Fighting Buddha

A raucous, irreverent look into the Buddhist and Martial Arts worlds Can we be martial arts practitioners and Buddhists at the same time? Can these practices actually complement each other, in mindfulness? How do we reconcile Buddhist concepts like non-violence with a fighting practice like judo, karate or jiu jitsu? Long-standing martial arts instructor and meditator Jeff Eisenberg addresses these and other questions in his own inimitable style, employing autobiographical anecdotes, along with martial arts fighting strategies, koan and sutra teachings, and Buddhist folk stories. Fighting Buddha outlines why the true test of a martial artist’s skill and of a Buddhist’s application of mindfulness is during a situation that is the least conducive for it--usually not inside the Dojo or Zendo. Challenging the belief that fighting martial arts styles are not conducive to a meditative practice, the book discusses the difference between violence and the use of force as it relates to the Buddha’s teaching of “cause no harm”, exploring the common misunderstanding that meditative moments are exclusive to only select activities. Further topics are the struggles of beginning training and practice, the importance of identifying goals, choosing a teacher and training in support of these goals. And, far from being the often-perceived ending, Jeff concludes that enlightenment and the black belt are really only a beginning.

Jeff Eisenberg is a Grand Master level martial arts and meditation teacher with over 40 years of training and 25 years of teaching experience. Trained in a variety of disciplines, he has run his own Dojo for nearly fifteen years and has trained thousands of children and adults in the martial arts. Jeff’s life also spans periods working as bodyguard, investigator and director of crisis response in the emergency and psychiatric ward of a major hospital. He lives in Long Branch, NJ, USA.

Introduction 1. The funny looking fat guy 2. Cause No Harm: The non-violence of violence 3. Are you fit to be a Buddha? 4. Just get on the mat already! 5. Cramping my style 6. The good of bad training: Finding the right teacher 7. Good teachers gone bad 8. Tapping Out 9. Stop blaming the teacher! 10. Warriorship: The discipline of discipline 11. There is nothing routine about rituals 12. The middle way sucks...But it ain’t as bad as the ends! 13. Black Belt Enlightenment Conclusion