From Philosophy to the Practice of Budo

IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI regards Karate Budo not merely as the acquisition of martial techniques or as a competitive activity, but as a Way through which practitioners refine themselves in mind and body and apply what they have learned to life and society.

At the foundation of this approach are our Philosophy, Guiding Principles, the concepts of Shuren and Shudo, and Takushin Budo Philosophy.

These are not separate or unrelated ideas.

Our Philosophy defines what we fundamentally value. Our Guiding Principles show what we seek to achieve through practice. Shuren and Shudo provide the two fundamental principles of training, while Takushin Budo Philosophy provides the philosophical foundation that unites them.

This page offers a deeper explanation of the philosophy and Budo principles of IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI.

What Do We Mean by “Philosophy”?

The Philosophy of IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI is the fundamental philosophy to which we return throughout all of our activities.

It is the central axis of values upon which our judgments and actions are based.

Through Karate Budo, we seek not only to strengthen the body and improve technique, but also to refine the mind, grow as human beings, and apply the results of that growth for the benefit of others and society.

Our Philosophy, therefore, is not simply a technical objective concerning what kinds of skills we should acquire.

It addresses more fundamental questions:

Why do we study Budo?
Why do we seek strength?
For what purpose should we use that strength?

The Philosophy of IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI expresses our fundamental response to these questions.

The Philosophy of IBMA Kyokushin Kai

Through Shuren and Shudo,

we open up our limitless potential,

and cultivate a mind capable of expressing

a higher level of humanity.

Human beings possess many forms of potential: physical ability, intelligence, spirituality, creativity, and more.

Martial arts training is one means through which those possibilities can be developed.

Yet developing our own abilities is not, by itself, the ultimate purpose of Budo.

The more important question is:

How should we use the abilities we develop?

Rather than using our abilities solely for our own benefit, we seek to use them in ways that respect others and contribute to their growth and well-being.

For this, we must cultivate what we describe as a mind capable of expressing a higher level of humanity.

Conscience and Ryōchi-Ryōnō

One of the important concepts for understanding the philosophy of IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI is conscience.

We understand conscience as the inner human capacity to recognize what is good, to judge accordingly, and to put that understanding into action.

We also express this through the concept of Ryōchi-Ryōnō（良知良能）—the innate human capacity to know and practice what is good.

Possessing knowledge does not necessarily mean that a person will act rightly.

Likewise, possessing superior technique or physical strength does not necessarily mean that those abilities will be used for the benefit of others or society.

For this reason, martial arts training must develop not only ability, but also the inner capacity to determine how that ability should be used.

To develop strength and ability, while also cultivating the mind to use them well.

We regard these two aims as inseparable aspects of human development through Budo.

What Are the Guiding Principles?

The Guiding Principles express what we seek to accomplish and the attitude with which we practice Karate Budo in accordance with our Philosophy.

If Philosophy is the central axis of our values, the Guiding Principles serve as a practical compass that directs those values toward training, instruction, education, and action.

The Guiding Principles of IBMA Kyokushin Kai

Through the practice of Karate Budo,

we open the body and refine and elevate the mind,

seek harmony and coexistence between self and others,

and aim to create a form of Karate Budo

that contributes to happiness and longevity.

To “open the body” means more than simply increasing muscular strength or physical fitness.

It includes understanding one’s own body, developing its potential, and learning to use it more rationally and freely.

At the same time that we open the body, we refine the mind.

We then seek to extend the results of that development beyond ourselves and into better relationships with others.

Beyond this lies harmony and coexistence between self and others.

Our aim is not to use Budo to dominate others.

Rather, we seek to develop ourselves while respecting others and cultivating the strength and wisdom necessary for people to live better together.

We also regard Budo as something that can be practiced throughout life. In this sense, happiness and longevity are important goals: Budo should contribute to physical and mental well-being and to a richer life.

Shuren and Shudo

At the heart of Budo practice within IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI are two concepts: Shuren（修練） and Shudo（修道）.

These concepts are not opposed to one another.

Through Shuren, we refine ourselves.

Through Shudo, we apply what we have gained through that refinement to life and to our relationships with others.

Through the integration of these two processes, martial arts training deepens into Budo as a path of human development.

What Is Shuren?

Shuren means refining the mind and body through the acquisition and practice of martial techniques.

Through repeated practice of basics, kata, kumite, and other forms of training, practitioners learn techniques and gradually develop the ability to apply them appropriately.

Yet technique is not the only thing refined in this process.

To concentrate.

