’The True Commander’ — When the Unexpected Slope Appears

In this issue, I would like to take up the theme shown in the title from the book Jinsei Sanga Kokoniari, (“Here lie the mountains and rivers of my life.”) by Master Masando Sasaki,* a great Aikido teacher and chief priest of the Yamakage Shinto tradition. Words by Mr. Sasaki are quoted in “ ” below.

 

Master Sasaki introduces an anecdote from his writings.

Master Sasaki once took his students on a climb up Mount Fuji.

 

“After resting briefly at the summit, we began our descent. Perhaps our guard was down, but at the ninth station, two students fell. Life, too, is most dangerous when one has reached the top. Often, we become arrogant and stumble. I had repeatedly warned them beforehand that although going down may seem easy, they must never run. But by then, it was already too late.”

On that occasion, Master Sasaki overcame what could be called an unexpected emergency — a “slope of the unforeseen.”

He spoke about how a leader should conduct oneself in such a moment — what mindset to maintain, and what actions to take:

 

 

 

Let me explain each one of above in detail.

 

1. Remain mentally composed.

Words of Master Sasaki

“One of the students struck his knee and suffered a severe injury — so serious that bone seemed visible.Inside, I cried out, ‘This is bad!’ But I could not let it show on my face. I kept telling myself, ‘Even if you are startled, it will not help.’

Deliberately maintaining a calm demeanor, I said to the student, whose face had turned pale, ‘What looks white is fat, not bone. You’re fortunate — it’s a minor injury. Now, try walking a little.’I actually helped him stand and had him take two or three steps.

That seemed to reassure him..”

 

(My commentary)

→ It is tempting to say that this is the most important point — but in truth, maintaining such a state of mind is the most difficult thing of all.

We understand the words: “Prepare for the unexpected.”

We understand the advice: “Act with composure.”

But unless one has actually experienced a true emergency, it is difficult to grasp what this really means.

Mitsuru Toyama — the mentor of Master Sasaki’s teacher, Nakamura Temp?, and a towering figure of the Showa era — is said to have calmly puffed on a cigarette when a thug pointed a pistol at him, remarking:

“Even if you are startled, it will not help.”

This, I believe, reflects a life lived in constant awareness of death long before that moment arrived.

It means continually asking oneself:

Have I always assumed the worst?

Have I done the best I could, in that moment, with the strength I possessed at the time?

In the end, it comes down to this:　

Have I done what I must do — each day, each moment — with full commitment and precision?

 

2. Assume the worst-case scenario and take all conceivable countermeasures.

Words of Master Sasaki

“To disinfect the wound, I applied a pickled plum to it and used my own fundoshi (traditional Japanese loincloth) and hand towel as bandages.　While explaining the various practical uses of a fundoshi, I had him walk another two or three meters.

Of course, with such a serious injury, he should not have been walking at all.

Then I turned to the other students and said,

‘This is a good opportunity — I will teach you how to make a stretcher.’

I gathered several jackets. By threading walking sticks through their sleeves, we quickly fashioned a temporary stretcher. We placed the injured student upon it and began our descent. ”

 

(My commentary)

→ What we must consider here is the risk of a second or even third accident.

They were near the summit of Mount Fuji. If the entire group had fallen into distress, it could have led to the worst possible outcome. The true source of such disaster is the agitation of the human heart. Master Sasaki devoted all his strength to keeping everyone’s state of mind calm and steady. That, perhaps, is the very first duty of one who stands as a leader.

 

3. Maximize the lessons learned from the experience.

Words of Master Sasaki

“In the end, it turned out to be a serious injury that required three months to heal.

Yet until they reached the hospital, both the injured student and the others believed it was minor.

Because of this, they remained composed, and a second accident was prevented.

Still, when I thought of the feelings of the student’s parents, my heart was torn and in turmoil.

One who stands as a commander must always contemplate together with the Divine.

Was it the anger of the gods — for we had climbed without first paying our respects at the Asama Shrine, and without donning the white garments of purity in our hearts?

As a leader, it was truly a shameful failure.”

 

(My commentary)

In his writings, Master Sasaki recounts another tragedy — a student who lost his life in an accident during Aikido practice under his supervision.　Perhaps it was through such painful experiences that he chose the path of becoming a Shinto priest.

To face death — to feel one’s heart on the verge of breaking — to struggle with the suffering and burdens that life inevitably brings — The lessons learned from such anguish are not only for one’s own future. They will surely serve others who, in their own time, suffer and wrestle with the weight of life.

As long as we are alive, we must continue to live out and apply these lessons.

I believe that this steadfast attitude is what truly matters.

 

 

*Master Masando Sasaki

Born in 1929 in Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture.

After overcoming many hardships in his youth, he graduated from the Faculty of Economics and the Advanced Course of the Faculty of Law at Chuo University.

After resigning from his post at the Defense Agency, he encountered Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, and devoted himself to martial arts and the cultivation of the human spirit, eventually becoming an Aikido instructor.

While seeking the true path of life, he practiced waterfall austerities, zazen, and trained in groups such as “Ichiku-kai” and “Itsui-kai.”

He later met his life mentor, Nakamura Tempu, and studied under him.

Through a fortunate connection, he became associated with Yamakage Motoo and was ordained as a priest of the Yamakage Shinto tradition, serving as the chief priest of Kamifukuoka Nishimiya Shrine.

In 1977, he was invited by the French Ministry of Culture to Paris as a Shinto instructor at the “Dojo for the Restoration of Human Nature,” and he visited France again in 1985.

Alongside teaching Aikido, he traveled throughout Japan delivering “Sasaki Dharma Talks,” expounding on the traditional Japanese cultural arts—such as martial arts, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement—and on the true path of being human.

 

Further queries or doubts, please email to ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com

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