The Warrior Within - The Philosophies of Bruce Lee
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^k&
WARRIOR The philosophies of
BRUCE LEE to better understand
the world around
you and achieve a rewarding
life
Foreword by LINDA LEE CADWELL
John
Liriu-
Li.
L
THE
WARRIOR WITHIN The philosophies of
BRUCE LEE to better understand the
world around you
and achieve a rewarding
John
Little
CB
CONTEMPORARY BOOKS
life
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Little,
John.
The
warrior within
:
the philosophies of Bruce Lee to better
understand the world around you and achieve a rewarding Little
;
cm.
Includes bibliographical references
ISBN
(p.
)
and index.
0-8092-3194-8
Martial
.
1940-1973.
arts— Philosophy. I.
GV1101.L58
2.
Spiritual
life.
3.
Lee, Bruce,
Title.
1996 96-14438
796.8'01— dc20
/
Interior
John
foreword by Linda Lee Cadwell. p.
1
life /
CIP
design by by Frank Loose Design
Published by Contemporary Books
A
division of
The McGraw-Hill Companies
4255 West Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood (Chicago), Copyright All rights
©
1996 by John
reserved.
No
system, or transmitted
60712-1975 U.S.A.
Little
part of this in
Illinois
book may be reproduced, stored
any form or by any means,
in
a retrieval
electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Printed
in
the United States of America
International Standard
7 8 9 10 11 12
Book Number: 0-8092-3194-8
CUS CUS 09876543
To
my
wife,
Terri,
and our
ch chil ildr dren en, ,
Ri Rile ley, y,
Taylor,
and Brandon
i
Digitized by the Internet Archive in
2012
r?<
http://www.archive.org/details/warriorwithinphiOOIitt
Contents
Foreword
by Linda Lee Cadwell
Foreword
by Daniel Lee
Foreword
by
Mark
Watts
Preface
vn xi
xvii
xxi
Acknowledgments
xxv
Epigrammatic Insights from the Words of Bruce Lee Some Thoughts About Bruce Lee
xxvii
xxxi
Part One: Seeing the Totality Chapter One The True Meaning
of
Gung Fu
Chapter Two Emptying Our Cup Chapter Three The Ways
of the
World
13
19
Chapter Four
On Yin/ Yang
33
Chapter Five Running Water
43
Part Two: Defeating Adversity Chapter
Six
Bend and Survive
5i
Chapter Seven Relationships
61
Chapter Eight Racism
8i
Chapter Nine Challenges
89
Chapter Ten Stress Release
93
Part Three: The Warrior Within Chapter Eleven Jeet
Kune Do
—the
Quantum
Perspective
103
Chapter Twelve You Are
121
It
Chapter Thirteen The Art
of Fighting
—Without
Fighting
135
Chapter Fourteen Lessons from a Master's Son
141
Chapter Fifteen Signposts
153
Chapter Sixteen Martial Art
as
Allegory
—the
Films of Bruce Lee
157
Chapter Seventeen In
Your
Own
Process
171
Appendixes Eco-Zen,
The Tao Bruce
by Alan Watts, introduced by
Mark
of Wu-hsin, by Alan Watts
Lee's Principal
Chronology
Works
of the Life of Bruce Lee
Watts
177 181
183
187
References
195
Index
197
About the Author
201
Foreword
Most Fortunate Reader,
ear
z> powerful
Something about Bruce Lee has this
book. You
— an opponent
his films
many
Bruce Lee
—
sidered, but
of
this
a
still
your interest
is
is
piqued.
Little delivers to
to
Read
man
of the
a side
on,
my
watched him struggle
he was not
a
sion in
was
life
perfect to
all.
process of evolving, one step state
at a
within the pages spirit,
to
life,
I
an oppor-
human
thor-
saw him struggle
to the attainment
to
of his goals. In
overcome the self-doubts and inse-
Bruce would be the
a real
But
you haven't con-
knew Bruce probably more
I
first
person to
man, but more important, he would
become
arts genre.
Lee.
real
curities that plague us
that
you an ad adve vent ntur ure e of the
overcome stumbling blocks along the path I
an actor whose per-
fr frie iend nd, , fo for r
oughly and intimately than most. In his outward
life,
up
fast,
with
in superb physical condition,
unsurpassed in the martial
Bruce you know the During our marriage of nine years,
his interior
—
to pick
a great fighter
deltoids, defined forearms;
philosopher? This
tunity for
image:
you
charmed you, and inspired you. Perhaps you have seen
times, classics
book, John
man
to be feared; a
washboard abdominals, broad sonality excited you,
recall his screen
attracted
tell
you
that
say that his mis-
being. His journey was
a
constant
time, with the object being not to reach a
of perfection, but to experience
life
with every nerve exposed,
fully in
touch with gut-level feelings and cerebral senses. To this end, Bruce delved deeply into his psyche to define and refine his All knowledge the
more
is
own
phil ph ilos osop ophy hy of
Bruce often
really self-knowledge,
said,
life.
meaning
that
person ex expos poses es him himsel self f to learning opportunities, the more these
a
The Wa Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in
viii
experiences enrich, enhance, and become part of
was
a
model of
a self-educated
When
Oakland,
Bruce
open the Jun Fan Gung Fu School Far from
his education did not stop.
the fascination that had driven
Bruce
is.
of Washington, where he majored in phi-
college to
left
that person
man. His formal education extended through
his junior year at the University
losophy.
who
him from an him
ing process of an individual propel
it.
He
early age:
in
continued his quest,
how
does the think-
to actualize his full potential in a
superior way?
Bruce was determined as
Even
to learn about this process within himself.
he trained his body for strength and efficiency, so did he discipline his
mind
to search for the causes of his ignorance.
So intensely did Bruce focus
mind became
absolutely centered, while at
his attention
on
this task that his
the same time, he was filled with
blazing awareness of
a
all
went on
that
—
the essential gung fu man. By exploring the depths of his being, around him he was able to nurture the seeds of his personal philosophy, which grew and
blossomed into the
real
Bruce Lee, the
gious fighting machine and that a
man
now
will
have ha ve expe experie rience nced d
get to
know
as a
as a
prodi-
philosopher,
wise beyond his years.
There are others who
Some
ulous physiques. talent.
you
man you
But there
is
able in the hearts
good martial
are
artists
and
fine actors
with fab-
have achieved stardom and are richly rewarded for for thei their r
something about Bruce Lee
and minds of
after his
which makes him
his followers all over the world.
irreplace-
More
than
a
I
death, steady stream of mail continue to receive two decades from people expressing their admiration for Bruce. A thirteen-year-old young
man, born years
after
him
in school; a professional
life
to
do well
moved
woman
in
a
says she
Bruce died, writes
positive
being.
man
all
me how Bruce
has motivated
in his fifties tells
me how
of Bruce's influence;
to study martial arts because of Bruce, areas of her
but similar in theme: Bruce Lee
human
tell
direction because
was inspired
confidence has soared in
to
is
a
role
life.
The
model,
stories are a
a
his
young
and her
innumerable,
hero image, and
a
real
What ple in
all
is
this something
walks of
life?
I
about Bruce Lee that continues to fascinate peobelieve
it
otherwis wise, e, which subconsciously, or other
is
the depth of his personal philosophy,
projects
from the screen and through
writings. His personality was such that he brought
changed your
attitudes, altered
you into
his
his inner world,
your perceptions, fine-tuned your awareness.
Foreword
ix
This book gives you the opportunity to reshape your memories of Bruce Lee,
view him from
to
One who is
John
self in
new
perspective.
has availed himself of the opportunity to learn
From
author of this book.
Little,
from Bruce Lee
an early age, John immersed him-
the study of ph phil ilos osop ophy hy and Bruce Lee.
energy and
vast
a
intellect, tireless research,
Through
the application of
and cultivated
John has
insights,
undertaken to compare and contrast Bruce Lee's philosophy with age-old gurus and modern sages from the East and West. Second, he relates applied his philosophy to everyday
life
and more broadly
John opens the door
for
you
suits. life
Finally,
that
own
which
is
from Bruce
Lee's
way of
personal philosophy.
ger pointing to the
lines
from Enter
the
moon. Don't concentrate on the
that heavenly glory.
Look beyond
these thoughts, then feel them, then
I
to his lifelong pur-
useful to you, and in so doing, to develop and nurture your
To paraphrase one of Bruce's
all
to take
how Bruce
Dragon: It finger or
is
like a fin-
you
the words on these pages.
will miss
Think about
make them your own.
wish you abundant energy, good health, and quiet awareness.
C^ca_^6iJ^^-^ C^l^uujCC. Linda Lee Cadwell Boise, Idaho
Postscript:
honor of
my
A
scholarship in
son, Brandon, at
drama has been established
Whitman
College.
research has been established in Bruce and versity of Arkansas. royalties
from the
John
sale
of
Little this
is
book
A
Brandon
donating
in
memory and
scholarship for medical Lee's
a substantial
to those scholarships.
names
at
the Uni-
percentage of the
The Lee
family
is
grateful for his generosity.
Foreword
To
the general public, Bruce Lee was a famous Chinese movie star
in martial arts films.
was
presence
To the martial
a sensational martial artist
who was
few people know
also the
that
pher, and a scholar
founder of
Bruce Lee was
who had
a
a
arts
community, Bruce Lee
with superb fighting
new
also
fighting system.
skills
and stage
However, very
an innovative thinker,
a
philoso-
deep understanding of Chinese Taoist and Zen
philosophy.
For me, at his
it
was
a great privilege to
become one of
Los Angeles school in 1967. Bruce was
who was
of the twentieth century of the Tao with
a
Chinese
Wing Chun
and karate kicks to create
which he
called Jeet
of th e intercepting
able to
a
master teacher,
a creative
genius
combine the ancient philosophy
system,
modern We West ster ern n bo boxi xing ng
skills,
thoroughly effective unarmed fighting system,
kune do (commonly
fist ),
a
his students, training
translated into Englis h, as
or jkd. His teachings have
awakened
in
the
me
a
way
new
understanding of the ultimate reality in unarmed combat and have totally altered not only
Bruce printed in
my
training, but
Lee's thoughts
many
these periodicals
my whole
life.
and writings regarding
publications over a period of
his
jkd philosophy were
some sixteen
years.
Some of
have long since vanished from existence, which has made it
very difficult indeed for an anyo yone ne hopi hoping ng to learn more about Bruce Lee's
and philosophy.
who
It
equally frustrating for those of us in the martial arts
is
have longed to learn more about particular aspects of his fighting
Fortunately,
my
John
friend
Little,
whom
I've
come
Bruce
monumental
for tackling this
Lee's philosophy.
know
to
He
art.
quite well
to
be com-
task of writing the definitive
book on
over the past twelve months, has succeeded in this respect.
mended
life
is
John has spent over two years and traveled
to at least
The Warrior Within
xii
three continents in an effort to gather
all
of the written and spoken words
of Bruce Lee. Intermingling Bruce's material with his
comments, John has created
a
own
comprehensive book with seventeen chapters
under three major headings.
One may
read this
read any chapter ter
stands alone. Yet
a particular
when
body. This book covers
on the
issue
coming
book from beginning
whose he head adin ing g seem seems s
was written on
many
of relationships
adversity and stress.
Bruce attempted
to
itive
a
cohesive
aspects of Bruce's philosophy, his personal views (at
different levels), and his approach to over-
There
is
even
a
chapter that John has devoted
background of each film and the hidden messages
convey to
its
viewers.
a rare
like his father's.
glimpse of Brandon's
life,
personal interview that John conson, that reveals a probing, inquis-
This chapter provides the the read reader er with
his personality,
and
his aspirations in
becom-
a successful actor.
In
the appendixes are
philosopher tle's
to be interesting, because each chap-
Brandon Lee, Bruce's
mind very much
a rare
ing
late
to
aspect of Bruce's philosophy and, therefore,
Also included are excerpts from ducted with the
one may choose
Bruce produced, wherein he goes to great lengths
to describe the interesting that
to end, or
the chapters are combined, they form
all
entirely to the five films
well-researched
whom
chronological
two very informative
essays
Bruce was particularly impressed by) list
of the important events in Bruce's
by Alan Watts as
(a
well as John Lit-
life
and
a listing
of
Bruce's principal works. These are valuable records for anyone wishing to
know more tial
artist
about Bruce's accomplishments' and contributions. For the mar-
at large,
this
book provides
a valuable
reference to better under-
stand the philosophical foundations of Bruce Lee's
unarmed combative
art.
For the jkd practitioner, the three stages of cultivation in Bruce Lee's martial art
and the four-step guide to self-enlightenment are
fully explored.
Since
was born,
I
and educated in China, and have been teach-
raised,
ing the Chinese language and culture
at
Pasa Pa sade dena na Co Coll lleg ege e for over eleven
years as well as serving as a Chinese language translator and lecturer ical
terminology
in Los Angeles, lation of jeet
intercepting
meaning of
would
I
kune
do.
and
fist,
Samra University of Chinese
the
at
like to It
make
has been
this
a
commonly
regarding the English trans-
would
I
The word
however.
Traditional Medicine
translated as the
qu quit ite e ac acce cept ptab able le. .
is
this translation
comment
on med-
way of
the
expand the
like to
Tao (pronounced dao
in
Foreword
Mandarin and doe
the Chinese language
lithe
way of nature
Thus the term
governing the universe.
ative force
ciples
means
in Cantonese)
would mean the intercepting
jeet
fist
xiii
or the cre -
kune do written in
that follows the prin-
of Tao.
The same word way of
or the
in the Japanese language,
method
fighting ; aikido, the
carries the
meaning the
are tran transsThus, the following Japanese terms are
of.
lated as in indi dica cate ted: d: ju judo do, , the
do,
way of
gentleness ; kendo, the
way of harmonizing
way of sword
the chi ; shodo, the
method of
calligraphy.
The Chinese Tao
is
that
by which originates
sage Lao-tzu, the author of the Tao
from which
all
all
te
chin ching, g, stat stated ed: :
The
things in the universe are created.
things are created
produced by
is
from Tao. This energy
is
this
energy or Ch'i,
together,
Bruce was so influenced by
this
When
by the Chinese
e mblem in
as
the^T'ai
Ch
i,
Yin
they produce a state of harmony.
concept of the harmonious existence of
the Yin /Yang energies that he chose the Yin/Yanp- sy mbol (which to
which
divided into two aspects: Yin and Yang.
All things in the universe have Yin energy and Yang energy.
and Yang energies merge
process
the
£Grand Ultimate?)
is
referred
to be his school
o rder to repr repres esen ent t the the core p rinciple of his Jkd fighting
art,
w hich
contains
a nd utilizes
that the
jkd fighting techniques must contain the harmonious interplay of
both the firm and Bruce added two arrows around the
Yin
(pliable, yielding)
in his
jkd fighting
plements
art,
and Yang
pliable energies of Yin/Ya ng. T'ai Chi circle to further emphasize
(firm, assertive) energies.
He
emphasized that
one does not oppose force with force but rather com-
one's opponent's strong force
with Yin, or yielding, energy.
Rmre
In his writings,,
stated metaphorically that the
flyc racked under pressure, but the
bamboo
tree
st iffest
is
eas-
survives by bending with the
wi nd.
He It
also
wrote: Be like water b ecause
it
soft,
is
resilient,
and formless
.
can never be snapped. Since Bruce's passing,
yard with a few of ing.
I
have been training continually in jkd in
my own
students.
I
t'ai
back-
have closely followed Bruce's teach-
Aside from developing hard-hitting and powerful kicks,
trained in
my
have also
I
chi ch'uan and push-hand techniques in order to balance
my
The Warrior Within
xiv
forceful
Yang en ener ergy gy with with an appropriate degree of Yin energy.
studied
many Chinese manuscripts on
Ch'uan
classics in
and
gies
It
is
Taoist philosophy and the T'ai
involve the cultivation of both Yin and
tools,
Yang
energies.
the sharpening of what Bruce
also raise his quality
cision, speed,
tivity
involves
believed that jkd training must
The called
cultivating of
martial
one's
or the weapons of offense, such as kicking, punching, and grabbing.
One must The
Chi
order to better understand the natur ure e of Yin/Yang ener-
how to develop them. my firm conviction that Bruce
Yang energy
have since
I
and power.
cultivation of
and
of execution by improving coor coordin dinat atio ion, n, prepre-
Yin energy, however,
involves increasing the sensi-
of one's body, improving the soft and yielding
pliability
skill
of
and cultivating the relaxation of the mind and body, in addition to developing a detached attitude of men tal poise and emo tional calmness. one's limbs,
As
a
skill
result,
one
is
able to
move
to a higher training level, developing the
of spontaneous adaptation. This
appropriate
skill
allows one to quickly generate the
amount of energy, which complements the opponent's energy
almost without conscious effort. During combat, for example, the goal use soft and yielding
skill
As soon and
retreats
stiff
as one's
overe rext xtend ends s hi himse mself lf and senses opponent ove
the
moving
his
weakness
(Yin energy), one should attack immediately (Yang energy) to
accomplished reaches
meet your opponent's force (Yang energy)
or resisting force (Yang energy).
defeat him. This training
skill
to
(Yin energy) to neutralize the force of one's oppo-
nent, rather than attempting to
with additional
is
at
its
it.
is
very challenging and exciting, and
As Bruce mentioned
highest level,
object,
it
in his writings,
becomes
as a
when
I
am
far
from
one's adaptive
shadow following
effortlessly
or as a cork adapting itself to the crests and troughs of
the waves.
Bruce
move toward
should
mentation.
The Bruce's
.
.
away
chisels
that
reminded
also
simplicity.
The
.
us in his writings that the height of cultivation It is
that lead leads s to ornathe halfway cultivation that
process to simplify
is
of the respective Yin and Yang energies are
cultivation
book The
my
always be
continuously
the nonessentials until he creates a masterpiece.
all
Tao ofjcet
Kune Do, which
is
readily available.
ever reac reach h that level of proficiency in will ever
I
who
like a sculptor
model and
role
my
I
lifetime, but
listed in
don't
know
Bruce will
inspiration.
Foreword
To
book
my
fellow jkd practitioners:
so that
you may
hope you
I
xv
will have fun reading this
truly grasp Bruce's philosophy of jkd.
Follow
his train-
ing program, understand the three stages of cultivation and his four-step guide to
The information John Little has presented in this make your pursuit of jkd a more illuminating and satisfying expe-
self-enlightenment.
book
will
rience.
you
I
would be
interested in
(please contact
John
In closing, then, let ter teacher.
When
exchanging ideas and sharing experiences with touch with me).
to get in
me
quote from
he noticed that
lated martial arts while taking his
a
famous Chinese
his students t'ai
t'ai
chi ch'uan mas-
were learning
chi lessons, he
so
many unre-
admonished them with
the following statement:
Many is
students
make
read readil ily y avai availa labl ble e
tial arts
ing).
Your error
is
and
essential to you) to
pursue what
is
near
is
(that
which
far (other mar-
that are nonessential or not related to the very art you are learn-
off course.
what
the mistake of neglecting that which
in
judgment and pursuit
will take
Therefore, you must be careful to
essential to
you and what
is
make
you thousands of miles
a clear distinction between
not.
Daniel Lee Pasadena, California
Foreword
The
course of a bird in
flight
pays no attention
.
^^^^
*^,
from
the lines of East
—Calligraphic inscription
West.
£
to
ome time
ago,
cere gentleman
-^ Zen
Seattle to
eral years
he
learn and
was
by
my
Kyoto
still
I
received a telephone
who
father.
asked
if
I
to study in a
from Japan from
recommend
when
I
to explain that he
had traveled
Buddhist monastery but that
directed
a sin-
few tapes on
had not received instruction in Zen.
grateful
by Alan Watts
a
could,
He went on
call
and
him
to a
few
He was
after sev-
anxious to
favorite recordings.
East meets West: Bruce Lee was a pioneer in using the
film
medium of Western
to teach
audiences
Western
—and even
actors,
John Saxon
such as
(left)
—
about Eastern philosophy.
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
xviii
Although
ironic,
was not
this
su surp rpri risi sing ng, , fo for r
taught to Westerners in Japan since It
was
however,
surprising,
it
not apt to be quickly
is
often misunderstood.
is
when
Zen
recently
I
discovered that Bruce Lee
used to regularly record Alan Watts from the radio or television and play the tuden nts. ts. In reading his notes and interviews, tapes for his stude
my
father's
works were an important influence
awareness of the Tao was central to his
Of
course, the
is
works of
a
ern approach to experience
is
that
it.
But it
as
John
a lifelong curiosity
— — *
**
Both Lee and Watts were involved
life
that can
as
—— -
be understood only
iniquely practical philosophy dedicated
our
was fond
opposed
The
is
the dance
itself.
historical division
And
as
it
In
it
is
a goal,
we
indas
invariably
my
a certain spot
best.
The
on
point of
life.
between the objectionably objective
world and the richly subjective East
a
were, re vealing the juix^
would be the
with
in a
Taoism^theyfbund
of dancing were to reach
so
were
communicate the essence of
to
to,
how ~^
'
directly.
the floor, then obviously the fastest dancer
dancing
to reveafirTg~
attentiojt-alle'ad anchotitsrae ortTTe~p*e&ejTt_n
or saying, If the goal
inspiration
about Eastern wisdom
p oselessnesTofli fe ^ For in~TnrecCirT^ouTs^rves toward oint
father,
Easterner teaching his
in teaching endeavors that
sense attempts to speak the unspeakable,
something
my
like
the problem with the West-
Little notes,
attempts to explain **•
and
apparent that
martial arts while finding spiritual
Westerner with
certainly unusual.
life,
is
art.
phenomenon of an accomplished
Western students physical in the
in his
it
has, in the twentieth century,
Western
begun
to
close, so that
today the characteristic ways of experiencing the world attrib-
uted to each are seen in direct contrast
symbolism on
significance of the
American youngster
me
the car in front of chi ch'uan
is
And
although the
T-shirt
worn by an
over the world.
all
a colorful
Yin/Yang
probably not well understood, the extended arm from
performing the movements of
in traffic gracefully
obviously connected to an inwardly centered being,
is
who
t'ai
at least
experientially understands something of the philosophy that inspired both
Alan Watts and Bruce Lee. For in the words of Bruce Lee:
Life that
lives, life
is
and
in the
living flow
NOW
a living
— no
questions are raised.
Completeness, the now,
is
The
reason
is
an absence of the con-
Foreword scious
mind
to strive
pleteness of things
to
divide that which
taken apart,
is
it
is
For once the com-
indivisible.
is
xix
no longer complete.
In these words, Bruce Lee revealed that he had discovered a secret that
seems to elude most modern people. The
we
secret, simply put,
can simultaneously live and contemplate
out of self.
self
it,
for the reflective aspect
As David Bohm, the is
that
On
thinks
it
it's
of the
self
is
do
The
that although
so takes
not the whole
British physicist, said,
the big
to
life,
is
something
— or complete
trouble with the small
self.
the following pages, one will find essential ideas once expressed by
Alan Watts, Krishnamurti, both Suzukis, Joseph Campbell, and many others
—
and long before by Lao-tzu,
Although many of these ing art that points to religion of Finally,
no it
a
Chuang-tzu,
Buddha, and Shankara.
ideas are not new, their expression
way of
liberation
my
embodies
a liv-
father once described as the
religion.
appears that after Eastern and Western cultures passed while
heading in opposite directions, the stage
is
now
set for
an East/West culture based upon the best of each
the development of
— the
adventurous
spirit
and curiosity of the West and the highly developed philosophical and aesthetic sensibilities of the East.
The mutual
receptivity of these elements has
already contributed greatly to the birth of well-integrated ways of knowing. It
now
around
only remains to be seen in a full circle to
if
the directions of each culture will
dance together in the
classic
image of
come
T'ai Chi.
Mark Watts San Anselmo, California
Preface
^^k M^r
^^rhile
y
1 §r
resides
in
may come
profound surprise to those of us
the throes of an emotional or
within us already. that,
It
exists in the
when channeled
when channeled
strength and,
understanding.
The Chinese
their belief that
Some
as a
remains that the answer to virtually
flowing energy
it is
are
it
it
to
form of
all
crisis,
the fact
of our problems
vast reservoir of free-
our muscles, can give us great
to our brain,
can give us great insight and
call this naturally
circulates in
a
life
who
occurring energy chi,
and
continuous cycles within our bodies.
have compared this vast inner energy to the quantum theory in
physi hysics cs; ; that that
mous with
is,
the subatomic energy patterns that are held to be synony-
the evolutionary forces underlying the
growth and development
Bruce Lee was able
to
generate
tremendous inner power, or what referred to in
Chinese as
is
chi.
The Warrior Within
xxii
of
all
things. This energy
not observable
in, say,
or other solid forms of matter are, and yet
cles
process, either. Evidently as
is
we
soon learn,
shall
readily discernible
more
it is
all
of
life
it
way
the
not exactly
is
The dividend
to the solar system. is
that
doing so can
complete and total harmony of mind and body that reaches
China
called tun-wu,
him
was
and the Japanese Zen masters
to
fully cognizant
have
faith,
this great creative
greater
than
is
the
godhead
or not,
result in a
culmination
call satori.
these great forces, causing
and
spiritual force within
ambition, greater than
I feel
It
is
all
me
this
.
no experience with which
may
emotion mixed with
faith,
be compared.
but a lot stronger.
greater
.
.
It is
and
than
Whether
untapped power,
feeling defies description,
this feeling
is
greater
confidence,
these combined.
this great force,
that
dynamic something within me. This
a strong
our
martial artist Bruce Lee, not surpris-
the existence of
determination, greater than vision. it
its
in
once comment:
/ feel I
than
of
a
awakening, what the Taoist sages of ancient
a great spiritual
The legendary twentieth-century ingly,
wave or
combination of the two. In any event,
a
learning to tap into these vast energy cycles
form of
a
parti-
apes this energy cycle in processes that are
— from the atom
in the
which
in
this
there
something
is
like
If
might be so bold
I
force, perhaps
would
it
or warrior. After
all,
attempt to symbolize this great inner energy
as to
the warrior
is
directed or neglected, can rise up to
West have neglected our warrior
than
we
win many
battles for
become your
nemesis.
force, ignoring
even the attempt to connect with far less
martial artist
a
an image symbolizing one aspect of
force that, if marshaled properly, can
becoming
by the image of
best be represented
it.
its
The end
you
a great
but, if mis-
Most of
us in the
presence and forgoing
result
is
that
we end up
of As American psychologist
are fully capable
William James once noted in his essay entitled The Energies of Men : Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. Our fires
damped, our
are
drafts are checked.
We
making use of only
are
of our possible mental and physical resources.
that
all
we choose
however,
If,
we
—
instantly
of our ultimate potential
small part
1
we become
instead to tap into this inner energy,
ultimately can be
fully the flames
a
awakening our passions and fanning
— and our
change.
lives
We become
Preface
more
passionate,
around us
—
more
certain
—more
and we succeed, almost
Bruce Lee was
a conscious
and begins
Lee for his
superstar a
own
.
it
It
to
his belief
what he termed
to channel
and
in
life,
his progress in the
how Lee
studied privately with Bruce
him how
taught
completely at
prana
harness some of what was raging inside
my it
is
sounds bizarre, and
it
who have miracles.
To
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who
me how
the Indians, .
was
to tap into
warrior within:
summon
.
it
period of six years, recalled
Bruce showed
ki;
and
of those great spiritual forces within himself
use those forces in science, in business,
to
our objectives. Certainly
with an eye toward the future: When man
vital realization
future will be unparalleled.
Nba
effortlessly, at
were possible when we learned
those great spiritual forces within to
ease with ourselves and the world
able to tap into his warrior force at will,
that great things
comes
at
xxiii
already
The Chinese
will.
the
life
force,
and
call it
is
chi;
it
me and
the fapanese,
incredibly powerful.
can't be explained adequately except to those
experienced
it,
but
it's
one of the
very
few
unliable
2
say that this creative power,
when channeled
correctly, has the
poten-
tial
be successful
to
an understatement. After
is
the realm of business (after appearing in only the
company
produced
that
production company applied
it
to love,
his films
principles to their relationship)
a
also utilized this
(who
able to
a
book
world. This
a
brand-new
When
he
racial differences, cul-
oppose their
love.
do. first
its
requisite the
many of
com-
us in the West,
and on the ways of the
life
an attempt to present just such a perspective through
is
left to
his physical
us by Bruce Lee.
It
has long been
ever ery y ot othe her r martial from ev
tention that what set Lee apart
was not
he negotiated with
who would
kune
brand-new outlook on
the philosophical insights
ation
overcome
philos phi losoph ophica ical l per perspe specti ctive ve that, to
will surely represent a
to
also applied his philosophic
cultivation of the warrior within has as
prehension of
it
creative force in developing the revolutionary
principles underlying his martial art of jeet
The
films),
applied
50 percent shareholder.
and the bigoted opinions of those
tural mores,
Bruce Lee
his wife
were
two
and caused them to create
— of which he was
both he and
when Lee
all,
prowess
(as
remarkable
as this
artist
my
con-
of his gener-
was) but his mind,
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
xxiv
and that
his
insights
application than
My
and philosophical perceptions have
may have
presentation.
My
much broader
heretofore been considered.
contribution then, if you'd care to
of Lee's philosophy, which
a
is
call
it
that,
is
not to the substance
entirely his achievement, but to the
form of
its
intention within these pages to take both the message and
teachings of Bruce Lee and present
have some relevance to your
life,
them
in a
manner
that will, hopefully,
whatever your occupation.
Acknowledgments
^ W ^rW Jm Ef
WI
j
JT
Jr
y appreciation in preparing this pie.
First
book extends
and foremost, immeasurable thanks
man whose
perspective and philosophy of
this writer's eyes to the pleasures
about the awakening of to those individuals directly,
Man, such
my own
owed
to the
I'm present-
first
served to
of philosophy and ultimately brought
as his first
whom
Lee learned
a
great deal, either
(and only) martial arts instructor, Yip
or indirectly, through the writings of philosophers of the as
many peo-
inner warrior. Further thanks are extended
and thinkers from
from people such
is
life
and d examp xample le ing within these pages, Bruce Lee. Lee's words an
open
to
first
order
Lao-tzu, Confucius, Alan Watts, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Daisetz T.
Suzuki.
Appreciation
is
also
extended to Linda Lee Cadwell, Lee's widow, whose
insight into his philosophy as well as the viewpoints she shared
additional philosophical influences served to broaden
her
late
husband's belief system. In addition,
would
I
the support and example set by Adrian Marshall,
from 1969 solid
in
my
with their friendship.
ularly
with his less
like
I
Above
also
acknowledge
to
who was Bruce
this,
want
however, they have
I
take to be
also entrusted
thank Bruce Lee's students, partic-
to
Ted Wong, Daniel Lee, Taky Kimura, and Dan Inosanto,
me some
Lee's lawyer
what
pursuit to present and preserve
the true legacy of Bruce Lee.
me
unde un ders rsta tand ndin ing g of
Both Linda and Adrian have given me
unti until l Le Lee' e's s passing in 1973.
encouragement
my
concerning
who
shared
of Lee's philosophic materials that he gave out to students of
Chinatown school
and with
in the late 1960s,
whom
I
have spent count-
hours discussing his ideas in general and his philosophy in particular.
Most of with
me
in
all
I
want
to thank the late
August 1992 caused
me
Brandon Lee, whose conversation
to seriously
examine the significance of
the spiritual side of the martial arts and to dedicate myself wholeheartedly
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
xx vi
to the task of locating
expounded
Many defunct.
and disseminating authentic firsthand materials that
his father's
unique philosophy and incredible
of the publications from which
excerpted materials are
I've
Other statements made by Bruce Lee
are either
from
his personal notes
Group's extensive selection. In
and
essays or
all cases,
legacy.
that have
now
been excerpted
from Little-Wolff Creative
however, an attempt was made to
locate either the authors or publishers of these materials for permissions.
To the men and
women who
logues with Bruce Lee,
I
wrote, recorded, and videotaped thei heir dia dia-
owe
a
huge debt of gratitude
preserving this man's unique philosophy. To this end,
I
for their
would
work
like to
in
thank
the following publishers and journals for the selections that have been
excerpted in this work: Seattle Times, Seattle
Post-Intelligencer,
Springfield
Union News, Ted Thomas, Alex Ben Block, Hong Kong Standard, Gastonia Gazette,
Pierre Berton/Elsa
Movie Mirror, ative I
TV and Movie
Franklin,
Screen,
Miami News ( Florida Report ),
TV/Radio
Mirror,
and
Little -Wolff
Cre-
Group. particularly
want
to
thank Ohara Publications and Black Belt maga-
zine for their invaluable assistance and permission to
quote from their
extensive catalog of authentic Bruce Lee materials and for the tremendous
ongoing work they've done
in perpetuating the
art
and philosophy of
Bruce Lee.
Epigrammatic Insights from the Philosophy of Bruce Lee
Life
is
a constant process of relating.
c$o
Man,
the living creature,
the creating individual,
is
always more important
than any established
style.
c&o
Gung
fu
is
not preoccupied with breaking bricks and smashing boards.
We're more concerned with having
it
affect
.
.
.
our whole way of thinking and
behaving.
c^o
Brandon points in
is
being brought up in the midst of two cultures.
Chinese culture; there are good points
will be taught to take
some
and Occidental
don
will learn
that Oriental culture
ally
exclusive,
but mutually dependent.
Occidental culture.
He
other.
Bran-
culture are not
mutu-
some from the
principles from one,
were not for the existence of the
in
There are good
Neither would be remarkable
if
it
other.
The Warrior Within
xxviii
Linda and You have
more
I aren't one
and
apply yourself
to
efficient
one.
to
We
be a
are
two halves that make a whole.
family— two
halves fitted together are
than either half would ever be alone
c&=,
It
sounded
sign
me up
the past,
Indians.
at first like typical
with
all
houseboy
that pigtail
stuff. I told
a
human
Look,
and hopping around jazz, forget
the typical casting has been that
You never see
Dozier,
it.
you
In
kind of stereotype. Like with the
being Indian on television.
C
You can 't organize trutlujj'hat
w rapping
paper and shaping
like trying to
s
put a pound of water into
it.
gSo
Because of styles
styles,
became
hypothesis. it
people are separated.
law,
man. The
But now
it
that,
to
me,
is
original founder of the style started out with
it.
It
doesn't matter
how you
are structured,
doesn't seem to matter.
are not united together because
who go
into
who you
arc,
has become the gospel truth, and people
become the product of
how you
They
You just go
are
or
built,
in there
how you how you
and become
are,
are
made
.
.
that product.
.
And
not right.
The Philosophy
j
1E2S
4 J
W~
5
L
Iti
)
w.
k
^
lfc» 1
w
/
1
Hk.** *
B tV
Bruce Lee
I i^^H 1
s
of
\
\
•
^*/
it
xxix
Whenever he had
moment
a spare
or two (which wasn't often), Lee would
busy himself in crafting aphoristic statements that conveyed profound truths.
The
greatest help isksclf-heh p
one's best, to
th ere
is
no other help but self-he lp r T
an ongoing process.
is
/
/
J/^ j
doing
wlucnhayyens
dedicating oneself u>holehcanc a fyio a given task,
have no end but
—
) £o
All the time people come up and I say,
Well,
if I tell
if I tell
Bruce
say,
—
good?
are you really that
you I'm good, probably you'll say I'm boasting. But
you I'm no good, you'll know I'm ly'Hg-'d-**
-,
J
c?$a>
All types of knowledge ultimately mean self-knowledge.
The Warrior Within your ur mind mind. . Be formless. Empty yo into a cup, bottle.
or
it
it
can crash.
it
in
Be
a teapot,
water,
my
Like water.
You put water into a
becomes the cup.
You put
Shapeless.
it
becomes the teapot.
Now
bottle,
Now
you put water it
becomes the
water can flow,
friend.
c$)i
indicate that within our major cities, people carry
end your
life
from thirty
have
niartial artists
York than wer e taken j
^the conibativ e evolution o f the times a
that can
our daily newspa-
at
more_
re sult,
inhere ntiftabiliry of the philosophies ot most martial
now
now, for the most
to prepare for the possi-
as assa sail ilan ants ts in this
As
purpose of
express
for the
arts
impractical
love for nostalgia.
