the principal which he called marobashi

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the principal which he called “Marobashi”. Marobashi is a deepunderstanding of the nature of combat and is the basis of alltechniques in Yagyu Shinkage Ryu. It is traditionally described asmeeting the opponents acti!ity as freely and naturally as a round

ball rolling on a board or a round stone rolling down a steephillside.

Yagyu Sekishusai Munetoshi was a famous warrior of the Yamato region (present-day Nara Prefecture).

Somewhat more familiar terms conveying the same meaning as marobashi no michi mightbe Fudoshin (immovable mind) or Fudochi (immovable wisdom), i.e. non-abiding, as set forth inTakuan's Fudochi Shimmyo Roku (which also happens to have some relationship with the agyufamily, being originally writings sent by Takuan to agyu Sekishusai's son, agyu !unenori).

An Introduction to akuan!s "ritings on #en and Swordsmanship $% students in a series ofdue&s. In acknow&edgment of Munetoshi!s achie'ement idetsuna awarded him his inka or

forma& sanction designating Munetoshi a master of the New Shadow schoo& together with a

certification tit&ed Shadow *ata&og (+age mokuroku) documenting the history and essentia&s

of idetsuna!s teaching., "riting in the *ata&og idetsuna states that he formu&ated the

New Shadow techniue /y e0tracting the essence of his masters! teachings emphasi1ing

a/o'e a&& the a/i&ity to 2shift in response to one!s opponent . . . 3ust as o/ser'ing the wind

one unfur&s the sai&4 and seeing the hare one re&eases the hawk.5,6 In this regard idetsuna

is credited with originating the concept of maro/ashi (a&so korogashi or ten). 7itera&&y

2ro&&ing5 or 2tum/&ing5 the term e0presses the rea&i1ed swordsman!s perfect natura&ness and

f&uidity a state compared to a smooth round gem ro&&ing in a tray or a /ou&der fa&&ing off a

mountain.,% Munetoshi articu&ates the notion in a poem inc&uded in his undred 8erses onthe Art of the Sword (eih9 hyakushu): he art of com/at is the sword in the depths of the

mind he /&ade that responds shifting with the moment.;< he notion of maro/ashi may we&&

ha'e /een adopted from #en. here is a simi&ar #en e0pression 2ro&&ing ro&&ing a&ong5 (ten

roku-roku) a 'ariant of which 2turning free&y5 (ten rokuroku3i) appears in case =% of >&ue

*&iff ?ecord 2Yunmen!s @&owering edge.! 5;$ he concept a&so figures in a we&&known

poem traditiona&&y he&d to /e the en&ightenment 'erse of #en!s twenty-second Indian

patriarch Manorhita: My mind shifts in accordance with the myriad circumstances And this

shifting in truth is most mysterious ?ecogni1ing my nature whi&e according with the f&ow

I!'e no more 3oy nor any sorrow.;B Munenori e'en cites Manorhita!s poem!s first two &ines

toward the end of Art of the Sword as demonstrating the essence of /oth #en and

swordsmanship: the princip&e of &etting the mind shift free&y without attaching anywhere. In

swordsmanship Munenori e0p&ains 2myriad circumstances5 refers to 2the count&ess mo'es

your opponent makes. Your mind shifts at each of these mo'es54 whi&e 2most mysterious5

indicates that 2your mind shou&d not tarry here and there. If it tarries in one spot you wi&& &ose

the sword fight. If it stays rather than keeps shifting that wou&d /e a disaster. . . . If you

intent&y watch B< Sword of #en your opponent!s mo'e and a&&ow your mind to tarry there

you wi&& /e defeated. he purpose of my uoting this 'erse has /een to say @Con!t &et your

mind tarry.! 5;= 7ike #en idetsuna!s New Shadow sty&e of swordsmanship c&aims mind as

the pi'ot of its teaching a con'iction shared and amp&ified /y the YagyDs Munetoshi

Munenori and Mitsutoshi who fo&&owing idetsuna!s death /ecame the schoo&!s &eading

e0ponents.;E A&& seem to concur that a swordsman who masters on&y forms and techniues /ut fai&s to grasp the under&ying importance of mind wi&& ne'er rea&i1e the essence of the art of

the sword. As Munetoshi o/ser'es in another poem: "hat use is there in any teacher!s inka



