Reverend Greg

The Shinken Gata of Buddhism

There is tremendous confusion in the world of martial arts surrounding the subject of real fighting. The kanji for “real fighting form” is pronounced Shinken Gata and the term is used often in our art of Ninjutsu.

Shinken Gata simply means real fighting.

In our modern world hand-to-hand fighting between combatants is not as common as in the pre-industrial or pre-historical world, specifically due to the invention of concealable firearms and our modern legal system. While many look upon handguns as something evil the reality remains that without modern firepower the world would still be ruled by bullies who are genetically gifted with size, strength and aggression.

Martial arts was originally intended to bestow a combative advantage to those who would seek to become free from power, free from the power of bullies. However martial arts are not necessarily related to Shinken Gata. This sad destruction of a cherished myth often comes as a disappointment to the unenlightened, that their beloved kick-kun-fool art could fail them in a real fight, but nonetheless it is true.

Martial arts training and real fighting exist in different worlds.

Having said that I wish to add that martial arts training can give an individual a tremendous advantage in a real fight if one trains with the correct frame of mind and attitude towards one’s chosen art. Back in the day when karate teachers were notorious for sending newly promoted black belt students out to “get in a real street fight” it was not unusual to hear about them getting their asses kicked, or worse, ending up in jail.

In the 1990’s the appearance of the Ultimate Fighting Challenge (UFC) competition which was televised on pay-per-view channels, the Gracie Family distinguished themselves with their brand of eclectic Jujitsu, Gracie Jujitsu or Brazilian Jujitsu, a form derived from the Gracie Family’s contact with traditional Japanese martial artists. Their form, which emphasized ground fighting and hybrid sport competition, became all the rage for martial arts enthusiasts. It was widely embraced as a more realistic and “street worthy” art. Based on the mantra “most fights end up on the ground” Brazilian Jujutsu remains a market success today.

In reality real combat (not street fights which are simply the bad behavior of criminals and wannabe gang-bangers, which is not to say that street fights don’t end up in combat) occurs in a world of formless chaos, male rage and diminished capacity where sympathetic nervous system overload reduces the human potential to a state of brute animalism. Combat or life-and-death struggles, whether in times of war or in states of criminal action, never takes places in consistent or predictable circumstances and is almost always a product of an already existing relationship gone wrong.

Buddhism is no different….

As Buddhists, now more than ever and certainly as Nichiren Buddhists, we are very much like the martial artist who mistakes their art for the actual fight. I in know way wish to diminish either martial arts or Buddhism, but the comparison exists.

In the same vain as the martial artist we define, re-define, and re-invent ourselves into smaller and smaller divisions of the whole. Nichiren groups have become separate from each other largely based on their affiliation with, or separation from the Soka Gakkai. In the past decade splinter groups have defined their tribalism by their chanting of Namu myoho renge kyo rather than Nam. Still others base their identity on the degree to which they resent or blame SGI for cultism. While truth exists on all sides it is this process of tribalization that is often mistaken for real Buddhism and the very process of making one more right and others more wrong is mistaken for a legitimate Buddhist pursuit.

Martial artists, like Buddhists, seek to tribalize and create never-ending unique identities in their quests for satisfaction in their art.

We Buddhists, like those who train in the martial arts, study the history and doctrines of Buddhism. A 3000 year history, Buddhism offers a seemingly never-ending source of study. With principles, sutras, different lineages and traditions to be studied and learned, there are unlimited opportunities to enhance oneself and one’s self-esteem through academic development. Through study comes self-validation and through martial arts comes self-esteem and confidence, all of which can be a wonderful thing or a grossly misused weapon. In fact the world of Buddhism is fraught with academic predators whose sole Buddhist practice seems to be based on the correction of the alleged mistaken views of others.

Like martial arts training the study of Buddhism is not really the Buddhism itself. Debating and fighting on discussion groups; the ubiquitous arguing and bickering that seems to be present on every Nichiren internet forum are very much like martial arts training, but bear little similarity to real fighting.

The Shinken Gata of Buddhism exists in our own lives; in our own daimoku and human revolution. Shinken Gata, or real fighting, occurs when we chant and take action to challenge our lives and our karma. It lies in introducing others to Buddhism, and in the willingness to practice Buddhism in a community rather than all by ourselves in the privacy of our own karmic comfort-zones.

I believe the real fighting form of Buddhism truly exists in our own path of individual self-discovery which is the willingness to grow and change; the willingness to face ourselves throughout our lives and until the very end.

This phenomena exists between the theoretical lines of martial arts and real fighting, the form and the actual function. Neither is wrong or bad, but in the end it’s balance and harmony that is the true path to self-discovery and human revolution. To what degree we are willing to recognize this in our own lives determines to what extent we are willing to engage in real fighting; in the Shinken Gata of Buddhism.

Happy New Years,

Rev. Greg Dilley, Shidoshi

Posted by revgreg at January 8, 2005 09:43 PM