# Why do Buddhist monks practice martial arts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2012, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123 "2012-09-28T10:45:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/21 "2012-09-29T16:05:38Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > What is the First Precept? Many Buddhists interpret that precept so far as to be vegetarian, what makes you think it’s OK with beating people up? What’s the Sixth Commandment? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/22 "2012-09-29T20:15:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > And they’re free to do so, but that is far different from either “Buddhism is a pacifist philosophy” or “One must be a vegetarian in order to practice Buddhism.” Neither of which I said - I merely indirectly pointed out that the First Precept definitely says _something_ about non-violence. You said “Basic Buddhism doesn’t say **anything** about non-violence or harmlessness.” Are you saying that the First Precept doesn’t address this? > [@](#): > > Do I need to point out that there are plenty of Buddhists who are not vegetarian? Implicit in my saying “many”, not “most”. > [@](#): > > Is there no difference between “it’s okay to beat people up” and pacifism? Did you leave out a “not”, there? [QUOTE=black rabbit] What’s the Sixth Commandment? [/QUOTE] Thou shalt not murder. Which has nothing to do with the much more restrictive First Precept, but if your gotcha point was that other religions also have prohibitions against killing, my reply would be “Yeah, and…?” ---
**Author:** ![Gin\_Bell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4af34b/32.png) [@Gin\_Bell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gin_Bell)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/23 "2012-09-29T20:28:41Z")
When I was younger I received Kung Fu classes from a Chinese buddist immigrant. He was an old guy of over 70 years in good health both physically and mentally. It was his believe that in order to master our minds, we must first gain ful control our body. Classes included meditations, visualizations and old fashioned daily work outs. According to him Kung Fu was cure and prevention for various western mental illness. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/24 "2012-09-30T18:11:10Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Which has nothing to do with the much more restrictive First Precept, but if your gotcha point was that other religions also have prohibitions against killing, my reply would be “Yeah, and…?” I think the point is, “and if those prohibitions didn’t keep the members of those religions from being ok with killing, why would you think the First Precept would for Buddhists?” ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/25 "2012-09-30T19:12:27Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > At least for me when I trained in martial arts as a kid, the very first lesson we were given is that we were learning the martial arts with the intention to never having to use it. This. Non-violence isn’t making yourself helpless- it’s choosing to not be violent. It’s mastering violence so you almost never need to actually use it. A very Zen thing. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/26 "2012-10-01T03:16:57Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > Just an anecdote but a friend of mine who traveled a fair bit in Thailand and Burma told me that Buddhist monks spend a lot of time fighting with “townies”. I’ve never seen it happen myself. There have been news reports about monk “gangs” and such, but these generally make the news because they’re so unusual and not at all the norm. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/27 "2012-10-01T03:38:28Z")
For the same reason all serious martial artists in any discipline train: self-control, confidence, self-discipline, courtesy, perseverance, etc. We learn to fight so that we can learn how to not fight. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/28 "2012-10-01T03:44:20Z")
Not exactly Buddhist, but close. Here’s the 31st chapter of Tao Te Ching: > [@](#): > > Weapons are the tools of violence; > all decent men detest them. > > Weapons are the tools of fear; > a decent man will avoid them > except in the direst necessity > and, if compelled, will use them > only with the utmost restraint. > Peace is his highest value. > If the peace has been shattered, > how can he be content? > His enemies are not demons, > but human beings like himself. > He doesn’t wish them personal harm. > Nor does he rejoice in victory. > How could he rejoice in victory > and delight in the slaughter of men? > > He enters a battle gravely, > with sorrow and with great compassion, > as if he were attending a funeral. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/29 "2012-10-01T04:01:56Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > That is, there definitely are monks that practice martial arts, but the idea that the purpose of martial arts is for violence, at least in the way that most of them will practice it, is the Hollywood creation. This is the most ridiculous claim I’ve read in a while. It might be what you heard in your family friendly karate school so that little Timmy would get his green belt and continue paying dues without scaring mommy that they are learning something bad, but the martial arts were for going to war and/or killing people and only later did they get watered down into glorified aerobics classes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/30 "2012-10-01T09:05:46Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I think the point is, “and if those prohibitions didn’t keep the members of those religions from being ok with killing, why would you think the First Precept would for Buddhists?” I didn’t say it would. Reread the post I was replying to, and the specific part of it I addressed. I quoted it and everything. Then reread what I posted, especially where I said “Having said that, nobody’s perfect” - I am well aware that many Buddhists are OK with killing. That doesn’t mean Basic Buddhism (_whatever_ that is, I’m sure it has to include the Precepts) doesn’t say anything about the subject. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123/31 "2012-10-01T09:38:28Z")
men sana e corpore sans? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-buddhist-monks-practice-martial-arts/636123.md?page=1)