Wearing the Mushindo Crest aged 16

Daishifu (Nagaboshi Tomio) 1946 - 2005

Daishifu (Buddhist name – Nagaboshi Tomio) was born Terence Dukes in London, England, on February 15, 1946, and was educated at Stephens School and Dulwich.ⁱ He was the great nephew of Sir Paul Dukes (1889-1967) who was a famous British secret agent in Russia, a decorated war hero, British Ambassador to India, renowned author (fiction and non-fiction), and the first Western teacher of Yoga. In the 1950s Sir Paul brought yoga into the homes of the British public through a series of TV yoga programs.ⁱⁱ Sir Paul’s book Yoga for the Western World is accessible in five parts through the Mushindo Yoga Section of this site.

Sir Paul - First Western Yoga teacher

From an early age Daishifu was exposed to various religious teachings and traditions, leading to a lifelong interest in religious studies. At the age of eight he first encountered divination in the form of teachings imparted to him by his maternal grandmother, Edith Martha Engeham.ⁱⁱⁱ In 1960, aged 14, Daishifu delivered a series of lectures on Comparative Religion to British Rotary Clubs.^iv This same year an American relative, who was a member of the USAAF, invited Daishifu to start training in Mushindo Kempo at the Tottenham “Naha” Dojo, Bruce Grove, Nth. London, as a junior member. He was the only schoolboy in a dojo of foreign adults.^v Here Daishifu met Fa Tao Meng (Otomo), a remarkable Master of Chinese mystical Buddhism who was to become one of Daishifu’s most important influences.^vi

Daishifu - Great Teacher Father

At this time, Mushindo Kempo was called by its Chinese name Na Fa Chuan-Fa Hui Wu Shin Tao or, in Ryukyuan, Naha Kempo Kai, meaning the Association for Naha Mushindo Kempo. This was a private school of Chinese Chen-yen (J: Shingon) Buddhist martial arts, which included a number of associated subjects and esoteric practices.^vii At this stage the school did not advertise and remained mostly unknown to the general public. Existing members sponsored new members.^viii Daishifu was later chosen to receive special advanced trainings from many of the Mushindo instructors, both visiting and resident.^ix Mushindo Kempo was the school of training that was espoused by Ryukyuan monarchs such as Sho Eiso (founder of the Gokurakuji temple in 1260) and Sho Gen (c. 1550).^x The Sanshin Mon, the Buddhist symbol that appears on the Ryukyuan National flag, is also the crest and symbol of the Mushindo school.^xi

Over the years Daishifu studied many religious systems. In 1964, aged 18, he underwent training for the Christian Ministry after earning a scholarship to attend the Fellowship College (Theology), Washington, USA. While there Daishifu spent his vacations assisting in drug rehabilitation programs and working for security organizations and the USAAF in various parts of USA.^xii He met and predicted the untimely death of President Kennedy using cheirological (hand) analysis.^xiii He also met and befriended various prominent martial artists including Peter Urban (Goju Ryu) who invited Daishifu to teach yoga at his dojo, an invitation that could not be accepted because of study and other commitments.^xiv Daishifu was also a member of a US Church Committee investigating occult and witchcraft groups, an interest shared by his great uncle, Sir Paul. From this experience Daishifu recognized the importance of coinciding the mystical and the mundane in day-to-day life. He found that spiritual studies are not “out of this world” but, if properly based, aid all levels of life equally.^xv

^xvi

In 1965 Daishifu journeyed to Naha, Okinawa, to further his studies in Mushindo Kempo and Kongoraiden Shingon Buddhism, a branch of the Chinese Chen-yen lineage. He became an initiate of the Ryushinji (Ryushin Temple), reuniting with some of his oriental Mushindo teachers whom he had initially studied and trained with at the Naha Dojo, London.^xvii In later years, Mrs. P. Kestner, who along with her husband lived and worked for the US Government Bank in Okinawa all through the late 1950s and 60s, recalled seeing the young Daishifu regularly at this time. She lived very close to the Ryushinji and noticed that when local monks came by her house one of them was a foreigner. As was the custom, she would go out and place food in their bowls. She filled Daishifu’s bowl especially “because he always looked so alone.”^xviii Daishifu became an ordained teacher of the Ryushinji and the only Westerner authorized to conduct the Inner Initiations of his Sect and to confer ritual Transmission (J:kanjo and kuden). He had a remarkable talent for making the often-complicated principles of Shingon tradition amenable to the ordinary person and in time, through his efforts, thousands of people came to realize the meaning of a holistic spiritual teaching.^xix

Daishifu - Kempo as moving meditation (not sport or competition)

