The study
of To-Shin Do introduces one to a lot of new concepts related to states
of mind, body, and spirit. While the ultimate definition of any concept
lies in experiencing it directly, a few words help us communicate our experiences
to others. The concept definitions on this page are like a quick
pencil sketch of an object -- not enough to capture all the details, but
enough to recognize it and distinguish it from other things.
To-Shin Do also exposes one to a variety of organizations. The very deep roots of the art touch a number of martial and spiritual systems. Key to understand is that while each system has formal boundaries of membership and practices, students and teachers have frequently migrated between systems for centuries, making it very difficult to say which system "owns" a given practice, in terms of creation or current usage. The organization definitions on this page can give you an idea of the purpose and history of an organization, but remember that individual people and their practices are often a mix of several organizations' influence.
If you encounter something here which you know to be factually incorrect, please report it. Please remember that every one of these definitions is inherently incomplete, but if you find one confusing, misleading or useless, please respond.
Physical concepts
Mental concepts
Spiritual concepts
Martial organizations
Spiritual organizations
Alphabetical list of all terms
Notation:
J = Japanese in origin
S = Sanskrit in origin
H = hybrid of mixed Japanese, Chinese, and/or Sanskrit
origin
lit. = literally translated as
Confused by how to spell Japanese, Sanskrit, or hybrid words? Background information.
Want to submit a concept or organization related to To-Shin
Do? Submit something you think everyone should know, or submit a
question for us to research. Email
us.
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Physical concepts refer to some shape or action of the body that always has the same mechanics physically. Some of them may also have mental or spiritual implications (for example a 'kamae' can be said to imply states of mind as well as body), but they are usually used in the physical sense.
gyaku -- (J, lit. reverse) Alone, the word is commonly used to refer to "gyakute waza", wrist twists and wrist joint locks. Depending on the school, gyaku can refer to a method of locking the joint itself or the supporting structure (Gyokko Ryu locking the joint, versus Koto Ryu locking the spine via the wrist). Gyaku can also describe a technique (ie. gyaku jime) or kata (ie. sayu gyaku).
joint-lock -- Forcing
a joint to the point of mechanical failure, by placing either the joint
itself or its support structures at the end of its range of motion.
Once the joint reaches the limit of movement in that direction, it is considered
'locked'. Once a joint is 'locked'
the movement cannot continue in the direction of the
lock without incurring joint damage.
kamae -- (J, from 'kameru', or 'to set up') A posture or stance. The definition of a given kamae includes the whole shape of the physical body, and often implies a mindset as well.
taijutsu -- (J) Using unified body movement to create power efficiently while staying balanced. Metaphorically, this term can be used for any kind of unified change that has similar purpose or style.
tobi -- (J) Sometimes referred to as a leap, it can be a very small or very large movement. The characterizing distinction is that the hips and central body mass slide smoothly in the intended direction, and the legs are simply picked up and put down in the new location for balance.
ukemi -- (J, lit. to receive) Commonly refers to rolling in any direction, but can also mean any sort of 'receiving energy' by absorbing or deflecting, such as breakfalls, leaps, or gymnastics.
Mental concepts are ideas which serve to categorize roles of different people, objects, or events. They are used to link related things together which are otherwise physically different. Some of these concepts may also have meaning in spiritual practice, but they are primarily used in the mental sense.
budo -- (J, lit. martial way) The way of achieving insight or enlightenment through martial arts. The word is used to describe exercises, organizations, or a general spirit related to this goal.
dan -- (J) A 'degree' of black belt, a unit of black belt rank. The number of dan ranks varies somewhat between arts, but most have 10 degrees, where the 10th degree represents legendary status. To-Shin Do recognizes 10 dan ranks.
do -- (J, lit. way or path) The methods and process of achieving insight or enlightenment. In some contexts, a life-view, personal path of development, or lifestyle. Many martial arts of Japan that are meant to refine the character of the practitioner use -do as a suffix.
esoteric Buddhism -- Not a single group, but a description of a type of group. Tendai and Shingon Buddhism are both examples of esoteric Buddhist systems. Both systems maintain a fairly organized core set of beliefs and practices surrounded by hundreds of secondary practices which vary somewhat among temples and even practitioners. This is so because esoteric teachings are focused on the realization of the core truths of how life operates. Therefore, the particular practice or belief that is required to have this realization varies somewhat with each individual's particular view of the universe. Each person need not learn every possible practice, and in fact many practices could be said to have everything needed within just the one practice. However, a person may not be capable of learning everything from one practice, and so their teacher provides those varied practices to help the student break through to ultimate understanding.
