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Originated by Tode "Karate" Sakagawa (1733 - 1815)

Popularized by Gichin Funakoshi 

 

Seek Perfection of Character

To "seek" perfection of character, you must look to all aspects of your life — physical, mental, and spiritual. The karate-ka (karate student) must have a balance by training to develop the body, as well as the mind. Obstacles must be overcome, not simply be met, if you are to progress to a higher level. You must have patience. You must always strive to remain strong to your morals and values. Seeking this perfection is a life-long endeavor. The journey is the reward.

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Be Faithful

To be faithful refers to the loyalty shown to yourself, your family, your art, other students, and the instructor. This at first seems unusual to Westerners, but it is unreasonable to expect the instructor to give all that he or she has if the student is likely to leave for the slightest reason. If the student gives the class his or her sincere effort, through time, the art will reveal all that it has to offer. This loyalty will be the basis for a strong, positive learning environment and relationship.

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Endeavor

Endeavoring means that the student must make a choice. If you are to excel in the art of shotokan, you must endeavor to its practice. There are many levels of dedication and commitment. The student must realize that whichever level of sustained commitment is demonstrated corresponds with the level of experience that he or she will gain. There is a place in the dojo for everyone, despite a wide array of interest toward the art, so it is up to you to decide where you want to be and what is to be gained from your training. Everyone has potential, but it is the effort that will distinguish the student.

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Respect Others

A very important aspect of one's development, and therefore of this class, is respect. Respect is shown by the manner in which you conduct yourself around others — around all others. Proper respect and courtesy must be given if it is expected to be received. Most commonly, respect is shown by the bow, but is also demonstrated by attitude, tone of voice, and bodily expression. Though not all behaviors and ideologies are respectable, all individuals deserve respect.

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Refrain from Violent Behavior

It is known that one who trains in the martial arts will gain the ability to inflict injury upon another. This is why you should not. The purpose of karate is not ultimately to learn how to defeat an opponent by lowering yourself to a physical fight, for even if you win, you have lost. You see, the opponent has already won by dragging you into his or her arena — you are doing what the opponent wants. You must learn to be content and humble with what you know. This confidence and silence will allow you to win more confrontations by not getting in them. It is far more difficult to be patient, understanding, and calm in an aggressive situation than it is to hastily jump into violence. As Gichin Funakoshi wrote, "The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor in defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants."

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