Buddhist Martial Concepts

A martial manifestation of the Middle Way, could be when one practices a move/block, not to concentrate on it being a block or an attack. For example, when one is walking in the snow, the depth that one's step

sinks, is not predictable:

Walking in the Snow :

The step could stay on top of hard packed snow, or ice; one could sink to show depth, or the step could sink to knee depth or greater. One should not attach themselves to expecting one depth, or even that the ankle position or bending; will be the same. The angle of the foot after the fall, relative to the supporting plane, could be pointing: uphill/ lifted up - level/ prone or - downhill/ tilted down.

One should not attach themselves to how to hold the foot, since one's point of contact might optimum ally be: the heel for leaning backwards to prevent forward slide, the flat of the foot for less sinking or the ball of the foot for sinking deeply into the snow.

Since the step is dynamic, it is better not to concentrate on form, or a pre-set way of walking. Every step is different. One should not just see with their mind or eyes, but with their feet, and center. The move becomes part of the seeing, not just a result of it!

One should use their arms, in a similar manner, not committing to form, or distance. A other example; is running in the dark, on a dirt trail, or on the forest floor. If you were to watch and calculate each individual step, the speed would never be greater than a walk. Letting your foot feel the surface of the ground, and adjusting accordingly, is to run, without a pre-set form.

POSITION :

If one were to think of position, it is ideal to position one's energy and move at half the distance since: blocking at full distance commits one to the move; blocking without full extension gives room for: changing direction, stopping the move, responding to another move, or changing to offense.

A Buddhist meditative concept of practice, for me, would be to not concentrate on the practical application of the move to offense or defense, but to become one with the flow and energy. The move being more than it's use to the practitioner.

A posture that focuses on one's own energy flow, and the feeling of another's Chi through one's center or hand contact, would be more universal and whole. Contrast this to responding, via cause and effect to another's move, which is based on reactions, and have specific limited paths. Better to be there before the move, seeing the Yi and Chi.

In a fighting situation, movements should not be committed to, but should be dynamic and perceptive. Sometimes non-movement is the better than the response. Feints are useless on this level, for the opponent. For the attacker, a feint is not truly dynamic, since it should have the capability to become a full powered blow, depending on the state of the opponent.

When gazing at a candle, there are other angles to be seen, than from the position of the viewer. There are also many things that are missed by the eyes limited of what is around the burning part of the wick, the most obvious being the heat above the flame, and the onion effect of the areas around the center of the flame. Similarly, there is more to the candle, than how we use the candle, or how it directly influences us.

Modern physics is starting to see the geomagnetic properties as well. There is more to the moon than what we see. The classic example is the Dark Side of the Moon, that we never see, yet is part of the whole moon. Perhaps the energy around life, is similar to the halo around a candle, some would say this is the aura.

There is more to the whole than the sum of the parts. Doing Push Hands slowly, non-competitively, and blindfolded, will help sensitize one to these energies, as well as meditation and Chi Sao drills.

JET LI :

Jet Li, has an article in the November 2004, issue of inside Kung Fu, Straight From The Heart, (pages 48, 49 & 72), that I thought shed a light.

"IKF: What brought you to Buddhism?

JL: Buddhism has helped me to find the answers for myself. With Buddhism you look inside yourself for the answer.

...

Martial arts have external and internal training or physical training or mind training. Physical training can help your circulation, or you can meditate or do tai chi and to improve your whole body.

...

There is no philosophy: it is not until you study Buddhism that you will know there is no philosophy, nothing. Because when you believe something you will then find someone will defend themselves against your beliefs. Once you have a point, then another will have their point and the conflict begins. It is better to have no point. That is what we try to do as Buddhists, have no point.

...

Buddhism tells you about the universe and many other things and then you choose which way to go. 

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MEDITATION

I was studying with a Martial Arts Master Kenny Yuen, we were practicing, and while he was walking among us, a bumble bee flew by. The instructor grabbed it by the tip of its wing. He held it there momentarily, and then released it unharmed, and the bumble bee flew off. A bumble bee's wings are fragile yet move at over 100 miles per hour and are beating in a very small wing space pattern; that moves with flight. 

We asked how did he do it, and the master replied that he did not `do it'; he was just there. He did not try; it was not so much being quick, as being one with the timing. One normally cannot do this without meditation.

