Wing
Chun's Combat Mentality
Putting it all Together
by
"Gau Lin" David Pangan
"No
man is invincible,
and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him
invincible. "
--Musashii
The martial arts
were developed for the sole purpose of defending one's self, family, beliefs,
and country from aggression. Naturally, with a difference in cultures various
methods and tools were developed according to fighting experiences and study.
Often, people believe that victory in fighting is obtained merely through the
application of proper techniques and by learning these techniques anyone should
be capable of winning. So the question arises why if all techniques are
basically the same and acquire their validity from universal principles is it
that one man prevails over another? The answer is the fighting mentality, the
mind of the warrior.
The first step in preparing one's mind for combat is to settle in the mind an
acceptable reason for the violent option. In combat the outcome is simple it is
a matter of life and death. Lau Tzu wrote, "It is because arms are
instruments of ill omen and there are Things that detest them that one who has
the way does not abide by their use ... When one is compelled to use them, it is
best to do so without relish. There is no glory in victory, and to glorify it
despite this is to exult in the killing of men. One who exults in the killing of
men will never have his way in the empire."2 Combat is an ugly, brutal
event it ends in the serious injury or death of one or more of the combatants. A
person who trains for combat must ask the question, "What am I willing to
kill for, and what am I willing to die for?" With the sobering reality of
life and death an insult or a dirty look should be little motivation to engage
in a physical confrontation. There is no room for an erroneous judgement . call
and no room for an inflated ego.
Martial arts were developed to survive the reality of combat not for sport or
entertainment. A true warrior does not fight for trophies, money, or
recognition; to do so is a perversion of martial arts and a desecration of the
honor and virtues upon which a warrior builds his character. At what price will
one sell his honor?
An essential component of a warrior mind set is humility. Humility is the
realization that one does not know everything and that every person has the
ability to teach us something about ourselves. A great fighter realizes that
there are no guarantees and that anyone can win or lose on any given day. He
does not boast of his ability nor instigate a confrontation he respects everyone
and degrades no one. Lau Tzu wrote, "One who excels as a warrior does not
appear formidable; One who excels in fighting is never roused in anger, One who
excels in defeating his enemy does not join issue; One who excels in employing
others humbles himself before them."3
Additionally, one never underestimates the opponent or the nature of a
confrontation. Lau Tzu wrote, "There is no disaster greater than taking on
an enemy too easily. So doing nearly cost me my treasure [life]. Thus of two
sides raising arms against each other, it is the one that is sorrow-stricken
that wins."4 The true warrior understands that all life is precious and
can't be destroyed without purpose. This principle is reciprocal in that one's
own life is never risked for myriad purposes or something so petty as pride.
The fighting mentality of the warrior seems to be almost a contradiction in
terms. If one is thinking only about winning or just not losing defeat is nearly
unavoidable. The warrior does not try to win or lose rather he allows the fight,
to create itself. He sees a fight in its totality and in the moment. He is
neither concerned about the future or the past, but rather he lives in the
present. The Zen philosopher Takuan Soho wrote, "Presumably, as a martial
artist, I do not fight for gain or loss, am not concerned with strength or
weakness, and neither advance a step nor retreat a step. The enemy does not see
me. I do not see the enemy. Penetrating to a place where heaven and earth have
not yet divided, where Yin and Yang have not yet arrived, I quickly and
necessarily gain effect."5
There is a principle that when fighting you will be hit. The warrior understands
this truth and thus prepares himself to risk everything to gain nothing, and
therefore gains everything. When hit if one concentrates on the fact that he has
been struck he will certainly be struck again. Conversely if one thinks only of
not being hit in the ftiture he again will be struck. The only way is to
perceive the moment and act on the reality. Takuan Soho wrote, "Victory is
gained without stirring from where you are." 6 Your mind remains centered
and focused on the moment. The warrior maintains a balanced mind.
Moreover, a warrior understands the principles of no mercy and no compassion for
his opponent. Mercy is not harming the opponent physically and compassion is
empathizing with the enemy's feelings. The warrior realizes that mercy or
compassion will handicap his ability to survive in combat. However, it is a
mentality not based on apathy but on a desire to survive. The warrior never
relishes cruelty. He ends a fight as quickly and efficiently as possible,
anything more is the spirit of vengeance and a defense of pride, not honor.
The mind of the warrior, or the fighting mentality can be attained by anyone.
The way to insure that one does not hesitate is to fix it in the mind that you
will do anything to stay alive even if it costs someone's life. A person must
decide how they want to live and what they will do to defend those values and
beliefs that make them who they are. To a warrior the fighting mentality molds
his character and allows him to transcend the ordinary while engaged in combat.
It governs a different way of thinking and becomes an essential ingredient of
martial skill. In Zen one who has achieved this state of mind is called
enlightened. The mind of the warrior, in the end, becomes nothing more than
seeing things as they truly are and realizing the beauty hidden in that
simplicity.
