Hissho wrote:Help with this kanji?
I can't read the last one - Chinese reading I'd go with shen wu bu ( ?)
Would the Japanese by shin bu fu (?)
I can't make out the character for (?)
Is this a common or well known saying in budo? In whose hand is this brushed?
Hi Hissho
It's running script and therefore has its free interpretation and style.
神武不殺 shen wu bu sha = the spirit (highest) warrior does not kill (fight)Goes back to Daodejing (Laozi):
30
Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao,
Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.
For this would only cause resistance.
Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.
Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.
Just do what needs to be done.
Never take advantage of power.
Achieve results,
But never glory in them.
Achieve results,
But never boast.
Achieve results,
But never be proud.
Achieve results,
Because this is the natural way.
Achieve results,
But not through violence.
Force is followed by loss of strength.
This is not the way of Tao.
That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.
31
Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them.
Therefore followers of Tao never use them.
The wise man prefers the left.
The man of war prefers the right.
Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools.
He uses them only when he has no choice.
Peace and quiet are dear to his heart,
And victory no cause for rejoicing.
If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing;
If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself.
On happy occasions precedence is given to the left,
On sad occasions to the right.
In the army the general stands on the left,
The commander-in-chief on the right.
This means that war is conducted like a funeral.
When many people are being killed,
They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow.
That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.
(transl. by Feng & English)
神 is a deeper concept in chinese philosophy esp. daoist philosophy and spiritual cultivation
Zhuangzi
The Fighting Rooster
Chi Hsing Tzu was a trainer of
fighting cocks for King Hsuan.
He was training a fine bird.
The king kept asking
if the bird was ready for combat.
“Not yet”, said the trainer.
“He is full of fire.
He is ready to pick a fight
with every other bird.
He is vain and confident
of his own strength.”
After ten days he answered again,
“Not yet. He flares up
when he hears another bird crow.”
After ten more days,
“Not yet. He still gets that angry look
and ruffles his feathers.”
Again ten days.
The trainer said,
“Now he is nearly ready.
When another bird crows,
his eyes don’t even flicker.
He stands immobile like a block of wood.
He is a mature fighter.
Other birds will take one look at him and run.”
Is this a common or well known saying in budo?
yes
In whose hand is this brushed?
Sorry - can't say ...
There is a longer article on "shen wu bu sha" on the web, written by Zhongxian Wu
http://abodetao.com/martial-arts-qigong-and-shen-%E7%A5%9E-spiritual-cultivation/
Classic Daoism (Laozi/Zhuangzi) has a lot to do with
- naturalness and simplicity (ziran/pu)
- the soft and flexible overcomes the strong and rigid (ju no ri)
- clear and calm heart-mind/spirit (xin/shen)
- virtue (De) and skill
Like Judo!
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