Anyone will be happy when he/she receives praise from others. But, it is unnecessary to receive too much praise. So, you need not to show off yourself intentionally. If you have excessive power, you might want to use it for the benefit of others and society. When you do that, the balance of power will be made and maintained. That is the function of the Tao. Therefore, the reason why Budo-ka who are connected to the Tao develop their own power is not for showing off themselves but for contributing to the benefit of others and society. They do not seek for excessive rewards and respects for themselves. These are selfish desires. Let go of selfish desires, then you will feel calm and eventually the world will be harmonized.
June 20, 2018
After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 77 老子：第七七章を読んで
人に褒められれば誰もが嬉しい。しかし，余分に褒められる必要はない。だから，わざわざ自分を誇示することもない。力が余っているのなら，それは人や社会のために使えば良い。そうすれば，力の調和が保たれる。それがタオの働きである。だからタオに通じる武道家が力を養うのは，自分を誇示するためではなく，人や社会に資するためである。余分な報酬や尊敬を求めない。それは我欲である。我欲を捨てれば心は安らぎ，やがて世界は調和する。
Anyone will be happy when he/she receives praise from others. But, it is unnecessary to receive too much praise. So, you need not to show off yourself intentionally. If you have excessive power, you might want to use it for the benefit of others and society. When you do that, the balance of power will be made and maintained. That is the function of the Tao. Therefore, the reason why Budo-ka who are connected to the Tao develop their own power is not for showing off themselves but for contributing to the benefit of others and society. They do not seek for excessive rewards and respects for themselves. These are selfish desires. Let go of selfish desires, then you will feel calm and eventually the world will be harmonized.
Anyone will be happy when he/she receives praise from others. But, it is unnecessary to receive too much praise. So, you need not to show off yourself intentionally. If you have excessive power, you might want to use it for the benefit of others and society. When you do that, the balance of power will be made and maintained. That is the function of the Tao. Therefore, the reason why Budo-ka who are connected to the Tao develop their own power is not for showing off themselves but for contributing to the benefit of others and society. They do not seek for excessive rewards and respects for themselves. These are selfish desires. Let go of selfish desires, then you will feel calm and eventually the world will be harmonized.
June 15, 2018
After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 76 老子：第七六章を読んで
生きていれば柔らかくみずみずしいが，死んでいれば硬く干からびている。若い人は柔らかくみずみずしいが，年を取ると硬く干からびてくる。柔らかいと視野が広く，身動きしやすいので，選択肢が多く，可能性にも溢れている。硬いとその逆となる。武術的にはこれを居着きという。だから，居着かないために柔らかく在り続ける。ただ一方で，地に根付いた硬い幹として天へと伸びていく柔らかい枝葉を下から支えるのもまた，自然な役割である。
We are soft and fresh when we are alive, while hard and dry when we are dead. Young people are soft and fresh, but the older people become, the harder and drier they become. Softness makes us have an open mind and good footwork, and then have a lot of alternatives and so full of possibilities. Hardness has the opposite effect for us. From the viewpoint of martial arts, this is "itsuki." Then, keep soft in order not to be such a state as itsuki. On the other hand, it is one of natural roles for a hard trunk rooting in the earth to support soft branches and leaves stretching to the heaven.
We are soft and fresh when we are alive, while hard and dry when we are dead. Young people are soft and fresh, but the older people become, the harder and drier they become. Softness makes us have an open mind and good footwork, and then have a lot of alternatives and so full of possibilities. Hardness has the opposite effect for us. From the viewpoint of martial arts, this is "itsuki." Then, keep soft in order not to be such a state as itsuki. On the other hand, it is one of natural roles for a hard trunk rooting in the earth to support soft branches and leaves stretching to the heaven.