gake -- (J, lit. hook) Techniques using the word 'gake' typically hook or catch some part of the uke, compromising their support and causing them to fall.
jutsu -- (J) Combat system. The martial arts of Japan that are focused on combat application, particularly on the battlefield, use -jutsu as a suffix.
kata -- (J, lit. form or model) A sequence of events, usually in the form of scripted events and techniques. Many arts include kata of very long sequences comprising dozens of techniques. Other arts, including To-Shin Do, have kata which tend to be just a few techniques requiring two or more people to demonstrate. More rarely, the term 'kata' could also be used metaphorically to extend to sequences of non-physical events (for example, verbal). Kata exist to preserve and demonstrate important ideas or concepts in an easily remembered and recreated format.
kyu -- (J) A unit of rank before black belt. The number of kyu ranks before black belt varies between arts. There are 15 kyu levels in To-Shin Do.
nagare -- (J, lit. flow) Techniques using the word 'nagare' typically cause the uke to fall by means of going with their momentum. The uke overbalances due to their own attempts.
nage -- (J, lit. throw) Techniques using the word 'nage' typically trap some part of the uke and then push their momentum in some direction, causing them to fall that way.
ninja -- (J) Used casually to describe those who practice ninjutsu, with varying degrees of humor intended. Some people consider a ninja to be literally anyone who studies the art. Others feel it describes someone who uses the art for espionage activities in any time period, and still others feel it is a strictly historical term that no longer applies to anyone alive.
ninjutsu -- (J) Depending on usage, either the collection of martial techniques from the schools taught under Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, or an entire philosophy or lifestyle of survival and efficient, effective action. In the first definition, it is closer to 'taijutsu', and in the second, closer to 'ninpo'. Some even argue that 'ninjutsu' no longer exists, in terms of the espionage agents of ancient Japan, but the term is still commonly used to describe the martial techniques, no matter how traditional or modified in the modern day.
ninpo -- (J) A very loose definition meaning the collection of martial techniques known as ninjutsu together with the lifestyle common to martial artists, warrior philosophies, and the various spiritual techniques that might be associated. Each person will have a different interpretation of what exactly falls into this category, but it is used commonly to refer to "all things associated with a ninjutsu view of life", in contrast to only techniques for combat.
omote -- (J, lit. front) Generally used to describe an 'outside' direction and orientation of a technique with regard to the centerline of the body ('omote gyaku'), it is also used to describe concepts and teachings that are easily grasped or obvious, as opposed to teachings that are hidden or subtle (ura).
randori -- (J, lit. dancing in chaos) Unscripted technique exchange, otherwise known as 'free response'. In some cases, a distinction may be made between 'free response' and 'randori', but such distinctions are not clearly defined in general. The logical opposite of scripted techniques and events, or kata.
ryu -- (J) Typically a collection of teachings, often translated as a 'school'. In English discussions, the word 'ryu' is associated with old, traditional collections on knowledge. Most 'ryu' are named for their founding location or family. Seperately, the same English-spelling can represent a completely different symbol, which means 'dragon' and often appears in proper names.
tori -- (J) The intended 'winner' or 'good guy' of a technique exchange, whether in a scripted kata or a free-response session.
uke -- (J) The intended 'loser' or 'bad guy' of a technique exchange, whether in a scripted kata or a free-response session. Also known as the 'receiver'.
ura -- (J, lit. back) Generally used to describe an 'inside' direction or orientation of a technique. Also used to mean 'subtle' or 'hidden' concepts or teachings. Opposite of 'omote'.
energy -- When used without any other scientific descriptors, this typically refers to a particular feeling that is known in some circles as 'ki', 'qi', 'chi', 'the Force', or one of many other names. Though hard to describe because it is experienced through its own unique sense, it is nonetheless quite distinct once noticed. When forced into other terms, it is often related to a feeling of pressure, a feeling of movement or flow, or an out-of-context emotion.
esoteric -- Often used to mean 'secret' or 'magical' knowledge of some kind. Within Buddhist practice, implies experience-based practice that cannot be completely described by words. Most groups forbid or restrict attempts to do so in order to protect practitioners from misinterpreted practices that could cause harm. It is said that esoteric teachings represent a truth in its purest form, apart from description.
