SANCHIN BUSHI - THE WARRIOR OF THE THREE BATTLES

     When considering the meaning of Sanchin, (the three battles to unify mind, body and spirit), in Sanchin Bushi, it should be realized that this unification can happen only when there is a balance among the three.  If one goes through life trying to unify these three and allows one or two of the three to dominate the others then a balance cannot be achieved.

     If the body is allowed to rule over the mind and spirit, then one can see only the surface or physical side of life and will not be able to understand the truths and meanings that lay just beneath that surface. Nor will one be able to appreciate the sanctity of life and the need for compassion and mercy that comes with a gentle spirit.

     When the mind is allowed to dominate the other two, there may be great understanding of concepts and principles and spiritual awareness, but the body will be lacking in the stamina and strength needed to persevere and so be unable to apply this knowledge effectively making for a weak foundation.

    The spirit is the most difficult of the three battles and is the most overlooked and least appreciated. This is likely because it is the one battle that shows us our true selves and requires us, more than the other two battles, to be honest with those around us and therefore with ourselves.  However, if one tends to be too spiritually minded, they are in danger of not seeing or understanding that there are basic needs and responsibilities that are a necessary part of the physical world that our bodies live in. (In essence, you can be so heavenly minded, that you are no earthly good.)

    Therefore, a proper balance of the three must be achieved, so that any one of them will support and enhance the other two. This same principle is an important element of life and how we deal with it.

     Life as we know it is more than the physical (body) world around us. There is also a need to understand (mind) this plane of existence so we are better able to make the best use of all the elements that are part of this world.  But what helps us in our journey through the physical and intellectual world is the ability to exercise restraint and control, tempered with compassion and love (spirit) for all that is around us.

    Understanding and practicing this philosophy is a crucial part of our development as we journey through our way of life as students of the Art. It is not enough to be strong of Body in the Art. We have to be strong of Mind and strong in Spirit as well.

     When we begin our journey as martial artists we start off by conditioning our Bodies to make them strong and agile in preparation for the rigors of the training to come. As our bodies grow stronger we begin learning new ways of using our bodies as a means of defense. These techniques are only as good as our understanding of how to apply them.  This is when we begin our journey of learning. A strong Mind is needed to grasp the concepts of the Art, especially as the techniques become more complicated. This is why practice and more practice are important. Not only to strengthen our bodies, but also our understanding.

     Sadly for many who practice the Art, this is where their journey ends. Often times, no thought or effort is given to the spiritual aspect of the Art. Although all three elements of Sanchin are equally important, if the Spiritual aspect of the Art is ignored or not given the time needed to develop spiritually, one cannot expect to progress any further in the Art. Without the balance of the Spirit in the Art, how can one recognize when the need for compassion or mercy is warranted? How can we realize that the balance that comes with unification is by definition the “Art” in Martial Arts! We must realize that although we have the potential to inflict pain and possibly injury, we also must have the capacity to temper this with compassion and mercy. Not every encounter with an adversary requires a physical response. Often just the minimal application of techniques is sufficient. Fight “smart”, not hard. (Maximum effect with minimal effort).

    The time and effort to balance these three elements of Sanchin are great indeed. Human nature makes it difficult for us to bring them into balance, as we tend to pay more attention to the one that is clamoring for the most attention at the moment. It is indeed a great battle to be able to master and unify these three elements…….these three battles that are continually ongoing in our lives, with no end in sight. The strength of character needed to wage these battles, is why we must constantly train our Bodies, Minds and Spirits. And since we are training for battle, this is why we train as warriors, which brings us to Bushi……The Warrior. The Warrior who is daily continuing  his/her fight of the three battles to find that balance in life……The Warriors Way of Life.  Or Bushi-do!

     So then, we see that a good foundation which comes from a strong Body, leads to a strong Mind which we use to build our understanding of what we learn. And as we grow in these two areas, we begin to grow in spirit as well, making us formidable. We become Warriors, capable of daily fighting these three battles. Thus we become SANCHIN BUSHI!


Sensei John Dumond,

Sanchin Bushi Karate-Do