What is shorinji Kempo?

Section 1  What is True Strength?

Section 2  Shorinji Kempo is a Discipline that Develops Individuals

Section 3  Motivation and Goals for the Founding of Shorinji Kempo

 Section 1 What is True Strength?

   ◆Shorinji Kempo as a way to cultivate true strength

No matter how much you may want to help people in distress, if you yourself are

weak then you cannot help someone else. To become strong, not only do you need to

strengthen your body, but also to foster an indomitable spirit, one that will neither flinch nor collapse regardless of the hardships. To have true strength is to have

established a reliable self. Shorinji Kempo aims to achieve such true strength.

◆Physical techniques are only a means

The aim of the practice of Shorinji Kempo is to become a person who is strong both

physically and spiritually. You must not forget this, not give yourself over solely to

competion to be the most technically skillful or physically strong, nor become obsessed with defeating opponents. If defeating opponents were your only goal, then

you would have no need for unarmed combat skills; it would be far easier to use some kind of weapon. The point of mastering the techniques of Shorinji Kempo is

that it brings the kind of confidence that comes from knowing you can physically

protect yourself without resourting to weapons.

◆So long as you do not think you have lost, then you have not

Suppose that at some point you were overcome by an opponent−as long as you

remain alive, and provided that you do not think of yourself as having been defeated, then it is not a true defeat. Similarly, in the course of life you might make mistakes, but your quality as a human being is not determined by whether you make mistakes or not−rather, by whether you can pick yourself up again afterwards.

 If at any point you say to yourself, “I am a useless person,” then that is a true

defeat. To carry on vigorously living your own life, it is important that you acquire

an unconceited, realistic self-confidence.

◆Alway be able to rely on your self−“Within self , my self finds recourse”

Each person is given just one life, and cherishes it. A feeling of self-worth comes with

having the courage to take responsibility for saying when you dislike something or

see something as wrong, and having the strength to put these things right; it involves initiative, and a belief in your own potential. All this requires a well founded

confidence. True strength means possessing a confidence and courage that cannot be

bought for money, nor seized by any authority, and establishing a self which will always respond in time of need. Moreover, it means taking action with concern not

merely for yourself, but for the happiness of people around you.

Section 2  Shorinji Kempo is a Discipline that Develops Individuals

◆A discipline that develops individuals and supplies three benefits

Shorinji Kempo does not take games of victory as its goal. When individuals become obsessed with victory and defeat, they tend to arrive at the wrong-headed

idea that, “so long as I am the stronger, that’s good enough”−and even start taking

pleasure in the misfortunes of others. Shorinji Kempo was originated by Kaiso, Doshin So, as a simultaneously physical and mental method of practice for building character, a method through which one can gain three benefits: self defence, spiritual cultivation, and improved health. Through techniques, one gains

self confidefence, courage, and vigor. One gains a spirit of compassion and a sense of justice.

To cultivate such a person of true strength, Shorinji Kempo was created asa discipline, a gyo.

◆Shorinji Kempo as bu 武(martial practice)

The Chinese character for martrial (the bu 武in budo 武道) is an ideogram

composed of the characters for “spear 戈” and “ stop 止”  In other words, the significance of bu does not come from seeking out battle or wounding enemies, but

rather from the ethical content of stopping conflict among people and from contributing to peace and culture. Budo is a greater path of disciplining oneself in

techniques, of building up a self that is sturdy in both body and spirit ; and at its core is a way to build up people who have the courage and abilities to stand up to

injustice and corruption in the world. “Training myself, overcoming myself, invigorating others, I come to life myself”. Budo should be a path for one’s own sake, for the sake of others, and for the sake of society as a whole; this is what Shorinji Kempo aims for.

◆The significance of Shorinji Kempo as a gyo

Kaiso said that the character for gyo(discipline), shows people(strong people)

carrying children or old people (people in a position of weakness) and facing

each other. In this spirit, Shorinji Kempo seeks to make a society in which the

strong assist the weak, and all can live together in happiness.

 No person can live without ohers. Each of us relates to many others in the course of our lives. In the same way that we value ourselves, we need to value the people around us. In other words, our training in Shorinji Kempo has the following objectives: to build a self that is sound in body and spirit, and that can be relied upon (jiko kakuritu); to act with the same kind of consideration for others as we give ourselves (jita kyouraku).The training is thus a gyo that develops individuals. In Shorinji Kempo the phrase, “Half for one’s own happiness, and half for the happiness of others,”(“ nakaba wa jiko no shiawasewo, nakabawa hito no shiawase wo”) express the theme of mutual happiness for

oneself and others. What we aim for is to become people who can contribute to the peace and well being of society.

Section3  Motivation and Goals for the Founding of Shorinji Kempo

◆ ”The person, the person, the person―everything depends on the quality of the person.”(“Hito,hito,hito,subete wa hito no shitsu ni aru.”)―The motivation and resolve for founding Shorinji Kempo

In 1945, under war conditions in the northeastern region of China, Kaiso witnessed the harsh realities of international politics where the interests of states and races took precedence, and only might seemed to make right.

 Amidst this situation, Kaiso discovered that events are greatly affected by the character and way of thinking of people in positions of influence. He expressed this realization as, “The person, the person, the person―everything depends on the quality of the person. “He noticed that, “if society is run by people, then true peace can only come from fostering compassion, courage, and a sense of justice in as many people as possible. “So he decided” to gather youths with a sense of purpose, to explain this path to them, and to draw out their sense of justice, to nourish their confidence, courage, and vigor, and so to educate people who would contribute to the revival of our native land.”

◆ Founding a way of developing individuals primarily through martial

techniques

 Upon his return, Kaiso saw a Japan in the disorder of defeat. The values of morality and humanity had been discarded, and fellow Japanese feuded as injustice and violence paraded brazenly in public view. Within this society, the vast majority of both youths and adults held no hope for the future and simply reacted day by day, like a confused herd. In the face of this, Kaiso ordered and organized the techniques that he had learned while in China, applying his own creative touch to make a new technical system that individuals would find enjoyable to learn. He turned his home into a practice hall, and he taught the techniques, along with lectures on his view of life and of the world. Thus started the development of individuals through martial techniques. Aiming to improve people physically and mentally and to transform society through peaceful means, Kaiso founded Shorinji Kempo with the goals of developing individuals, and of realizing a peaceful society that would be both materially and spiritually rich.

      ◆Ideal human qualities sought in Shorinji Kempo

As discussed above, Shorinji Kempo was not created simply to make physically strong people or technically skilled fighters．Rather, the training in Shorinji Kempo

cultivates true leaders with sound thinking and a rich sense of justice; who have confidence that humanity harbors seeds of potential to grow; who have healthy bodies, indomitable courage and a well rounded character; who have the kind of courage and passion needed to act enthusiastically so that we can individually lead happy lives and together realize a peaceful and prosperous society.

   Shorinji Kempo’s kenshi must aim to become people who can live their belief in their own potential, people who live as the authors of their own lives, people who can act with consideration for the happiness of others, people who can act with compassion, courage, and a sense of justice, and people who can live by bounding with and supporting each other.　　　　　　

▼ＷＳＫＯ（World Shorinji Kmpo Organization)official web site