Friday, April 5, 2013
A Knight is known by his/her virtues.
Virtues of Knight
From Truth comes Honesty
From Love comes Compassion
From Courage comes Valour
Truth and Love combined create Justice
Love and Courage combined create Sacrifice
Courage and Truth combined create Honour
From Truth, Love, and Courage comes Spirituality
Pride is caused by the absence of the Three Principles, the opposite of Pride is Humility.
https://sites.google.com/site/khoodlibrary/Home/theology-and-philosophy/the-eight-virtues
劍客
十年磨一劍，霜刃未曾試。今日把示君，誰有不平事?
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Telling a Fish about Water?
Fish that live in a flowing stream cannot see the water. They exist in it all the time and feel the push of the current, but for some reason they cannot perceive it.
If fish can see water, then all they can see is water and nothing else. So it is necessary for their eyes to filter out water and then see other things swimming in water.
This is the same reason why we cannot see air but can see the effect of air.
If God is ever present and all around us it would make sense following this analogy that God is invisible to us.(else we see nothing else). But can we see the effects of God? Too many Coincidences?
If the Word of God can change the world, it would make sense that God is silent to us. But can we see the effects of God's words?
Believe nothing of what you heard and half of what you see.
(What you hear can be seen as silent and what you see can be emptiness.)
If fish can see water, then all they can see is water and nothing else. So it is necessary for their eyes to filter out water and then see other things swimming in water.
This is the same reason why we cannot see air but can see the effect of air.
If God is ever present and all around us it would make sense following this analogy that God is invisible to us.(else we see nothing else). But can we see the effects of God? Too many Coincidences?
If the Word of God can change the world, it would make sense that God is silent to us. But can we see the effects of God's words?
Believe nothing of what you heard and half of what you see.
(What you hear can be seen as silent and what you see can be emptiness.)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Origami Koan
excerpt from The Way of the Sword by Christ Bradford
What does Origami Teach Us?
Nothing is as it appears. Just like a piece of paper can be more than a piece of paper in origami, becoming a crane, a fish or a flower so a samurai should never underestimate their own potential to bend and fold to life. To strive to become more than they first appear, to go beyond their obvious limits.
無限 Mugen. unlimited potential!
What does Origami Teach Us?
Nothing is as it appears. Just like a piece of paper can be more than a piece of paper in origami, becoming a crane, a fish or a flower so a samurai should never underestimate their own potential to bend and fold to life. To strive to become more than they first appear, to go beyond their obvious limits.
無限 Mugen. unlimited potential!
一期一会
Ichi Go Ichi E.
This is the concept that each meeting is special. There is no encore or repeat. The World is Transience. Change and keep changing. Points out that the only permanence is change.
In the duel of samurai, each meeting is a chance. Chance to live and chance to die. There is no repeat,therefore give it everything and live this moment.
I don't Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith.
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
"Let's Get Dangerous.." Darkwing Duck
This is the concept that each meeting is special. There is no encore or repeat. The World is Transience. Change and keep changing. Points out that the only permanence is change.
In the duel of samurai, each meeting is a chance. Chance to live and chance to die. There is no repeat,therefore give it everything and live this moment.
I don't Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith.
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
"Let's Get Dangerous.." Darkwing Duck
Friday, November 11, 2011
Tai Chi Philosophy
I quote from a website i visited to understand more about tai chi.
The philosophy of yin and yang is applied to tai chi in the same way that it is applied to many martial arts.
On a basic level, it teaches us to be like water, yielding to the most subtle force, yet as powerful and irresistible as the ocean. When the opponent uses force, we use softness. Where there is an opening, we flow right through. If they push, we pull. If they pull, we follow. If they miss, we don't resist.
As a principle, we seek internal balance, and modify our position relative to the opponent's force in a way that helps to improve our balance. We move at right angles to the opponent's force, rather than resisting it or surrendering to it. In this way we allow the opponent's own aggression to disarm them.
Understanding the nature of yin and yang allows us to see our own contribution to the opponent's attack. It also allows us to find the strengths in our own weaknesses and the weaknesses in the opponent's strength.
We learn that when the opponent's offensive energy increases, his/her defensive energy decreases. We also see how the same is true for ourselves.
This leads us to a level of skill which requires balancing attack and defence, and finally eliminating attack and defence as absolutes. Attack and defence become one with each other as we achieve "emptiness. This leads to a state of being and a method of engaging that involves attacking without attacking, and defending without defending. Awareness and "structure" allow us to transcend technique.
This state of emptiness, an internal stillness that exists when the ego and individual emotions are set aside, is what some call being "one with the Universe." In this state there is no enemy. The opponent defeats themselves by the nature of their own attack.
When you learn the physical skills that are used in combat, you progresses in stages:
First you learn the basic techniques that are used when the opponent already has you at a disadvantage.
Next you learn to intercept such attacks and prevent the opponent from getting you at a disadvantage.
Then you learn to prevent the attack from forming.
Finally, you learn to prevent the conflict altogether.
The final stage is a level of achievement called “no enemy.” When you reach this level you experience a level of rapport with all things. You understand their needs and fears, and deal with them as if they were your own. Active compassion prevents conflict.
