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Aikido - Etiquette and Transmission
by Nobuyoshi Tamura, 8th Dan
Translation by J.R. David, Aikido de la Montagne and Fiona Blyth, New
England Aikikai
Editor's Note: We are extremely
happy to present the next installment of Tamura Sensei's book Aikido
- Etiquette and Transmission. This work, which has been available only
in French is here presented first time in English. We are grateful to
Tamura Sensei for his permission to produce this version.
Many thanks also go to Stephane Benedetti, 5th Dan, Chief Instructor
of Mutokukai Europe Dojo Mirabeau, and student of Tamura Sensei, who
translated (from Japanese), edited and published the original version,
which was published by Les Editions du Soleil Levant in 1991. Photos
courtesy of Aikido - Etiquette and Transmission.
Chapter 8 - Beginners
When a new student comes to enroll in the dojo, the teacher should study
his or her face, language, attitude and appearance. The teacher should
also find out why the new student wishes to practice Aikido, whether
he intends to practice for a long time and regularly and determine whether
he or she will integrate well with the other students.
It seems to me more than desirable to make at least such a cursory examination
before accepting a new student.
Accepting as a student anyone who shows up at the dojo only because
he or she pays his dues reflects a narrow-minded attitude. Moreover,
it is disquieting that someone who bears the responsibility to guide
others in the "way" would be so oriented and would behave in such a
fashion.
Before entering the dojo, a beginner should be shown how to wear a gi
and hakama, and how to fold them. The beginner should also be taught
how to behave when entering or leaving the dojo, and how to bow to the
teacher, the sempais and his partners. It is important that the teacher
introduces the newcomer to the other students. It is only after a student
has been introduced to the other members of the dojo that he or she
should be considered as a student in good standing of the dojo.
Today it is often the dojo secretary who is responsible for controlling
admissions. And yet the secretary should only be responsible for administrative
issues. The decision-making power should be in the hands of the teacher
-- at least in matters regarding teaching. Practicing budo is impossible
in a dojo where beginners get on the mat without first introducing themselves
to the teacher, and where more senior students allow this to happen
as if it didn't concern them.
Beginners should start learning Aikido through basic practice such as
tai no henko, ukemi, etc.
In order that they come to understand the nature and meaning of Aikido,
beginners should be handled with patience, kindness, attention and precision.
This will progressively bring them to a more intense level of practice.
At first, beginners feel lost and don't know what to do. The teacher's
role is to avoid this situation. A beginner who is sitting alone on
the side of the mat without a partner is proof that the education of
the older students in the dojo is lacking.
If this situation occurs, it indicates that the dojo members lack awareness
regarding how to maintain a general harmony among human beings during
practice. They are not sensitive to the feelings of others. The teacher
must strive to create a working atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony
so that the students to are highly attentive and behave in this way
even when the teacher is absent. This education must take place on a
daily basis.
In fact, such an atmosphere should be established without explicit intervention.
Everyone should know these rules and put them into practice. Beginners
will then effortlessly be integrated, thanks to the atmosphere in the
dojo.
Chapter 9 - Ranks
History
The judo and Aikido rank called "dan" is written with the Japanese character
which signifies "degree" or "step."
One climbs a stairwell step by step. It cannot be ascended or descended
in one big step as with an escalator or an elevator.
This single word contains the idea of separation, and it illustrates
the method required to achieve a goal. In my opinion, this is why it
was chosen to symbolize rank. This grading system is relatively new
in the budo world.
Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo, is said to have instituted this system
during the Meiji era (1868-1912.) In the older bujutsus, the ranking
titles were inka, menkyo, etc. These systems still survive in the bujutsus
and classic budo (budoka), still practiced today.
This older system was composed of the following classification:
| - shoden |
| - chuden |
| - okuden |
| - menkyo kaiden |
| - mokuroku, inka (certificates or titles awarded by the traditional schools, which are equivalents of menkyo kaiden) |
This system ensured the transmission of the art's secrets to the disciples.
The meaning of each classification is as follows:
| Shoden: initial transmission, that which is transmitted first. |
| Chuden: median transmission that ensures one has traveled over half the path. |
| Okuden: deep transmission of the essential teachings and those with hidden meaning (okugi, higi.) |
| Menkyo kaiden: certificate or title of one to whom all secrets have been taught without reservation. |
The student who had been awarded the rank of menkyo kaiden could be called on
to succeed to his master or to found a branch of his master's school.
The two systems of inka or menkyo kaiden (transmission certificates) or dan are
each intricately tied to the method of teaching.
The progressive certificate system, which leads from simple to complex techniques,
may appear logical. However, from the perspective of bujutsu, which has the power
to decide between life and death, the master, who therefore exercises some caution,
will have not have taught every technique or all of each technique's content
at once. This is true even though we are speaking of disciples, since in this
system the personality of the student is directly involved in the teaching process.
Over years of teaching, the master can observe his student's technique, attitudes
and actions. He then possesses full knowledge to award a degree to the deserving
student and to him only (okugi, inka, menkyo kaiden.)
It is worth pondering the fact that kuden (oral transmission), i'shisoden
(transmission to one son only) as well as the prohibition on accepting or
provoking inter-school challenges all seem to indicate the teachings were
not entirely transmitted.
Modern budo is the fruit of a period of peace. This makes it tend towards
spiritual and physical evolution as opposed to perfection of technique.
Today, every technique is taught from the outset. Nothing actually changes
in the techniques aside from an evolution in execution as the trainee refines
and transforms himself. The progression is structured so that the mind and
the body evolve together. Dan ranks are the milestones of this evolution.
Up until the end of World War II, the Butokukai - the Japanese budo university
- awarded teaching ranks and titles. These titles are renshi, kyoshi, hanshi.
Dan grades go from first to tenth.
It is worthwhile to dwell a little on what hanshi represents:
1. A minimum rank of fifth dan, a correct social life and a great knowledge
of budo are the necessary conditions to obtain the title of kyoshi.
2. After seven years and past the age of sixty, the subsequent rank of hanshi
becomes possible. Technical knowledge has then reached perfection. Also,
the practitioner is a model to others through an irreproachable social life.
3. The result of actions undertaken to foster budo manifest themselves at all levels.
The title of hanshi is thus the combination of the following elements: technique,
spirit, contribution to the discipline.
The justification of the kyu-dan ranking system is to help evaluate the level
of one's work as well as its final goal, and each person must find his own place
within this system.
Like the steps of a stairwell, dan ranks must be earned one by one with an
unending desire for progress. In Japan today these ranks are awarded according
to the following three criteria:
1. technique;
2. personality and accomplishments;
3. how much the practitioner devotes back to his art.
Even with perfect technique, a practitioner with an unsettled lifestyle or a
troubled nature will not have access to the higher ranks.
On the other hand, a practitioner with less than perfect technique but who
demonstrates other great qualities, and who may have rendered great service
to his discipline may be awarded a high rank, whether as an honorary rank or
a standard one.
Even though honorary ranks may be awarded without any specific mention of its
specific character, it is important to keep it in mind. The recipient of such
a rank should not make the mistake of considering such an award as something
it isn't.
Nowadays some countries, such as France, award ranks at the national level.
However, usually each school, federation or chief instructor awards his own ranks.
Today the Aikikai is returning to the ancient tradition of not awarding ranks
over 8th dan to living practitioners. It is important to keep in mind that the
indicated levels of competence are minimal criteria one must meet. An
approximate knowledge of those minima is not sufficient to claim any kind of
right to a rank.
to be continued...
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