Bodhihanna Kistner's Workshop on Kyudo // Мастер-класс по Кюдо: Бодхихан...

Rick Beal kyudo

Notes on the 'do' arts of Japan

One name for the overall teaching is Ho-Do. Ho-Do is the Way of the Universal Law or Teaching. Ho-Do has two aspects that need to be resolved in order to have the whole teaching. We have Ken-Kyo, which means the exoteric teaching (teachings that deal with what we see); We also have Mikkyo or esoteric teachings that deal with what we can't see. These two together become Ken-Mi-Kyo and make up The Teaching. The Mikkyo has principles and practices we can talk about, but once we talk about them they really become Ken-Kyo; but we'll do the best we can. The real basis for The Teaching is in following the practices as they have been handed down, and living according to the principles that are embedded in them; in this way we embody The Teaching, and hand it down through our own presence; with our own life, and how we live it. REI: Rei means manners: All the 'do' arts begin & end with Rei. Rei is manners & Rei is the physical act of bowing. Thus 'upright' bowing, showing respect and humility from a position of strength is the physical manifestation of manners.

Living with manners is really the key of The Teaching. We say that manners are based on kindness... unconditional kindness. The kindness does not come from, nor is it driven by outside circumstances; unconditional kindness flows from out of who we are when we live The Teachings in our daily lives.

Rei begins and ends with the Tanden. The Tanden is our center. It is our physical center; if we measure heaven and earth, left and right, forward and back, there will be an intersection, a cross... hanging from this cross is our Tanden; our physical center. This physical center also represents our connection to all else, since from this center point is where all else begins. It also philosophically represents our core principles, the principles that are embodied by us... the principles we live by. The Tanden also represents the first teaching. The teaching of The Middle Path.

Awareness is the first step. Awareness of the Tanden is the core of the practice. All practice leads with... to... and from the Tanden. Our teaching says the training begins when we find the Tanden, also it says the training ends when we find the Tanden (which could mean that living in the manner that truely represents our core begins).

With the mind stable and established in the Tanden, we look out... gazing gently... seeing all that is, as it is. In this way we move in the world, with the world... without moving away from the Tanden. Thus we are moving without moving.

The Tanden represents our middle path. The first of the teachings. Begin from the very middle and extend out to embrace all that is. For from the middle everything is included. Even nothing is included in everything; what does the definition of everything exclude? even nothing must included. The empty space; the spaces inbetween may be the best spaces to remember; for these spaces join everything together. Another teaching arises from this, everything is interlinked, interwoven; the teaching says 'no separation' that there is 'not two'.

The path to the Tanden has always been breathing and relaxing. The path from the Tanden has always been bone and extension... Structure and Vision.

Awareness of the Tanden, through the art of breathing & relaxing, then, is the first step. This is a natural step that happens whenever we do not interfere. Like this, through gravity, with a small tether to the Tanden (like a plumb bob) we drop to the center of the earth. From the center of the earth we stand up; from the sacred tail/root bone we stand up; the spine, nape of he neck and crown of the head reach to the heaven (never leaving the center of the earth, or the Tanden, but merging the earth and sky with the Tanden as the center of this universe. From Heaven to earth we hang... suspended...From this upright posture, anything is possible... everything is possible.

The Middle Path or Way. We always begin in the middle. When we release fear and greed the middle path is what reveals itself. Some say that fight and flight are natural, but for us natural is the upright humans that we are when greed and fear are released. When we learn to let go. Shitai: One of the first teaching was 'Shi Tai' or the 4 Truths. We say Ku-Shu-Metsu-Do. The 4 truths are:

• 1. Ku-Tai = Life is Uneasy
• 2. Shu-Tai or Jittai = This uneasiness has a cause.
• 3. Mittai = If the cause is released, uneasiness is released as well.
• 4. Do-Tai = There is a path to release the cause... Follow the Way. This is generally understood to begin with the 8 Upright Paths - 'Ha-sho-Do'

Hassho-Do = The 8 Upright Paths

1. 1. Sho Ken = Upright View
2. 2. Sho Shi Yui = Upright Thought
3. 3. Sho Go = Upright Speech
4. 4. Sho Gyo = Upright Action
5. 5. Sho Myo = Upright Livelihood
6. 6. Sho Sho Jin = Upright Effort
7. 7. Sho Nen = Upright Understanding
8. 8. Sho Jyo = Upright Contemplation

Our first steps on the path are the 8 upright paths of: View; Thought; Speech; Action; Living; Effort; Mindfulness; & Meditation.