exoteric -- Typically used to mean 'not esoteric' and only in contrast with 'esoteric'. Practice which can be interpreted in words or knowledge. It is said that exoteric teachings represent truth in a 'situation-applied' or 'interpreted' form.
intention -- The feeling of total focus on and belief in a particular action. In martial training, this is typically used to describe the process of wholeheartedly believing that you will effectively attack a person. It can represent wholehearted belief in effective action of any kind. The word also describes that energy which moves between people to transmit a non-verbal understanding of a person's plans.
kuji -- (J) An exercise where one unifies the entire being with a particular reality. Typically, this is trained by learning a mantra, mudra, and mindset, which are performed together. The practice of the exercise typically takes a few seconds to a few minutes, and is often applied under the stress of some external challenge.
mantra -- (S) A vocalization performed with the mouth or in the mind as a means of focusing the word-brain on a particular reality.
meditation -- In typical use, any of a range of activities to take control of one's own mind and direct it toward a more useful state. In some cases, this is associated with a particular posture and/or environment. Some contexts may distinguish between 'formal meditation' and other types of mind-managing activities.
mikkyo -- (J) Ritual practice in order to identify with a particular viewpoint or reality. Typically considered to be from either the Tendai or Shingon Buddhist traditions, although other groups have ritual practice for the same purposes. The practice is 'esoteric' knowledge, and often involves mantras, mudras, mindsets, and ritual objects. Ritual practice is more involved than an exercise such as the kuji, and make take from several minutes to several hours to perform.
mindset -- A particular point of view, through which one experiences reality. Assuming a mindset can feel like acting or role-playing during training, but ultimately one simply becomes the mindset that one wishes to have. At that point, it is an honest expression, although it is a chosen point-of-view.
mudra -- (S) Typically a hand-posture, used to symbolize a significant object or concept. May also create energy flows conducive to the exercise that the mudra is associated with. Rarely, can mean any kind of physical posture.
sakki -- (J) Killing intention, made famous by the godan sword-test in Japan administered by Masaaki Hatsumi. Killing intention is one of the more dramatic and imperative forms of intention, and thus has a good use in teaching energy sensing.
sanmitsu -- (J) Literally, "three secrets". An often reflected form of the three secrets is "thought, word, and deed". More abstractly, it can refer to any set of three which comprises the concrete, the abstract, and that-which-bridges-the-two. The sanmitsu pattern can be observed in any system where there is a duality, and a special state at the meeting of the opposites. A similar concept is reflected in Western philosophy in Hegel's "thesis, antithesis, and synthesis" view of history.
shikin haramitsu daikomyo -- (H) Conceptually translated as, "Every experience contains the potential for the enlightenment we seek". It is often used at the beginning of training to focus participants on the here and now, and the ever-present opportunity for a breakthrough in understanding. The phrase has language roots in both Japanese and hybridized Sanskrit. The SHI of the phrase translates literally as "word(s)". The KIN translates as "sound(s)". Together, the two kanji for shi-kin mean literally "the sounds of words," or "sounds and words". The combination has the meaning of "an encounter" or "something that occurs to/at me". HARAMITSU is the Japanese sound of paramita, a Sanskrit term that roughly translates as "perfection of wisdom," or "having reached the opposite shore", a Buddhist metaphor for going beyond normal limits of thought and perception to reach the higher or broader awareness of enlightened vision. DAI KO MYO translates as "great bright light" by means of which illumination "dawns on us."
tantra -- (S) Implies a "weave" or "continuity", the realization of spiritual truths by means of personal experience in exercises utilizing energies and associations from life (as opposed to sutra training that utilizes texts and word teachings). The word tantra is associated with Indian yoga traditions.
vajrayana -- (S) A style of Buddhism, not in the sense of a particular organization, but as a certain point-of-view and approach to learning Buddhism. Vajrayana teachings are designed to guide a person to enlightenment in this lifetime, as opposed to mahayana and other teachings which are designed to gradually move a person toward enlightenment over many lifetimes. Vajrayana teachings require major, possibly even disruptive, changes to the practitioner's worldview and experiences in order to come to understand life quickly. Because of this, such teachings require a personal relationship with a skilled and trusted teacher to ensure that these disruptive changes stay safe and productive.
word-brain -- The intellectual side of the mind, that thinks in literal words. This stands opposed to the experience-processing part of the mind which takes in direct senses and forms feelings.
zen -- (J) Although there are many meanings for this word, including an organization, an energy, and a style of meditation, it is often associated with a mental state where the intellectual word-brain is quiet. This can be during empty-mind meditation or meditation focused on an experience, feeling, or sense that exists apart from words.
