The Shihan to His Karateka

My friend, martial arts are a good thing.
They teach you discipline, and ethics
And how to do rather than be idle.
They teach your body how to move
And they discipline the mind to focus.
But, war is not the reason I teach these things.
For, martial arts are not for war---
A gun, sword and knife are for war;
A bomb and tank and aero plane. 
These things cannot teach you
How to defeat many enemies,
But only the enemy within.

Yet, if in combat, deliver lethal strikes.
You break boards to break bones and skulls and solar plexus.
You learn pressure points to debilitate your opponent
And maim. Do you want to learn these things?
Teach them to yourself, for I shall not teach you how to kill.
My duty, is to teach you how to master yourself
And not the opponent across from you.