Saturday, January 26, 2013

The evolution of the kanji "bu" (武)



The original epitomology of the kanji "bu" consists both of "hoko" (戈) which means a halberd/spear and "ashi" (足) which means foot. The kanji "bu" originally depicts a foot soldier carrying a halberd, which means it has something to do with war.

However as time progresses, I don't really know when, but some say it was during Sun Tzu's time, the kanji was interpreted in another way, or should I say to another level. Instead of "ashi", "tome" (止), which means to stop, was used. "Bu" now no longer means war but has taken a more philosophical meaning, to stop the halberd/spear.

But what is the implication of this?

It is a progression. In order to stop the spear, one must learn how to use the spear, to be skillful at it, to be skillful to a point that one will know how to stop it.

It cannot be taken one sided as pacifism, because it is not about not fighting, but it is the purpose of your battles.

The trouble with this is, as humans, one will always justify that their fight and battles for a noble cause, except for the select ones that do just want to see the world burns. In any case, the justification will be one sided and will always be seen as the one true cause by the proponents of the war, as it has always been.

I need to see this from a realistic point of view. The relative world is not pretty and it all boils down to which side you're on, not about right or wrong, just a perceived sense of truth and justice which everybody will be fighting for.

As for the absolute, we as humans could not even fathom the concept.

無心の心 - mushin no shin... The mind of no mind...

Things that could not be grasped by the relative mind are best not to be dragged into thinking as it would only make it as confined as one's thought

So what does it have to do with 武? Perhaps nothing... Perhaps everything...

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