The martial arts have long been held up as a means to achieve enlightenment. Indeed, this is the goal at the end of the road for every True Martial Artist. This article is about why this is so, and to enable the reader to reach the end of that road this lifetime.
Enlightenment is when light shines forth from the individual. With that light the enlightened being views the world differently. His perceptions are heightened, and he has a superior viewpoint.
If enlightenment happened because of motion, then the fact of motion would result in enlightenment. Gymnastics, ballet, football, all would result in an enlightened individual, but they don't, so one must ask oneself, what is it about the Martial Arts that they result in enlightenment?
What is different is that there is fighting, and when one understands what fighting truly is, one becomes enlightened. What is the essence of this thing called fighting? One could sum up the subject by saying that when one finally understands that when he is fighting he is only fighting himself, he becomes enlightened, and a study of the martial arts does result in this realization.
The universe, you see, is a vast space filled with objects. Every object in the universe has a direction. It is only in the martial arts that one actually engages in the study of the directions of objects from the viewpoint of one who creates the direction.
A fist flies at you, and you go through a range of emotions. Eventually, you give up emotions so that you can analyze. Thus, you rise above base reaction and become cause.
A person threatens you, he holds a knife and approaches you, and you must divine the direction of the knife before it enters you. You must look at the world the way it exists, and not through some fantasy of how it is supposed to exit, and thus you look at the world you created. Thus, you rise above being the flotsam and jetsam of a universe awash with the shards of random motion, and thus you take control of the motions of the universe.
There would be no motion in this universe, you see, were it not for the fact of you. That star shines because of you, if it wasn't for you, there would be no purpose for that star to emit even the faintest shred of light. And through the tempering of form, the steeling of will, the martial artist engages in fighting to give up fighting, and thus becomes an enlightened being free to roam the universe as he wishes. - 16887
Enlightenment is when light shines forth from the individual. With that light the enlightened being views the world differently. His perceptions are heightened, and he has a superior viewpoint.
If enlightenment happened because of motion, then the fact of motion would result in enlightenment. Gymnastics, ballet, football, all would result in an enlightened individual, but they don't, so one must ask oneself, what is it about the Martial Arts that they result in enlightenment?
What is different is that there is fighting, and when one understands what fighting truly is, one becomes enlightened. What is the essence of this thing called fighting? One could sum up the subject by saying that when one finally understands that when he is fighting he is only fighting himself, he becomes enlightened, and a study of the martial arts does result in this realization.
The universe, you see, is a vast space filled with objects. Every object in the universe has a direction. It is only in the martial arts that one actually engages in the study of the directions of objects from the viewpoint of one who creates the direction.
A fist flies at you, and you go through a range of emotions. Eventually, you give up emotions so that you can analyze. Thus, you rise above base reaction and become cause.
A person threatens you, he holds a knife and approaches you, and you must divine the direction of the knife before it enters you. You must look at the world the way it exists, and not through some fantasy of how it is supposed to exit, and thus you look at the world you created. Thus, you rise above being the flotsam and jetsam of a universe awash with the shards of random motion, and thus you take control of the motions of the universe.
There would be no motion in this universe, you see, were it not for the fact of you. That star shines because of you, if it wasn't for you, there would be no purpose for that star to emit even the faintest shred of light. And through the tempering of form, the steeling of will, the martial artist engages in fighting to give up fighting, and thus becomes an enlightened being free to roam the universe as he wishes. - 16887
About the Author:
Al Case has practiced martial arts for more than 40 years. A writer for the magazines, he had his own column in Inside Karate. He is the founder of the church of the martial arts, and you can find out about the path to enlightenment by ordering his free ebook at Monster Martial Arts.
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