Customer Reviews

The Bodhisattva Warriors: The Origin, Inner Philosophy, History and Symbolism of the Buddhist Martial Art Within India and China

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I don't know what some of these reviewists talk about when they say that Shifu Nagaboshi Tomio's work is fabricated. Bodhisattva warriors has much quantifiable evidence in its 500 plus pages (I can only think that they have an ulterior motive to try suppress the writers' work).

Bodhisattva Warriors to my mind goes beneath the surface of current historical facts but the key facts are still there with many more I had not read before pointing me in directions for further reading.

With regards this subject the most popular records are those of of Bodhidharma the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism in India, and the first Patriarch in China. Bodhidharma is traditionally held to be the founder of the Chaan school of Buddhism (known in Japan and the West as Zen), and the Shaolin school of Chinese martial arts. Bodhidharma is well known for teaching the ailing monks of Shaolin the moving arts, though Shifu Nagaboshi points out that having been an Indian Prince like the Buddha, Bodhidharma had been taught the warrior arts of the Kshatrya caste in his home country of India.

There is no question about the earliest reliable evidence of Buddhist monks engaging in military action, and therefore possibly using martial arts skills, from the celebrated attack on Wang Shih-ch'ung's forces, in support of the Tang forces of Li Shill-min, in 621 CE. Memorial tablets recording this and other military exploits of Shaolin monks are still preserved today. (DEMIEVILLE 1973, pp. 275-79)

Terry Dukes' sensible observation that many martial arts movements in China, Korea and Japan are derived from Buddhist 'mudra' (signs of the hand) are clearly not just his own fanciful ideas (as some like to suggest) as these mudras can be seen all over China in surviving Buddhist paintings and statues of Buddhas. Evidence is even greater in Buddhist temple guardians who are traditionally depicted in warrior like poses performing mudras which are easily recognised as martial arts movements. Just to give a couple of examples: the well known Buddhist mudra 'abhaya mudra', the 'mudra of fearlessness' which the Buddha is recorded as using to subdue a charging elephant, can be seen in many martial arts as it is a type of inner circling knife hand. 'Bhumisparsa mudra' the mudra of calling the earth to witness is depicted in images of temple guardians as a gesture of surpressing enemies of Buddhism. However these examples are just two of many that can be uncovered by any discerning martial arts enquirer.

I have myself checked that many of these images and statues date back to the early insurgence of Buddhist culture into China through the silk Road which opened in the Second Century BC so there is absolutely no historical dispute that Indian Buddhism had a massive impact on Chinese Culture from this date onwards and Terry Dukes helps make the cross connections between martial arts and Buddhism from this time onwards.

Again there are more sustainable facts with Zhang Qian (Hsuang Tsang) a Chinese explorer and imperial envoy of the 2nd century BCE, is recorded as the first official diplomat to bring back reliable information about Central Asia to the Chinese imperial court, then under Emperor Wu of Han. Zhang Qian is also credited with the translation of many important Buddhist texts (sutras) which layed down the foundations for Buddhism which was to rival and often dominate Taoism in the Chinese imperial court.

There is no disputing that Indian Buddhism was so widespread that it managed to reach the shores of Japan, and as we know very well was whole heartedly adopted by the Japanese, dramatically influencing Japanese culture and arts from the 7th Century to the present day.

There is of course a fundemental difference between Japan and China in that Japan had no forign intervention or civil wars which resulted in the suppression of Buddhism. In China however as Terry Dukes points out in Bodhisattva Warriors that Taoism and Buddhism vied for acceptance as the imperial courts religion and so inevitably Buddhism at different periods in Chinese history was outlawed and inevitably had to be taught secretly. It is only a small step to infer that to escape detection by the authorities Buddhism was easily codified into hand movements and dances (form, kata or hsing) where it has been passed down through Buddhist martial practices to the present day.

