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than part of an incident in an illusion which exists

but for only a moment in the span of one’s life.

After pondering the brilliant utterance of the Zen prelate, I came to understand that rather than “not responding to the challenge,” karate ni sente nashi really means tatakawa zushite katsu: victory without contention, or winning without fighting.

Another poem which compels one to consider the magnitude of kokoro, is the following abstract composed by a noted doctor of philosophy, Nishida Ikutaro.

Poem:

Waga kokoro fukaki fuchiari yorokobimo,

urehino nanimo todokajito omou.

Interpretation:

My kokoro exists in an abyss so deep, it is a place which

even the waves of joy or fear cannot disturb.

From the perspective of the martial arts, it is impossible to know the kokoro (spirit) of “victory without contention” if one has not yet transcended the illusion of victory or defeat: the physical boundaries of gi (technique) and tai (body).

People often concluded that the 5th-century B.C. Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu advocated the sente precept. Actually, we can see in his later works a proverb which more clearly illustrates his genuine intention. It suggests: “The essence of kokoro must surface from attraction rather than promotion if it is ever to be clearly understood. Only at that time will one’s kokoro allow enough pliability to yield in the winds of adversity; the circumstances dictate the means. This is, so to speak, the secret of victory without contention, and it must be acknowledged.” I will directly address the karate ni sente nashi maxim later in this book, but I would like to first return to Bushi Matsumura’s story.