Only skin of big potato
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2000 6:14 am
My sensei handed me some very old papers and stuff pertaining to Uechi Ryu. In it I found a documented speech given by Ryuko Tomoyose sometime, somewhere... I really enjoyed this.
<h2>Speech by Tomoyose Sensei</h2>
<HR>
Ladies and Gentlemen
I want to express my hearty appreciation to everyone of you
NAUKA members for providing me the opportunity to make this speech.
We also appreciate your generosity in spending such a big amount of money to invite us to this country. In addition, we heartily thank you for your thoughtful arrangement in making our stay here an enjoyable one. We are feeling as if we're staying in our brother's home somewhere in the Orient. Well, the true Karate is neither for showing to others nor for killing others, but it is to win over yourself (to control your
self) as you know. It is said that "the words are the voices of heart" . I want to put it as "the Kata is the picture of heart". If your heart is in a state of uneasiness, the words you're saying will never sound in peace and in the same token, if your heart is in a state of unsoundness, your Kata will never be performed correctly. It is said that the most important thing in studying Karate is to study it "not in a broad way, but narrow and deep. " In relation to the saying, I want to put forth a legend told by late Master Kanbun Uechi.
Approximately 400 years ago, in China, there was a man named "-Lu-Lu-Ko" who was studying Karate under a master among some other
40 or 50 fellow students. He was an extra slow learner. Other students were learning fast and picking Katas up one after But this poor
"Lu-Lu-Ko" was just performing Sanchin everyday. And so he spent 10 years. For the first 3 years, he had no particular purpose to studying Sanchin, but he admitted to himself that he was a slow learner and
he never envied his fellow students promotions and advancement. Rather, he admitted it as a result of their learning fast.
After 3 years past, he found it more difficult to do Sanchin correctly and he puzzled himself: "how come after being studied for 3 years, it becomes harder and harder to comprehend?" Yet, he did not give
it up. He continued to dig more deeply. The time had gone very
fast and the 10 years passed by. One day the Master called everybody to meet at the dojo. There the Master presented a rope and knotted
it with both his palms and said: "If anybody can untie this rope with
both palms, he will be designated as my successor". One by one, beginning with the higher ranked students, they tried to untie the rope with their palms, however nobody could do it.
Finally it came to Lu-Lu-Ko's turn. The Master said, "you may try too"!
But he said: "No Sir, even they could not do it, how can I do it"? Then every fellow student looked at him half-laughing and urged, "Yea Try Lu-Lu-Ko"! With all his might, he twisted the rope with his palm and it was beautifully untied.
Studying Sanchin alone for 10 years he accomplished the one thing that nobody else could in the dojo. Now let's think about this legend. This Lu-Lu-Ko obviously did not study his Sanchin to show for others. since he could not attract others in doing it. And he, never studied his Sanchin to kill others because he had no confidence at all to do so. And, even he admitted himself he was a damn slow learner. He was being laughed at and even regarded as a fool for studying only Sanchin for 10 years. Now I want to remember this. Through 10 years of studying
Sanchin. he gained a power to control himself. He disregarded what
ever his fellow students said about him. When they pushed him around he could bear it. And finally, he was able to reach the peak which nobody else could.
I want to recommend to you not the broader way but the narrower and deep And I wish that you may accomplish the way of Karate in
a solid, sound mind with a perfect, healthy body.
Thank you for your attention.
<h2>Speech by Tomoyose Sensei</h2>
<HR>
Ladies and Gentlemen
I want to express my hearty appreciation to everyone of you
NAUKA members for providing me the opportunity to make this speech.
We also appreciate your generosity in spending such a big amount of money to invite us to this country. In addition, we heartily thank you for your thoughtful arrangement in making our stay here an enjoyable one. We are feeling as if we're staying in our brother's home somewhere in the Orient. Well, the true Karate is neither for showing to others nor for killing others, but it is to win over yourself (to control your
self) as you know. It is said that "the words are the voices of heart" . I want to put it as "the Kata is the picture of heart". If your heart is in a state of uneasiness, the words you're saying will never sound in peace and in the same token, if your heart is in a state of unsoundness, your Kata will never be performed correctly. It is said that the most important thing in studying Karate is to study it "not in a broad way, but narrow and deep. " In relation to the saying, I want to put forth a legend told by late Master Kanbun Uechi.
Approximately 400 years ago, in China, there was a man named "-Lu-Lu-Ko" who was studying Karate under a master among some other
40 or 50 fellow students. He was an extra slow learner. Other students were learning fast and picking Katas up one after But this poor
"Lu-Lu-Ko" was just performing Sanchin everyday. And so he spent 10 years. For the first 3 years, he had no particular purpose to studying Sanchin, but he admitted to himself that he was a slow learner and
he never envied his fellow students promotions and advancement. Rather, he admitted it as a result of their learning fast.
After 3 years past, he found it more difficult to do Sanchin correctly and he puzzled himself: "how come after being studied for 3 years, it becomes harder and harder to comprehend?" Yet, he did not give
it up. He continued to dig more deeply. The time had gone very
fast and the 10 years passed by. One day the Master called everybody to meet at the dojo. There the Master presented a rope and knotted
it with both his palms and said: "If anybody can untie this rope with
both palms, he will be designated as my successor". One by one, beginning with the higher ranked students, they tried to untie the rope with their palms, however nobody could do it.
Finally it came to Lu-Lu-Ko's turn. The Master said, "you may try too"!
But he said: "No Sir, even they could not do it, how can I do it"? Then every fellow student looked at him half-laughing and urged, "Yea Try Lu-Lu-Ko"! With all his might, he twisted the rope with his palm and it was beautifully untied.
Studying Sanchin alone for 10 years he accomplished the one thing that nobody else could in the dojo. Now let's think about this legend. This Lu-Lu-Ko obviously did not study his Sanchin to show for others. since he could not attract others in doing it. And he, never studied his Sanchin to kill others because he had no confidence at all to do so. And, even he admitted himself he was a damn slow learner. He was being laughed at and even regarded as a fool for studying only Sanchin for 10 years. Now I want to remember this. Through 10 years of studying
Sanchin. he gained a power to control himself. He disregarded what
ever his fellow students said about him. When they pushed him around he could bear it. And finally, he was able to reach the peak which nobody else could.
I want to recommend to you not the broader way but the narrower and deep And I wish that you may accomplish the way of Karate in
a solid, sound mind with a perfect, healthy body.
Thank you for your attention.