1 french
2 english
3 japanese
Autrefois, un maître de sabre nommé Choken était importuné par un rat. L'animal était particulièrement gros et semblait ne craindre personne. Il allait et venait dans la maison du samurai, pillant ses réserves de riz, allant même jusqu'à boire son saké au nez et à sa barbe.
Choken décida d'enfermer le rat dans une pièce en compagnie de son chat, que celui-ci le tue. Malheureusement le matou ne fut pas de taille et ressortit de la pièce sévèrement mordu sans avoir même blessé le rat.
Il chercha alors dans le voisinage quelqu'un qui pourrait lui prêter un chat réputé pour ses qualité de chasseur de rat. On lui donna un jeune chat noir, issu d'une lignée réputée d'exterminateur. D'une vivacité et d'une agilité sans pareil, Il savait bondir comme l’éclair, se faufiler avec souplesse dans le moindre trou à rat y tuer son propriétaire. Une fois l'animal ramené à la maison de Choken, il se fit pourtant rapidement vaincre par le rat.
Le maitre de sabre retourna donc chercher un chat qui pourrait vaincre la vermine. Quelqu'un lui prêta alors un gros chat tigré au regard perçant, reconnu pour ses valeurs de chasseur. Celui-ci se vantait auprès de ses congénères de pouvoir battre n'importe quel adversaire avec son ki. Intimidant les rats avec, il n'avait plus qu'à les abattre d'un coup de patte, technique qui n'avait jamais raté jusqu'ici. Choken le ramena chez lui et l'envoya combattre le rat. Ce dernier vainquit ce nouveau challenger en quelques instants, une fois de plus.
Excédé, le samurai repartit en quête d'un chat capable de mettre fin aux méfaits du monstrueux rat qui habitait sa maison. Un habitant du quartier répondit à sa requête en lui remettant un chat aux airs placides mais néanmoins terriblement efficace pour ce qui était de tuer la vermine. Ce matou là excellait dans l'art de manipuler l'esprit de ses proies, feintant la peur pour les mettre en confiance, attendant qu'elles baissent leur garde pour les vaincre sans merci. Choken pris le chat avec lui et le mis une fois de plus face au rat qui semblait invincible. Le samurai ne fut pas surpris de voir ce quatrième chat conclure le combat après quelques instants en s'enfuyant, lui aussi sévèrement mordu.
Choken, désespéré de voir le rat invaincu devant tous excellents chasseurs, en discuta avec ses voisins. L'un d'entre eux se rappela qu'à quelques lieues plus loin vivait un chat qu'on disait n'avoir jamais été vaincu par aucun rat. Le maitre de sabre et ses voisins décidèrent d'aller voir ce chat. Quelle ne fut pas leur surprise de trouver un vieux matou pelé et maigre. N'ayant plus d'autre solution, le samurai emporta tout de même le chat chez lui avec l'accord de son maître. Il le posa par terre dans sa cour intérieure. Le félin se dirigea vers la maison, entra dans la pièce où se trouvait le rat. celui-ci ne leva pas une patte en voyant son nouvel adversaire s'avancer calmement vers lui et le tuer avec le plus grand naturel.
Les trois chats experts précédemment vaincu vinrent lui demander le secret de sa victoire. Le vieux pelé s'adressa alors à eux:
"Chacun de vous à sa méthode, mais aucune n'est la bonne pour suivre la voie. Toi le chat noir, tu as été trop confiant en ta technique. Toi le tigré, tu as trouvé un ki plus fort que le tien. Quant à toi le chat placide, ton excès de confiance t'a mené à la défaite. C'est votre égo qui vous a vaincu. Chacun de vos procédé n'est pas inutile, chacun constitue un aspect de la voie suprême mais ils sont encore artificiels. non conscience et naturel sont les points ultimes. Autrement dit, si vous avez un moi, vous aurez un ennemi. Pas de conscience, pas d'ennemi.
Il y a cependant plus fort que moi. Je connais un très vieux chat qui n'est autre que mon maître. Il vit dans un endroit où aucun rat n'ose jamais s'aventurer. Il n'a jamais eu à se battre car sa présence même éloigne les adversaires. Son aura spirituelle est telle qu'elle les dissuade tous de le combattre."