"ithout transmitting the art of the sword in the depths of the mindF;, he term 2shadow5

(kage) in the name of idetsuna!s schoo& underscores the teaching!s emphasis on the yie&ding

e'er-responsi'e mind. he character genera&&y emp&oyed in the schoo& read yin in *hinese

and in in Sino-Gapanese is the ideogram for the fema&e or passi'e princip&e that off- sets the

ma&e princip&e or yang (G. y9) in yin-yang cosmo&ogy.;; ere it indicates the centra& ro&e of

intuition the primacy of mind o'er mere physica& strength of the natura& and resi&ient o'erthe forced studied and contri'ed. hus a shadow instant&y fo&&ows a mo'ing form 3ust as a

mirror or the sti&& surface of a poo& registers an o/3ect!s ref&ection. 2he shie&d Hi.e. defensi'e

techniue of the New Shadow HShinkage schoo&5 Mitsutoshi writes in his work Notes on

the Moon (suki no sh9) 2is the stance that has no fi0ed stance /ut fo&&ows the opponent!s

mo'ement.5

The Forty Transmission Gathas

Translated by Lu K'uan Yü [Charles Luk] In: Ch'an and Zen Teaching, Second Series

Rider, London, !", ##$ %&!, (&)*$

The Direct Pointing at the Mind in the Forty Transmission Gathas

In ancient ti+es, +en lied a si+#le li-e and .ere not as a+bitious as.e are today$ Conse/uently, their +inds .ere al.ays at ease and 0ust a-e. .ords .ould su--ice to a.ake their inner #otentialities .hich could

easily absorb the truth$The 1orty 2athas in this Series 3ie us an idea o- ho. the 4har+a .astau3ht, understood and trans+itted$ The ancients used ery -e. technicalter+s to cause their disci#les' a.akenin3$ They 0ust #ointed at the +indand the students i++ediately understood the ulti+ate ai+ .ithout, like

us, 3iin3 rise to discri+inations and discernin3s, their -aith in theteachin3 bein3 also boundless$ It .as, there-ore, not di--icult -or a teacher

to .i#e out his #u#il's attach+ent not only to the #heno+enal .orldseen around hi+ but also to the latter's last and subtle ie.s o- e3o andthin3s 5dhar+a6 .hich .ere still concealed and not easily detectable$7en the +ost treasured ter+s: 8uddha, 4har+a and San3ha, could beeasily eradicated so that the student could #erceie his undiided .hole.hich .ould not be s#lit a3ain into sub0ect and ob0ect, the cause o- se#arateness .hich be3ets all the illusions and co+#lications o- li-e inSa+sara$



9hen .e say that .e .orshi# the 8uddha, #ractise the 4har+a andreere the San3ha, .e are already .ron3 because .e inadertentlydiide our #er-ect sel-&nature into the sub0ect .ho .orshi#s, #ractisesand reeres, and the ob0ects, the 8uddha .orshi##ed, the 4har+a#ractised and the San3ha reered, and because .e already hae inherent

in ourseles our sel-&natured 8uddha, 4har+a and San3ha, the Tri#le

2e+ o- our Sel-$The .ord '4har+a' has t.o +eanin3s: 56 the truth, la. or doctrine,and 56 a thin3, all thin3s, any thin3 3reat or s+all, isible or inisible,real or unreal, concrete thin3s or abstract ideas$ I- .e realie the sa+enesso- the nou+enal and the #heno+enal, that is the oneness o- all, this'4har+a' is but an inte3ral #art o- our #er-ect sel-&nature$ ;n the otherhand, i- .e re3ard it as so+ethin3 e<istin3 inde#endently o- our sel-&nature,it .ill be 'dhar+a' or a thin3, that is a -orei3n +atter, and .e .illthus diide our Sel- into sub0ect and ob0ect at the sa+e ti+e$ 1or this

reason, Sakya+uni 8uddha said in =is 3atha .hen trans+ittin3 the4har+a to >ahakasya#a:

