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Playing with Demons
February 4, 2003
by William Cobb

I've been reading a delightful mystery story set in Tibet, in which one of their famous demons plays a big role (The Skull Mantra, by Eliot Patison). Tibetan Buddhism is quite different from the Zen tradition in many ways, not the least of which is their panoply of demons. The Tibetan demons are always extremely scary and usually given to very violent interactions with humans.

The key point to remember is that they always go after the bad guys. The demons are actually on the side of those who are struggling to live in accordance with the Buddha's teachings and are there to help you overcome negative influences. This suggests a useful, if rather different, way to think about your opponent in go.

Naturally, you usually feel a little nervous when you start a game, especially if it's in a tournament, where outcome may affect your rating. So your opponent is a little scary. Why not let him become very scary? Think of him as a terrifying demon, giving off enormous negative energy, threatening tremendous damage.

Then remember that all that negative energy is directed at those bad habits and careless slips that keep marring your games and look forward to your demon blowing them away. Maybe being a little worried about the ferocious reactions of our demonic opponents could help us maintain the focus necessary to play our best. So, before you play your first stone, look at your opponent and visualize him ripping off your arm if you make a slack play. Can't hurt.

Past columns by William Cobb are archived at http://www.slateandshell.com/billcobb.asp

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