What is budo without Zen or a guiding spiritual principle?
Some would say that it becomes sport. I cannot agree with this. The -do found in judo, kendo, aikido, iaido, karatedo, etc. shows that the arts are part of a “way” or “path” as opposed to mere sports or a collection of techniques. Many martial arts instructors stress the importance of mind, body and spirit but offer little or no guidance about the spiritual aspect. A budoka must cultivate a quiet and calm spirit which looms like a mighty mountain. The emphasis is on “non-thinking” as opposed to complicated moral principles or rules. It should be recalled that Bodhidharma practiced “outside the [Buddhist] scriptures” and without “dependence upon words and letters” to cultivate such a spirit. Perhaps in future articles, the subject of budo and Zen (and other spiritual practices) can be more fully discussed. One of my Sensei (who has since passed away) described his religion as Aikido because that was what he did. Religion, to him, was what a person actually did with his life-how he lived
