What does it mean to see
「みえるて・どんなん」あなたは毎日何を見ていますか？もしくは何を観ようとしていますか？私たちは本当のことを見ているのでしょうか？実は盲目の人たちの方が本当が見えるのではないでしょうか？耳が聞こえない人たちはどうでしょうか？話せない人はどうですか？私達は本当に充分毎日を生きているのでしょうか？私たちは何かを持っているようで持っていません。私たちはもっと謙虚に生きるべきではないでしょうか？私たちは、自然を尊敬し、将来を憂い、何をすべきか真剣に考える必要は、本当にないと思っているのでしょうか？さぁ、今日は一緒に「本当を見ること」について考えてみましょう。(English) "What does it mean to see?" What do you see every day? Or what are you trying to see? Are we seeing what is real? I think blind people can see the truth better than blind people. What about the deaf? What about those who cannot speak? Are we living each day fully? We may think we have everything, but we don't. Shouldn't we be more humble? Do we really believe we don't need to respect nature, worry about the future, and think seriously about what we should do? Let's think about "seeing the truth" together today.
No.555 "What does it mean to see" 2022/7/15 [Daily Suganaga Diary and Breath Meditation] ｜ Suganaga at Engakuji Temple
1)
"What does it mean to see?" is a poem by Mr. Shinmin Sakamura.
It is a poem that pierces the heart.
2)
"What does it mean to see?"
Even when the sun rises, even when the lights come on
What does it mean to see?
What are we seeing?
And what are we trying to see?
The blind see the real thing.
Those who can see are seeing nonsense.
3)
What do you see?
This short poem by a blind child pierces my heart like an arrow today.
Master, could you open my eyes?
Mr. Shinmin was a teacher in his forties.
At the same time, he practiced strict Zen like a Zen practitioner.
Furthermore, he also practiced the practice of repeatedly reading sutra textbooks.
However, he suffered from eye problems and was told by an ophthalmologist that he might go blind.
4)
Perhaps because of this experience, he became involved in braille translation work.
"Braille translation" is the process of typing a book in Braille.
When I was a student, I corresponded with Mr. Shinmin.
Because of his influence, I was involved in volunteer braille translation.
5)
Braille is six dots that represent the Japanese syllabary.
A book is translated into Braille by typing six dots.
It is a very patient process.
Even a thin book becomes a very thick book when it is translated into Braille.
I will never forget how impressed I was the first time I finished translating a book into Braille.
6)
I was communicating with a blind person.
Then began a period of training that lasted more than a decade.
I had completely lost touch with Braille translation.
Still, I remember the six Braille characters with my fingers.
7)
Even now, when I find Braille at train stations, elevators, etc., I read it myself.
However, I do not read with my fingers but only with my eyes.
However, the six points are reversed when I type and read, so it is difficult for me to read.
8)
I have found braille useless for many years now.
However, more than a decade ago, I had a blind taiko drummer play Japanese drums at a temple.
9)
At that time, I remembered that I used to do Braille.
I had written a thank-you letter to that person in braille, which made him very happy.
My fingers still remembered six-point Braille.
10)
I remembered that because Nobuo Murakami told me about YouTube.
"I was invited to a gathering of visually impaired people. It was a very productive time. Please watch it if you have time."
11)
It was "a monthly meeting in Takadanobaba, where visually impaired people and their supporters exchange opinions.
Murakami's words shone through.
12)
Mr. Murakami asked a person in his mid-20s a question.
However, it took the person 30 seconds to answer the question.
Murakami-san paused for a moment to show how long those 30 seconds were.
We heard that it was only five seconds, but we could no longer tolerate five seconds of silence.
We felt it was very long.
13)
The person said it took 30 seconds for the words to come out of his mouth.
I am sure it took a lot of patience from the person waiting for the words to come out.
To the person who finally spoke, Mr. Murakami said the following.
'I want to compliment you, may I?"
I told him, "That's very nice that you didn't speak up right now.
14)
The person seemed embarrassed.
Mr. Murakami said the following was beautiful.
He said, "You didn't speak immediately, but you were still thinking about it."
"Instead of trying to speak soon, he thought slowly about what words to say."
Mr. Murakami pointed out that nowadays, people don't think so much.
15)
We reply, "Oh, that's what you mean," as if we have it all figured out.
However, things are not always easy to understand.
It is also important to reply as follows.
16)
"I have thought about it, but it is difficult to understand."
"I've thought about it but still don't understand."
He also emphasized the importance of consciously choosing one's words.
17)
Mr. Murakami also introduced the words of the "Analects of Confucius.
The most important thing taught in the Analects is "JIn - 仁."
It refers to consideration and kindness toward others.
18)
"Confucius" responded to each student according to their personality, from time to time, and according to each person's needs.
One day, he was asked, "What is Jin?"
Confucius answered, "Jin is speaking slowly and falteringly," Mr. Murakami said.
19)
He also said, "It does not matter if you stutter or falter. I am saying that you should speak slowly."
Hearing him say that made me reflect deeply.
20)
The day I watched that YouTube video, there was a Sunday lecture at the main temple.
I was on a roll and speaking very fast.
Even in Zen, a Zen question is not only good for a quick response.
One Zen monk said that he finally got an answer when he started cooking rice, and it was ready.
21)
It is not a thirty-second only; it's more like half an hour.
It made me think about speaking more slowly.
It is the same with looking at things.
We only take a quick look at things but don't look closely enough.
22)
I am powerfully reminded of this.
The words "What does it mean to see?"
These words are so poignant to me.
No.555 "What does it mean to see" 2022/7/15 [Daily Suganaga Diary and Breath Meditation] ｜ Suganaga at Engakuji Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvpMOWjG1Tk&t=210s