The Dharma's fundamental Dharma has no Dharma;The Dharma of No-Dharma is Dharma too.Now that the Dharma of No-Dharma is transmitted,Has there ever been a Dharma

Thus all traces o- 4har+a are eradicated to reeal the absolute .hich isneither 4har+a nor ?ot&4har+a, that is beyond all dualis+s$ The

3radual .i#in3 out o- all coarse and subtle ie.s as tau3ht by the 9orld=onoured ;ne is dealt .ith in >aster =an Shan's 'The 4ia+ond Cutter

o- 4oubts' .hich .e hae #resented in our -irst book o- the #resentseries o- Ch' an and Zen teaching$

7ach o- the -orty 3athas .as chanted, .hen the >ind 4har+a .as

trans+itted to a successor, successiely by the Seen 8uddhas o- @nti/uityand the t.enty&ei3ht Indian and -ie Chinese Aatriarchs o- the Ch'anlinea3e$ The 4har+a tau3ht by the+ .as ery si+#le -or it directly#ointed at the +ind o- the disci#le .ho had no di--iculty in realiin3 it$This is due to the si+#licity o- +ind and o- its surroundin3, and nothin3.as heard about .hat later .ere kno.n as kun3 ans and hua t'ous$

The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity

(A) The Three Buddhas of the Glorious Aeon (Alamaraaal!a)

Bi#asyin 8uddha, the !!%th o- the 2lorious @eon$

2atha chanted 9hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to Sikhin 8uddha:

The body is created out of nothing A dream like product of illusion.

Once illusory mind and thought were not,So devoid of nature are both weal and woe.



Sikhin 8uddha, the !!!th o- the 2lorious @eon$

2atha chanted .hen translatin3 the 4har+a to Bisabhu 8uddha

Good Dharmas arise and evil karmas too,

et both are but illusions.The body is like foam, like wind and mind!

"llusion has no base and no reality.

*

Bisabhu 8uddha, the th o- the 2lorious @eon$

2athat chanted .hen translatin3 the 4har+a to Krakucchanda 8uddha:

#hen uncreated mind is tied to body, "t works with things and so e$ists through them.

#hen ob%ects disappear, so does mind.#eal and woe arise and vanish like illusions.

(B) The Four Buddhas of the "irtuous Aeon (Bhadraal!a)

D

Krakucchanda 8uddha, the -irst o- the Birtuous @eon$

2atha translated .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to Kana ka+uni 8uddha:

To see the body as unreal is to see the &ody of the &uddha.

To know the mind as an illusion is to know the "llusion of the &uddha. "f a man sees clearly that the mind and body are not real

'ow does he differ from the &uddha.

)

Ka+aka+uni 8uddha, the second o- the Birtuous @eon$

2atha chanted by Ka+a ka+uni 8uddha .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to Kasya#a

8uddha:

The real &uddha has a body that no one can perceive,There is no other &uddha for him who knows himself.

The sage who knows that woe is devoid of nature(ives at ease and fears not birth and death.

"

Kasya#a 8uddha, the third o- the Birtuous @eon$



2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to Shakya+uni 8uddha:

)ure and clean is the nature of all living beings.Since it never was created, it cannot be destroyed.

&ody and mind are from an illusion.

"n this changing shadow there is neither weal or woe.

(

Shakya+uni 8uddha, the -ourth o- the Birtuous @eon$

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the st Ch'an Aatriarch >ahakasya#a:

The Dharma*s fundamental Dharma has no Dharma,The Dharma of no+Dharma is Dharma too.

ow that the Dharma of no+Dharma is transmitted,

'as there ever been a Dharma-



The T#enty$seven %ndian Patriachs

%

The 1irst Indian Aatriarch >ahakasya#a

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the second Aatriarch @nanda:

The fundamental Dharma of all Dharmas "s beyond the Dharmas that are false and real.

#hy in the one Dharma should

There be Dharma and ot+Dharma-



!

The Second Indian Aatriarch @nanda

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Third Aatriarch Sanakaasa:

At first there was a Dharma to transmit,Transmitted it became that of o+Dharma.

ach man should realise the nature of his self, And then there is not /even0 a o+Dharma.



