By: Colin Wee

Colin Wee — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 04:01:00 +0000

That’s a good point, Theo. For your non-martial arts readers however ‘do’ is not just transliterated from ‘path’ in English. If it were, it would be not dissimilar to words like methodology, system, approach, etc. This would not clarify much to an english-speaking person except to communicate that karate has a different methodology of say teaching (or stylistic performance, etc) to taekwondo or other schools. Where I come from, words carry their own gravitas. When we speak, and when we intone certain words, the gravitas such words carry is acknowledged. ‘Do’ for instance, is one of these words where the first utterance would naturally be followed by a pause. Speaker and listener would be attuned to the gravitas of that word and would recognise there are higher order perspectives the speaker is acknowledging. This may or may not be verbalised but their cummulative meaning and the associated higher-level thinking from other conversations are invoked by the speaker. The gravitas of this specific word ‘do’ exists because it is a fundamental to our culture. Its power comes from the willingness to go beyond. To dedicate one’s entire life towards a path, typically devoid of the notion of self gain, in order to seek mastery and to transcend one’s limitations. This in fact is why the same concept has to be explained to people not wholly understanding it’s cultural significance; many confuse this with religious fervour. Religion for instance is often marked by some form of transcendence after some form of anointment or baptismal. ‘Do’ leads us to expertise because we clarify issues while finessing technique, but people who do not understand would simply confuse it with religious fervour.

Comments on: Ethical and Mental Aspects

By: Colin Wee