[ippnJHllfH on the streets of
Statistics
remain
implements (which were orig-
flailing
their mounts), seems
streets.
to indicate that
artist's
streets
world where weapons reign supreme.
knocking Japanese horsemen from be
handand cultivating
an encounter on today's
incorporated into ancient fighting
part, to
in
practice required, for example, to develop proficiency in
the manipulation of ancient inally
week
nevertheless true that that one one's chances of
is
skills in
remote, particularly in
at best
a
often highly technical training in the arts of
proficiency in such techniques,
successfully
While spending many hours
the Uzi machine gun.
to ninety feet
weapons
away and sometimes from
an even greater distance. This being the case, to devote the better part of one's life to learning the fighting skills that
come
were
originally developed to over-
the empty-handed adversary of the past in order to defend yourself
the e pr pres esen ent t doesn't against the automatic-weapon-carrying assailant of th a lot
of sense.
artists,
for the
This
it
rules have changed.
most
part,
need
and age; is
it's
The world
is
arts training has
just that concentrating solely
unnecessary
if
And
different.
martial
to get their clocks fixed.
not to indicate that martial
is
in this day
ment of
The
your objective
is
nothing to offer us
on the combative
to search for truth
The True Meaning
more rewarding
its
serving
as a vehicle
expression,
through
life.
a
to
come
The enduring
of
Gung Fu
9
value in studying a martial art
lies in
through which to express yourself and, through such to
understand yourself better, spiritually speaking,
progressively evolving
knowledge of both your limitations and
capabilities. I
can hear the protests already. But certainly the martial
arts
are
ele-
and to lead
a
make
still
effective in certain types of self-defense situations
then, so
you
—but
the tomahawk. However, neither are up to the task of defending
is
against a spray of bullets
from the
barrel of a semiautomatic
those used in the drive -by shootings so cities
Indeed, they are
these davs
Again, the martial
.
common
like
of our major
in the streets
thev serve
arts are useful:
weapon
wonderful.
as
precursors to healt h and spiritual cultivat ion, but the notion ot mcorporat-
ing any of these arts t
found on today's
means of self-defense
as a legitimate
streets
is
im practical
at
best and, at worst,
Hownrif rbj deadly mis take Bruce Lee himself realized
and^f^Rr^much
evolution
in the
weapons
against the
this fact
famous video The Lost
foolish
a
and
of combative
Nowa-
Interview:
days you don't go around on the street punching people or kicking people, because if
you
do,
somebody
how good you
care
Bruce Lee, fore,
very
as
much
just pull pull out a will just
are in martial arts.
you
will
soon
learn,
Even
back
most martial
movements to
was very
skill
as
artists
that
employ them
That's
it.
I
mean,
I don't
nd, ther thereereal-world oriented and,
necessary to ach achiev ieve e prof profic icie ienc ncy y in
he realized that for the most
arts,
as far
— Pow
against wasting time preparing for improbable encounters.
While he admired the beauty and the various
gun and
part,
they were dinosaur
drills.
the early 1960s, Lee realized that the training habits of
were
like
organized dance
classes;
looked beautiful and impressive, but to defend your yourse self lf or
a
you ever attempted
your loved ones on the
chances of survival would be about the same
Lee even had devised
if
people were taught
mock tombstone
as
street,
your
the the st stud uden ent t of the dance
class.
upon
that sat
revealed to visitors his attitude toward those
who
his office
desk and
blindly followed the clas-
of the past instead of evolving with the martial advancements
sical traditions
of the present.
The
inscription read:
memory of a once fluid man Crammed and distorted by the classical In
mess.
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
io
During an audio interview conducted by put
it
journalist Alex
Ben Block, Lee
even more succinctly:
Most martial their attitude
arts is
instructors
are so
doggone stubborn, you know? I mean
Well, two hundred years ago
it
was taught
like this, there-
fore
should be continued
it
of attitude
—
J mean, you've
to
be taught like
had
You
it
Whereas,
stant sta nt proces process s of discovery.
if
To maintain that type
will still be back in [that time cap-
never r grow grow, , becaus e learn ing You will neve
sule].
this.
we
is
a discovering thing.
method,
folloiqjlie old
a contiuiwt^jfvctitiou of what was being handed
down
several
Lee labeled the repetition oc*sucn outdated marWal
It's it
is
a con-
simply
hundred years
arts practices
nized de spair/ and he sought throughout the remainder of his '
life
'jlptgar
more
for a
twentieth-century approach to the age-old problem of combating adversity in
of
all
its
forms.
For this reason, Bruce Lee's true legacy extends
far
confines of the martial arts world. Hi His s ph phil ilos osop ophy hy no
He was
a
artist, a
man whose eloquence
executives,
movie
a
humanitarian, and above as
opposed
and people of
stars,
important, Lee was
—
man whose
to his
less
a
a
It
is
mind remain
in this spirit
you
a little like
politicians,
field
that
the true
him
love,
—with
of martial
life,
pain, joy,
to
sadness,
in other words.
arts are limited to
his four limbs, his teachings
what
within
infinite.
we
shall
now
meaning of the term gung fu, you're
st star arti ting ng to
The True Meaning
^si^t
J
ulti-
proceed. If this concept sounds
get the picture.
3*L^ at******-
More
of personal evolution through the discovery and
mate mastery of oneself to
within the
human being might accomplish with
the field of the
— swayed
thinker.
lofty social status alike.
difficulty,
wonder, marriage, fatherhood, and friendship Lee's teachings
fists
all else, a
thoughts and philosophy enabled
cope successfully with racism, financial
While
more belongs exclu-
belonged exclusively to Hitler and
sively to martial artists than Nietzsche's
Nazi Germany. Lee was an
beyond the simple
of
Gung Fu
ii
/
^ ^ f^
I
*~~->
-^
*-
^—. -^^u ^^
^
In a page written to his friend and student George Lee (no relation) in the mid-ig6os,
Bruce Lee outlined the design and message he wanted
placed on a miniature tombstone that, in his words, feelings perfectly
expresses
my
(regarding the the trad tradit itio iona nal l forms of martial art).
Chapter Two
Emptying Our Cup
If
7
Cmce
Bruce Lee's philosophy
majority of us
who
is
to have any
enduring meaning to the great
practi cticin cing g mar martia tial l artists, are not pra
we
shall
have to
look to the higher principles that form the root of his belief system. these have been established,
we
can then apply them to
a
broader base
of problems that we'll be more likely to encounter during the course of our day-to-day existence. After
all,
not
all
get into a hand-to-hand street fight
on our way home from work tonight
for that matter, at the golf course this to
know more
how
learn at us.
To
of us will be asked to step outside and or,
weekend. All of us do, however, need
about ourselves and the world around us in order to better
to deal
with the many ad adve vers rsit itie ies s th that at
this end,
we need
life
always seems to throw
to un unde ders rsta tand nd ou our r lives as they
fit
into the uni-
verse as a whole.
The Tao It
East;
doesn't matter if
you prefer the way of the West or the way of the
underpinning both of these
is
the
way of
denominator that interconnects the greater
the
universe,
totality.
the
common
To comprehend
this,
independent of whatever our personal prejudices might happen to be for the
moment,
is
to experience
toto, in other Tao,
and If the
it
words.
may be
freedom
The Chinese
appropriate to
at
both
its
call this
highest and lowest levels
in
metaphysical lay of the land
comment on
it
briefly at this juncture.
universe can be compared to a vast ocean,
can be likened to the individual waves that
—
come
we
—
as
human
beings
into and pass out of exis-
'3
M
The Warrior Within
tence on
its
surface.
Each of the waves
are distinct
from the others and
yet
interconnected to the ocean
still
ever
form
its
would be Tao. Eco-Zen
free
from
The
Alan Watts' comments on
see
end of
in the appendix at the
According is
(Please
etc.)
the
in
this
essay
this book.)
Bruce Lee, Tao can only be comprehended by
to
—what-
ebbing, dripping, waving, vortexing,
flowing,
(i.e.,
This entire oceanic process
itself.
mind
a
that
distraction:
principle of
gung fu
is
not a thing that can be learned, like a science,
by fact-finding and instruction in facts.
mind
flower, in a
of gung fu
from emotions and
free
Tao
is
has
It
—
it
—
The
desires.
the Truth
behind gung
fu,
.
.
The word Tao has used the word
I have
.
Truth that every
th e
like a
core of this principle
the spontaneity of the universe.
no exact equivalent in the English language.
(Truth/ for
grow spontaneously,
to
gung
fu prac-
tiTwiier should follow.
Some of you
reading this might be saying: Wait
minute, this boat's
a
heading into uncharted waters here. This talk of universal is
foreign to
prehend
—
have
— I'm not
how knowing
problems
lem
me
that
But is,
all
comfortable with
way of
the universe
to be able to recognize a true
—
is
is
a fact.
solves.
you
That you need
find that
we
it
to
major
questions and that solving
magnum
m
thes e problems
them
m ea ning js
my
si
of
method
for a solution
more problems than
it
opus, Tractatus Logico-Philo-
revealed that what
consists not of answers,
life
p-m Iran eons
are rhej^fcservahle fartj of jacistence.
entirely.
philosophical problems are meaningless
Once
standing their inherent meaninglessness.
fro
solve
That you expe-
another matter
is
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889— 1951)
typically consider to be
underst ood th^t the
me
com-
something you
is
their lifetime.
typically creates
For example, near the end of his
sophicus, the philosopher
don't
very im impo port rtan ant, t, but but few people ever learn to iden-
Unfortunately, if you look to Western philosophic to these problems,
I
and Tao
To know your prob-
reader.
problem (which
problem throughout the course of
rience problems
In fact,
it.
going to help
is
where you're wrong, dear
that's
a say in altering)
tify a true
the
at
realities
is
that
i
this fact t
In fact,
has no all
th at
As Wittgenstein
but of under-
rea li zed,
is
meaning
we
once
at all, relief^
can be certain of
states in
the
first
Emptying Our Cup seven propositions contained within the Tractatus:
The world
is
it's
all
15
that
is
of the
the case.
While there on
to
produce
indeed some merit to these propositions, Wittgenstein went
is
a
sequence of numbered observations about each proposition,
or rather observations about the observations about the observations. For instance, the
1.
The world
is
worlH
is
is
J
1.1
page of his Tractatus begins thus:
first
1
'
1 ''
that
all f
he
11
The world
1.
12
For the totality of
1.
13
2
The
1
facts
not of things.
facts,
determined by the
facts,
and by their being
determines what
ogical cal space are facts in logi
is
all
the
the case, and also whatever
the world.
Each item can be the case or not the case wh whil ile e ev ever eryt ythi hing ng
What
is
The end
facts.
divides into facts.
mains the same. 2.
of
case.
The world
1.2 1.
not the
the case.
totality
1.
is
is
the case
result
—
a fact
—
is
the existence of states of affairs.
clarify. Still, despite
1
muddy
of sucbrltyperanalyst^only served to further
very waters Wittgenstein had hoped to
else re-
the
Western philos-
ophy ophy's 's oc occa casi sion onal al attempts to settle our worries and concerns intellectually
(and as
on
we
shall learn,
anal analys ysis is, ,
we remain
anal analys ysis is, , a
a
and more analysis
culture that
Ironically,
method such
many of
is
tion. If
is
result
first
a step in
of viewing
precisely
to accurately understand the
you
is
—with
the
its
wrong
emphasis
direction),
the things that people worry about or consider to be
invalid belief system. This
come
—
Wittgenstein's
beset with worries.
major problems are simply the
to
as
why
it is
life
through the
necessary
—
filter
of an
crucial, in fact
ways of the the un univ iver erse se in which you func-
learn the ways of the universe, if
you
first
learn exactly
what
things are in fact actually open to your volitional control (and therefore wor-
thy of your thoughts and concerns) and which ones are not, your denly becomes far
less
If one's personal
branch of
a tree,
sud-
problematic.
problems can be likened to the various leaves on the
then their solution
lies
true nature of the branch that nourishes
16
life
Warr rrio ior r Wi Withi thin n The Wa
in one's learning to understand the
them and upon which they
reside
look okin ing g deep deeper er or lo
seeking to understand the very root of the tree that
still,
grows the branch containing such problematic
To
leaves.
way of think-
Lee's
ing this was synonymous with Tao, or the universal order of things: futile to
argue as
to
which single
when you understand
flower you like;
By way of
illustration,
which design of branches, or which
leaf,
the root,
me
allow
you understand
to digress a
of
all
moment.
worked
I
on
subjects pertaining to health
and
fitness,
included writing reports on bodybuilding contests,
On many
required.
distant locale,
seated
me
made
next to
who would
fellow staff
mouth from
deplaned.
and
story as well
One
day
nalist.
The
in his
own
I
life
heard Jeff
his perspective
long
a
was
on
.often
some
flight to
shall refer to as Jeff
I
the time he stepped
on the plane
until
get to hear every one of Jeff's
I
starting
from dna
to present day.
in a heated discussion
whom
he spoke was
a
with another jour-
knowledgeable individual
he listened patiently for an opportunity to present
on the topic Jeff was holding forth on, Jeff abruptly ended
the conversation by stating: There's no point in your arguing with this. I've
my work
aspect of competitive bodybuilding, training,
— involved
journalist with right, but as
—whom
Not only would
on every
but his
found myself on
member
unsolicited opinions diet,
I
travel
staff
the longer by the fact that Weider's travel agent had
all
not close his
moment we
the
a
such occasions,
air
as
for a
me on
and
is
attractive
blossoming.
its
time for bodybuilding magnate Joe Weider. Welder had brought to write articles
It
thought about
his heel, leaving his
it
much more
With
than you have.
that
me
about
he turned
supposed partner in the conversation completely non-
plussed.
While there was no denying that Jeff was indeed quite knowledgeable about the subject matter, the problem was that his need to prove a particular
point of view correct had superseded his desire to seek truth. In other
words, he had effectively shut himself off from experiencing anything or different about the subject. Granted, not
pute
— however personally edifying
that discussion
is
its
all
potential
of us enjoy
—but
it
a
new
spirited dis-
must be pointed out
the precursor to understanding and spiritual growth.
Disagreements can be likened to rainstorms in the sense that while
would rather they not the
we
disrupt our day, they are nevertheless indispensable to
growth and well-being of the planet upon which we depend for our very When viewed within the grander perspective (i.e., the macrocosm)
existence. that
is
Tao, disagreement or argument often serves to
sow the
seeds of under-
Emptying Our Cup
17
standing and to cultivate fresh ideas and concepts from the garden of our
mind, resulting in new
The
tive
of the world, however, refuse to look
Jeffs
— the
concept relationships, and
insights,
forest,
as
—
were
it
at
spiritual awareness.
the grand perspec-
for fear of losing sight of the trees.
are
made up on
the archetypes of the microcosmic perspective. Their minds are specific subjects well in advance,
They
and therefore, they are quite impervious to
the viewpoints of other individuals, however accurate or well reasoned such positions
may
Further, since such individuals believe that they have
be.
all
the answers already, they really aren't interested in seeking any further insight
much
or understanding so
they are in winning people over to their par-
as
of view.
ticular point
But 'inninrrnpr
^
never be th e aim of any discussion. Instead,
d-ir>iilf|
p
one should focus on earning on expanding o nes owri~un drrrtanding l
ways of
The
life.
win
desire to
— an
creates a false dualism
actually goes against the
gram
instant sepa7aTfTrJTT15T ~w inning,
ot
and losing
or tne
— with
emphas is shifts from work ing to resolve our personal problems and expanding our current level of understanding, to the tear ot losing the result
t
hat our
and the necessity of winning
As
understanding
processes,
and
position of I
a
against the grain of reality
costs.
at all
personal
know
all
and only
growth that
calls
are
need
I
to
ongoing,
know
evolutionary
right
now
goes
attention to the fact of an arrested
cognitive development. Instead of actively seeking converts to a position of partial truth,
ognize the
we
should instead seek to expand our understanding and to rec-
fact that
knowledge,
like life itself,
is
an ongoing process and never
—
—
in time. Truth, if that is what fixed at one point or one point of view you are seeking to express, has no need of defenders it simply is. To there-
fore take great pains to convey the obvious
As the Tao
te
men
Men who
why
tr trou ouble ble you yourse rself? lf?
don't need to prove their point;
need to prove their point
In other words, those
who
insist
to listen to evidence or points of
follv so
ching says:
^ise
what they
is
—
feel safe in believing,
aren't wise.
2
on dominating conversation, who refuse
view
that are challenging or opp ppo osi sit te to
have ha ve th ther ereb eby y
laid the
foundation for
dogma
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
18
and eventually choke out any
a position
of close-mindedness that will
possibility
of true learning. Bruce Lee pointed out the fallacy of such close-
mindedness with one of received
a
who was It
his favorite stories;
univ univer ersi sity ty pr prof ofes esso sor r
much
very
was obvious
like
much
yes,
Finally,
own
learned man.
Zen
He
Zen master who Zen
— and
Jeff:
Zen
opinions and knowledge.
man would
we have
the
a
to inquire about
interested in learning about
the learned
Oh,
of
master from the start of the conversation that the pro-
ing the master with his
explained,
tells
it
who had come
our friend
like
to the
fessor was not so
stifle
that,
impress-
in
Zen
the
full,
teacher
remarks
so on.
teacher stopped talking
poured the cup
As
was
frequently interrupt him with
and
too
as he
and began
to
serve tea to the
then kept pouring until the cup over-
flowed.
Enough full,
the learned
The cup
once more interrupted.
is
over-
no more will go in Indeed, I see,
of your
how
man
own
teacher.
for an
my
all
this cup,
you are full
cup of tea?
empty
cup, or an
open mind,
physical starting point. Let us assume for the
do not have
Like
opinions and speculations. If you do not first empty your cup,
can you taste
The need
answered the Zen
shall serve as
moment
that
the answers. Let us begin with a blank
we
slate,
our meta-
in the
West
with no pre-
ideas, s, bias biases es, , opinions, or pr prej ejud udic ices es that will influence our judgconceived idea
ment or impede our attempt of the world.
at
acquiring
a
new understanding on
the ways
Chapter Three
The Ways
ruce Lee observed that very nal state of the
new
ing;
cells
human
little
of the
about
World
life is static.
body, for example,
is
The
inter-
constantly chang-
replace old cells in a never-ending process that
appears to us as highly dynamic and in constant flux. Yet despite this phe-
nomenon, the body
The concept of
has a certain balance, or inner immutability, that
the Tao
was heavily ingrained
from filmmaking and personal
in everything
Bruce Lee
essays to his beliefs about combat
and
is
as
did,
his
artistic sketches.
>
The Warrior Within
20
important to our survival perature fixed
as
change
itself.
Our
bodies strive to keep our tem-
98.6 degrees and our blood pressure within certain para-
at
meters while constantly dealing with the profound cellular changes that
occur on
moment
a daily
to
or monthly basis, as well as those that are taking place from
moment.
These changes are the result of various influences upon our bodies, both external and internal, that impinge upon us from before we are born until the
moment we
die.
These influences can take the form of such things
pain, joy, he heat at, , co cold ld, , emotional conflict, muscular activity,
as
and so on, and their
varied forms are what constantly threaten to disrupt our internal balance or
what American physiologist Walter the Greek homios,
meaning
B.
Cannon termed homeostasis and
similar,
meaning position ). Iron-
stasis,
homeo eost stasi asis, s, the the while our bodies strive to maintain this condition of hom
ically,
nature of the process entails change as a prerequisite to brings about an apparent paradox: in order for an
organism to remain
vation that to change with change It is a
ies,
achievement. This
condition of change being indispensable
a
Bruce Lee once made th the e ob obse serr-
changeless. is
its
the changeless state.
condition of changeless change
that
is
the true state of our bod-
internal environment. Lee's aphorism serves to underscore the principle
of Yin/Yang, or the in inte terd rdep epen ende denc ncy y of apparent opposites,
non
(from
for the survival of
our next chapter).
Our
as
the sine qua
our bodies (which we'll get into in greater
detail in
bodies, however, are simply reflections in miniature
of the natural laws that regulate the ebb and flow of the cosmic universe of
which they
are a part. This
to understand the
way of
being the
case,
it
becomes possible
the world without by taking
a
for us to learn
look
at
the
way of
the world within.
To
made
this end,
Lao-tzu (circa 600
B.C.),
foun unde der r of Taoism, the legendary fo
this observation:
—47— One may know One may
the world wi with thou out t goin going g out of doors.
see the
When we
Way
look
observe that change
hormone
at is
of Heaven without looking through the windows.
the
way of
the world within,
we cannot
an integral force there. Such factors
levels, electrolyte balances, fluid levels,
pH
as
1
help but
blood
gases,
balances, blood sugar,
The Ways
World
of the
21
and other more complex processes are constantly shifting and adapting to the
and existence of
vicissitudes of life in order to preserve the internal balance
our physical bodies. Such
dynamic inner
a
of our organism further
state
and even
in unceasing changes in our emotions, impulses, sense of well-being,
our spiritual perspectives. As
much
reflection of a
us to learn that
phenomenon of change within
this
greater universal process without,
it
results
merely
is
a
shou sh ould ld no not t surprise
metaphysical nature has been observed and theorized about
its
and d West Wester ern n philosophers for centuries. by both Eastern an
The
pre-Socratic philosopher Herachtus
(circa
once wrote: All things flow; nothing abides.
2
500
for example,
B.C.),
Herachtus was referring to
the ultimate reality of the external universe, which, as we've seen, operates
under the identical laws governing our metaph met aphysi ysical cal obs observ ervati ation on of flux
own
constant
as
physical bodies.
—
that
is
It
to say, of
is
upon
this
both our inner
and outer universe being comprised of multitudinous phenomena of vary-
— of the world ing polarity
we can come
that
to better understand the true nature, or way,
that surrounds us.
However,
innocent observation
this
where the mutuality of
is
cultural
perspectives ends. Bruce Lee subscribed to a very ancient world view that, to Westerners raised in a Judeo-Christian tradition,
is
very foreign indeed:
the fundamental Chinese Taoist and Indian Buddhist belief of
came into being. In these tence not through
We
house or
a
a
happened spontaneously, much were not placed into this world This particular
commonly
it is
model
much
way
a
a
(a
as earlier
The
is
based.
distinctly
goddess figure only
ing of the figure
by something
flower suddenly blossoms. it.
to
as
Kwan-yin
Mercy
one would
— we simply grew out of form of organic — opposed constructive — a
is
when
as a
Kwan-yin
Chinese
activity
is
many-armed and many-headed
divine figure, such as the Tibetan figure of Avalokitesvara,
dess of
like
airplane, but rather
like the
represented in Eastern art by
nese goddess
the world
held that the world came into exis-
step-by-step process of creation
a
follow if constructing that
disciplines,
how
is
on
whom
sometimes known
belief, incidentally, as
as
the Chi-
the
God-
Kwan-yin became
she reached China), although the original
representation of the process and
mean-
power of nature
described. interesting thing about
three faces and up to
tempted to make
a
a
snide
Kwan-yin
is
that she
is
depicted
as
having
thousand arms. The average Westerner might be
comment
regarding the enormous problem of coor-
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
22
many appendages would have
dination that so
to present
we encounter no
completely oblivious to the fact that
—while of
less
a
remaining
problem
in
simply being alive and going about our business day to day. As we've seen,
own
our
bodies are able to self-regulate change into
changelessness by performing
simultaneously
— and yet we
manner of
all
of apparent
state
incredibly complex functions
never once have to stop and think about each
func ncti tion on, , the individual aspect, process, or fu
our daily existence. In
a
the
a related vein,
sum
of which accounts for
total
renowned Zen
author, Alan Watts
(1915— 1973), recounted the story of the centipede in his popular
Way
of Zen:
The
centipede was happy, quite,
Until
a
toad in fun
Said, Pray,
which
leg goes after
This worked his mind to such
He
how
to run.
Bruce Lee was fond of relating
— the Quantum Perspective )
pen
to us if
we
which?
a pitch,
lay distracted in a ditch,
Considering
Do
book The
3
this fable
Chapter
(see
11,
Jeet
Kune
same thing could hap-
to illustrate that the
sought to understand the ways of the world solely by means
of analysis or self-conscious processes. Lee often pointed out that pausing to analyze what
we
are
psy psych chica ical l sto stoppa ppage. ge.
doing develops If,
for example,
tory system works every time
such
as
things to
—
T
pause to consider
how
breath or
or even if
—we
we
Suzuki's
on
how
this
we
stop to analyze the in
are unable to
that
more
some mechanical way,
concept by citing
Zen and Japanese Culture
our respira-
our central nervous
become
will, like the centipede,
of thought, with the result that
the simplest of tasks. Lee elaborated
Daisetz
we
which we've grown accustomed
knitting or tying a necktie
in a labyrinth
negative condition of what he termed
we draw
system relays electrical impulses
mundane
a
perform even
a
passage from
contained
a
metaphor
involving Kwan-yin:
Kwan-yin, arms,
the
Goddess of Mercy,
is
sometimes represented with up
each holding a different instrument. If her
mind
lost
to
1,000
stops with the use,
The Ways for instance, ever.
It
is
of a spear,
all
the other
only because of her
arms (999)
Thus
with the utmost degree of efficiency. strate that
when
on one body
the ultimate truth
may
the figure
Goddess of Mercy,
to use so
is
How
this:
many
arms prove useful
meant
many
realized, even as
way
or another.
is
it
23
the use of one arm,
that all her
each be serviceable in one
Thus, the Westerner might ask this
is
World
no use whatso-
will be of
mind not stopping with
but moving from one instrument to another,
of the
to
demon-
as 1,000
arms
4
possible for
arms, faces, and eyes?
Kwan-yin,
This
is
really
How can the centipede effectively use so many legs? make my body function with so many seemingly unrelated or How do parts of it working together at once without my ever having to consciously tantamount to asking, I
think about this process
would be
Bruce
at all?
that such processes are not
Lee's
answer to
all
of these questions
gove go vern rned ed by any means of conscious
thought, but rather by a process that is itself self-governed. Lee's perspective was that the natural order of things is more like a process
of democracy than ical
focal point,
a
monarchy. In
a
monarchy,
one central authority
telling
we all
obviously have one politthe other
members of
its
constituency what to do. In a democratic system, however, there exists some-
thing very
much
organism.
like a living
or self-regulating, wherein
all
It is
manner of
a process that
is
self-governing,
different parts continue to develop
and change independently and yet function together in terms of
which Lao-tzu once
nious pattern of Tao, of
said:
—34— The
great
Tao flows everywhere.
All things are born yet It
it
itself into its
work,
makes no claim.
nourishes infinite worlds,
yet
it
Since
doesn't hold it
is
on
to
merged with
and hidden it
it,
doesn't create them.
pours
yet It
it
from
them. all
in their hearts,
can be called humble.
things
a
harmo-
The Wa Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in
24
Since
and
it
is
it
can be called great.
It
isn't
—by
it
al alon one e en endu dure res, s,
it
aware of is
its
greatness;
truly great.
5
conceived the idea of an ultimate
universe by ruling it
things vanish into
it
thus
Thus
all
telling
what
it
to
reality that
do
—but
does not govern the
by, as
we were re, , allo allowi wing ng
it
the freedom to organize itself harmoniously. In other words,
of Tao that while
teristic all,
it
are the
is
everywhere and
never possessive or dictatorial. Tao
is
which
it
is,
measure of
in effect, the
its
is
charac-
is
it
in everything, giving life to
indifferent and unconditional,
greatness.
measure of greatness in those individuals
By
extension, such qualities
who
follow
example and
its
accept things as they are without seeking personal gain or using others as
means ness in
to their ends. In fact, this
human
Living:
is
the only meaningful
way
The Oneness of Things
asked to cover an event Black Belt magazine. first
public.
It
at
was
time ever that
One
great-
beings can realistically be measured.
Fast-forwarding from the creation of the world to August
the
which
in
a
1993,
I
was
Superior Galleries in Beverly Hills, California, for called
The Bruce Lee
many of Bruce
Collection,
was an
essay
and
Lee's personal writings
of the most incredible papers auctioned off that
sophical point of view,
7,
Lee had penned
day,
marked
it
were made
from
a
in the early 1960s
philo-
while
attending school in Seattle, Washington.
Lee had entitled the piece Living: the Oneness of Things, fectly encapsulated his
and
it
per-
views on the problems inherent in the Western philo-
sophical approach as contrasted with the Eastern
way of looking
at life.
In
trying to discern Lee's beliefs regarding the ways of the world or in d eter-
mining the nature of ultimate
reality
(what philosophy professors like to refer
to as jTTg^aphysics), this essay proves a
wonderful place to
start,
as
Lee speaks
of his axiomatic concepts and the nature of interdependent relationships:
The Ways of the World Everything does have a
real relationship,
the object just as
creates
much
to
quen quentl tly y, the the whole notion of getting something
FROM
becomes absurd.
experience,
known;
be separated from the
riencer no longer feels himself to stand apart from
To put
another way,
in
am
The Moon To better
the
the expe-
Conse-
LIFE, of seeking it
becomes
ONENESS
vividly clear that in concrete fact I have no other self than the
of things of which I
Thus
the experience.
OUT OF
it
which the the subj subjec ect t
the subject.
the object creates
as
knower no longer feels himself
a mutuality in
25
aware.
the Water
in
the concept of the
illustrate
moon
Lee cited Alan Watts' famous inter terdep depend endenc ence e of the in
all
harmony of
in the water
universal relationships,
which indicated
analogy,
things. This might rightly be considered the
first
lesson to be learned in our quest to understand our place in the universe.
The analogy
reve reveal als s th that at
from the universe, but
much
greater
which
nature's
whole
power
is
when
the
moon
the
moon and
in the
rises the
water
moon
the
does not receive
its
likened
and likewise when
is
to
facets
it,
of the
through
totality
human
When
the object.
there
to receive its
there is
experience. is
no water,
to cast its
image on purpose. The event
is
when
image, and
reflection
But
no moon.
poured out the moon does not wait
The moon does not intend
reflection.
is
water does not wait
even the tiniest drop of water its
and capable part of the
active
no moon in the water,
there
dynamic components of
flows.
the subject
is
are not simply isolated entities that stand apart
are instead
— an
The phenomenon of The water
we
and
caused as
to cast
the water
much by
the
water as by the moon, and as the water manifests the brightness of the moon, the
moon
manifests
relationship.
There
the clarity of the water.
Everything does have a
real
6
'. .
exists in
.
Western logic
excluded middle, which
states that
a rule entitled
the law of identity or the
things are what they are ( A
is
A ) and
The Warrior Within
26
that
it
impossible for one thing
is
space and time.
To the Eastern
inaccurate;
_at life is
it is
to
and not
be
m jnd, how ever,
be
to
something
this either/or
would think
both human beings. In
are
the they — andman and woman fact,
duce themselves with their union.
which the
Man
much as they much opposites
in as
are not so as to
be able to repro-
and woman, then, are the
when one
of our species stands, and
life
a nd yet
man and woman-
same
are
yet
they are complementaries; divided in such a fashion
as
way of looking
indeed possible for something to be opp osite
the same. Within our species, for example, exist both opposites one
same
in the
half
is
legs
absent, the
upon
whole
perishes.
Our
bodies, as we've seen, are only able to evolve
they are comprised of processes that are less.
By
to the fact that
once both changing and change-
extension, the universe consists of a similar relationship of comple-
mentaries, the nature of short and ally
at
owing
which
is
akin to change and
loud and quiet, and hard and
tall,
stasis,
front and back,
These things
soft.
and are experienceable solely in terms of their being aspects
of the same universal process,
much
as positive
arise
— or
mutu-
poles
and negative are different
poles of the same magnetic system.
Our
universe
is
so interconnected in
so-called, can exist only in relation to
only in rel ela ation to ph phys ysic ical al sc scie ienc nces es
—
all
other motion.
as a field
all It
all
of
parts that
its
one part of
it,
the others. All motion, too, exists
works
of forces. There
—
is
in the
terminology of the
no separate center
in
which
any motion or activity originates. All activity that occurs in any spot,
as
it
were, originates over the whole system.
A
problem
ar ises,
however
ness^ feeling ourselves to be process.
That
is
to say,
we
when we deve lop
somehow
separate or independent
is
a
to the other completely
ing the whole ^pattern ot our _s
when we
become
resists
c onsciousness to
w orry
this
try to it.
make the one
latch
In other words, th ere _
the experience, thereby caus-, turn on
itself.
In such, condvz.
or worr y about worrying by sayinp to
oursel ves such things as I must relax life-can
we
and attempt to control
breakdown when the experi encer
^.^ions— suc h_a
from
develop an excessive sensation of distance bet ween^
the experiencer and the the ex expe peri rien ence ce, , and then
on
evressive self-ronscious-
an a lmost intolerable
or I must n ot think that way
burden to ni any.
—
It
is
offers
a
large gel ly for this reason that the philosophy espoused
by Bruce Lee
way of
that has
deliverance
from the vicious
of
circle
life
The Ways
of the
World
27
brought about by thousands of years of Western theorizing. But having said any conscious attempt
this,
extrication
at
ing on the assumption that there
a
is
— of
trying to get out
—
is still
experiencer to be,
real
extracted from the experience, and that, as we've seen,
is
as
workwere,
it
an illusion. There
no exp eriencer to b e pvtmrtpq] (mm or who can escape from, experie nce. th he purThere i s simply experie ncing. Much like Alan Wat ts' statement that t
is
,
pose of dancing
is
anothe r way of st stat atin ing g th that at
The up
According
analysis.
cally defined lives,
To better
you with you
Could
am
sit
this
is
simply
you should not get so caught
that
a
from
apart
People do not
it
for the
purpose of
conceptually or scientifi-
live
lies
life
simply in the
living.
assume that you are watching a tranquil evening. The scene and the whole experience this concept, let us
bolt upright thinking to yourself:
were watching
is
tremendous sense of peace and inner calm. Suddenly, how-
a
now?
right
of
Bruce Lee:
to
be that maybe
it
all
for the essential quality of living
on
— which
an experiential' process.
is
you end up standing
illustrate
beautiful sunset
to live
life is
world around you and searching for hidden cause-and-
effect relationships that
ever,
it
point to be drawn from
in analyzing the
fills
the purpose of
to dance,
I'll
I
Something's missing here
could be experiencing even more comfort than
way
bet there's a
this sunset
from
a
to
make
this a better scenario.
nice screened-in porch
on
a
What
if
I
I
mild August
night on the shore of a lake in northern Ontario? I've heard that those north-
ern Canadian sunsets are really spectacular
when
get back to the office
I
^The pro blem here .ing of ways to it
is
obvious.
maximize
jrnpossi b le to experie nce
truly
all
that
we
t
if
.
.
You can become future
he present joy
at all.
travel agent
.
so
wrapped up
enjoyment potential
in think-
th that at yo you' u'll ll
As the present
is
make
all
that
and the future not yet born), th the e present
should be concerned with.
Bruce Lee believed that as
your
(the past having expired
exists
on Monday and.
my
better call
I'd
The now
is all
you were in the midst of
enjoying yourself, you should accept
it
for
what
it is.
is
that can affect us.
a life
Enjoy
experience such living
and expe-
riencing the now, and don't try to pause or anal analyz yze e the situation by stepping
out or away from the out of
it:
moment
in order to see if
you
are getting the utmost
been
The
essential quality of living
in the
simply
life lies
Do
not, as
when
moment and examine
your-
in the living.
midst of enjoying yourself, step out for a
The Wa Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in
28
you want
with feeling happy, sure not
unhampered in this
in
the
is
to
flow, for he
its
IT
life
not not cont conten ent t
— 50 as THROUGH
feel yourself feeling happy-
when
miss anything. Living exists
to
Or
you are getting the utmost out of the the occa occasi sion on. .
self to see if
who
is
living
lives
life
be
to
us
—
not conscious of living, and
is
lives.
In other words, simply let
life
—with
you. As Johannes Jacobus van der theosophical writer once
of
all
Leeuw
its
— flow through
(1893— 1934), the prominent Dutch
The meaning of
said:
experiences
life is
not
a
problem
to be
solved, but a reality to be experienced.
This
is
what Bruce uce Lee was driving
precisely
rience living in
suchness?
life's
self-consciousness so that to
moment? According
we
to Lee, the
—
real
— you.
More and as a
human
and more
being.
that
be.
or
is
.
my
In
thing
And
it's
what man has
himself.
is
it
.
.
answer
lies in
are
mean
it's
that's
more and more
a matter of simplicity]. to
get over
is
Do
you
really
And
listed. It
by
bit,
me
to
the consciousness
mean
—
is.