There was once a swordsman called Shōken. In Shōken’s house, there was a large rat. The rat boldly ran around in the house in plain day, so Shōken attempted to catch it by closing off the room it was in and sending in his cat. Unfortunately, the rat ran straight at the cat, jumping on its head and biting it. The cat cried out and ran away.
Shōken had no choice but to assemble some local cats that seemed to be plenty strong, and send them into the room through a small opening. The rat was crouching in a corner, and jumped on and bit each cat that came near. Its fury was so great that the cats all cowered from the rat, making no further attempts to catch it. Seeing this, Shōken grew angry and grabbed his own wooden sword, attempting to strike down the rat himself. However, he not only swung and missed the rat every time, he had ruined his own walls and doors by the end.
Dripping sweat, he yelled out for his servant. “I heard of an amazing old cat living 6 or 7 neighborhoods over. Go and borrow it.”
When it arrived, the cat didn’t look particularly sharp. However, when they put it in the room, the rat shrunk down and couldn’t move. The old cat strolled over nonchalantly, picked up the rat, and brought it out.
Later that night, many cats gathered at Shōken’s house. They all kneeled before the old cat and said, “We are all well known for our skill in rat catching, able to handle even weasels and otters, and our nails are razor sharp. However, there was nothing we could do against that rat. How is it that you were able to overcome that giant rat? Please impart to us the secrets of your art.”
The Old Cat laughed and said, “Young ones, you all put forth a good effort. The only reason you met with an unexpected defeat today was likely because you do not know technique that is in accord with correct principle. Before I begin, though, tell me about your training.”
A black cat came forward and said, “I was raised in a family that specialized in catching rats. Since I was born I have trained myself with a view to becoming a great rat-catcher. I can leap over a seven foot screen and squeeze through tiny holes. I’ve always been talented at light and fast technique. At times I feign sleep and then strike out as soon as a rat comes near. Rats cannot escape me. I can catch them even as they fled across ceiling beams. I was never defeated until I met that old rat.”
The Old Cat said,”Your training has centered on technique. Accordingly, what stands in the forefront is your mind that aims (to achieve the goal). The old masters taught techniques as guides. And the technique itself was not easy. Within the technique, there is a profound truth, but today the emphasis is on the technique. Thus people create various techniques and polish their skills, resulting in nothing more than contests of technique. But once one can polish his skill no further, he is lost. If a person relies on skill and drowns in innovation, everything will follow similarly. The workings of the mind/heart will also have no foundation in principle. Emphasis on improvement then begets more harm than benefit. Reflect on this and innovate carefully.”
Next a striped cat stepped forward and said: “I think that the most important thing for martial technique is how to carry one’s ki. I have long trained myself in its cultivation and development, and my ki is hard and strong, filling heaven and earth. I can face down my opponents with overwhelming ki and defeat them from the start. I can make any adjustment to change. I don’t need to consciously move, only move naturally, and even run along walls and ceilings. But that rat came without form, and went without a trace. I was stymied.”
The Old Cat replied, “That training works on the basis of nothing more than the force of ki. You are conscious of your own use of your power, so it is not spontaneous. Your thought and desire to not be defeated brings forth the opponent’s effort to defeat you.
Furthermore, what to do when you cannot defeat something you are trying to defeat? It’s never the case that you are the only one that is strong and all of your opponents are weak. The ki that you think fills heaven and earth is nothing more than superficial force. It may resemble Mencius’ Kōzen no ki, but in reality it is not.
Mencius can perceive very well and has the knowledge to discern matters, and is very solid. But your solidity is dependent on force and the effect is not even comparable. It is like the difference between an ever-flowing great river and the force of a flashflood after a night’s rain. What to do when faced with an opponent that is unperturbed by the force of your ki? We know the proverb, ‘A biting cat gets bitten by the rat.’ When a rat is cornered it forgets life, forgets desires, forgets winning and losing, forgets safety – it is in a state of ‘mushin’. How to defeat such an opponent with only force?”