Daishifu returned to England in 1967 via Taiwan, China, Thailand, and India where he studied with a variety of teachers. In the 1960s Buddhism was not well known or popular in the West and Daishifu played a great part in its dissemination, always supporting other Buddhist teachers, groups and projects around the world. In this same year, Daishifu and other Mushindo members travelled to Scotland to help the founder of “Shambhala,” Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, set up the Samye Ling meditation centre, the first Tibetan Buddhist practice centre in the West. Lama Trungpa had learned of Daishifu from other Lamas in India and was himself very interested in Mushindo Kempo. He soon began introducing features such as a Japanese pond and Shingon Sotoba into the garden of Samye Ling. Kempo was probably also the inspiration for Trungpa’s later US teaching of the “Shamballa Warrior” program.^xx

Various Mushindo dojo also did much work publicising the plight of the Tibetan people through weekend Kempo exhibitions and campaign leaflet distributions at the St. Martins in the Fields Church opposite Trafalgar Square. They established close contact with the newly emerging Tibetan organizations and many members sponsored monks in India. Lamas such as Chime Rinpoche regularly attended Mushindo functions. HH the Dalai Lama gave permission for the Tibetan flag design to be reproduced as cloth badges and worn on Mushindo training uniforms (J: keikogi).^xxi

Daishifu viewed Kempo as part of the Shingon physical meditations that developed from the dynamic Mudra (Sanskrit) practices of the Chinese monastic masters. The Yoga system he taught was concerned mainly with healing and natural therapy and was a vital component to all Kempo practices.^xxii The year 1967 saw Daishifu open his first dojo, teaching Mushindo Kempo and its related arts. This dojo was called Naha (public), as opposed to the private Naha dojo, and was located at the Crystal Palace, Sth. London. Naha (public) was the first full time Mushindo dojo that was open to the British public and was the first to be under the supervision of English nationals.^xxiii

Mu-shin 'clear mind' Meditation

Like all Mushindo dojo, the members of the Naha dojo were involved in charitable works including late night “soup runs” for the homeless around London, helping at drug addiction centres and giving talks to schools and other groups.^xxvi

Daishifu’s favourite kata included Sanchin and Seisan. In 1968 he demonstrated Seisan Kata at the All Britain Karate Championship, which was held at the Crystal Palace.^xxvii This year was the start of expansion for Mushindo Kempo. Over the next few years numerous dojo – private, public, and associated – and study groups opened in a large number of Universities and other locations around London and the country in general. Later Daishifu closed down or disassociated himself from about 36 of the affiliated dojo when it was found that they were not implementing the spiritual teachings that Mushindo Kempo encouraged.^xxviii

About this time, various overseas dojo and study groups were opened by Daishifu or his students in USA, India, Iran, Greece, Spain, Denmark, France, Mauritius, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.^xxix In 1970 Daishifu was awarded 4^th Dan. The Athens dojo was opened in this year,^xxx with Germany, Switzerland, Pakistan, Sth. America, Yugoslavia, Israel, and Japan following in 1972.^xxxi

In 1972 Daishifu was appointed overseas representative for the Shingon Order, becoming President of The British Shingon Buddhist Association.^xxxii This year, he also supported the setting up of the first Soto Zen temple in the United Kingdom established by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett at Throssle Hole in Northumbria.^xxxiii Daishifu was always in contact with the teachers at this monastery including the present day Master Daishin Morgan.^xxxiv Daishifu was multi-lingual, speaking five languages fluently and able to make himself understood in several others.^xxxv He started his Sanskrit studies with Dr. R. Mishra in this year, and was also awarded a Hon. Doctor of Divinity.^xxxvi

The Dainichi Buddha at Kongoryu Ji performing the mudra of six elements

An hour-long TV documentary called More Ways than One was broadcast in 1974 by the BBC about the life and work of Daishifu and due to public demand was repeated twice.^xl Over the years, in his capacity as a Kempo teacher, Daishifu trained or provided teachers for British Commandos, Israeli Paratroopers, Japanese Police, and SAS units at Deal, the recommendation for the latter coming from the US Secret Service.^xli However it was the inner and spiritual essence of Kempo that he emphasized the most.^xlii

Daishifu protected the young Dalai Lama on his first visit to the UK

Kempo exponents have always encouraged consumption of natural foodstuffs, an emphasis brought over by Daishifu from the east. One result of this was that Mushindo dojo helped publicise the then newly arrived art of Macrobiotics. For a while Daishifu ran a vegetarian restaurant called the “Cornucopia” at Goodge Street in London’s West End. It was famous for giving away free food to the needy and donating all its profits towards the then current nurses’ strike for more pay. The restaurant was even recommended by the alternative “OZ” magazine. Visitors there included Paul McCartney and the folk singer Donovan as it was very close to a well-known recording studio. Through teaching Kempo to people involved in the record industry Daishifu also came to instruct some famous pop stars and groups and actually sang on a few of their hit records.^xliv