What
it
is
I is
the consciousness
of what whatev ever er yo your ur pursuit might
moment
it
more and more
really
it
is,
to
What
or not
— whatever
that
Bruce?
true
moment this,
is
mean
it?
Once
Is
I've
it
found
it.
In fact, during a private lesson with actor James
the martial arts training film Bruce Lee's Jeet
over makes the observation that his pupil
executing
until, bit
more and more I search [within] myself and more
constantly questioning myself:
not true?
go of the ego, and
letting
becoming more and more simple
the pursuit of becoming
case,
moment
peeled away to reveal only the irre-
a realization in this regard as to
— and
that out,
I
the questions are
see clearly [that
bonds of
As Bruce Lee once revealed to Daniel Lee:
Dan,
more,
does one expe-
free ourselves of the
of rigorous self-examination
of you
the superficial layers
do we
how
can ca n en enj joy the experience of becoming
that, in turn, entails a process
ducible
How
So
at.
a particular
Coburn
that appears in
Kune Do, Bruce Lee
is
in a voice-
being too self-conscious about
technique, with the result that he keeps missing his
mark.
He
tells
Coburn: You
are trying too
much
to control the
and by too much control, you're too concerned about
movement,
execution. There-
its
fore you're too tight.
The Ways Lee instructs
his student to relax mentally,
how
plant his foot,
words, he encourages Coburn to get over
Coburn drops
Lee's advice, analysis
and
maximum
When
target
how
to
In other
the consciousness of himself.
Heeding
mind of
all
were, complete itself. Sure the target perfectly, almost effortlessly
leaves the technique alone to, hits
29
to raise his leg.
conscious effort, emptying his
all
enough, Coburn's very next kick
and with
World
not to worry about
when
or
to torque his body,
of the
as
it
impact, causing Lee to remark:
You
your ur mi mind nd, , you you ease the burden of yo
see?
just
do
Right on the it.
This Th is co conc ncep ept t was further illuminated in Lee's essay:
Life lives;
and
that
a living
is
life
scious
mind
in
the living flow
NOW
to strive to
— no
questions are raised.
Completeness, the now, divide that which
is
is
The
reason
is
an absence of the con-
indivisible.
For once the com-
things is taken apart, it is no longer complete. All the pieces of of a car that has been taken apart may be there, but it is no longer a car in
pleteness
its
original nature, which
The
answer
the
heartedly,
is
is
life
its
function or
life.
So
in order to live life
whole-
simply IS.
Failure of Western Philosophy
If life, then,
is
experie rienti ntial al rath rather er than an analytical phenomenon, this an expe
would explain why
so
many people who
earnestly seek peace of
mind
or con-
tentment come away frustrated and confused from their forays into Western philosophy, with
its
emphasis on analysis and then additional analysis of fur-
ther analysis (recall Wittgenstein's labyrinth of propositions and subpropositions
from the
last
chapter). This, as we've seen,
is
not only unnecessary but,
according to Bruce Lee, ultimately self-defeating:
In
life,
we
eral wit h
accept naturally the full reality of
what we
see
and feel
in
gen-
no shadow of a dou bt. Wester n philosophy, however, does not accept
what
life
and
believes,
jjich questions as: it
Is this chair ITTat I see in
Jrontof
Thus, rather than making
exist by itself?
in accord with
itxiv es to convert reality into a vroblejii
Like asking
really there?
Can
easy for living by living
life
Wester Wes tern n philos philosoph ophy y complicates
life,
me
.
by replacing the world's
it
The Warrior Within
30
tranquillity with the restlessness of problems. It
—
he breathes attempts
flow of
Why
think about the process.
to
life?
Why
create such fuss?
A
try
arrest
to
and interrupt
there
is
opposed
to revealing
experiencing and there
is
how
the
theorizing,
less
time
is
it,
upon the
you
left for
He
is,
more time
the .
mutually
are
The problem
very foundation
and abstract
it
it,
set-
is
go around
to
away from
real-
noted:
Thus Western philosophy begins by saying basic fact,
that
which the
reality
sition
two
denial of reality by attempting to talk about
to catch anything that attracts our intellect
ity itself.
its
attempts
it
In other words,
experientially
that
is
that
is
it.
one another; that
with theorizing, according to Bruce Lee, tled
to ex expe peri rien ence ce
theorizing, and the
exclusive, existing in an inverse ratio to
you spend
the
person simply breathes.
In a nutshell, the problem with the Western approach to explain life as
when he
out of him
will im imme medi diat atel ely y chok choke e the breath
this
how
asking a person
like
is
its
that the outside world
existence can be doubted
of the outside world
is
and
Western philosophy, then,
is
to
affirmed
square a
for the
not a
that every proposition in
not an evident propo-
is
—
but one which needs to be divided, dissected, and analyzed
stand consciously aside and try
is
it
is
to
circle.
most part not
really
concerned with
the issue of living qua living but rather in the construction of an activity concerning theoretic knowledge. Most Western philosophers are not as interested in living living.
—
in
purest sense
its
This inclination
the ultimate reality of it.
ing oneself
OUTSIDE
is
as
they are in trying to theorize about
not conducive to either enjoying or experiencing
is
life,
but rather to an austere and detached contem-
As Lee once observed, To contemplate
plation of
This
—
it,
resolved to keep a distance between
not what our world view sjiould be
pr ehensio n_i)f the
w ays
a thing implies maintain-
if
and
ourselves.
happiness and true
of the world are to be our goals. p
it
We
com-
must not
dis-
andhy peranalyz e.
sect
doing^serve
so
if ifest est in
as a
miist_si^mply
W
open ourselves
to experience and,
conduit through which the real ity ol living
is
made
by modern
verified in recent years
view of the world According
physics.
is
one
that has
The Ways the basic building blocks of existence are not matter
—but
rather probabilities,
energy. Thus, ultimately our universe
dynamic is
World
31
in the traditional sense
yet yet inte interr rrel elat ated ed patterns of
composed, not of waves or
parti-
but something in between.
David Bohm, the Professor Emeritus of Physics
don and the author of such books in
—
of the
Modern
and Wholeness and
Physics,
which the
in
the Rising Culture, a discussion
a
is
We
dynamic web of
are vortices
which appears
book The
is
a point that
periphery.
The nucleus
It is
field
—
is
in
tions have
there
To
is
understand
application to our lives, principle that
Bruce Lee:
— of the universe
as
is
from nucleus a
to
phenomenon
TO THE CORE.
one inseparable, interrelated
most serious consideration:
field,
no part of which can
would be no bright
the surrounding darkness,
no
stars
stars at all).
without
Opposi-
become mutually cooperative instead of mutually exclusive, and
no longer any
fully
still)
— HOLD
seen as an inseparably interrelated
and without
stars,
is
whereas the vortex
reality,
actually be separated from the other (there
dim
to
motionless and eternal but
is
that Lee's philosophy bears, perhaps, the
is
According
(whose epicenter
a multidimensional force field
in this observation
The world
and embodiments of the
manifestation as motion which increases in velocity in the
a whirlpool or tornado
form of
of holo-
Turning Point: Science, Society, and
interrelated events.
manner of
in the
Order, has advanced the
the Implicate
of the SS-mat matri rix x theor theory y indicates that our uni-
whose center
in
Causality and Chance
Theory,
parts are themselves reflections
greater whole. In Fritjof Capra's
verse
the University of Lon-
in describing the universe as a type
idea of an implicate order
gram
Quantum
as
at
conflict
this
we
between the individual
man and
nature.
concept of the indivisibility of being, and will
we touched upon
first
become
need
to
and
that
earlier
is
its
familiar with another
integral to
been
to current scientists,
cles,
m an-
our e very move, thought, ac tion, and expe rience o f the moment.
Interestingly enough, Bruce Lee's
of the term
by
Bruce Lee's phi-
losophy. This
is
the principle
symbolized, Yin/Yang.
of dynamic balance
or, as it is
more commonly
Chapter Four
On Yin/ Yang
neo-Confucianism and, in time,
had
Chou Tun-i
profound impact upon Chinese thought
upon Bruce
Confucianists (in pioneer),
a
fact,
the
called
(also
Lee.
The
man
Neo-
writings of one of the
considered to be the movement's
Chou
Chou
and
Lien-ch'i
Lien-hsi,
1017-1073), held particular import.
Chou Tun-i wrote two
short treatises,
shuo (an explanation
T'ai-chi-t'ti
of the diagram of the Great Ultimate) and T'ung-shu ( Penetrating the
Book
of Changes ) that served to assimilate certain key aspects of Taoist philoso-
phy with Confucian thought.
The
T'ai
Chi ( Great Ultimate ) diagram, or symbol,
West have taken pass the
to calling the
one in the many
According
Yin/Yang symbol,
tranquil,
tranquillity creates
Five Agents of Water, Fire,
one
serves to
in the
encom-
to the history of the Great Ultimate diagram, the Great Ulti-
movement becomes
stitute
it
what we
philosophy of Yin/Yang.
mate through movement creates Yang.
ment and
as
is
When Yang
reaches
which generates Yin. This Yin and Yang, which,
Wood,
its
limit,
alternation of
the
move-
in turn, give birth to the
Agen ents ts conconMetal, and Earth. These Five Ag
vast interdependent system of
Yin/Yang, and Yin/Yang consti-
tutes the Great Ultimate.
According is
to
Chou
Tun-i:
The many
actually differentiated into the
own
correct state of being.
This was
much
solace
and the one and many each has
many,
its
precept that Bruce Lee would eventually find
Lee went on record
in.
and the one
1
a philosophical
and truth
are [ultimately] one,
of 1962
in the early part
as
33
The Warrior Within
34
gung
indicating that he began learning
sons that most of us take up
how
However, once he
to fight.
Lee soon learned of
a rather
martial
a
process.
mind
erance, and peace of
The other
— and
it
but also of
comment
It
far
the
more
of the two
difficult
to possess
not only the combative elements of gung
him
to
to a reporter in 1962:
has changed
ing.
was by
philosophical underpinning of Yin/Yang, causing
its
part
part consisted of understanding, tol-
Lee persisted and, in time, came
much broader understanding of
fu,
simply because he wanted to learn
started his martial arts training in earnest,
aspects to cultivate. Nevertheless, a
art,
combat and hard physical training were only one
that
complex
same rea-
fu at age thir thirte teen en, , for for the
Gung
fu
my
whole
life,
a
way of
life
is
Yin (negative) and Yang
and
I have a completely different
as well as a
(positive),
ples are softness with firmness,
mode of
self-defense.
where everything
night with day,
quiet awareness of one's opponent's strength
and
way of
is
It is
based on
a complement.
and man with woman. plans,
and how
to
think-
ExamIt
is
a
complement
them.
While many of few
are familiar
us return once
us in the
West
are familiar
with the Yin/Yang symbol,
with what the symbol act actual ually ly rep repres resent ents. s. In
more
to the
words of Bruce Lee
this respect, let
to illuminate this ancient
philosophical principle:
Gung
fu
is
based on the symbol of the Yin and Yang, a pair of mutually com-
plementary and interdependent forces that in this universe.
.
.
.
The Yin and Yang
act continuously,
are
without cessation,
two interlocking complementaries.
Etymologically the characters of Yin and Yang mean, darkness and ancient character of Yin, the dark part of the
circle,
is
a
light.
The
drawing of clouds and
Yin can represent anything
hill.
negati ativen veness ess, , passiv passivene eness, ss, the universe as neg
in
gentleness, inte internal rnal, , insubsta insubstantia ntiality lity, , femaleness,
moon, darkness,
other complementary half of the
The lower part of
signifies
slan slanti ting ng sunr sunray ays, s,
Yang.
circle is
maleness, sun, br brig ight htne ness ss, , da day, y,
to^d*ntrfy~4li££e_ tu>o
i*
and
soft style
the
Yang can
forces as
firm style).
external substantiality,
The common mistake of most martial
etc.
The
etc.
the character
while the upper part represents the sun.
represent anything as positiveness, activeness, firmness,
y
night,
artists
Yin and Yang, as dualistic (thus the so -called
But Y^jjVYaiw
one
is
forcc^oj
iiisyijHiible
one
On Yin/Yang unce asing interplay of movement as
two coexisting forces of one
They
.
are conceived of as es esse sent ntia iall lly y one,
indivisible whole.
They
are not cause
and
but should be looked at as sound and echo, or light and shadow. If this
ness
viewed as two separate
is
gung fu won't
entities,
or
effect
one-
realization of the ultimate reality of
be achieved.
Let's consider this principle in a little greater depth.
Lee, the basic theory of
permanent
35
Yin/Yang
is
that:
there
According
nothing
is
in
to
Bruce
the universe so
as never to change.
To Lee,
this
meant
that
we
are
all
part of a universal process of
growth
and evolution, brought into being from the unceasing interplay of Yin/Yang.
Our
bodies, for example, are
composed of
billions
of
cells
— each and
every
micr cros osco copi pic c constituents whirling in everone of which is composed of mi changing orbits of incessant energy. They are, in effect, miniature universes
unto themselves and are evolving and interchanging with one another continuously.
Bruce Lee once wrote:
changeability.
when
there
is
He
also said:
stillness in
The
The flow of movements
stillness in stillness
movement
is
their
inter-
not the real stillness.
Only
is
in
does the universal rhythm manifest.
This unceasing interchangeability of Yin/Yang was symbolically trated
illus-
by Lee when he placed two revolving arrows around the Yin/Yang
symbol
to represent the principles underlying his martial art of jeet
In other words, the arrows represented that
of one unified force. As he himself once
all
kune
do.
apparent opposites arise out
stated:
The emblem of
Lee's jeet kune do
school employed the Yin /Yang
symbol with two arrows encircling
emphasizing the interdependency
it,
of
Surrounding the
all things.
in
is
Chinese characters Using no way as way; phrase
symbol
Jiaving n o limitation
the
as_
limitation.
The Warrior Within
36
/
was asked by a so-called Chinese kung fu with beard and
really looked the part,
and Yang to
simply ply ans answer wered: ed: (firm). I sim
my
hear
answer and
all
—
as to
the
to
—
one of those that
what I think of Yin
Of course
Baloney
has not come
still
instructor once
(gentle)
he was quite shocked
realization
that
it
is
never
two.
Lee then went on to explain:
We must
realize then that
it
is
not a matter of the soft versus the firm, because
and firmness
as I've pointed out, gentleness
are always part of one whole
and
are equally important as well as unavoidably interdependent on each other.
one
rejects either the firm
Those who
tion will run to extreme.
physically
At
able.
bound
least the
or the soft,
or intellectually
physically
bound
lead to separation,
this will
cling to either
bound,
If
and separa-
extreme are known as either
though the former are more bear-
do struggle.
This fundamental principle of the unity and in inte terd rdep epen ende denc ncy y of apparent opposites results in
erent in almost every culture.
philosopher
whom we
step twice into the
which has
condition of changeless change,
a
met
same
Heraclitus, for example,
in the previous chapter,
once
its
ref-
the pre-Socratic said:
One cannot
2
river.
const nstant antly ly flowin flowing, g, with new he meant that because a river is co waters flowing into it from upstream, it is never static and cannot ever be
By
this
the same
riv river tha that
it
ion supposes that what statically
—
a state for
for a time.
no time
was when you it
calls
But the
at all.
first
the river river,
In fact,
it
stepped into is
something
it.
Common
that will
opin-
endure
according to Heraclitus, remains in such
has changed while
you have
said
its
name.
Thus, in
a
more personal
sense,
microcosms of the macrocosmic
harmony of apparent
it
with ourselves,
is
flow. This, too,
opposites, or Yin/Yang.
as
we
are simply
a greater reflection
is
of the
While we ourselves and the
universe within which we exist change on a daily, almost imperceptible basis, this process of ch chan angi ging ng wi with th the subtle changes of the universe is a
phenomenon
changeless
been ongoing since the beginning of time.
that has
Again, recall the words of Bruce Lee from the previous chapter: To change with change
is
the changeless state.
On More that
all
Yin/ Yang
37
to the point, this principle of constant evolutionary flow implies
things
— not our
to change. In
just rivers that ran
case,
we
through ancient Greece
are never the
—
are subject
same people we once were. With
the e pr proc oces ess s of metaboeach passing year, our bodily tissues renew through th lism,
creating in our bodies
new
cells
to replace the older ones.
In
other
words, everything in our universe (both inner and outer) flows in an intri-
would appear
cate relationship to what, ostensibly,
day begets night,
begets death,
female, and so on.
extreme point,
it
complements
rise
nature of the relationship
complement each
dict as well as
tivity,
The
must become
on the other hand, returns
to be fall, is
ing
oppo opposi site te: : birt birth h
male complements
such that they contra-
other. For example, if activity reaches
inactivity,
which forms Yin. Extreme
become
to
activity,
which
one condition becomes the cause of the other, and vice
The
its
is
its
inac-
Yang Ya ng. . Ther Thereb eby, y,
versa.
compl ementary and simultane ous increasing and decreas-
principle of
goes on in perpetuity, and while these forces would appear to be in direct
^conflict with one another, they are in reality mut mutual ually ly depe depend nden ent. t. Instead of opposition, there
Yin/ Yang
cooperation and alternation.,
is
miboXh*^-¥|d t riin each ofJrsjTjilygs
ol thtL opposite ha lf
Within the half
that
is
a_
Yin
small circle that
is
the color
this small circle represents
Yang, and vice versa. This serves to symbolize the fact that Yin and Yang interact
with each other in an endless succession of changes. Within even
the most masculine of men, there
woman
resides a small part that
The Yin/Yang, symbol,
as
it
or T'ai Chi,
is is
feminine component, and within unquestionably male. is
a
an immensely interesting and descriptive
signifies that all things in nature are
greater totality
— however independent or
an interrelated part of
a
individual they might appear. Lao-
tzu
wrote of
it
thusly:
—n
We
join spokes together in a wheel,
but
it
that
the center hole
is
makes the wagon move.
We
shape clay into a pot,
but
it
the emptiness inside
is
that holds
whatever
we
want.
The Wa r r
38
i
( >
k
Within
We hammer wood but
it
the inner space
is
makes
that
We work
it
livable.
with being,
but non-being
Bruce Lee addressed
//;
I
reality,
me
say the heat makes
ward, he has
to
in his writings:
this
the result of releasing
and
Things do have
into
and perspiring
or not
pump
on them
at all.
on one one peda pedal l and release the
going forward requires
other.
the heat
3
two
parts.
oneness vice
their
versa,
of
other.
pumping and
When
are just one process
go somewhere, then he cannot
to
same time
pump
use.
the one could not exist but for the other.
son riding a bicycle wishes the pedals at the
what we
and cannot be separated
perspire,
and
as they are coexistent
is
phenomenon
this
whole
things arc
for a house,
pump
If a per-
on both
In order to go for-
So
the
releasing.
movement of
Pumping
is
each being the cause and result of the
complementaries,
and complementaries
coexist.
Instead of mutually exclusive, they are mutually dependent and are a function each of the other.
Lee then went on //;
the
to
Yin/Yang symbol
spot on the white one.
explain the there
This
is
is
to
significance
a white spot on
of the Yin/Yang symbol:
the black part
illustrate the balance in
survive long by going to either extreme,
be
it
life,
for
and a black nothing can
pure Yin (gentleness) or pure
Yang (firmness). Notice that the
bamboo
In
stiffest
tree
most easily cracked, while the
is
or willow survive by bending with the wind.
Lee noticed that the Western approach was often to confront
life,
things head on
—
other words, to be Yang or firm about things. This
in
approach, if adopted repeatedly in dealing with
problems:
The American
the wind. If the boo,
wind
[typically] like
is
strong, he cracks.
is
vicissitudes, can lead to
life's
an oak
tree
The Oriental
—
he stands firm against
(prefers to] stand like
bending with the wind and springing back when the wind ceases
—
stronger than
ever before.
On
Yin/ Yang
39
In other words, instead of opposing the natural patterns of the universe, it
is
more productive
far
to learn to flow
and blend with them.
The Law of Harmony Bruce Lee taught that the application of the principles of Yin/Yang are expressed
indica cate tes s that that one should be in the law of harmony. This law indi
as
harmony with,
as
opposed
nature. In other words,
to
rebellion against,
the strength and force of
one should do nothing that
is
not natural or spon-
taneous; the key tenet being not to strain in any way. In terms of combat-
ing an opponent, Lee explained the law of
When
opponent
strength;
A
uses strength (Yang) on B,
other words,
in
(Yang) but instead yield tion
of his
own
force,
(Yin),
force
his
B
(Yang).
to
him with
negativeness
(Yin)
resist
him
.
.
.
with
(Yang) against positiveness
and lead him
to positiveness
(Yang).
to
the direc-
When
A's
the positiveness (Yang) will change to negative-
then taking him at his unguarded
Thus
thusly:
must not
softness (Yin)
the whole process
is
moment and
attacking with
[never] unnatural or strained.
movement harmoniously and continuously
or striving.
B
do not use positiveness
strength goes to the extreme, ness
harmony
into that of
A
B
fits
without resisting
bam-
Lee liked to
harmony present
see the law of
of Brenda: She has been yos,
you understand, but
returning body
fat.
a
many
in
different areas. Consider the case
dieter er for for yo-yo diet
she's
caught in
Brenda always
a
years.
Not
how
friends can
never-ending cycle of fad
been overweight
a
when
time
to
extremes
—
is
on
she wasn't
for as long as they've
Unfortunately, poor Brenda
appear.
known
doomed
a
and
diets
an effort to force
diets too severely in
she thinks she ought to ideally
remember
consumed yo-
that she
(Yang) her body into a state of complying (Yin) with has of
but you can
illustrate this principle in relation to martial art,
mental picture she
a
none of her
In fact,
diet
— and
yet she has
her.
to disappointment because she goes
either total deprivation (Yin) or total gorging (Yang). If she
The Warrior Within
4 o
had adopted the
more
natural position of moder moderati ation on, , she
would have obtained
body of her dreams long ago and without anywhere near the
travails she's
dulum of far
a
more
been putting herself through. Bruce Lee believed
life
I
knew
their muscles appear
more
ately after the contest,
defined.
And
it
The bodybuilders would then comfort in order to that they
itf^the
literally
satiate their
make
order to
for a while.
it
— th the e
Immedi-
kicked back in with
inner cravings
into the bloodstre am
down
a result
their
vengeance.
.
You
see^ their bodies didn't^ esse ntial^
this
purposes; from the body's perspective,
function errioentiy
simply-jJie^form that carbohydrates
glucose via c a rbohydrate as
a
a
gorge themselves to the point of dis-
nutrition they need to
hvei
When
ca carb rboh ohyd ydra rate tes. s.
were simply being temporarily deprived o f netic
by br ejuki ng
—
to
hogs because their bodies were craving that component of
biol bi olog ogy y co coul uld d no longer be suppressed,
qs.
pumpers who used
a contest in
worked
diet.
however, these bodybuilders would invariably become
well-balanced diet that had been denied
know
several iron
of their carbohydrate intake prior to
as fat as prize
pen-
that the
more modest, well-balanced
successful simply eating a
all
and
required balance, and in Brenda's case, she would have been
In the realm of bodybuilding,
cut out
labors
.
talce
when
In fact, Jiilthe
of jL-b alanced
diet,
it
was
trom glucose,
brolteh
bod y
it
down
in the
doesn't receive
will create
an ami no acid called alanine and converting
it
its
own
into glu-
ve e ba lance- Extreme nutritional cose. Again, the penduhmi of life__must ha v
habits are at odds
the
way of
^he
with the prTrre*pl?>ot Yin/Yang; which
same principle
applies
t-n
ess. ^will
don't lash back^wjth the
irat e,
we've seen,
the world.
going to extremes in discussion.
example, you're having an argument with
and
as
is,
Your mate's anger.
r p q ilin
sai-ne
n^
->
— respond with
^' ^ Ipv^I ffiL
p*
passiveness and kind-
mfrn^' y
fr>
sustain itself
soon bur n out and g ive way to Yin or gentleness^ Again, any extreme jts c omplem entary, so sit back and let ylead
nature
ta ke
course, content in the understanding that
its
that, again. no t hinges §q nj^rjaa ramt
as.
a refusal to interfere
a
is
do so and
kind of philosophical inaction,
with the natural course of things.
tered, the wiser course
will
it
never_jo_chan ge.
Quiescence, fromXees perspective, was
not to quarrel,
fight,
or
If resistance
make war
(as
is
encoun-
in the case
On Yin/Yang and to win,
of quarreling nations), but to retire
silently,
yielding and patience.
been noted
ries
more
on earth
has after
It
all
through
if at all,
that passivity has
41
its
victo-
often than action. In other words, if you do not quarrel, no one will be able to quarrel
with you.
The Law of Noninterference The
principle of the law of
harmony
has as
its
corollary the law of non-
interference with nature, which, according to Bruce Lee, taught a person to
what was happening before him, with no deliberation. Again using martial art for illus-
forget about himself and me mere rely ly resp respon ond d to like
echo
to
sound
trative purposes,
The
basic idea
strength. nent,
—
Lee advanced the proposition
is
That
is
to
defeat the
why
a
nent's] force.
When
by swinging with
it.
which were
it.
to
him and using
his
asserts himself against his
in frontal opposition to the direction
own
oppo-
of his [oppo-
being attacked, he will not resist but will control the attack
This law
illustrates the principles
founded on
of nonresistance and non-
the idea that the branches
under the weight of the snow, while the simple can overcome
as follows:
opponent by yielding
gung ju man never
and never [puts himself]
violence,
for
becoming heated
spouse, and he's
a
If,
reeds,
a
tree
fir of snapped weaker but more supple,
Bruce Lee
foun fo und d prof profou ound nd and enduring truth in the words of Lao-
also
tzu, the greatest
of the pre-Confucian philosophers,
who
pointed out:
—78— Nothing is
as soft
world
in the
and yielding
as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible,
nothing can surpass
The
soft
it.
overcomes the hard;
the gentle overcomes the rigid.
Everyone knows but few can put
this it
is
true,
into practice.
4
The Warrior Within
42
From
this
In contrast,
man
Yang
principle,
break under pressure.
It is
ples
the
Bruce Lee concluded: Because he which
is
assumed
to
can yield, a he rigorous
man
and hard, makes a
interesting to note the value that Lao-tzu placed
on the Yin princi-
of softness and pliableness, making them synonymous with
vival.
As we
was on
to
shall see in
can survive.
life
and sur-
our next chapter, Bruce Lee believed that Lao-tzu
something when he
said that
we
could
come
a
long way toward
the esse essenc nce e of Tao by observing and understanding the nature understanding the
of water.
Chapter Five
Running Water
Empty your mind. Be
formless, shapeless, like water.
When
you put water into a
When
you put water
When
you put water into a teapot,
Now Be
water can flow
water,
my
cup,
it
into a bottle,
—
or
it
becomes the cup; it
it
becomes the
bottle;
becomes the teapot.
can crash.
friend.
Bruce Lee
c^$i=>
To
some of you reading
book, the above quotation may seem
this
an odd paean to things aqueous. However, the time
Lee's will have taken
you have finished on
a
new meaning
this chapter, entirely.
this
To be
of Bruce Lee's philosophy
—
restri res tricte cted d sole solely ly to those individuals
personal form of martial
jeet
art,
a
philosophy
who
kune
were
it,
aphorism of Bruce
one of the key
is
until
that,
select students
Even
do.
guarantee that by
able to flow like water
with adversity until you are in position to overcome tenets
I
then, by
now, has been of Bruce Lee's
no means did
all
of these individuals grasp the man man's 's ph philo ilosop sophi hic c precepts with any degree of firmness, opting instead to keep Lee's teachings confined to the realm of
hand-to-hand co com mba bat. t. This his myopic view of Lee's contribution, indeed true legacy,
is
unfortunate, because the teachings of Bruce Lee have so
his
much
4 3
The Warrior Within
44
more
to offer than
merely
a practical
prism through which to view
a street
fight.
Lee's martial philosophy,
tonese,
which he named
meaning the way of the the inte interc rcep epti ting ng
self-expression,
jeet
kune do (from the Can-
fist ) deals
with individualism,
and learning to adapt oneself instantly an and d harm harmon onio iousl usly y to
whatever obstacle might stand in your path. Through
this process
monious adaptation, Lee believed, one could overcome adversity form. Lee's perspective was fresh, unique,
his
the
insight into
human
of har-
—
any
in
condition
and most important, the self-actualizing philosophy that he pio-
neered has continued to work flawlessly to the benefit of sen to apply
it.
But
first,
let
us
all
who
have cho-
consider the significance of Lee's water
analogy.
The Nature of Water For centuries, the Chinese have held
found awe of Kuan
—
for the nature of water.
Chung
Water
is
(d.
645),
had
a
healthy respect
The Kuan-tzu,
this to say
a
— indeed,
a
pro-
collection of writings
of this wondrous element:
the blood of the earth, and flows through
its
veins. Therefore,
is
it
water
said that
accumulated
Heaven and Earth, and stored up
in
[of the world].
It
comes forth Therefore
in living creatures. .
.
.
Hence the
in water.
So
something that has complete
is
in metal
solution for the sage
water
who would
is
is
Still
water
something
spiritual.
transform the world
You can look a
of Chuang-tzu:
like glass.
is
in
and see the
it
on your
bristles
chin.
perfect level;
It
is
A
carpenter could use
If
water
is
it.
so clear, so level,
How much
more the
of man? 2
spirit
Running Water
As we've
seen, water
The
was Lao-tzu's
symbol
to everything
Unmurmuring
for the Tao:
to places
so, is close in
and goes
men
despise;
Way
nature to the
[Tao].
To Bruce Lee, however, the nature of water revealed entirely.
When
the sea,
nese
call
itself,
—
a
sea that flows
a different lesson
profound experience while through
Hong
tun-wu, (the Japanese, satori), the
his leaving for
sailing alone in a
Kong's Victoria Harbor.
in fact, that contributed to Lee's experience of
itual insight or
Tao
3
Lee was seventeen years old (one year shy of
the United States), he had
junk upon the
4 5
highest goodness, water-like
Does good But
favorite
Zen
equivalent of
It
was
what the Chia
sudden
spir-
awakening, causing him to believe that he had united with
the Chinese term for the force underlying
experience changed Lee's
life
and most certainly
all
his
is
concentrated
1
also in the writings
It
in the various things
and stone, and
said that
is
it
...
faculties.
of nature's ways. The
philosophy of
life.
lies
Bruce Lee
the art of
(right) learning
—and
detachment from his
first
only
Yip Man.
—
sifu, professor
The Warrior Within
46
As
it
happened, Lee had spent the prior four years of his
in arduous training in the art of
Wing Chun,
a
life at this
branch of Chinese gung fu
that that stre stress ssed ed heavily the principle of gentleness in neutralizing nent's effort lay
and an d mi minim nimiz izin ing g your
own
expenditure of energy
your oppo-
The
discipline
not in resisting one's opponent with strength charging head-on into
strength, but rather in learning
how
to understand
and thereby
— much
opponent's force and energy to your
own
learn to use, not oppose, the forces of
wind and water
advantage
practitioners
how
to
utilize
like
your
one must
one wishes
to learn
Wing Chun
teaches
if
the art of effective sailing. In other words, the art of its
point
be their opponent's complementary,
as
opposed to
adversary, through a process of calmness and nonstriving (which should be starting to
sound familiar
to you, dear reader, about
In any event, as simple as the concept sounded,
having some difficulty with
its
actual application.
he engaged in combat with an opponent,
which caused him
mind was
to beat his
Noticing that
Lee found that he was
He found
his
that the
moment
mind was angry and perturbed,
to use force (Yang) against, rather than
with, his opponent's techniques. After his
his
now).
a series
of blows,
opponent into the ground
all
compliance (Yin) that
remained in
decisively.
young student was no not t unders understan tandi ding ng the
lesson, Lee's
name of Yip Man,
an elderly Chin Chines ese e gent gentle lema man n by the
instructor,
proached and instructed him to
ap-
relax:
Forget about yourself and follow the opponent's movement,
he told
him. Let your art
mind do
the countermovement without deliberation. Learn the
of detachment. Just relax. Aha,
thought Lee. That's the secret
—
I said
must
'I
relax.'
the effortlessness in
As
Lee's
The demand
for effort in
for-
years later, been an indi-
As Lee was
had already done something contradictory against
there I
But even the
must relax
many
mulat ati ion of this thought had, in retrospect cation that he had, again, missed the point.
I
to later recall: Right
my
That was
will.
when
'must' was already inconsistent with
'relax.'
mounting
frustration
became apparent
to his old instructor, he
appr ap proa oach ched ed Le Lee e again and offered the following advice: Lee, follow nature
and don't interfere with her ways. Never
assert yourself against nature:
be in frontal opposition to any problem, but swing with
Go home
week.
this
it.
Don't practice
and think.
Running Water Such an admonition only made
47
impossible for Lee to do anything other
it
he took his instructor's advice and stayed home the following week. After many hours of meditation, he gave up and decided to than seethe.
go sea,
Still,
sailing at sea alone in a junk.
As
his
junk cut through the waves of the
thou ough ght t ba back ck on what his instructor had said to him and of his he th
inability to apply the principle
and he punched
was availed of new Right then,
me
suffer hurt. I
then
tried
at that
moment,
Again
ofgungfu? Didn't
seemed weak, it
I
wanted
ofgungfu?
to
I stabbed at
it
with
grasp a handful of
softest substance it
— and
a thought suddenly struck me.
the [Yin] principle
to
of his might
all
at
that instant, he
insight:
the very basic stuff, the essence trate to
own
of Yin properly. Suddenly his temper flared
the water with
at
in
the world,
it,
could
all
but
fit
I
my it
the
struck
it
might,
Wasn't
just now, but yet
it
any
it
illus-
did not
was not wounded.
was impossible.
itself into
this water,
common water just
This water,
container.
the
Although
could penetrate the hardest substances in the world.
it
That was
be like the nature of water.
But the lesson wasn't over tinued to gaze into the water
yet.
While
when
still
suddenly
savoring the insight, Lee cona seagull
never
flew over, casting
its
reflection
upon the waves. This was the moment of
Right then as
I
was absorbing myself, another mystic sense of hidden meaning
started
upon me. Shouldn't
tions
had
I
Lee's satori:
in front
it
be the same,
of an opponent pass
then,
like
that the thoughts
the reflection
and emo-
of the bird flying
over the water? This was exactly what professor Yip meant by being detached. .
.
.
In
order to control myself,
my
not against
Lee then
lay
I
must
first
accept myself by going
nature.
back in the boat, feeling that he had united with Tao.
had become one with the ways of nature. Letting the boat just lay there, enjoying a state
thought to be the
many opposing
con confl flic ict t in his
forces of the
With
world were
Lee
mind: The whole world
famous water analogy with which
in fact mutually
this understanding, there to
me was
This experience and the conclusion that Lee drew from ate his
drift freely,
He
of inner harmony, realizing that what he had
cooperative instead of mu mutu tual ally ly exclusive.
no longer any
with and
we opened
it
unitary.
served to cre-
this chapter.
frequently evoke this analogy to illustrate the principle of
was
Yin
Lee would
as
it
applied
48
The Warrior Within
Water can flow
—
or
it
can crash.
Bruc Bruce e Lee Lee demonstrated the crashing
component of the water principle while an amazed James Garner looks on during a scene from the movie
Marlowe
(ig6g).
to facing adversity or leable that it
it
was impossible
was impossible
that
it
combating
to hurt.
to grasp a handful
was
It
remained one of the
and pure Yang, in that of matter.
It
it
Lee observed that water was so mal-
force.
at
it,
and that when struck,
once nce both oth pure Yin, by virtue of the
most yielding substances
softest,
was
of
also capable
could be calm, like the
still
fact
in the world,
of penetrating the hardest forms
surface of a pond, or turbulent and
violent, like Niagara Falls.
The its
nature of water, then,
path and, by moving
mounting
we
it.
at
is
to adapt itself instantly to any obstacle in
own
its
In other words, the lesson to
can learn to flow with adversity,
tionally,
it
is
it
it,
The lary of
life is
passes us by.
So you've got
we
begin
to just
'keep on
natural process of sur-
will eventually
movement, with the
As Bruce Lee
a
be learned from water
only through our flowing with
and grow. Indeed, with
pace,
said:
life
that
overcome
we
is
that if
it.