Shifu Nagaboshi's assertians of this are are easily verified by evidence of the codification of mudras (hand signs) in Buddhist practice because we can see the practices of Chen Yen monks of China, Shingon Monks of Japan and Vajryana lamas of Tibet who still ritually perform complicated hand movements to accompany verbal and meditational practices.

This is what is interesting about this book as just as in Buddhist Chuan Fa the mudra these monks use are not just simply mundane 'hand signs' but a 'phsyco-physical' gesture which (as this term suggests) involves not just the body but also the mind of the practitoner.

The practice of unifying mind and body within physical training is well established within martial arts systems and this Buddhist (yogacara) tradition as Shifu Nagaboshi (along with others)* correctly identifies is most certainly one of the roots of this practice. (See Keenan: Spontaneity in Western Martial Arts, A Yogacara Critique of Mushin [No-Mind]- a google search will find this)

Terry Dukes (who quite openly displays both his English and Budddhist name on the front cover) has obviously hit some raw nerves with people who would keep to their blinkered history of martial arts rather than engage with the facts that there are some aspects of the esoteric doctrines that just do not fit into martial arts based on commercial an egotistical gain.

As a Buddhist this book explained a lot about the art I am practicing.

I read this book with interest. Later, after speaking with some martial arts instructors who had read this novel approach, I learned that there were many controversial issues. The ideals for martial artists are established well by Mr. Dukes. Although some may question the accuracy of translations and even some of the Chinese and Sanskrit terms, I should remind the prospective reader that these concepts have many layers of meanings, many ways of interpretation, and function on both subjective and objective levels at once. Maybe, the only just criticism is that of Mr. Duke's pejorative view of other systems besides his own, such as calling Tai-Chi a "one-legged" discipline. He is not knowledgeable in all approaches. In this Mr. Dukes needs to go back and use introspection with perspicacity, which is also a Bodhisattva ideal. There are far too many systems to attempt to label them all under a single category. All martial arts have validity when they are looked at, as the great and late Bruce Lee citing the sages said, that they must become formless form. Respect of the martial styles of others is part of the character building at the heart of all Kung Fu. Being an instructor for many years of both "external" and "internal" approaches, I have found, as many others have, that they are different paths to the top of the mountain. A mountain perhaps that has no top. Yet, as Mr. Dukes implies, there is the sine qua non of correct principle in all practice. In this, he professes the right path. I give this book a five star rating because Mr. Duke's has made a bona fide contribution to the martial disciplines and opened the door for meritorious achievement for aspiring practitioners. This book is tough and should be read slowly and with the view that there is always more to learn.

We have all been waiting a long time for this book to appear and what an eye opener it has proved to be. For the first time ever someone has sat down and done his homework on a task so vast that few others, if they could, have attempted it. Here we find the whole panoply of those factors which originated the martial arts laid out for us to see and much of its content is distinct and unique.
The author correctly identifies the Buddhist Elements as the basic descriptive coda for the spiritual content of martial arts.
He seems the only person capable of giving us an account of the Tibetan records of Bodhidharma which have lain uknown to martial arts historians for years and provides in his extremely valuable 'notes' section incredible snippets of information and scholarship which put other writers to shame. Just glance through the range of works referenced in his Bibliography for instance. Here is a definitive account of the life of Chen Gen Ping in Japan, the system of correspondencies used in the ancient Kata, the earliest form of the Buddhist 'five animals ' kata, the Indian Sanscrit names for the early kata and techniques all of which seems completely unknown to modern teachers. One could go on.
It is all marvellous. By setting out a coherent basis of the Buddhist forms of martial arts he gives good descriptions of the spiritual obligations incurred and why they are significant. He seems the only man who correctly understands, or has been shown, the 18 steps of the earliest forms of the Chinese Sanchin kata and he avoids the trap of quoting or utilising the modern references and validifications spoken of in Karate schools as is proper. He has little to say of Taoist schools or forms of martial art instead he keeps to his main 'Bodhisattva' theme throughout.
The wealth of correalation between martial principle & tactics and their Buddhist spiritual principles shines out so clearly and makes such common sense that is spells the death knell for those that attempt or pretend to show there is none.
Every person who seriously studies Buddhism should accquire this book or study the Mushindo form of Shorin Kempo it has emerged from.
Its writer has studied for over 40 years including living both as a Zen and as an esoteric monk on mountains and temples in Japan, Okinawa and China. Nagaboshi was the first Englishmen to study and publicly teach Kempo and he has done us agreat service He is one of the few to have been privy to the inner world of those Okinawan teachers who have drawn away from the public eye. By establishing contacts with Okinawan and Japanese families of past teachers he was granted access to their family writings and diaries and has been instrumental in getting some of their previously hidden teachings translated and published making it possible for others to follow the same path he trod. He is I believe still engaged in such work as he currently lives, researches and teaches Buddhist philosophy at a Japanese temple.

