The Demon's Sermon on the Martial Arts

by Issai Chozanshi

The Demon said to the swordsman, "Fundamentally, man's mind is not without good. It is simply that from the moment he has life, he is always being brought up with perversity. Thus, having no idea that he has gotten used to being soaked in it, he harms his self-nature and falls into evil. Human
desire is the root of this perversity."

Woven deeply into the martial traditions and folklore of Japan, the fearsome Tengu dwell in the country's mountain forest. Mythical half-man, half-bird creatures with long noses, Tengu have always inspired dread and awe, inhabiting a liminal world between the human and the demonic, and guarding the
most hidden secrets of swordsmanship. In The Demon's Sermon on the Martial Arts , a translation of the 18th-century samurai classic by Issai Chozanshi, an anonymous swordsman journeys to the heart of Mt. Kurama, the traditional domain of these formidable beings. There he encounters a host of demon;
through a series of discussions and often playful discourse, they reveal to him the very deepest principles of the martial arts, and show how the secrets of sword fighting impart the truths of life itself.

The Demon's Sermon opens with The discourses, a collection of whimsical fables concerned with the theme of transformation-for Chozanshi a core phenomenon to the martial artist. Though ostensibly light and fanciful, these stories offer the attentive reader ideas that subvert perceived notions of
conflict and the individual's relationship to the outside world. In the main body of work, The Sermon, Chozanshi demonstrates how transformation is fostered and nurtured through ch'i - the vital and fundamental energy that flows through all things, animate and inanimate, and the very bedrock of
Chozanshi's themes and the martial arts themselves. This he does using the voice of the Tengu, and the reader is invited to eavesdrop with the swordsman on the demon's revelations of the deepest truths concerning ch'i, the principles of yin and yang, and how these forces shape our existence. In The
Dispatch, the themes are brought to an elegant conclusion using the parable of an old and toothless cat who, like the demon, has mastered the art of acting by relying on nothing, and in so doing can defeat even the wiliest and most vicious of rats despite his advanced years.

This is the first direct translation from the original text into English by William Scott Wilson, the renowned translator of Hagakure and The Book of Five Rings . It captures the tone and essence of this classic while still making it accessible and meaningful to today's reader. Chozanshi's deep
understanding of Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shinto, as well as his insight into the central role of ch'i in the universe, are all given thoughtful treatment in Wilson's introduction and extensive endnotes. A provocative book for the general reader, The Demon's Sermon will also prove an
invaluable addition to the libraries of all those interested in the fundamental principles of the martial arts, and how those principles relate to our existence.

Genres: Martial Arts, Philosophy, Japan, Graphic Novels, Comics, Nonfiction, Buddhism

221 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1727

About the author

Pen name of Niwa Jurozaemon Tadaaki (1659-1741)
Also known as Chozan Shissai

Reviews

[Sean Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi all, I am the writer of this visual version, thanks for your reviews.

Some reviews I've notice include:

"What the graphic novel format provides not in the printed translation is the emotion conveyed by the illustrations. One I found particularly engaging was a scene with the samurai bowing to the cat and asking for instruction in The Mysterious Technique of the Cat.

The teaching of the Demon’s Sermon is of great value for both martial arts students and everyone else. Readers who like the manga format will relate very well to this modern pictorial expression of this classic book and its philosophy."
- The Aikido Journal

"Sean Michael Wilson is the writer responsible for adapting Musashi’s work into graphic novel form (based on William Scott Wilson’s translation). Displaying a great deal of respect for and knowledge of the original work, he has managed to boil it down to its essentials. Some concepts just don’t lend themselves to visual form, but here the text is greatly enriched by the illustrations.

The finished work is multilayered and will yield greater insights with each reading. In fact, it DEMANDS to be reread. Make no mistake, this is no simple comic that can easily be blown through in a few minutes and then forgotten..."
- The Samurai Archives History Page.