Addi-
are able to adapt
result that if
we
cease to flow
Running water never grows
stale.
flowing.'
nature of water, Bruce Lee held, also revealed a philosophic corol-
Yin/Yang
—
that of the necessity of
^Part ~£wo
e 15-
°A
Vo
9>:
bending with
adversity.
Defeating Adv Adversity
Six
Chapter Bend and Survive
7
August 1972, Bruce Lee was in the midst of fleshing out a concept for his fourth film. The film was to be titled The Game of Death, and
In
the
human
concept he intended to convey was the absolute necessity for
beings to be able to bend with adversity and thereby adapt to what-
ever circumstances beset them. Although the plot would apply this principle
to
the martial
principles of
life:
arts,
to
Lee
it
also
stood
as
one of the fundamental
At
am working on
present I
on the
but what I want
yet,
title
changing circumstances. the first scene in
Then
of snow.
strong gale all
is
it
fill
my
the wind.
It
to
There
Then
Because
to
the necessity to adapt oneself to
is
clump of
Suddenly there
is
moves
to
a willow tree which
itself to
and a huge
a loud snap,
cannot yield
give,
which
to
the environment,
the force of the is
is
snow
bending with
the willow survives.
is
not taken
simply collapse or defeat, but rather to
or pliability. As Lee once wrote:
Be This
and
a huge tree in th the e ce cent nter er of the 'screen,
It
adapts
complete yielding,
have
while the sounds of a
trees
the ground.
the camera it
is
the film opens, the audience sees a wide expanse
the camera closes in on a
Be
facet
show
to
next film. I haven't really decided
should be noted that this principle of bend and survive
mean
have
As
the screen.
my
inability to adapt brings destruction. I already
cove covere red d wi with th thick snow.
breaks.
it
The
mind.
branch of the tree falls so
the script for
is
a naturally
soft,
yet not yielding.
firm, yet not hard.
occurring
phenomenon
that
is
present in almost every
man-made
of existence, from snow-laden trees to
architecture. Take, 51
The Warrior Within
52
for example, the bridges that this abil abilit ity y to sess this
bend or
we
upon every
drive
yield slightly, they
day. If
would
they did not pos-
ultimately collapse. This
capacity to yield (Yin), while often considered a feminine
means (Yang)
sign
a
—
of weakness. In
a quality traditionally
Once
again
we
diffe differe rent nt aspe aspect cts s of
fact,
it
is
instead a
sign
quality,
is
by no
of great strength
considered masculine.
note that both Yin and Yang qualities are present here
one and the same process. That the bridge
the strength to endure (Yang) the natural balance that
is
is
based solely on
inherent in
all
its
pliability
is
as
able to have
(Yin).
Such
is
things (w (we e touc touche hed d on this balance
—
or the nonextremist nature Chapter 4). In fact, the quality of balance of Tao is present in order that we might realize the ultimate expression of
in
—
our true natures.
You
way
to
can, for example, always be certain that
convince you of his masculinity, he
sion of his
manhood. Likewise, when
a
is
when
a
man
goes out of his
suppressing the ultimate expres-
woman
attempts to act 100 percent
womanhood
the ultimate expression of her
female,
in jeopardy.
is
This
observation caused Lao-tzu to write the following passage sometime between the sixth and fifth century B.C.:
—28— Knowing
the male but keeping the female,
one becomes
Becoming one
is
a universal stream.
a universal stream,
not separated from eternal virtue.
1
In other words, if the male can allow himself to be weak, and if the
female can allow herself to be strong, then both will be in accord with Tao
and allow themselves the
fullest
expression of their respective and highly indi-
vidual sexualities, which, in the final analysis,
not only of
human
to
A
nese
can be ob obta tain ined ed only only call
how
arises:
Bruce Lee, the answer
excessive self-consciousness. this
really the greatest strength,
beings, but of most living things.
So the question invariably
According
is
is,
we
can
first
of
rue e sel elv ves es? ? express our tru
certain spiritual loosening
when one
of the ego, or
to get rid
all,
is
required, and
masters the principle of what the Chi-
wu-hsin (the Japanese, mushiri), literally no-mind,
or the deregu-
lation of self-consciousness.
Bend and Survive
53
The Way of No-Mindedness The concept of wu-hsin does not mean an empty mind all
emot em otio ion, n, nor nor
is
it
that
is
devoid of
simply quietness of mind. As Bruce Lee explained the
concept: Although quietude and calmness are the
mind
receives,
is
to
his
the
is
as
a mirror
the
As Alan
mind
nongraspingness
grasps nothing, yet
it
Watts put
or ego standing over
mind think what
thinker or ego
—
it,
within oneself.
it
likes
and
easily,
with a club.
of
gung fu nothing;
refuses is
a
state
without the sensa2
What
he means
without the interference by the separate
So long
absolutely no effort in letting go,
it
it
A
no-mindedness
which the mind functions freely and
in
of a second let
mind
but does not keep.
of wholeness tion
it
the prin princi cipl ple e of no-mindedness. that mainly constitutes the
man employs it
necessary,
as
it
thinks
what
it
wants,
there
the disappearance of the effort to
let
is
go
is
precisely the disappearance of the separate thinker.
some of
Still, to
how do we
th the e qu ques esti tion on surfaces: but
us,
go ? Bruce
let
Lee responded: There
nothing
is
do,
to
what atev ever er co come mes s up for wh
emotion or feeling, but being one is
a
mind immune
No-mindedness
nouacceptance.
including
accepted,
try
to
to
whom
in
is
feeling
emotional influences,
like a
is
and not the segments;
totality,
glory, as ciple
opposed
looking
is
which everything
is
still.
the whole tree, in
at
According
to the individual leaf.
It
of employing the mind to see the
a process it
not sticky or blocked.
to
of
all
Chuang-tzu, the
its
dis-
of Lao-tzu:
The baby That
He
is
is
not being without
then
river in
flowing on ceaselessly without cessation or standing
In other words, wu-hsin
moment by moment
is
looks
at
things
all
day without winking,
because his eyes are not focused on any particular object.
goes without knowing where he
And
stops
without knowing what he
He merges
going,
is
doing.
is
himself with the surroundings
And moves
along with
it
—
3 these are the principles of mental hygiene.
The Warrior Within
54
In other words, concentration should not have the usual sense of restrict-
ing the attention to
of
ness
sense object; rather,
a single
whatever
happens
be
to
no-mindedness allows one's mind sent nowhere.
A
According
gung fu man's mind
this or that object,
ing a pond, which
power because
it
it
is
is
.
to be present
.
always ready
to
and be open
Chinese language. Phrases such and
hsin
now.
The
quiet aware-
a
condition
everywhere because
as
it.
The flow of thought
flow off again.
This phenomena of wu-hsin has
in mind),
simply
can remain present because even
does not cling to
free,
and
is
it is
of
pre-
Bruce Lee:
to
.
here
it
to
It
can work
everything because
many
it
other names
when is
like
its is
related to
water
fill-
inexhaustible
empty.
— even
within the
pen hsin (original mind), hsin hsin
(Buddha mind)
are
all
variants of wu-hsin, or the
(faith
non-
fu
segmented
our r co comp mple lete te psychic of ou
totality
faculty.
Bruc Br uce e Lee Lee made the obser-
vation that any arresting of our conscious awareness on only one thought, aspect, subject, object, or focal point created a condition
— the
page
of wu-hsin. Such
antithesis
believed, leads to
of psychical stop-
segmented thought process, Lee
a
condition of hesitation or detachment from the now and
a
thereby creates the potential for serious problems
—
particularly for those con-
The Tao of Wu-
fronted with a life-or-death situation (see Alan Watts's essay in the
hsin
The he
appendix of
basic problem
engaged
is
in a
of a martial
thoughts or any object
day
his
mind
artist
thing in one's else;
however,
known
is
stopped,
mind means attempt
that
to
every-
in
incapable of flowing from one object to another
He
ceases
be master of himself
to
no longer express themselves in their suchness. So
to
When
as psychical stoppage.
Unlike the fluid mind
encounters.
it
without stickiness or clogginess. result, his tools
is
deadly contest with his antagonist, his mind often attaches
itself to life,
As Lee noted:
this book).
it
is
to
and
as
a
have some-
preoccupied and has no time for anything
remove the thought already
in
it
is
to refill
it
with
another something
In other words,
no-mindedness,
thinking about achieving
entails
an application of mental
of nonfixatedness, or
state
a
effort, or
what the Chinese
Bend and Survive wei (unnatural striving),
call
which
effectively prevents
the equivalent of trying to relax by saying I must relax
was pointed out by Lee
in
Chapter
5.
a
must be present, of which Lee had
this to say:
Ultimately one should be purposeless.
By
be stuck in ance, .
.
of
.
its
it.
When
The
spirit is
anything
is
But when
fluidity,
The
is
state
is
of purpose-
not meant the mere
object
is
not
to be
by nature formless, and no objects
stuck there, your psychic energy loses
native activity becomes cramped
It
the fallacy of which
mental
purposeless
absence of things where meant nothingness prevails. with thought process.
attainment.
its
In order to achieve this natural state
of nonanalytical observance and comprehension, less
55
and no longer flows with
there prevails a state of purposelessness
(which
empty-mindedness, or simply the everyday mind), the
is
stuck are to
its
bal-
the stream. also a state
spirit harbors
nothing in
and no
A
it,
object;
it
nor
is
it
tipped in any one direction;
responds empty -mindedly
tr tran ansc scen ends ds bo both th subject
it
environmental changes and leaves
to
track.
Feline Analogy This quality of not being tipped in any one direction,
observed quite readily in the behavior of
to things or being off center,
is
most animals, and particularly
in cats.
table,
for example,
The
cat
land,
make
does not it
where
the cat simply
its
fill
shall
go
the leap in the
mind with
once
it
become
it
it
hit the
itself;
it
thud and continues on of thoughts
of
all
—
ground.
its
is
it
whether
same
how
to
as
cat, in
its
way.
it
shall
safe
to
the midst of
at all,
would
it
course and would end up in
And
a
becomes completely
did not want to leap
tense in trying to change
rather sorry state once is
—
least
from the top of
cat leaps
illustration, if that
leaping from the table, decided that instantly
sorts
all
first place.
a
go of
a gentle
does, or
To follow through with our
When
lets
on the ground with
relaxed and lands
of not clinging
a
same way, wu-hsin
so in the
the avoidance of such mental tenseness, of paralysis by analysis. In this respect, the philosophy of wu wu-h -hsi sin, n, or no-mindedness, as espoused
The Warrior Within
56
by Bruce Lee can be likened to the natural response of the the tabletop. That
is
to say, the
moment we
metaphorically speaking, placed in
—
tence (in
and
in
which we
which we there's
height to
are not).
We
are, in effect, in a state us.
we
of hurdling from
are secure in our surroundings
nothing that can stop
fall
a state
are born,
—
to
a position
which have no existence catlike in
as
exis-
toward death,
Granted, some of us are given
a state
thou ough ght t of this fact and attempting to mentally cling to the th during our descent (such
of
one of nonexistence
of falling
However, instead of our going into
from
can be said to be,
from, which prolongs our descent somewhat, but
falling nonetheless.
be more
cat leaping
all
a greater
we
are
of tension
sorts
all
at
of things
our memories of the past or hopes for the future,
in our
immediate
our perspective on
life.
reality),
This
is
a
we
should endeavor to
perspective that
is
per-
haps best illustrated in this
Zen poem:
While
living,
be
a
dead man.
Thoroughly dead.
And
then whatever you do,
just as
you
will, will
be
In other wo word rds, s, atte attemp mpti ting ng to arrest your self to
It
must be remembered
that there
(move) in order to be permanent statement.
It
also a case
is
(to
live)
is
will,
by attaching youryield
ultimately,
—which
in itself
is
Yin/Yang
a
Zen
of the law of inversion, or what the great
more dead you become, the more
alive
you
nothing that does not change
teacher Alan Watts called the law of paradox. That
the
4
fall (reality)
impermanent
objects that are themselves
nothing.
right.
is
to say, in
one
you become. The more
sense,
soft
you
become, the the stro strong nger er you become. This, in essence, illustrated
is
by Bruce
the principle of bend and survive,
image of the two
Lee's
trees
and
with which
piles
up and up, the branch doesn't give an inch
the weight of a little bit
its
its
snow and allowing
and renewed. This
is
until finally
it
willow, however, bends instantly
of snow accumulates on
the burden of the fresh
The
burden.
—
perfectly
we began
and
chapter. In the snow, the trunk of the firm tree stands rigid,
it's
as
the
when even
branch, thereby effectively removing the branch to spring back up again,
not, then, a case of
weakness or limp limpne ness ss. .
Bend and Survive
57
being g just limp and flaccid, but of being springy, not softness in the sense of bein the will willow ow's 's example reveals to us that of having give. Thus, the
sity
— of
we want
through
to achieve
letting go. This, after
all,
is
a
we
can only
process of yielding with adver-
the easiest possible course and,
some
might observe, the very height of intelligence. As Lee once wrote: Nothingness cannot be confined; Gentleness cannot be snapped.
And
so the question
choose to be the strong, problems to
more
pile
is
posed, what type of person are you?
stoic
type
—
like the
up one upon the other
like the willow:
one
who
does not
snow
snaps under
achieve what
this
firm tree
—who
you
allows personal
until you, too, snap? resist
Do
Or
are
you
the weight of problematic
It
is
burden, or
lem
as
by so
it
who
it
yielding, live a life that latter
good
jkd
spring; he
is
is
free of
compound emotional
was
first
to learn to yield to
way
does not oppose force or give the
turmoil? Bruce
type of person, and he taught his students that the best
to tackle adversity
A
but rather gently bends by dealing with each prob-
presents itself so that you can spring back stronger than before and,
Lee was the
way
endures
it:
completely.
complement and not the opposition of
He
pliable as a
is
his opponent's strength.
HE HAS NOT TECHNIQUE; HE MAKES HIS OPPONENT'S TECHNIQUE HIS TECHNIQUE. He has no design; he makes opportunity his design.
To
attain a state
of wu-hsin, however, requires
or rather, a special type of nonaction, that
and
known
is
type of action,
a special
Chinese
in
as
wu-wei,
in Japanese as mui.
Nonaction The
mony
—
principle
of wu-wei
(literally,
either within or without
grain of things,
nonstriving )
indicates
— cannot be obtained by going
which only promotes
har-
against the
When
and an d extr extrem eme e reaction.
conflicts
one allows one's self-consciousness, or ego,
that
to yield to the natural flow of
The Wa Warr rrio ior r With Within in
58
things, the highest action
is
obtained
— the
action of
no
Bruce Lee
action.
described the process thusly:
Wu
means
straining, to is
in
let
one's
not or
or
non,
busying.
mind
and wei means
However,
al alon one, e, tr trus usti ting ng
not to strain in any way.
it
to
Wu-wei,
the sense that the governing force
During
sparring,
movement of
his
a
gung
fu
opponent,
man
it
doesn't really
work by in is
gung the
doing,
action,
itself.
fu,
mean doing
means
spirit or
mind and not
mind
free
nothing, but
The most important
to
mind
thing
action,
that of the senses.
learns to forget about himself
leaving his
striving,
make
and follows
its
own
the
counter-
movement without any
performed without self-assertion; he
all
As
ungrasped.
soon as he stops
and he
turbed,
Watching Lee
in action,
his technique
is
that
effortless
you note dancing
no
man
interval is
almost
action was a trademark that the
one
(in
will be
of Bruce
accustomed
him
Lee's.
Crown
to a partner as if
hav-
also well versed,
Good
Colonies in 1958).
they are but one single organism; there
as if
When
between the man's lead and the woman's following.
feels to
dis-
fundamental thing in
central,
which Lee was
the cha-cha championship of the
dancing partners typically move is
flow of movement
he responds to any attack without interval. This prin-
also observable in
won
ing
his
mind remain spontaneous and
without ever trying.
unintentionally
Such unintentional,
is
think,
to
his
lets
His actions are
attitude.
immediately struck by his opponent. Every action, therefore,
is
has to be done
ciple
and adopts a supple
resistance,
with
whom
she were part of his
worked
he's
some
for
a
time, she
body because she moves
so
com-
pletely responsively to his initiative.
In
much
initiative it.
the same way, the leaf
is
true
when you
instantly to the slightest being no interval
in
It
a tree
responds to the
of the wind; the wind blows and the leaf simply goes along with
The same
wei.
on the bough of
entails a
is
see a ball floating
upon the
modulation of the waves.
And
the real meaning, to Bruce Lee's
high degree of mental or
water.
responds
It
this attitude
way of
spiritual balance,
of there
thinking, of
of not being tipped
any one direction or inclining toward extremes of any nature. This
tude of being emotionally and spiritually centered, or in balance,
is
Bend and Survive
59
the core tenets of Bruce Lee's philosophy and, indeed, the fundamental precept of Yin/Yang.
The Role of Balance Balance losophy
as
is
one of the primary
— alm almost ost axioma axiomatic tic— concepts of
Taoist phi-
the philosophy of the Tao has a basic respect for the natural bal-
ance inherent in
all
thin ing gs. In the realm of nature, for example,
volitionally opt to upset this balance; rather,
you would
wu-
you wouldn't
try to adapt your-
atti-
one of
self to
its
avoid, say, the kind of mistake
nization (who). In
employed the
known
you should always
flow. In other words,
its
made
try to
go along with
it
by the World Health Orga-
in the 1950s
attempt to eliminate malaria in northern Borneo,
on the
pesticide dieldrin
to carry the disease.
At
first,
local
and
who
mosquito population, which was
the people
at
who
believed they had
solved the problem, since the use of the chemical had significantly diminished the abundance of mo mosq squit uitoe oes s (and even
flies
with them, the incidence of malaria. But then roofs of the villagers' huts began to collapse
a
and cockroaches) and, along strange thing happened: the
on top of them and
a
typhoid
epidemic broke out.
The reason was with the cats
The
dieldrin.
of the
that local lizards
village,
lizards, full
began eating the
were laden
insects that
of the toxic chemical, were eaten by the
and that effectively wiped out the
With
cat population.
the cats gone, the local rat population skyrocketed, and they ran unchecked
throughout the
villages, carrying
with them typhus-infested
fleas.
The
roofs
then began collapsing because the dieldrin, in addition to killing the mos-
and
quitoes, cockroaches,
flies,
have consumed the caterpillars lagers'
who,
that, left
for a time,
The philosophy of
found
now
eating the vil-
interference with the balance of
itself in
some
difficulty.
balance, or rather the respect for balance,
best illustrated by squeezing a rubber ball. it,
wasps that ordinarily would
unchecked, were
Through such an
thatched roofs.
nature, the
also killed the
the ball will yield, but
it
never loses
its
However balance.
or wherever It's
the safest
is
perhaps
you squeeze form
in the
world, completely contained and never off center. To be completely con-
The Warrior Within
60
tained, never susceptible to being put off center or phased
what
is
aimed
in the philosophy of
at
Similarly, those
to
be possessed of
matter
with
how
life
hard
in the
of us
this
who
by anything,
is
Bruce Lee.
wish to cultivate
a stress-free
existence have
same sense of balance, never being put off center no
we seem
same way
to get squeezed.
We
have to learn
that the ball responds to the
how
to flow
movements of the
water, that the leaf travels with the wind, and that the martial artist cultivates a state of
accomplish
harmony between himself and
this,
we need
his
opponent.
never again be snared by conflict
When we
— of any
can
kind.
Chapter Seven Relationships
Life
is
Man
a constant process of relating.
relationships
is
living in
relationship,
a
and
in
we grow.
Bruce Lee
£=>
ruce Lee's philosophy makes the point that universal process and that
be related
—
live in a
vacuum
some
capacity.
in
it
is
we
are part of a vast
human
impossible for
beings to
or to be isolated. In other words, to exist
Lee defined relationship
two
challenge and response between
entities,
as
is
to
an interconnected
whether between husband and
nonintima imate te wife, parent and child, individual and individual (in the sense of nonint relations), nation
and nation, or
life
and death
— and any
corollary of these
primary relationships. The relationship of individual to individual, in
what
gives rise to the corollary concept of society, as the
individuals
is
what
fact, is
compounding of
that at collec collectiv tivel ely y creates the mass, or group, th
is
known
as
society.
Similarly, the
concept of family
band and wife, and parent and
is
child,
a corollary
of the relationships of hus-
which, in turn, form the relationship
of intimacy, or communion. To comm commun unic icat ate e with one another, then,
is
ously a form of relationship
pro cess
R eja rionjvh ip — the
of self-revel ation^n^-srj f-revelation
is
concept
—
is,
in fact, a
obvi-
simply the offsp ring born of observ-
ing oneself in relationship with others. 61
62
The Warrior Within
Bruce and Linda Lee were the textbook
example of a
relationship that was perfectly centered in the
principle of Yin/Yang.
Undoubtedly, countless forms of relationships (and indeed, as all is
quite
we
within our universe
have seen, within our very bodies), and to address them
beyond the scope of
primary relationships
five
exist
we
this
book.
We
shall nevertheless focus
on the
have just touched upon.
Husband and Wife In the case of the relationship of to Linda
was
a perfect symbiosis
halves that would, in time, their relationship ity
serving often
and
forceful,
and
was as
a
husband and wife, Bruce
Lee's marriage
of two independent though interconnected
merge into one greater
totality. In
many
respects,
perfect example of Yin/Yang, with Lee's personal-
pure Yang, in the sense of being extroverted, masculine,
his wife
Linda being the perfect complementary compo-
Relationships
63
nent to these qualities in the form of pure Yin, being more introverted, feminine,
and
flexible.
Together, they complemented and completed the totality of the other;
when one would ple,
when
unable to
expand, the other would contract, and vice versa. For exam-
who
had been the principal breadwinner of the family, was
work owing
to a severe back injury he sustained in early 1970, Linda
Bruce,
instantly filled the gap
by taking an evening job.
When
Linda was
down
about
something, Bruce was up, with the result that his positiveness raised her spir-
to
its
more
point
a
approximating perfect balance. Their energies
closely
flowed together and adapted
By
their path.
gate
through
pass safely
Bruce Lee,
like
water
—
to
whatever obstacles appeared in
husband and wife were
so doing,
— and thus
—
—
all
manner of
ily
We
— two In
are two halves that
make
a whole.
You have
adversity.
commented on
in an interview in the early 1960s
sophic aspects of his relationship with his wife: one.
able to successfully navi-
Linda and to
the philo-
I aren't
apply yourself
one and
to be a
fam-
halves fitted together are more efficient than either half would ever be alone.
what
little
spare time he could find, Lee
nese poetry into English.
One
was fond of
translating
such poem, by the ancient Chinese poet
Yeh, contained
a stanza that
relationship of
husband and wife:
Chi-
Tzu
underscored perfectly Lee's beliefs regarding the
Do
you not
see
That you and
Are
as
Of
one
I
the branches tree?
With your
rejoicing
Comes my
laughter;
With your
sadness
Start
my
tears.
Love,
Could
life
be otherwise,
With you and me?
When
one reads these
one immediately
lines,
recalls Lee's
Chapter 4 regarding the wholeness and coexistence of nature of complementaries.
One
all
words from
things and the
truly could uld not survive but for the existence
The Warrior Within
64
of the other, and this love
is
Love
—
is
never more apparent than in relationships in which
a part.
The
as
Relationship
nature of love, according to Bruce Lee,
concepts to comprehend.
It
is
is
one of the more
difficult
not obtained by intellectual urgency;
it
can-
not be created by
strict
adherence to various doctrines, which only render
the term sterile and empty. As Bruce Lee put have an ideology of love. Instead, love
—
true love, that
is
—
the activities of the self have ceased.
required.
can be said that there
It
many
varieties
what I'm sure
Although having
said that, sex
definitely a physical
of the body
will
is
of consciousness
when
you must
the
body or the
on one
love
is
this state
not
is
to the experience of love, an involvement
level,
it
is
a
mutual experience. That
that there
is
whom
you
riencing this sensation of love and that this physical constant
enduring and tightly connected
be the identity of the person in question. Were
is
to
something constant about
physical appearance of the person with
intrinsically
is
sex. of many, indeed, a part of love. In other words, there
component
believe,
love
is
not.
the chagrin
be
well as of the mind, and
as
say,
and
to their sim-
understanding
this state, an
true relationship only
a
is
understanding what love
first
First off, to
is
its
opposed
as
what do we mean by love? Perhaps we can understand
present, but
better by
of
self in all
—
say ceased
I
one need not
or condition of being wherein
To experience
ply being su supp ppre ress ssed ed or denied.
of the workings of the
a state
is
If one loves,
it:
to
is
are expe-
inherently
what you perceive
otherwise, if the
it
to
body of
the individual in question were perceived as impermanent (which, in reality,
it
truly
is),
you would
with, by definition, a
in effect be in love
dif-
ferent person every day.
As we've
rate to say that
that
we
is
do
are change, as
Bruce Lee referred to
cess in love
we
seen, however,
to have
its
as
it is
our very
it
would be more accu-
ability to
being the changeless
chan ch ange ge with with chan hange
state.
The key
it),
in order for the love to evolve in
whom
with the pure essence of the other individual with
riencing this powerful emotional
state.
Inasmuch
as
you
you
ar are e su succ cces essf sful ul in this
Relationships regard, the sensation of love will endure. or, in this case,
the emotion of love
being able to change with change
two
lovers eventually
What
component of
their
is
literally
when two
relationship
is
grow
65
simultaneous evolution of not present,
results in a changed state
and quite
often happens
Where
a state
—with the
of not
result that
apart.
indi indivi vidu dual als s clin cling g solely to the physical that
they sooner or
later
sym-
are expe-
the spirit
to suc-
experience transcend your physical body (and the
subatomic variations that comprise biosis
change or perhaps
(and mostly
They have
sooner) end up frustrated.
ing to cling to evolve in
let it
or possess
— own
saying,
love
I
other person
you
much
so
— and the
the natural result of try-
you don' don't t cl clin ing g to
you can have
moment;
a
is
a truly
but rather
it
wonderful expe-
another individual goes against the gram
to possess
of Tao. Think about this for
If
itself.
natural process,
its
But the attempt
rience.
—
nature
as this
to,
the person
who
own you,
that / must
—from
possesses
thereby preventing the
living, evolving,
relationship itself
in effect
is
and grow-
This dooms the relationship to the very opposite of growth: death.
ing.
Please don't mistake this perspective as being antirelationship or anti-
because
marriage, stressed
—
of love.
my it
wife so
If
in
humorous
like the
much
Mrs.
you
—
that
Jimmy
climbed
I
that possessiveness
Since the physical world behavior, and this will
is
Be
itself illusory,
to possess another, you'll find
ego
still
emotion
his
love.
it.
claimed: I loved after her
—
I
called
heart
you're engaging in nonreality-based If,
however, your
by not clin clingi ging ng or attempting
your relationships will not only become
grow
far
into a very strong unity of body, mind, and
environment
that
is
free of
one has forgotten oneself. possess love
in the present to the fullest possible
rience of
it
relationships to failure.
To Bruce Lee, one did not have or
with
my
In other words, love can only exist in an
—where
the the oppo opposi site te
in effect, trying to cling to the physical world.
doom your
interesting, but will
man who
mountain and named
experience of love can allow you to let go
spirit.
is
must be
it
and you make your sexual passion possessive
try to possess people are,
a
story of the
Oh
Kindelal
any way, then you
more
However,
indeed, the projection of an individual ego over the soul of
is,
much
Mount
the opposite.
just
fact,
in the strongest possible terms
It
another,
in
is,
it
but rather lived the
degree and reveled in the expe-
Lee was of the opinion that the love and happiness he enjoyed
wife was built upon their ability not to be in love
but simply to
This tremendous physical, mental, and spiritual experience, accord-
ing to Lee, grew most successfully out of
a solid
base of friendship. In what
The Warrior Within
66
remains one of the most
lyrical definitions ever
described love thusly: Love a flame,
grows
is
like a friendship
very pretty, often hot and fierce, but
older,
still
given on the subject, Lee
caught on
fire.
In the beginning,
only light and flickering.
our hearts mature and our love becomes as
coals,
deep
As
love
burning and
unquenchable.
The
happiness that
a
couple enjoys should be derived, Bruce Lee believed,
not from
from
a
a
whirlwind romance
more balanced
(remember
relationship
thro th roug ugh h temp temper eran ance ce an and d moder oderat atio ion n
once noted: The happiness will
go
is
—not
ples live a very exciting
reduced
life
to
when they
Yin/Yang
by running
we never had
only spent our nights watching
their lives are
that true
derived from excitement
Before we married,
out.
We
clubs.
that
extreme emotional
that involves an
is
to
the chance to
TV and
chatting.
are in love.
calmness and dullness,
expressed
is
Lee
extremes).
like a brilliant fire
—
go out
but
state,
to
soon
it
night-
Many young
cou-
when they marry, and
So,
they will feel impatient and
will drink the bitter cup of a sad marriage.
Yin/Yang and Midlife Changes Lee's point
is
well taken. In a previous chapter,
we
learned about the prob-
lems inherent in attempting to defy the natural order or balance of things.
And
this point
Many
ships.
is
perhaps never
more
of us have heard of the co conc ncep ept t of male menopause: that time in
(believed to be around age forty)
life
suddenly panics, thinking that such
a stage,
true than in the subject of relation-
when
a
man
life (read: living)
looks back on his
has almost passed
the male of our species will engage in
ploys (from buying a toupee, to speeding around in a
ing younger
women)
he actually lived
The exists
—
life
or, at least,
had some fun
that
—
new
(i.e.,
the Western
suppression of actually living
life
mode of
for the
by.
At
pathetic
to a time
when
it.
male menopause truly
nothing endures in excess and, going through
outside looking in
and
sportscar, to chas-
out of
if in fact
him
manner of
in an attempt to turn back the clock,
reason for this skewed perspective is
all
life
from the
life
hyperanalysis) will result in the
purpose of analyzing
it.
One
can
stand on the sidelines, suppressing reality, for only so long before snapping
and rebounding to the extreme opposite direction. You may
recall
Bruce Lee's
Relationships
words from Chapter pered life
in
IT
its
3:
flow, for he
Living exists when
who
is
living
is
life
lives
THROUGH
us
67
— unham-
not conscious of living, and in this
is
the
lives.
Lee taught that we must be aware of the interrelatedness of microcosm
and macrocosm, that
we must come
with one another. Lee is
also held that the
not by standing apart from
through relaxing and letting all
to understand our unity
way
to allow life to live
and analyzing
it
flow through
life
it
(the
of balance within Yin/Yang:
Only
sober moderation
of anything midpart
and
Western approach), but
embodied
pendulum
[of
life]
how
easy to see
a lifetime
ing analytically ab abou out t pa payi ying ng the
Only
has, indeed, passed
one by
spent in
bills,
—
whether
then, to getting the most out of
with
.
.
the midpart
working nine
to five, of think-
meeting the mortgage, earning
it
occurs
life lies
at
age forty or
as
that
though
The
later.
life
key,
simply in your decision to live your
accordance with the principle of Yin/Yang and to learn to cooperate
—
This
.
must have balance, and the
bonus, and planning for retirement can lead to one's feeling
life in
are
in the prin-
Nothing can be secured by extremes.
that persists through all time.
preserved because the
we
the balance.
is
It is
is
lasts,
through us
understanding that
us,
part of the vast cosmic cycles of energetic flow as
ciple
with nature and
is
as
opposed
precisely
to standing apart
from
— the
natural patterns of our world.
what Bruce Lee meant when he
rigid schedule. I try to live freely
from moment
to
said:
moment
I couldn't live by a
letting things
happen and
adjusting to them.
In other words, simply let your career
expressions of
who you
and
daily activities
be harmonious
truly are.
Parent and Child
On
the topic of parent-child relationships, Bruce Lee thought
tant to instill a strong sense of family
It
may
my
it
is
in
Hong Kong.
to Lee:
That's one reason
—
why
I
would
like
go to school in Hong Kong for a while, so they can better and that way gain self-respect. their family and its traditions
children to
learn to respect
68
According
impor-
not be as easy to develop th that at atti attitu tude de [of respect for one's family] in
the United States as
for
in his children.
it
The Warrior Wi
i
H in
were e unque unquesti stiona onabl bly y the births of his two children. Bruce Lee's proudest moments wer Here, proud father Bruce shares a
moment with daughter Shannon
and son
(left)
Brandon.
Bruce Lee observed that in the Orient, because of the strong sense of family relationship, there wasn't the same degree of de deli linq nque uenc ncy y or disre-
among many of
spect that existed
noted: Hong Kong so,
a
is
the youngsters in
a British colony, yon know,
Chinese boy growing up there knows that
grace upon
all his
kin
— upon
Lee noted during
a great
circle
and
is
North America. He
about half Western. Even
he disgraces himself, he brings dis-
if
of people.
And
I think this
Hong Kong
his formative years in
is
good.
that the sta tan nda dar rd
child-rearing belief of the elder Chinese families was that a so son n could uld never
never
— contradict
his parents.
While he found much
method, he was neve nevert rthe hele less ss glad glad
to
admire about
the e pa pass ssag age e of time that th
and the influence
of the West had made this once unimpeachable rule more of
most of today's
Hong Kong
and I'm not planning
struck me,
situation by swinging with
Indeed
Lee from
households.
it.
to strike
gung
pointed out:
Brandon.
I
guideline in
a
My
father never
think a father can control the
You know what I mean?
Wasn't swinging with
his
He
fu instructor,
it
the very advice given to a
Yip Man? Wasn't
this
young Bruce
proven to be the way
Relationships closest
resembling nature's
ply the application of
Yin
ing in a Yang capacity
own to a
in dealing
with adversity?
problem of Yang.
(obstinate,
this
forceful,
If a
etc.),
It is,
after
stubborn child
69
all, is
sim-
behav-
you would accomplish
nothing by meeting
Yang
this
form of arguing with or
become
The
striking the child).
we must
ence with nature would indicate that personalities to develop
Yang
force with additional
way
in the
(i.e.,
principle of noninterfer-
allow our children's natural
and find expression. However,
forceful or in any
force
if the their ir per person sonali alitie ties s
disruptive to the natural pattern of Tao, then
the only solution would be the natural one:
complementing
their
Yang
prop opor orti tion on of Yin. behavior with an equal pr
from the Tao
In a passage
sought to govern (whether
cliing
te
was directed toward those
that
department, or
a state, a
a family),
that
Lao-tzu made
the following observation:
—30— Whoever
on Tao
relies
in
governing
men
doesn't try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there
is
a
counterforce.
well inte intent ntio ione ned, d, Violence, even well
always rebounds
upon
The Master does and then
He
his
oneself.
job
stops.
understands that the universe
and that trying
forever out of control,
is
dominate events
to
goes against the current of the Tao.
The
propriate erate,
being that the child will
result
now
1
have their imbalanced and inap-
Yang energy centered and channeled
and desirable (from
a
into a
more manageable, mod-
parental point of view )
mode
of behavior.
Shortly after the birth of his son, Brandon, in 1965, Lee was asked what lessons he, as a
sideration
from
Brandon in
new
is
all
father,
hoped
to impart to his son. His
answer bears con-
parents and parents-to-be:
being brought up in the midst of two cultures.
Chinese culture; there are good points
in
There arc good points
Occidental culture.
He
will take
70
The Warrior Within some
principles from
ental culture
one,
some from
and Occidental
the other.
Brandon
will learn
culture are not mutually exclusive,
dependent. Neither would be remarkable
if
it
that
Ori-
but mutually
were not for the existence of the
Much
other.
acquire,
of what
from
first
his
Brandon
learn
will
then from
mother,
from
his
Occidental culture,
childhood playmates,
he
will
then from
schooling.
Much
of what Brandon will learn from
and
will
me,
I
Zen
strong.
has derived
which
Yin,
ance:
Having
firm.
have learned
is
from gung
it
many
of
concepts from
its
Yin or pure Yang.
er re learn that th e
By
Chinese belief is
in
No woman
to
bal-
masculine and is
no such
should follow passively. She must
be totally firm;
boys at this time are not haircuts at
For instance, the the ha hair ircu cuts ts
the beholder
moderation
more
lasts,
but disguises.
all,
extreme and will soon
is
the wearer
tire
but a vast boredom for
quickly,
and that
The
and
all in
persists through all time.
preserved because the
know that worn by many
understand Yin and Yang, he will
nothing can be secured by extremes.
any
case.
last,
Possibly
the beholder.
Only
pendulum must have
fashion cannot
Only
sober
the midpart of any-
balance,
and
the midpart
the balance.