The 2 Pillars of of the practice are: Compassion & Wisdom

Roku Hara Mitsu - The 6 Practices or Perfections:

1. Fuse - Generosity / Alms / Charity

2. Jikai - Discipline / Training

3. Ninniku - Patience

Chudo - The Middle Path or Way

4. Shojin - Exertion / Effort

5. Zenjo - Meditation / Composure / Mindfulness

6. Chi'e - Wisdom

3 marks of the Law:

1. Shogyo Mujyo - All things are transient / impermanent.
2. Shoho Muga - All things are selfless / unsubstantial.
3. Nehan Jakujo - To extinguish (illusion) is tranquility.

There are 4 foundations for our school:

1. Wa = Harmony
2. Kei = Respect
3. Sei = Purity
4. Jaku = Tranquility

We have the 7 principles as well:

1. Fukinsei = Asymmetry
2. Kanso = Simplicity
3. Koko = Austerity
4. Shizen = Natural
5. Yugen = Subtle / Profound / Mystery
6. Datsuzoku = Other or Un-Worldly
7. Sei-Jaku = Silence / Quiet / Calm / Tranquil / Solitude

We say that there are 8 branches or limbs in my school. Or we might say the 8 branches of training. Shugyo-no-ha-shi(or eda).

Shu-Gyo is usually translated as austere training. But the Shu means to brush (away) or sweep, and the Gyo is action or activity. Shugyo then is the action of sweeping or brushing; in our school we say it means to sweep the dust balls from the corner; to find the last little remnants of our attachments that no longer serve, and sweep them away. I suppose this could sometime take some austere measures, but it could also be pretty gentle, detailed, and subtle activities too.

The first limb is meditation. The Japanese word for meditation is Meiso. 'Me' is our eyes; the 'I' is a bit more vague, and refers to several things at once, it refers the elements and also to a kind of mindfulness or awareness of the world; 'So' is our mind. The word Zen in our tradition comes from Zenna. Zenna is a type of absorption meditation, where we are absorbed into everything, and everything is absorbed into us; like a sponge and water one gets absorbed into the other, so there is no separation between them.

As part of our meditation practice we have Shikantaza. Shikantaza is 'just precisely sitting. This means we must sit in the prescribed manner and nothing more, and nothing less. Letting all else go. But what is this precisely prescribed manner? The bringer of this idea from China to Japan gave us a hint, he said "Genno, Bi choku" Eyes horizontal, Nose vertical. For m

One of the main branches for me has been Ki-Do. Ki here is Energy, Do is still The Way. Ki-Do then is the way of energy. To work with energy is called Ki-Ko; this is both working with external energies around us, and vital energies within us. Forms of Ki-ko actually refer to every posture and movement imaginable. But in Japan it is embedded in all the Do arts. But we usually split the Do arts up into other branches as well. But under Ki-Ko we can have all of the Bu-Do as Martial Arts (and I have in fact spent time practicing many of the Japanese Martial Arts and hold black belts etc in them; Kyudo (Japanese Zen Archery) is one such art, important in my daily practice; and Tai-so (exercises); also included would be practice like TaiKyoKu (Japanese version of TaiChi) in fact much of the exoteric is exactly like TaiChi, though some movements I've only seen in JapaneseTaiKyoKu. But all the Martial Arts of Japan fall under this category: Karate-do; Aikido; Naginata-do; Jo-do; Kendo; Iaido; for example. Even Sumo is included as one coming from ancient Kiko practices.

Another Ki-Ko is the Japanese Gei-Do, or Artistic Endeavors. For me this was primarily my exposure to Sho-Do (Caligraphy), and Sa-Do (aka Cha-Do; Chanoyu; Tea Ceremony); Koh-Do too, the way of incense is important in my temple life. Ka-Do also called Ikebana or Flower Arrangement is a Gei-Do (though in my particular school or Flower Arrangement experience was primarily within our tea school and so called Cha-Bana, or Tea Flowers.

