Jirinden（７２） Those who flaunt weapons or armor are not valued as opponents.
「Heiki sengu wo teburu mono woba mono no kazu tomo suru ni tarazu」（Heishū Jirinden, Vol.III , Akki）
・Those who flaunt around weapons or armor are not even worth counting as opponents.
The character aku (握,あく, aku) means “to hold,” that is, to grasp something with the hand. In my view, the status of a warrior is one who constantly places himself between safety and danger, moving back and forth across the boundary of life and death. Therefore, even when encountering unexpected situations, a warrior treats them as part of everyday life and does not become shaken—just as one would not be unsettled by a courier setting out or a fire watch being dispatched. However, when faced with particularly grave circumstances, one may be captured or threatened and have one’s composure disturbed. Yet if one always keeps the correct path as one’s essential nature, then nothing can stand against it. The mindset of refusing to deal with those who involve themselves in conflict and disorder is called “akki” (握気, akki).
Those who flaunt weapons or armor are not worth engaging. This teaching affirms the conviction that, if one practices the correct path, it is possible to subdue an opponent even without carrying weapons.Note: The character aku (握) means “to grasp,” and ki (気) refers to “the state of one’s mind or spirit.” Thus, “akki” (握気, akki) means “a firmly held inner nature.”
(Presented by Yuji Wada, Costantino Brandozzi, Constantin Von Richter, Keith Tang)