There
common
to
is
another
all
bit
of Chinese philosophy that has a bearing on problems
humankind.
We
The oak
say:
destroyed by a mighty wind because
it
resists
We
with the wind, and by bending, survives. pliable.
When
becomes
rigid. Pliability is life;
own life,
a
man
is
living,
prejudices or actions.
and
to
try to evaluate
he
will
go away. This
To try
and
it
to is
identify
it
is
Further,
is
is
mighty,
elements; the
yet
it
bamboo bends
pliable;
when he
is
dead,
one should not try
to
hyperanalyze one's
it.
to
look inside
like turning
on a
is
futile;
whatever was there
thing described as
light to look at darkness.
happiness.
Analyze
gone.
Relationships
Zen
parable that
tells
he
whether one speaks of one's
have a
will be
advance the idea by saying: Be
death,
also applies to a nebulous is
tree
the,
and
soft
rigidity
To stand on the outside and try
We
is
Gentleness should cloak firmness; firmness
same reasoning, no man should
the
Once Brandon has learned
is
influence
must be softened by compassion.
his resolve
is
Zen
an active way of following. She must have what the Occi-
is
dentals call backbone.
thing
the
feminine and gentle, and Yang, which
should be modified by gentleness.
it
which the
in
fit,
accepted that basic idea, another must be added: there
thing as pure
because
Oriental culture will come from
of a
man who
said,
Master, I must
71
it,
seek liberation.
The
teacher asked,
And who
The student answered, So
So
in winter
we
He
is
me?
summer
In
speaking of a secret place where our only
teach
Brandon
that each
man
rance, laziness, preoccupation with self,
accepting the fact that
we
seek liberation of
the seasons of the year.
is
I will
winter
why
shiver.
the student thought,
problem
Perhaps I bind myself.
I do not know.
In that case,
the teacher said,
we sweat;
binds you?
we
binds himself;
and fear.
are of this world,
He
must
so that
in
are igno-
the fetters
liberate himself, while
summer we
sweat; in
shiver.
Individual and Individual Marsha was the so.
office gossip.
She always knew the
She lived vicariously through the
lives
— somewhere —was doing something someone —Marsha by her reporting that
Whenever you encounter such She
is,
spiritually speaking, lost.
her true sha has
self has
a
person
ity to please others
might be of
that
interest
—
as
to
had ha d mean meanin ing. g.
it,
her
as
Marsha, she
life
long
as
is
to
be pitied.
Her journey along the path toward finding
somehow be been en pree preemp mpte ted d
ended up under the
abou ab out t so-a so-and nd-
and deeds of others;
someone
felt
latest
— only
she hasn't realized
illusion that her identity
connected to her
is
of somebody
get the story by being able to ge
it.
else's
Marabil-
private
affairs.
However,
as
the Tao clearly points out, this
is
not the way to get peo-
ple to accept you:
—30— Because he believes in himself, he doesn't try to convince others. Because he
is
content with himself,
he doesn't need others' approval. Because he accepts himself, 2 the whole world accepts him.
72
The Warrior Within This
may bring
to
mind images of our
friend Jeff
from Chapter
2,
and
like Jeff, the
Marshas of the world never experience peace of mind or
ings of true fulfillment in their endeavors.
report on another person's
a cr crit itic ical al
son's life
motivation or character,
for the
way of
reason
more
life or,
is
that in order to
on another per-
peculiarly,
requires one to stand apart
first
make
from
own
one's
purpose of analyzing and criticizing another's. This, to Bruce Lee's
thinking, was simply
a case
of lo look okin ing g in the wrong direction
— espe-
peace of mind, born of self-understanding, was the objective:
cially if
we
Yes, etc.
The
feel-
possess a pair of eyes,
many
Yet
the function of which
is
to observe,
discover,
to
of us simply do not really see in the true sense of the word.
must say that when the eyes are used externally
to
I
observe the inevitable faults
of other beings, most of us are rather quick with readily equipped condemna-
For
tion.
it
is
yourself takes
and bad,
People they're
is
easy to criticize and break
maybe
a
something
like
through which
After
all,
ever er enjo joy y Marsha nev
no longer open life
to
it.
knowledge simply means self-knowledge.
their
own
somehow emptying
life
in
its
They've blocked the inner
lift
their cup
and
they'll
and taking
suchness because
channels
spiritual
somewhere along
flows. If the they'r y're e for fortu tuna nate te, ,
ney the dense gray fog will
know
the spirit of others, but to
To take responsibility of one's actions, good
lifetime.
else.
down
their jour-
be able to get back on track by
more
in a healthier,
positive,
personally edifying perspective. If they're unfortunate, they'll instead successful
become
through being rewarded by others for the suppression of their
(whether by receiving
know what
wants to
a
his
salaried raise
and
spirit
from an equally ins nsec ecu ure bos oss s who or by
employees are doing
of their habit of external analysis by becoming,
making
profession
a
professional gossip
say,
reporters).
You might note an apparent
how
successful,
rence in
as
can this be an unfo unfort rtun unat ate e thing?
much
as
remain within their tinue
on
as
conflict here: as long as
it
spiritual trance,
well paid or
an unfortunate occur-
to call off their inner search
like to ever take part in the
sentence for the soul.
is
serves as an incentive to the Marshas of the world to
an observer from the sidelines of
would have been
It is
one
The
inner warrior of
a
life,
game.
woman
and con-
never knowing what It
is,
like
it
in effect, a death
Marsha
shall
Relationships
7 3
never
reach
know-
expression, thereby eclipsing even the possibility of her ever
full
ing reality or truth, and preventing the attainment of inner peace and tented
interesting people
liberally the various colors
spectrum of
can encounter
lations
upon
its
vast palette,
life's
are,
The
by and
large, the
ones
doers
and experience the
— about your innermost
ing the behavior of others life's
hourglass.
more rewarding
is
Time
self
time that
— that
that should have
much
been spent in the
to
modu-
to learn
greater,
far
self.
**,
%
f 9f
so
how
spending your time in analyz-
i^K(M
Ml
is
emo-
irretrievably lost, like grains of sand
is
search for your higher
i3
full
vicissitudes as the cork adapts itself to the
of the waves. As Bruce Lee pointed out, there
about you
sampling
live life,
and pain. The doers learn
joy, sadness, pleasure,
adapt themselves to
from
we
are the doers of deeds, not the chroniclers.
tional
con-
lifestyle.
The most
who
a
K
i
1
jf
9
Nation shall speak
to nation:
with Enter the
Dragon
(1973), the first-ever
coproduction between Chinese and American filmmakers, Lee felt that he had brought the East a little closer to the West. Here, he the peace sign for the camera.
74
The Warrior Within
and American costar John Saxon flash
Nation and Nation Bruce Lee was hopeful
that
through
he could accomplish two
his films
things: one, reveal the Chinese culture in a dignified and educational to
way
Western audiences, and two, educate the masses of the East to some of
more
the
sophisticated elements of Western culture, such as art and film-
making. As nations are composed of people, the pertain to nations
one of relating
is
the West, Lee replied: they are down. they,
too,
When
it.
As
as
they
to the issue
asked by
a
jour-
China's apparent hostility toward
Like any poor country or person they are hostile while
If you have nothing,
you can afford
be hostile.
to
But wait
until
become more prosperous. They will soon quiet down and want peace just
the rest of the world.
like
Communist
the late 1960s about
of relationships
to large masses of people.
Lee did not subscribe to
of fear thy neighbor, nalist in
issue
He was
particularly optimistic about the possibilities that co coul uld d deve develo lop p
by the East and West getting together.
When
asked his thoughts on what
President Richard Nixon's visit to China in the early 1970s meant with regard to the potential benefits to both cultures, he responded: Once the opening of
China happens,
it
will bring
more understanding
Western eye will seem different, you know? ison,
some new thing might grow.
Ironically,
sophical,
So,
And maybe
therefore,
it's
More in
things
the the cont contra rast st of compar-
a very rich period to be in.
while Lee's perspective on East/West relations was very philo-
Lee himself would have disagreed vehemently with Plato on the
subject of politics,
would be one
that
for
he considered the worst conceivable government
was run by philosophers. They botch every natural process
with theory, and their ability to make speeches and multiply ideas the sign of their incapacity for action. As Bruce Lee said:
Knowing Willing
is
is
The Western philosopher danger to
that to the
his society
not enough;
not enough;
we must
we must
is
precisely
apply.
do.
or intellectual could actually be considered
a
because he constantly thinks in terms of rules and laws;
he wishes to construct
a
society like geometry and does not realize that such
regulation destroys the living freedom and vitality of the parts. In following
the Taoist ideals of nonanalysis, the ideal leader or ruler
would be one who
Relationships
75
regulated his subjects as
be away from in
which
Nature
is
artifice
he guided the nation, a state
of
phrase,
a
is
it
a
it
would
artless simplicity,
nature.
routine of nonroutine.
natural activity, the silent flow of traditional events, the majestic
order of the seasons and the sky;
embodied
if
and complexity toward
routine ? In
nature's
is
as possible;
would follow the wisely thoughtless routine of
life
What
all
little
in every
is
it
brook and rock and
or Way,
the Tao, star;
it
exemplified and
that impartial, impersonal,
is
and yet rational law of things to which the law of conduct must conform
human is,
Way in
we
as
of
have seen, the Tao of the universe, just
life;
in truth ruth, ,
essential
its
wisdom and
beings truly desire to live in
peace. This law of things
as
the law of conduct
thought Bruce Lee, both Tao' Tao's s are are one, and
and wholesome rhythm,
is
if
part of the universal
is
human
the life,
rhythm of the
world.
The
Western world was
philos losoph ophica ical l per perspe specti ctive ve to this in the closest phi
the hypothesis of
The Absolute
as
set forth
by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Hegel (1770— 1831). The Absolute was taken to be the sum total of all things in their development. Hegel postulated God as Reason and Reason as the
web and
structure
of natural law within which
evolves. This concept
was
actually anticipated in the
oza (1632— 1677) with his notion that
which he
called
Dens
life
sive
Natura
all
of reality
is
(God or Nature),
that
substance of place,
in
and
which
all
but a
all
a single
form, it
is
if
substance,
you
will,
of
in a similar cos-
the laws of nature are united to create an almost Spinozian
all reality.
all
and
West by Baruch Spin-
the cosmic Tao. According to Bruce Lee's philosophy,
mic Tao
or spirit grows
In
it,
all
natural forms and varieties find their proper
apparent diversities and contradictions meet; it is The Absolute particulars are resolved into one vast and interdependent web
of Hegelian unity.
Life and
Death
In the grand close
—
as life
scheme of
relationships, there
is
none
so inevitable
—nor
so
and death. These complementaries are the extreme antipodes
of Yin/Yang, which means that
a hair's
breadth separates them. Growing old
and death are the way of things, the natural way. Any passing prior to old age
is
tragedy, a flower cut off prior to
its
blossoming. Barring accident, death
The Warrior Within
76
is
as
reserved for the aged, with the result that you outh th an and d death meet one another
they walk the
Indeed,
streets.
upon
feeds
life
death,
life's
predicated on the perpetual birth and death of individual
book went
Shortly before this five
and died,
It
of old age.
technically,
to consider just
to press
what exactly old age
struck me, as indeed
it
we
find that
incidentally,
was
have
young
The
ability
life
cycle.
it's
that
my
father's:
condition of the
a
is
its life.
It is
a
of protoplasm that
flesh,
hardening of the
and blood;
categories, a retardation of thought as
moment
to pause for a
once we understand the yet another example of Yin/Yang),
philosopher of
a favorite
finds inevitably the limit of
and
me
eighty-
Will ll Dura Durant nt, , who, cause for grief. According to Wi
Fundamentally, old age
ies
He was
relationship to the
its
must have Bruce Lee,
less
cells.
father died.
caused
in
is,
nature of this relationship (and again,
we
It
my
endurance being
a
man
is
arteries
and
as old as his arter-
as his ideas.
to learn
decreases with each decade of our
as if
lives,
the association fibers of the brain were accumulated and overlaid in
New
inflexible patterns.
material seems
no longer
to
recent impressions fade as rapidly as a politician's promises lic's
memory. As decay proceeds, threads and
dination wavers; the old
Then, old
man
man
just as the child
ages
by an apathy of sense and
unities are lost,
rapidly the
more quickly with every its
— and
the pub-
and coor-
into a digressive circumstantiality.
falls
grew more
protected by insensitivity on
room, and
find
day.
And
younger
it
was, so the
just as the child
entry into the world, so old age
is
most major
of operations. ... As sensations diminish in intensity, the sense of ity fades; the desire for life gives
way
ing; the fear of death
mingled with the longing
Perhaps then, love and
all
if
strangely
one has lived well,
if
and patient wait-
one has known the
for repose.
full
term of
3
So spoke Will Durant of old age
on with
in 1929.
Stirling Silliphant
onist of the story, a martial artist
to indifference
vital-
the juice and ripeness of experience, one can die with some
measure of content.
collaborated
eased
will, as nature slowly administers a general
anesthesia before she permits time's scythe to complete the
is
was
Bruce Lee,
in a script that
he
and James Coburn, had the protag-
named Cord, meet
the
embodiment of death
Relationships as
one of three
he had to pass en route to self-mastery. During the
that
trials
moments preceding
their encounter,
is
is
course you're there.
swift.
has led
It
— and
ing
So
—
— we
.
.
always
Everything
.
me now
there
this truth
is
have met at
with
will conquer death
speaks to himself of acceptance
there.
I
So why was
What
I afraid?
Your leap
can you take from
me which
have done until
is
only one real fact
Death. Yet Death
last.
And
I
am
is
— Death.
are liberated
has been fruitit
led to noth-
The
truth I have
Forever seeking
also a seeker.
prepared.
I
am
at peace.
Because
I
death.
In other words, by dying to the desire to cling to
we
now
There was no other path except that
nothing.
to
before
been seeking me.
is
You claws are sharp and merciful.
not already yours?
less.
Death
Cord
toward death:
and an almost Durantian apathy
Of
77
from the
fear of death.
That
is
life
to say, if
for fear of death,
you can obtain
a
mental
state
of accepting that you have nothing tethering you to this earth
or this
life,
then you've got nothing to
ments in fear
to
then there
this world,
of losing them.
Once
proceed forward in
life
is
lose,
for if
you
possess
no attach-
nothing that would cause you to
this attitude has
been accepted, you
live in
are then free
with an un unob obst stru ruct cted ed mind.
The German poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749— 1832) once wrote of this
phenomenon
from the West
in
his
poem
Selige
solang du das nicht hast,
Dieses: Stirb
und werde
Bist
du nur ein truber Gast
Auf
der dunklen Erde.
(And
so long as
this
You
you do not have knowledge
commandment: Die and become
will be but a dismal guest
As the Buddhist poem, written stated
it:
( Ecstasy and Desire )
Ostlicher Divan:
Und
of
Sehnsucht
in
China
on the dark
earth.)
4
several centuries ago
by Buna Bunan, n,
Thl Warrior Within
Youth and death meet each other as they walk the
streets.
Bruce Lee during the
cemetery scene from Enter the Dragon.
While
Be
a
living
dead
man
Be thoroughly dead
And behave
And The ness of
result self,
or ego, and thereby
not only with
ability to
well.
a
is
this
is
a
of
a release
Once
renunciation of the consciousall
life
its
would dam up
things that
out of the way,
better un unde ders rsta tand ndin ing g of
enjoy and respond to each
like,
5
of such an understanding
the natural flow of things. life
all's
you
as
we
are able to face
workings, but also with an
moment
thereafter with
renewed
appr apprec ecia iati tion on. . In another script that Lee cowrote with Silliphant, Lee had his
character say the following words:
Like everyone
way
to lose.
else,
you want
To accept defeat
to
—
learn the
way
to learn to die
—
to is
win, but never to be liberated
to
accept the
from
it.
Once
Relationships you
accept,
you are free
flow and
to
harmonize. Fluidity
to
way
the
is
79
an
to
empty mind. So when tomorrow comes, you must free your ambitious mind and
By
learn the art of dying.
this,
Taoi oist st sc scri ript ptur ure e of Lao-tzu, Lee was evoking the Ta
who
wrote:
— 16—
Empty your mind of Let your heart be
at
all
thoughts.
peace.
Watch the turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return.
Each separate being
common
returns to the
Returning If
you
in confusion
realize
serenity.
become
disinterested,
amused,
as a
and sorrow.
where you come from,
naturally
kindhearted
is
realize the source,
you stumble
you
source.
to the source
you don't
When
in the universe
tolerant,
grandmother,
dignified as a king.
Immersed you can
wonder of the
in the
Tao,
deal with whatever life brings you,
and when death comes, you are ready.
The tually
fact that
we must
be claimed by what
instead, the lot of
eventually cease to exist
we
death
call
our species and the
—
is
fate
—
1
that
we
will
all
not something to bemoan;
being
— however
— eventually
significant
—
shuffled off this mortal coil.
in
ourselves,
the
— even
No human
in
Hong Kong
in 1972:
Through
the ages,
same as ordinary men. They all died and gradually faded memory of man. But when we are still alive, we have to understand
end for heroes
away
is,
escapes death's scythe. Lee noted this natural
phenomenon during an interview the
it
human
of even the greatest of
beings. Titans such as Socrates, Lao-tzu, the Buddha, and Shakespeare
Mr. Durant himself
even-
is
the
discover ourselves,
and express
ourselves.
In this way,
we can
progress.
The Warrior Within
80
In other words, at ourselves,
we must
must eventually cal selves are
immutable
some point during the sea ear rch
we've seen in earlier chapters that our physi-
cease. In fact,
changing constantly and that our bodies are composed not of
Bruce Lee: To
realize freedom,
movement without
the
is
The
energy that
we
man
soul of a
of wakening. The
love. as
But
to
again look to the words of
learn to look at
life,
beyond the
lies
fact that
is
our
fields
is
which field
is
vast
of con-
in
the
is
largely
set free
us
at least
upon the
to have
we
are
composed
are
the possibility
expiration of our
been Bruce
Lee's belief:
body of man. The day of death
the
day
abandons the ones
we
is
on.
remains hard for us to praise this
tells
of energy suggests is
we
said that
of consciousness between two
physics
would appear
an embryo
spirit lives
flash
modern
source
life
who
Alan Watts,
momentary
a
physical bodies. Certainly this
it
mind has
certainly in agreement with
not of matter but of infinite
Yet
is
eternal darknesses.
The
our energy
that
of energy that span the length and
fields
bondage of time, for freedom
the
indeed infinitely more than
that the
we know
of energy. Further,
solid matter but
breadth of the universe. With this in mind,
This
to understand
accept the fact that existence in our present state of being
but an ou outc tcro ropp ppin ing g of truly infinite
sciousness.
come
to
life
when
it
due to an error in our perception of the
life
process,
Will Durant points out:
We
are not individuals;
scans unforgivable. In the
body of
strong.
If
life;
we were
we
and
reality,
die
it
is
we
because
ourselves such
that death
are but temporary organs of our race, cells in
and drop away
to live forever,
we think
so
that
growth would be
life
may remain young and
stifled
no room on the earth. But through love we pass our
and youth would find
vitality
on
to a
new form
of us before the old form dies; through parentage we bridge the chasm of the generations, and elude the enmity of death. It is
7
through progeny that our ancestors continue
their children
to live
and through the their ir child children ren's 's children. Posterity
bloodlines, the appearance, and often the passions of those
no longer with
us.
on
— through
carries
who
on the
are
now
So with some of you, death may indeed have claimed
victory over one you have loved dearly, but the reality of it is that it shall never win the war. Life always wins out through progeny as the cycle of
a
Yin/Yang completes
itself.
Chapter Eight
Racism
The
belief that being
born with
itage
endows one with
ment
is
a belief that
a
a certain skin color
or cultural her-
moral superiority or rights of
entitle-
should have died out with the notion of the
divine right of kings. Still, as
U.S.
cities,
evidenced with recent problems in Los Angeles and other major the issue of racism
The
century.
racist
ignorance;
is
sive
flowers,
is
— not
much with
reality.
Humans,
common
is
us in the twentieth
— and therefore
Racism
is
regardless of color, are
humanity
in
is
not the exclu-
simply an incorrect per-
humans. Just
remain
their particular species,
root, of our
power
born of the union of hatred and
an entitlement
a particular social status.
no matter what
genus, or
Racism
inaccurate.
a belief
prop pr oper ert ty of
ception of
very
notion, however, that one has to be in a position of
order to be a it
still
is
trees
as trees
and
and flowers. The
the important thing, and this
was the perspective of Bruce Lee.
As bad worse. face
the
It is
some
as racial relations
may seem
today, in the 1960s they
were much
well established that both Bruce Lee and his wife, Linda, had to
serious obstacles during the course of their relationship. Apart
more common problems
financial adversity, they
had
that
to
most couples
over ov erco come me wh what at
cultures: an interracial marriage.
However,
in
from
encoun unte ter, r, such such as in society enco in the 1960s
was taboo
in
two
keeping with the philosophy
they both shared, neither Bruce nor Linda allowed the perspective and prejudices of others
the love they
—which they knew they were powerless
knew
to exist
to
change
—
to affect
and the incredibly unique relationship that they
shared. According to Bruce Lee's philosophy, racist, prejudicial, or jingoistic beliefs
were the
result
of not seeing the whole picture, of not understand-
81
The Warrior Within
82
common
ing the universal underpinnings
same everywhere.
are the the sky,
want
I don't
people are different.
on
his feelings
may in
but one family.
is
Hong Kong
disagree,
am
Perhaps he
he
I think still
is
is
idealistic.
human
traits
under
happens that
asked to elabo-
the following: reality.
you
universal family,
a
But
anyone
if
still
If
believes
being too backward and narrow in his per-
does not understand man's equality and love.
Will Durant echoed Lee's statements
word
when
in 1972,
member of
a
and being
bluffing
racial differences,
brilliant
just so
It
me, racial barriers do not exist in
to
everyone under the sun
think that I
spective.
Basically,
'As Confucius says,' but
like
racial issues, revealed
regarding
Although others may I say that
races:
all
Lee, during an interview in rate
sound
to
under the heavens, man, there
to
when he wove
modest and poignant
tapestries in his
yet another of his
little
book
The
entitled
Lessons of History:
antipathies have
Racial
some
roots in ethnic origin, but they are also
generated, per perhap haps s pre predom domina inantl ntly, y, by differences of acquired culture
of language,
dress, habits, morals, or religion.
antipathies except a broadened education.
teach us that civilization ples
have contributed to
is it;
A
There
no cure
is
knowledge of history may
co-operative product, that nearly
a
is
it
our
for such
common
all
peo-
heritage and debt; and the
civilized soul will reveal itself in treating every
man
or
woma oman, howow-
ever lowly, as a representative of one of these creative and contributory
groups.
1
Bruce Lee would have co con ncurr curred ed with with Durant on believed that too
many
tells a
ple,
grow up believing
the elder generation says
strongly disapprove of ply
is
If,
— there
are
for
he
for example, a paris
bad or
for
exam-
child that a particular race or group within a population
will ll ty typi pica call lly y the child wi
evil,
point,
people were bound by the prejudices and traditions
of their families, their communities, and their peers. ent
this
it
no
as well.
to
this
is
so.
When,
some so meth thin ing g, then then their children will
As we saw
no good or bad forms of
it.
in
Chapter
In fact,
it
is
3,
however,
life
sim-
the very variety and
Racism multitudinous forms of
no
ence. Nature plays
are,
result that the red rose
the rose to the carnation.
They
is
not supe-
are simply as
is
is
beyond such
classifications as
good and
the sphere of the gr grea eat t un univ iver erse se. . Looking out into
we make no comparisons between
and wrong
right
at
it
night,
nor between
stars,
cons nste tell llat atio ions ns. . St Star ars s are by nature big and well and badly arranged co tle,
bright and dim. Yet the whole thing
sometimes makes our
And
so
it
is
much
aware, are as
igno ig nora ranc nce e of such
as
with
a part
who,
beings,
of the universe
the belief in superior races
tradition
a
become
lit-
splendor and a marvel which
creep with awe. 2
flesh
human
is
you
as
—which
tradition.
And
Watts described.
unchecked
are then
it is
by now well
are certainly
as the stars
this metaphysical fact that results in
erations until they
evil, for
and undesirable. As Watts once wrote:
against, desirable
This
interesting and a joy to experi-
life
always have been, and always will be.
a perspective that
It is
and
—nor
make
with the
favorites,
rior to the yellow rose
they
that
life
83
false
It
is
premises
handed down over gen-
always an uphill battle to unseat
from her throne, no matter how dish dishon ones estl tly y she she may hold sway over
her subjects.
As we
shall see in later chapters,
the independent use of the
mind
in
tradition its
impede the honest expression of feelings. According to Bruce Lee:
truth
is
formula.
As we
would never
fight
never folloivs
the
is
progress
For example,
different religions.
black or white,
huge impediment to
most honest)
one's innermost (and
that these opinions on such things as racism are traditions,
which are nothing more than a experience.
also a
quest to ascertain truth and serves to
further
The simple
is
If,
laid
and time changes,
down by it
is
elder people's
these
necessary
reform
to
some people fight with others because they
liowever,
for
formula
such
a
they only gave the matter a foolish
cause.
I,
formulas of the fear-mongers. red or blue,
I can still
make
bit
believe in
of thought, they
am
a
man who
no matter
if
your color
Bruce Lee, So,
this
friends with
you without any
barrier.
The Warrior Within
84
Bru Bruce Lee believed that
under the heavens there is
but one family. Here,
proud father Bruce holds one of the two beautiful children he helped bring into the global family
—
his
newborn daughter, Shannon (circa 1969).
But What About the Children? Bruce Lee was born an American citizen ebrated Chinese father and
born
in Everett,
Irish stock.
Their diverse blood
agree,
is
San Francisco, son of
Eurasian mother. Linda
The
lines
result, as
met
most
in their son,
who
will
Emery was
Brandon, and their
have met or seen the children
superb.
Yet shortly after the birth of Brandon on February
born on April
a cel-
Washington, the daughter of parents of Swedish-English-
daughter, Shannon.
would
a beautiful
in
19, 1969),
there were people
you bring up your son
in a
who
felt
1,
1965 (Shannon
compelled to
world in which prejudice
is
ask:
How
everywhere?
Lee answered the question by recounting an appropriate Chinese folk
There was a fine butcher who used the same knife year never useful his
lost
and
knife's
its
edge.
delicate, precise
effective
as
edge,
when
it
he said.
after year,
After a lifetime of service,
was new.
When
I follow the
line
asked
how
it
was
was
yet
still
tale:
it
as
he had preserved
the hard bone.
I do
not
knife's fine
attempt
of
cut
to
nor
it,
smash
to
nor
it,
contend with
to
any way.
in
it
That
Racism
my
would only destroy To try
the barrier. ter
son,
Brandon
barriers are not the experience
will say,
They
— no
matter
who he
come
which points out a moral: To refuse
I'll tell
that
is
or
where
would dam up the
him
the lesson.
is
Walk on and
fly.
spiritual.
intellectual,
my own
life.
I
much of myself Finally,
have a in
it,
through
lot
to
but not all
I can
Gung
fu
be treated, plus loyalty, intelligence,
vidual in the five chief relationships of
Racism
and
Equipped
in
son, elder in
is
things.
beliefs
I
Don't put
is
am
the
I refer to
your
all
emo-
by what I practice in
learning.
I
am
also a vital part of
investing
my
life.
Brandon's education will run the Confucianist philos-
ophy that the highest standards of conduct
erned, father
my
illustrate
learn as an actor. all.
leave behind all
into anything with a totality of spirit.
spoken of material
is
new
will see a
of experience.
eggs in one basket, but
it
Brandon
instructing
Walk on and he
inlet or clog the outlet
must not] enter
[that he
but rise again ten times.
More than
walk on.
to
the birds
will see
times,
The Occidental homily
friend.
— must know from
occurrence isn't allowed
if the
Something must be held back.
to
I will
a weighted dog, like your weighted clowns,
down nine
him
I will teach
Walk on and he
things that
we have
Fall
be cast down,
to
in such precepts,
tional,
of any one per-
into the mind.
In Chinese variety stores
view.
no mat-
univer uni versal sal experi experienc ence. e.
are the
childhood that whatever occurs does not happen to
And
will only destroy the instrument.
it
that everyone
one must follow the course of
daily living,
any one group of persons.
or
teach
assail
to
what som ome e people
knife. In
85
you wish
and
the fullest development of the indi-
life:
government and those who are gov-
and younger
that way,
consist of treating others as
brother,
I don't think
husband and
wife,
friend
and
Brandon can go far wrong.
Hollywood
Apart from teaching his children
how
to
cont co nten end d with with the problem himself
in
The Green Hornet
TV
series.
to deal
with racism, Bruce Lee had
when he was
He made
it
of offe fere red d th the e role of Kato
clear that
he wasn't interested in
playing
subservient role that
a
would only serve
to further perpetuate the
Chinese stereotype personified by the character of Hop-sing in the
TV
series
Tm
86
The day
Wahhiok Wi
before
i
ii
in
Lee recorded his famous Lost Interview
with Canadian journalist
rece ceiv ived ed th the e news that he'd lost the lead role in what turned out to Pierre Berton, he re
be the
back
Kung Fu TV
series.
if the individual
Lee held that such things as racism couldn't hold one
was true
to his or
her innermost
Bonanza. Lee indicated that he had to
was
lay
down
self.
certain
ground
rules if
he
to play the role of Kato:
It
sounded
producer],
Look,
jazz, forget type.
Dozier [the show's I told houseboy stuff. William yon sign me up with all that pigtail and hopping around
at first like typical
it.
if
In the past,
the typical casting has been that hind of stereo-
Like with the American Indian. You never see a
human
being Indian on
television.
Years that
later,
racism cost Lee the lead role in the
he had helped to create.
the day before he
he
lost
the role?
sat
Not
down that
He had
TV
series
Kung
Fu, a series
received the news about losing the lead
to record his
famous Lost
Interview.
The
reason
he wasn't right for the part, but because he looked
too Chinese
American audience
for an
news without gnashing
to accept.
As
always, Lee took the
venting his wrath.
his teeth or
He knew
that such
Racism
87
behavior would not
problem
to a societal
I
Oriental
—
/
that th the e in inci cide dent nt pointed
bigger than the American television indus-
far
as always, philosophical:
had already made up
the
was
that
His viewpoint was,
try.
what had happened, and
alter
mean
my mind
Oriental
true
the
that in
the United States,
—
something about
should he shown.
mean
I
it
has
thin ing: g: th the e pigtail and the bouncing around saying Chopalways been the same th
chop
But
is
TV series
that,
way, the
you
man
like in
come
to
off.
it's
a risk
Hong Kong;
or not the public acceptance
is
to
why my involvement
I
don't blame them.
foreig igne ner r if a fore
came here
would be
in the series
to
I
mean,
become a
my own
They think same
the
in
star,
if
I
were
worries about whether
there.
Lee offered
the victim of ra raci cial al injus injustic tice. e.
represented the whole of
an Oriental
Unfortunately such things [as racism/ do exist
— and
to his philosophy,
who had been
very out of date.
very,
audience would react
with the money, I probably would have
But true
that's
Like, in certain parts of the country, right?
see.
business-wise, it's
And
that.
was discussed, and that
probably not going
in this world,
all
how an American
the question as to
lead in a
and
the eyes slanted
with
mankind and
a
message of hope to
He
all
those
believed that the individual
that the happiness, the
knowledge,
and the meaning that we long for and seek from so many divergent sources outside of ours ourselv elves es ulti ultimat mately ely reside within us to
overcome
— your
self
injustice
soul:
When himself
as
The only
was through being true and honest
It [racism] doesn't matter.
honestly express yourself, will be successful.
all.
how
Things
way, he believed,
to
your innermost
will be all right,
because if you
people perceive you doesn't matter, sec? Bec ecau ause se yo you u
You're going to do it
asked by an interviewer in the same discussion if he thought of
Chinese or North American, Lee's reply was short, to the point,
and philosophically dead-on:
Neither.
I
think of myself as a
human
being.
'u
Chapter Nine Challenges
j
ff^M
Wf artist up
Kong-based
British journalist
Ted Thomas. The man to
the twentieth century. Lee smirked of^f
slightly,
and then answered:
that good?' boasting.
I say,
But
if I
'Well,
if I tell
tell
Okay, going back
baby,
Thomas
to
should I
The point being
—
himself
against
kill
that,
fists
recall
an upscale
'Bruce, are will say
anybody
am
before I get
with a
you
really
that I'm
'
let's
put
it
this
way:
I
have
very self-sufficient, and they do not
my mind
you.
capable as Bruce Lee was of settling a con-
in the
world
— meant
that
he never
felt
the need
anyone other than himself.
an anecdote relayed to
Westwood
all
or feet, his confidence in his ability to take care of
The two of them had gone out at
of
should I do anything, I have made up
me
as
to have to prove himself to I
say,
first
over his joke, Lee then changed his jovial
being truthful with you,
fight,
you had better
frontation with his
answer
you I'm good, probably you
no fear of an opponent in front of me. I
And
and
index finger
left
you I'm no good, you'll know I'm lying'
After chuckling with
bother me.
put his
I will
joke, if you don't mind. All the time, people come up
that,
whom
the question was directed was Bruce Lee, the premiere martial
to his lip in thought,
tone:
Hong
asked
re y ou a bl e to take care of yourself in a real fight?
m
me by
for lunch
restaurant.
Lee's attorney,
with film producer
Adrian Marshall.
Raymond Chow
During the course of the lunch, we were
served by a jerk of a waiter recalled Marshall.
my
who went
He spoke
surprise, just smiled at the
why
asked Bruce a great
mood,
so
in a
out of his
way
be rude to Bruce,
to
condescending manner to Bruce, who, to
man and
totally
ignored his rudeness.
he put up with this jerk. Bruce replied:
why would
I
came
'I
choose to allow someone to ruin
I
finally
in here in it?'
89
The Warrior Within
90
When
Bruce Lee was in a great mood,
he refused
of
anybody pull him out
to let
it.
This simple event made quite an impression on me.
No
purpose what-
soever would have been served by Bruce becoming disturbed by the antics
of
moron
a
state
even
—
in an instant. Bruce's
impertin rtinent ent beha behavior vior couldn't offend him of security was such that this impe slightly.
Unfortunately,
comes at
one he could have destroyed
particularly
many
to such situations.
individuals don't share Lee's detached cool
Many
feel that
when
it
they th ey hav have to put others in their place
the slightest perceived insult or threat in order to
make
sure that others
be messed with. Lee would have considered this monumental waste of energy. Such a response could also be consid-
realize that they're not to
to
be
a
sign of mental weakness, since
ered
a
else's
impulse or desire control your
you
own
are,
in effect, letting
will. After
all,
it's
to fight or refrain, to argue, or to stew ab abou out t some someth thin ing. g.
earth possesses the innate
power
to
somebody
you who chooses
Nobody
else
on
make you do anything you
don't choose
Are you
really secure
to do.
The
question underpinning
all
of
this,
however,
is,
within yourself?
you
If
then you will look upon your need to defend
are,
yourself from similar impertinencies with
Bruce
a
confidence
cool and calm as
as
Lee's.
The
ultimate goal of
human
all
self-improvement and, from
beings, according to Bruce Lee,
self-knowledge. This being the case, the
this,
question that one must ask oneself
What
is,
can
do today
I
to
improve
Challenges
my understanding of myself
and,
to
result,
a
as
become
better
a
91
human
being?
Hong Kong
Lee, in an interview given in his attitude
who
toward people
challenging him. His response,
of us
who
are too easily upset
was asked
in 1971,
believe, bears serious consideration
For
fight.
because they feel insecure and want
use a fight with
to
everyt ythi hing ng can can be some unknown aim. Today ever to
art,
that challenging
many
challenged
I too
means one
to
me
as a
When
a fight.
all
their
how you
choose
to
if
to
do so
achieve
you want
I first learned
But
I
have learned
to react to
it
means some-
established instructors.
thing, but
means
by law. Even
settled
avenge your father, you need not challenge one
martial
in
me
most of these people you mention who challenge
Moreover,
from
chal alle leng nge e ot othe her r people they would not ch
heart was right,
if their
by
by the remarks of others:
have ve so some meth thin ing g wrong These people who make challenges must ha hearts.
to present
constantly tried to prove themselves
I
thing else entirely.
