Three Warriors
BLOG - Grandmaster Gedo Chang
There lived 3 very famous warriors in a small village. The people in the village wondered who was the best warrior among these three. So the village chief organized a meeting to discuss how they could find the best warrior among these three. The result of the meeting was as follows.
3 people were chosen as examiners. 1. Was the village Chief. 2. The second was a Scholar. 3. Third was a Tea Master.
The plot was very simple. They chose one young strong man in the village, and they hid him behind the entrance gate. His instructions were to give sudden unknown strikes whenever these 3 warriors walked into the threshold of the gate. They invited the warriors to come at different times into the village hall.
The 1st warrior was walking into the entrance very arrogantly and flamboyant. The young man suddenly came out from behind the gate and struck the warrior with a stick. Of course the examiners were in the hall looking through the window, seeing how the warrior reacted! The warrior collapsed and was defenseless. About 10 minutes later the second warrior was stepping over the threshold of the gate. The young man stepped out and swung the stick, but the warrior was quick enough to avoid the stick and he pulled out his sword and directed the point of it to the young man’s neck. He said to the young man , “You should not have played with a well trained warrior, What a stupid act!” The young man knelt down and apologized, bowing. Indeed it was swift and quick reaction of the warrior from the sudden ambush, so the examiners were astonished.
Another 10 minutes later, the 3rd warrior was approaching towards the threshold of the gate, however, he suspected something and felt something was not right! Before he stepped over the threshold he said “Hey, who is behind the gate? Do not play games with a well seasoned warrior!! Step out and show yourself!!” The young man walked out and knelt down to the warrior and said “ I am very sorry Master, please forgive my bad deed.”
Absolutely the 3rd warrior became chosen as the best warrior. Perhaps the 1st warrior only depended on physical techniques, so he became defenseless.
The second warrior was mentally and physically well learned, but his gut feeling, that he was suppose to feel in advance was lacking. So he could not go down in his unconscious realm.
The 3rd warrior not only had the physical and the mental ability but also had the level of unconscious realm. He had wisdom through his gut feelings. You know the meaning of this story, so I don’t need to give you more details. We must open our spiritual eyes. For that we must overcome our egotistic self. We must become one with our true self deep inside.
This is what we are doing every morning in daybreak KI class. A ancient Greek Philosopher Epictetos, said this is a fragment torn from God. Each individual possesses the portion of him within himself! Anselm Grun, a very famous German priest and theologian, said this inner pure space that everyone possesses, called the ground of all being. In other words, he meant it is God existing within each individual.
When we become well harmonized with this reality it is called peace and Heaven. Generally speaking many people believe Heaven is the place we can go after death. It’s true!! However, we ought to overcome our egotistic self, not physical death. So don’t you want to experience Heaven while living? This is why we need discipline in the martial arts. When you first join, you learn to bow to instructors and Black belts, respecting the higher rank. Do you know why? It is called repentance, to learn how to become humble! Regardless of any religion East or West, humility is the 1st condition to experience permanent peace. Humility is the 1st step to cleanse your mind, in order for you to be harmonized with inner reality.
Discipline ,Discipline and Discipline!!
Thank you
Grand Master Gedo Chang