Next, an older grey cat came forth quietly and said, “As you have stated, that type of ki power can be very strong but still retains a form, however slight. I have trained my mind for many years, and without force of ki or opposition, always trying to harmonize with everything. My technique is like a curtain surrendering to the pressure of a stone thrown at it. Even a strong rat finds no means to fight me. But that rat today, it wouldn’t yield to force, respond to harmonizing – it was almost god-like. I’ve never seen a rat like that before.”
The Old Cat answered, “The harmonizing you speak of is not of nature but instead something that is contrived. Accordingly, even if you strive to concentrate, if there is even the faintest wavering in you, the opponent will know it. Also, if one harmonizes based on one’s own mind, the energy will be tainted and spoiled. If you act based on thinking, then you obstruct the sense of naturalness/spontaneity, and subtlety cannot arise. Do not think or do. Move in accord with sense, and you will no longer have any enemies on this earth. This is not to say that the training that each one of you is doing is of no use. Where there is energy (‘ki’), there is principle, and where there is principle, there is energy (‘ki’). There is principle in action, and energy is something that comprises physical function. When that energy becomes magnanimous, it can respond to things without limit. So, when harmonizing, without strength, even if one is hit by a rock, one will not break. The slightest thought makes everything an intention. Accordingly, the enemy will never respect you. There is no need to use any technique. It is enough to be ‘mushin’, and respond spontaneously. There is no end to the path, so one must not take what I say to be the enlightening secret.
Long ago, there was a cat in my neighborhood who seemed to do nothing but nap all day. That cat looked spiritless, almost like a cat made out of wood. No one ever saw it catch a rat, yet wherever it was and wherever it went, no rat could be seen. I once visited the cat and asked it to explain. I asked four times but it remained silent each time. It was not that the cat did not want to answer but rather that it did not have a reason to answer. What I understood from that was, those who know, do not speak; those who speak, do not know. That cat forgot about itself, forgot about things, and had returned to a “non-thing”. It was truly “Divine, martial – no killing”. I was nowhere in comparison to that cat.
Shōken, who had been listening in on this dreamlike conversation, could not contain himself and suddenly burst in. “I have been training in swordsmanship for many years but I have yet to master its essence. Tonight I have learned about many different kinds of training and learned much.If I may request, please guide me to the innermost secrets.”
The Old Cat replied: “I cannot. I am just an animal that catches rats for food. What do I know about human affairs? I have heard this, though. Swordsmanship is not to attain victory over an opponent, but to face change and illuminate life and death. Warriors continually develop their mind/heart, and must train their technique. Accordingly, if one can, through the principle of life and death, without using deliberation, innovation, and without doubt and hesitation, make peaceful the heart/mind and energy, and make usual being quiet and at ease, then one can freely respond to change. Conversely, if one does not have such a mind, then there arises form, and thus enemies are born; one must face them and fight them, and no longer be able to respond to change. That is, one’s mind first falls into the realm of death and loses its vitality – how to then decide a duel optimally? Even if one wins, it is nothing more than luck, and not related to true swordsmanship.
‘No-mind, no-object’ does not mean vacant. The mind does not originally have a form, and accordingly cannot harbor objects. If there is even a hint of harboring something, one’s energy tends to gather there, and if that happens it becomes difficult to be magnanimous, open, and free. What is tended toward becomes excessive, and where it is not so there arises a lacking.
Where there is excess the momentum causes spillage, and where there is lacking, it becomes useless, and together, the ability to respond to change is lost. The no-mind, no-object that I speak of is not accumulating, not gathering; there is no enemy, there is no self; simply put, there is no thought, no doing, quietly not moving, sensing what is on the earth, and finally, proceeding – it is close to mastering this principle.”
Shōken then asked,”What is meant by ‘There is no enemy, there is no self’?”
The Old Cat replied, “Because there is a self, there is an enemy. If there is no self, there is no enemy. The enemy is the same as yin-yang, fire-water. Everything that has a form has relativity/opposition. If there is no image (form) in one’s mind, then of course there is nothing relative, and no reason to fight. This is called, ‘No enemy, no self’. Forget both object and self, quietly and easily, rid yourself of all delusion and attachment, harmonize, and become one. Even if one destroys the form of the enemy, the self does not know it.
