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Virtues
- almost a purpose in itself |
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The teachings of Jigoro Kano about virtues are the summit of
ethics. Whenever he is clear about what he means by moral and
intellectual education, it is at this point.
In one respect, moral
education must be carried out from the aspect of knowledge.
That is to say, it is necessary to know intellectually what is good
and what is evil. Its is also necessary to develop the intelligence to
distinguish right from wrong in various complex situations. Thus is it
necessary to teach the ability to determine good from bad, to
discriminate what is right from what is wrong.
In another sense, moral
education must be carried out from the aspect of the emotions.
Even if you can distinguish right from wrong intellectually, if you
are not trained emotionally to like what is good and dislike what is
evil, your ability to do good and reject evil will be lacking. So if
morals are not cultivated both intellectually and emotionally, good
results cannot be achieved.
Furthermore, even if you
try to do good and reject evil, if your willpower is weak, the
opposite result will often occur. Therefore, training of the will must
also be an element of moral education - a weak willpower can result in
the inability to do what you know is right, or the inability to
prevent doing what you know is wrong.
Its also important not to
overlook the element of habit. Even if you intend to do good,
if you have not developed the habit of doing so, your best
intentions will easily be corrupted. And even the best intentions
of rejecting evil can fail if you have not developed the habit of
doing so. For that reason, you must endeavor to cultivate good habits,
love what is good and reject what is evil on a daily basis.
(Jigoro Kano, Mind over
Muscle, p. 68-69)
Kano clarifies the most important points
completely.
Moral education and proper action thus
depend on:
-
Knowledge of good and evil
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Train and manage emotions (see also in the
menu under "selfcontrol")
-
Training of a strong willpower
-
Cultivate good habits and continue to do
so.
Those good habits, with ease and conviction
in practice, are traditionally called 'virtue'.
Morals (dotoku)
should always be formed intellectually (chiteki), and with emotions
(joteki) and the habit (shukanteki) . (Jigoro Kano, 1927, KJT 5, 387)
(Jigoro Kano, 1927, KJT 5, 387)
1.
Mora about virtues
A classic definition is:
Human virtues are firm
attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and
will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our
conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease,
self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. the virtuous man
is he who freely practices the good.
Following the doctrine of virtues according to Jigoro Kano, it is
perhaps useful to say something in general about virtues as we know them
in the west. Kano knew these teachings very well. The Greek philosopher
Plato has given four virtues a very special place. They are also known
as "cardinal virtues" (Cardinal = they have a pivotal role.)
-
Intelligence/prudence - the wisdom that
orders everything (goal and means) in the correct way. (See menu
'discipline')
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Fortitude - the inner firmness and
persistence to act (see menu 'strategy')
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Temperance - moderation of desires and
emotions (see menu 'selfcontrol')
-
Justice - every man
respecting the rights of each to peace,
harmony, freedom, general welfare.
Kano speaks a lot about the first three
cardinal virtues, and you will need them in judo practice necessarily.
Justice is something else. That is for Kano almost an purpose in itself,
a moral way to the jita kyoei. It's not about an individual attitude,
but an attitude which concerns the cooperation between people and
society. Justice is the absolute standard for good and evil.
Kano connects his ethics about virtues to philosophies of the
West (which he knew from his contacts with the Western philosophers).
According to Aristotle, a doctrine about virtues is always finalized, in
the direction of a purpose. (with a difficult word: teleological). For
Kano, that purpose of human life is the jita kyoei, and the perfection
of the individual in relation to society and the world. The greatest
happiness is when you are a valuable person, someone who was able to do
something good for others. The virtue is a way on which the goal is to
be reached.
Respect and kindness,
fidelity and sincerity, are no doubt the essential points which Judo
students should particularly observe. We come by daily training to
know that irritability is one of our weakest points, and that we have
to try to avoid it in our life, as it facilitates our opponent's
efforts to overcome us. Not to be irritated in any emergency, but to
always be calm and composed, is one of the first principles of Judo.
Prudence, precaution, temperance, perseverance, presence of mind,
quick discernment, decision after deliberation, animation with
moderation, self-respect, and self-control -- all these are surely
moral qualities which are inculcated by the study of Judo. Greatness
of mind, obedience to duty and abhorrence of extravagance should be
among other points observed with no less attention. As we study and
acquire the principles of Judo, we should naturally come to understand
how these virtues can be enjoyed and utilized. The main object of Judo
lies in this point. It seeks to augment human strength, morality and
intellect by human means and efforts. It tends to train young people
in the habits and condition conducive to the accomplishment of great
undertakings.
