‘Seiryoku Zenyo’,
the Right
Use of Energy in
the Road to Wisdom
Carlos
Cardoso Aveline
Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), the founder of Judo
Each student of
classic philosophy feels invited to take his destiny in his own hands. As this
takes place, however, he realizes that he is forced by circumstances to
constantly expand his inner and moral strength.
He must make a firm decision to do good in every
aspect of his personal existence, as long as he can. He will have to face a varying
and often surprising degree of conflict with both himself and the socially
established forms of ignorance. The spiritual path is often described as a
struggle, and the Buddhist classic “Dhammapada” says:
“Better than a man who conquers in battles a thousand
times a thousand men is he who conquers himself. He indeed is the mightiest of
warriors.” (verse 103)
Like in a war, the student is taught to use his energies
with care. A master of the wisdom wrote:
“… Courage […] you all, who would be warriors of the
one divine Verity; keep on boldly and confidently; husband your moral strength
not wasting it upon trifles but keeping it against great occasions ….” [1]
The metaphor of the warrior in the search for truth
means that the practice of altruism needs strength, and weakness is no
generosity.
Helena P. Blavatsky said that the ethics of theosophy is
more important than its rationale.[2]
However, the perception and decision as to the right action to be performed
must come from within. It is up to each student to investigate how best to
expand his inner strength, and transform words in deeds and information in
wisdom.
The choice for ethics is not only daily and hourly. It
requires discernment, courage and detachment. Even when we see the difference
between right and wrong, it may be hard to abandon the error and adopt the
correct action. In one of her articles, H. P. Blavatsky examined this painful
question:
“Shall we winnow the corn, but feed upon the
chaff?”
And a few paragraphs below she answers: “It is nigh
time to winnow our corn and cast away the chaff.” [3]
Because there is a fierce battle between wisdom and
ignorance in everyone’s soul or human community, philosophy has been essential
to Eastern martial arts like Tai Chi Chuan, Judo and Aikido.
The founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, was a deep
philosopher who examined and taught the practical need of moral development for
individuals who want to lead an ethical life. Kano wrote that the right
knowledge and the right emotion must be combined so as to obtain inner
strength.
He said:
“In one respect, moral education must be carried out
from the aspect of knowledge. That is to say, it is necessary to know
intellectually what is good and what is evil. It is also necessary to develop
the intelligence to distinguish right from wrong in various complex situations.
Thus it is necessary to teach the ability to determine good from bad; to
discriminate what is right from what is wrong.”
However, this is not enough:
“In another sense, moral education must be carried out
from the aspect of the emotions. Even if you can distinguish right from wrong
intellectually, if you are not trained emotionally to like what is good and
dislike what is evil, your ability to do good and reject evil will be lacking.
So if morals are not cultivated both intellectually and emotionally, good
results cannot be achieved.”
It is the training of the feelings that helps students
to avoid the danger mentioned by Blavatsky of “winnowing the corn and feeding upon
the chaff”. The emotional choice must be in harmony with the decision made on
the intellectual and spiritual levels.
Jigoro Kano proceeds:
“Furthermore, even if you try to do good and reject
evil, if your willpower is weak, the opposite result will often occur.
Therefore, training of the will must also be an element of moral education - a
weak willpower can result in the inability to do what you know is right, or the
inability to prevent doing what you know is wrong.” [4]
Jigoro Kano and Raja Yoga
The modern teachings of Theosophy have a strong
connection to three forms of higher Yoga. One is Jnana Yoga, the discipline of
contemplation and abstract thought. Another one is Karma Yoga, the science of
right action. The third one is Raja Yoga, the path to self-knowledge and
self-control.
In every case the autonomy of the disciple is a key tenet in the
theosophical Pedagogy. The goal is the simultaneous strengthening of one’s
self-knowledge, self-respect and self-control, an operation that requires firm
decision and strong will. In the gradual change of his karma of ignorance for a
new karma of increasing wisdom, the pilgrim has to review and improve his
habits, for they are the expression of a karmic inheritance involving spiritual
blindness.
