The Sennin’s Blog – Entry No. 2
Friday, April 24, 2015
Title: On
First or Foundational Principles, Part I
²
Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains,
no matter how improbable, must be the truth. – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I
will proceed throughout this conversation by not assuming that my readers have
any familiarity with concepts such as “ryu”, “ninpo”, “senshin” (Buddha mind), the
“Sennin”, much less of “MAMBA” or any of the essential notions proper and
common to the martial arts, to the Eastern psychological and spiritual
philosophies, complex adaptive systems, evolution, etc. In fact, I will not
assume any particular knowledge aside from a basic understanding of the English
language, or any particular competence beyond that of an average degree of
human intelligence, an open mind, and that fundamental desire to know which we
term ‘curiosity’.
That said, my purpose throughout these writings is to
construct in the mind of the implied reader – that is, one who if not a
disciple of MAMBA ryu is at the very least a willing student of our teachings –
a clear and cogent model of what MAMBA Ryu Ninpo is and to do so from the ground up, parting from the very same
foundations which are the sound and simple principles – the First Principles – upon which I have
constructed, and continue to build, the great edifice which is the MAMBA Ryu
paradigm. Out of necessity this will not be a linear discussion; it cannot be.
Real (human) life occurs simultaneous in six dimensions as interpreted at least
by every single sentient human being: the first three dimensions of space, the
fourth dimension of time, the Fifth Dimension of mind – or more properly “imaginoception”, a term which I will explain
later along with why I capitalize “Fifth Dimension” – and a final and recent
dimension known as cyberspace: it would be sheer arrogance to deny the human
impact of social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. In the meantime, written
expression is linear, that is, two dimensional. In order to surpass the
limitation of describing a six-dimensional reality with a two-dimensional
instrument we must describe aspects
of that reality from different perspectives and reconstruct the resulting model
in the scenario of our minds, an imperfect process at best.
To clarify the matter, allow me to illustrate my point
with a simplistic example. Viewed from my current vantage point as I remain
seated in my armchair, the room appears quite differently than if I stood up,
displaced myself to the opposite corner and sat on the floor and observed it
from there. It would be equally different if I enclosed myself in one of the
closets and peer from between the inclined horizontal slits, and ever more
different if I were endowed with a flying insect’s ability to pose on the
ceiling and observe from there. None of those descriptions of the room are necessarily
wrong, even though they would all be at least slightly discrepant with respect
to one another in significant ways; by themselves they are simply incomplete
and it is from their incompleteness that error arises in confusing any given perspective
with the reality from which we perceive it. The map (perception) is never the
terrain, but many integrated, corroborating perspectives can
approximate reality much better than a single isolated, independent one. MAMBA
is such an integrative paradigm, one which integrates and corroborates across
many divergent viewpoints. Therefore, in order to adequately describe the room
with precision I would have to adopt a variety of points of view, describe what
I experience from each of them, and then integrate across those points. Reality
is complex and points of view matter. In order to describe the reality of MAMBA
Ryu I will need to proceed from different standpoints. Save in the rare cases
in which the reader is also a personal student or apprentice of mine, I have
little choice other than to leave the final integration to him or her.
Returning briefly to the central argument of the
preceding Log Entry entitled “We Must Never Proceed from False Principles”, i.e., the non-existence of the supernatural – which
is not the same are the irrelevance of the supernatural: God does not exist,
belief in God however, abounds – it should establish clearly a crucial point of
the MAMBA ideology, a non-negotiable, and a non-arguable point: Neither supreme
beings nor supernatural entities of any kind have any place in the MAMBA paradigm;
equally we disavow (and disallow) the existence of any form of supernatural
forces or energies; likewise supernatural dimensions, life-after-death,
reincarnation, karma, an immortal soul are also summarily denied. Indeed we
have no need of them – that is a fundamental aspect of MAMBA: the establishment
of a meaningful, purposeful and fulfilling existence without the reliance on the supernatural; we need not resort to fallacy,
delusion or superstition to cope and contend with reality; we have no need of
the supernatural to deal with the natural.
This however, begs at least two important questions: (1)
What is the “natural”? (2) Why is it necessary or even desirable, to proscribe
the existence of the supernatural in what amounts to a treatise on a particular
psychosocial martial paradigm? Both questions are not only valid, but central
to our discourse; both will be answered, gradually and appropriately,
throughout the course of this essay.