T. Shidachi, 1892
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2. Willpower and motivation
For a judoka and each man motivation is
important. You can create the most beautiful teachings about ethics or
morality, but it brings nothing if the practitioners don't want to live
it. Therefore it is not just teaching, but education. Education is more
than learning. It is the motivation to a lifestyle. That was, according
to Jigoro Kano, what the leading role of the Kodokan (judo) was for.
Today there is much to do about values in
education.
-
Standards are objective. They are a kind
of laws, set boundaries. People without the right motivation are
looking to cross the borders.
-
Values are subjective. The importance is,
what somebody means himself. People without the right motivation set
their valuation standards low and undermine their importance.
That is why training of motivation and
willpower is so important. Virtues help with that. Because virtues lead
towards a specific goal and because even lazy or egocentric people
understand that we are all better off with them, they are able to
motivate people. (Yes, this is an ultitilitarian interpretation of
virtues!) Virtues are controllable to work with, and bring satisfaction
when something good is achieved. Also from the educational element
'effort - reward', they have a specific value.
The justice (jita kyoei) as a purpose for
all virtues, organizes the efforts of human beings. It is the standard
for good or evil. You can also be very motivated to think about bad
goals and means, and apply them it with a lot of courage. That is the
motive for criminals who kill fellow people, and terrorists who attack
innocent people. But also some judoka's fight in an unfair manner, just
wanting to win, even with dirty methods. Highly motivated, but their
courage and intellect focus on the wrong subject. Then the objective
procedure for the general welfare of human interest remains important,
reflected in the principles of jita kyoei. Who intends his virtues on
that purpose, is in the true meaning: 'of good will'. So, a good
intention is terribly important. Good is not what feels good, but what
is standardized by the goal. Something else you shouldn't want.
The motivation for the virtues to reach the
goal, must come from within. In the dojo and in life, we do good - not
because we are obliged to, but because we recognize that it is by far
the best way. And we feel that we will be lucky people, when we are
doing so. In this way, the ethics of the virtues (according to Kano) is
a real "self-realization", a path, a way of life.
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3.
Virtue and seiryoku zenyo
What do the virtues have to do with the
principle of seiryoku zenyo? Don't they belong to the jita kyoei?
The answer is: Of course, the virtues have
to do with jita kyoei, because they bring that goal closer.
Virtues create order, to achieve the goal.
Virtuousness is: man achieves by repeated training a number of basic
acts and postures that help him to realize his goal as efficiently as
possible. Who lives without virtues, is living without structure or
principles. Solid structure and motivation are necessary to be able to
work efficiently.
-
If a company that assembles trucks, for
example, would have no clear and structured design, the trucks were
not assembled in the right order, which would create a lot of extra
work, energy and costs. Acting in accordance with the principle of
seiryoku zenyo is helping to assemble efficiently and to build trucks
low-cost.
-
If a judoka implements each 'o soto gari'
in a 'new' way, and just swings with his leg as he likes it, one day
this way, the other day that way, he will be learning the throw never.
That takes a lot of extra energy. Training according to the principles
of judo helps him to throw better and it is more efficient while
studying.
-
If a man who is approaching his target
works without structure, he repeats himself again and again, so
actually he invents the wheel every time. That takes a lot of extra
energy. When acting in accordance with principles and virtues, he will
achieve his targets more efficiently.
Jigoro Kano shows that if we consistently
train judo and practice virtuously, we learn to survive at the tatami
and in everyday life with more ease, and we achieve our goal with least
possible effort. In this way virtues are part of the teachings on
seiryoku zenyo.
The Judo pupil, therefore,
must cultivate his mind; he must never feel fear, never lose his
temper, never be off his guard; but he must be cool and calm, though
not absent-minded; he must act as quick as thought, according to
circumstances. He must also be dexterous as well as bold both in
attack and in defense.
Sakujiro Yokoyama and
Eisuke Oshima
The term 'spiritual' may be
interpreted both philosophically and religiously, but the spirit of judo
adheres to virtue and morality. Inevitably, the technique conforms to
those principles also. The essence of virtue is a well-balanced spirit
and form, whereas immorality and dishonesty are forms that are caused by
a loss of balance. It can be easily understood that it is normal for the
mind, consistent with this principle, to move with lucidity,
versatility, and without obstacles. Ju is natural and free, without
rigidity or hardness, so it cannot be seized or caught. Therefore,
anyone who acts contrary to these principles is not virtuous, and can be
easily subdued by someone who is in harmony with ju.
(Kyuzo Mifune, Canon of
Judo, p. 22-23)
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