Dō

Dō refers to a path which leads to enlightenment. Dō (literally: “the Way”) is the Japanese pronunciation for the Tao that Lao-tzu spoke of the in the Tao Te Ching.

Dō typically manifests itself in an art which is practiced as a way of life. Dō is hard to explain, since the Western tradition does not use arts, crafts, or sports as a means to teach spiritual or ethical truths. The closest equivalent in Western philosophy would be to achieve araté through phronesis.

Dō and jutsu are linked, like two sides of a coin. Dō is not opposed to jutsu; dō is gradually revealed through a series of epiphanies, induced by a serious commitment to jutsu.