CHICHI WEB

The monthly “Chichi” is available only in Japanese.For further details regarding the contents of the magazine, please refer to Chichi WEB (Japanese version).

Special Feature: Live Desperately

A disciple once asked his Zen master, Dogen^*1,

”You taught me that every human being is born with Bussho^*2, but if that is the case, why do some of them succeed while some don’t?”

Dogen replied,

“It’s easy to tell you the answer, but you should once think through it by yourself.”

　With that, the disciple spent a night thinking over the issue, but he couldn’t figure it out.

　The next morning, the disciple visited Dogen and asked again,

“I thought about the issue last night, but still I don’t understand why. Please let me know the answer.”

“Then, I will let you know. Those who succeed make efforts. Those who don’t succeed don’t make efforts. That’s the difference.”

　The disciple was overjoyed, feeling he got it. However, another question came to his mind during the night. If human beings are supposed to have Bussho, why do some make efforts while others don’t? The next they, he went to see his master again and asked,

“I went home yesterday, feeling I got it. However, I still can’t figure out why some make efforts and some don’t, if human beings are supposed to have Bussho?”

“Those who make efforts have spirit. Those who don’t, have no spirit. That’s the difference.”

　The disciple was well convinced with Dogen’s answer, and went home in delight. However, during the night, again, another question surfaced. If human beings are supposed to have Bussho, why do some have spirit while some don’t?

　The disciple came to see his master, which was the fourth time, and raised the question. Dogen replied,

“Those who have spirit know that every human being is mortal and is sure to die. Those who have no spirit don’t know this fact in its true sense. That’s the difference.”

　This is an anecdote of Dogen, which bears close resemblance to his words in “The Shobogenzo Zuimonki^*3.”

^*1Dogen was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and the founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan. He was a leading religious figure of his time, as well as being an important philosopher.

^*2Bussho is Buddha-nature, or pure humanity.

^*3”The Shobogenzo Zuimonki” is a compilation of teachings orally delivered by Dogen. It explains training rules for monks in a way that is easy to understand.

“Whether or not you can achieve spiritual enlightenment doesn’t depend on your innate brightness or stupidity. Everyone who trains is sure to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

Of course, there is a difference in speed between those who try hard and those who slack off. Whether you try hard or slack off depends on whether or not your spirit is desperate. If your spirit is not desperate, it is because you are not aware of the uncertainties in life. Every human being is walking towards death every second. You have to cherish the time you live like now, and improve yourself.”

　To live desperately is to live single-mindedly. To live by dedicating yourself to here and now, every moment. To forget your ego and sincerely devote yourself to something. Then, life will radiate its intrinsic glow.

　Even on your deathbed, your deathbed can be the place where you can improve yourself. Dogen is said to have passed away, saying these words,

“Don’t waste your life. Live desperately.”─We should reflect on this Dogen’s last message to us on his deathbed.

【Conversation】What You Can See in Extreme

Kazuo Murakami　（Professor Emeritus of Tsukuba University）＆　Ryojun Shionuma　（Priest of Jigen-ji Temple）

Mr. Ryojun Shionuma boldly took the challenge of Sen-nichikai-hogyo, which is said to be one of the most extremely tough trainings in Shugendo*, and completed it flawlessly. In the 1,300 year long history of the Kinpusen-ji Temple that holds the training, he is the second person who could complete it. With asceticism beyond imagination, transcending human norms and physical limits, what did he see past his ordeals? The authority in genetic engineering, Mr. Kazuo Murakami, Professor Emeritus of Tsukuba University, passionately probes into the reality of asceticism, and the truth of life that Mr. Shionuma attained through the experience.

*Shugendo is an old Japanese way of studying the relationship between Man and Nature. "Shugendo" literally means "the path of training and testing." It centers on an ascetic, mountain-dwelling lifestyle and incorporates teachings from other eastern philosophies. The focus or goal of Shugendo is the development of spiritual experience and power.

