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ABOUT DAITO-RYU AIKI JUJUTSU
The Essence of
Daito-ryu Aiki Jujutsu
Taken
From Daito-ryu Aiki Jujutsu Home Page
Arts such as sumo, judo, karate, and wrestling,
are often called "fighting arts." While it is not our
purpose here to argue whether or not this term is appropriate for
these budo and sports, we can state definitively that Daito-ryu
aiki jujutsu is not at all a "fighting art" in the sense
that these others might be considered to be. A look at the history
of Daito-ryu shows clearly that it was developed in large part
as a means of self-defense, particularly one to be used by warriors
while inside the palace. This may be seen in the inclusion and
emphasis on oshikiiuchi.
In short, Daito-ryu was developed as a way to effectively and efficiently
neutralize violence, not cause it. This is in perfect agreement
with the Chinese character for the "bu" in budo, one
interpretation of which is "to stop halberds." This is
why that although we have forms used to demonstrate aikijutsu,
there are no competitive matches.
One distinctive feature of Daito-ryu is that it
has incorporated many of the essential elements and principles
of other schools of budo, most notably the Ono-ha Itto-ryu. This
was done to better allow the student to capture the essence of
budo and to transform the art into a comprehensive one.
Daito-ryu goes beyond being a simple means of
self-defense, and aims at putting mind and body in balance with
the spirit that pervades the universe, developing oneself as a
person, and contributing to society. One might recall that while
Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu, the distant founder of Daito-ryu, was
skilled in martial techniques and the arts of war, he was also
a skillful player of the sho. One
story tells that while accompanying the shirabyoshi dancers
on this instrument, he came to understand that despite the dancers'
elegant, fluid and ever-changing movement, they admitted no openings
(suki). From this he perceived the principle of non-form
(mukei) and mastered the deepest essence of aiki. It is
in this anecdote, perhaps, that we find a hint of the true essence
of Daito-ryu.
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