One of the most important limbs is Rei-Do. Rei is etiquette or manners and the Do is again The Way. In the exoteric this is how to act according to the way of the gentleman or noble woman; but in the esoteric it is to live exactly in accordance with natural law. When these often seemingly two different teachings come together we begin to know the ‘Do’ or The Way.

One of my root teachers major influences was his family's experience in Zoen Sekkei (Landscape Architecture). So much of our understanding is based on working with nature in this way. Many of our concepts of spacing also come from here and the following paragraph to on Shukuyogo is related.

We also have practices and principles collectively called Shukuyogyo. This deals with In'Yo-Do / On-Myo-Do (The Way of Shadow-Sunshine). This deals with the interplay between the visible and invisible aspects of the world, and how to balance or harmonize within this world. It also incorporates our Fu-Sui (Wind Water) practices of working with how things flow. The exoteric side of Fu-sui deals with the placement of things in our lives... How we build our home and offices... the placement of furniture, and decorations... the colors we use. But it also deals with how we stand in relation to them, and how everything flows around us, with us, and through the space we find ourselves in. Esoterically it includes our core value and what we stand for and how we present these physically.

Jukondo, or medicinal arts is a favorite of mine. I have a lot of this knowledge but it only 1/2 from the mouths of my teachers, and the other 1/2 is from my habit of reading a lot on the principles of health and nutrition. But there are many key points that have been passed down from generation to generation, and it's interesting to read or hear about a current study that simply finally 'proves' what was handed down for generations already.

This includes: Diet - Shokuji-Ho (Shoku = eating; ji = stuff; Ho = the way of / dharma/ law/ rule) and also: Danjiki, or to do without. Technically this means fasting, to do without food. but the principle is often extended to making do with what we have in many situations and aspects in our lives.

We have what is called the art of Nagaiki or longevity.We teach 5 life style practices for Nagaiki (longevity):

• 1. Mokuteki = PurposeTo have a purpose in our lives; to live for others, not just ourselves; to have a reason to live).
• 2. Tekido = Moderation(to live moderately, modestly, and appropriately). 3. Hohoemi & Warai = Smile & Laugh(take time to have a good time, and not take ourselves too seriously).
• 4. Osore wo Kaiho suru = Release Fear(To have courage in all circumstances, in kiko we have no room for fear).
• 5. Ochitsuita & Odayakana = Be Calm & Serene(To remain Calm in all situations, helps us see clearly and live clearly).

Have a Purpose; Live Moderately; Smile & Laugh; Release Fear; Be Calm & Serene.

Yumi no Michi

2015 Pasadena Obon Video

2015 Pasadena Obon

Kyudo: Japanese Archery Documentary Short

Rick Beal kyudo

Kyudo in Los Angeles

Kyudo in Los Angeles:

Kyudo came to the United States from Japan in the early years of the 20th Centery, reaching Los Angeles as early as 1908 with the Rafu Kyudo Kai.

As early as 1916, Mr. Suda Chokei had founded the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai. From 1920 to 1928 Miwa Tanechiko Sensei taught the Heki style of archery. The group met at a dojo located on what was then Jackson Street in Little Tokyo. A second dojo was located in Boyle Heights on St. Louis Street, near Hollenbeck Park.

In the 1940's the Japanese Americans in Los Angeles, like all the other Americans of Japanese ancestry, and placed in internment camps. Many of the bows and arrows were seized as weapons by the federal government. Fearful owners of these weapons often either burned or buried their equipment.

In 1973, Koen Mishima Sensei arrived in Los Angeles as a minister at the Higashi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. At first he practiced by himself in the temple's basement.

