Suiento No Kurai

Suiento No Kurai literally translated means “spill point”. When applied to the art of Japanese swordsmanship, Suiento No Kurai represents the closing of the distance from tou- maai, or far away distance, to issoku- ito no maai, the distance from which the opponent may be reached by taking a single step in their direction. This is the point at which the swords intersect and both combatants come into a distance where either one can take their opponent’s life or lose their own with one false movement or reaction, hence the term spill point. Suiento No Kurai is perhaps the most stressful of all the steps used in confronting an opponent, requiring that the Budo practitioner remain calm and steady in mind and body in order achieve victory over the opponent.

When transferred into daily life, one may find their self uneasy and unable to think clearly in order to make the right decisions when pressured either by some one or the fear of the outcome and repercussions their decisions may carry in achieving one’s overall goal. It is for this reason that the student must follow the guidelines outlined by the teachings of Budo and follow such concepts as mushin and shugyo in order to achieve preparedness for any given situation that may arise on their path of life. It is through these concepts that when confronted with Suiento no Kurai the pupil will find their self placing the pressure on the opponent rather than on the receiving end of it, ultimately finding their self clear in mind and spirit with full confidence of overcoming the conflict and with the ability to look beyond the current situation and into what is to come.

One must keep in mind that the concepts taught through Budo are the steps and guides on how to achieve our goals in a successful manner, and must remember that it is the sole responsibility of the practitioner to carry out these teachings to the letter. Any wavering from these guides will lead to weakness and a lessening in confidence. The teachings of Budo can not explain to us how to react in situations such as Suiento No Kurai; it can only show us the path which to follow to be successful when confronted with this situation. Suiento No Kurai is not a teaching of Budo, rather a scenario which the practitioner encounters in every conflict, in which case the student must turn to his or her preparations through Budo in order to over come it.