A lovely style

It is vital in the application of the spiritual principles, as in judo techniques, that they must work. One hundred years ago, Zen master Iida made quite a point of this. He said things may be very beautiful; things may be very appealing; things may be very touching, very kindly. But unless they work, they’re not Zen.

And in judo I can remember a beautiful stylist. He said to me once, ‘You know, as I pick myself off the floor, they say, “Oh but you’ve got such a lovely style.”