花は桜木人は武士
Hana wa sakura gi hito wa bushi
Sakura among flowers, warriors among men.
The best martial artist leads by example. The Japanese say, “hana wa sakura gi hito wa bushi” (花は桜木人は武士) or “Cherry blossom among flowers, warriors among men.” This is supposed to mean that the cherry blossom is the most beautiful flower and the warrior is supposed to be the best human being. In the past, Japanese culture was a warrior culture and so it was thought that the samurai were supposed to be the pinnacle of society because they followed the Way (道). Senshi no michi (戦士の道) or “the Way of the Warrior” is a way of life that dictates that the warrior follow a set of rules regardless if they are on the battlefield or off. Understanding this, in 1900, author Inazo Nitobe wrote Bushido: The Soul of Japan and tried to extrapolate a set of virtues that he thought embodied the samurai. The seven virtues of bushido are: Justice (義 gi), Courage (勇 yu), Benevolence (仁 jin), Respect (禮 rei), Honesty (誠 makoto), Honor (名誉 meiyo) and Loyalty (忠義 chugi). A samurai who embodies these virtues exemplified what it meant to be a good person and thus would really be a warrior among men. Trying to emulate the Way of the Warrior, the martial artists of today are supposed to be a people of character. A dojo is a utopian structure where the students get to practice the Way of the Warrior. In a dojo, every person is simultaneously a senior or “sempai” and a junior or “kohai” to someone else. Therefore, even if we have just started, we might find ourselves someone else’s senior. Understanding this dictates that we act exemplarily at all times because we never know who is watching or who is going to follow our example. Furuya Sensei used to always say, “Always act as if your teacher is watching.” His admonishment was meant to warn us that one bad apple could spoil the bunch but also that the best warriors could bring out the best in others. That is why the best martial artists always lead by example.
Today’s goal: What can you do to lead by example?