Motobu Choiki on Sente

When I read something like “Collection of Sayings by Motobu Choiki” as translated by Joe  Swift, there are so many pieces that it is easy to go to fast and not focus on each of them. I see this is a problem, especially as there are so many sayings.

 

Perhaps a better answer is to focus on them individually. Let me focus on one of them as an example.

 

No. 7 Karate is Sente (3). Where in foot note (3) Joe adds. Here sente means the initative, or the first move. 

 

The footnote follows with the following. C.1. Karate is Sente Nashi – there is No First Move in Karate. Which I take as an example of the use of sente.

 

To me Motobu was expressing that one must use ones awareness of what an opponent might be going to do, and then move to stop it. I find this makes sense in actual confrontation with an opponent.

 

Of course in Japanese Sente might have many meanings, such as in the game of Go it might mean to take the initative. IMO similar to the use Motobu Sensei might mean.

 

Initative to be taken when appropriate. Especially  when taken in context with his other sayings.