The master and the apprentice
The
relationship between a master and his apprentice is comparable to that
of the father and his son in that it is very personal, and for life. It
is not a teacher and his student, for the master isn't expected to
teach anything. It rather left to the apprentice to assimilate as much
knowledge as possible while he is accepted to live by his master. It is
not a boss and his subordinate either, as there is neither remuneration
nor contract. There is no exchange: the relationship is autoritarian
and one-way, from master to apprentice. It is not a partnership! It
shall be the apprentice's duty to pass down his knowledge to the next
generation.
The master is a craftsman at work. The apprentice is
the person who comes to his side, and who watches, mostly, and assists,
depending on his abilities.
It is interesting to note that
master and apprentice, like any other denomination, have their worth
only within a given relationship. In other words, the master is not a
Master, but his apprentice's master. Thus, the master is himself
apprentice in front of his own master. There is no absolute
denomination! There is no, thanks to God, Master. Beware those who
pretend otherwise.
- -
Conditions
To
be accepted as an apprentice in a given traditional japanese craft,
considerations of race, nationality, social status, money, experience,
abilities, talents, academic background, language, one's curriculum
vitae, and in most cases gender have no importance (certain crafts are
still reserved for a given gender, although this is changing rapidly).
What, then, is necessary?
What follows could easily constitute an exhaustive list of the required criterias:
- Be liked by the master
Not
by consciously charming him, but rather simply with one's nature, just
as strangers who like or dislike each other at first sight; the
apprentice-to-be does not have much control over this.
- Patience
- Honesty
- Modesty
- Silence
- Open mindness and flexibility (mostly related to unavoidable cultural tensions)
- Devotion and sustained effort
That's
it. If only one was to be isolated, it would be patience. A key element
of all japanese successes and of the japanese culture in general.
Patience as no Westerner can conceive it. In fact, even for the young
Japanese, patience is developped along their education.
Although the conditions are enumerated above, the method isn't provided! |
