The Contribution of JUDO to Education
Besides the acquisition of useful knowledge, we must endeavour to improve our intellectual powers, such as memory, attention, observation, judgment, reasoning, imagination, etc. But this we should not do in a haphazard manner, but in accordance with psychological laws, so that the relation of those powers one with the other shall be well harmonised. It is only by faithfully following the principle of maximum-efficiency?that is Judo?that we can achieve the object of rationally increasing our knowledge and intelectual power.
I shall now speak about the moral phase of Judo. It is not my intention to speak of the moral discipline given to students in the exercise room, such as the observance of the regular rules of etiquette, courage, and perseverance, kindness, and respect for others, impartiality, and fair play, so much emphasised in athletic sports throughout the world. The training in Judo has a special moral import in Japan because Judo, together with other martial exercises, was practised by our Samurai, who had a high code of honour, the spirit of which has been bequeathed to us through the teaching of the art. In this connection I wish to explain to you how the principle of maximum-efficiency helps us in promoting moral conduct. A man is sometimes very excitable and prone to anger for trivial reasons. But when one comes to consider that "to be excited" is an unnecessary expenditure of energy, giving benefit to nobody but often doing harm to himself and others, it will be seen that student of Judo must refrain from such conduct.
A man is sometimes despondent from disappointment, is gloomy, and has no courage to work. To such a man Judo comes with the advice to find out what is the best thing he can do under the existing circumstances. Paradoxical as it may seem, such a man is, to my mind, in the same position as one who is at the zenith of success. In either case, there is only one course to follow, that is, what after due consideration he deems to be the best course of action at the time. Thus the teaching of Judo may be said to lead a man from the depths of disappoinment and lethargy to a state of vigorous activity with a bright hope for the future.
The same reasoning, applies to those persons who are discontented. Discontented persons are often in a sulky state of mind and blame other people for what is their own fault and without attending to their own business. The teaching of Judo will make such persons understand that such conduct is against the principle of maximum-efficiency, and will make them realize that by the faithful pursuance of that principle they will become more cheerful. Thus the teaching of Judo is, an a variety of ways, serviceable to the promotion of moral conduct.
Finally, I wish to add a few words to the emotional phase of Judo. We are all aware of the pleasurable sensation given to the nerves and muscles through exercise, and we also feel pleasure at the attainment of skill, in the use of our muscles, and also through the sense of superiority over others in contest. But besides these pleasures there is that love of beauty and delight in it derivable from assuming graceful attitudes and performing graceful movements and also in seeing such in others. The training in these, together with the pleasure obtainable from watching various movements symbolical of different ideas; constitutes what we call the emotional or the aesthetic phase of Judo.
I believe you have already come to see what kind of thing Judo really is, in contra-distinction to the Jujitsu of feudal times.
If I now state in a concise form what I have said, it might be summed up as follows:
Judo is a study and a training in mind and body as well as in the regulation of one's life and affairs. From the thorough study of the different methods of attack and defence I became convinced that they all depend on the application of one all-pervading principle, namely: "Whatever be the object, it can best be attained by the highest or maximum-efficient use of mind and body for that purpose." Just as this principle applied to the methods of attack and defence constitutes Jujitsu, so does this same principle, applied to physical, mental and moral culture, as well as to ways of living and carrying on business, constitute the study of, and the training in, those things.
Once the real import of this principle be understood, it may be applied to all phases of life and activity and enable one to lead the highest and the most rational life.
The real understanding of this principle need not necessarily be arrived at through the training in the methods of attack and defence, but as I came to conceive of this idea through training in these methods, I made such training in contest and the training for the development of the body the regular means of arriying at the principle.
This principle of maximum-efficiency, when applied to the keying-up or perfecting of social life, just as when applied to the coordination of mind and body?in the science of attack and defence?demands, first of all, order and harmony among its members, and this can only be attained through mutual aid and concession, leading to mutual welfare and benefit.
The final aim of Judo, therefore, is to inculcate in the mind of man a spirit of respect for the principle of maximum-efficiency and of mutual welfare and benefit, leading him so to practise them that man individually and collectively can attain to the highest state, and, at the same time, develop the body and learn the art of attack and defence.
If we closely observe the actual state of society all over the world, notwithstanding the fact that morality in all its forms (religious, philosophical and traditional) is meant to improve man's conduct in society and make the world ideal, the fact seems quite the contrary. We notice vices, quarrels, and discontent in every level of society, from the highest to the lowest. While we are taught hygiene and correct ways of living in school from childhood up to mature age, we still are prone to neglect the rules of good clean living and of hygienic and orderly lives.
The actual facts prove that our society is lacking in something which, if brought to light and universally acknowledged, can remodel the present society and bring greater happiness and satisfaction to this world. This is the teaching of maximum-efficiency and mutal welfare and benefit.
I do not mean to say that our time-honoured moral precepts and hygienics should be shelved. On the contrary, let those precepts and advice be respected ever as they used to be, but in addition to these, our principle of maximum-efficiency and mutual welfare and benefit should ever be paramount.
This I emphatically say, because in this age at criticism and new ideas, for any teaching to have effect, it must have behind it, some indubitable reason or fact.
We do not hear the thinking man to-day say, "Because I beleive in such and such a thing, therefore you must believe in it," or, "I came to such and such a conclusion through my own reasoning; therefore you also must come to the same conclusion." Whatever one affirms must be based on facts or reasoning which no same person can deny or doubt. Certainly none can deny the value of the principle "Whatever be the object, it can best be attained by the highest or maximum-efficient use of mind and body for that purpose."
Again, none can deny that it is only by aiming at mutual welfare and benefit that every member of society can keep from discord and quarreling, and live in peace and prosperity. Is it not because of the universal recognition of these facts that people have come to talk so much about efficiency and scientific management and that everywhere these are being advocated ?
In addition to this, the principle of give-and-take is more and more coming to be the determining factor in the lives of all human beings. Is it not because this principle of mutual welfare and benefit has been recognised that we came to form the League of Nations and the Great Powers of the world came to meet for the decrease of naval and military armaments ? These movements are also automatic acknowledgments of the crying need of efficiency and mutual welfare and benefit. They must be fostered by the educational forces of every country in which Judo should have a prominent part.
玉置 宣宏訳（元全日本柔道連盟教育、普及委員会特別委員）
鈴木 茂雄補訳（元高等学校英語科教諭）