No, it’s not that it doesn’t know, it’s that there is no mind there and so there is just moving in accordance with sense. According to this mind, ‘The world is my world, I am the world”’ – there is no captivation by right-wrong, like-dislike. Everything comes from one’s mind – pain-pleasure, gain-loss; the broad universe is not something to be sought outside one’s mind. The ancients said, ‘A speck of dust in the eye can make the three worlds look narrow. Free your mind.’ That is, if you have dust in your eye, you can’t open your eye.
There is something where there shouldn’t be anything. This is about the heart/mind. The ancients also said, ‘Even surrounded by countless foes, this form may be smashed, but this mind is my mind.’ Confucius said, ‘Even the basest man cannot be deprived of his will.’ If one is perplexed or lost, that mind helps the enemy. This is all I have to say.
The rest is up to each person to seek for himself. One’s master can transmit technique, or tasks – then there is only to realize the principle.
The truth must be realized by the individual. This is called self-attainment. It is also called, ‘Heart/mind to heart/mind transmission’ – this is found everywhere self-attainment is, whether zen study, mental methods of the saints, or performing arts.
To teach is only to point out and help know that which a person has but cannot see himself. It is not to receive from the master. Teaching is easy, and listening to teachings is easy. However, it is difficult to find with certainty that which one has, and make it one’s own. This is called ‘kensho’. ‘Satori’ is to wake from the dream that is delusion. These are the same thing.”