"I must say, this is off the charts.....but only if you don't mind stopping to think in between pages....a lot! Here is the map that worked for me. Read and/or listen to a regular version of the Book of 5 Rings first. THEN.....and only then,wait a day or 2 if you want and then dip into Sean's illustrated version so you can immediately pick up all the nuances in facial expressions done so well by the illustrator Chie Kutsuwada. Dpnt be fooled thinking because this is in comic book "form"...its just a comic book. Big mistake. After reading that, then go to The Demons Sermon and the other fine piece by Sean: Hagakura. Save this one for last.

The Demons Sermon will make you think about Life after death, life at the moment of death, and the thoughts and conversations people like us(Yes, Martial Artists, Philosophers and Self Improvement junkies!) will probably tend to have when our time is near. The reason to read this last and not first is that it is not a martial arts book per se, so get the martial stuff out of your system first! Then you can exhale and relax better. I only hope Sean will make a continuation of this theme, but only this time in a much, much larger book with both Martial Artists, Artists and Masters of all kinds and characters of real interest like con men,drunks and real "characters" all intermingling. I do mean "Characters." -) And make the book over 500 pages minimum.I personally find that most of us as we get a year older get that much more interested in this topic. At 34, it was interesting. At 54 I am fanatic in my readings of this little talked about subject of life after life. I will buy the first copy. And if you have a small attention span, just get the Sean Michael Wilson Trilogy and make sure you have the next day off! The whole trilogy was awesome!"
- Marc, five star review on amazon


Please check out some of our other adaptions of Japanese classics and history - we have done 13 now! Such as our ‘The Book of Five Rings’ or the book about to come out in March 2018, ’The Satsuma Rebellion’

You can see more pages from the book on my web site:

https://seanmichaelwilson.weebly.com/...

Thanks, Sean

[Samuel Shumaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally love this book, written 284 years ago, but it's not for everyone. This translation is cryptic at the best of times, and unless you're familiar with a lot of vague taoist alchemy/esoteric martial arts concepts, it'll probably confuse the shitake mushrooms out of you. I AM familiar with many of them, and I still find it baffling at times.

Also, what was the translator thinking, renaming it in english? "The Demon's Sermon on the Martial Arts" is enough to scare off most christians and isn't really an accurate translation to begin with. A tengu isn't exactly a demon, though people frequently translate it that way. It's a spirit, or a faerie; a goblin even, and the negative religious connotation of "demon" has nothing to do with this particular mythical creature.

The translation of demon probably arose as a result of all the missionaries that swarmed japan in the early days. Anything from traditional japanese culture that was a little spooky could easily have been labeled demons.

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have literally no idea how many times I have read this book, but it had been several years. New things to consider. Reminders of old things to consider. Never a disappointment.

[Ali Reda · Rating 2 out of 5]

When the famous warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune was a young boy going by the name of Ushiwaka-maru, his father, Yoshitomo, was assassinated by the Taira clan. Taira no Kiyomori, head of the Taira, allowed the child to survive on the grounds that he be exiled to the temple on Mount Kurama and become a monk. But one day in the Sojo-ga-dani Valley, Ushiwaka encountered the mountain's tengu, Sojobo. This spirit taught the boy the art of swordsmanship so that he might bring vengeance on the Taira.

Accept Everything, resistance is suffering

It revolves around the Buddhist sentiment that attachment to one’s status in life whether rich or poor, famous or infamous is the source of suffering. "But rather, following good and bad fortune or prosperity and decline as one meets them, and calming enjoying oneself in the midst of creation and change: this is the greatest happiness under heaven". So "If I'm blown by the wind, I'll tumble along following the wind. If the winds stops, I'll stop too. And won't act contrary to things. just don't fight things and be happy with what you encounter". "I just entrust my body to the Creator and don’t intrude my own willfulness while I’m here. This is knowing the general drift of the Way." because "a person who worries over something he can do nothing about is an extraordinary fool."