【Interview】I Will Continue to Fight As Long As I Live, Carrying My Patients’ Lives

Hiroyasu Kamiyama　（Chief of the First Department of Neurosurgery/Head of the Apoplexy Center, Asahikawa Red Cross Hospital）

Cerebral aneurysm is a clog formed in cerebral blood vessels. If it is left untouched, it will burst, cause subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the patient’s life will be in danger. However, corrective operations are extremely difficult, and one wrong move could result in permanent brain damage. Mr. Hiroyasu Kamiyama, brain surgeon, receives dozens of requests for this difficult operation every month. Patients who were turned away by other hospitals rush to Surgeon Kamiyama, desperate help. He accepts the patients and stands up heroically to challenge himself to save them. He shares with us what he has to say.

【Conversation】／I Bear My Burden by Myself

Supported by the Way of Living of My Stepfather, Yoshio Toi

Yokuko Toi　（Bomori 〔Wife of a priest〕 in Toko-ji Temple, Jodo Shinshu） &　

Issei Terada　（Representative of Fujin-sosho-kankokai）

Ms. Yukuko Toi married an elementary schoolteacher and started to live in Tantocho, located deep in the mountains in Hyogo Prefecture in 1981. However, her husband, who was passionate in education, suddenly collapsed during a physical education class and fell into a vegetative state when he was 45. Peaceful days changed drastically, and Ms. Toi was determined to manage a snack bar to support her bedridden husband and raise the children, over the protests of people around her. Through lots of hardships, she has come to grasp the deep meaning in the words of her stepfather, Yoshio Toi, who was an educator as well as a Buddhist. She looks back her life that she lived desperately, touching upon the memories of her stepfather, with Mr. Issei Terada, with whom she has been closely associated.

There Are Youngsters Who Cultivate the Future of Japan

        Hidesaburo Kagiyama, Advisor of YellowHat

■The Courage of Mr. Yuji Arakawa

　At 6:00am of February morning, when the sun has yet fully risen, you can see figures of youngsters, who are kindly cleaning the square before the East Exit of Shinjuku Station.

　One of them has a cardboard signboard tied to his back, on which “HELP WANTED”, was written. People who gathered in response to this calling are all university students, and therefore the number of people differs, depending on the day. However, there are some students who regularly come and sweep the entire East Exit area.

　Although last winter was warm, it was cold before dawn on the street, chilling fingers of people separating wet garbage.

　I take off my hat to those youngsters, who are sedulous to cleaning under such circumstances. I think they are very cool, and look more attractive than those with mock gentility, who are conscious about appearances alone. Also, I can see a light in the future of Japan in the fact that this kind of youngsters have appeared.　

　The university student with the signboard on his back was Mr. Yuji Arakawa. I admire Mr. Arakawa’s courage, who started this effort alone in December last year. Do you have the courage to stand in public, with a cardboard signboard on your back?

　Speaking of cleaning outside, just sweeping around your home or office makes you conscious of the public eye and hesitate a bit, so let alone sweeping somewhere that has nothing to do with you, exposed to public scrutiny. It is something you can’t do, unless you have such high aspiration and true courage.

　This is not limited to cleaning. Whatever it is, you feel relatively at ease when you do it as one of the mass, because you rely on numbers, and also because of the ease that the public eye does not focus on you alone.

　On the other hand, if you do things by yourself something that normally people don’t do, you will be exposed to the public eye, which is unbearably painful and very straightening, as everyone who has gone through this knows. Even without such experience, by just imagining maybe enough to understand how tough it is.

■Practice Before Criticism

　As if trampling down the spirit and good deeds of Mr. Arakawa, who have been challenging this tough work, people who ridicule or mock him from a distance are not few.　

　There are even times when punks come and scatter all the garbage he had collected. People who don’t have the courage to do good and can’t practice, can only be passionate to hamper those who do good deeds.

　It is no easy matter to continue the work always with a smile, despite the malice to destroy one’s good intention.

　In aid of Mr. Arakawa’s fortitude, other students came to offer help, which was big, delightful news not only for Mr. Arakawa, but also for society.