In the dojo there is a serious side to the training that must be foremost in
the mind of a serious karateka. Training should be taken seriously. Although fun
and humor can be part of the class, they must take second place to the serious
philosophy in the budo of the dojo. Noted author Dave Lowery* makes us
think clearly on this concept in his essay that talks about 'asobi ja nai.'
"Don’t play around" is a rough translation of asobi ja nai.
In Japanese, asobi means play. These are activities engaged in for fun and for
recreation. In the western world, we use play as means to get along, to learn to
cooperate, and to have fun. However play does not teach us deeper meanings of
life, purpose and character.
Budo training can be enjoyable, but the chance of injuries, hard training,
mental challenges, should make it apparent that practicing budo cannot include
play.
To paraphrase Dave Lowery* (author, practitioner of the budo and martial
arts), if you approach karate training in the same spirit as you would a bowling
league, you are definitely shortchanging yourself and insulting karate. Karate
has principles far beyond mere sport’s principles. You confront yourself and
those challenges every hour of the day.
When one walks onto the dojo floor, he begins by bowing reverently and
announcing his presence with a serious "good evening, good evening
sir." I do not think that you would do this at the bowling league, or
before a basketball or volleyball game. The concept is different and it is budo.
You are entering to learn about yourself. In the other sports, you are entering
to have fun and compete. The eventual goal of a budoka is to face death and not
be defeated. I am not sure that sport has anywhere near that serious a goal.
I am always a little dismayed before and after some classes at the various
dojo when I visit and I see students standing around talking and joking while
others stay on to train. Social relationships need to be furthered in the lobby,
not on the floor. The floor of the dojo should be a hallowed place. The dojo
means a place of enlightenment. Talking about what happened at school or work,
or relating a joke you heard earlier is not an enlightening experience. It is
asobi.
Recently I needed to remind students of the need to be focused and alert to
the floor. When the crest is not up for a class, when chairs or other articles
are left about the area, these are signs that students are not being serious.
Visitors should not be allowed on the floor with civilian clothes and shoes.
What is the value in the student observing the hallowed hall and yet others can
walk right in without being stopped and made to observe the customs. When we
enter churches, temples, and other serious places, we respect the customs and
certainly would never enter without permission. This situation is asobi by
outsiders. They do not take you nor your karate art seriously.
Asobi Ja Nai does not mean we cannot have games, especially relating to
karate, as part of the class, particularly for the children. A kicking relay
race is always fun and serves a purpose. However the whole class should not be a
relay race. There is room in the dojo class for humor, fun and asobi but the
underlying theme of the class should be of hard physical and mental challenge.
….Master Jerry Devine
Dave Lowery is a renowned author of martial ways and the budo concept. He
is also has been an active practitioner of the martial arts for many years. He
introduces the phrase asobi no jai. The concept has long been in use in the PMA
and other serious dojo and Mr. Lowery manages to put a succinct Japanese phrase
on its use.