There is so much to learn from this book and it is worthy of many years of study and re-reading. I hope that future works on the inner history and meanings of martial arts use this book as their orientatative guide and I for one sincerely hope that Nagaboshi shifu will write more on this subject soon.

David Taylor. Cambridge
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This the only book I have come across that makes a credible link between Buddhism and the martial arts. Buddhism has as it's first principle non-violence, and that a Buddhist (Bodhidharma) should have founded the martial arts is a paradox. "Buddhist martial art" is an oxymoron. This book makes an invaluable contribution to anyone interested in this unlikely combination.

Most references to Zen or Buddhism that one comes aross in martial arts literature are so ignorant of even the basic tenets of the Buddhist faith as to be laughable. The author knows his Dharma and as a practicing Buddhist I found this refreshing. Finally someone that actually seems to know what he's talking about!

Other reviewers have anonymously, and without substantiating evidence, attacked the author's credentials and cedibility which is quite shameful. The Author on the otherhand has meticulously documented his case. We can at least check his facts. And no I am not a student of the author.

By putting the physical movement side of the fighting arts into a much larger context one can see how they might constitute a 'do', or way, that leads to enlightenment. Karatedo may be a path but to this Buddhist it looks more like the garden path than the golden path :-)

I recommend this book!

There are two sides to every coin and some martial arts practitioners dismiss this book out of hand and they are entitled to their views however in my humble opinion and that of many others in the martial arts world this book is a milestone in Martial Arts research. Nagaboshi/Dukes has oviously taken a lot of time in these 500 or so pages to investigate questions that many martial arts students would like to have answers to.

Although certainly not an easy read it is obvious after a while that Nagaboshi/Dukes is uncovering ideas that are rarely if ever mentioned in the local Shoalin/Zen/Budo martial arts dojo. Some of these questions are really quite simple like:

Why 'clobbering' each other is Buddhist?
What could be Buddhist about kata or forms?
Why does the Japanese term for the martial arts training hall 'dojo' have the same name as the meditation hall in a Zen monastery'?
What is the spiritual connection with the Shaolin Monastry or to Buddhism in general?
What did the patron of Buddhist Martial arts 'Bodhidhama' actually say and teach?

This book is certainly not going to be to everyone's taste but if you are seriously interested in what a Buddhist Martial art is and why, then this book cannot be overlooked. There are very few if any books to my knowledge that take this subject so seriously and if those who write it off were to write any books on the subject I would be happy to read them.

Bodhisattva Warriors has had an obvious impact, sending all the Shaolin/Zen perporting martial arts teachers diving to swat up on their Buddhism so that their students can't ask them awkward questions or on the other hand taking the easiest option in just dismissing Nagaboshi/Dukes as having made it all up! Which is obviously not the case if you read the book.

I've taken the time to read this book and come to my own conclusions. This is a very important book possibly a milestone in martial arts literature. Nagaboshi/Dukes has focused on the spiritual Buddhism in the Buddhist martial art rather than just paying lipservice to it with a few quipped Zen sayings. If your teacher doesn't know much about why his martial art is Buddhist, then this is the book to get and if he dimisses it you will know why. He hasn't read it!