Bujinkan -- (J) The organization of ninjutsu training under Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, named for his training hall. This group generally views techniques from the perspective of the 9 ryu. Some also consider an elemental model, and some use the 'Tenchijin' or 'Heaven-Earth-Man' model to understand techniques. The Bujinkan has 10 kyu level ranks and 15 dan level ranks, although the 11th through 15th dan ranks are relatively recent. As of now, the top Bujinkan students are 12th or 13th dan.
The Bujinkan has more practitioners than any other ninjutsu organization, with many thousands of students world-wide. Most To-Shin Do practitioners who had ninjutsu experience before To-Shin Do trained in the Bujinkan, some for many years. Bujinkan curricula are not centralized by Masaaki Hatsumi, and so training methods vary radically between dojos. Some use an extremely organized curriculum based on various models, and others choose techniques by whim for each evening of training. There is every shade of grey in between. Similarly, training style is influenced by each dojo's instructor, ranging from archaically traditional to extremely modified and modern.
A good starting point for information on the Bujinkan is the Warrior Information Network.
Genbukan -- (J) This group was founded by Shoto Tanemura, one of Hatsumi's senior students who left the Bujinkan in the 80s. The Genbukan is fairly well organized under Tanemura. From the official Genbukan website, they list the purpose of the group this way, "In the interests of maintaining the integrity of the ancient Ninja tradition, Grandmaster Tanemura founded the Genbukan in November of 1984. The Genbukan is dedicated to the factual portrayal and teaching of the Ninja arts in the traditional Japanese manner."
The Genbukan takes a strictly traditional approach to ninjutsu training, focusing on the ryu techniques exactly as they were taught historically. Most Genbukan schools also teach 'KJJR' or Kokusai Jujutsu Renmei, a school of samurai jujutsu which Tanemura also leads. This branch was founded in 1991 for much the same stated purpose, "for the preservation and transmission of authentic Japanese Jujutsu."
There is minor political tension between some practitioners of all the styles of ninjutsu, but it seems to be a bit sharper between some Bujinkan and Genbukan practitioners.
Jinenkan -- (J) This group was founded by Fumio Manaka, one of Hatsumi's senior students who left the Bujinkan. Manaka is also known by the name 'Unsui Sensei' within the Jinenkan. He is now located in the Baltimore, MD area and intends to stay in the US for some years to grow the organization gradually. From the official Jinenkan website FAQ, the difference between the Jinenkan and 'other organizations' is this: "In the Jinenkan a strong emphasis is put on mastering the fundamentals. The basics are not just a step which one passes through on the way to learning more 'advanced' techniques. Every student is expected to keep polishing his or her basics year after year, and not forget them once the test has been passed. Also, we study the techniques as they are written, and in the order they are written in the scrolls. There are reasons why the scrolls are organized as they are, and a piecemeal approach to training can leave a person without the tools he or she needs to learn any technique well. "
The Jinenkan is a traditional, scroll-based training organization that is well-known within ninjutsu for extremely precise movement. Manaka, and his top students such as Shawn Havens, have been consulted by Bujinkan and To-Shin Do advanced practitioners at times in order to polish their fundamentals and get extremely detailed views on fundamental movements and techniques.
Koga Ryu Ninjitsu -- Historically, the two regions that the ninja were found were called Iga and Koga (the prefectures have different names in Japan now). All of the Bujinkan, Jinenkan, Genbukan, and To-Shin Do ninjutsu heritage traces back to the schools in the Iga region. It is generally accepted that the Koga-region schools died out and disappeared, and that there are no legitimate Koga-region schools in existance today. However, that general belief is not held by everyone, and there are dozens if not hundreds of martial arts instructors in the world who claim to be part of a Koga-based lineage. They frequently spell the martial system 'ninjitsu' instead of 'ninjutsu'. Therefore, Koga-ryu Ninjitsu is not a single thing, but a catch-all category for groups that trace their lineage to the Koga-region, despite the fact that none of them have proved it to the satisfaction of the larger martial arts community. Most of the schools that claim Koga heritage appear to have either a karate-influenced or modern military fighting style.
Shadows of Iga -- The Shadows of Iga society is a group that has existed since the beginning of ninjutsu in America. Now it serves to provide classical-style ninjutsu training in To-Shin Do schools, for the minority of the To-Shin Do population that is interested in the historical techniques.
