coming, but where it’s coming from, to look for feints, and to see the attack of left and a right arm or leg the same as a person to the left and and a person to the right. This is something to think about - I think there is more to it as you look at it, and when you return to it over time.
When surrounded
by a forest
of spears,
know that you must use
your own mind as a shield.
(Tom’s note: Interesting differences. Different translations, or different but similar doka? The one to the left conveys one of the unique attributes of aikido, that of entering into an attack, which also is an instruction on technique. The above doka seems to me to give emphasis to the fact that the mind is the (one) weapon against the spears (many).
Confronted by a
forest of swords,
guide the attacks:
Know that you must use the
minds of your opponents as a shield.
(Tom’s note: Look at the advice in this doka! In the lesson above, our own mind is a shield, but here the minds of our opponents is our shield. Is part of the teaching here that our defense (shield) is actually accomplished by controlling the minds of our attackers (and thus controlling their bodies and subsequent actions, or lack of actions)?
A host of enemies
encircle me and attack:
thinking of them
as a single foe
I wage the battle.
(Tom’s note: Though the construction of this doka appears to merely be along the same line of thought of the above doka, there is a different principle being taught here - the strategic way to view (and handle) multiple attacks.)
A host of enemies
rush into attack -
think of them as
a single foe
and deal with them accordingly.
Even when called out
by a single foe,
remain on guard,
for you are always surrounded
by a host of enemies.
Torimakishi
yari no hayashi ni
iru toki wa
kotate was onoga
kokoro tozo shire
Tachimukau
ken no hayashi o
michibiku ni
kotate wa teki no
kokoro tozo shire
Teki tazei
ware o kakomite
semuru tomo
hitori no teki to
omoi tatakae
These doka are taken from various texts on aikido and O-Sensei authored by John Stevens Sensei. I have picked ones that are personal favorites, and that I feel might help share an understanding of the thoughts and hopes O-Sensei had with his art of harmony.
Click here for more doka. Previous page
Favorite Dokas (continued)