The Truth of “Impermanence” and “As Is” | Nihongo Sprit [日本語道] Series #1

Prologue 

1. The Truth of “Impermanence” and “As Is”
2. Traditional Culture That Demands Dignity
3. Yokai Fit in with Japanese Life
4. Japanization of Foreign Culture and Co-existence
5. Compassionate Language that Avoids Conflict

Izanami (いざ波)

Life is a series of unexpected events, and it is always the case that things do not go as expected, whether for nations or individuals. Historical figures have their own way of life.

人生は予期しない出来事の連続で、国であろうと個人であろうと思い通りにならないのが世の常です。歴史の人物には各自の生きざまが見られます。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

TOKUGAWA Ieyasu, who would later become the ruler of Japan, was under the control of ODA Nobunaga. His son was suspected of plotting against Nobunaga, and the son was forced to commit seppuku.

後に天下人となる徳川家康は織田信長の傘下にあった時代。家康の息子が信長への謀反を企んだという疑いをかけられ、息子は切腹させられました。

Izanami (いざ波)

SEN no Rikyu, the founder of the tea ceremony, had a mutually understanding relationship with TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, who unified Japan before Ieyasu, but one day Hideyoshi suddenly ordered him to commit seppuku.

茶道の開祖といわれる千利休は、家康の前に日本を統一した豊臣秀吉と互いを理解する間柄でしたが、ある日、その秀吉に突然切腹を命じられました。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

The reason for seppuku is that some believe that Rikyu, who was nothing more than a man of culture, was praised more than Hideyoshi, which caused Hideyoshi to become jealous of him. The truth, however, remains a mystery.

切腹の原因は、文化人に過ぎない利休が、自分以上にもてはやされたことに、秀吉が嫉妬したからとの見方があります。しかし、真相は今も謎のままです。

Izanami (いざ波)

Rikyu accepted the order and committed seppuku without refuting it. Some believe that it was Rikyuʼs silent protest that highlighted the arrogance of those in power.

利休は反論することもなく、命令を受け入れ切腹しました。権力者の傲慢さを際立たせる利休の沈黙の抗議だったという見方があります。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

HOSOKAWA Galasha, the wife of a warlord and a convert to Christianity, chose to die so as not to hinder her husband before she was taken hostage.

戦国武将の妻でクリスチャンに改宗した細川ガラシャは、夫の妨げにならないようにと人質にされる前に自ら死を選びました。

Izanami (いざ波)

Her resignation phrase is still quoted as a good description of human life. She said, “chirinu beki toki shirite koso yononaka no hana mo hana nare hito mo hito nare (People should know when to die, just as flowers know when to fall).”

彼女の辞世の句は人生をよく言い表しているとして今でも引用されます。「散りぬべき時知りてこそ世の中の花も花なれ人も人なれ」。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

The Japanese view of life and death is said to have been born from the Shinto belief that people are a part of nature and the Buddhist doctrine of impermanence, which holds that nothing in the world is eternal.

日本人の死生観は、人も自然の一部とする神道の思想と、世の中に永遠はないという仏教の「無常観」から生まれたといわれます。

Izanami (いざ波)

There are many masterpieces depicting the impermanence of the world, such as “The Tale of the Heike” which describes the process of the rise and fall of the Heike clan, and “Hojoki,” an essay that described life as the currents of a river by KAMO no Chomei.

平家の栄華と滅亡の過程を描いた「平家物語」や人生を川の流れにたとえた鴨長明の随筆「方丈記」など、世の無常を描いた名作はたくさんあります。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

MATSUO Basho, the haiku superstar, also wrote a haiku about the transience of life. “Natsukusa ya tsuwamono domo ga yume no ato (Summer grasses, all that remains of warriorsʼ dreams).”

俳句のスーパースターである松尾芭蕉も、人生のはかなさを俳句にしました。「夏草や兵どもが夢の跡」。

Izanami (いざ波)

YOSANO Akiko, a female poet, expressed it this way. “Haru mijikashi nan ni fumetsu no inochi zo to chikara aru chi wo te ni sagurasenu (Spring is short, and so I wonder if there exists an everlasting life in this world as I let him touch my breasts full of young strength).”

女流歌人の与謝野晶子は、こう表現しました。「春みじかし何に不滅の命ぞとちからある乳を手にさぐらせぬ」。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

At the heart of the Japanese people is a view of life that accepts the transience of the world and one’s destiny.

日本人の根底には、この世のはかなさや運命を受け入れる人生観があります。

Izanami (いざ波)

This is due in part to the teachings of Zen, which flourished in Japan. Zen is a philosophy that accepts reality as it is.

これには、日本で開花した禅の教えも影響していると言えるでしょう。禅とはありのままの現実を受け入れる哲学です。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

In Zen, we recognize that the path to resolution is to accept whatever is painful.

禅では、辛いことがあってもそれを受け入れることが解決への道だという自覚をします。

Izanami (いざ波)

The mainstay of Zen practice is zazen and meditation. With eyes only half open, the mind is left blank and one realizes that the self is one with nature.

禅の修行の主体は座禅と瞑想です。目を半分だけ開け、心は無にして自己が自然と一体であることを実感します。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

It provides a sense of security that the self exists even when it disappears.

自己が消えても存在するという安心感を得られます。

Izanami (いざ波)

Socrates sought to pursue the truth of the world through dialogue by inviting people to debate.

ソクラテスは人に討論を持ちかけ、対話によって世の真理を追及しようとしました。

Izanagi (いざ凪)

In Zen, too, the master leads his students to enlightenment by asking them questions such as “What is life?”

禅も、師匠と弟子が「生きるとは？」といった問答をすることで悟りに導きます。