I was doing some creative writing the other day (just a hobby) and I was suddenly struck by the question, 'Why do I fence?' It seems an odd question (especially occuring to me when writing a novellete), but I have been trying to find the answer. It's not really a 'crisis of confidence' question, just a 'I got into this, and why am I still going?' type thing. If my memory serves well enough, I started fencing two years ago, as part of a compulsory sports fixture. A few lessons in, and I was hooked. But why did I continue? David once told me that the sword that gives life (katsujinken) is more important than the sword that takes life (setsunito). I think this means that you fence, so you don't have to fence. Paradoxical? There is a story of two samurai, staring at each other over a crowd, neither breaking their gaze. Their outer visages served as their weapons. When one realised that he had been beaten, he turned, and left. Musashi was once accosted, saying one of his opponents had in fact sliced a flap of skin from his scalp. Musashi then approached him, saying that because of a tumour growing on his head, any scars would still be intact. He invited the accoster to check. The accoster, completely unnerved by his presence, refused, and left. Zen master Bo Mun said that 'The other aspect is the sword that gives life: the experience of empowering ourselves, doing things which come naturally, that we love to do and find fulfillment in. When we do too many of these things, most of us get a certain softness or flatness. There's no keen working edge to our practice. It's hard to believe in ourselves if we go too far to that side. ' According to this, we fight so we can keep ourselves alert to our everyday pleasures. My own opinion is that the sword that gives life is symbolic. It symbolises cutting through the illusions of life, like false images of happiness. In a sense, the sword that gives life is a zen term that represents a tool used to reach enlightenment.
So why do I fence? I think I fence to gain something. I don't know what it is, but I will know what it is when I get to it.
3 comments:
There are people who fence; and there are people who learn about themselves and life through fencing.
Some swords do nothing but clash together loudly and hollowly; other swords move, sense and develop.
In many ways it is easy to talk about these things but much harder to carry them out. However, words are a good step on the path, without actually being the path. Keep working it out, the road is long but you will know when you have arrived and paradoxically where you need to go next....
I am posting an article in response because the box is too small.
Dave seemed able to fill up most of his box.
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