In 1975 the Hakuren Temple (Hakurenji) opened in Finchley, Nth. London. Many famous monks and nuns came to teach there including Ven. Nakagawa of Ryutakjuji, Ven Hyun Ho of Unmensa (Korea), and Ven Sumangal from the Buddhapadipa. Sensei Oki and all his teaching team also resided there during their British teaching tours.^xlv Daishifu invited the Venerable Shangharakshita (often referred to as Bhante) to the Hakurenji during Bhante's creation of the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order), which has now grown into an international Buddhist organisation with thousands of members.^xlvi In this year, Daishifu became a Member of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.^xlvii

This year also saw all Mushindo Kempo dojo granted autonomous status. Until this time all the associated arts of Mushindo Kempo such as Cheirology, Healing, Chinese Yoga, Dietetics, Buddhist religion and so on were studied more or less simultaneously by Daishifu’s group of dedicated students. In 1974/75 the various arts were separately organised to be self-governing in their own fields. An “umbrella” organization called the Mushindokai (Association of Mushindo Groups) was set up. Daishifu believed strongly in non-commercial teaching methods and despite opposition from commercial groups the Mushindokai grew and has functioned ever since.^xlviii

Daishifu founded the Yugoslavian Buddhist Society in 1975 and his students produced the first work upon Buddhism in the Yugoslavian language. In 1976 Daishfu was nominated representative for the Japan Yoga Association and was awarded the International Yoga Teachers Diploma. In recognition of his services to Kempo development the International Black Belts Association, the largest group of its kind in the world, appointed him to their Board of Governors. 1977 saw Daishifu appointed Oriental Liaison Officer to the British Wheel of Yoga and was awarded their Teachers Diploma.^xlix Around this time, Daishifu was awarded the name/title of “Shifu” (Master Father) by the Instructors committee in recognition of his work and writings. He was the first Westerner ever to be so honoured.^l

Kongoryuji Temple and grounds, Norfolk

The Kongoryuji had a permanent Meditation Room, a practice room for Yoga, a craft workshop, and retreat and study rooms. A comprehensive research library was maintained with works covering the history, development, philosophy and applications of Indian, Chinese and Japanese Yoga and Martial Arts, Spiritual Teachings, Medicine, Art and Crafts, Cheirology, plus many forms of Gnostic Christianity, Mysticism, Comparative Religion, Metaphysics, and Western Philosophy, plus texts and manuscripts in Chinese and Japanese.^lii There are a number of very old and rare books amongst the collection. In the mid 1990s this temple created the “Yakushi” – Britain’s first Buddhist medical dispensary. It cultivated and produced its own natural and herbal medicines, oils and remedies,^liii including Tiger Balm. Making Tiger Balm is very much like making yoghurt in that a portion of the latest batch is set aside to use as the “starter” or “enlivener” for the next batch. The “enlivener” used to make the Yakushi Tiger Balm originated from a temple in Suchow, China, in 1759. The written history of this enlivener can be traced to the 1500s, with its oral history going back even further.^liv

Many of Daishifu’s students came to him through study of his writings that, because of their holistic basis, covered many arts and sciences. His writings have been translated into many languages and include studies and essays upon Jesus, the Buddha, Remedial Yoga, Judaic Mysticism, occultism, Witchcraft, Zen Buddhism, Dietetics, Physiognomy, Astrology, and Cheirology. Although most were published by private subscription, many famous teachers and groups around the world requested copies. His articles regularly appeared in various Japanese Buddhist magazines and prominent magazines in the Orient. ^lv Daishifu was Vice President of the Cheirological Society of Britain and often gave seminars in this art. In 1978 the first edition of Daishifu’s first book, Chinese Hand Analysis, was published.^lvi In 1992 Daishifu drew the illustrations for former student Joan Baxter’s book Sword of No Blade.^lvii Undoubtedly Daishifu’s most well known writing is The Bodhisattva Warriors, published in 1994.^lviii A revised paper edition of Chinese Hand Anaysis was published in 1996.

The Daishifu Gorinto - Winter 2008

On the third anniversary of Daishifu’s passing, a stupa (J: Gorinto) was erected at a Buddhist Monastery^lxi as a memorial to Daishifu and as a repository for his ashes. The senior members of Mushindokai conferred the title Daishifu (Great Shifu) on Nagaboshi Tomio posthumously in 2008.