1) From the "Rules of Gold" (Shoto-niju-kun) of Gichin Funakoshi, the sentence "Karate-ni-sente-nashi", which is without doubt the most famous, engraved on the stone of his memorial built in the temple Enkakuji in Kamakura, and is translated by " there is no first movement (attack) in Karate".

This sentence summarizes all the attitude that has to prevail in the practice of the Karate, and in martial arts (Budo) in general. The first movement, and even if from the outside it can be perceived as an initiative of attack, has to be conceived as a defense. Anyone that masters the technique has a different perception of the field of its possible application, and this awareness comes from the long understanding process of the Way of martial arts. The martial art master never demonstrates no aggressiveness, and his response when a confrontation is unavoidable could only be a defense, followed by a riposte controlled according to the aggression. Neither aggressiveness, nor violence. That is why the very concept of athletic competition, where the risk is derisory compared to the attitude one should have when dealing with matters of life and death, is inconceivable in traditional Karatedo. On the contrary, by developing the aggressiveness, the athletic assault goes against the training of man as it is developed by the authentic Budo. It is also what classic Kata remind us, whose first movement is always a defense. This will not to begin the combat, the serenity and the harmony that it implies, has to be present in the Dojo as in all dimensions of life. There can not be any confrontation between two martial art masters since none of them feels any need to do something that is always destructive.

2) From the " Dictionary of Martial Arts of the Far East", by R.Habersetzer ( to be published by Amphora Editions in September 2000), the author gives the following definition of the word "BUDO" (excerpt) :.

"Way of the combat" or "Way of the warrior". From BU = martial and Do = Way. Designates all Japanese martial arts practiced as moral Ways (Do or Michi), paths of improvement for the man in quest of himself. Gestures and warlike behaviors, as those found in Aikido, Aiki-budo, Iaido, Judo, Kendo, Kyudo, ( Karatedo is special, not being a martial art of Japanese origin), marked by this dimension coming from war techniques, and originated in their primitive goal on battlefields ( Bu-jutsu ). They are the result of a long historical evolution.

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Through the learning of techniques (Waza) and the flawless gesture, the martial artist develops his/her vital energy (Ki) but also a new state of mind (Shin), made of selfcontrol that diverts him/her from the violence through which it has been "shaped". The path of the authentic martial art is therefore an educative way, a peaceful and non-violent way. There is in any art of the Budo, three intimately linked components whose proportion varies according to the age and the level in the progression of the learner : corporal elements (Tai), technical elements (Ghi) and mental elements (Shin). The ignorance of any of these components would soon lead the Budoka in a false direction, that would, in the long term, jeopardize real efficiency and perhaps be the cause of troubles in his/her daily behavior.

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