The Meaning of Budo
As explained on previus page, Budo is a Japanese term derived from the characters 'Bu' and 'Do' and technically means 'the way', 'the true way' or more commonly today 'the martial way', as it is often used in conjunction with the Martial Arts. It should be noted though that it has historically been applied to other disciplines (eg. Flower Arranging, Monks etc)
In essence it encapsulates a particular approach to life with a strong connection to Zen philosophy and requires one to be both grounded & disciplined. It also requires an understanding of the relationship between Mind, Body and Spirit. So you could apply a Budo approach to just about any way of life. If you want to dedicate yourself to the true way of the warrior though, then the extended term is Bu-Shi-Do (Bushido) ie. True - Warrior - Way.
According to the Budo Info Gallery, the word Budo means, "the way of the combat", and, "was adopted in the 20th Century to apply to Martial Arts in general. In addition to the physical discipline and the different techniques, it implies an attitude of mind, spirit and of certain ethics".
Copyright © 2007 Phillip Hogan (c/o. Hogan Leisure, 2nd Flr, 127 Charlotte St, Brisbane, Qld 4000 Australia).