Dō

Dō (literally: “the Way”) is a path which leads to enlightenment.

Dō is the Japanese pronunciation of the Tao that Lao-tzu spoke of the in the Tao Te Ching, which typically manifests itself in arts which are practiced as a way of life. Dō is a difficult concept to explain, since Western civilizations do not use arts, crafts, or sports as a means for teaching spiritual or ethical truths. The closest equivalent of dō in Western philosophy would be to achieve araté through phronesis.

Dō and jutsu are linked, like the two sides of a coin -- however they are complements, not opposites. Dō is not opposed to jutsu, and a serious commitment to jutsu will gradually reveal dō through a series of epiphanies.

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