The Jackson Street martial arts center was closed and eventually demolished, and for the duration of the war, Japanese-Americans were relocated to internment camps. After the war, individuals resumed their practice in isolation without the help and support of an instructor, and there was no official kyudo dojo in Los Angeles for over thirty years. . In 1973, Rev. Koen Mishima, a kyudo practitioner of many years' standing, arrived in Los Angeles from Japan to minister at the Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple. He practiced kyudo in the temple's basement by himself for a long time; one day, he was photographed as he was practicing. Iwao Iwata saw that photograph displayed at an exhibition, and he became Mishima-sensei's first student. Eventually the two of them were joined by Rev. Hirokazu Kosaka (a priest from a neighboring temple), Rev. Kiyomaru Mishima (Mishima-sensei's younger brother), and an American man named Mike Stanley. In 1975, Mishima-sensei and Kosaka-sensei officially reinstated the old Los Angeles Kyudo Kai, and weekly taught a growing number of students in a variety of locations: from 1973–1978, at the Higashi Honganji Temple; from 1978–1981 in the basement of Koyasan Temple in Little Tokyo; from 1982–1992, in the beautiful wood-paneled church hall of the Nichiren Temple in East Los Angeles, at the corner of Fourth Street and Saratoga; from 1993–1999, in the Rafu Chuo Gakuen Community Hall on Saratoga. From 2000 to the present, the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai has met with the Nanka Kyudo Kai at the Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute. The Nanka Kyudo Kai was formed by Rick Beal with permission from Kosaka-sensei to represent the growth of their group beyond Los Angeles to include all of Southern California. Nanka is the word used by the local Japanese Community to mean "Southern California." The group now has classes in San Diego, Orange County, Palmdale/Lancaster area, Pasadena, and West Los Angeles. In addition, the Nanka Kyudo Kai represents the group nationally and internationally with as a member of the American Kyudo Renmei and the International Kyudo Renmei in Japan. Instructors of the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai (1973–Present) Rev. Koen Mishima Rev. Koen Mishima was born and raised in Takayama, Japan. His father was a Buddhist priest, with his own temple and congregation, and all three of his sons became Buddhist priests and kyudo practitioners. When their father died, according to custom, the eldest son inherited the temple; Mishima-sensei immigrated to Los Angeles in 1973 and began his ministry with the Higashi Honganji Temple. In his youth, Mishima-sensei was taught kyudo by two teachers. One of these followed the Honda and the Ogasawara styles, and the other taught a style called Muyo Shingetsu Ryu. Mishima-sensei did not at that time embrace either of these disciplines entirely, but rather took elements of each and incorporated them into his own practice, which became a blend of his teachers' styles and which became the style practiced by the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai from 1975 until 1995. In 1988, Mishima-sensei immigrated to Australia and lived in Brisbane for eight years, which provided him the first opportunity in many years to think deeply about what he was looking for in kyudo. During this time he built a temple and a kyudo dojo on his own property, and he practiced with a growing number of students in what he called the Brisbane Kyudo Kai. In 1990 on a visit to Japan, he met with his old teacher, Master Sagino of the Muyo Shingetsu Ryu, and attended a kyudo seminar that his master was giving. When the master stood in front of and helped him open the bow, imbuing it with his spirit and experience (as is the custom that style), Mishima-sensei felt he experienced enlightenment in his kyudo. Abandoning the Japan Kyudo Federation because of its focus on sport as opposed to spiritual discipline, he began his commitment to Master Sagino and his master's school of kyudo. In 1995 Mishima-sensei returned to Los Angeles for a visit, and persuaded Kosaka-sensei to change Los Angeles dojo to his new style. For the next five years, all members of the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai practiced Muyo Shingetsu Ryu exclusively, and this style is still practiced by the senior members. In 1996 Mishima-sensei moved back to Japan, settling in the city of Nigata. He was adopted as a son by the temple that he inherited through his second marriage, and consequently he has changed his last name to "Hosagawa." He has built a dojo on the temple grounds, and once again teaches kyudo, always