THE 5 OATHS OF JUDO
by Rising Sun Judo Club of Las Vegas on Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 1:19am
In the original Judo dojo, the Kodokan, all of the students swore an oath which continued the essence of the Judo spirit. These oaths are the foundations of correct behavior in Judo. From them we can get an understanding of the depth of committment necessary for serious practice of Judo.
The five oaths all help a person begin the construction of a deeply personal code of honor.
THE FIVE OATHS OF JUDO
I. Once admitted to the Kodokan, I shall not stop my study of Judo without good reason.
II. I shall not dishonor the dojo.
III. I shall not tell or show the secrets I have been taught to anyone, without authorization.
IV. I shall not teach Judo without authorization.
V. First as a pupil, later as a teacher, I shall always obey the rules of the dojo.
**These oaths are important, but the rules of the dojo don't end there. The dojo, like a home, has to be shown respect in many ways.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME GUIDLINES FOR CORRECT BEHAVIOR FOR JUDO-KA:
1.) Always come to class on time. (Lateness holds up everybody and that isn't fair.)
2.) Always come to class clean and well groomed. (A dirty body is unpleasant to deal with, and Judo is a contact sport.)
3.) Keep toe and fingernails short and trimmed. (Students can get bad slices from long or broken nails and can cause one to bleed all over the mat area.)
4.) Keep your Judo-gi clean and properly folded. (This is partly because sweating in heavy cotton can make for some unpleasant aromas, and a clean uniform smells a whole lot better. Also, properly folding the gi and keeping it clean shows respect for the art.)
5.) Don't wear jewelry, watches or that sort of thing. (These will break, can cut you or your partner and worse. Rings can break yor fingers and necklaces can choke and injure you.)
6.) Remember to bow at the correct times. (Showing desrespect is a sign of a weak and unmannerly personality.)
7.) Do not bring food or gum into the dojo. (It's disrespectful, it's not a cafeteria. No one wants to hear juicyfruit popping in their ear when they're working with you. And you could choke on gum or mints when training.)
8.) Don't talk when you are not supposed to. (The idea is to pay attention to what you're doing, not chattering. You could miss instruction, warnings or commands, and that can be dangerous.)
9.) Never interrupt the Sensei (Teacher) or anyone else. (It's bad manners under any circumstance.)
10.) When the Sensei is talking, keep quiet. (What he has to say will probably be more important than your idle chatter.)
11.) Students should never make fun of someone who makes a mistake. (It's cruel, uncalled for and remember that old line about living in glass houses and throwing stones? I haven't met a loudmouth who never made mistakes himself.)
12.) Always treat people with respect. (This is in or out of the dojo. There's no good reason for bad manners or rudeness. And a martial artist especially should always display respect.)
13.) Treat the opposite sex with respect. (One of the purposes of Judo is to JITA-KYOEI, which means you and I shine together. You are suppose to help each other. You are there to develop and improve your character and not to intimidate or humiliate another student.)
14.) Never brag or show off. (You could be the best Judo-ka in the world and that still wouldn't make you better than others. It definately wouldn't justify showing off.)
15.) Show respect to all martial artists, of any style. (When it comes right down to it, we're all in the same boat.)
16.) Respect all things, living and non-living. (Don't go out and kick a cat in the head or graffitti the wall. It's the wrong thing to do.)
17.) Respect the property of others. (If it isn't yours, keep your hands off and ask before touching. You'd expect the same courtesy in return. Also, when using something belonging to someone else, don't abuse it. How would you feel if someone battered something they borrowed from you?)
18.) Never use Judo to hurt anyone. (Never, under any circumstances except to save your own life.)
19.) Help with Dojo Chores. (Everyone pitches in to make the dojo a clean, safe and well-ordered place. If you slack off it means more work for someone else and that is not fair.)
20.) Don't clown around. (It's childish, foolish and dangerous. Save it for the playground. WHEN YOU DO GOOF OFF WITH YOUR BUDDIES, DON'T USE JUDO!)
**(Sources: 1-"Judo and You" by Maberry/Rinear, 1991, 2-Carlos Fletes, The Judo Professor)