He aikido master demanded intensive training but never allowed his pupils to compete with other martial-arts academies.

They all complained among themselves but no-one ever had the nerve to bring up the subject in class.

And then one day one of the boys dared to ask:

– We have dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly to the study of aikido,

but we shall never know whether we are good or bad fighters because we cannot compete with anyone from outside here.

– And may you never need to know that – was the master’s answer.

– He who wants to fight loses his bond with the Universe. Here we study the art of resolving conflicts, not starting them.