In one section a dying man is talking with his family priest and says: "The ten thousand things are born from emptiness and return to emptiness." No need for sorrow of passing of anything.

No-Mind

"The common man hasn't cut yet through the root of confusion of life and death. This always lies concealed and acts as a cover over his spirit. When a thought stirs even a little, what has been concealed arises, emotions, attachments and desires". "When there is something in the mind, the chi is obstructed and your body can't respond with harmony".

“When you gamble for tiles, you are skillful. When you gamble for your belt buckle, you begin to hesitate; and when you gamble for gold, you get confused. Your skill is the same, but you get cautious because you value something outside yourself. When you do this you become awkward inside."

"The moon in the water, is a metaphor for when you can move and respond with no-mind, though there is a reflection, the moon reflects itself without thought. reflected in ten thousand streams or not, this doesn't add to the moon or subtract from it".

"Technique is cultivated by means of chi and chi uses the mind as a vehicle to put form into use. As you become skillful in the technique, the chi harmonizes. And when this has completely penetrated the mind and no more doubts remain, technique and principle become one, your spirit is settled, and practical application is completely unobstructed. The technique responds to the circumstances naturally". "Simply, without thinking, without doing anything, move by following your natural perception and your movement will have no form. And when you have no form, there is nothing in heaven and earth that could be your opponent"

[James Arseno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lesser known work than many of it's class (Hagakure, Book of 5 Rings, etc) but this one is like a diamond in the rough. It holds very precious knowledge & wisdom formulated under different stories and allegories that have nothing to envy to classics such as the Tao Te Ching. It is a much more spiritual work in a sense, than other similar reads, in a way that it is a bit more vague and poetic, perhaps even esoteric. If you are a fan of japanese and martial philosophy in the likes of Bushido, Zen, etc... this is a read you DO NOT want to miss. Absolutely great stuff with a little flair of mystecism to it.

[T.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few books that I simply could not put down. The book itself masterfully weaves a tale of the Tengu (mythical Japanese beings) and martial arts philosophy. The book also includes several Japanese parables and short stories that drive home the philosophy of Budo without beating the reader over the head. If you are a martial artist this book will not reveal anything tangible like training techniques or modalities but it does offer something much more important. You will have to read this book yourself to discover what that is.

[Vasilis Stefanou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning illustrations with essential teachings from the East that explain the most important, philosophical ideas and it's excellent for the western mind to get a grasp on.

[Alain Burrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished “The Demon's Sermon On The Martial Arts: A Graphic Novel” from the book by Issai Chozanshi, based on the translation by William Scott Wilson, adapted by Sean Michael Wilson and illustrated by Michiru Morikawa. It is a great graphic novel adaptation of this classic collection of martial arts parables written by Issai Chozanshi, an eighteenth-century samurai.

The stories feature demons, insects, birds, cats, and numerous other creatures and contain teachings that offer insight into the fundamental principles of the martial arts. Topics such as the value of chi, the importance of following one's own nature, the attainment of No-Mind, and ultimately the ability to rely on nothing. This manga version of Chozanshi's classic tales provides a fresh look at the author's insights in a quick and easily readable format.

Personally, my favorite stories in the book are “The Owl's Understanding” and “The Mysterious Technique Of The Cat.” However, with that said, I enjoyed all of them, and think the entire graphic novel should be read and then pondered on to understand and internalize the lessons contained within each.

There is also a four page Afterword that is also an interesting read. It was written by William Scott Wilson and is a fitting conclusion to this graphic novel interpretation of the classic text. Obviously, this book is not meant to assist a person with physical martial art skills, but rather a text that explores concepts that come from Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shinto, which have influenced the martial arts of Japan and Asia, and therefor can add to understanding not only martial arts, but life, through their study.