What yourself,
is
you
afraid of that
And
if
to it?
treat
very lightly because you ask yourself:
very,
it
man? Do
at life's
treat
case of learning to
a
it
life's
it
any doubts that that man
I have
if
In other words,
is
going
to
I really
get
me?
you do not have such fears, then
metaphor
that underscored his
It
is
road seems
one
that
a little
all
going
to
personal
way
too steep to climb: is
coming on
It's
just a
strong,
but
come out again.
much of what we
temporary in nature, and
own
of us would do well to
look at hardship as if today the rain
tomorrow, baby, the sun
is
Am
very lightly.
darker periods.
remember whenever
are
does
you do not have such doubts and
Lee then served up
ity,
get you? If you are secure within
your reaction
you should certainly
of lo look okin ing g
How
let
was
bother us are things
like a rainstorm, their
that, in real-
presence merely makes
our surroundings seem bleak for
a
time. But in keeping with the nature of
an intense rain, intense adversity cannot
last indefinitely,
and with
its
pass-
ing comes the benediction of the sun, which restores the natural balance of life. Both harmony and adversity are required for spiritual growth just as both rain
and sunlight are required for biological growth. Pr Prob oble lems ms and and solutions
are complementaries to
one another,
complete the growth cycle.
dependent and the way of
all
just as the sun
complements the
rain to
Problems and solutions. Yin/Yang. Mutually things.
Chapter Ten Stress Release
# ^^m
n keeping with his observance of the principles of Yin/ Yang, Bruce halves
that
totality.
In
the mind and body were two Lee held of one other words, mental well-being has to be balanced by its complemen-
tary, physical
well-being. To this end, Lee's personal philosophy evolved with
an eye toward maximizing both components of the greater whole. gral facet in the cultivation
physical and mental stress,
of these two constituents
which Lee considered
the natural and universal flow of
life.
is
An
inte-
the relief of both
obstacles that stopped
up
Unplugging these blockages through
physical activity, according to Lee, resulted in a
more joyous and
stress-free
existence.
The
late
pioneer of stress-research, Dr. Hans Selye, went on record
stating that
mental
from heart
atta attack cks s to alcoholism
stress
can lead to
and
a host
as
of physical malfunctions, ranging
obesity. Conversely, Selye believed, the
Lee was a firm believer in all
forms of physical
fitness
— including yoga.
Here he assumes the lotus position on a dock during a
calm afternoon on Lake
—
Washington, Seattle.
'
93
The Warrior Within
94
relief
of
proble lems ms. . Peop People le assocan go a long way toward relieving such prob
stress
ciate stress
with work and noise, but
stress is also
the threat of physical danger, an injury such as
caused by intense exercise,
a
cut finger, or the sight of
an old friend. Selye discovered that the body reacts the same to pleasure and success, failure and sadness. In other words, what we perceive as good and
bad experiences can and do cause degree of
even
stress
successfully
we
and
in fact,
everyone
is
under some
asleep. Stress, then, correctly defined,
upon the body of
the wear and tear
on how
when
stress,
life
experiences, and
are able to dissipate the
its
is
effects
simply
depend
energy such experiences cause
our bodies to accumulate. Certainly, the release of these beneficial,
and clearly exercise
example, that is
done
We
sit
we
live in a
We
for us.
ride
is
on
and
escalators
movement,
become
regular basis
We
is
know, for
mechanical, push-button age in which everything
as
Eugene Sandow once pointed deteriorate and
a
the best means to this end.
in front of our television sets
on end. Life
down
is
dammed-up emotions on
in elevators, cars, buses,
and
taxis.
with remote control in hand for hours
the famed European strongman and author
out,
and unless
old before our time.
A
we
use our muscles,
we
will
lack of exercise actually slows
the circulation of our blood and deprives our cells of sufficient oxy-
gen to function optimally.
Many
people
who
suffer
from chronic
fatigue have
indicated that they actually feel too tired to exercise, but by releasing their tensions through activity, they invariably find that their energy levels have
increased afterward.
along with
their
stamina
and that they
feel
more energetic
The Mind/Body Connection It
was no accident
to ever ize
walk the
that
planet.
Bruce Lee was one of the most
He was
realization that
spiritually
understanding of both his limits and his
of self-knowledge
state
Lee's passion for training
with each progression he made
he was learning more ab abou out t hi hims msel elf f
heightened
(in
physically,
terms of adding to his
capabilities); this resulted in a
or, in Lee's
Stress Release
Lee told interviewer Ted Thomas in 1971: The most important thing in
myself?
the process
of learning
how
to
use
my
body,
can
come
I
to
95
me
to
is,
understand
While Lee was an ardent
physical fitness aficionado,
beyond the scope
it is
of this book to delve deeply into his complete approach to training, health,
and physical
contraction
Static
— and
cise,
do better
to focus here
it
into his
anybody who
is
Anyone, from child
a
high premium on the value of
—
sta-
own
it
specifically for his students but also incor-
training.
looking for
exercise that has
a
It
is
certainly one of the easiest answers
more convenient way
to senior citizen, can benefit
no peer
Another convenience
living
Lee's personal of. It doesn't
take
all
it
takes
factor to consider
performed anywhere and
room, or
— at
room)
from
is
is
a
total
to
Lee's it's
be physically
program of
truly a
fit.
sta-
method of
of three minutes
a
day
that these simple exercises can be
any time (you can do them in your bedroom,
— and under almost any conditions.
program of
much
contraction exer-
static
contraction exercises, and in terms of convenience,
hotel
regimen
on
role in the dissipation of stress.
its
not only recommending
porating
tic
will
Contraction
Bruce Lee placed
for
we
single but very important aspect of Lee's physical fitness
one tic
For our purposes,
fitness.
static
contraction requires no real
practice, and, in fact,
it's
more
terms, spiritual awareness.
How,
beings
constantly exercising in an attempt to real-
the absolute limits of his physical potential.
stemmed from the
human
vital
skill to
one of those rare
speak
activities
that
you
actually can
and
like
running (of which Lee was
tion, so to speak,
is
do well the very
also
against only yourself.
are quick to reveal themselves. sive
first
There
workout clothing, and there
is
time.
also a private activity,
It is
an ardent devotee), the competi-
The
exists
and the
sessions are short,
no need
no perspiration
to
results
change into expen-
as in exercise
with move-
ment. Additional pluses are that there are no fancy exercise machines you
need to purchase, nor any hefty membership
fees to lay out to join the local
health club. As for the time investment, nothing has yet to this simple utes
and yet highly effective form of exercise,
as,
compare with
again, only three min-
of exercise performed every morning will increase your overall health
to a remarkable degree.
96
The Warrior Within
The rewards of incorporating stress-relieving ex er ercis es es into his
daily schedule were
— they
Bruce Lee
many for
included
providing a more healthful
environment
in
which
to raise
his children.
The Benefits The
benefits to
be obtained from the performance of these simple move-
ments are many; properly performed, tively exercise the body,
exercising the body,
it
mind, and chi
relaxes
and sustained contractions and plex depending
static
all
will effe effecccontraction exercise will
forces, or vital energy,
within
us. In
the major muscle groups, with gentle, slow,
relaxations,
which can go from simple
on individual preference and
to
com-
Regular
intensity generated.
sta-
contraction exercise will further serve to strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. It also strengthens, the heart (which is itself a mustic
cle)
and will improve the circulation of the blood to the extremities.
movement
In exercising the mind, each part that
is
being targeted, thereby shutting out
thus relaxing the
on the body
focuses the attention all
mind while improving mental
distracting thoughts,
focus.
With regard
to cul-
Stress Release
ith hin in, , the tivating our warrior, or chi, forces wit
more conventional
chest area.
rather than the chest
mer method empties
when
inhaling and exhaling air fills
them more
The
practical medical benefits of this are obvious.
cise
on the beginner go much
further.
By
still
inner calm that
it
the diaphragm area
simply that the for-
efficiently
But the
and thoroughly.
effects
of the exer-
all
the while that the chest
all
of the advantages of powerful
supplies.
These movements as
to the
and unexerted and that the stomach does the work, the indi-
vidual can increase his flow of chi, with
tem,
is
opposed
breathing in deeply through the
nose and exhaling through the mouth, taking care
remains
area, as
The advant nta age of using
the lungs and
97
performance of these move-
ments will deepen our breathing to the abdominal
also exert a
powerful effect on our central nervous sys-
one must concentrate the mind, free
during relaxation, and apply consciousness
it
of distractions, seek tranquillity
when
contra con tracti cting ng the muscles. Such
tensing and relaxing can be accomplished only under the direction of the brain,
which
in turn affects the central nervous system.
Additional benefit
is
worked upon the
internally affecting the vital energy, skin. Respiration should
circulatory and res respir pirato atory ry system systems, s,
and externally the mus usc cle les, s, bones, and
be deep, long, natural, and gentle, concentrated on
the lower abdominal area, or what the Chinese call the dan tian region, in
an even and regular respiration that combines
movement of
the diaphragm
and abdominal muscles. Such movement improves blood circulation,
dilates
the coronary arteries, and strengthens oxidation.
Although Bruce Lee himself performed many variations of
static
and
con-
traction exercise (from tensiometers to
program
tainly the
power rack rack isom isomet etri ric c programs),
selected as the focal point of this chapter
most convenient and ef effe fect ctiv ive e fo for r the purposes of a
mere four
a total its
of
six
brevity,
mended
static
is
that
contraction exercises, plus
movements
you perform
already quite
make
fit,
squeeze. If you are far
from
it
as
mild or
of
exercises, for
program, apart from
this
provides.
Plus,
own
bed
as severe as
you
comfort of your
in the
it
This form of exercise can be are
two conventional
the wide range of benefits that
one of the
stress release. It consists
The beauty of
altogether.
is
cer-
the the co cont ntra ract ctio ions ns maximal,
desire. If
hard
as
recom-
it's
as
you
you can
or somewhere in between, just perform these
fit
movements by te tens nsin ing g th the e muscles
until firm
and then sustaining
con-
this
traction for the prescribed period of time.
The Warrior Within
98
The Program According
to
Bruce Lee's
studen ent t of bed, the stud
1.
body
Full far as
to
is
own
perform the following
stretch. Perform
you can
in
directions, every day before getting out
5
full
body
static
contraction routine:
stretches:
arms one direction, and reach your arm
the opposite direction. Maintain each stretch for
3
Extend your
legs as
as far as possible in
seconds and then relax
ota al ti tim me: 25 seconds. for 2 seconds. Tot 2.
Back
arches. Perform
5
back arches: Bend your legs until the backs of
your thighs are just touching the backs of your upper slowly push your hips
upward toward the
calves,
and then
ceiling while simultaneously
flexing your buttocks muscles and pushing gently with you your legs. tain each arch for
Main-
Total l time time: : 25 seconds and then relax for 2 seconds. Tota
3
seconds. 3.
Leg
tensing. Perform 12 leg tenses: Sl Slow owly ly exte extend nd your legs
can,
and then tighten the muscles of your thighs. Maintain
tracted position for
3
as far as
this this fu full lly y
you
con-
seconds and then relax for 2 seconds. Total time: 60
seconds. 4.
Abdominal fully contract
would do
tensing.
Perform
10
abdominal
your yo ur abdo abdomi mina nal l muscles
if (please
in a
forgive the imagery)
manner
Deliberately and
similar to
you were having
ment. Maintain this maximal contraction for 2 seconds. To Tota tal l ti time me: : 50 seconds.
tenses:
3
a
what you
bowel move-
seconds and then relax for
Bruce Lee placed considerable emphasis on the abdominal region, considering
it
be the most important area to keep
to
and healthy. In
fit
My
paper interview in the early 1960s, Lee commented: abdomen.
the
At
It's
this part
the center of gravity
and
the source of real
a
news-
strength comes
from
power.
of the program, Lee recommended that the student taper
the stan standa dard rd with two additional abdominal exercises performed in the nonstatic contraction) way:
off
Stress Release
5.
Sit-up touching toes. Perform
5 sit-ups
touching
99
Simply place your
toes:
back flat upon your mattress with your legs fully extended in front of you behi hind nd your your head. Now, slowly raise your torso, your ur arms arms extended be and yo reaching forward with your hands until they
Hold
toes.
this position briefly,
Total time: 6.
come
into contact wi with th your your
and then return to the starting position.
10 seconds. flat
upon your
mattress with your arms outstretched behind your head. Slowly
bend your
Bent leg legs
raises.
Perform
5
and draw them up toward your
been drawn
as far
tion. Total time:
back
as possible.
this
is
should be
raises:
Place your back
chest, pausing briefly
Return your
once they have
legs to the starting posi-
10 seconds.
That marks the end of the It
bent leg
made
otal time: ime: session. Tota
3
minutes.
however, that
clear at this point in the proceedings,
not an exercise routine that
is
geared to make you
as lean,
muscular,
or powerful as Bruce Lee. Lee had specific exercises (and plenty of them) that
he incorporated into
his personal training routine to achieve specific fit-
ness results that he, as a practicing martial artist, required. I've just
listed
method of
were prescribed by Bruce Lee simply
releasing stress
The
as
a
exercises that
very effective
from the body, while simultaneously cultivating
exceptional total health and fitness benefits for body, mind, and
spirit.
(or
^Part ~£Aree
^
°A
Vo
H>:
e The Warrior Within
Chapter Eleven Jeet
the
^r m
^^^M ^r ^f energy
Kune Do —
Quantum Perspective
ccording to the Ta Taoi oist st pe pers rspe pect ctiv ive, e, the
real genesis
of creation
was an organic process. In the beginning was wu-ch'i (the void, or nonbeing),
—Yin
and out of the void evolved two processes of
and Yang. The interaction of Yin and Yang produced chi
Demonstrating the core tenet of jeet kune do by reacting to
any opening the moment
it
presents
itself,
Bruc Bruce e Lee Lee
—
the
Dragon
—
(right) fires a
Won
hook kick toward the head of Korean hapkido exponent during a scene from Lee's third Chinese-language film,
instantly
In Sik
The Way of
North America as Return of the Dragon).
(released in
103
104
The Warrior Within
energy
that,
by pulsating
at
varying frequencies, became the energy that
formed the universe and hence became the rocks, plants, solar systems,
cular activity and It
was
in the
most readily
in
dna
and
all
to thoughts
realm of the
sine
aspects of the
and
human
animal, from rom mus-
is
the force of chi was to manifest
well
known
term, , thos those e the combative, physical sense of the term
for being a warrior in
who knew him
tain that his true strength resided within. Indeed, the warrior
was the indomitable force driving nizant of
its
significance, causing
to an old friend in
/ feel I
have
than faith,
this
Hong Kong
his
him
in
than than
is
the
godhead
or not,
comment on
to
ambi mbition tion, ,
greater It
is
all
a strong
than
its
this feeling
emotion mixed with
of Lee's soul
vitality in a letter
faith,
may
but a
me
that
this
.
greater
.
.
be compared. It
is
than
Whether
untapped power,
defies description,
lot stronger.
is
greater
confidence,
these combined.
I feel this great force,
dynamic something within me. This feeling no experience with which
main-
September 1962:
determination, greater than vision. it
best
every action, and Lee was fully cog-
great creative and spiritual force within
greater
creation
all
spiritual awareness.
spirit that
Bruce Lee. While he
qua non of
and
this
there
something
is
like
This warrior within that Lee had tapped into gave him complete and total confidence in achieving anything he set his mind to:
When
you drop a pebble into a pool of water, the pebble
ripples
that
what
will
expand
happen when
my
I can project
my
I give
This
encompass the whole pool.
until they
a series of
starts
is
exactly
ideas a definite plan of action. Right
now
thoughts into the future. I can see ahead of me. I dream
(remember that practical dreamers never
quit).
.
I
.
.
am
not easily dis-
couraged, readily visualize myself as overcoming obstacles, winning out over setbacks,
achieving
Once Lee
impossible
objectives.
got in touch with his true
self,
he never swayed in
viction to maintain that connection and to allow
whether through the medium of
sible,
family, or in his practice of martial art,
human
ing the
kune
body.
It is
important,
way of the
do, or the
with friends and
which he labeled the
intercepting
art
consists of
fist,
both
a
a
Quantum Perspective
physical discipline and various combative techniques as
which has and
— the
Kune Do
a martial art,
its
105
nucleus,
philosophy that both underpins and interconnects the practitioner to
higher spiritual awareness.
As
it is
beyond the context of
I
would
kune do in ples
Let
and
it
like instead to
the phi philos losoph ophica ical l component of jeet examine the
in Chapters 2
through
5.
be settled that Bruce Lee was
spirit).
Let
it
Bruce
viewed within the context of the Taoist princi-
this chapter, as
conveyed
to cover the mechanics of
anything approaching the depth such an exposition would
Lee's martial art in
require,
book
this
be further settled
a
that,
man
of totality
(i.e.,
because he was also
body, mind, a teacher,
or
he sought to cultivate the fullest un unde ders rsta tand ndin ing g of each of these components in his students. He did not want people to look upon his teachings sifu,
as
simply another style of martial
of self-development vidual In
growth fact,
in any
was
because to label such
restrictive
and not
at all
— and
a
personal process
conducive to indi-
meaningful way.
the various styles of the martial arts can,
certain context, be their art
a style
art,
viewed
as
forms of applied
the country of
its
origin
—
when looked
racism, as
superior to
of express-
juncture, to recognize that jeet
Jeet
con-
expression whenever pos-
it
film, his relationships
at this
his
most all
at
in a
styles consider
others.
The
rea-
soning was, and to because
and
extent
a large
circular; Japanese karate
still is,
Japanese; Korean tae kwon do is superior because are superior be beca caus use e th they ey are Filipino.
it's
silat
To be
sure,
you
nents of each style as to
why
the use of the feet, because, after
art
first
in order to better one's chances
without suffering being struck in return,
because 90 percent of
real
all
or Ju jitsu
—
the best because
it's
Brazilian,
it's
at
justifying myopia, and Bruce Lee
of
the best
But
if
question of race
American,
Chinese,
much
quickly realize that these are not valid reasons so
vincing attempts
a
However, upon seeing the big
Japanese, Indonesian, or Korean.
is
end up on the ground.
fights
pressed further, the proponents will always revert back to
and/or tradition
emphasizes
the legs are the longest weapons of the
all,
body and therefore should be emphasized striking
by the propo-
kwon do
the best, such as Tae
it's
the best
Korean; kali
it's
will hear other rationalizations delivered
is
you
picture,
they are uncon-
as
was keenly aware of
this fact.
As
of his world view, Lee didn't look
in the formulation
vidually but rather collectively, in their totality, seei seeing ng the the inators
that
connected the best components of
all
at styles indi-
common denom-
styles
— much
his
like
The Warrior Within
io6
metaphysics connected
all races.
the various races, while the siologically
The common
common
connected
speaking,
thread of humanity connected
threads of physics and physiology, kine-
the
patterns
of combative
movement
advanced by these various pockets of humanity Lee's response to the question of cisely
which
by Lee
style
in a
British broadcaster
My
answer
a totality.
effective
is
that, I
this:
mean
there
is
in 197 1, in
which Lee
unless
we have another group of there can
no such thing as an
effective
that I personally do not believe in the
Because unless there here are are
us,
and pre-
brilliantly
told
Ted Thomas:
Why?
ferent from
was answered
Radio Hong Kong interview
that
to
By
was the most
human
be no
beings with three arms
segment of
word
style.
and four
legs,
beings on earth that are structurally difdifferent style
Because we have only two hands and two
legs.
of fighting.
The important
Why thing
is
is,
that?
how
While Bruce Lee was well adept
at all
forms of kicking, such as the flying
side kick
pictured here, he also realized that even the greatest kickers needed to balance their arsenal with a sufficient repertoire of hand techniques and grappling skills in order to
become complete martial
artists.
Jeet
can
we
arated.
use them to the
They
Kune Do
maximum?
.
.
— the
Quantum Perspective
Because of
.
are not united together because
styles
and people who go
it.
It
doesn't matter
you are there
built,
much
are,
are
that product.
who you
made
.
And
rationalizations delivered
lationism, Lee a
how you
and become
To the of
or
how you
into that [style]
body decides
make
to take a
to
that they
at
has become
how
You
just
go
in
not right.
is
styles in defense
were simply
of iso-
effective segments
While Lee might have concurred
use of the body's longest
punch
origi-
are structured,
doesn't matter.
me,
it
The
become the product of
how you
by the various
greater totality of combat. fact
it
.
that,
would have concluded
kick ki ckin ing g do does es in
.
are,
law.
now
nal founder of the style started out with hypothesis, but the gospel truth,
people are sep-
styles,
became
107
weapon and
that if
some-
you, your leg can hit him, being the longer
punch could reach you, he
would ha have ve poin pointe ted d
weapon, well before
his
out that there are
host of variables that such a segmented viewpoint
a
to account for. For example:
can get your kick off?
What
that
What
if
also
you're grabbed by the legs before
if you're leg
becomes injured? What
if
you
fails
you miss
with your kick? Obviously in any of these scenarios, the kicker would be a
disadvantage and would be
Those who
spec peciali ialize ze in
left
with no means to defend himself.
grappling or ground fighting take particular
who
delight in pointing the above out to their friends
The
favor kicking.
sp spec ecia iali lize ze in arts that
grapplers, however, are just as guilty of
myopia
as
the others. Take for example their proposition that 90 percent of fights
end up on the ground.
the fact that 100 percent of to a
do
if
fellow
one
This all
is
stre street et figh fights ts start standing up
fights in that rare
any of
all
street
very interesting statement in light of
a
finds oneself in the unfortunate position
who
at
10 percent?
—
so what's
one
of squaring off against
Or what
grappling
if you're
away fabulously on the ground when suddenly three of your opponent's friends
show up? What then? Again
it's
another case of putting
all
of one's
eggs in one basket.
Bruce Lee's advice a
balanced martial
artist
your answers: As far
who
is
some
and look
there
is
some
long,
at
was
more
far
the big picture
is
better than.
Be
style
—
for
take no thought of
not for or agai agains nst. t. For in the land-
The flowering branches grow
neither better nor worse. short.
philosophical: be
—not any one
as other styles or schools are concerned,
wrong or who
right or
scape of spring, urally,
to these martial artists
nat-
The Warrior Within
108
To Lee, no one approach contained valuable
methods
that these
The But
too
all
many
are universally applicable to
areas of
trouble
While there can be
for certain individuals in certain styles, this doesn't
methods
ar are e va vali lid d in
the answers.
all
is
combat
— the
that circumstances
people arc looking at
all
individuals, nor that they
greater totality
must
'what
is'
to
which Lee
what you do,
dictate
mean
referred.
Lee pointed out.
thinki nking 'wha 'what t from a position of thi
should be.' In
noncombative terms, always
of whatever
it
is
system, leader,
Remember extremes;
you happen
or sage
the
is
try
and take in the much broader picture
to be involved in,
likely
to have
the answers to your problems.
all
backdrop of the Yin/Yang concept of never going
by remaining neutral, you are empowered with
nature's totality.
Lee likened the
partiality
of
the martial arts to the age-old problem of ural ural ru rule les s or restrictions
with
and bear in mind that no one
wu-tse,
many of
tse,
his
all
aspects
to
of
contemporaries in
the attempt to force unnat-
on people. To unite with Tao, one must be
through the nonstriving nature of wu-wei. To
this
in accord
end, he
which he
drafted a fascinating philosophical treatise,
The Three Stages
called
of Cultivation.
The Three Stages of Cultivation Bruce Lee believed that knowledge and proficiency (including martial
which he
consisted of three stages,
art)
any endeavor
in
called the three
stages of cultivation:
The
stage
first
is
the primitive stage.
It
is
a stage of original ignorance in
which a person knows nothing about the art of combat. In a
fight,
ply blocks and strikes instinctively without a concern for what
Of course,
wrong. himself,
he
may
not be so-called
scientific,
he sim-
right
is
nevertheless, being
but,
his att a ac cks or defenses are fluid.
In other words,
it
is
a stage
in ot othe her r wo word rds. s.
of innocence, of not being familiar with the
Your responses
subject matter before you.
However,
as
you
and reflexive
are natural
lack the requisite
— honest,
knowledge and condi-
Jeet
The second
when
stage
Quantum
With more
you soon enter the second
—
sophis isti tica cati tion on, , the stage of soph
He
a person starts his training.
ing, striking,
— the
Kune Do
tioning, they are often inappropriate.
centration, however,
Perspective
practice
109
and focused con-
stage:
or mechanical stage
—
begins
taught the different ways of block-
is
kicking, standing, breathing,
and thinking. Unquestionably, he
has gained the scientific knowledge of combat, but unfortunately his original self itself.
and sense of freedom
His mind tends
analysis,
and even
to
are
lost,
and
freeze at different
called led worse, he might be cal
his
action
no longer flows by
movements for intell intellec ectua tually lly
calculations
bound
and
and main-
tain himself outside of the actual reality.
This stage of sophistication (which Lee also referred to art ),
is
a
as
the stage of
necessary step toward one's personal evolution. Although
fining by nature
and
(i.e.,
it
instructs
you
individual to a particular approach),
it
how
in is
a
it is
con-
to act, thereby confining the
necessary
evil, in that
along with
the conditioned response
it
cultivates,
knowledge
the successful acquisition and application of higher intuitive
The
the fertile field of the the subc subcon onsc scio ious us. . seeing
shown
ape what he or she has been subconsciously,
a
individual, however,
in
incapable of
is
and, instead, simply takes pride in having learned to
at this stage
it
of truth for
also plants the root
it
more
is
way
the correct
do things. But
to
form of learning has taken
significant
place with the
development of pr pro ope per r neuromuscular pathways. In other words, the technique learned because
comp co mpli lied ed wi with th
a ce cert rtai ain n uni univer versal sal
your particular
discipline.
it
applies to
not correct because your teacher has said
is
the second stage, the individual est
—
third
when, all,
stage
—
the
stage
after years of serious
gungfu
is
his
to
And
opponent
flows through the slightest crack.
to
be purposeless
is
if
as
it
— and high-
or spontaneous
practice,
stage
—
occurs
the student realizes that after
instead of trying to impose on his mind, like
water pressing on an earthen wall.
There
nothing
is
to
try [to] do but try
formless, like water. All of his classical techniques
standard styles are minimized,
He
reality,
proficiency has been achieved in
artlessness,
It
and
—
second innocence, or artlessness :
and hard
nothing special.
he adjusts himself
of
order of validity
ready to evolve to the third
is
stage of learning, the stage of
The
Once
but rather
so,
and
not wiped out, and nothingness prevails.
no longer confined.
1
The Warrior Within
10
This third process,
as
you might have ascertained, requires
the original stage of innocence In order to better
losophy,
it
comprehend these core
may prove
Herb hated the tired of staying
grown
all
return to your true
a
helpful to look
at
idea of learning
home
up,
self,
return to
in ot othe her r wo word rds. s.
principles of the jeet
kune do phi-
an application of them in
consid ider er the the case setting. Let's cons
tial arts
had
—
a
a
non-mar-
of Herb.
how
to dance, but his wife,
every weekend. After
all,
and there had to be more
Marge, was
she reas reason oned ed, , the the children
to life than simply
doing the
gardening an and d watch atchin ing g television. Herb was reluctant to comply, but not
wanting
to upset his wife
—
a
woman
he'd loved for
he grudgingly went along with her to attend instructor at the dance academy,
When
his first
dance
welcomed Herb and Marge
one decides they wish to learn to dance, the
learn the steps, in the
more than
explained Gloria,
who
first
fo fort rty y ye year ars s
class.
Gloria, the
to their first class.
thing to do
is
to
then proceeded to instruct the pair
most rudimentary of dance maneuvers.
Herb hated
Can't do
it.
and look
damned
like a
fool trying,
whil wh ile e soa oaki kin ng his blistered feet the day after his
his wife
he persisted. Gradually, over self
it
a
first
he told
lesson. Still,
period of several weeks, Herb familiarized him-
with the basic moves and found that he no longer had to concentrate so
demandingly on them. In
fact,
he just needed to
the
moving
his leet
listen to
and would throw in
ative
himself.
a
at all;
rhythm and beat of the the music usic. . Soon he found
rhythms almost of
to the varied
to enjoy his Saturday nights
he didn't have to pay attention to them
with Marge
few fancy
Marge would laugh and
so
at
their
own
the dance hall.
steps here
would Herb
Herb He rb gre grew
accord.
He
even got cre-
and there that he'd created
— they were having
a great
time.
Herb then went back and while he noted
to the dance class to learn different
that the steps
modes of dance,
and rhyt rhythm hms s differed from dance
style to
dance style, he also found that the underlying process involved in learning each of them was the same. That is, at first Herb knew nothing about the particular
how
to
dance he wished to learn (the stage of ignorance). Then he learned perform the intricate dance steps (the stage of sophistication). After he
had familiarized himself with the basic moves, he found that he no longer
had to pay attention to them anymore; he was able to simply with the flow and rhythm of the music (the stage of
let
himself go
artlessness).
Jeet
Bruce Lee noted those
who came
phy of jeet kune
to
do.
Then they became
Kune Do
— the
this th three ree-st -stage age pro proces cess s
him At
Quantum
of knowledge acquisition in
opponent
kune
all
for instruction in his revolutionary martial philosofirst,
easy.
they would find the moves difficult to execute.
moves simply became an extension of
Finally the
themselves, effortless and fluid in their execution. stage of jeet
hi
Perspective
do, there
was nothing
— and even yourself—were
all
He
to try to do.
noted that in the
final
Your technique, your
forgotten. Everything simply flowed
together into one harmonious whole.
Looking beyond the forms through which
this
philosophy
is
revealed
(i.e.,
and dance), we observe that there is a common denominator running through both that is itself an incredibly potent pre-
in
our scenarios, martial
scription for developing
In a letter drafted to tion),
art
competence a
in
any endeavor
friend and student
we
decide to pursue.
named George Lee
Lee asked him to create three signs that could be hung on
(no relaa
wall to
symbolize the three stages of cultivation. half and one gold half of the
This served to a
first
half.
ther underscore this point, were then detached tion to this sign, Lee indicated, should read:
The second
one red
in either half.
where not even the suggestion of
polarity,
component's opposite was present in either
PARTIALITY
sign consisted of
Yin/Yang symbol with no dot
extreme
illustrate
The
The two
halves, to fur-
from one another. The cap-
THE RUNNING TO EXTREME
sign consisted of the
Yin/Yang symbol
as
commonly
it is
ren-
dered, only in Lee's chosen colors of red and gold with a dot of gold in the
red half and a dot of red in the gold half. Lee then added the arrows around the parameters to indicate the principle of
another endlessly.
The
into
one
caption on this sign read:
THE TWO HALVES OF ONE WHOLE
FLUIDITY
The
Yin and Yang turning
third sign was simply a blank board with nothing
on
except the
it
phrase:
EMPTINESS In other words, this ness
— the
return, as
it
THE FORMLESS FORM
the ret etu urn to nothingness
is
— or
were, to the stage of innocence,
no-thing-
rather,
where there
a stage
The Warrior Within
ii2
exists
no
partiality,
reality. It is a tial
no segmentation or bipolar
its
this
unique ranking system for his represented the
est
limited par-
first
rank
evolutionary process, Bruce Lee created a
art
of jeet kune do.
A
white or blank
— the pure beginner. The next
Yin/Yang symbols of varying
like the first rank,
yet profound
its
great eater er un univ ivers ersal al whole. ultimate connection with the gr
To further underscore
est rank,
through which to view
transcendence and extension of the self beyond
identity to
resented by
filter
colors.
was symbolized by
symbolism reflected
Lee's
a
six
circle
ranks were rep-
But the eighth and highwhite
circle.
This simple
thorough und under erst stand andin ing g of the high-
and most profound principle of Taoism: the principle of
wu-ch'i,
or the
nothingness terminus.
According
to Taoists, the blank or
terminus, which
is
white ring represents the nothingness
inclusive of everything.
The white
circle indicating the
first
rank of jeet kune do indicates that the student
martial art and
knows no
formlessness of the stage
gram of the
styles at
when
(This
all.
completely ignorant of
is
the nothingness terminus, the
is
no
the student possesses
The
real skill.)
T'ai-Chi, or Yin/Yang, indicates the acquisition of
skills,
The
understanding of the various principles of motion and tranquillity.
Chi symbols represent
dia-
the
T'ai-
of the principles of force pr produ oducti ction/ on/mot motion ion and relaxation/tranquillity that underlay all styles of combat. Finally, if
do
finds that
he
is
all
persistent
and dedicated enough, the the stud studen ent t of jeet kune
he can transcend
prehended the universal principles
— and can move
indeed,
life itself
ing blows is
now
This stage
at will.
is
and forms
all styles
— having thoroughly com-
that regulate
forms of combat, and,
all
intuitively yet correctly, striking or avoid-
represented by the white or blank circle, which
not considered to be nothingness but rather no-thingness,
— or,
ing that the studen dent has transcended things ^
and is
is
now
possessed of de deep eper er insight; he
bound by no
therefore
To further emphasize
particular
way
is
in this case,
or
all styles
all
indicat-
styles
things,
hin ngs or looking of doing thi
and
at life.
Lee placed Chinese characters around
this principle,
emblem
the circumference of his jeet kune do
that read:
USING NO WAY AS WAY;
HAVING NO LIMITATION AS LIMITATION
kune do
Jeet
— the
philosophy
—was As
self-discovery and spiritual growth.
a process, it
was
a
rung on the ladder of
a
means
to getting in touch
Jeet
with your innermost being,
Kune Do
— the
Quantum
Perspective
followed that there was no way
it
be systematized for the purpose of instruction. In other words, to highly individual ends,
it
113
that
it
was
a
could
means
one's s jeet jeet kune do and one could no more pass on one'
pers rson on than than one could eat another's food for him. As experience to another pe
Bruce Lee told Black
Belt
yourself from whatever
it
magazine is
— what
you
/
cannot
tell
tell
you how
you how
not to do, I cannot
confining you
to
1971,
it
all
boils
down
to liberating
that binds you:
You must accep t the fact that there reason, I cannot
in
to to
tell
is
no help but self-help.
gain freedom
gain
—
For the same
since freedom exists within
self-knowledge.
you what you should
do,
While
I can
since that
tell
you
would be
a part partic icul ular ar approach. Formulas can only inhibit freedom,
externally dictated prescriptions only squelch creativity
and assure medioc-
Bear
rity.
in
mind
that the
not be acquired through
become
freedom that accrues from self-knowledge can-
strict
adherence
we simply are
free,
to
a formula;
we do not suddenly
free.
Such an approach meant that Bruce Lee did not award colored other martial
arts schools
do
Doing
martial philosophy.
Learning
and ery
is
ability to
wrong
definitely not
as
method of
would only be rewarding and which was
accumulate knowledge,
mere imitation, nor
a process without end.
—
direction:
regurgitate fixed knowledge.
—
indicator of progress in his
believed,
so,
encouraging an individual's definitely a step in the
— he an as
belts
In
Learning
jkd
[jeet
is
is
it
the ability to accumulate
a constant process of discov-
kune
do],
we begin not by
mulation but [by] discovering the cause of our ignorance
—
accu-
a discovery that
involves a shedding process.
The key
the three stages of cultivation.
was found his
own
to
life.
born of
to this shedding process lies in the pragmatic intuition
work well If
If,
for example, a specific
for an individual, then
did not work, then
it
it
way of doing
he should incorporate
things it
into
should be discarded. This principle
can be applied to anything, from combat to successful job hunting. If you find
something that you
reduce
it
like or,
more important,
down, component by component,
until
that
is
functional for you,
you discover
its
essence, or
114
The Warrior Within iy/J^uU^-.
^'
'':
'*««._.
V-M
-
-
<
r T
-
Wft
^
r
„0i
An
excerpt
Lee's letter to George Lee requesting three signs
from Bruce
representing the three stages of cultivation. These signs hung in Lee's
Chinatown
school during the late 1960s.
root is
— the
axiomatic primary of what
discovered,
you
temperament and natural
Bruce Lee worked overtime a four-step
for
its
effectiveness.
Once
this
are in a position to improvise within these parameters of
effectiveness and, ultimately, refine the
individual
made
component
to better suit
your
own
flow.
to quantify
and formulate
this process into
guide to self-enlightenment that would ultimately
come
to define
the very essence of jeet kune do:
own
1.
Rese Re sear arch ch your your
2.
Absorb what
3.
