The Role of the Martial Artist

The ninja are often associated with the seven ways (shichi no ho, 七之方), seven basic character roles used for disguise and penetration. However, more important than playing a role is to not be fooled by others caught up in their roles. There are many such roles that can trap the martial artist (the role of teacher, artist, warrior, sage, specialist, and so on). With this in mind, the seven ways can be seen as a warning not to become mesmerized by the martial arts character that a person feels they need to be. The breaking free of these roles and moving towards who you really are (shichi no ho, 質之方) can be a difficult ‘technique’ to master.

“Become aware of your own existence.”

The world is a big place; the universe even bigger. There are many more important people than martial artists in our world, many more wonderfully blessed people. Martial artists are a very, very small minority. It’s better to not imagine some kind of special role for them. A budoka needs only to live his life justly and with cheerful forbearance but in many ways, this is not so different to that of any other person. Once the martial artist starts to imagine a special role for himself, he starts treading the path of self-justification, a path fraught with the danger of confusing gratification for success. It is a path that very quickly leads to nowhere.

“The idea of taking your time to be able to travel far is a very good one.”

The years before he travelled abroad seeking adventure, we are told that Toshitsugu Takamatsu was a proud disciple of his school. After his return from overseas, where he spent many years enduring much in the way of life-and-death struggle, he settled down, studied religion & nature and lived out a simple and by all accounts, happy and satisfying life.  Macarthur was right, old soldiers don’t die, they just fade away.

“A person should not be able to tell that you are an 8th dan.”

How many masters have slipped through the historical records? Were they less of a master because of this? Budo is a rather silent affair and can easily be missed but there is a period in the life of a budoka that is very visible. A person may become known during this period. In times of conflict, this may prove to be a death sentence. In times of peace, this death is the death of development. If budoka survive this period they may look back on it with a wry shake of the head and secretly exclaim to themselves, “How lucky I was!”

“Don’t use martial arts. This is where ninjutsu comes into play.”