Master Gichin Funakoshi’s 20 Precepts Shōtō Niju Kun

Originally posted on September 12, 2012 on Wikipedia

Master Gichin Funakoshi was born in 1868 in Okinawa and at the age of 11, began to study karate. He practiced hard and rapidly became good at both the Shorin and Shorei styles.

Master Funakoshi died in April of 1957 and has the words “Karate ni sente nashi” or “There is no first attack in Karate”, engraved on his gravestone.

Master Funakoshi’s pen name was ‘Shoto’ meaning pine waves and ‘Kan’ meaning hall or building. So after his death, his students used the name Shotokan in his honour, today Shotokan karate is one of the most popular martial styles in the world.

• Karate-do wa rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru koto wo wasuruna. Karate begins and ends with courtesy.
• Karate ni sente nashi. There is no first strike in karate.
• Karate wa gi no tasuke. Karate stands on the side of justice
• Mazu jiko wo shire, shikoshite tao wo shire. Know yourself before you know others.
• Gijutsu yori shinjutsu. Mental technique rather than physical.
• Kokoro wa hanatan koto wo yosu. Be ready to free your mind/heart.
• Wazawai wa getai ni shozu. Accidents come from inattention.
• Dojo nomino karate to omou na. Karate training is not only in the dojo.
• Karate no shugyo wa issho de aru. Karate is for life.
• Arai-yuru mono wo karate-ka seyo, soko ni myo-mi ari. Make karate part of your life and you will find myo (hidden secrets).
• Karate wa yu no goto shi taezu natsudo wo ataezareba moto no mizu ni kaeru. Karate is like hot water. If not given continual heat, it will go cold.
• Katsu kangae wa motsu na makenu kangae wa hitsuyo. Do not think you must win. Instead, think that you do not have to lose.
• Tekki ni yotte tenka seyo. Adapt yourself and respond to your opponent.
• Tattakai wa kyo-jitsu no soju ikan ni ari. The fight depends on your handling of your marksmanship.
• Hito no te ashi wo ken to omoe. Think that your hands and feet are swords.
• Danshi mon wo izureba hyakuman no tekki ari. Be aware of your actions so as not to invite trouble.
• Kamae wa shoshinsha ni ato wa shizentai. First master low stances, then natural posture.
• Kata wa tadashiku jissen wa betsu mono. Practicing kata is no substitute for real fighting.
• Chikara no kyojaku, karada no shinshuku, waza no kankyu wo wasaruna. Hard and soft, tension and relaxation, quick and slow, all connected with correct breathing.
• Tsune ni shinen kufu seyo. Think of ways to apply these precepts every day.

The precepts are not numbered or ordered; each begins with hitotsu meaning "one" or "first" to show that each rule has the same level of importance as the others.