in the Muyo Shingetsu Ryu form. Mishima-sensei taught kyudo continuously throughout these years until he emigrated to Australia in 1988. At that time, Kosaka-sensei took over the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai. Mr. Hirokazu Kosaka Mr. Hirokazu Kosaka was born in Wakayama, in the south of Japan. Wakayama is located only a few miles from the town of Tanabe, the city in which aikido was founded, and where kyudo is still zealously practiced today. It was in this Mecca of martial arts that the young Kosaka-sensei grew to understand and appreciate the many different aspects of the bushido ("The Way of the Warrior"). The form of kyudo practiced by members of the Kosaka Family was Kishu-Chikurin-Ha of the Heike-Ryu from; the young Hirokazu Kosaka was, however more fond of the ceremonial from of Ogaswara-ryu, and so spent much of his time learning this form. Kosaka-sensei is the fourth generation of his family to come to America. His great-grandfather came to Seattle in 1890, his grandfather in 1910, and his mother came to Tacoma in 1921. In 1958, when he was ten years old, Kosaka-sensei came to study English in Los Angeles for a year, and then returned again in 1967 to attend the Chouinard Art Institute. In 1970, he returned to Japan and entered a monastery, where he became a Buddhist priest; and in 1975 he once again returned to Los Angeles to minister at the Koyasan Temple in Little Tokyo. There were only a few young Japanese priests in the area at the time, and they were all well acquainted with each other. One day, Kosaka-sensei was invited by Mishima-sensei to practice kyudo, and this invitation began a long relationship during which they developed a deep bond of friendship and a common kyudo ideal, and they spent much time in discussion of how to teach kyudo to westerners. From the time that Mishima-sensei moved to Australia in 1988, Kosaka-sensei has been the head of the Los Angeles kyudo Kai. He is also a multi-media artist, and as the Exhibitions Director of the JACCC-Japanese American Community Cultural Center he is very involved with the cultural life of the Little Tokyo community. As a consequence, in recent years he has had very little time to devote to teaching and managing the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai, and has given his senior student, Rick Beal, permission to teach kyudo. Rick Beal Rick Beal began training in Japanese Budo at a young age in 1966. But his real revelation came in the early 80’s with his sword teacher Hirotaka Okubo (Okubo-sensei). Okubo-sensei had studied kyudo with Kosaka-sensei and Mishima-sensei in Los Angeles; so Okubo-sensei incorporated the basic movements of kyudo into his warm up exercises for the sword classes. When asked why, Okubo-sensei replied, “If you lay down your sword and practice kyudo for ten years, then pick up the sword again, your sword will also be ten years better. No other martial art will do that, only kyudo.” Prior to meeting Okubo-sensei, Rick had owned and operated a small karate/kobudo school. Okubo-sensei and insisted that if Rick wanted to train with him, he must close his school. Rick closed the school and traveled around the area to find places for each of his senior students to train. One of those students (one of Rick’s top students) couldn’t find any other instructor he wanted to train with, or any other art that he would rather study. So Rick took him to meet Okubo-sensei in hopes that they could train together. The student had no interest in the sword, and really didn’t bond with Okubo-sensei; but upon seeing the kyudo warm up he exclaimed, “What is that? I want to do that!” Okubo-sensei wrote a letter of introduction for the young man to Mishima-sensei and sent him to the Higashi Hongwanji temple to begin kyudo. Being one of Rick’s previous karate students, he asked Rick to come along for moral support. Rick came and the two of them were told to sit down and watch (it was customary at that time in the class to have prospective students watch for three classes before they could begin instruction). But for some reason, Mishima-sensei approached them and asked them to join the other beginning students that he was teaching to walk. Although Rick’s friend stood up immediately, Rick explained that he had no interest in training in kyudo, but he had only come to offer support to his friend. Mishima-sensei insisted that Rick should also train, but Rick demurred, saying that he did not want to waste the-sensei’s time and that he would only be there for one day and then be gone. Mishima-sensei said, “One day of practice is one day of practice.” Rick practiced with the group that day, and has practiced with them ever since.

