The four main practices used to achieve enlightenment are the way of the fakir, the way of the monk, the way of the yogi, and the way of the martial artist. In this bit of scribbling we shall go over what is special about the way of the warrior. After all, enlightenment is probably a pretty nifty thing to reach, and it would be a good idea to speed up any individuals progress on the way to enlightenment.
It is said, of the four paths to enlightenment, that the way of the warrior is the fastest. This is an interesting look at things enlightenment, for one would think that a path dedicated to things war would be the slowest. After all, learning how to maim and kill would seem antithetical to pursuing enlightenment.
First, the warrior deals with matters of the world. He does not turn his attention inward to seek enlightenment, but does his searching in an open manner, seeking out conflict and confronting it. This means, ultimately, giving up the desire for conflict, none of the other enlightenment disciplines utilize this methodology.
Second, the warrior deals with the real world. We could argue about what is real, but in lieu of that mental exercise let's just say that the universe is constructed of objects in motion. The warrior is the only traveler of the four that deals directly with a universe filled with objects in motion.
Third, the warrior is much more active in following his discipline. I say this because the discipline is active. Simply, the warrior has something to do on the path to enlightenment, which is something the others do not necessarily have.
Fourth, there is a built in guiding factor in the way of the martial artist. Simply, if a technique does not function, the result will be noted as a punch in the face. This 'feedback' device tends to make the artist more demanding in his seeking of perfection and enlightenment.
To conclude, let me say that every path has its strengths and weaknesses. Heck, you knew that. So the point of this article is not to speak ill of other disciplines, merely to point out how glorious the one you are immersed in is.
You are the one, you see; you are the karateka and the kung fu student and the aikidoka and...the Tai Chi Chuan practitioner. You practice a method, and you are in a hurry, no matter how slow you think you move, to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Godspeed you.
Al Case has studied kung fu for 40 years. If you want to see How Far the Martial Arts Can Go, pick up a free book at Monster Martial Arts.
