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Master Seung's
TKD Academy
Main Branch
1170 Burnhamthorpe
Road, W
Mississauga
(905) 803-1079
Argentia Branch
2895 Argentia Rd
Mississauga
(905) 821-2121
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SCHOOL OATH
When I can't
do it, I shall persevere until I can
Ahn dwea myon, dweal dae gah jee
When I lose, I shall persevere until I win
Jee myon, ee gil dae gah jee
When I don't understand, I shall persevere until I do understand
Moh ru myon, ahl dwae gah jee
STUDENT OATH
1. To be loyal to my nation and to my parents.
2. To be obedient to my instructor.
3. To observe the school regulations.
4. To respect my seniors and practice patience and courtesy to my
juniors.
5. To be righteous and show good conduct
The Taekwondo student oath is not new. It has been adapted from the
original "Five Codes of Human Conduct," written by Wongkang, a
Buddhist scholar, hundreds of years ago. Originally the young
nobility that were selected to study Taekwondo were educated in many
disciplines, but the code of conduct, as it is now, is followed to
guide the moral development of the student’s life.
The principle "Do" in Taekwondo is a whole encompassing philosophy
for one’s life, both in action and in spirit. It is only through
this development that we can unite our actions and our spirit,
leading us closer to absolute goodness. This is a path of a
lifetime, and no matter what belt level we achieve, we are all
students of Taekwondo. Each step leads us closer to Kun-Ja, the
Taekwondo model of virtue.
The significance of loyalty to our nation can be understood both
historically as well as in the present. Centuries ago, Korea was
repeatedly under attack by Japanese warlords or pirates, and from
this oppression Taekwondo flourished. Although we in Canada have not
experienced such repression, we must not become complacent. We are
fortunate in Canada to have freedom and opportunity only dreamed
about in many other countries. As citizens, we are able to have
non-violent democratic elections where we are able to control our
nation’s destiny. Should we become complacent, we could find that
our freedoms and liberties are eroded. Recent historical examples
are the two World Wars and the Korean War, and we only need to read
the newspapers to realize how blessed we are to live in Canada. We
must not let our comfort turn to apathy and allow the shape of our
nation to change.
Loyalty to our parents is paramount, for without them we would not
exist. They have loved and nurtured us unquestioningly. We can learn
from their wisdom and experiences in life. When we are younger, we
forget that our parents have gone through many of the same trials
and tribulations that we experience; the year is different but the
emotions are the same. When we fall in love, we feel such intense
passion that we are sure that we must be the only ones who have ever
had this feeling. Yet, when we take the time to look at our parents
as individuals, we can realize that their feelings are as real and
intense as those that we experience. They have struggled with tough
decisions and have faced adversity, which allows them to speak with
wisdom. When one is young we tend to look at an old wrinkled face
and forget that inside are all the dreams and desires that are in
us. Also, let us not forget them for they were there from the
beginning with their unconditional love and there comes a time when
we must be there for them.
Obedience to our instructor is important, as the relationship
between instructor and student is similar to that of parent and
child. We must think of our Master as having the absolute position,
and the foundation of this relationship is respect. Without respect,
we cannot trust; without trust, our instructor will not influence
our training in Taekwondo. How can one cultivate the inner person
without having a positive role model? We must trust our teacher’s
judgement and it is then that we begin the task of acquiring wisdom
and knowledge.
Our school is like a family and has different dynamics. Observance
of the school regulations is important, because without them things
would become chaotic. These rules are for everyone in our club,
regardless of belt level. They range from practical Dojang rules to
those that are linked to personal behavior and uniform. The rules
regarding attendance have much to do with commitment and respect for
our Master and our school. Also, if we are committed to supporting
our school, we must make time for it. If we don’t make time, we are
only sabotaging our own physical and moral development.
Respect for senior members of our school and the practice of
patience and courtesy to our juniors underscores the importance of
interpersonal respect in all that we do. Senior belts have worked
hard to obtain their belt level. Juniors must respect their black
belts, realizing that each has met his or her own personal challenge
in obtaining their black belt. They have gone through the process of
self-discovery that placed them in a position of achieving their
personal best. At the same time, as a senior belt, we must not
forget our own struggles at different levels so that we may be
patient and courteous with our juniors. We can extend this respect,
patience and courtesy to all our human relations.
To be righteous and to show good conduct is extremely important both
in the Dojang and the world outside. We must live by the ideals that
are taught – wisdom, human-heartedness and courage. Taekwondo
emphasizes the morals of us as humans to live out our life in
righteousness. We should not take a short cut in life if it involves
compromising one’s values. Perhaps we can make the world a better
place by living a virtuous life and seeking self-enlightenment.
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