The Third Indian Aatriarch Sanakaasa

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the -ourth Aatriarch E#a3u#ta:

Dharma and 1ind have no /reality02or there is neither 1ind nor Dharma.#hen this 1ind+Dharma is e$pounded,

This Dharma is not the Dharma of the 1ind.



The 1ourth Indian Aatriarch E#a3u#ta

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the 1i-th Aatriarch 4hrtaka:

1ind is the primal mind#hich is devoid of Dharma.

"f Dharma and primal mind e$ist,&oth mind and primal Dharma will be false.



The 1i-th Indian Aatriarch 4hrtaka

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Si<th Aartriarch >iccaka:

#hen the Dharma of primal mind is really understood,either Dharma nor ot+Dharma can remain.

/After0 enlightenment it is the same as it was /before0,2or there is neither mind nor Dharma.



*

The Si<th Indian Aatriarch >iccaka

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Seenth Aatriarch Basu+utra:

There is neither mind nor realisation,#hile that which can be realised is not Dharma.

Only when mind is seen to be unreal3an the Dharma of all minds be truly understood.



D

The Seenth Indian Aatriarch Basu+itra

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the 7i3ht Aatriarch 8uddhanandi:

1ind and the vault of space are %ust the same,The Dharma, spanning space, is now e$pounded.

#hen space is realised as such,There is no Dharma, whether false or real.



)

The 7i3hth Indian Aatriarch 8uddhanandi

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the ?inth Aatriarch 8uddha+itra:

Space and Dharma of the mind'ave naught within nor aught without.

"f space is truly understood,The principle of Suchness will be learnt.



"

The ?inth Indian Aatriarch 8uddha+itra

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Tenth Aatriarch Aarsa:

Truth in essence has no name,et now because of name it can be known.

#hoever can receive the Dharma+truth#ill know that it is neither truth nor lies$



(

The Tenth Indian Aatriarch Aarsa

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the 7leenth Aatriarch Aunyayasas:

The real body is reality e$isting by itself,&ecause of it we can e$pound the fundamental law.

The apprehension of the Dharma of reality "s beyond all change and changelessness.



%

The 7leenth Indian Aatriarch Aunyayasas

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.el-th Aatriarch @sa3hosa:

Delusion and enlightenment are concealing and revealing,/(ike0 light and darkness they depend upon each other.

This Dharma that " know transmit "s neither one nor two.



!

The T.el-th Indian Aatriarch @sa3hosa

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Thirteenth

Aatriarch Ka#i+ala:

3oncealing and revealing are themselves the Dharma, "n essence light and darkness are non+dual.

The Dharma of enlightenment that " now transmit3annot be grasped nor can it be understood.



The 1ourteenth Indian Aatriarch ?a3ar0una

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the 1i-teenth Aatriarch Kanadea:

To e$plain the Dharma of concealing and revealingThe principle of liberation is now taught.

o mind is realised according to this Dharma And so there is no /cause for0 anger or for %oy.



The 1i-teenth Indian Aatriarch Kanadea

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Si<teenth Aatriarch Rahulata:

To you who now receive the Dharma "s taught the principle of liberation.

The Dharma does not realise anything,2or *tis beyond the end and never had beginning.



*

The Si<teenth Indian Aatriarch Rahulata

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Seententh Aatriarch San3hanandi:

The Dharma does not realise a thing,or can it be grasped or thrown away.

"t is beyond what *is* and what *is not*!#ithin is nothing, nor is aught without.



D

The Seenteenth Indian Aatriarch San3anandi

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the 7i3hteenth Aatriarch 2ayasata

5San3hayasas6:

The ground of mind was never once created,This primal ground results from a concurrent cause.

&oth cause and seed do not each other hinder,#hile flower and fruit do not obstruct each other.



)

The 7i3hteenth Indian Aatriarch 2ayasata 5San3hayasas6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the ?ineteenth Aatriarch Ku+arata:

The self+e$isting seed and ground of mind)roduce the sprout through a concurrent cause.

3oncurrent cause and sprout do not each other hinder,2or that which is produced is not producible.



"

The ?ineteenth Indian Aatriarch Ku+arata

2athat chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.entieth Aatriarch Fayata:

Self nature in its essence never was created,Or so we teach to those who seek /the truth0.