As I get older, I find myself more and more looking toward the mental and what some may call spiritual aspects of training my mind, body and spirit. Ancient texts like “The Demon's Sermon On The Martial Arts” assist with this study and development, helping make both the mental and physical training something that will last a lifetime. Putting these older stories into the graphic novel format makes the read interesting, and hopefully accessible to some that would never have otherwise looked at this book. I'm glad to have the original on my book shelf, but also glad that I spotted this version on the library shelf to work into my reading and studying.

I highly recommend it to anyone who likes old Japanese stories that convey lessons you can apply to martial arts and life in general.

[Angela Longstreet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A random snag off of my library's bookshelf has given me a joy unfounded outside of my old dojo.

Through demon (the best English translation of a word that means far far more than stereotypical fire and brimstone imp-like beings) teachings do we gain enlightenment in the ways of chi, of martial arts, of the Self and the universe within and without. Comparisons between centipede, snake and worm; of a freshly freed cicada speaking to its' husk; of rat and its enemy the cat do we learn of human frivolous ways.

To capture the way of the warrior, the way of the mind no mind and the very being of how to be a good person regardless of martial arts or your sword skill, is to delve deeply into this book. Enjoy the dive but don't forget to come up for air on occasion...these human minds do need silly physical oxygen now and again.

[Tegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful transformation of marital arts philosophy as told through fairy tales. A recommended read, whether this form or the more standard text, for students of martial arts as a whole.

Told in a series of fables each its own sermon on the essence of martial arts, on martial arts as a way of life and a spiritual journey.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides deep insights involving Martial Arts as well as Eastern Philosophy.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in Eastern Thought and Martial Arts.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GoodReads first read, which I was fortunate enough to win. It is a beautifully illustrated classic collection of martial arts parables. Simply lovely. Read it today.

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really more a graphic novel of Hayseed Taoist than of the Tengu geijutsuron, but it was a fun, quick read and the art was very nice.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely awesome book!
Genius to take these philosophical tales and make a graphic novel.
Kind of a Aesop's tales for martial artists!
I'll be reading this over and over again.

[L3ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done.

Far more Taoist and Zen than the Bushido I thought it would be.

[Yun Rou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Wilson's translations of Japanese/Chinese classics for Tuttle/Kodansha have, over the years, proven to be elegant and satisfying works. Bill has a scholar's mind and a restrained and elegant hand in translation. He also has a great passion for Japan and all things Japanese, travels there often, and has made that country the focus of his life the way I have done with China. I recommend all the books in this series.

[Zach]

This is quite an enjoyable version of the sermon, though it cannot reach the depths of the original. However, this manga version offers depths of its own, and the illustrations are superb. The power and insight of the text still propel me to want to immediately reread it. If you have read the original, then this is a fun follow-up. If you haven't read the original yet, then this would be an interesting primer.

[Jacob Goble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have read this book several times. It's fantastic. It's not a sermon in the typical sense. It's a collection of ideas and principles, communicated through several sermons from the Tengu atop Mount Kurama. The story of the cat and rat is applicable for every parent of adventurous kids. You have to want it. No hesitation. Just go.

[Rai Keyri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talks about the demon known as the Tengu in Japanese mythology that the one who taught the secrets of kenjutsu to men. Also talks about the cultivation and importance of chi. Some fable stories are bewildering like that of the centipede and the snake, comparison of duck and crane. The Samurai and Zen Cat story is I already heard of from another book.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is bewildering. The stories it contains are vague and seem somewhat circular. It is hard to determine whether the difficulty in understanding the material is due to its subtlety, or if it is because of a lack of appropriate preparation by the book's readers.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sat down to read and didn't put it down again until I was finished. This is going to be one I'll visit again and again and find something new within the pages each time.

[Richard Guo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me see more clearly how the main schools of Eastern philosophical thoughts are expressed through the various martial traditions of the East.

[Zach]

Second read:


Very difficult not to simply reread this a 3rd time. Mmmmm.  The depths, heights, and expanses of this book are invaluable to anyone en route.  Mostly noumena here - only just enough phenomena.