Until you have achieved this highest level of skill, you may need to use lower level techniques. But the point to remember is that the purpose of training is to seek peace and harmony. To attach one’s goals to conflict guarantees defeat.
The most notable military strategist in history was Sunzi, the author of “The Art of War,” who lived in the 6th century BC. His strategies are still studied by military planners today and are still applied in war. He wrote that since no battle is without loss, it is a bad strategy to engage in battle, even when you are victorious 100% of the time. The only true victory is the one that is achieved without engaging in bloody combat.
Quote from
http://www.taichicentral.com/tai-chi/tai-chi-philosophy/tai-chi-philosophy.html
I am not a pacifist. I don't believe in passive anything - Mahatmat Gandhi
Hatred is a poison we drink ourselves and hope that it makes our enemy sick - Native proverb.
The philosophy of yin and yang is applied to tai chi in the same way that it is applied to many martial arts.
On a basic level, it teaches us to be like water, yielding to the most subtle force, yet as powerful and irresistible as the ocean. When the opponent uses force, we use softness. Where there is an opening, we flow right through. If they push, we pull. If they pull, we follow. If they miss, we don't resist.
As a principle, we seek internal balance, and modify our position relative to the opponent's force in a way that helps to improve our balance. We move at right angles to the opponent's force, rather than resisting it or surrendering to it. In this way we allow the opponent's own aggression to disarm them.
Understanding the nature of yin and yang allows us to see our own contribution to the opponent's attack. It also allows us to find the strengths in our own weaknesses and the weaknesses in the opponent's strength.
We learn that when the opponent's offensive energy increases, his/her defensive energy decreases. We also see how the same is true for ourselves.
This leads us to a level of skill which requires balancing attack and defence, and finally eliminating attack and defence as absolutes. Attack and defence become one with each other as we achieve "emptiness. This leads to a state of being and a method of engaging that involves attacking without attacking, and defending without defending. Awareness and "structure" allow us to transcend technique.
This state of emptiness, an internal stillness that exists when the ego and individual emotions are set aside, is what some call being "one with the Universe." In this state there is no enemy. The opponent defeats themselves by the nature of their own attack.
When you learn the physical skills that are used in combat, you progresses in stages:
First you learn the basic techniques that are used when the opponent already has you at a disadvantage.
Next you learn to intercept such attacks and prevent the opponent from getting you at a disadvantage.
Then you learn to prevent the attack from forming.
Finally, you learn to prevent the conflict altogether.
The final stage is a level of achievement called “no enemy.” When you reach this level you experience a level of rapport with all things. You understand their needs and fears, and deal with them as if they were your own. Active compassion prevents conflict.
Until you have achieved this highest level of skill, you may need to use lower level techniques. But the point to remember is that the purpose of training is to seek peace and harmony. To attach one’s goals to conflict guarantees defeat.
The most notable military strategist in history was Sunzi, the author of “The Art of War,” who lived in the 6th century BC. His strategies are still studied by military planners today and are still applied in war. He wrote that since no battle is without loss, it is a bad strategy to engage in battle, even when you are victorious 100% of the time. The only true victory is the one that is achieved without engaging in bloody combat.
Quote from
http://www.taichicentral.com/tai-chi/tai-chi-philosophy/tai-chi-philosophy.html
I am not a pacifist. I don't believe in passive anything - Mahatmat Gandhi
Hatred is a poison we drink ourselves and hope that it makes our enemy sick - Native proverb.
How to be Honest, In case of doubt remain silence?
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Honest
Why would one read up on how to be honest? Why shouldn't one learn to be honest as others learn to lie. Be professional honest person? Exercise the right to remain silent.
Some quotes about being honest or being silent rather than saying anything incriminating.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law."
"Never do something you will have to lie about later. If you have to lie about it, you shouldn’t be doing it."
"Son, always tell the truth. Then you'll never have to remember what you said the last time." Sam Rayburn (1882 - 1961), quoted Washingtonian, November 1978
"A half truth is a whole lie." Yiddish Proverb
"Truth fears no questions." Unknown
"The cruelest lies are often told in silence." Adlai Stevens
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive" Sir Walter Scott
Why would one read up on how to be honest? Why shouldn't one learn to be honest as others learn to lie. Be professional honest person? Exercise the right to remain silent.
Some quotes about being honest or being silent rather than saying anything incriminating.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law."
"Never do something you will have to lie about later. If you have to lie about it, you shouldn’t be doing it."
"Son, always tell the truth. Then you'll never have to remember what you said the last time." Sam Rayburn (1882 - 1961), quoted Washingtonian, November 1978
"A half truth is a whole lie." Yiddish Proverb
"Truth fears no questions." Unknown
"The cruelest lies are often told in silence." Adlai Stevens
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive" Sir Walter Scott
Silence 静
静 Practiced listening for the spaces between sound. The silence in between. The full stop to mark the break of words or the brief time to catch a breath.
Experience the sense of hearing. Layer upon layer of sounds.
静 Practiced focusing the mind on experience of the body. the Breath so that it is not focusing on other thoughts. Being Present in the moment.
Experience the sense of hearing. Layer upon layer of sounds.
静 Practiced focusing the mind on experience of the body. the Breath so that it is not focusing on other thoughts. Being Present in the moment.
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