Reject what
is
4.
Add what
specifically
is
is
experience.
useful. useless.
your own.
Thi This, th the en, was Bruce Lee's personal prescription for individual growth.
we
If in,
can apply these four principles to any activity or endeavor
we
will be far richer,
both creatively and
spiritually.
able to apply such principles to the daily situations
we
The
we engage
ability to
be
encounter cultivates
a
unique perspective that ultimately leads to the creation of significant and pro-
Jeet
ductive
human
ences
to culture. This
—
beings, people
work with
will necessarily cutter,
is
Kune Do
who
is
Truth, then,
Quantum Perspective
115
are contributors to art, literature, the sci-
not to imply that what works well for one
man
equal results for another. Lee offered no cookie-
one-size-fits-all philosophy.
knowledge
— the
In other words, Lee believed that self-
an experience that each person must undertake for themselves. is
experiential,
to another than
it
can no more be infused
through one person
any y me mean anin ingf gful ul way by simone can experience London in an
ply viewing the snapshots of a friend
who
traveled there
on
holiday. In fact,
another sign that Lee had made up addressed this very issue even more specifically:
The truth
in
combat
is
diff differ eren ent t for for each
individual in this style. Again, he warned about the dangers of assuming that the pattern of action taken by successful individuals was the sole factor responsible for their suc-
My
cesses:
followers in jeet
kune
do
do,
The
are incapable of adaptability or pliability.
The foundation upon which kune do philosophy was That
tism.
you
that
is
built
me? Will
it
my
lead to
what you
then absorb it,
carefully
ified
it
into
it
being
as
examining
useful
shall
all
fixed, set patterns
outside of all fixed patterns.
is
remain
.
framework of the
is
— the
real
answer to the questions, Will
as useless.
If,
however, there
you can acknowledge
you
work
it
that
is
for
moving immedi-
no, then
is
jeet
of Taoist pragma-
a sort
as
something
is
having potential,
and move on to principle four by cultivating
various applications until you've adapted and
its
something
.
.
so in tune with yourself
are experiencing that it
truth
benefit? If the answer
ately to principle three, reject
in
and
are able to discern the
this
to
the entire conceptual
you must be
to say,
listen
your
own
mod-
creation and usable for your
own
personal benefit. If
you
Bruce
recall
Lee's lessons learned at sea while sailing
on the junk,
he discovered the true nature of Tao, or the spontaneous natural workings of the universe
as
a
whole.
He
including the formulation of his
carried this lesson into everything he did,
own
personal form of self-expression, jeet
kune do:
Jeet kune do bat.
is
training
The ultimate
and
reality
is
discipline toward the ultimate reality in
simple,
direct,
and
free.
A
com-
kune do
true jeet
Warr rrio ior r Wit Withi hin n The Wa
1 1
man
never opposes force or gives
and complements to
create
his
way
completely.
his opponent's strength.
own.
You should respond
He to
He
is
pliable as a spring
uses his opponent's technique
any circumstance without pre-
arrangement; your action should be as fast as a shadow adapting
to a
mov-
ing object.
You must by now recognize the ple
of bend and survive,
these
two
lesson of
wu-wei,
as
in Lee's words. Appropriately, the realization of
principles requires the incorporation of a third
that the best
way
to
well as the princi-
—
wu-hsin. Lee held
experience this natural process was to simply relax,
thereby easing the burden of intense concentration, and focus:
Not
tense but ready.
being wholly
and
According
thinking yet not dreaming,
and
quietly alive, aware
to Lee, to realize the
of wu wu-h -hsi sin. n.
this condition
One
not being set but flexible
ready for whatever
alert,
Way of
—
it
is
may come.
Not
simply had to have an empty mind.
something (namely, the the proc proces ess s of trying
—
the Intercepting Fist required
thinking about nothingness which, obviously,
He
Not being
still
or wei
—
just
involves thinking about to envision nothingness).
held that everything in the universe was related to everything else in the
universe in some capacity; there was always give and take, and both were necessary and mutually dependent components of the whole and greater
scheme of things. Accordingly, the wu-hsin
a jeet
kune do student sought was well repre-
sented by Alan Watts' famous story of the centipede. As Lee explained
The many-footed
how
creature was asked
how
managed
it
this
daily function,
should be a natural process, allowed
to
falls
has reached a level
into the flow of
evolution, and
li,
which
movement
it
to
walk on
is
life
the centipede stopped to con-
tripped
and
own,
is
fell.
in touch
And
so,
life
is
not
with the Tao, one
natural organic pattern of self
appears natural and effortless
enabling the individual to perform
its
out of balance.
where one one's
of
all
which the development of the mind
in
throw the natural flow of
Once one
managed
When
feet without getting them tangled up. sider
it
it:
—because
many complex maneuvers on
it is
—
thus
an almost
subconscious level of operation. At this stage of aw awar aren enes ess, s, ther there e exists no
need to continue to stockpile additional knowledge
like sandbags. Instead,
Jeet
is
now
— the
Quantum Perspective
117
time to empty your cerebral warehouse so that you are not carrying
excess baggage with els
Kune Do
you
like a millstone as
you climb on
to
still
higher lev-
of personal evolution.
The not in
a
true tao of jeet
kune do* then,
at least
according to Bruce Lee,
process of accumulation, of the adding to your inventory of
and more factual knowledge, but rather in elimination. The idea the root or personally
things
—
then employ this knowledge
as
common
— and
denominator in
all
accord, like echo following sound, or
as
is
lies
more
to seek
they are revealed to you,
you
see
shadow following
fit
and of
subject.
its
own
As Bruce
it
Lee once wrote: In
jeet
kune
do,
not
it's
how much you have
much you have absorbed from what you have
learned.
It
is
not
learned,
but
how much
knowledge you can accumulate, but what you can apply alively that counts. is
more valu valued ed than than Lee's point
you may be if
'doing.
'Being'
You may
well be able to read Shakespeare's plays,
able to quote Voltaire or Russell or
you yourself
fixed
'
well taken.
is
how
you
are not intelligent, if
some new philosopher; but what was the
are not creative, then
point of this education? According to Lao-tzu:
—48— The
pursuit of learning
The
pursuit of Tao
It
to decrease
is
until
No
to increase day after day.
to decrease day after day.
and further decrease
one reaches the point of taking no
action
is
action.
undertaken,
and yet nothing
was
is
is
is
left
undone.
1
cited in Chapter 6, Bruce Lee believed that the height of intelligence this principle of nonstriving, or wu-wei; of no not t atte attemp mpti ting ng to cut against
As
the grain of the true nature of things. In attempting to
comprehend the phi-
losophy of jeet kune do, you must learn to see things in their in isolation.
This does not just apply to martial
beings, are part of a greater totality as well.
arts,
totality,
obviously; we, as
You must have
not
human
quantum per-
a
spective, in other words.
—
*Thc phrase
tao of jeet kune do is actually a misnomer as do and tao are the same thing. Do pronounced doe is simply the Cantonese rendering of the Mandarin tao. Jeet kuiie do is translated as the way of the intercepting fist ; thus the tao of jeet kune do is rendered the way of the way of the intercepting fist.
1 1
The Warrior Within
The Quantum Perspective The word quantum, measurement of nature larger,
right
more
down
in the context
—
reality in
its
of our discussion, refers to the entire completeness.
includes not only the
worl rld d arou around nd us, but also the subatomic world, obvious, familiar wo
to the
most irreducible
everything appears and operates
level far
of transition. At such
differently
through our segmented perspective. There objects.
It
Instead, there exists a
world of
from how we perceive
exist
infinite
a refined level,
no
solids
it
or immutable
and dynamic energy; one
minute
a particle
and
in a vast
end of Chapter
— the metaphysical
Our
the next
a particle,
infinite field. In this
briefly at the
ture
is
that
it
— although we
exists as such in
is
we
are the
reality.
.
.
.
quantum
physics
tells
owners of
as
Deepak Chopra,
down
us that every
into mol-
atom
at
lightning speed through this space are actually
more
is
mov-
than 99.9999 percent empty space, and the subatomic particles ing
a solid
Your body appears
be composed of solid matter that can be broken
ecules and atoms, but
it.
of his landmark books):
in virtually all
only the most superficial layer of
the greater pic-
is
cannot observe
time and space, and yet
M.D., has indicated (and reaffirmed
This
just a shape
it's
quantum world, which we touched upon
senses, for example, report to us that
body and
to
wave, and then
a
the totality or wholeness
3,
reality
it is
bundles of
vibr vibrat atin ing g energ energy. y. 2
In other words, while
we may
think of ourselves
ground we walk upon or the chair upon which we
from the
as separate
sit,
we may
and while
believe that these entities, including ourselves, are clumps of separate matter,
in,
nothing
is
from
separate
around, and through
all
us at the
of
us,
quantum
and
we
level.
The quantum
are not independent segments but
part of an interconnected and far greater totality. Therefore, if
microcosm of the metaphysical universe view
field exists
we
are but a
that that sust sustai ains ns us, then the objects
we
in reality are likewise.
There can be no disconnected aspects of the greater whole, words. Everything
is
part of everything.
We
in
other
and the universe are whole and
uncomplicated. This applies particularly to matters of consciousness, which is
simply
a
product that grows out of the world
we
live in.
To Bruce
Jeet
way of
thinking, knowledge
the art of simplification: merely simplicity,
is
The
the ability
halfway cultivation that leads
Kune Do
— the
Quantum
Perspective
119
easily obtained, consisting almost entirely
height of cultivation
really nothing special.
utmost with the minimum.
to
express
to
ornamentation.
the
is
It
is
of
It is
the
In re refe ferr rrin ing g this principle to the martial arts, Lee once told his student
Daniel Lee:
Here
it
is:
If you can
move with your
tools
from any
angle,
then you can
Lee's
adapt
to
whatever the object the
limited the object,
amounts
what
Really,
to
sort of a realization
The
easier
it
is
it
front of you, and the clumsier, the more That's what it is for you to pot-shot it.
in
is
is
that
this regard as
in
denominator
connects
that
to
come
to
whatever your pursuit might
to
the
some be.
through the veneer to the
entire concept of simplicity, of seeing
common
body
utilizes the
it
greater
totality,
was perfectly
expressed by Lee during an earlier interview that appeared in the
Novem-
ber 1967 issue of Black Belt magazine:
The ext extra raor ordi dinar nary y pa part rt of
Kune Do
is
being so of
lies
is
closer to the true
its is
the
best illustration
way of Gungfu,
studied the
art,
a
I learned the art,
Now
is
to
me was
that I've understood the art, a
martial
art, a
for that's as arts.
After
punch
it
to
Kune Do
about is
it.
simply the direct energy. is.
concept:
Before I
just a punch, a kick just a kick. After a
punch
significance.
him was
feet
I always
movements and
of
simple
this
Let us carefully examine this statement its
artificial
in
the less wastage of expression there
punch was no longer
in order to fully grasp
Every movement
something I borrowed from Ch'an (Zen).
punch a
nothing
minimum
Lee then went on to elaborate on
The
simplicity.
the right way. Jeet
expression of one's feelings with
The
in
There
itself.
way
believe that the easy
it
just a
punch, a kick no longer a kick.
is
just a punch, a kick just a kick.
—using
martial art as metaphor
Lee mentioned that before he studied
punch
and
a
kick was just a kick,
appeared to an eye that had not been trained in the martial
many
years of serious study of the martial arts, however, Lee could
120
The Warrior Within
see that there did exist
both subtle and not so subtle differences in the way
these punches and kicks
were ex exec ecut uted ed with within in various
for example, the difference in the
Thai kickboxing
He ing,
way
a
He
could
kick was thrown within the
the Korean art of tae
style,
styles.
kwon
do, and
Goju Ryu
see,
Muay karate.
could also discern the differential between punches from We West ster ern n boxbox-
Wing Chun gung
mechanics underlying not in the styles
that
fu,
all
kenpo, and so on. Then, after he looked
at
of these nuances, he realized that the difference
the lay
developed these various kicks but rather in their kine-
siological root or
mechanical
from an
cient technique
common
denominator that differentiated an
inefficient technique.
him
In effect, his research and training had led
now
ized
that after
his labors
all
effi-
and
ultima imatel tely, y, ju just st a kick. a kick was, ult
studies, a
he
full circle, for
punch was
real-
punch and
just a
This insight caused him to draw what, in
the martial arts world of the late 1960s, was a very revolutionary conclusion
Man,
indeed: tant than
the living creature,
any established
When
the creating individual
style or system.
is
always more impor-
asked in 1972 to explain this statement, Lee provided the the foll follow ow-
ing ing answ answer er: : /
mean
style
this: is
I
mean
that
man
that, because
you learn
Each person must not be limi limite ted d
go
own to,
self,
say,
always
in
a
learning process.
a concluding, established, solidified something,
you cannot do
our
is
you know? Art
a Japanese style,
is
to
ex>ery
Whereas
you know? I mean
day as you grow on, grow
one approach.
We
must approach
the expression of ourselves,
whereas
older.
it
if
with
you
then you are expressing the Japanese style
—
you are not expressing yourself.
Self-expression, as
we
shall see in
the following chapter, was the top of
the mountain, as far as Bruce Lee was concerned.
Chapter Twelve
You Are
It
More and more being.
And
.
.
.
becoming more and more simple
it's
more and more
And
listed.
me
more and more
as a
human
and more
[within] myself, and more
I search
questions are more and more
to
the
I see clearly.
Bruce Lee
c&d
The
route to enlightenment and true peace of
knowledge
or, as
Bruce Lee referred to In
itual realization.
a letter
this
mind
consists of self-
phenomenon,
Lee once wrote to
a friend in
spir-
Hong
Kong, he commented on the productivity and en enjo joym ymen ent t one one could experience by learning to tap into this inner warrior:
Before he passed away, someone asked the late Dr. the electrical genius, the
most progress
in
to a
It
Steinmetz,
What
his opinion,
Spiritual realization.
When
conscious vital realization of those great spiritual forces within
himself and begins his progress in
P.
branch of science would make He paused and thought the next twenty-five years?
in
for several minutes, then like a flash replied,
man comes
Charles
to
use those forces
in
science,
in
business,
and
in
life,
the future will be unparalleled.
was important
to
Lee that
we
learn to marshal this inner warrior, or
in order to better
great spiritual forces within,
understand the universe
Warh rhio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
122
without
— and our
role in
it.
In other words,
from an understanding of
self
proceeds an understanding of others and of the way of our world generally.
Lee realized that the universe, being self-regulated, flowed according tse,
or
desires
nonmandated
rules,
and hopes. This
whom we
is
to
wu-
and was therefore indifferent to our individual a fact
of reality that
is
pa palp lpab ably ly ob obvi viou ous: s: people
dearly love eventually pass away; promotions
we
sincerely
want
and that would represent
come our way; and
The
a
dramatic change in
for every prayer answered, millions
universe, then, for
all
of
for us don't always
lifestyle
go seemingly unheard.
grandeur and glory, remains beyond our
its
volitional control.
Francis
Still, as
and
be obeyed,
we
Bacon once pointed
this,
out,
Nature to be commanded, must
we
to Lee, indicated that if
could learn the way that the universe operates and our role within
could also learn what powers, if any,
of our
we
within the parameters of our
lives
that
most
in
li,
my
the goal of
of mind.
.
.
To
Zen proved
this end,
of wu-tse,
planning and doing
to
and, of course, to achieve succinctly:
it
find the true meaning in
Lee looked to the Tao and to
From
these,
Lee learned that it,
had to come from within, from
its
life
—
peace
conceptual underpinnings
man was
of nature and not
a part
and that the purpose or meaning of one's a
process of introspection and self-under-
know
standing. In other words, through a process of getting to
about the
All in
be valuable.
something to be contrasted with life
our
Yin/Yang, the law of noninterference with nature, and the law
li,
of harmony.
to
is
we
In order to achieve this peace of mind, the teaching of detachment of
.
Taoism and
—
order to maximize
of ambitions, peace of mind. Lee said
illusive
it,
if
certai tain n aspe aspect cts s possessed to engineer cer
chances for long-term health, success, and survival
all,
could unite with Tao,
real
all
there
is
you, not just physically, but intellectually, emotionally, and spir-
itually as well.
Lee found the martial
obtaining self-knowledge in I find
it
is
like a mirror in
of knowledge
With a
—
I don't care
activi vity ty that that provided be one acti
arts to
of these categories: I
all
which
to
reflect
what
it
is
this understanding,
—
the true
beliei'c that all types
means self-knowledge.
Lee looked upon in
means of
learn martial art because
myself I personally
ultimately
means through which one could get
a
his martial arts instruction as
touch with the warrior within, or
self:
You Are The way So
edge.
not so
that I teach therefore
much how
it,
my to
all
types of knowledge ultimately
students are coming in and asking
do somebody in;
themselves through some movement, be ever.
So,
in
other words,
rather, it
they want
anger, be
what I'm saying
it
mean
me
to
to
It
self-knowlteach
them
learn to express
determination, or what-
therefore,
is
that they're
paying
123
me
show them,
to
According
ment was
in
to Lee, the highest
commitment
this
human
combative form, the art of expressing the
rung on the ladder of individual achieve-
honest self-expression.
to
become an
believed, required one to
body.
of
artist
attainment, he
Its
the result born of
life,
a rig-
orous commitment to spiritual and intellectual honesty:
Basically,
But, above
profession.
of
have always been a martial
I
along the way.
life
be an artist of this process
life.
and
The more one value he placed
.
.
discover
how
on
to
an ever-evolving process, one should flow
in
to
you
recall the point
you
which one artist
drawn
remember
will
at in
in
that
actualize
be a martial artist also
and an d expa xpand
to acquiring liberation
purely combative 1
art
martial
(i.e.,
— the
art)
as a
con-
terms. If
manifested in any thing or activity through
it is
a
and
art
Further,
and
regarding the true meaning of gung
reveals self-mastery. Certainly this
menting on the nature of
oneself.
more apparent becomes the supreme
means
Chapter
could be anyone from
actor by
means
utilizing art as a
— need not be looked
and an
actualize myself to be an artist
to
to
reads Lee's words, the
cept
an
is
life
by choice,
through which to obtain self-knowledge.
vehicle
fu,
hoping
Therefore,
.
Since
am
I
all,
artist
was
modern dancer its
Lee's belief, as he held that to a film director. In
relation to self-knowledge,
com-
Lee penned
the following thoughts:
Art
calls
for complete mastery of techniques, developed reflection within the
soul.
Art
is
an expression of
motion
is
and transcends both time and
life
the music of the soul
made
visible.
Art
space.
reveals itself in psychic
understanding of the inner essence of things, and gives form of
man
with
NOTHING,
Behind every
to
the relation
with the nature of the absolute.
The Warrior Within
124
Creation in
in
art
the Nothing.
soul.
is
the psychic unfolding of the per person sonali ality, ty,
Its
effect
is
a deepening of the personal
which
is
rooted
dimension of the
*
In this respect,
Lee held that
artistic
skill,
per
se,
did not
mean
artistic
perfection,
since
art,
by definition,
own
words, steps in one's
is
ever evolving
—
but must instead radiate from the
human
soul.
methods or techniques
According
not consist in art itself as such.
which
inward ardly ly exper experie ience nced d flow forms of things inw
harmony of soul and cosmos
The famed Greek philosopher chariot's
its
driver,
Artistic
outcome
which the
in
in reality. *
one of
his dialogues
was pulled by two horses
in
oppos-
representing our control center, he
two horses were
likened to Reason son, and the
and
together,
Plato (427—347 B.C.) in
soul to a chariot that
The
ing directions.
It
in the noth nothin ing g ha has s
to Lee:
penetrates into a deeper world in
activity does
compared the human
other
in
psychic development. This being the case, the per-
fection of such a process cannot be found in structured
all art
process,
a
Spirit
(which Plato considered
our noble emotion) and Appetite. Bruce Lee, on the ot othe her r ha hand nd, , viewed the soul
— or inner
—
self
to be a synthesis of only
our spontaneous, purer his
famous Lost
On
self)
Interview,
the one hand,
and control
there
sion, say natural instinct,
the extreme,
human
being.
is
natural instinct
For
you will be very
you become
So
forces: natural instinct
our
logical, structured self). In
(i.e.,
Lee provided the following analogy:
are to combine the two in harmony.
to
(or
two
I strive to
all
and on
if
you
the other
is
control.
cultivate only
unscientific. If
You
one dimen-
you have the other
of a sudden a mechanical man, no longer a
teach the successful combination
not pure naturalness or pure unnaturalness.
The
ideal
is
of both.
It
is
unnatural natu-
ralness or natural unnaturalness.
It is
sometimes
difficult for the
Western mi mind nd, , with with
its
thousands of years
of conditioning in the ways of theoretical knowledge, to comprehend such a relaxed, naturalistic philosophy.
Our
haps since the days of the Greeks
culture does not
— combine
— and
now
philosophy and
*Bruce Lee, The Tao ofjeet Kune Do (Santa Clarita, Calif: Ohara Publications, Linda Lee. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Inc.,
1975).
hasn't per-
art
with ath-
Copyright
You Are
It
125
©
1975 by
The
quiet, contented awareness with
which Bruce Lee viewed
life
was born
of his deep understanding of himself
was part of
that he
a vast,
—
eternal
process.
such
letic pursuits
that these
martial
as
were simply
facets
But quite
arts.
of the same
Bruce
clearly
Lee's attitude
totality:
To me, ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. is
very difficult
do.
to
I
mean
would be easy for me
it
tinue on
and
in
cool
this
my
techniques would appear to you.
phony way, blinded
to
the fact that I
impress you instead of actually expressing myself.
—
estly is
So
— and
not lying to oneself-
very hard
how
to
to
But
Now
it
as a martial artist to
put on a show and be cocky and be flooded with a cocky feeling impressive
was
to
And
at
how
uld con conI could
was doing
this
to
express oneself hon-
express myself honestly, that,
my friend,
do.
does one learn to achieve this level of honest self-expression?
According to Bruce Lee, you could learn to express yours yourself elf hon hones estly tly only through
a rigorous
commitment
to getting to
know
the real you and then
expressing the beliefs and feelings of the real you as honestly as possible
126
The Warrior Within
not expressing ings
a transitory
emotional
from the depths of your very
easy process.
It
was one
of the body. Indeed,
it
is
state
but your honest, innermost feel-
soul. This, as
Lee indicated, was not an
that required daily training of the
mind
as
well as
only through the understanding of the limits and
the capabilities of the
body and mind
it
—
train.
to
there.
it's
You have
When
move, you are determined
move
to
100 100 perc percen ent t of your honest feelings. the type of thing
this
to train
when you think
feelings so that,
To Lee,
you have
—
human
In tial
accepting even one inch less than
yourself
To become one with your
into.
than that. So that
is
is.
was the summit of human achievement
— not
success, not
est es teem eem of others, but the honest expres-
human
soul to a fellow
you
being:
to
be real? To fulfill one's poten-
instead of wa wast stin ing g en ener ergy gy on [attempting to] actualize one's dissipating
image, which
is
not real and an expenditure of one's vital energy.
great work ahead of grow,
day
And when
are moving.
less
what more can you ask for than
life,
said:
Not anything
it
financial rewards, not the opinion or
sion of a
— you
Not
move
to
mean-
to any
keep your reflexes so that when you want
to
you want
one can truly come
As Bruce Lee
ingful sense of spiritual realization.
You have
that
to discover,
—sometimes
us,
and
we need
needs devotion and much,
it
involvement, which
good, sometimes frustrating.
is
much
We
have
To
energy.
something I experience every
No
ma matt tter er wh what at, , you must
let
your inner light guide you out of the darkness.
own
In his
have
lost
life,
for example,
the lead role in the
Lee believed that
TV
series
had sought to develop and acquire
Through
this process
duty
human being
as a
it
it
was
all
right for
Kung Fu, because he knew
to
that
he
through honestly expressing himself.
of honest self-expression, he had in effect to the fullest,
him
and
that, ultimately,
fulfilled his
was the only
truly
important thing.
As self-knowledge was the key required true nature,
Lee only shook
his
head
to
unlock the door to
when he saw
li,
or our
others misjudge his mes-
sage and simply try to copy the the thin things gs that he did. Such behavior missed the
YouAreIt point entirely, for
it
wasn't a question of being like Bruce Lee
important to his success, but in
his
that
127
was
being Bruce Lee, in expressing fully the
honest feelings, emotions, and nature of his innermost being.
way
In other words, Lee discovered the self-evolution without striving
ural
against the grain of
own
its
to abide in the flow of his nat-
force
to
it
nature. Trying to
become what you
anot other her per perso son n adopting the ways or mannerisms of an
and you should be nonstriving (wu-wei), — Everyone must do your own
fice
in
way of
to explain this highly individual
When
I did
a
is
facade
Hong Kong
human
of
lot
nal security, external technique
by
wei, or arti-
Lee attempted
personal growth during a conversa-
television series back
And
beings.
—
the
way
to
in
I looked
ig6a,,
as I looked at myself,
was not being myself. I was trying
the only robot there. I
are not
broadcaster Ted Thomas:
The Green Hornet
around and I saw a
—
went
that
growing and developing
just
this for themselves.
process.
tion he shared with
something
into
to
I
was
accumulate exter-
move my arm and
so on
—
but
—
—
the word if was never asking: What would Bruce Lee have done if such a thing had happened to me? When I look around, I always learn
I
something,
have faith
and in
that
is,
yourself.
always be yourself and
to
Do
see
own
to
being,
They never
that.
and ask
Knowledge
know
himself than
observed that too
of
it
that
is
is it
many of
a construct
me
is
be the prevalent thing happening
start at the very source,
How
crucial.
to
to
copy a person's mannerisms, but they never
the question:
of yourself
you know yourself
result
to
Hong Kong. They always
beyond
know
It is
to
upon
me?
else,
truly
because
a it
human being is
than self-knowledge. There
is
selves,
no master
only once
Lee
else.
successful people as being the
of correct actions. Unfortunately, while this
our natural, spontaneous and true
approach to
for
know anything is
end
to a large
will vary with each individual.
lock to the door of ego, or self-consciousness,
fits-all
the very root of their
more important
anything
possible
us look
can I be
degree true, the concept of correct actions
The
To
not go out and look for a succ succes essf sful ul personality
and duplicate him. That seems here in
express yourself.
to
which
separates us
from
cannot be opened by any other key key, in other words,
no one-size-
satori.
128
The Warrior Within Should you attempt to employ somebody
else's
way of
attaining enlight-
enment, you end up forcing the issue (wei) and become frustrated,
like try-
ing to cram a size 9 foot into a size
maya
refer to as
with the genuine
you
—with
mired in the
In this case,
article.
a false
It
what the Hindus
also leads to
it
— the
means confusing yourself
Then you end up spending
image.
illusion
shoe.
image), which causes you to confuse the pretense
false
(a
3
real
the rest of your
life
of dualism, losing sight of the fundamental unity of
all
things, with the result that you're forever trying to find the right key to
the door to what will ultimately prove to be not your true
self,
open but an empty
soul.
Bruce Lee explained the problem in the following wrote in the early part of
Most people only
live
1973, entitled In
for their image.
That
lines
My Own is
from an
essay
he
Process :
why where some have
a
self,
most people have a void. Because they are so busy pro-
a starting point,
jecting themselves as
this
or
that,
and
they end up wasting
dissipat-
conjuring up rather than of facade, and energy on expanding and broadening their potential or
ing all their energy in projection
centering
their
expressing and
When
another
relaying
human
not help but say:
Lee
Hey now,
the place of teaching you
— of organized
When
there
which
how
direction. For this reason,
dogmas
unified
is
someone real/
substituted the
to cultivate
ways or
own was
your
beliefs
of others in
a step in
Lee was opposed to the doctrines
— or
the
wrong
rather the
religion.
asked by journalist Alex
his religious affiliation was,
Ben Block
in the
Lee answered: None
Block then pressed him further, asking him To be perfectly frank, I
communication.
energy for efficient
being sees a self-actualizing person walk past, he can-
that anything
felt
this
really do not.
if
summer of
1972
what
whatsoever.
he then believed in God:
Lee's responses to these questions are perfectly und unders erstan tandab dable le given given the
depth and nature of his philosophy. Lee believed that
made
soul that
were
we
are beings of self-
part of a vast, eternal process. Therefore, any person or
organization that held creed or, in the martial arts nomenclature, style as the ideal
was moving
knowledge of
self.
in the
wrong
direction,
away from
spiritual
growth and
Lee told Canadian journalist Pierre Berton:
You Are Styles tend to
.
.
.
separate people
—
because they each have their
129
It
own
doc-
and then
trine,
But
if
being
you do not have
— how
styles,
if
you just say
style,
because style
beyond the
natural
is
am, as a human you can do
if
a crystallization.
this,
This way
by stepping back from
While
world
—
something supernatural
for
for answers to this world's
we encounter whenever we
the age-old difficulty
tates.
I
a process of continuing growth.
To therefore spend time looking ition,
Here
can I express myself totally and completely?
then you won't create a is
you cannot change.
the doctrine becomes their gospel truth that
it,
—by
defin-
problems involves
try to understand nature
rather than simply living our lives within
dic-
its
certainly the idea of a supernatural father figure in the sky offers
enormous comfort and appeal ested in affairs that
were
to
many of
home, such
closer to
was more
us in the West, Lee as
inter-
getting in touch with his
inner energy cycles and discerning their relationship in the
quantum scheme
of things.
Lee was once asked by
which he
to
Years
ophy of
replied,
later,
younger brother Robert
if
he believed in God,
I believe in sleeping.
had the chance to ask Lee's son, Brandon, what
I
He
was.
life
his
thought for
moment, and then
a
played about his lips as he said, Eat
While these remarks of both
— or
his philos-
mischievous smile
a
die
father and son might read
somewhat
both reveal the real real-w -wor orld ld nat atu ure of Bruce Lee's philosophy, which our ou r co conc ncer erns ns while
we
live in this
glib,
is
that
world should deal with matters pertain-
ing to our survival in this world, our relationship to others in this world,
and the environment that has produced interconnected, relationships, there in order to direct It 3.
it
as
we
in the
is
process that
is
a
deity.
self-governing organism, and th the e un univ iver erse se
is
known
in
Chinese
is
a
The world
would have been individual
is
truly
as tzu-jan,
all
that
is
the case
all,
at least in
terms of
(although, perhaps,
it at
that). In
The Warrior Within
he
other words,
beings are simply cogs in the cosmic wheel
130
simply an exten-
or of itself so.
better advised to have simply left
human
is
self-governing organism, an organic
seems, then, that Wittgenstein was right after
universals.
as
nothing that stands apart from nature
envisi sion on the the West envi
sion of the bo body dy. . Ergo, rgo, th the e un univ iver erse se
we
though
In these self-governed,
hearkens back to Bruce Lee's analogy involving Kwan-yin in Chapter
The body
It
us.
we
call
the universe.
We
world and not something
are part of the
That
are part of a natural process.
is
in the clouds.
of other
life
We
of
forms that surround
us,
sweat, in winter
We
need adequate
are capable, If
we
it all
and
if
concerns are
seems rather simple
enough
we
to eat,
only on ly beca becaus use e
that's
die.
The
it is.
idea
such
a perspective, as
to reduce
is
we
understand.
the absolute simplicity of
it
can prove to be uncomfortable and occasionally hard to fathom. As Bruce
Lee hims himself elf con conclu cluded ded: :
The
It
indeed
is
definition,
deals
spiritual
not with this-worldly it
It
is
convey simplicity.
and supreme beings with divine
deals
kingdoms and discerning the
into them.
to
difficult
entire hypothesis of religion
presently flows through us. Instead,
concerns and
rules
enly father. Such a concept
we
view of the world
as
as
learned in Chapter
way
as
put
into this
world so much
monar-
the heav-
as
the antipathy of
3,
as
—
we grew
that
is,
out of
our true selves
it,
—
in exactly the
are
same
every other organism that shares space with us on the planet. (Note:
Alan Watts' extract from
book, for apart
is
democratic, self-regulating, and organic in nature.
Lee did not believe, for example, that we
somehow
and
is
and requirements for entrance
predicated on the world view that the universe
is,
it
plans,
with oth otherw erworl orldly dly hypoth hypothese eses s of
by the Judeo-Christian deity
Lee's
as
life
chical in structure, presided over
see
we
function to the fullest capacity of which
don't get
Some have problems with
by
that
Zen maxim: In summer
the superfluous to see the truth, a process of discarding until
all
manner
in a
it
shiver.
rest to
we
a
and therefore, we cannot possibly be
simple, not unlike Lee's earlier recounting of the
we
of us
on hi high gh with within in
In this respect, the solutions to this-worldly
itself so.
all
have grown out of the world like the millions
above or independent from the natural laws that regulate is
—
something that stands in
separate,
abstraction, like a detached island, either off to the side or
kingdom
we
to say,
a full elaboration
his essay
Eco-Zen,
in the
of this position.) Again, there
appendix of is
no experiencer
from the the ex expe peri rien ence ce, , and the mental detachment required
plate such otherworldly
us to stand back
concerns
from
Bru Br uce Lee Lee believed
life
in
that
is
its
yet another
one should simply
we
to
means of abstraction
contem-
that causes
suchness for the purpose of analyzing.
analyzing creates vexing problems, living low, with the result that
this
live life
life
makes
— not analyze us
more
are free of spiritual burden.
To
it.
While
like the wilthis end,
Lee
held that the real you was the Self (with a capital S), what Alan Watts called
the self of the universe.
At
this
most irreducible
level
of one's existence,
Yo u Are
It
131
one
not
is
at
from everything
separate
all
else
that
happening
is
the
at
moment. exces essi sive ve sel self-c f-cononmeans of liberation from exc
Lee's philosophy provides a
which
sciousness,
why
is
of performing any
posed was simply
a
way
his
does not consist of believing in any credo,
or of obeying
rituals,
means of correcting
some authority
figure.
What Lee
through
one's spiritual eyesight
a
cor-
rection of the astigmatism of ego, or self-consciousness. According to Lee:
What man While
has
it,
get over
the consciousness
is
this process requires a certain
Lee held that ing
to
it
is
not simply
a
—
the consciousness of himself.
amount of time
question of age
to cultivate,
some
or, as
Bruce
are fond of call-
maturity.
There
is
no such
[thing] as
process of maturing. Because
and
There
maturity.
when
there
there
the coffin
is
ongoing.
You continue
to
a conclusion
is
closed.
is
be deteriorating physically in the long process of aging, process of daily discovery
an ever-evolving
instead
a maturity,
when
That's
a cessation. That's the end.
is
is
You might
but your personal
learn
more and more
about yourself every day.
Success and Philosophy of Life
Bruce Lee believed that self-knowledge and success were interrelated. Self-knowledge was simply an accurate means by which to comprehend the worl wo rld d ar arou ound nd us and thereby and despite
him
to
its
ways and means. Lee viewed
his incredible success
keep
a level
and global popularity,
head when,
at
his
life as a
process,
ph philo iloso sophy phy al allow lowed ed
times, the wo worl rld d arou around nd
him seemed
to
be going mad. In an essay written in early 1973, entitled Another Actor Speaks His Mind, is
Lee expressed
what keeps one ahead.
that there's no
end
A
this insight:
Dedication, absolute dedication,
sort of indomitable obsessive dedication
or limit because
life
is
and realization
an ever-growing process, an ever-renew-
ing process.
The key
to success, then, lies in the
derived from learning to understand
doning
all
artifice
and
false
wisdom and
— and
the inner contentment
to live with
—
nature's ways, aban-
know owle ledg dge, e, and and replacing these with a or useless kn
Warrior Within
The
132
trustful acceptance
of nature's wisdom and feeling, in
a
humble and unpre-
tentious imitation of nature's silent dictates. Bruce Lee read Lao-tzu and well
understood
this passage
from the
sage:
—37— nev ver do doe es The Tao ne yet through If
men and women
powerful
the whole world
by
itself,
things are done.
all
it
anything,
in
its
could center themselves in
it,
would be transformed
natural rhythms.
People would be content
with their simple, everyday in
harm ha rmon ony, y, and and free of
When all
A
there
things are
row),
no
desire.
desire,
at peace.
1
group of seekers : Bruce Lee with some of his jeet kune do students, including
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
to
is
lives,
(directly
behind Bruce),
and Daniel Inosanto (standing
Daniel Lee
directly to the left
search internally for the cause of their ignorance.
