Where do you find its word ?
In Japan there are sports and cultural activities named with “DO 道” such as “JUDO柔道”, “KENDO剣道”, some others in sports field and “KADO華道”, “SADO茶道”, others in cultural exercises, while in the world similar sports and activities exist, like wrestling, fencing and flower arrangement, tea ceremony. Between each those two, JUDO柔道 and Westling, KENDO剣道 and Fencing, KADO華道 and Flower Arrangement, SADO茶道 and Tea Ceremony, there are differences by having the word of DO道. Here are meanings of “DO道” which is deeply connected to Japanese spirit and mind.
“Bushi-DO武士道” introduced by Dr. INAZO NITOBE, educator and philosopher in the Meiji era (late 19th century to early 20th century) in Japan and worked as the Deputy Secretary General of World Union, is also the word prevailed not only in Japan but in the world. He published the book “BUSHI-DO” in 1900 when he was in the United States and explained the spirit and philosophy of BUSHI-Samurai, that is to say, DO道 means spirit and philosophy.
Pronunciation of the Japanese word “道” is “do” and “michi” meaning commonly “road”, “street”, “route”, “trail”, “path”, “way” etc. but here “DO道” has also different and important meaning related to the Japanese spirit and minds, that is the pass and process to the goal, also the important unique thought of Japanese.
What does the important unique thought mean?
To understand the meaning of “DO道”, please look at following concept of JUDO柔道 and KENDO剣道.
At KODOKAN, the consecrated place of JUDO, there is the teaching of KANO JIGORO, the founder says:
“Judo is the way of using one’s mental and physical strength in the most efficient manner. Through training and practicing techniques for offence and defense, one disciplines and cultivates body and spirit, and thereby masters the essence of this way. Thus, the ultimate goal of Judo is to strive for personal perfection by means of this and to benefit the world.”
http://kodokanjudoinstitute.org/en/doctrine/
And All Japan Kendo Federation shows its concept as follows;
“the concept of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the katana(sword),” and “the purpose of practicing Kendo is to mold the mind and body, to cultivate a vigorous spirit, and through correct and rigid training, to strive for improvement in the art of Kendo, to hold in esteem human courtesy and honour, to associate with others with sincerity, and to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself. This will make one be able to love his/her country and society, to contribute to the development of culture, and to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
https://www.kendo.or.jp/en/knowledge/kendo-concept/
As we can see above, “DO道”s purpose is, as long as I comprehend, to grow as a human being with morality, manners, courtesy, vigorousness, integrity and so on. Under the concept of “DO道, winning of the match is not the final goal but consequence. Throughout the whole process from preparation, training, match or game and after the match , players of “DO道” have to have the thought of “DO道” in their mind. Treating tools with good condition, hard training, good and respective attitude to their competitors before and after the match are expression of the “DO道”’s concept that demand us to have moral and ethical mind.
Three characters
In my opinion, “DO道” has three characteristics, “KATA形(kata)”; shape, “Ba場(ba)”; field, “LEI礼(lei); making a bow.
“KATA形(kata)”; shape
“KATA形(kata)” of “JUDO柔道”, “KENDO剣道” and other Japanese traditional martial arts is the decisive form of offense and defense of the match , and patternized movements of hands and feet into several forms. Especially beginners have to learn KATA first repeatedly until they can master to do it without thinking in their brain but by the body itself. Also in “KADO華道” or “SADO茶道”, masters teach apprentices of every moment of how to make tea or doing flower arrangement. Not only at the “DO道”, we can see this concept of “KATA形” in Japanese traditional culture, KABUKI歌舞伎 and NOU能, KATANA-KAJI刀鍛冶 swordsmith and many others. Likewise, at the manner school for rookies of the service industries, you may see instructors teach beginners by showing “KATA形” of each movement of serving.
“Ba場(ba)”; field,
“BA場(ba)” is the field where “DO道” is done, and “DOJYO道場” usually called in JYUDO and KENDO was primitively used in Buddhism where monks did ascetic training, that is to say, “BA場” includes the meaning of ground where spiritual training is done, so there is the border between the DOUJYO道場 and the outside which is the ordinary world. There is a Buddhism terminology “KEKKAI結界” you can see in front of statue of Buddha in the temples which show the border between the sacred place restricted to only monks and the place allowed to ordinary worshippers. Monks certainly make bow with putting hands together when they come inside of KEKKAI because of its sanctity, in like manner do the same before going into the TOJYO道場. This concept had come down to the field of 道DO’s sports. “DOJYO道場” of “JYUDO”, “KENDO” and other Japanese traditional martial arts must be divine for the players so that those athletes show their respect by making bows “LEI礼” and change their spirit of disciplinant.
“LEI礼(lei); making a bow
Many foreign people notice that “LEI礼”(making a bow) is very famous Japanese greeting when Japanese meet others with saying “KONNICHIWA”. “LEI礼” also can be seen at the occasions of appreciativeness, request and apology. As mentioned above, however, “LEI礼” has important meaning for 道DO’s athletes. At the entrance of “DOJYO道場”, by making “LEI礼”, they show the respect to the divine place with altering their spirit as well as shows prestige to masters, respect to other players training with in the DOJYO道場. This LEI’s concept prevailed to almost of all Japanese, thus you can witness the scene of making a bow when Japanese football players enter the soccer field, when field athletes enter the lane, and other players of different sports do the same.
“DO道” is the one showing the Japanese culture
Japanese successful person sometimes neoterize the word with “DO道”, trying their way of business and management to be with “DO道”’s concept like “SHIGOTO-DO仕事道”, shigoto means business or work. As Japanese, we can understand what they want to say by saying “DO道”, because the “DO道”’s concept is understood by almost of Japanese heart. One of the owner of successful RAMEN shop told his philosophy as “RAMEN DO”.
You can see SHOHEI OTANI, MLB baseball player, as well as the successful Japanese athletes making a bow when they enter to the stadium, the field or the court, picking up a piece of trash on the the ground, treating their tools nice and with care, showing their respect to opposing team players. They are always expresses “DO道”‘s philosophy. And also kids players are taught this concept without mentioning the word of “DO道.”
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I may overlook some ordinary action which impress you or let you feel different, so if you want to know about any Japanese behavior or actions which make you interesting, please let me know. I try to analize and post the story in this site.
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