The concept of martial arts is usually associated with numerous combat techniques that come from the Far East. Their historical origin is the ancient martial art of the Indian kshatriyas (warriors), known as Kalari Payit, which was brought to China by the legendary Bodhidharma as a form of exercise for Shaolin monks. This gave rise to the discipline of empty hand combat, Karate-do, which is a relatively newer Japanese term for this skill. This Indian technique became associated with a special type of dance ceremony in China, called Tai Chi Chuan, primarily aimed at controlling emotions, from which Kung Fu emerged, a technique with more styles than the Japanese version of Karate-do. We also encounter it in Korea with its own stylistic innovations under the name Taekwondo. Today, there are numerous variations of these earlier techniques.
However, it’s not only the East that has its martial arts. The ancient Greek pankration, European boxing, Jewish Krav Maga, Brazilian Capoeira, as well as numerous other martial arts with or without weapons exist, as we discover today. , practically all cultures on all continents have inherited. The ancient Romans connected these arts with a common name that is still in use today: the martial arts.
At its core, no martial art is intended for destruction, and no true warrior seeks violence, but rather, peace and harmony. Every true warrior, knight, hero, ancient hero, has always acted nobly, in accordance with deep moral principles, using their skills only in the service of good and justice. Such individuals have made sacrifices and renunciations so that others may live in peace. They did not seek medals, honors, or rewards. They fought for noble ideals they did not want to deny. They did not seek conflict; they only fought when forced to.
However, conflict and war are fundamentally inevitable because they are not something invented by humans, but are present in nature as a whole. For example, our bodies are constantly engaged in a battle with various viruses and bacteria. The foundation of the diet of almost all beings is Zana is for fighting, and even natural forces occasionally require protection. We can wonder why that is. Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, stated: War is the father of all things. Ancient philosophical systems explain to us that nature develops itself through the game of creation and destruction. The ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, or The Great War, tells of the cosmic war between light and darkness, good and evil. This war also takes place within a person. Within them, there are two natures, human (Pandavas) and animalistic (Kauravas), fighting to rule over Hastinapur, the city of wisdom. The great idea of this epic is that wars do not happen because of external circumstances, but because of internal shortcomings of a person. Therefore, every war ultimately boils down to a war within oneself. External wars are consequences; the causes lie within the person. Arjuna, the main character of the epic, asks: Why fight for control over oneself? This is a crucial question because if we do not win the internal battle, we will be defeated by our instincts and passions, which will consequently result in neglecting others. e, with ruthlessness and ultimately violence.
All of Mars’ arts for that reason contain the same deep philosophy whose task is primarily to shape a person. They provide him with the opportunity to master himself and have the correct attitude towards others through the application of discipline, diplomacy, and strategy, the fundamental elements of martial arts.
In this spirit, the words of the pre-Columbian American warrior song echo: Warriors, true warriors, / What do we call ourselves, / What defines us as warriors? / Because we fight / For sublime virtue, / For high dedication, / For pure wisdom, / That’s why we call ourselves warriors. Impregnated with the same inspiration, ancient Spartans claimed: The bravest are the most gentle; those who love are the most daring. And Japanese samurai wisdom taught: Although they can hurt your feelings, you must forgive these three – the wind that bends your flowers, the cloud that hides your Moon, and the person who tries to provoke an argument with you.
Miyamoto Musashi, the famous samurai from the 17th century. My friend wrote: The true nature of martial arts is such that it can be applied in any situation. In today’s world, the internal warfare is often forgotten, so martial arts are often reduced to the level of sport or self-defense techniques. However, with a philosophical background, they can offer much more than that and once again become disciplines of personal growth and formation. One of those who advocated for this through his actions in the past century was certainly Bruce Lee, who said: The real enemy to overcome is oneself; one’s petty ego, fears and blockages, self-limiting ideas, everything that conditions the contraction of consciousness. And the wise founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, expressed the true essence of martial arts when he said: I realized that budo is not about defeating the opponent with force, nor is it a method that leads the world to destruction with weapons. True budo means merging with universal consciousness and preserving peace in the world through correct creation, protection, and upliftment of all living beings. All beings in nature.
1 budo – jap. warrior’s path.