Kyokushin Spirit in
Dojo Oath
written by the founder of Kyokushin Karate
Mas Oyama (1923-1994)
Kyokushin Karate is a Martial Art called BUDO. Without truly understanding the philosophy, a practitioner never reaches his or her full potential. The Dojo Kun (Oath) is the foundation for fulfilling the true Kyokushin Spirit. The Dojo Kun was written by Kyokushin's founder Sosai Mas Oyama, with the assistance of Eiji Yoshikawa, author of "Musashi", which details the life and exploits of Japan's greatest warrior, Musashi Miyamoto.

Dojo Oath 3
With true vigor, we will seek to cultivate
a spirit of self denial.
We all know that we are prone to bad habits. We often give into these desires, even though we instinctively know that the long term outcome will be negative. Through training, we nurture our spirit to control our weaknesses and develop a spirit of self denial.

Dojo Oath 4
We will observe the rules of courtesy,
respect our superiors, and refrain from violence.
The techniques we learn in class must be mastered with courtesy. That is we are to be courteous inside and outside the Dojo. Treat people the way you expect to be treated, respect your elders, and use violence only as a last resort.

Dojo Oath 5
We will follow our religious principles,
and never forget the true virtue of humility.
Through training, we learn to be humble and we never forget the challenges we faced as beginners. We must always remember that our dedication to training, could not have been possible without the support of our family, friends, team mates, instructors, and society.

Dojo Oath 6
We will look upwards to wisdom and strength,
not seeking other desires.
The authority granted to higher belts, does not come from their physical strength but from the wisdom that they have gained through their training. They understand their strength and do not abuse this power. Sosai's quote: "Power without Justice is Violence. Justice without Power is Meaningless." is one way to sum up this principle. We must acquire both wisdom and strength.