Expert: Joe McSorley - 1/2/2005

Question
Hello!

These are the words of Morihei Ueshiba, a japanese martial artist.

"Ultimately you must forget about technique.
The further you progress, the fewer teachings
there are. The Great Path is really No Path."

I'm especially interested in the last line: The Great Path is really No Path.

What does he mean? There is no path that we should follow? So what should we follow then? What kind of path is he talking about?

thank you!  

Answer
Dear Luke,
  This is a great question but one that is difficult to answer.  Most people take this as there being no path so they need not do anything.  This idea is completely wrong.  What you want to achieve, as a martial artist is to go beyond normal action and consciousness to a state that is deeper and more profound.  This is to go beyond technique and ‘doing' to a place of pure motion and balance.  In Taoism this is known as ‘wu wei'.  Many Buddhist scholars along with their Taoist counterparts use the term ‘wu-wei' as well as ‘no mind', single-mindedness and ‘empty' to mean the same thing.  I have been told by Chinese scholars that the term ‘wu-wei' really should be read as ‘wei-wu-wei', literally to ‘do-no-do' or to ‘do without doing'.  The way most people express it is in the negative as just ‘no doing' or no voluntary action but that is misleading.  Here's an example.  To become proficient at playing a musical instrument you need to practice.  This practice is ‘doing' or a way or path.  The more you practice the more you are ‘doing' but you hope to reach a point where your playing becomes unconscious so that you are no longer ‘doing'.  When you reach this point you are doing it without doing, no voluntary action, you are moving freely.  You are no longer on a way or path but free from the path.  Now practicing the scales got you there but practicing the scales is not ‘it'.  You need to transcend the doing to get to the non-doing.  Most people mistake this non-doing as being placid and blank but it is the exact opposite, it is active and dynamic.  So through meditation or any other practice you strive to reach the point that you are no longer doing it, you are ‘it'.   Now the path and technique have been abandoned but not before they were mastered.  So, following a path does not get you there but not following a path does not get you there and this creates a dilemma.  This dilemma is the path; the path that negates itself ultimately is the path that gets you there.  Ultimately kung fu disappears, like the musical instrument disappears, and full expression of the art blossoms.
  I hope this helps you, take care,
         Joe