Beyond the fear of death- The Heart of a Smiling Heart

2022年08月19日

智顗（ちぎ、zhì-yǐ、538年 - 598年）は、中国の南北朝時代から隋にかけての僧侶です。天台教学の大成者であり、天台宗の開祖です。中国、および日本の大乗仏教に大きな影響を与えました。古の叡智を今日は学ぶことにしましょう。(English) Jiì-xi (智顗, zhì-yǐ, 538 - 598) was a Chinese monk from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui Dynasty. He was a great exponent of Tiantai doctrine and the founder of the Tiantai sect. He had a significant influence on Buddhism in China and Japan. Let's Learn about ancient wisdom today.

Beyond the fear of death - The Heart of a Smiling Heart

The high priests of ancient times all had a fear of death.

Hakuin zen master is said to have feared that he would fall into hell.

Bankei zen master is also said to have significantly feared death from an early age.

The Buddha, the originator of Buddhism, said, "I am a mortal. We cannot escape death."

Matsui sensei said that he had a fear of death from the age of three years old.

At the end of his quest, Matsui Teacher came across a book called Tendai slight cessation of observation.

It is a book of instructions on zazen given by the Chinese Tendai master Zhì-yǐ 1,400 years ago.

It is the oldest book explaining the so-called zazen method.

It is also the most comprehensive and carefully written.

Since then, almost without exception, all zazen instruction books produced in China and Japan have been influenced by this book.

The Tendai Masters replaced the Sanskrit word 'zen' with the two Chinese characters for 'cessation of observation.'

So what is 'cessation of observation'?

'Cessation' means not letting emotions surge.

'Observation' means to use one's power of thought correctly.

Tendai master says the following.

From ancient times, the ideal people (Buddhas) have freed themselves from the fear of death and suffering by not allowing their emotions to surge and using their thinking power correctly.

When our emotions are undisturbed, and our thinking powers work correctly, we can smile at anything, anywhere, at any time."

Religion aims for this ideal.

But how on earth can one become a person who can smile at anything, anytime, anywhere?

Matsui Teacher said that the only way is to "not sow the seeds (evil) that make us unable to smile" and to "carefully nurture the buds (good) of smiles."

The seeds of no longer smiling are, for example, taking the lives of living beings, telling lies, disturbing the ways of men and women, stealing people's things, and losing oneself through drinking.

The seeds of smiling are giving alms, saying kind and thoughtful words, doing something for others, etc.

Sowing the seeds of smiles in our daily lives is Buddhist practice.