June 11, 2018
After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 75 老子：第七五章を読んで
より良く生きること自体は，決して間違いではない。しかし，その「より良く」というのが，自分が贅沢をすること，自分を誇示すること，自分の思い通りに支配することだとすれば，誰もその人を尊敬しない。むしろ，贅沢や誇示や支配のような我欲を捨てる。「私」にこだわりのない人は，他人に施し，他人に優しい。これを「良し」として生きる人に，人はついていく。武を極めれば，禅やタオに通じ，やがて「私」はなくなる。それこそが最強の兵法である。
To live a better life itself is definitely not wrong. But, if the "better" life means enjoying luxury for oneself, flaunting oneself, and dominating others according to one's own demands, no one will not respect such a person who wants to live that life. Rather, let go of selfish desires as luxury, flaunt, and domination. A person who is not attached to himself/herself will give his/her charity to others and be kind to others. People will follow such a person who think this is a "better" life. If you thoroughly practice and master martial arts, you will be connected to Zen and the Tao, and your "I (self)" eventually will disappear. That is just he strongest art of warfare.
To live a better life itself is definitely not wrong. But, if the "better" life means enjoying luxury for oneself, flaunting oneself, and dominating others according to one's own demands, no one will not respect such a person who wants to live that life. Rather, let go of selfish desires as luxury, flaunt, and domination. A person who is not attached to himself/herself will give his/her charity to others and be kind to others. People will follow such a person who think this is a "better" life. If you thoroughly practice and master martial arts, you will be connected to Zen and the Tao, and your "I (self)" eventually will disappear. That is just he strongest art of warfare.
June 07, 2018
After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 74 老子：第七四章を読んで
例えば，人に侮辱されたり，人が規則に反したりしたとき，我々は怒りを感じる。前者を私憤，後者を公憤という。私憤からその人に報復したり，公憤からその人に制裁を加えたりしたいとつい思う。しかしこのとき武道家であれば，あえて自ら行動しない。なぜなら，その人は，武道家本人が自ら手を下さなくとも，タオによって必ず報いを受けるからである。「私」自らがしなければならないという思いを捨てる。そうすれば，無駄な争いをせずに済む。
For example, when a person insults us or violates the rules, we feel angry. The former is called private indignation, and the latter public indignation. We unintentionally think that we want to retaliate against him/her based on such private indignation, or punish him/her based on such public one. But, at such a time, Budo-ka intentionally would not do anything. It is because the Tao will make him/her inevitably pay for what he/she did even if the Budo-ka him/herself do nothing with him/her. Let go of the idea that "I" have to do it "by myself." Then, you will be released from unnecessary conflicts.
For example, when a person insults us or violates the rules, we feel angry. The former is called private indignation, and the latter public indignation. We unintentionally think that we want to retaliate against him/her based on such private indignation, or punish him/her based on such public one. But, at such a time, Budo-ka intentionally would not do anything. It is because the Tao will make him/her inevitably pay for what he/she did even if the Budo-ka him/herself do nothing with him/her. Let go of the idea that "I" have to do it "by myself." Then, you will be released from unnecessary conflicts.
June 01, 2018
After Reading Lao Tsu: Chapter 73 老子：第七三章を読んで
何が正しくて何が正しくないかは，時代や文化や状況や立場によって，常に相対的である。だからこの世の中に絶対的なことなどない。見方によって，陰は陽となり，陽は陰となる。だから当然，タオや禅に従った生き方が絶対的に正しいわけではない。道家や禅者であっても，何が正しいかなど分からない。タオや禅は一つの考えであり，どう生きるかは個人の選択である。自然に身を任せ，争わず，奢らず，作為せず，ただ在る生き方を選ぶかどうかである。
What is right and what is not right are always relative to each other depending on the period, culture, situation, and position. Then, there is not something absolute in this world. Yin is Yang by some viewpoints, while Yang is Yin by other viewpoints. Therefore, of course, the life style following the Tao or Zen is not absolutely right. Even Taoists or Zen practitioners do not know what is right. The Tao or Zen is a kind of ideas, and how one lives is dependent on one's choice. This means whether or not one select the way to live in which one is just here now following the nature without conflicts, vanities, and artifices.
What is right and what is not right are always relative to each other depending on the period, culture, situation, and position. Then, there is not something absolute in this world. Yin is Yang by some viewpoints, while Yang is Yin by other viewpoints. Therefore, of course, the life style following the Tao or Zen is not absolutely right. Even Taoists or Zen practitioners do not know what is right. The Tao or Zen is a kind of ideas, and how one lives is dependent on one's choice. This means whether or not one select the way to live in which one is just here now following the nature without conflicts, vanities, and artifices.
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