Judo and Rei - Its Spirit
Kano Shihan pioneered Judo as a way in which to nurture people of
excellence. Judo practitioners do not merely carry out exercises for the simple
acquisition of technical skills. In the course of their study, they also learn
Judo as a pathway through life with the aim of developing a fine character.
The spirit of Rei is vital to the
study Judo in a manner that promotes self-perfection. Rei is the spirit with
which we pay respect to the opponent, and the protocols of etiquette through
which we express this sentiment are called Reiho. The cultivation of the spirit
of Rei is connected to the development of Jita-Kyoei (mutual benefit), an
important tenet that was advocated by Kano Shihan. It is hoped that through
Judo and learning the spirit of Rei, practitioners will become fine men and
women who can carry the future.
In
the Judo dojo, we are able to learn and engage in bouts because we have
training partners. Therefore, we should take care to show them every courtesy.
When entering a competition or cheering on others, we should suppress the
desire to win at all costs, making reckless movements without caring if we
cause injury, and mistreating our opponent. Because the Budo arts are mainly
composed of fierce techniques and attacking movements, if the spirit of respect
and harmony is neglected, the bout will descend into little more than a violent
conflict. The expression "Budo begins with Rei and ends with Rei" emphasizes
the spirit of respect needed to prevent such a regrettable occurrence, and is
very important in Judo today. The stronger you become, the spirit of Rei and
the attitude of Jita-Kyoei must be maintained all the more.
Unpleasantness directed towards you
from a senior must not in turn be passed on to a junior. Offensive behavior
emanating from a person in front of you should not be channeled back to a
person behind you. It is true in many cases, however, that one comes to
understand what is unacceptable only when it is done to them for the first
time. Those who practice Judo should always consider whether or not their
conduct towards others is causing discomfort or bother. The root of the spirit
of Rei that we embody in Judo is precisely to respect others, and to not
initiate acrimony. As a matter of courtesy, we demonstrate Rei to people above
us, our peers, and those below us. Now, however, the Rei that we must earnestly
reflect on is towards those whom we cannot directly see: that is, the Rei of
civic virtue and positive social contribution.
In
modern society, although we increasingly see and hear of actions that are
lacking in the spirit of Rei, those engaged in Judo training more than anybody
else should cultivate the fundamental attitude of Rei in the dojo. Without
allowing Rei to diminish even a little, it is incumbent on us to continue
holding in esteem its spirit in the course of our daily lives. I hope that this
will become a model for society.