(kneeling,
—
left,
front
far all training Bruce Lee) of
You Are Lee believed, however, that while we are are to
ourselves as
fulfill
human
beings
—
still alive,
it is
It
our duty
fullest
but
cess,
it
it
will not always result in spectacular
will lead to
of mind. As he put map.' Your truth truth,
is
two things
that ar are e far
I have said before.
it:
different from
.
.
.
we
more
'Truth
At
mine.
is
possi-
and world-renowned sucvaluable
nowhere
is
first,
— truth and peace
may
you
be found on a
to
think that this
but later you discover another truth and then the former truth
you are
if
extent of
our individual potential. In this process of evolution, true progress True,
—
to seek to understand ourselves, dis-
cover ourselves, and to express ourselves honestly and to the
ble.
133
is
—
denied
is
but
closer to truth.
The
function and duty of what Bruce Lee would term a quality
human
being was the sincere and honest development or actualization of our individual and unique potential.
the road
we
travel in
that will take us
be avoided life,
It's
not an easy process by any means,
our quest for self-actualization
is
with detours
littered
up the opposite path of self-image actualization
from an
In a portion
entirely.
Bruce Lee wrote
down
as often
—
a
thing to
end of his himself as a means
essay wr writ itte ten n near near the
the following thoughts to
of explaining what he had learned during his
own
personal process of self
discovery:
J have
come
to
discover through earnest personal experience
learning that ultimately the greatest help
—
help but self-help a given
task,
have done a
doing one's
which happens lot
best,
to
have no end but
during these years of
my
following propaganda, organized truths,
It is
my
self-help;
that there
is
no other
dedicating one's self wholeheartedly to
have changed from sel self-im f-image age act actuali ualizat zation ion
cause of
is
and dedicated
process.
is
As
an ongoing process.
I
my
I
well in
to self-actualization,
etc.,
process,
from blindly
to search [ing] internally for the
ignorance.
through Bruce Lee's example of successfully finding the cause of
personal ignorance that cause of our own.
we
his
are inspired today to continue searching for the
Chapter Thirteen
The Art
—
of Fighting
Without Fighting
There
tremendous scene
a
is
Enter the Dragon,
of his a large
of
junk
that
On his
is
completed
arts
New
to an island destination, the locale
tournament presided over by Han, the renegade has turned to a
Zealand martial
life
artist
of crime.
begins to flex his martial mus-
attempting to intimidate his fellow passengers, some of
opponents
forthcoming tournament.
in the
film,
perfectly expresses the highest purpose
from Hong Kong
monk who
the junk, a
Lee's last
and philosophy of jeet kune do. The scene has Lee on
sailing
brutal martial
a
Shaolin Temple
cle,
art
which
Bruce
in
He
whom
will
be
chooses to do this by pick-
ing on and brutalizing the smaller Chinese stewards and cabin boys. After
kicking
a
basket of fruit out of one's hands and then side-kicking
the deck of the boat, he focuses
looking out across the waters. boat.
He
on Lee, who
is
him
across
standing, unbelligerently,
attempts to goad Lee into
Lee ignores him. Incensed, yet curious, the martial
a
duel
artist
on the
asks
him:
What's your style?
Lee smiles
at
the question.
My
style?
You can
The
art
call
it
without fighting. This intrigues the martial
Show me some of
Lee
agrees
junk. Don't you think
Where
else?
of fighting
—without
fighting?
it
Sensing that his adversary
must be taken,
artist.
the art of fighting
—
we
is
not to be dissuaded and that some action the proviso that
with need more room?
comes the martial
they not
Lee
asks.
fight
aboard
the
artist's reply.
135
The Warrior Within
136
Lee smiles again
upon
rest
as his eyes
sandy cove. That island
a
life febo boat at th that at gestures to the li
Nodding
the beach,
at all.
At
it.
hands setting the martial
man
who
says Lee,
We
attached to the junk.
is
They come
to
then
can take this boat.
Okay.
to unfasten the rope securing the boat to the junk, the
martial artist steps into
moment, Lee
that
artist adrift
at
sea.
lets
the line play out in his
Lee had no intention of ever
though ght t had given him victory withHis swiftness of thou
out his once ever having to throw battle
— on
in agreement, the martial artist says:
As Lee works
joining the
return to scanning the oc oce ean.
through the use of the
a
punch or
He
kick.
had, in
fact,
won
the
of fighting without fighting.
art
The Cry of the Soul Let us examine this principle in a
son taught in the Japanese
Taken This
sword.
how
der
of fencing
more
then,
collectively
may come
is
the term
as
through
is
ferocious
remembered presence
the
as
art
that warfare in
is
all
counterbalanced by
became the
warriors
of
its
forms
its
way
we won-
is
However,
who were
for
many
simply applied Yang,
lords of Japan.
a kiai, a fighting yell
this
that
is
was
if,
neces-
of course,
its
into
of the fearsome samurai, the feudal
And
danger and insecurity, they took up Zen
with Zen concepts, and
—
a
Zen Buddhism was introduced
centuries involved
midst of outer turmoil. Thus, the
must be
it
complementary, Yin.
favorite philosophy
between the various feudal stant
for
us in the West, as
of sword fighting.
Interestingly enough, shortly after it
word
rendered the way of the
and therefore desirable component of the universe
Japan
Japanese
is
the pacifistic philosophy of Tao could ever be connected with any-
thing so
sary
a similar les-
kendo. Ken
the Japanese
some of
as a surprise to
detail
known
while do (pronounced doe )
for sword,
or tao.
art
little
as
as a
in
perpetual
civil
war
the samurai lived in con-
way of inner peace
in the
way of the sword became deeply imbued especially apparent in the warriors' use of
employed
in an attempt to
throw an opponent
off psychic center.
You
are
probably familiar with the various fighting
Bruce uce Lee during
his films. Lee's films
—
at least
yells
emitted by
the ones in which his authen-
The Art of Fighting tic
war
used
cries are
incorporates
—
shrill shriek
of an enraged bird.
martial arts instructor telling
me
order to evoke the mental image of that evidently,
which,
to tense up,
as
we
cries
He
wild cat com-
a
my
were high-pitched
woman
a hysterical
137
remember, years ago,
I
war
that Lee's
Fighting
profound impression.
a
high-pitched shriek, not unlike the wail of
a
bined with the
two sounds
with
leave the viewer
—Without
and
in
wild animal,
a
serve to terrify an opponent and cause him shall soon learn, is a component of Taoism applied
would
to combat.
The in
Japan
as
him
when
Rinzai), who,
a
named Lin-chi (known
him What
people would ask
would respond with
ing of Taoism? to
of an aged Chinese Taoist master
tale exists
loud scream.
is
the mean-
The people who came
for enlightenment were, needless to say, rather nonplussed, as this
way one would answer such
typically not the
is
ques questi tion on (alt (altho houg ugh h one sus-
a
famed Cambridge mathematician and Nobel
pects that Bertrand Russell, the
this a prank). Prize winner, might have enjoyed such response was However, in fact a trap set by Lin-chi to see if the questioner could be fazed and thereby
thrown off
center.
In the same way, Bruce Lee
combat
to startle his
ing for
a
would use
opponents into losing their psychic balance and think-
moment. Lee knew
that if he could cause his
would, perforce, cause hesitation or pause
that
create just the opportunity
one must learn
that
pausing. So
where there artists
in
it
is
is
in
to
all
man
martial
as
to
to the
ahead
is
—
called in the
The moral
successfully.
— without once
one
until that is
critical
is
hesitating or
in jeet
kune
Good
do,
martial
moment where one
thereby done
Chinese mo
chih ch'u,
without pause or hesitation. There
is
a
for.
which means going
Zen poem
famous Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, which
Under the sword hell
But go
And
would
almost dance together and appear to be going
one body
Is
to think,
this hesitation
most notably, perhaps,
arts,
pauses to think, loses his guard, and
straight
Tao
opponent
be no interval between attack and defense.
combat seem
This attitude
— and
Lee needed to attack
to flow in the natural
through the motions
shout during
a similar terrifying
lifted
high
making you tremble; straight
there
is
ahead
the land of
bliss.
attributed
says:
Thl Warrior Within
138
In other words,
become
become
finds himself
How
surrounded by several opponents.
shall
respond to
I
Bruce
particularly evident in
is
hesitation,
moment.
a nonfixated response to the
This characteristic
der,
motion with no stoppage or
fluid
He
when he
doesn't hesitate and
because
this attack?
Lee's films
won-
he did, he would, in
if
concen entr trat atin ing g too too much on defending himself against one oppobe conc nent on only one side. His mind, in other words, would be stuck on that effect,
one opponent, with the
from the other
Lee
Instead,
side.
he called an unstuck mind, to the entire situation
A
gung
points of the opponent.
A
nents.
attached
when is
is
es espe peci cial ally ly true true is
inexhaustible
its
it
is
object.
defeated.
it
it
does not cling
is
who
is
to
always ready it
many oppo-
it
is
nowhere
can remain present because,
is
it.
to
even
The flow of thought
flow off again.
and be open
free,
mind
to
It
can
everything
argument, you can, in
so an unstuck,
whether
gets fastened at any particular point, effect,
be caught by that point and
or nonanalytical,
requirement, not just for the successful martial vidual
dealing with
empty.
in an
And
And
power because
In other words, if your
combat or
when
present everywhere because
water filling a pond, which
because
in
is
mind
fu man's
by not dwelling on any particular
concentrated
This
any particular
to
of cultivating what
the ability to be alert and instantly responsive
related to this or that object,
like
work
gung
displays the necessity
around him.
man's mind
fu
he could be caught unaware by an attack
result that
looking to go through
life
mind
artist
is
the fundamental
but also for the indi-
without being bogged
down
in a
quagmire of perpetual problem solving. This concept has
known irony, in
kendo, which
as
man who
is
is
referent in the realm of Japanese swordsmanship
we touched upon
earlier,
since in the hands of a
adept in both Tao and kendo, the sword can, in an interesting
become
kendo
its
a
symbol of nonviolent
actually
known
as
the
resistance. In fact, the highest school
No-Sword
School,
and there
vant anecdote regarding this school that will instantly bring to
of fighting the
Dragon.
—without
fighting
is
mind
a rele-
the art
scene described above, from the film Enter
The Art According
to the tradition, there
ryboat, and just as they rai
of Fighting
was
—Without
139
samurai traveling on
a great
were putting off from
Fighting
a fer-
rowdy samu-
shore, a drunken,
stepped onto the ferry and started bragging about his prowess with a
sword.
He
turned to the
samurai and
first
of swordsmanship?
The
My
samurai answered:
first
said:
What
Well now
school
known
is
your school
is
the
as
No-Sword
School of swordsmanship. This intrigued the rowdy samurai, the
method of
No-Sword
this
chal alle leng nge e the the to ch
first
boat,
and he immediately drew
School
in
kind,
the
we might
Why
hurt innocent bystanders.
island over there?
The rowdy samurai agreed
and
at
that
drunken samurai Here,
samurai, for
was one
we
if
I
would be
fight
on
this
fight
on
that
better locale for
a
off onto the island
effectively stranded
all
com-
When
island.
ready to begin the
first
— and thereby defeated — on the
samurai, is
my No-Sword
island.
School method
the highest art of combat, both to Bruce Lee and to the
see,
to arrive at a level of such mental acuity that to
sword
his
the boat back out into the deeper waters, leaving the
it
would be pos-
achieve total victory without ever having to
weapons. Certainly
kune
said,
we go and
don't
would be
that this
jumped
called out the
As you can
Show me
moment, the other samurai grabbed the oar from the boat-
man and pushed
sible
samurai
he instructed the ferryman to take the boat over to the
they arrived, the ruffian fight,
first
show you my No-Sword School method, but
to
bat, so
then said disdainfully:
samurai.
Rather than responding happy
who
this
was
with regard to
Lee's belief
do. In fact, to this end,
his
own
Lee along with scriptwriter Stirling
use
art
one's
of jeet
Silliphant,
collaborated to pen these lines that were spoken during the premiere episode
of the television series Longstreet, which aired in North America in 1971:
Lee, I
want you
to believe it's
more than
how
just learning
to
There were a couple of times there when you were teaching that
my
martial
body and art,
hostility.
my
head
really
were
together.
It's
out of combat, I'd feel something peaceful.
Almost
as though if I
knew
jeet
kune
do,
it
defend myself.
me
that I felt
funny that out of a
Something without
would be enough sim-
ply
to
know
it.
And
by knowing
it,
never have
to
use
it.
Chapter Fourteen Lessons from
^fWmet Brandon
m
^J
inside the
Prime Ticket Building
prisingly, this
and of
spirituality,
me
me
new
Century
a
book were sown
at this
small business office
City,
to have a
personally and professionally. In
meeting,
as
California. Sur-
profound and
many
far-
respects, the
Brandon
—with
his
of self-knowledge being man man's 's met metaph aphysi ysical cal starting point,
his interpretation
entirely
in
one encounter would prove
seeds of writing this
of
Master's Son
Lee one time and one time only, in
reaching impact on
talk
a
color in
my
of his father's philosophy of jeet kune do
—put an
philosophical paint box, one that has remained with
ever since.
Gaug Ga ugin ing g from from some of the correspondence
I've received
over the years,
my
conversation with Brandon that day has had a similar impact
ers
who
have read portions of the edited transcripts, which have appeared
have the audiotape of our conversation, play from time to time to brush up on some of the insights that
in several martial arts journals.
which
I
upon oth-
I
still
Brandon shared with me during the course of our conversation. In reviewing this material again now,
it
strikes
me
that while
Bruce and Brandon shared 141
Thh Warrior Within
142
Brandon Lee
—
an artist of life
many
similarities, as
ing,
believe,
I
I
you would expect with
was the depth of
was particularly impressed
father and son, the
a trace
of
artifice
that hot
and humid afternoon by Brandon's
or self-consciousness
an open, deep, and honest plane. rience and for the lessons
But
I
— and
I'll
in
I
finally
which he
—with-
— communicated with me on such
— or
rather,
me
how
for a
it
side streets that,
moment
almost didn't.
to a blind panic
—up
and
as
Century
found the building that was to be
as I
I
this
expe-
recollect
how
recall driving
down what seem
make up
collectively,
crowded periphery of Lo Los s An Ange gele les s known
When
in
learned from a master's son that day.
something akin
be the thousand or so
way
be forever beholden to him for
get ahead of myself. Indulge
our meeting came about fast
I
strik-
their philosophical perspective.
absolute genuineness of soul, the almost effortless
out
most
to
that always
City.
my
destination for the
remainder of the morning, Unfortunately, story of
my
was already
it
was supposed
I
life:
was
I
to have
Not bad time
11:15 a.m.
been there
11:00 a.m.
at
—
—
sharp.
late again.
Lessons from
Worse
yet,
was
I
late for
up with Brandon Lee, I
an interview that
person with
a
was thirteen years of
age.
was
It
whom
a
wanted
set
to converse ever since
my
this point in
at
143
had taken great pains to
I
I'd
Master's Son
that
life
had
I
first
learned of Bruce Lee and of the fact that he had died tragically young, but that his life-force
and
would meet. age?
had been preserved in two children, an eight-year-old boy
four-year-old
a
now
have
I
position
feel so
I
that
moment
that
confident about this
at this
point that
Shannon, quite well
I
(she has
— and
have
also
come
first-rate
actress
August 1992, the one person the longest period of time was Brandon Lee. In any event,
when
while she went to fetch the for the interview that
I
was
Brandon Lee.
in stepped
—
himself.
As
I
in her
of wu-wei in motion.
my
materials
remember being
eyes, since
I
had
fully
later.
I
right),
but
I
was
Robi Ro bin n Baum Baum, ,
my
tape
swung open and the surface of a
room and turned
had never met. Brandon walked with a definite demeanor was completely relaxed and natural, a I
I
recall
keenly wanting to remember the
contact and the feel of th the e te text xtur ure e of his hand as struck
by the
fact that
moment
as
the establishing of eye
we
clasped hands in greet-
Brandon had piercing green
expected them to be brown (although
why
I
thought
cannot fathom).
After silence
a
Lee's lit-
battery levels in
down upon
of meeting, of wanting to remember such things
I
was
into a unique
own
publicist,
took up most of the space in the
whom
this,
that
busied myself in preparation
come by checking
placed
to face the fri friend end spring in his step, and his
also
it
I
had most wanted to meet
room by Brandon's
man to
I
large conference table that
I
years
know Bruce
to
recorder, the question sheet, and so on, the door suddenly
ing.
at
entered the building and clea cleare red d rece recept ptio ion, n,
I
told to wait in a small adjoining
sort
time, or
at that
grown up and blossomed
until that day in
for
one day the boy and
Monica Boulevard some nineteen
and beautiful human being
up
at
only the vaguest of speculations, but nevertheless,
off of Santa
should mention tle girl,
did
knew
I
held right up until the day our lives did indeed intersect in that
I
office
little
Why
girl.
we shook
hands,
I
remember
by no means uncomfortable
in
that there
followed
which neither one of
a
moment of
us said a
for me.
word
The
—
—
but remained with our eyes fixed upon one another.
man now
with the
familiarity
how
kept up on
fact that I'd
him grow from
felt a
strange sense of
st stan andi ding ng befo before re me, no doubt owing to the
his career
had been progressing and had seen
man through
a child to a
I
the eyes of the press. There was
The Warrior Within
144
the brave
nine-year-old boy, holding his mother's hand in an attempt
little
to console her at his father's funeral in Seattle; there
man who Game
prem emie iere re of what proved to be his dad's attended the pr
and more
of Death;
ready to carve out his
now
was the proud young
was the budding young
recently, there
own
on the world
— on
who had been
All of us
don's arrival. Perhaps
perately to see
hand
was
that
his
the reason for
him
own
man
fans
we may be
of
his father
his cinematic
forgiven our selfishness for wanting so des-
succeed, to see his father's torch passed on to the only
Naive
it.
being there that day was,
I
as
it
may
read now, part of
thought, to do
me now
destiny. It strikes
as
my
part in help-
him
being somewhat
attached such significance to an encounter that was, in
Brandon happened
course of hi his s li life feti time me. . Nevertheless,
my
meet etin ing g had had the fact that this one me
profound impact on
Baum
down if
we would
to talk.
We
like
silly
that
at a
anything to drink
large
I
to grant during the
retrospective cynicism cannot erase
my
life.
reappeared and indicated that the two of us should
from one another
across
a
to ful-
probability, sim-
all
ply one of dozens of interviews that
Suddenly
ready to
had hoped feverishly for Bran-
ing Brandon receive the kind of publicity that was necessary for fill
superstar,
terms.
truly capable of carrying
my
The
niche in Hollywood. All of these images were
standing before me, incarnate, in the form of a young
take
last film,
— such
oak conference as coffee
table.
—before she
both replied in the affirmative. Brandon looked
at
sit
She inquired left us
alone
me and
said
only bad sin is that I drink a lot of coffee. As Baum left for the caffeine -laden beverages, Brandon kicked back in his chair, taking
with full
a smile,
My
adv dva ant nta age of the comfort afforded him by his casual dress that day of
white cotton T-shirt and black denim jeans.
He
smiled
easily, sincerely,
and
as
you might expect from one supremely
confident in the ma mast ste ery of their craft (or their gung
theme of
worn was
this book),
I
keep within the
he had an aura of co conf nfid iden ence ce ab abou out t him. His hair was
rather long, and
slight.
fu, to
I
was struck
at
once
that, physically,
estimated his weight to be perhaps 155 pounds
Brandon's build
—but
then, as he
told me, there
were reasons
for his current appearance:
The Crow,
Right now I'm getting ready for body
way down.
fat
down
It's
to
so
I'm
just trying to get
about 6 percent right now, but
I
want
Lessons from a Master's Son go,
painfully thin,
like,
and I'm trying
ing a great degree of muscle mass,
do that without significantly
to
but
it's
hard because
that's
145
los-
such a fine
line to walk.
wasn't long into the con conver versat sation ion befo before re Brandon's spin on his father's principle of jeet kune do ( research your own experience ) became
It
first
evident:
my father
J respect I've
grown up
ences than he
sued
very much, but I'm a very different person than he was.
in a different
had
as a result. Acting, however,
a large degree on
to
was nine years
so
old,
many
country and obviously had
my
own. You know
we never
is
passed away when I
had a chance
really
different influ-
something I feel I've pur-
my dad
to
get into any real
deep conversations about acting or a mutual appreciation of films or anything like that. different
got into
And
ways that it
I've
had
my dad
the opportunity to pursue acting in a lot of
didn't have the opportunity
when he was much
older than I
Brandon, obviously, was not looking which,
we
as
was when
to
because he
do,
I got into
it.
for a successful personality to copy,
learned in Chapter 12, his father had identified as the
wrong
self-ac f-actua tualiz lizatio ation. n. Instead, Brandon had ap appl plie ied d th the e second prinapproach to sel ciple tial
of jeet kune do ( Absorb what
arts
—
a
practice he
began
at
is
from my started life
father.
me
in
I'm completely beholden
until he passed away,
was with one of
me
is
so connected to
when
to
my dad
I could walk.
and then even when
his students.
throughout the course of to
own process:
which are an integral part of
the martial arts
my
pertained to the mar-
it
the feet of his father and that he found
particularly useful in developing in his
I guess the martial arts,
useful ), as
So while
I've
He
my
life,
come
for that. trained
I continued
had some
I
entirely
mean, he
me my
my
entire
training,
it
different influences
martial arts training, essentially the martial arts
my dad
that
it's
almost like they're not different at
my to
all.
that has been his strongest influence.
I guess
Even though Brandon learned much from his father's
message transcended his
art,
his his fath father er, ,
and Bruce Lee's
he also realized that
call to
keep on flow-
Warr rrio ior r With Within in The Wa
146
Brandon
(right)
and Shannon
visit their
father on the set 0/
Game
of Death. The
Lee family was always together.
ing
was heeded by
training
and keep
Brandon
his son,
who
me: My martial
To learn new things
evolving.
also indicated that
arts films that
told
would have
all the
arts
goal
is
that simply
only arrest his
being
own
he had been offered
many
roles in martial
resulted in his following in his father's footsteps,
copy or inviting comparisons with
spiritual
him from developing In other words,
a
keep
time.
but Brandon right away saw the limits to traveling along such
knew
just to
in his
and
own
artistic
development, and
a
path.
his father it
He
would
would prevent
process.
Brandon had decided
to reject these roles
under the third
principle
( Reject what
fourth principle, the
He
useless )
is
in
summum bonum
order to continue evolving to the
( Add what
is
complying with such an easy money
realized that
request, his choice
would have been based upon seeking approval from others and
how
decide
he,
as
your own ).
specifically
letting
an individual, should evolve. Brandon emphasized the
Lessons from a Master's Son
theme espoused by by seeking
his
All I can
his
contentment from
tell
you
is
that
downplay
or live
up
the
and your own
Our
conversation evolved in
do your
else.
own work based on your own
either
gut, your
life.
course to the topic of psychology
its
me some
It
was
of his more interesting insights into
condition:
an interesting experience
that,
should you ever talk
has a real big chip on their shoulder,
it's
they see.
And
to
so painfully obvious ally has the chip
anything without
That's what
somebody on the outside looking what
they're
at a
hung up on, but
on their shoulder,
it's
their
to
somebody who
point of view
like their
viewed through that chip on their shoulder.
He
career,
You just
instincts,
It's
your own
comparison with somebody
to a
own
human
in
based on
You have
here that Brandon shared with
faith in yourself
you're actually working as an actor,
can't do that.
to
147
source within rather than without:
a
you cannot make choices
when
career choices or choices
trying to
— always be yourself and have
dad
to
filters
is
entirely
everything
person lik e th a at t,
it's
the person that actu-
whole world and they can't see
it.
explained that he'd just finished the movie Rapid Fire and that one
of the things that had attracted him to the project was the opportunity to play a character with just such a chip on his shoulder:
about
/ think the best thing
of the film all
to
kind of
lift
this
kid
is
that he gets the chance at the
that chip off his shoulder.
kind of had that experience where we've kind of
our shoulders and said: spective.
At
them
Wow,
the beginning
it's
And
end
you know, we've
lifted a
great weight off
so simple now. I can see a different per-
the film,
though, he's somebody
who
really
of has that, and I liked that,
when
because
you're playing a young character
which, of course, I'm going to be doing for a couple more years, oftentimes it's so hard be beca caus use e th they ey don't have any history to them. I mean, in general,
how many
guy who's twenty-two
stories does a
have a
just doesn't
lot
of history
him.
to
years old have to tell?
That's one reason that
it's
He
such a
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
148
great chance to be an actor, because
your
forties,
But
draw on.
ences to
Hey,
like
it's
I've
when you
got more stories
this character I
give and more experi-
to
[the
role
and
I liked the
way he got
beginning of the film that resolved
itself,
to
called for
have a genuine problem
in a sense,
I
Bran-
Tiananmen Square
don' don's s char charac acte ter r to witness the death of his father at the massacres],
into
play did have some background.
Tiananmen Sq Squa uare re ba back ckgr grou ound nd
liked the whole
and
get into your thirties
—
by the end
at
the
if the film
works for you.
note now, with
I
a certain
played in Rapid Fire was, in
pos the removal of
never
known
a
struggling to find his
own
do not interpret
his father's
son
he was quite vocal
own development
—
respects, not unlike himself
Lee, as
Brandon's
and
Please
be
life,
Lee's son,
qualifier
to
Brandon
as
names. For most of his
man
many
apro-
at least,
chip from one's shoulder. For the longest time, he was
simply
Bruce
degree of pathos, that the character Brandon
and
I
are
known by our own
name was immediately joined by
this presented
no small problem
the
young
to a
identity in the world.
this in
any way to mean that Brandon wasn't proud
—because he most
in
you or
acknowledging
definitely was,
and rightly
so.
his father's positive influence
his father's contributions to the
In fact,
on
realm of martial
his
arts,
filmmaking, and philosophy. Nevertheless, Brandon recognized the absolute necessity father's
of his
own
personal
evolution and development outside of his
enormous and unquestioned
of his adult
life
to
legacy.
achieve independence
Brandon
strove throughout
of mind, body, and
through their achievement, he became liberated. Although doxical, his
it
was
father's
actually
it
much
spirit,
may sound
and
para-
through the direct understanding and application of
philosophy that Brandon became, liberated from his father's
shadow.
This process,
as
you
are probably well
aware
at this point,
involved his
know and
getting to
express himself through
called an artist of life,
and
ironically,
Brandon
becoming what
he became one with
In time,
and
where he knew
latter,
and
film.
fully in his films.
so doing, he
found peace
in accepting
ing the fact that he was his father's son. In
The
openly stated his pride in his lineage.
through — from had
a
The
issue
own
Brandon
when we broached ing
a
effectively
was
it
a
process of self-
also a
began
that day, his discourse really
how
removed
philosoph-
their respective lifetimes.
the topic of the martial
personal training program and
arts.
He
he looked upon
to sparkle
spoke openly about his it
as a
means of achiev-
sense of mental and physical self-knowledge:
I'm
really
interested
in
that point yon
exhaustion at something, whether cise.
I'm interested
how much say,
Oh,
self with
of
is
it
that's
in see seein ing g jus just t
it's
like
All right,
your mother's head, and he says,
—
you're doing ger,
say,
jump
otherwise I will'
—
When
of that
if
there's a 'If
is
you can do
man
standing with a gun
it
—7
won't pull the
You've got
make
level in order to
continue doing whatever foolish thing
causing you so
much
From
and
you actually challenge your-
you do one more' of whatever
lenge yourself this way. I find that you have to
discomfort
a physical point
you reach that point where you
rope for one more minute see if
actually fail from
weight training or cardiovascular exer-
I can't do another one,
something
when you
reach
how much
a mental point.
it
he
unique personalities, both father and son
drew heavily from during the course of In speaking with
life,
chip or burden, in other words,
been — of resolving problems through
desp spit ite e th thei eir r ical reservoir that, de
149
he was, includ-
near the end of his
recurring theme in this book, and
a
is
who
long process of self-actualization
his shoulder.
actualization
Master's Son
a
himself for
fact,
it
it
Bran-
his true passion resided.
By
that
which he expressed honestly
his true nature,
Lessons from
father
same sa me medi media a
selected the
his father chose in order to accomplish this: the martial arts
don focused heavily on the
his
to
into a is
try
and
game
at
it
to is
trig-
chal-
some
you're doing that's
From
such training experiences, Brandon learned
much about
himself in
terms of his mental and phy physic sical al limit limitat ation ions s and the power of his mind in
extending the limits of both. Brandon found in the martial system of self-defense
him
not just
arts,
a
a
It
true and profound sense of gung fu. taught lessons about his physicality, his emotional fortitude, and even a pro-
found sense of
but
The martial
spirituality:
arts
is
a pursuit that,
in
very capable of providing some deep and las lastin ting g spi spirit ritual ual experiences if that
person
open
is
to
my
mind,
a person
to
is
—
them.
The Warrior Within
150
I
him how he had derived such
asked
from the practice of such his
sense of enligh enlighten tenmen ment t
a spiritual
a physical activity.
And
at that
moment, he waxed
most eloquent:
would say
Well, I the
road
martial arts
— you
attempt
to
— and
you move down the road towards mastery of
stop you
And
own
limitations,
from continuing
to
when you come up
your natural
ability,
that
barriers inside yourself that will
pursue the mastery of the martial
these barriers are such things as
when you come up
against your
against the limitations of your will, your
your courage,
And
failure as well, for that matter. riers,
you are constantly moving down
you know,
end up coming up against these
arts.
ability,
When
this:
as
how you
deal with success
— and
you overcome each one of these bar-
you end up learning something about yourself.
And
sometimes,
the
things you learn about yourself can, to the individual, seem to convey a certain spiritual sense along with
I
asked
him
if,
by
them.
spirituality,
he meant one's soul in
a
self-knowledge
sense of the term. His response proved very insightful indeed:
Yes,
not only a self-knowledge but, through knowledge of self a knowledge
of others as well.
It's
funny how you can only
see things in hindsight really,
you know? You can look at someone else going through much the same thing you're going through and, only then, really sec it clearly— after you've gone through
it.
And
I think there
long as you continue It's
progress,
funny,
every
to
a certain
is
amount of
spirituality in that, as
do that.
time
you
you are a child again.
come up against
And
it's
a
true
barrier
to
your
a very interesting experience to be
reduced, once again, to the level of
you face
it
doing.
of room for learning and growth when that happens
I think there's a lot if
knowing nothing about what you're
head on and don't choose
Ah, screw that
to say,
I'm going
do something else
to
We
reduce ourselves at a certain point in our lives
we already know how
suing things that
want
to
to do.
to
kind of solely pur-
You know, because you don't
have that experience of not knowing what you're doing and being
And
an amateur again. interesting
I think that's rather unfortunate.
and usually illuminating
to
put yourself
It's
so
in a situation
much more where you
Lessons from a Master's Son don't
know
already
what's going
know
essentially
to
happen,
than
what the outcome
to
151
do something again that you
will be within three or four points
either way.
There
is
much wisdom
ence to becoming like
who
in
Brandon's words, and upon hearing his refer-
a child in
hence, one's spirituality, tzu,
I
order to expand one's
life
experiences and,
was immediately reminded of the words of Lao-
wrote:
—55— He who
possesses virtue in
may be compared
abundance
to an infant.
Like his father, Brandon's insights into the years.
and
To me, he appeared
his discourse
tion, in fact, that
on these
1
human
wise old philosopher within
a
topics fascinated me.
It
condition belied his a
young man's body,
was during
Brandon delivered what has become
this conversa-
his classic statement
regarding the conceptual underpinnings of his father's very nonclassical martial art
of jeet kune do:
You know,
it's
generally what jeet it's
interesting.
my
style
kune do while he was simple
simple
to
expression
—
to
When is,
peop opl le ask
me
I usually say that
alive
and
the question in interviews,
my
father created the art
I have been trained in that. Because
say that. However, I actually truly feel that
say
that
because jeet kune
of the martial
arts,
do
was
and he himself
writings before he passed away, if jeet
my
it's
father's
a
little
bit too
very personal
actually said in
kune do ever becomes an
one of his issue in the
if
martial arts world, that is
jeet et this or je
kune do
is,
an issue
We
or
that,
is
would rather have seen the name intended
to
to
where people are saying jeet kune do will
form
just pass
So I always
feel a
little
bit
my own
say that I practice
intended
who to
Because
away.
saying
silly
although I cert certai ainl nly y have been trained in
everyone
kune do school,
a jeet
become another sacred cow. I mean, he intended
sacred cows.
do,
to
It
it.
interpretation of jeet
kune do does
practices jeet
—
was never
it
kill a
to
he
I practice jeet
lot
of
kune
would be more accurate
kune
because
do.
fust
that's
as,
what
frankly, it
was
be.
The Warrior Within
152
Danny tial
arts
Inosanto,
school in
my
sifu
/and the
man who
Los Angeles during the
late
ran Bruce Lee's third mar-
1960s] always talks about
teaching jeet kune do concepts. In other words, teaching someone the concepts,
way of
a ce cer rta tain in
ing them techniques.
thinking behind the martial
To me, that kind of
giving someone a fish and teaching them
arts,
as
opposed
illustrates the difference
how
to fish.
to teach-
between
You could teach some-
one a certain block, and then they have that block; or you can teach someone the concept that an entire area
Oh,
can say:
perform
of
it
that's a lot
this
lies
behind such a block, and then you have given them
thinking that they can I see
way
of what
creating a dedicated,
—
if that's
or that lies
grow and
the conc conce ept, pt,
way and
still
behind jeet kune
evolve in themselves.
then you could probably also
remain true do.
And
free-form martial artist.
Bruce Lee couldn't have
said
it
They
better himself.
to
that
the concept. is
And
then dedicated
to
Chapter Fifteen Signposts
g
^
far
ometime
in early 1973,
Bruce Lee drafted
^^^^fe who had contacted him with
J
(i.e.,
kune
de decl clin inin ing g the the request, Lee stated:
Time -wise
—when time permits — you — of
but I'm willing
The
to
traveler in this case
was
who want
Quite in keeping with
At the time, Lee was
a
I
which
to teach. Graciously
wouldn't have time to teach,
to honestly express myself or to
a sign
to act as a sort
tinent to anyone of us
do.
producing, writing, directing, choreographing, and
starring in films) to have any free time left over in
myself
pole for
man named
to travel
John, but Lee's advice
down
his personal philosophy,
pointer toward truth,
open
a traveler.
life's
is
per-
road in search of truth.
Lee realized that the most
enlightened form of teaching was to serve not as a giver of truth as a
young man
the intent of receiving instruction
in Lee's martial philosophy of jeet
too busy working
a letter to a
but rather
to point a student in the direction of one's
own
would ultimately
truth in the hope that the student
My
put a finer point on this by adding:
—
maintain that art
true art that
decoration or embellishment.
of
NOT
is
—
Instead
is
it
a
never
is
a constant process of maturing {in the sense
having arrived ).
different paths
ferent,
experience will help but I insist and
cannot be handed out. Furthermore, art
Lee believed that the road to
many
own. Lee
find his or her
— out of
with different wants,
common
true selves
and from that truth to satori, had People, as Lee noted earlier, are dif-
truth,
necessity.
we
and aspirations, and while
desires,
share
all
biological root, the individual expression of our personalities and is
tremendously diverse. In his
when we have
letter,
Lee continued: You
you'll sec that your
the opportunity of working out,
see,
way of
John, thin k153
Warr rrio ior r Wi With thin in The Wa
154
ing
is
same
definitely not the
sonal' liberty.
While
a
in guiding
Your way
is
as mine. Art,
not
my
after all,
Nor mine
way.
personal letter from Bruce Lee
one along
life's
down
He was
his thoughts as
a
means of acquiring
'Per-
yours.
would serve
as quite a signpost
road, letter writing wasn't the only
post that Lee chose to erect to help his students fully capable of.
is
become
form of sign-
that they
all
were
an avid writer and note jotter, furiously scribbling
they percolated through his mind.
The
style
of writ-
ing that Lee often chose to express these concepts was the time -honored Chinese style of poetic aphorism: To change with change
Life
is
is
the changeless state.
a constant process of relating.
c$&
Not
being tense but ready.
but flexible.
Not
thinking but not dreaming.
Not
Liberation from the uneasy sense of confinement.
wholly and quietly
alive,
aware and
alert,
ready for whatever
being set
It
may
is
being
come.
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