勝軒といふ剣術者あり。其家に大なる鼠出て、白昼にかけまはりける。亭主其間をたてきり、手飼の猫に執らしめんとす。彼鼠進て、猫のつらへ飛びかかり、 喰付ければ、猫声を立て逃去りぬ。此分にては叶まじとて、それより近辺にて、逸物の名を得たる猫ども、あまたかりよせ、彼一間へ追入ければ、鼠は床のすみ にすまゐ居て、猫来れば飛びかかり喰付、其けしきすさまじく見へければ、猫どもみなしりごみして進まず。亭主腹をたて、みづから木刀を提打殺さんと追まは しけれ共、手もとよりぬけ出て、木刀にあたらず、そこら戸障子からかみなどたたきやぶれ共、鼠は中を飛びて、其はやき事電光のうつるがごとし。ややもすれ ば亭主のつらへ飛かかり喰付べき勢ひあり。勝軒大あせをながし、僕を呼て云、「是より六七町わきに、無類逸物の猫有と聞く。かりて来れ。」とて、則人をつ かはし、彼猫をつれよせてみるに、其形利口げにもなく、さのみはきはきとも見へず。「それ共に先追入て見よ。」とて、少戸をあけ、彼猫を入ければ、鼠すく みて、動かず。猫何の事もなく、のろのろとゆき、引くわへて来りけり。
其夜件の猫ども、彼家にあつまり、彼古猫を、座上に請じ、何れも前に跪づき、「我々逸物の名を呼ばれ、其道に修練し、鼠とだにいはば、鼬獺なり、とも、 とりひしがむと、爪を研罷在候処に、いまだ、かかる強鼠ある事をしらず。御身何の術を以か、容易く是をしたがへ給ふ。願わくは、惜しむことなく、公の妙術 を伝へ給へ。」と謹面申ける。古猫笑て云、「何れも若き猫達、随分達者に働き給へども、いまだ正道の手筋をきき給はざる故に、思ひの外の事にあふて、不覚 をとり給ふ。しかしながら、先各の修行の程をうけ給はらん。」と云。其中にすすどき黒猫一疋すすみ出、「我鼠をとるの家に生れ、其道に心がけ、七尺の屏風 を飛び越、ちいさき穴をくぐり、猫子の時より、早わざ軽わざ至らずと云所なし。或は、眠て表裏をくれ、或は不意におこつて、桁梁を走る鼠といへども、捕損 じたる事なし。然るに今日思ひの外成強鼠に出合、一生のおくれをとり、心外の至りに侍る。」
古猫の云、「吁汝の修する所は、所作のみ。故にいまだ、ねらう心あることをまぬかれず。古人の所作を教るは、其道筋をしらしめんため也。故に其所作、易簡 にして、其中に至理を含めり。後世所作を専として、兎すれば角すると、色々の事をこしらへ、巧を極め、古人を不足とし、才覚を用ひ、はては所作くらべとい ふものになり、巧尽て、いかむともすることなし。小人の巧を極め、才覚を専とする者、みなかくのごとし。才は心の用なりといへども、道にもとづかず、只巧 を専とする時は、偽の端となり、向の才覚却而害に成事おほし。是を以かへりみ、よくよく工夫すべし。」
又虎毛の大猫一疋まかり出、「我おもふに、武術は気然を貴ぶ。故に気を練る事久し。今其気豁達至剛にして、天地に充るがごとし。敵を脚下に蹈み、先勝て然 して後進む。声に随ひ、響に応じて、鼠を左右につけ、変に応ぜずといふことなし。所作を用るに心なくして、所作をのづから沸出づ。桁梁を走る鼠は、にらみ おとして、是をとる。然るに彼強鼠、来るに形なく、往に迹なし。是いかなるものぞや。」
古猫の云、「汝の修練する所は、是気の勢に乗じて働くもの也。我に恃むこと有て然り。善の善なるものにあらず。我やぶつて往むとすれば、敵も亦やぶつて来 る。又やぶるに、やぶれざるものある時はいかん。我覆つて、挫がんとすれば、敵もまた覆つて来る。覆ふに、覆はれざるものある時はいかむ。豈我のみ剛にし て、敵みな弱ならんや。豁達至剛にして、天地にみつるがごとく覚ゆるものは、皆気の象なり。孟子の浩然の気に似て、実は異也。彼は明を載せて、剛健也。此 は勢に乗じて、剛健なり。故に其用も亦同じからず。江河の常流と、一夜洪水の勢のごとし。且気勢に屈せざるもの、ある時はいかん。窮鼠却て猫を噛むといふ ことあり。彼は、必死に迫て恃む所なし。生を忘れ、欲を忘れ、勝負を必とせず、身を全するの心なし。故に其志金鉄のごとし。かくのごとき者は豈気勢を以服 すべけんや。」
又はい毛の少年闌たる猫、しづかに進て云、「仰ごとき気は旺なりといへども、象あり。象あるものは微也といへども見つべし。我心を練ること久し。勢をなさ ず、物と争ず。相和して戻ず。彼つよむ時は、和して彼に添。我が術は帷幕を以、礫を受るがごとし。強鼠有といへども、我に敵せんとしてよるべき所なし。然 るに今日の鼠、勢にも屈せず、和にも応ぜず、来往、神のごとし。我いまだかくのごときものを見ず。」