We begin by reformulating both questions in terms of a
third question, one which queries the importance of the supernatural itself: Why is the supernatural important? Why
does it play such a central role not only in our imaginings but also in our
social, political, religious and economic realities? Why is the sacred so often
interpreted in terms of the supernatural? All of these questions have a common
answer, at least one of several – and we will consider many. That common answer
can be reduced to a single word: power.
If the supernatural were devoid of power, if it were powerless, then it would
hold no sway in neither in our realities nor in our imaginings. Power – attributed power of course – is what is
central to our notions of the importance of the supernatural.
Additionally, what attracts many if not most people to
the martial arts in general, and to the ninja arts in particular, can also equally
be summarized by a single word – by the very same word that describes what
attracts most people to the supernatural – and that word is also power. Hence we can begin to perceive a relationship
between the martial and the supernatural, one that is based on common perceived
need: the acquisition – or at least the employment
of power.
Cultural attitudes towards power must be addressed in
a proper place and time – and they will. Suffice it to say at the moment that
there are those who claim that power “tends
to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, to quote the late Lord
Acton – John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902), to be
precise. The quote, originating from a letter he wrote to Bishop Mandell
Creighton in 1887, follows thusly: “Great
men are almost always bad men.” I staunchly disagree, and I do so on
various grounds.
To begin, power is the essence of life. Power, or more specifically the impulse to achieve, accumulate, and enhance power – what is referred
to sometimes as the “Will to Power” – is not only a main driving force in
humans, as Nietzsche would argue, but rather it is an “emergent property” –
another term I will define later – of all living organisms. To live – as
distinct from merely being alive – is to possess a will or impulse to power, to
be instilled with an inherent drive to enhance one’s power, however power may
be expressed: power over the self,
power over others, power over a domain of knowledge, power over a craft, power over a talent or an ability –
but to increase one’s power
nonetheless.
No living organism ever voluntarily inhibited or
constrained its dominion – power it exerted – within, throughout, or over a
given habitat or domain. Self-restraint is not life affirming. All species, any
species, will reproduce and extend itself until the lack of available
resources, the diminishment or altogether disappearance of a favorable
environment, or until the competitive pressures exerted by other species impose
a halt to its advance. It is natural
for any and all species to extend themselves as far and wide as is possible
provided the restraints of their own biological capabilities, the limited
resources of the habitat, and the competitive pressures from other species. When species are introduced into a
new habitat favorable to its growth but destitute of natural competitors what
emerges is the “invasive species” phenomenon, one which has been known to
devastate the natural balance of entire ecosystems. This will to power is hence
a natural and inherent property of life itself, and as such is manifested in all
and every species as a whole as well as in the individual specimens that
represent them. Humans, as biological organisms that we are, are no exception
to the rule; any ideology that seeks to deny, diminish, or denigrate – rather
than productively channel the will to power is denying, diminishing, and
denigrating of the life force itself.
Of necessity this brings us to the concept of “good”
versus “evil”. We do not consider evil a volcano that erupts and wipes out a
nearby town or city – as occurred when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE and
destroyed the Roman city of Pompeii, killing all of its inhabitants. Every
year, fires, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods – all
“acts of nature” – leave in their wake death, doom and devastation, yet we do
not consider them evil. Nor do we consider evil the effects of bacteriological
or viral plagues even as they wipe out entire human populations. We do not even
consider evil when animals or plants, transplanted from their original habitat –
again, the “invasive species” phenomenon – where they evolved together with natural
predators or competitors, wreak havoc on entire ecosystems, including our own
food supplies, as was the case with the introduction of only 24 specimens of
the grey rabbit into Australia in 1859:
Within
ten years, however, the rabbits had bred with local rabbits on such a prolific
scale that two million could be shot or trapped annually without having a
noticeable impact on the population. By 1900, the rabbit population had
exploded to a size reflective of an almost exponential population growth, had
contributed to serious erosion of soils across the continent by overgrazing and
burrowing, and are believed to be the most significant known factor for species
loss in Australia's history.
