Gichin Funakoshi, the father of karate, once said that "the ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants". To support his life-long stance and offer guidance to future practitioners, he penned his now legendary "Twenty Principles". While the principles themselves have circulated for years, a translation of the accompanying commentary has never been published. This translation is aimed at martial arts enthusiasts in general and followers of karate in particular, The original text was written as terse axioms, the precepts of which are open to various interpretations; "There is no first attack in Karate" has occasioned endless discussion about its true meaning. Many such unresolved questions are answered in the commentary, which is filled with philosophical musings, historical episodes, and advice for anyone seeking a better way. The text is translated by John Teramoto, a karate practitioner and respected translator in the field and is accompanied by rare photographs and original calligraphy.