Quotes from Gichin Funakoshi

Only a true weakling is capable of true courage.

When you leave your home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you (it is your behavior that invites trouble from them).

Once a kata has been learned, it must be practised repeatedly until it can be applied in an emergency, for knowledge of just the sequence of a kata in karate is useless.

Seek perfection of character. Be faithful. Endeavor. Respect others. Refrain from violent behaviour.

When you are learning a new technique, practice it wholeheartedly until you truly understand it.

What you have been taught by listening to others' words you will forget very quickly; what you have learned with your whole body you will remember for the rest of your life.

True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice.

No matter how you may excel in the art of Karate, and in your scholastic endeavors, nothing is more important than your behavior and your humanity as observed in daily life.

When you look at life think in terms of karate. But remember that karate is not only karate -- it is life.

Only through training will a person learn his own weaknesses... He who is aware of his weaknesses will remain master of himself in any situation.

Success, cannot be attained alone. Any person's time and power is limited. A wise leader enlists others in working toward organizational goals.

In time of grave public crisis, one must have the courage to face a million and one opponents.

The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants

Any man will be able, after sufficient practice, to accomplish remarkable feats of strength, but he may go only so far and no farther. There is a limit to human physical strength that no one can exceed.

Karate is like boiling water: without heat, it returns to it's tepid state

It is important that karate can be practiced by the young and old, men and women alike.

To practice kata is not to memorize an order. Find the katas that work for you, understand them, digest them & stick with them for life.

Spirit first, technique second.

Students of any art, including Karate-do must never forget the cultivation of the mind and the body.

Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.

Put Karate into your everyday living, that is how you will see true beauty.