Are you tough? Well here’s a tale of real tough:
In ancient China, Rambo Lee and Conan Chan were bitter enemies from rival warrior clans. One day while practicing his swordsmanship, Rambo saw an old monk about to be attacked by a wild tiger. He fearlessly intercepted the beast by shouting and waving his sword. The tiger fled.
The grateful old monk bowed to the warrior who saved him and said that he would grant Rambo a single wish – anything he desired. But he cautioned, think carefully, because what ever he asked for the monk would give his sworn adversary, Conan Chan, double. Rambo thought a moment, then said, “Take out one of my eyes.”
Now that’s macho!
This anecdote elevates martial machismo to the absurd. Machismo is a vital element of martial arts. Life or death. Victory or defeat. Kill or be killed. Virile characteristics such as strength, courage and aggression accompany the warrior’s ethos. However, exaggerated display of macho aggression that may lead to bullying born of uncontrolled testosterone drives, liquor manufactured courage and showing off at the expense of others due to ego insecurity must be tempered and transcended through experience and maturity.
TanDao teaches that the martial warrior’s bold actions should be tempered by the martial scholars insight and guided by the martial monk’s way of peace. In our TanDao Tiger Combat book, which teaches extremely vicious tiger claw techniques that are banned even from brutal MMA, there is TanDao saying: “The fiercest warrior has the gentlest heart”.
Evolving Martial Artists practice the martial arts – not the macho arts.
Check out our Tiger Combat ebook
Keep practicing,
Lawrence Tan
Tags: lawrence tan, Martial Arts, monk, tandao, warrior, wishes
Tough? I would’ve told the old monk to take one of my testicles.
As a high school football coach once told me: “Never go on the field without your cup–you have one luxury and one necessity. Don’t lose that necessity!”
Ha! That’s what Master One Hung Lo said…