 One of many favorite quotes:


Men of shallow brains in the world are like the bulbul.  Once they achieve something using their own clever wit, they get proud and think they can continue on like that forever.  How could anyone in the world be so stupid?



First read:

Sacred fire from the void. Best to have some initiation to help understand the spaces between the spaces. 

[Min · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The tales progress through advocating a way of non-attachment and psychological clarity for dealing with the world and its contentions. The topics of these stories range form the essential simplicity of life and death, and one's relation to the phenomena of the world, to the nature and movement and skill, and the elimination of desires that obscure our vision. Together, these stories offer the trans-formative insight with which to approach the problems of hostility and conflict." The presentation of tengu (translated as "demons") as teachers is a wonderful slice of Japanese thought. In the stories, they teach the concepts of Ch'i and Form; Nature as whole and complete as it is; and following our own inner Nature; and handling every day thinking.

A most precise summation from the Afterward. IF these are new concepts, than it is a refreshing delivery of philosophy that few encounter otherwise. Noticing the interplay of Taoist, and Buddhist thinking among the Shinto background demonstrated the oft-mentioned comment about Japan being an integrated blend of the many philosophies contained within its shores.
The black and white illustrations add a level of interest to the stories for me. Also, they become images for the memory to recall that lead into remember the entire story, and its lesson.

[Jack Magruder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be thrown off by the title. In Japan, the concept of a "demon" pretty much encompasses a variety of mythological beings: some of them benevolent, some malevolent. In this case, the bulk of the book relates to a hypothetical dialogue that a Samurai Sojourner has with a series of Tengu (birdlike Japanese mythological beings) about the "deepest secrets of the martial arts". However, in this particular version, there is also a collection of other stories on the same subject, all from a predominately Zen Buddhist point of view. They center on everything from Life to Martial Practice, and if you're looking for a primer on Zen thought as it applies to martial arts as well as how martial arts then become a tool for life, this would be a good read.

[Silas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this comic, I knew it shared a title with a classic Japanese treatise, but thought it might only share that. I was much relieved to find out that it was a faithful graphic adaptation, instead, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't read the original work, so I can't comment on just how faithful an adaptation it is, but having read a number of other Japanese works on swordsmanship, warfare, and philosophy, it had a similar feel, and I appreciated the perspective given here. I very much enjoyed the combination of the stories with the manga-style art, and even somewhat fanciful stories were given a serious treatment. This was both an entertaining read and a good representation of Zen ideas.

[Gnuvolante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un guerriero si reca sul monte Kurama in cerca dei Tengu, e ne trova una legione. O Forse è solo un sogno? Essere dalle capacità portentosi, forse in possesso anche di prodigiose abilità marziali, svelano i loro segreti attraverso una serie di conversazioni profonde, sulla Via della spada, ma applicabili ad ogni sfera del vivere quotidiano.

Ho trovato molto interessante la sezione iniziale in cui diversi animali affrontano discorsi profondi in maniera semplice e diretta. Finzione che sia, spesso animale è chi animale si mostra: l'uomo.

[Solid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because it used something I love, the martial arts, to explain deeper concepts in Buddhism. I even enjoyed reading the footnotes because of all the interesting facts about Japanese and Chinese history/culture. The recommended books at the end were also very useful for me as a guidepost to continue my learning in this area. I found it to be slightly confusing at times but enjoyed it. The biggest thing I learned was that I should strive to get satisfaction internally rather than externally in order to 'calibrate' my internal compass.

[Scott wachter · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is just a weird premise. I'm not saying it's too hard to get behind, and the graphic novel presentation makes for a great addition to the parable segments, but that actual demons' sermon is mostly just a bunch of talking heads.

Furthermore, don't you just love when an eastern philosophy text is presented without any annotations?

though if this guy did the Chuang Tzu the same way I'd buy it.