Battlefield Military Sabre

I have been studying, and now teaching, C19th Military Sabre for a number of years, and all of the Treatise I can find cover the formal etiquette of salle based sabre techniques, which are good in a one on one scenario like the salle, but being Military Sabre I am looking for works on how the Sabre was practically used on the battlefield.

Once your C19th Officer had been trained back in the Salle how to use his nice new Military Sabre and walked onto a battlefield and saw the line of men charging at him, swords aloft and screaming, I can't imagine the formal en-guarde stance and 'fence' keeping him alive very long, so how was it used practically in a battlefield situation.....

I have been experimenting with a number of ideas relating to using Rapier style passsses forward with the curresponding cuts and pass backs with parries etc to experiment, but what I am looking for is actual historical treatise or evidence of how it was practically used at the time.

Has anyone come across an treatise or evidence on how the Military Sabre was actually used in a Battlefield situation?

The KISS principle applied. I'm sure you noticed that the manuals intended for foot Military Saber lack a lot of the subtle actions shown in dueling texts. The weight of the weapon, the nature of the physical environment, and the typical opponent being faced preclude them.

These texts typically have 5 to 7 parries/blocks. And one of the most popular is the Hanging Guard. The Hanging Guard is particularly effective against downward moving strikes.

Another really huge factor is the nature of the likely opponent. Very seldom would the foot officer be facing a "line of men charging at him, swords aloft." More often he'd be facing either a Cav. charge or a Bayonet Charge. On a Cav. charge you hide or try your best not to get lanced or rode down. On a Bayonet charge you had to deal with a relatively "simple" straight thrust. Relatively simple except that your footwork was likely limited by the realities of the gopher-holed field you were standing in and the fact that bayonet you are parrying has a friend on either side also advancing and thrusting and that *you* have men on either side of you. In this case, you don't volt or inquartatta. You parry. HARD. It's a 20+ pound short spear.

Of course, if you were in a good position, you have buttress works or something to hide behind and make bayonet assaults miserable.

This is the training you should really consider. If you've got enough guys, have one with a saber and *five* with fixed bayonets on bess (simulators of course). 3 per side. The saber guy stands between two bayonetters (his "men") facing the oncoming 3 bayonetters in tight formation.

It ain't purty.

Now, if you're like me, as soon as the oncoming bayonet charge is within a 8 or 10 steps of engagement range, draw your revolver and unload 1 to 3 rounds into your immediate opponent and then blast away at the guys on either side of him. You'll have to be fairly close because this will be off handed. Of course, some seemed to like the idea of having the saber in the left hand or in the sheath. Fire all 6 rounds (or better yet, have a LeMat = 9+1*) then drop the revolver and count on the lanyard to keep track of it for you and draw/transfer the saber.

As I understand it the sword on foot was mostly used as a baton to direct traffic.If things broke down enough for the enemy to get throguh the lines to the officers the first thig that came out was the pistol or pistols. If you ended up having to fight with the sword you wanted to bunch up with some of your troops to use them as your forward guard and cut down anyone who got past them.

You want to get yourself "Sword Fighters of British India" byD A Kinsley. It is a brilliant collection of first hand accounts of military sabre and broadsword fights that shouldm tell you everything you want to know. 

Intergender fights

Hello,

the question I would like to discuss is whether it makes sense or not to break with a certain tradition in most or all martial arts styles: the tradition not to let men and women fight against each other. Most fighting sports are gender-seperated. Does that make sense - for example due to different physical qualities of the sexes? Or is it time - now in the 21st century - to let men/women, respectiviely boys/girls compare their skills? even in official tournaments?

It's pretty common in the Western Martial Arts for men and women to spar against each other. This is particularly true when weapons work is involved.

There are period wma references to women fighting men so I don't see why not. Certainly in my class they are expected compete against the men which they do do with great gusto.

Visiting memory city when I was taking my brown belt grading (in Khong Chang) back in the late sixties I remember sparring against female black belts. I distinctly remember that their kicks and punches hurt as much as those of the male black belts.

Certainly in my jujutsu classes men and women are expected to mix it up. After all the predator on the street isn't going to back off just he's facing a woman.