Rabbits just did what they are known to do: set forth
and multiply. Acting in accordance to their biological nature they could
therefore certainly be considered any more ‘evil’ than a hurricane or the
bubonic plague – except perhaps by some demented biblical standard, in which
case, nonetheless they would most certainly be interpreted as retribution for
some form of human transgression, but not evil in and of themselves.
We will have much more to say about the nature of the
polarity inherent in the culturally imbued concepts of “good” and “evil”. For
now, suffice it to say that power – as is the case with rabbits and volcanos – is
not inherently evil, it simply is. The
concept of the “irremediable evil” nature of power – of human power – originates in an inherently Christian moral ethic (perhaps
somewhat Jewish as well) according to which only God should have power, and
according to which ambition itself is implicitly suspect if not explicitly
immoral. However, we have cast that framework complete aside by denying the
existence of the divine, of the supernatural in all its forms. By doing so not
only have we been liberated from constraints that are as absurd as they have
been arbitrarily interpreted and applied, but we are also free to adapt and
adopt a more neutral, objective standpoint, one in which the horizon of our
perspective is at once realistic as it is natural.
Guns indeed do not kill people; yet people, long
before guns have killed people since even before people were actually people. However,
to accept this fact we must comprehend the “natural
nature of our nature”. Even chimpanzees, who share with the bonobos the
questionable distinction of being our closest living relatives, kill other
chimpanzees. It is within our nature to be paternal, heroic, empathic, and
philanthropic; it is also in our nature to be egocentric, egoistic, and even
murderous to the extent of genocidal. What we want power for and what we do
with power is the issue – not power per
se.
To not quest for power is akin to deny life itself and
it is proper of those who place life at the service of death or more
specifically at the service of some illusion of life after death. Remove this illusion
and human existence changes substantially, for it changes at its essence. How
many suicide bombers would proceed with their goal if they knew there was
nothing but nothingness – rather than the eternal attentions of seventy two
virgins? How many people would be willing to give up their lives if they no
longer believe in an immortal soul, in some sort of salvation (i.e.,
Christians, Muslims) or reincarnation (i.e., Hindus, many Buddhists)? These
beliefs simply serve to devalue life as they present death not only a viable
alternative, but often a desirable one to boot.
Removing the supernatural as a consideration in human
existence, in MAMBA we have identified Seven First or Foundational
Principles, all of which will be explained in detail through the length
of this essay, and four of which I will briefly present shortly. What is
important to note is that these Seven Foundational or First Principles, which are
rooted in science, are considered inalienable, incontrovertible, and
indisputable. The first two can be briefly described as follows:
1.
Human
beings, scientifically classified as Homo
sapiens sapiens, are evolved hominids devoid of any form of supernatural origin.
The implication of our natural origins places many cultural conventions into
question. I have already elaborated brief on the naturalness of the impulse or
will to power. Equally questionable, as I have hinted also previously, is the
nature of moral categories such as “good” and “evil” – indeed, of the nature of
morality itself. This is not to say that “good” and “evil” do not exist for us,
nor is it an excuse to be amoral. Morality, as well as “good” and “evil” as
concepts are, anthropologically speaking, practically universal. What it does indicate is that neither morality,
nor good, nor evil are transcendent –
which is to say that they are not “beyond
or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience” nor are
they “existing apart from and not subject
to the limitations of the material universe”. Rather than transcendent,
they correspond to functional needs of a highly social animal. Without a code of conduct we cannot hope to coexist,
much less cooperate. It is the existence of a code that is a universal human
constant; the nature of code itself
is highly relative to culture and therefore to convention. Not all codes
however are made equal.
2.
The human
imagination – the cognitive result
of what is known in paleoanthropology as the “cognitive revolution” – is what most
distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom. It is responsible, among
other things, not only for our capacity to create art and language, but also for
our inherently human drive to seek – as well as imagine – transcendental answers. God and the gods exist for us not only because we have the capacity to
imagine them, but also because our
imagination creates the emotional need to do so. Our awareness of death is
commensurate with our capacity to imagine (mentally create) scenarios in the
future. Religious belief is therefore simply the human imagination’s attempt to
resolve the existential problem that it itself gave rise to. Like a hammer
trying to strike itself, its failure to achieve its goal is as notorious as it
is inevitable.
These
are the first two of the First or Foundational Principles of MAMBA.
ROKUKEN HARAMITSU DAIKOMYO.
