Many times in the martial arts you will find a student who has been gifted with special ability. It is easy for this talented young person to become satisfied with his or her skill level and not work to develop his or her ability to its full potential. All students should be encouraged to learn and develop their abilities, but the talented student may actually require encouragement to develop the drive to succeed.
“When you are young, there are flowers that are unique to youth. However, if you think of it as your ability and neglect to practice and train, you will never be able to grasp the true flower.”
Quote from “Fuze Kaden” written in the early 1400’s by Zeami, founder of the Noh Theater
Zen Buddhist monk Taidō Matsubara uses the phrase “Isshō jiko tansei” (一生 自己 丹誠). By this he means that we must work diligently our whole life to strengthen our character.
The phrase “jiko tansei” has a meaning similar to self-improvement, but includes not just an effort to improve in a physical sense but also the sincere effort to strengthen one’s own character. This is what Kinjō Kaichō means by “polish yourself.” The effort to polish yourself is not just important to success in the martial arts or other performing arts. It is an important secret to living a full life.
According to Taidō, these three practices are the qualities upon which “jiko tansei” is based:
- Live every day with passion
- Be dedicated to spiritual improvement
- Have aspirations
We tend not to think of Western culture influencing Zen thought, but Zen Master and Buddhist writer Hata Esho often quoted the following poem to illustrate the kind of beauty that is created by a lifetime of polishing oneself:
BEAUTIFUL WOMEN
WOMEN sit, or move to and fro—some old, some young;
The young are beautiful—but the old are more beauti-
ful than the young.
Quote from Leaves of Grass by American poet, Walt Whitman
While Whitman’s poem is written about the beauty of women, it is equally true of men – though we usually think of a man’s character showing in his face rather than his beauty.
My personal favorite quote illustrating the kind of beauty that is created by a lifetime of polishing oneself:
“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.”
Quote from Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist
Work Earnestly on Yourself
Jiko o tansei suru (一生 自己 を 丹誠 する)
October, 2019