To-Shin Do -- (J) This branch of the martial art was founded by Stephen K. Hayes as a Westernized, modernized version of the traditional principles and techniques that make up ninjutsu as he learned it in the Bujinkan under Masaaki Hatsumi. The techniques are changed very little, but the style with which they are performed reflects modern circumstances. The attacks that are practiced against are also changed from traditional ninjutsu to reflect the type of assaults common in the modern West. The teaching is organized to reflect an elemental approach to technique and a spiritual approach to training and personal expression in life. The best information is found on Stephen K. Hayes' dojo home page.
Spiritual organizations/groups
Shingon Buddhism -- (H) A vajrayana branch of Buddhism founded in 804 by a Japanese monk named Kukai (or Kobo Daishi) upon returning with teachings from China (where they had come from India). Shingon is headquarted on Mount Koya in Japan, and teaches through the use of sutra chanting and mikkyo (esoteric ritual practice). There are Shingon temples in Japan, the United States, and in South America. Some additional background can be found here.
Shingon Buddhism is very similar to Tendai Buddhism, as the two developed at roughly the same time in Japan. Both are systems of esoteric Buddhism. Information on Shingon Buddhist teachings can be found here.
Shugendo -- (J) The shugenja (those who practice Shugendo) of Mt. Yoshino are associated with rigorous energy-channeling exercises in the face of dangerous situations. The kuji exercises were born in this environment as a way to focus a human being's power on seemingly overwhelming problems or circumstances. Ultimately, they lead a person to total actualization of their potential abilities. To-Shin Do integrates the kuji and energy-channeling training of the shugenja in order to better learn and understand what produces results in the world. This ties the physical capabilities of the martial arts to the ability to apply one's talents for positive results under stress.
Tendai Buddhism -- (H) A vajrayana branch of Buddhism founded in 804 by a Japanese monk named Saicho (or Dengyo Daishi) upon returning with teachings from China (where they had come from India). The name of the Tendai sect comes from Chinese T'ien T'ai Buddhism. Tendai is headquarted on Mount Hiei in Japan, and teaches through the use of sutra chanting, mikkyo (esoteric ritual practice), and zen meditation. There are Tendai temples in Japan and a few in the United States. Additional history can be found here.
Tendai Buddhism is very similar to Shingon Buddhism, as the two developed at roughly the same time in Japan. Both are systems of esoteric Buddhism. To-Shin Do makes use of Tendai techniques to transform our worldview and allow us to see the truth of the causes and effects of a given situation. This enlightened vision lets us see how to apply our abilities in the most productive fashion in a given, real-world situation.
Tibetan Buddhism -- Also a vajrayana branch of Buddhism, which traveled to Tibet from India sometime after Buddhism had traveled to eastern China from India. As such, Tibetan Buddhism evolved from a later period of Indian vajrayana development. This resulted in some additional sophisticated techniques for understanding ultimate truth. It also exists as a seperate record of Indian vajrayana for comparison to Tendai and Shingon Buddhism. This is useful considering that Buddhist vajrayana practice and the original languages of that practice largely died out in India after the practices had moved to China and Tibet. Comparing two culturally separate views of vajrayana helps to give depth to the teachings and isolate them from cultural factors.
budo
Bujinkan
dan
do
energy
esoteric
esoteric Buddhism
exoteric
gake
Genbukan
gyaku
intention
Jinenkan
joint-lock
jutsu
kamae
kata
Koga Ryu Ninjitsu
kuji
kyu
mantra
meditation
mikkyo
mindset
mudra
nagare
nage
ninja
ninjutsu
ninpo
omote
randori
ryu
sakki
sanmitsu
Shadows of Iga
Shingon Buddhism
shikin haramitsu daikomyo
Shugendo
taijutsu
tantra
Tendai Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
To-Shin Do
tobi
tori
uke
ukemi
ura
vajrayana
word-brain
zen
Spelling of Japanese, Sanskrit, and hybrid words
Because both Japanese and Sanskrit did not use the Roman alphabet (the letters you are reading now, shared by many European languages), writing these words down requires approximating their sounds in familiar Roman letters. This is called 'transliteration', and generally for a given language a standard way of doing it emerges. Occasionally, a couple of standards emerge for a given original sound, and so one can see multiple spellings for the same foreign word. Both (or neither, depending on perspective) are correct.
