なぜ坐禅を研究しているのかWhy do I study zazen?

私は宗教を持たないようにしている。

I decided that try not to have a religion.

宗教に束縛されたくないのも理由の一つであるが、

善悪の判断を宗教に委ねたくないのが諸理由の核心であるからだ。

Because as one of the reasons,

 I do not want to be tied up by a religion but for the core reason,

 I don’t want to let entrusting a religion makes good or evil basis instead of me.

 

若かった頃は善悪を決める基準が定まらず、

絶対的に正しく思える宗教の教えに追い求めた時があった。

In my youth, there were times

when I was pursuing religious teachings

that can make me think obsoletely right

because of I didn’t have some criteria for deciding what is good or evil.

家庭環境が与えた宗教より、

自分が納得できる宗教を持ちたかったので、

あらゆる宗教団体に入り、

教えを乞いまた習った。

I wanted to have a religion which can make sense to me

rather than to have a religion given by family background

so that I joined many kinds of religious groups

and begged teaching to learn.

 

だが、どの宗教も何かの強制力があり、

善や悪の根拠を納得させるよりは無理強いさせるような

理に叶ってない拘束力があるように感じた。

However, I felt like that any of religion has some kinds of enforceability

with restriction which is not backing up with reasonable,

 rather than making sense for grounding to judge good or evil.

 

必ず、何かの条件がついていて

行動を制限している規則があるようだった。

There seemed to have rules

which were attached conditions

that restricting people’s behaviors.

 

例えば、AになるためにはBをしなければならない。

For example, in order to become A, must do B.

 

BをしないとAにはなれない。

Unless do B, cannot be A.

 

AはCによって約束されている。

A is promised by C.

 

Cは人間以外の超越的な力である。

C is a transcendental force other than human kind.

 

DはAを導く。

D leads A.

 

EはBによってAにつながる等など、

E is linked to A by B, etc.

それらのAやB、CやD、その他に限りなく続くX要因も

状況や状態によって入れ替えられる変則的な可変性があった。

Such A or B, C or D those seemed to have anomalous variability

 that can be replaced by X factors

which is infinitely lasts by situations and status.

 

Aを取るにはBを失わなければならない、

その条件をクリアすればある約束された境地に入れると

何千年前の前例が示しているという。

Said that earlier cases which have been showed thousand years ago

 that to take A must lose B then will be able to reach a frontier

where have been promised by cleared such conditions

私にはそのような条件付きが苦しかった。

Such attached conditions were arduous for me to take.

 

常にAやB、その他に疑問があった。

I always had doubts A or B and others.

宗教はX要因に対する疑問を禁止し、

予め準備している脅かしで疑問に蓋をする。

A religious prohibits doubt on questioning X factors and

it covers on the questioning with prepared threats.

 

それらの条件Aに対する条件B、

疑問に対する脅かしなどが私には納得できなかった。

Such conditions A against a condition B,

other treated to doubts were not convincing to me.

 

だが、坐禅だけは私の疑問に応えてくれた。

However, only zazen responded for my doubts.

坐禅は宗教の枠組に入らなくても教えを習えた。

I could learn teachings without involved into a frame of religion.

 

宗教団体に属さなくても

私個人が思うAを求めることが許されていた。

Even though I was not belonged to a religious group,

 I was allowed to pursuit A which I was looking for.

それらのAやBの条件の重荷を降ろしてくれた。

Zazen unloaded my heavy burdens those conditions of A or B.

 

従うことに条件を強いてなかった。

Zazen didn’t force me to obey with conditions.

それらの条件が少ないことに惹かれ、

坐禅をもっと知りたくなり研究をしている。

So, I have been studying zazen

because I wanted to know more about it

and attracted by such lesser conditions.

 

 

心や思いに条件が多いと公理的に考えることができない。

If there many of thoughts or conditions in mind,

then cannot think axiomatically.

かと言って公理的に考えすぎると道理が見えない。

But if too much axiomatically think,

then cannot see a principle.

 

無条件ばかりだと規範が定まらない。

If there is only unconditioned,

then cannot settle regulations.

条件や無条件は考え方を統制し、

行いに対し方向性を示す。

Conditions and unconditioned control how to think

and show directions to behave.

 

坐禅は心理学を根本的なつながりがあるように思えるが、

それが何かについて学術的に明かしていくには

まず、坐禅の真髄を体験することが大前提であろう。

It seems to have fundamental connection between psychology and zazen,

to reveal academically what the connection is,

it needs experiencing the pith of zazen for the major premise.

坐禅の真髄を体験するということは

教えに従ってただ行うことであると言われてはいるのだが…

I have been told that the experiencing zazen pith is

just a doing on follow the teaching…

 

P.S ①This picture is taken last week in front of my house.

　　②Below is Mr. Eric Applebaum's comment on Facebook.

>Excellent point by point analysis why, for some of us, the active decision not have have a religion is best.

Religion may be separated from heritage. The latter is living history, and we can embace it without adopting rules and beliefs of the religion.

Some are worried that failing to have faith in the religion they were born into might have drastic negative consequences. But that is a personal matter and we are each free to choose.

I don't believe in heaven or hell, so the threat of endless humid days is not effective. Perhaps if there was a religion which claimed all non-believers will have horrible lawns I might be persuaded, but as yet no God has issued such warning or shown a propensity to smite grassy rectangles.

More seriously, the large scale structure of the Universe, about which we had little proof before Hubble's observations in the early 1920's, sort of sealed the deal for me. Creation myths from thousands of years ago, for me, couldn't compete with a hundred billion galaxies. 

In any event, it's good to keep a wide angle perspective...speaking of which: At this stage in my life photos of me from the distance shown are best. :-)