From the Book of Earth, in the Book of Five Rings...

[bushido_man96]

A quote from Musashi's Book of Five Rings, in the Book of Earth:

It is important to realize that technique is not the end of an art.

What does this mean to you?

[tenshinka]

To me it reads that there is more to the art, than physical technique; inclusive of mental/spiritual training.

I think its also interesting to note, that Musashi, was not only a skilled Sword Master, but also a Master Calligrapher, and Poet...

[tallgeese]

I think it's a simple reference to technique being simply the building blocks of winning combat. It is these movements, linked together in successive chains, and applied appropriatly through timing and openings that truly command the fight.

[Bushido-Ruach]

I think Musashi meant that technique is only the beginning, and that application actually brings the technique to life. A fight is only successive one-step techniques strung together, as Tallgeese has stated, and in learning to apply those techniques at the right time and in the right manner, to me, is the majority of where our training lies.

[KarateOx]

I think Musashi was referring to the intangibles involved in a violent encounter.... or ANY encounter, for that matter. Intent. Energy. Body language. Environment. To know how to throw a reverse punch is great. Knowing WHEN to through it, or WHERE to through it are better. Knowing IF to through it is best.

[isshinryu5toforever]

To borrow more from Musashi, he also makes reference to the way a flower blooms. The bult being the student, the flower being technique. People are by nature impatient creatures, seeking immediate gratification. In this way, they try to make their flower bloom to early. You have to have enough knowledge of yourself to know when your flower is ready to bloom. Therefore the technique is really a result of a student who knows himself. Because you change, and thus your idea of who you are changes, you get to know yourself many times over. Therefore, your technique will also change. Learning a technique never comes to an end, so technique itself cannot be an end.

[Kuma]

A quote from Musashi's Book of Five Rings, in the Book of Earth:

It is important to realize that technique is not the end of an art.

What does this mean to you?

You can learn the techniques, but you cannot really understand the beginnings of what the art has to offer until you understand the PRINCIPLES behind the techniques.

[joesteph]

A quote from Musashi's Book of Five Rings, in the Book of Earth:

It is important to realize that technique is not the end of an art.

What does this mean to you?

This is a translation from the Japanese, and a good translator strives to go beyond the literal to a more meaningful choice of (in this case English) words. In philosophy, "end" does not mean finality, but "ultimate goal." This can be interpreted that technique is not the final stage of the art, but that there is a goal to be reached through the art. I believe that when certain goals of self-fulfillment are reached, they culminate in self-realization or self-actualization of the person. The greatest personal development is therefore reached.

[bushido_man96]

Thanks for the thoughts so far, everyone. Good posting.

I may dig the book out and find something else to poke and prod at.

[bushido_man96]

Here's another spot from The Book of Earth:

To know ten thousand things, know one well.

I feel this is in regards to paying attention to the basics, as Musashi also describes the importance of building everything from the ground up, in one stage at a time.

Thoughts?