We've been shooting at the El Dorado Dojo quite often on Sunday mornings.

A few years ago we performed several ceremonies to inaugurate the El Dorado Dojo. This was not the first time kyudo has been done at the archery facility, The Los Angeles Kyudo Kai, before the archery range was built at Rancho Park, used to shoot at El Dorado Park every Sunday morning.

While Rancho Park is being renovated, I have returned to this early home of the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai to practice at the El Dorado Park once again.

What I really enjoyed about the last few practice is that my best shots, those with the longer kai and straight nobiai, fly into the target; those that are too short of a kai or nobiai is off do not. This is different than a few years ago when only my short kai periods would hit. With the more proper shots hitting, it brings a wonderful positive reinforcement to continue with a nice kai and polish the nobiai more and more.

Zen Meditation and Archery at the Lahaina Jodo Mission Sept. 2015

Sotoba / Pagoda at the Lahaina Jodo Mission, Maui, Hawaii

Meditation Group Photo

We began with the idea to begin the 1st Shot Kyudo Workshop with an Intro to meditation session the evening before; it quickly morphed into a Intro to Meditation for several evenings during my stay. The last couple were attended by known meditation instructors from other traditions on the Island.

Kinhin - Walking Meditation

Kyudo Instruction under the trees

Breaktime in the shade of the beautiful palms

Unexpectedly caught pulling arrows

The workshop was a great success. We ended up covering all the expenses plus (finally) a decent donation to the temple.

Thank you to all who could attend.

Ikkyu 1991: Newsletter published by members of The Los Angeles Kyudo Kai

Los Angeles Kyudo Kai 1929

"Better known as Japanese Zen Archery, 'Kyudo', came to the United States via Seattle in the early years of the present century [20th century].

The word kyudo  literally translated means 'the way of the bow'. Kyudo  is knows as Zen archery because archery in Japan was deeply influenced by Zen philosophy. Kyudo is an art, a discipline, a form of moving meditation. In the past times kyudo was also called 'kyujitusu'.

Not much is known about kyudo in its first birth in this country [United States of America], but we do know it had reached Los Angeles by 1910, with scattered individuals practicing around the city [we now also have learned that there was a Rafu Kyudo Kai as early as 1908, having seen a newspaper article that referenced them with that year]. [We also now know that between 1903 and 1908 the Hawaii Kyudo Kai was formed]. In 1916, the first Los Angeles Kyudo Kai was founded by Suda Chokei.

In San Francisco in 1925, the original owner of the Japenese Tea House in Golden Gate Park asked the archer Imaizumi Wazaburo to begin instrcuting a local group in the 'Heike' style of kyudo [we also know that the style of the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai was also Heike-ryu]. The group of 40 individuals named itself Shinno Kai and practiced once a month. In the spring and summer they also presented Shinto Ceremonies in the city. In 1926 another group, the Satsui Kai, was formed by Ebina Shunshuro and Yamazaki Senkichi. An Oakland group was formed by Shiozawa Tetsushiro and Aoki Saneharu. By 1930 there were well-established group[s] practicing in San Francisco,  Oakland and Los Angeles [and Hawaii].

World War II caused a grave disruption of this ancient and solemn practice. As kyudo was considered a martial art, their  'weapons' were seized by the government. the  bows and arrows which escaped confiscation were either  burned or buried by their fearful owners [there is a great story of how Kosaka Sensei was able to recover some of these treasures, which we still have as part of our 'inheritance']. All Japanese Americans were sent to relocation camps.

The history of kyudo in the United States after the War is obscure, It is not known if any groups were formed again or practiced until 1975 when the Reverend Koen Mishima arrived in Los Angeles. As a miniser of the Higashi Hongwanji Temple, and coming from a faimly of kydoi practitioners, he reinstated the art of kyudo under the name Los Angeles Kyudo Kai [the story of how this name and legacy was offered to them by members of the first Los Angeles Kyudo Kai is quite interesting as well]. The group has been practicing continuously from that time and presently meets on Friday nights at the Nichiren Buddhist Temple in East Los Angeles. the group fluctuates between 10-20 members.

In 1989 Rev. Mishima immigrated to Australia and formed the first kyudo group on that continent in Brisbane. Presenlty his close associate since 1975, Hirokazu Kosaka, is the instructor of the group.

In May 1991, the group celebrated the 75th anniversary of kyudo in Los Angeles. [2016 they will celebrate their 100th anniversary].

Los Angeles Kyudo Kai 1991

[my own notes (by rick beal)]

Los Angeles Kyudo Kai 2009

Slide show. Kyudo ceremony. 2015 Pasadena Obon

2015 Pasadena Obon: https://youtu.be/Bf4GrfhaxyA

Archery in buddhism

Besides being a weapon of war and killing others,  in many ancient texts on buddhism listed among the sacred implements is the bow and arrow. This relationship has existed since at least the time of Shakyamuni Butsu. Before being a sage he was the prince, and the best archer in the land. Even before buddhism the bow and arrow were considered sacred in many religious circles.