古猫の云、「汝の和といふものは、自然の和にあらず。思て和をなすもの也。敵の鋭気を、はづれむとすれども、わづかに念にわたれば、敵其機を知る。心を容 て和すれば、気濁て惰にちかし。思ひてなす時は、自然の感をふさぐ。自然の感をふさぐ時は、妙用何れの所より生ぜんや。只思ふこともなく、することもな く、感に随て動く時は、我に象なし。象なき時は、天下我に敵すべきものなし。然りといへ共、各の修する所、悉く無用の事なりといふにはあらず。道器一貫の 義なれば、所作の中に、至理を含めり。気は一身の用をなすものなり。其気豁達なる時は、物に応ずること、窮りなく、和する時は、力を闘はしめず、金石にあ たりても、よく折ることなし。然といへども、わづかに念慮にいたれば、皆作意とす。道体の自然にあらず。故にむかふもの、心服せずして、我に敵するの心あ り。我何の術をか用んや。無心にして、自然に応ずるのみ。然といへども、道極りなし。我がいふ所を以至極とおもふべからず。むかし、我隣郷に猫あり。終日 眠り居て、気勢なし。木にて作りたる猫のごとし。人其鼠をとりたるを見ず。然共彼猫の至る所、近辺に鼠なし。所をかへても然り。我往て其故を問。彼猫こた へず。四度問へども、四度こたえず。こたえざるにはあらず、答る所をしらざる也。是を以知ぬ、知るものはいはず、いふものはしらざることを。彼猫は、をの れを忘れて、無物に帰す。神武にして、不殺といふものなり。我また彼に、及ばざる事遠し。」
勝軒夢のごとく、此言を聞て、出て古猫を揖して曰、「我剣術を修する事久し。いまだ其道を極めず。今宵各の論を聞て、吾が道の極所を得たり。願はくは猶其奥儀をしめし給へ。」
猫云、「否。吾は獣なり。鼠は吾が食也。吾何ぞ人のする所をしらんや。然れ共われ窃に聞し事あり。夫剣術は専人に勝事を務るにあらず。大変に臨て、生死を 明らかにする術也。士たる者、常に此心を養ひ、其術を修せずむばあるべからず。故に先、生死の理に徹し、此心偏曲なく、不疑不惑、才覚思慮を用ゆる事な く、心気和平にして、物なく、潭然として、常ならば、変に応ること自在なるべし。此心わづかに物ある時は状あり。状ある時は、敵あり、我あり。相対して角 ふ。かくのごときは変化の妙用自在ならず。我が心先死地におち入て、霊明を失ふ。何ぞ快立て明らかに勝負を決せむ。たとひ勝たりとも、めくら勝といふもの なり。剣術の本旨にはあらず。無物とて、頑空をいふにはあらず。心もと形なし。物を蓄べからず。僅に蓄る時は、気も亦其所に倚る。此気僅に倚る時は、融通 豁達なること能はず。向ふ所は過にしてむかはざる所は不及なり。過なる時は勢溢れてとどむべからず。不及なる時は餒て用をなさず。共に変に応ずべからず。 我が所謂無物といふは、不蓄不倚、敵もなく我もなく、物来るに随て応じて迹なきのみ。易曰、無レ思無レ為、寂然不動、感而遂通二於天下之故一。此理を知て 剣術を学ぶ者は道にちかし。」
勝軒云、「何をか敵なく我なしといふ。」
猫云、「我あるが故に敵あり。我なければ敵なし。敵といふは、もと対待の名也。陰陽水火の類のごとく、凡形象あるものは、かならず対するものあり。我心に 象なければ、対するものなし。対するものなき時は、角ものなし。是を敵もなく、我もなしと云。物と我と共に忘れて、潭然として無事なる時は、和して一也。 敵の形をやぶるといへども、我もしらず。しらざるにはあらず、此に念なく、感のままに動くのみ。此心潭然として、無事なる時は、世界は我が世界なり。是非 好悪、執滞なきの謂也。皆我が心より、苦楽得失の境界をなす。天地広しといへども、我が心より外に求むべきものなし。古人曰、眼裏有レ塵三界窄心頭無事一 生寛。眼中わづかに塵沙の入時は、眼ひらく事能はず。元来ものなくして、明らかなる所へ、物を入るが故にかくのごとし。
此心のたとへなり。又曰、千万人の敵の中に在て、此形は微塵になる共、此心は我が物なり。大敵といへども、是をいかむともすること能はず。孔子曰、匹夫不 レ可レ奪レ志と。若迷ふ時は、此心却て敵の助となる。我がいふ所此に止る。只自得と云。以心伝心ともいふべし。教外別伝ともいふべし。教をそむくといふに はあらず。師も伝こと能はざるをいふなり。只禅学のみにあらず、聖人の心法より、芸術の末に至るまで、自得の所はみな以心伝心なり。教外別伝也。教といふ は、そのをのれに有て、みづから見ること能はざる所を、指して知らしむるのみ。師より是を授るにはあらず。教ることもやすく、教を聞こともやすし。只をの れにある物を、慥に見付て、我がものにすること難し。これを見性といふ。悟とは、妄想の夢の悟たるなり。覚といふもおなじ。かわりたる事にはあらず。」
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