Bodhisattva Warriors has obviously taken years of research to compile and probably the best part of a lifetime to write. It is a must even if like me you just use it as part of your research into martial arts history. I give it five stars.

hello, I am Hide from Japan and I have read this book carefully
for several years. It is a great study of the origins and connections between the different forms of Budo and can be understood on several levels. The author led some classes that I studied in many years ago so I am familiar with his methods and also some of his teachers here. This is why I got this book. Its not hard tosee why some Karate men would be scared of what it says as it exposes many of the materialistic myths that are taught in some commercialsed clubs, especialy with ragrd to its history. I dont understand what one person here says about its writer and Trungpa as I know 2 persons who studies for some months with Nagaboshi at Trungpas centre in Scotland and have seen many photos of Trungpa joining in Kempo classes there. Perhaps this critic is just jealous? I would very much recommend this to students no matter what their grade or level as a basic reference for their future studies. My college mates who are from Okinawa all have copies which they study. Best wishes to you.

The Bodhisattva Warriors is a highly intellectual, thought-provoking book and is not for the casual reader. Despite its length and the depth of information given, it is obvious that the book is meant as an introduction only for it deals with a vast amount of complex subject matters, most of which would take volumes to cover fully. Where applicable, the sources of photographs and illustrations are given, and the 124 pages of the notes and bibliography at the back indicate where information contained in the book came from.
For the serious student who is interested in gaining a wider knowledge and understanding of the martial arts, The Bodhisattva Warriors by Shifu Nagaboshi Tomio provides a solid base from which to carry out further research and study.
This book is highly recommended.

Not an easy reading but full of genuine research, interesting informations, and flashes of wisdom. Very good translations of Bodhidharma's texts would be of interest to any Ch'an or Zen practitioner - among others. Also reveals less known but strong ties beetwen spiritualy orientated Martial Arts and Shingon Buddhism. It invites further studies in the field, which could even prove that some thesis in the book are not accurate, but this book is bold attempt anyway. I gave it five stars for originality, but it is difficult to compare it, beacause there are not many simmilar texts about Martial Arts around. Strong ideas are presented, be carefull and maintain "creative" scepticism. Do not expect to find here pictures of punches, blocks etc, but maybe the spirit behind them.

This book has spawned so many historically inaccurate interpretations of martial arts online and in print. The author actually is not even Japanese but European and has a dubious past as a historian and even a martial arts practitioner. Most serious historians with a Ph.D behind there names who actually write textbooks have discounted the vast majority of his conclusions and even his poor attempts at linking japanese terms with Sanskrit terminology. All in all, a book written by a sham artist catering to the sensationalist in all of us. Let me quote an article from another site that has done research on this fellow:

"The Boddhisatva Warriors" by "shifu" Nagaboshi Tomio (real name: Terrance Dukes, no apparent relation to Frank Dux other than problems telling the truth). Founder of the homemade Mushindo Karate movement, never studied under a legitimate teacher, or any martial art teacher, never set foot in Asia, completely disproven, shown to have plagiarized many photos and other materials from other published written sources. Of course he claims to have studied under masters in Tibet, and been a disciple of Okinawan Karate teachers - since disproven by such worthy sources as Gorge Mattson, et al. Was involved in an abusive sex scandal with several female students a few years back ("Sleep with me and I'll enlighten you" kinda thing), uses abusive and coercive tactics to control what ex-students say at him, a propaganda liemaster. This book is awful--he quotes secret manuscripts relating to Gichen Funakoshi's teachers, yet has a record of plagiarizing and can't name a single organization in Asia that exists which recognises or remembers him. Not worth your money. Worth seeing some of the Phony Mushindo websites though for the evidence!!"

This a typical result of "impressionistic" research, that is the one not backed with facts and documents, but rather full of stuff that long fell out of fashion: urban legends about martial arts tricks coupled with "new-age" ad hoc explanations for everything as "coming out of the same source." A careful reader will note this pastiche right away. And if there is any reason to buy this book at all, is to make it a museum piece in the section dedicated to post-hippie follies.