The same is true in Japan, the bow and arrow were sacred long before buddhism came.

In China Confucianism used archery as a gentlemanly pursuit as well. But most interesting for buddhism is the choice of Chinese Characters being a man standing with a bow and two arrows to represent a Buddha.

When buddhism arrives in Japan with these same characters, and finds the sacred use of the bow already in place, a syncretic effect takes place in Japanese archery. By the 12th century, simultaneous with the arrival of Zen Buddhism, the evolution caused by this effect really starts to take shape.

In this day and age Zen enjoyed much of their patronage from families of the warrior nobility.

Prominent families, to one degree or another, often would mix, match and merge the teachings from the mainland like Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism with the indigenous religion of Shinto and its sacred practices with the bow.

How much this happened in any given school varied greatly. The mixture too, even when all elements were present, which elements took prominence varied. But most were effected at least a touch by one or more of these elements.

This evolution took on even greater speed during peace time in Japan. The evolution has never stopped with even archery done for sport being effected.

There are some schools that from the beginning were heavily influenced by Buddhism. In most cases the influence has increased over time, and today this continues to be true.

For those of us in Buddhism, we know of this sacred use of the bow, but the strength of that use has always been minimal at best.

In Japan the existing sacred use, allowed some monks, especially those who might be retired warriors to use the bow. So we see the actual use of the bow as a sacred implement in buddhism most prominently in Japan.

With the arrival of Zen Buddhism, and its patronage by the warrior class, this happens even more often;
Among temple life were many activities that took the form of great art like the serving of tea, incense offering, flower arrangements, calligraphy, and more. These arts infiltrated the aristocracy as games.

With the closer relationship of Zen Monks and the warrior nobility we see a greater influence to not just play, but to bring the games into line with the artistic method of the temple. As this happens we see the Zen Monks bringing this way to all the warrior arts of the day, especially the sword, but also the bow and arrow. A few Zen Monks too take up these arts as part of this interaction with the warrior families. Reviving again the sacred Buddhist use of the bow.

Today, few outside of the Zen sect use the bow in this way. But here too, there may be a few. We probably just don't hear much about them.

Even the bit I write here, to some is almost sacrilege. Many prefer to stay out of history, quietly practicing. To float as a cloud, leaving no wake in their passing...

Kyudo - Rancho Park 1983 - 2014

Zen in Japanese Traditional Archery

For most people, maybe especially in Japan, kyudo is not associated directly with Zen. There are only a few schools of actual Zen Archery. But, as we have discussed, whether an individual practices in one of these schools, or in one that does more of a sport, or dan ranking emphasis, or one of those that has a focus on simply the Japanese Tradition itself... it's all kyudo. The only exception I make to this, if they like, the schools that have retained just the jitsu portion of the practice, and have an interest only in technique itself... these may wish not to use the term kyudo, and also retain the kyujitsu term to describe their practice; and that's fine.

There were no actual Zen Archery schools per se, until Umeji Kenran Roshi and followers of Awa Kenzo Sensei, Like Suhara Roshi and his predecessor's created them. But what they borrowed from to do this, was not schools of Zen Archery, but of Zen Schools that had archers. Primarily these two schools were not born out of Zen, but out of these archers own personal spiritual revelation. They were not the first to do this, but this practice too was not common in Zen, we are still talking about a miniscule portion of the yumi community, and few Zen Archers. Technically speaking only those of us under one of these strains of the practice are doing Zen Archery.

 99.9% of the kyudo practitioners are simply doing modern Japanese archery, and this is called kyudo, just like we do. So we are all doing kyudo. The term Kyudo came from yumi no michi, in fact the same kanji are used for both, so only our oral history tells us which one was actually used.

The term yumi no michi was used when the yumi was used in sacred rituals, and exists in the earliest writings of the Japanese people, and the practice of using the yumi as a ritual implement goes back to the origination of its asymmetrical design.

 

These rituals were often performed by Shaman with a yumi, but could have just as likely been done by a warrior at the direction of Shamen. This was not Zen Archery, Zen, and even Buddhism had not arrived in Japan yet.

