Succession
Page 6 of 7
True successor
Therefore, when someone lays claim to being the true successor to an art, you should consider the following questions:
- Did the master state to many people that this person was to be the successor?
- Did the master's actions indicate that this person was to be the successor?
- How open was the master to teaching this person the full art?
- Does the person possess all the physical skills required?
- Has the person spent a great length of time training with the master, especially in the master's later years?
- Does the person speak the same language as the master?
- Is the person a diligent student who has practiced the art continuously for many recent years?
- Does the person have the ability to articulate the art?
- Is the person worthy of succession?
- What has the person done for the art?