Swordmanship

People who hasn't understood swordsmanship often has many misgivings concerning it. Let me tell you something:

The real purpose of practicing swordmanship are:

1. To make the sword inseparable from us. In fact, it becomes nothing else but a continuation of our own body. So we'll be able to wield it as easy as we eat, walk, etc.
2. The higher one. To make the sword actually unified with us, body and soul. So it even exists in our heart and mind. This way, we can even use a blade of grass as our sword, and attack an opponent from 10 paces distance.
3. The highest purpose. Sadly, many people tend to dismiss this level of achievement. Either they forget it, or despise it, just overlook it, out of fear avoid it, or simply don't realize it. It is: to make the wielder comprehend the nature of sword so much that he feels enough of it, sort of fed up with it, so he "throw" the sword away from his hands and his heart and mind. Thus, he find tranquility, solace, peace...with God and all His creation under Him. Including with himself, the swordsman.

Does the latest, highest level of achievement render the swordsman impotent? Au contraire. Hasn't he passed level 1 and 2, meaning now he has become an extremely skilled swordsman? Yet, since he is in peace and no longer has intention to mis-wield the sword, he becomes a very secure person for the society. He might never use his sword for anything else save for practicing and to uphold the truth and justice, eg.: protecting the society he lives in.

If these all sound absurd to you, you better dare yourself to get the taste of it. Practice it. There's a good site to add to my explanation on this subject. You can find in in the right "Interesting Links" column in this blog, but i'll give it here anyway too: www.jidai.jp

Mind you, swords are not to be always taken literally. Swords here, as in our life, could mean anything we can wield to show, uphold, exert our power. That would include rifle/firearms, even nuclear weapon, and our positions, be it in the office, society, etc.

So you see...there's more to it than just martial art related matter. It's life itself. And ourselves.

Goodness, Kindness, Which Is Good and Kind?

An acquaintance of mine once said that in doing something good, beneficial, kind, the only thing that matter is our will/intention/motivation. By that, i interpreted that's it, that's all.

Is It?

Wrong.

Not apprehending what we will or is doing, also what we've done, not finding the truth about it first, what effects it will cause, will i benefit others by doing so, etc, is a sin in itself. In the past, in the colonial era, the british and the french and some other old european powers launched their conquering campaign that spun for centuries, under the pretext of spreading peace, law, and order over their then becoming dominion. so, many of their young citizens joined their armed forces and eventually backed up the colonizing programme.

Did they do more goodness to the colonized countries' native inhabitants? Well, did we learn subjective or objective history?

What is good according to one man might not be good for another. Forcing our version of goodness then itself is violating kindness and good will principle. Yes, as long as we intend to do good it will be appreciated. By God, usually, not by fellow human. Why? Because each sides define everything from their own perception from the beginning.

But we do deemed to do goodness, kindness, right? So which is good and kind?

The bible says "Don't lay yourself to the opinion of others, but rely yourself on the opinion of God". The prophet Muhammad saw/pbuh said "Ignorance/foolishness/stupidity is so close to sin doing" If someone is not aware of what she/he is doing, she/he might end up doing something that is bad to others, without ever realizing nor intending to do so deliberately.

So, let's not base our decision on selfish, petty human thoughts. Let's find the truth. The real truth.

Egg Man

Humans tend to be like eggs sometimes. Hard on the outside, yet, like an egg, so thin that hardness is. Just superficially, skin deep, indeed, literally. While on the inside, lays the soft matter, which is the real one. Real egg, real human.

The soft one, protected by hard shell. Without it, that soft substance simply spilled out, making no good use. But after some treatment with heat, it'll make a beneficial product. Egg being incubated by the mother hen, for example, will God permits allow a chick to come out. Egg being boiled or fried etc, will make a nutritious food (Don't eat too much of them though).

So, don't be affraid to tempered, forged, by "heat" in this life. Like a german said, "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger".

Keep fighting the good fight, dear readers.

Answered by a Slap

A young man who has just returned from studying abroad comes approaching an ustadz (muslim cleric, or religious figure, for there's no priesthood in islam). After reception, he asks straightly to the point:
" I've been keeping these questions i got from abroad, and so far, no muslim, including ustadzs, ever be able to answer them. Then i approach you. May i ask them?"

The ustadz replies "with God's permission, i'll answer them".

The lad says "i told you, no muslim including any ustadz has ever be able to answer them up until now. Are you sure yo'll answer them?"

The ustadz, showing a bit of hesitation, replies "I'm God's servant. I'll strive to do what i need to do with His leave".

"Fine", replies the young man. "Here are they:

1. Does God really exist? Proof it if you say so.
2. What's this thing called fate? As if every man has her/his pre-destined destination.
3. If you all believe satan was made out of fire, why would God throw him to hell anyway, at the end? Both are made of fire. Would something hurts other that has been made of the same substance?

" Is that it?", asks the ustadz.
"Yup, there they are", replies the lad.

The ustadz says "give some time to ponder please"
"Surely", replies the boy.

"With God's permission, i'll answer them now"

Before the young man has time to do anything...

WHAPP!!!

The ustadz slaps the young man's face hardly and swiftly. "What the...!?!", says the young man in awe. The ustadz then says "There goes your answer". The young man says "what kind of @#*% answer was that!?!"

The ustadz then says "What do you feel after i slapped you?" The lad says "Terrible pain!". The ustadz asks "Please explain to me what pain is. show it to me before my eyes, or hand it to my grab". "I can't!" replies the lad. "I can't even see it!". "But you believe it exists?", asks the ustadz. "Damn sure i do!" says the boy.

"Now so is God. We all can feel and believe His existence by feeling His presence, for example, by seeing all His creation. Although He Himself is yet visible".

"What my hand was made of?" asks the ustadz.

"Flesh and blood, bones, covered with skin", replies the young man.

"So we are the same, especially your cheek and my hand, and yet you still felt pain, correct?

"I did", answered the lad.

"What will prevent God from making hell made of fire able to hurt satan, who also had been made from the same substance then?"

"Have you predicted that i'd slap you?"

"No, replied the young man".

"There's fate. Something that ought to happen will eventually simply happen. We'll never guessed them out".

Does this story slap any of us?

Francais

Ha, je veux écrire des postings dans ce blog ci en français...

Le Motto de la France c'est liberté, égalité, et fraternité. Dommage, le gouvernement de la France est raciste.