Grounded in a comprehensive overview of the philosophical and
spiritual foundations that underlie karate, The Art of Killing
emphasizes its original purpose: to kill an attacker swiftly and
brutally.
Prior to 1900, karate-dō was exclusively an art of unarmed self-defense.
Its practice was designed for life-or-death situations--effectively, an
art of killing. Here, authors Leonard Pellman and the late Masayuki
Shimabukuro restore karate to its original intent. They move karate away
from its popular modern-day sporting applications back to its deadly
origins---and to the restraining philosophy of peace, self-sacrifice,
compassion, and service to others that necessarily accompanied it.
With chapters on kokoro (heart, mind, and spirit), ki (spirit and
energy), and the seven major precepts of bushidō, The Art of Killing
shows readers that the lethal art of karate is more than a method of
bringing an enemy down--it's a philosophical and spiritual system
grounded in essential lessons to guard against abuses of power. This
book does not contain detailed instruction in killing methods, but it
does showcase the deadly power of karate--and explain why purity of
intentions matters, and how compassion and respect are the essence of
karate training.
Readers will learn:
The purpose and meaning of karate-dō
The origins and major precepts of bushidō
Training methods, preparation, and etiquette
Fundamentals, spiritual power, training patterns, and analysis and
application of kata
About the body as a weapon