To persevere through difficulty.

To observe one’s own condition.

To learn from failure.

To control one’s emotions.

To judge changing situations.

These abilities are also cultivated through Shuren.

Shuren can therefore be understood as the practice of refining mind and body through technique.

What Is Shudo?

Shudo means applying the techniques, abilities, spirit, and principles acquired through Shuren not only for oneself, but also for others and for society.

Through martial arts training, we acquire strength.

But the deeper question in Budo is:

For what purpose, and in what manner, should that strength be used?

To protect oneself.

To protect others.

To respect others.

To help others grow.

To contribute to society.

And to live one’s own life more fully and wisely.

Shudo is the process of connecting what we gain through training with these dimensions of life.

Through Shuren, we refine ourselves.
Through Shudo, we put what we have gained to use.

When these two become one, martial arts training acquires deeper meaning as the practice of a Way.

What Is Takushin Budo Philosophy?

The philosophical foundation that runs through the system of Shuren and Shudo within IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI is called Takushin Budo Philosophy.

Takushin Budo Philosophy does not regard Karate simply as a fighting system.

It explores Karate as a Way through which we learn about the human body, the mind, our relationships with others, and our relationship with nature.

Its central idea is expressed as follows.

The Philosophy of Takushin Budo

Through the refinement of mind and body

by means of martial training,

we learn the principles of Heaven, Earth, and Nature,

and cultivate the Way of unity between self and others.

What Does It Mean to Learn “Riho”?

An important concept within Takushin Budo Philosophy is Riho（理法）, meaning the underlying principles or natural laws that govern things.

Martial techniques involve many principles: body structure, the transmission of force, distance, timing, positioning, and the relationship between oneself and an opponent.

However, what we mean by Riho is not limited to technical principles.

It also concerns the principles underlying relationships between:

self and others,

body and mind,

human beings and nature,

and the individual and society.

To learn Riho is to seek to understand the nature and order underlying these relationships and to make judgments and take action in accordance with that understanding.

Budo training provides an opportunity to learn such principles through direct physical experience.

We learn technique and examine the principles behind it.

By understanding those principles, we deepen our technique.

We then extend that understanding toward human relationships and life itself.

From technique to principle.
From principle to mind.
From mind to a way of life.

This is one of the central directions of practice within Takushin Budo Philosophy.

What Is the “Way of Unity Between Self and Others”?

In martial arts, oneself and one’s opponent may initially appear to stand in opposition.

Yet training itself cannot exist without another person.

Because there is a partner, we are able to understand our own technique.

By sensing the movement of another person, we become more aware of our own condition.

And by training seriously while protecting one another’s safety, both practitioners are able to develop.

In this sense, our own growth cannot be completely separated from the existence and growth of others.

The aim is not for oneself alone to improve, but for the other person to improve as well.

To make the best use of oneself while also helping others to realize their potential.

We describe the pursuit of such a relationship as the Way of unity between self and others.

The Relationship Between Philosophy, Guiding Principles, and Takushin Budo Philosophy

The philosophical framework of IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI can be understood through the following progression:

Philosophy
What do we value, and what kind of human being do we seek to become?

↓

Guiding Principles
How do we put that Philosophy into practice through Karate Budo?

↓

Shuren
Learning technique and refining our own mind and body.

↓

Shudo
Applying what we have gained through training to ourselves, others, life, and society.

↓

Takushin Budo Philosophy
The philosophical foundation that unites the whole process, leading from technique to principle and from principle toward a way of life.

↓

Practice as a Budo-Man
Putting these principles into action through our everyday judgments and conduct.

The final stage is expressed more concretely in the Seven Guidelines for the Budo-Man.

【Read the Seven Guidelines for the Budo-Man】

Applying Budo to Life

Budo does not end when we leave the dojo.

We begin by learning technique.

Through technique, we learn about the body.

Through the body, we learn about the mind.

Through training with others, we learn about human relationships.

And through these experiences, we are led to examine how we ourselves should live.

The wisdom and abilities cultivated through Budo can then be applied to family life, work, education, community, and the many other circumstances of human life.

This is the kind of Budo that IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI seeks to develop.

Through Shuren, we open up and develop ourselves.
Through Shudo, we connect that development with others and society.

And through the principles learned in Budo, we seek to transform martial training into wisdom for living a better life.

This is the fundamental idea that connects the Philosophy, Guiding Principles, and Takushin Budo Philosophy of IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI.

【Return to Philosophy and Purpose of IBMA Kyokushin Kai】