Jigoro Kano says:
“It is also
important not to overlook the element of habit. Even if you intend to do good,
if you have not developed the habit of doing so, your best intentions will
easily be corrupted. And even the best intentions of rejecting evil can fail if
you have not developed the habit of doing so. For that reason, you must
endeavor to cultivate good habits, love what is good, and reject what is evil
on a daily basis.” [5]
This tenet of the philosophy of judo reinforces the
right attitude regarding the dilemma of knowing what is right and not being
able to act accordingly. It also coincides with the Dhammapada, which
recommends in its verse 183:
“Cease to do evil, learn to do good. And purify your
mind.”
Jigoro Kano explains:
“When considered
in this way, moral education is a matter of tying together all these elements
in such a way that results can be achieved. Yet the issue of how much emphasis
we should place on the cultivation of each of these four elements once again
arises.[6] Just as with intellectual
training, it is impossible to determine that balance quantitatively. All we can
do is suggest that one thing should be assigned greater or lesser weight than
another. In any case, though, we must determine their relative weights and
clarify as far as possible the goal we wish to reach. This is essential in
order to determine the method by which you can reach that goal. Thus in moral
education, just as in the case of intellectual training, in order to employ seiryoku
zenyo [the best use of one’s
energy] it is essential that we clearly define the goals we wish to reach.”[7]
Individuals must
use the power of their good will to abandon repetitive cycles of negative
actions and establish new, better cycles of actions. This idea constitutes a
central tenet and decisive task in both theosophy and the martial arts. Robert
Crosbie, the main founder of the United Lodge of Theosophists, wrote in the
beginning of 20th century:
“The first time
we do a thing, it is not yet a habit; but we repeat the action and keep on
repeating it and finally it becomes automatic. With the knowledge of cycles,
habits are within our intelligent control.” [8]
In every aspect
of life, the correct use of energy (seiryoku
zenyo) denotes wisdom, and its opposite is the hallmark of ignorance.
The right use of
energy leads to mind-concentration, contemplation, self-knowledge and
happiness. The philosophy of seiryoku zenyo
is connected to voluntary simplicity. On a sociological level, it paves the way
to the adoption of moderate habits and of wise policies regarding the use of
natural resources. It stimulates nature preservation and ecologically sustainable
forms of economic development. It makes social justice easier to attain. It
fosters mutual respect and universal brotherhood.
NOTES:
[1] “The Mahatma Letters”, TUP, Pasadena, CA, USA, Letter
LV, p. 322.
[2] “Five Messages” (from H.P. Blavatsky to the American
Theosophists), The Theosophy Company, Los Angeles, 1922, 32 pp., see Third
Message, 1890, p. 26. The pamphlet “Five Messages” is available in PDF at our
associated websites.
[3] From the text “On Pseudo-Theosophy”, by Helena P.
Blavatsky. The article is available in our associated websites. It is also published in “Theosophical
Articles”, Theosophy Co., volume I, see pp. 161 and 163.
[4] “Mind Over Muscle”, by Jigoro
Kano. Writings from the founder of Judo, compiled by Naoki Murata, published by
Kodansha USA, New York, 2013, 155 pp., see pp. 68-69.
[5] From “Mind Over Muscle”, by Jigoro Kano. Writings
from the founder of Judo. Compiled by Naoki Murata. Published by Kodansha USA,
New York, 2013, 155 pp., see p. 69.
[6] As we have
seen, the four elements are: 1) having the intention to do good; 2) building
correct habits; 3) loving what is good; and 4) rejecting what is evil on a
daily basis.
[7] “Mind Over Muscle”, by Jigoro Kano, see pp. 69-70. On
p. 82, Kano states: “…We are teaching a principle that can work together with
the highest principles of Buddhism and Christianity and the exhaustive studies
of philosophers; one which, like the other great philosophies and religions,
can be put into action.” However, he says in the same page: “It is difficult to
find common ground with those who have made only superficial study. I cannot
associate with those who simply follow by rote what they have been taught.”
[8] Robert Crosbie, in the note “Cycles of Habits”,
published at “Theosophy” magazine, Los Angeles, June 1932, p. 358.
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