For example, the famous Chinese word for internal energy is spelled a couple of ways -- it was originally transliterated into English as 'qi' by a European scholar who chose the letter 'q' to represent a particular Chinese sound. Later scholars chose to represent that sound as 'chi', and English speakers pronounce it this way. However, both spellings are correct, and the actual sound in Chinese is somewhere between the two.
Japanese
Lucky for English-speakers, Japanese has similar sounds to English, and so it transliterates pretty easily. Most Japanese words are spelled exactly and literally as they sound by a native speaker. There are a couple of exceptions, however, mostly relating to vowels.
A word ending in a long 'o', such as 'ninpo', can be heard by a native speaker of Japanese to slightly elongate the 'o' noise and drop the pitch, more than an English speaker naturally would. Hence, this sound-effect is represented sometimes by changing the spelling to 'ninpou'. Similarly, 'mikkyo' is sometimes transliterated as 'mikkyou'. This approach is more rare and academic, and I have chosen not to follow it here, but the meanings are identical and equally correct.
Another spelling quirk is that spoken Japanese swallows the 'u' sound at the end of many words, particularly verbs. The common verb ending with the syllables 'ma' and 'su' comes out spoken as 'mas' with a barely discernable unvoiced 'u' at the end. Hence, you hear 'onegaishimas' in the dojo, but spelling is commonly accepted to be 'onegaishimasu'. The 'u' is almost always written down in transliterated Japanese, excepting perhaps pronunciation guides. English-speakers are inconsistent about whether to pronounce the 'u' -- most people say NIN-JI-TSOO where a Japanese would say something closer to NEEN-JOOTS. The popular English convention seems to be chosen on a word-by-word basis.
The Japanese 'g' sound and 'k' sound are less distinct than in English. In writing, they are differentiated only by a small bit of punctuation-like mark above the letter, and sometimes even that is skipped. As a result, some English speakers have learned a word which is usually spelled/spoken with a 'k' with a 'g' instead. You may hear someone say 'gata' instead of 'kata'. Not all words seem to be subject to this transformation and it is rare, but bear in mind the possibility. As 'Kung fu', which is Chinese, is sometimes written also as 'Gung fu', one might guess that this either/or transliteration has its roots in words of Chinese origin.
Lastly, the plural of a noun in Japanese is spelled and spoken exactly as the singular. In rare cases where context is not enough to tell the difference between a plural and singular concept, additional words are used in Japanese (imagine saying, "many" or "a lot of" when plural needed to be specified or emphasized). Hence, the plural of ninja is ninja.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit is less convenient for English speakers. Most of the sounds in Sanskrit are not precisely like any of the sounds in English, leading to a lot of approximation and interpretation. To make it worse, we have no model in our minds. Most Americans have heard conversational Chinese and Japanese, and can call up a fair imitation of the rhythms of those languages in their mind. You would be hard pressed to experience conversational Sanskrit.
Moreover, words which are technically Sanskrit in origin often come to us through other cultures. In some cases, a scholar has taken the time to transliterate Sanskrit directly into Roman letters, but often it was first transliterated into Tibetan or Chinese (and sometimes then Japanese) before being brought back to Roman letters. Hence, these words have already been altered substantially by the sound-capabilities of the languages it was brought through. You can expect major variation in spelling of Sanskrit words therefore, and you have to apply some creative skills to 'feel' the connection between words. What is 'vajra' in one place is 'bazara' or 'basara' somewhere else.
Sanskrit sounds brought directly into Roman letters often use an 'h' to add the correct breathy exhalation with the vowel, a 'kh' to create the guttural, back-of-the-throat noise famous in German, and a 'ph' to represent a breathy exhalation that is a cross between 'ph' and 'f'. On the other hand, Sanskrit that has passed through other languages will follow the transliteration guidelines from that language.
Common words (for Sanskrit, I mean), such as 'samadhi' do take on a commonly accepted spelling that most people use, and as Sanskrit is a very academic thing to have knowledge of, these spellings seem to adhere to the organized academic methods laid out by scholars of the ancient language. More obscure concepts may not have a fixed Roman-letter method, but there is probably an academically-accepted standard transliteration.
Want to submit a concept or organization related to To-Shin Do? Submit something you think everyone should know, or submit a question for us to research. Email us.
Thanks to the following contributors: Austin Bloomberg, Kevin Casey, Stephen K. Hayes, Christopher Penn
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