Since Dharma does not lead to any gain,#hy think one or another way about it.



(

The T.entieth Indian Aatriarch Fayata

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&-irst Aatriarch Basubandhu:

"nstant union with the uncreate "s how to realise the Dharma nature.Those who are able to e$perience this

4nderstand the oneness of relative and absolute.



%

The T.enty&-irst Indian Aatriarch Basubandhu

2atha translated .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&second Aatriarch

>anorhita:

&ubbles and illusions are the omnipresent!#hy cannot this be understood-

The omnipresent Dharma in this world of change "s not the present now and was not in the past.



!

The T.enty&second Indian Aatriarch >anorhita

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&third Aatriarch =aklena:

The mind follows e$ternals in its changing,#hile the real is dormant, hidden by their changes,et through them one can find the nature of the self

#hich is beyond all %oy and sorrow.



*

The T.enty&third Indian Aatriarch =aklena

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&-ourth Aatriarch @ryasi+ha:

/Only0 when the nature of the mind is realised3an one say that it cannot be conceived.

othing, clearly, can be realised2or if it be, there*s no awareness of it.



*

The T.enty&-ourth Indian Aatriarch @ryasi+ha

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&-i-th Aatriarch 8asiasita:

#hen speaking of awareness.One finds it is but mind.

Since mind is but awareness,Dharma is found by him who is aware.



*

The T.enty&-i-th Indian Aatriarch 8asiasita

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&si<th Aatriarch Aunya+itra:

The saint speaks of awareness

&eyond both right and wrong. " have realised the true /self+0nature

&eyond all truth and that which lies behind.



**

The T.enty&si<th Indian Aatriarch Aunya+itra

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&seenth AatriarchAra0natara:

The true nature /of the self0 lies in the ground of mind, "t has neither head nor tail.

"t manifests to meet the needs of living beings,2or want of better words we call it wisdom.



*D

The T.enty&seenth Indian Aatriarch Ara0natara

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&ei3hth Aatriarch

8odhidhar+a:

The mind+ground is the bed in which all seeds are sown!Things as they really are can be deduced from their appearances.

#hen the fruit is ripe enlightenment is won!#hen flower blooms the universe is seen.

The Si& 'hinese Patriachs



*)

The T.enty&ei3ht Indian Aatriarch 8odhidhar+a5The 1irst Aatriarch o- China6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the T.enty&ninth Aatriarch =ui K'o:

1y aim in coming to this country#as to transmit the Dharma and liberate all beings.

A flower of five petals3annot fail to fruit.



*"

The T.enty&ninth Aatriarch =ui K'o5The Second Aatriarch o- China6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Thirtieth Aatriarch Sen3 Ts'an:

2rom the seed+bed /of your mind0/The Dharma0 raises flowers.

et there is no seedor are there flowers.



*(

The Thirtieth Aatriarch Sen3 Ts'an5The Third Aatriarch o- China6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Thirty&-irst Aatriarch Tao =sin:

The sowing of flower+seeds re5uires a causal ground2rom which the flowers will grow.

"f no one sows there will beeither ground nor flowers.



*%

The Thirty&-irst Aatriarch Tao =sin5The 1ourth Aatriarch o- China6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Thirty&second Aatriarch =un3 Fen:

Growth is latent in the seed#hich sprouts when planted in the causal ground.

This Great 3ause unites with nature At the time of growth, yet nothing grows.



*!

The Thirty&second Aatriarch =un3 Fen5The 1i-th Aatriarch o- China6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to the Thirty&third Aatriarch =ui ?en3:

The seed sown by a sentient being "n causal ground will soon bear fruit.

#ithout sentience there is no seed And no fruit without nature.



D

The Thirty&third Aatriarch =ui ?en35The Si<th Aatriarch o- China6

2atha chanted .hen trans+ittin3 the 4har+a to his disci#les:

The 1ind+ground holds the /flower0 seeds#hich sprout when falls the all+pervading rain.

The wisdom+flower of instantaneous awakening3annot fail to bear the &odhi+fruit.

the principal which he called marobashi

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