When buddhism arrived, the practice continued much like this. Though Prince Tashi and his court used the principles they were learning from the mainland to codify the practices, including the first kyujitsu school Tashi-ryu. These principles, coming from the mainland were all based on jyukyo. Jyukyo is basically the combination of Confucianist, Buddhist, and Taoist thought. But as always in Japan, these began to meld often with the existing Shamistic ideas, and what we now call Shinto was beginning to form, and yumi no michi was part of this.

This is exactly the portion of Zen that the warrior class in Japan embraced, whether they retired into 'monkhood' or not.

From the time of Prince Taishi tthe process of jyukyo incorporating itself into Japanese Culture began.

Kukai, or Koboh Daishi, the founder of Japanese Shingon Buddhism, was another catalyst for this process. Coming from Tendai Buddhism, as all the founders of Japanese Buddhist sects began there. But Tendai Buddhism is little changed from its mainland roots, Koboh Daishi allowed much more integration with indigenous ideas, and Buddhism became much more 'Japanese'.

 

A main catalyst for warriors and Jukyo to mix was with the Ogasawara Family who used jukyo, and what they term as in/yo theory for their Ogasawara-ryu. Jyukyo, though it includes all three Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, is often translated as Confucianism. And indeed, the etiquette of Ogasawara-ryu is steeped in Confucianism, and is the core of their teaching. Their yumi no michi based on what we now call Shinto, the in/yo theory is the Japanese version of Tao, and the the Taoist thought was minor in jyukyo. But major in Chan and Zen Buddhism. It is from here that they brought in for their tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy, and the other geido arts.

From the beginning, jukyo and indigenous ideas began to mix into everything the Japanese did. This was true for all classes of society to one degree or another. But the mixture was not the same for every class. Nobility, warriors, peasants, merchants... for each the mixture was different.

As it is in Japan, the Ogasawara-ryu emphasized the mixture in all the practices, no matter what implement a person had in their hand, these principles that had now become 'Japanese' principles were the way to conduct oneself. This is what was then, and what is now Japanese Culture. This same thing, at the same time happened in Zen. And Zen became infused with exactly the same mixture, but of course from a primarily Buddhist emphasis. This mixture is the fine distinction between Chan in China, and Zen in Japan.

The traditional Japanese Culture we have today is very much like the Japanese Culture that the Ogasawara Family gave us. Zen simply evolved at the same time along similar ideas, and this is why they are sometimes used synonymously. It is simply that they both embody what has become Japanese Culture. So although all Zen Practitioners embody Japanese Culture, not all those who embody Japanese Culture are doing Zen.

Perhaps only those of us doing Zen, may really be doing Zen Archery. But all of us doing kyudo, definitely embody Japanese Culture.

Kyudo, Japanese Zen Archery. April 25, 26, 27, 2014. Santa Cruz California

Kyujitsu vs. Kyudo

The difference between Kyujitsu and Kyudo is a common question. Not so much in Japan, of course, but in the West.

Basically Kyujitsu developed into Kyudo. It did so from a ancient tradition of yumi no michi, the way of the bow. The Japanese bow has since time immemorial been used in a sacred manner; first with shamanistic rituals and later in some temple dojo as a Way.

The bow in Japan has always been primarily a weapon of war, or in some instances for hunting animals. But the Japanese have always been more inclined to farming and fishing than hunting. But when times were peaceful the warriors would practice for sport, and the Japanese were great sportsman; this was not yumi no michi, but just warriors practicing for sport. Yumi no michi only applied to the sacred use of the bow.

In the 1700's Master Morikawa Kozan of Yamato-ryu may have been the first to publish his schools practice with the kanji for kyudo rather than kyujitsu. He wrote of the use of the bow as a Way to self discovery as opposed to just a warrior's weapon. Of course, as mentioned he had good tradition support for the use of the bow in this way.  By doing so he began the process that continues today, of moving the use of the bow as A Way; no longer just for killing or technical sport, but for 'something' else. The something else may depend on who's holding the bow.

Today there are those using the bow as a sport, or a traditional warriors art, or a Way; or all of the above. In these cases few, in any I think, are using the bow to kill; so we call all these ways Kyudo.

Kyudo: Japanese Archery Documentary Short

Nanka Kyudo Kai - Pasadena Dojo