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Tang Soo Tao is the scientific use of the body, mind and
spirit in methods of self defence. It is an art tested and
tempered on the lawns of Buddhist monasteries against the
steel of wandering bandits and on the field of combat and
its history is a long and honourable one. The mastery of its
secrets cannot be bought at any price other than serious and
rigorous training.
Master
Robert Caputo
Master Robert Caputo, founder of Tang Soo Tao, was born in
the U.S.A. in 1950. At the age of 10 he began his martial
arts journey firstly studying Judo and then Japanese Karate
before meeting Master Andrew Ah Po and beginning his study
of Tang Soo Do.
As a young Black Belt he had a keen interest in meditation
and spent hours each day practicing as well as reading what
he could find and talking to martial artists from different
styles. In search of answers to what he felt was missing from
his training he embarked on what was to become the first stage
of a life’s quest.
Master Caputo would train with anyone from any style and
would travel great distances in order to find other dedicated
martial artists. Traveling to Korea he trained under the founder
of Tang Soo Do, Grandmaster Hwang Kee and in Japan he met
and trained with a number of great masters including Gogen
Yamaguchi (Goju) and Tohei Sensei (Aikido) refining his skills,
practicing yoga and practicing and studying meditation.
In the mountain monasteries of Korea he began his study of
Shi Palge and with that his cultivation of internal energy
through the practice both Nei Gung and Wei Gung exercises.
His travels then took him to Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore and Indonesia, studying and training before eventually
arriving in Darwin Australia in 1974, the birthplace of what
Master Caputo later called Tang Soo Tao. Using Darwin as his
home base he regularly traveled back to Asia studying Tai
Chi, Hsing I, Pa Kua and oriental medicine.
In 1976 Master Caputo had a life chaging experience when
he met and received teachings from the Venerable Zasep Tulku
Rinpoche at Chenrezig Institute on Queenslands Sunshine Coast.
Those teachings and the close bond he formed with his spiritual
teacher set him on the path that was to answer all his questions.
Receiving letters of introduction from Ven. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche,
Master Caputo traveled to India to meet the exiled king of
Tibet, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Receiving his blessings
Master Caputo was given instruction and initiation by a number
of high lamas including both the senior and junior tutors
to the Dalai Lama, H.H. Kabje Ling Rinpoche, H.H. Kabje Trijang
Rinpoche and H.H. Rato Rinpoche.
Master Caputo completed a number of long meditation retreats
in India and went on to open the first clinic of Traditional
Chinese Medicine in Darwin. He also established a centre in
Victoria for the practice of martial arts and spiritual retreats.
Sadly, Master Caputo died in a car accident in 1985.
We dedicate our practice in his honour.
Tang Soo!
 Venerable
Zasep Tulku Rinpoche
The spiritual master of the Australian Tang Soo Tao Federation,
was born in eastern Tibet in 1948. Rinpoche completed his
Acharya (Master's) Degree in Buddhist philosophy at Varanasi
Sanskrit University in 1975, before studying Vipassana meditation
and Theravada Buddhist traditions in the forest temples of
Thailand.
In 1976, Rinpoche moved to Australia to translate and teach
at the Chenrezig Institute for Wisdom Culture in the Sunshine
Coast hinterland, Queensland. It was during this time that
our founder, the late Master Robert Caputo, met Rinpoche,
beginning a lasting friendship. In 1980, Zasep Rinpoche accepted
the invitation of his Canadian students and moved to British
Columbia, Canada, where he still resides today.
Over the past 20 years Rinpoche has given numerous teachings,
discourses, commentaries, initiations and meditation retreats
for all his students around the world, including numerous
workshops and retreats for the students of Tang Soo Tao. Zasep
Rinpoche has now been teaching in the west for over 20 years.
He is knowledgeable in six languages: Urdu, Hindi, Sanskrit,
Thai, Tibetan and English.
He is spiritual director of more than twelve Buddhist meditation
centres in Canada, Australia and the United States and we
are honoured to have him as our spiritual master.
 Grandmaster
Andrew Ah Po
Grandmaster Ah Po (8th Dan), for 15 years, gave regular instruction
the students of Tang Soo Tao. Through him senior instructors
were guided to the rank of master.
He was our founder’s original Tang Soo Do instructor
and an exceptional teacher.
We thank him for sharing his unique insights into martial
arts and martial movement with us. His invaluable contribution
to Tang Soo Tao has changed the way we move forever.
Tang Soo!
 Master
Anthony Brown
Master Anthony Brown, head of Tang Soo Tao
Australia is a 5 th Dan black belt who began his training
in 1976 under Master Caputo.
At a very young age Master Brown lived the life of a very
committed martial artist, following in the foot steps of Master
Caputo by becoming student of Chinese medicine and was introduced
to Tibetan, Buddhism teachings in India by the age of 19.
He has continued to practice to a very high level in all of
these fields running the Australian Tang Soo Tao federation
with his long term friend and training partner, master Spielkamp.
Master Brown established a successful clinic of Chinese medicine
and is deply involved in continuing Tang Soo Tao
links with Tibetan Buddhist teachings in meditation and all
aspect of the internal arts of thai chi, qi gong, pa kua and
hsing-i. Master Brown, with Master Spielkamp has been instrumental
in facilitating the growth and progressiveness of Tang
Soo Tao.
 Master
Deiter Spielkamp
Master Dieter Spielkamp, who started training martial arts
in 1974, is a 5 th Dan and second in charge of Tang
Soo Tao Australia.
Master Speilkamp was the first person to establish a friendship
with Master Caputo two days after he arrived in Australia.
This experience has cemented Master Speilkamp into his life
as a martial artist and in many ways the back bone of the
development of Tang Soo Tao. Master Speilkamp
has consistently been committed to martial arts training and
was also involved in traveling to India and receiving teaching
from the high Lamas with Master Anthony Brown and Master Caputo.
Master Speilkamp steel like commitment to his work, opening
and supporting many schools in Australia is legendary. He
has trained in Korea and he also traveled to the U.S with
many great practitioners of the art form. Master Speilkamp’s
deep understanding of meditation and internal arts is, with
Master Brown’s knowledge, fundamental to the unique
aspects of Tang Soo Tao training.
In
Australia, the tradition continues with centres of the Australian
Tang Soo Tao Federation Inc. established in
Maroochydore [QLD], Darwin
[NT], Melbourne,
Geelong and Daylesford
[VIC] and Canberra [ACT].
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