GICHIN FUNAKOSHI

1
“The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”

2
“Only through training will a person learn his own weaknesses... He who is aware of his weaknesses will remain master of himself in any situation.”

3
“What you have been taught by listening to others' words you will forget very quickly; what you have learned with your whole body you will remember for the rest of your life.”

4
“One whose spirit and mental strength have been strengthened by sparring with a never-say-die attitude should find no challenge too great to handle. One who has undergone long years of physical pain and mental agony to learn one punch, one kick, should be able to face any task, no matter how difficult, and carry it through to the end. A person like this can truly be said to have learned karate.”

5
“The secret principle of martial arts is not vanquishing the attacker, but resolving to avoid an encounter before its occurrence. To become an object of an attack is an indication that there was an opening in one's guard, and the important thing is to be on guard at all times.”

“You may train for a long time, but if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning karate is not very different from learning a dance. You will never have reached the heart of the matter; you will have failed to grasp the quintessence of karate-do.”

“Karate-do begins with courtesy and ends with rei.”

“When there are no avenues of escape or one is caught even before any attempt to escape can be made, then for the first time the use of self-defense techniques should be considered. Even at times like these, do not show any intention of attacking, but first let the attacker become careless. At that time attack him concentrating one's whole strength in one blow to a vital point and in the moment of surprise, escape and seek shelter and help.”

“When two tigers fight, one is certain to be maimed, and one to die.”

“Beginners must master low stance and posture, natural body positions are for the advanced.”

“The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will be useful in all things.”

“Inner mental technique is more important than the physical one.”

“Success, cannot be attained alone. Any person's time and power is limited. A wise leader enlists others in working toward organizational goals.”

“The spirit of karate practice and the elements of training are applicable to each and every aspect of our daily lives.”

“It is important that karate can be practiced by the young and old, men and women alike. That is, since there is no need for a special training place, equipment, or an opponent, a flexibility in training is provided such that the physically and spiritually weak individual can develop his body and mind so gradually and naturally that he himself may not even realize his own great progress.”

“Hoping to see karate included in the universal physical education taught in our public schools, I set about revising the kata so as to make them as simple as possible. Times change, the world changes, and obviously the martial arts must change too. The karate that high school students practice today is not the same karate that was practiced even as recently as ten years ago [this book was written in 1956], and it is a long way indeed from the karate I learned when I was a child in Okinawa.”

“Any man will be able, after sufficient practice, to accomplish remarkable feats of strength, but he may go only so far and no farther. There is a limit to human physical strength that no one can exceed.”

“Karate is a technique that permits one to defend himself with his bare hands and fists without weapons.”

“Karate is a defensive art from beginning to end.”

"Since karate is a martial art, you must practice with the utmost seriousness from the very beginning."