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THE
WAY OF KYUDO
How
to Polish Your Mind
Excerpts from an interview with Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei
For
the beginner, the Seven Coordinations provide the basis of kyudo.
Beginners should reflect on each and every shot. In sports there
are competitors, winners and losers. This is not true in kyudo.
Kyudo is based on the idea issha, (one shot). Reflection
is the most important thing. Since, in the beginning, kyudo is done
at a distance of two meters, it is nothing to hit the target. One
first reflects on the technique. Most beginners forget about this
and think of the target too much. It is not important where the
arrow goes. That is only a reflection of the accuracy of your technique
and the purity of your mind. Working on the Seven Coordinations
refines your technique.
Continuing
to work on the technique, one begins to encounter the Seven Defilements
of mind. The way to set aside these defilements is through the way
of kyudo. This do (way) is endless. Practice never ends,
and begins again with each shot. You don't shoot the target. Keeping
to the Seven Coordinations, the arrow will go to the target, just
as if the arrow had its own mind. It is not "you" shooting
at the target. The right mind and the right heart, not just the
right form, shoots the target. This right mind will be gained by
the Seven Coordinations, reflecting on both accuracy of the technique
as well as on the Seven Defilements.
The
Seven Defilements:
1.
Happiness- Yorokobu
2. Anger- Okoru
3. Greed-uneasiness Urei
4. Expectation- Omou
5. Sadness- Kanashimu
6. Terror- Osoreru
7. Surprise- Odoroku
The
ultimate goal of kyudo is to polish your mind. It is the same with
zazen. You are not polishing your style of shooting, but the mind.
The dignity of shooting is the important point, Without the right
mind, no matter how long you shoot, this dignity won't be gained.
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