Selflessness [無心]—Fifty Sayings by Tenkō Nishida-san [西田天香さん] (a new translation)
 |
| Prunus sargentii blossom in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 31 March 2025 |
In 1958 a small English language booklet was published to celebrate Tenkō Nishida-san’s 87th birthday. Alas, the sayings were translated rather loosely, and it slowly became clear to me that they all needed to be redone. Well, I finished this very pleasurable task last year (2025) and posted them here at the time. Since then, my very good friend Miki Nakura has kindly checked over the translation and suggested four changes, all of which have now been made to the text below. I hope this translation helps in some small way to introduce people to the wisdom of Tenkō Nishida-san.
Lastly to note that the “Introduction” below, and the photographs at the end of the text showing Tenkō Nishida-san and two views of Ittōen, are those found in the original English booklet of 1958.
Selflessness [無心]—Fifty Sayings by Tenkō Nishida-san [西田天香さん]
A new translation by Andrew James Brown, kindly checked over by Miki Nakura
INTRODUCTION
Mr. Tenko Nishida is a well-known leader of a new movement in Japan, best known for his autobiographical sketch, “The Life of Repentance.” Professor Anesaki in his “Religious and Social Problems in the Far East” refers to his work as a most interesting social experiment in recent times. Mr. Nishida does not belong to any historic religion, but has a large following among men and women of various classes and religious affiliations. He believes in “The Light”, the source of the life and the truth. He exhorts everyone to live without discord and strife. He advocates and practices simple life and free service, wherein he believes lies the only path to the permanent peace of the world.
ITTO-EN, literally meaning “Garden of One Universal Light”, is a beautiful settlement of some 82 acres founded by him, and developed by the labor and contributions of his followers. In it are the meeting-house for religio-moral instruction and meditation, an assembly hall, administration building, schools, a library, farms and shops, and a hostel for visitors. Here more than sixty families numbering over 350 persons live a simple communal life under his leadership and in comradeship with him, performing useful tasks for the Garden and responding to calls for help from outside.
Such may your mind be,
And your body,
And your life!
Note: A circle [see calligraphy to the right] is the symbol of perfection.
Such may your mind be,
And your body,
And your life!
Note: A circle [see calligraphy to the right] is the symbol of perfection.
I
物そのものは本來誰れのものでもない。凡て全體のものである。
Things themselves, by their very nature, belong to no one. All things belong to the whole.
* * *
II
もうけたと云うようなものは、あとかたもないものです。
たゞ汗かいて働いた丈けが消えぬ尊いもうけです。
What is called “profit” disappears without a trace.
Only the labour done with the sweat of one’s brow is a noble profit that does not perish.
* * *
III
拝むと云うのは自分をなくするのです。自分をなくすると全体が自分である。
To worship is to let go of oneself. When one lets go of oneself, the whole is oneself.
* * *
IV
ほんとうの信とは自分がなくなることである。信は一つ宇宙に溶けこんだ姿である。
True faith is that the self disappears. Faith is the posture of being dissolved into the one universe.
* * *
V
我見をなくしてしまったら皆仏である。
If one gets rid of ego-perspective, all are Buddhas.
* * *
VI
祭壇の前にぬかづくよりも、捧げた働きが本当の祈りであります。
More than kneeling down before an altar, the work one offers up is the true prayer.
* * *
VII
真実の法悦は十字架を負うてからであります。
True bliss of the Dharma comes only after bearing the cross.
* * *
VIII
「私が悪いのです」と正直にあやまる時は、悪魔も働きかけることが出来ぬものである。
When one honestly apologises, saying, “It is I who am at fault,” even the devil is unable to act upon one.
* * *
IX
下坐は一切のものを包容する。
下坐は地であり母である。
下坐は一切を載せ一切を産む。
Taking the lower seat enfolds all things.
Taking the lower seat is the earth and the mother.
Taking the lower seat bears all things, and gives birth to all things.
* * *
X
下坐とは必ずしも低い場所を指すのではない。自分の場所に執着せぬことである。
Taking the lower seat does not necessarily indicate a lowly place. It means not clinging to one’s own place.
* * *
XI
下坐して奉仕していると、求めなくても、權利がまもられて來る。
When you take the lower seat and serve, then even without seeking, rights come to be preserved.
* * *
XII
利益を忘れた仕事の中に、本當の利益がある。
Within work where gain has been forgotten, there is true profit.
* * *
XIII
報酬を当にせず奉仕しておれば、必要な時に、必要なものが恵まれる。
If one serves without making reward the aim, then at the necessary time, what is necessary will be given.
* * *
XIV
自利の妄動は堕地獄であり、利他の奉仕は生天国である。
The deluded actions of self-benefit is a descent into hell, and the service of benefiting others is an ascent to heaven.
* * *
XV
真の懺悔は執我の大死一番である。
True repentance is, first of all, the great death of self-attachment.
* * *
XVI
どこで死んだかて天国は一つである。
No matter where one dies, heaven is one.
* * *
XVII
求める心は淋しい。
捧げる心は豊かである。
The heart that seeks is lonely.
The heart that offers is abundant.
* * *
XVIII
大消極は大積極である。
The great negation is the great affirmation.
* * *
XIX
得んとする者は亡び、捧ぐる者は残る。
The one who seeks to gain perishes; the one who offers remains.
* * *
XX
どうせ死ぬ生命である。一切のために一番よい事をなるだけして死ぬがよい。
Since life will end anyway, it is good to die having done, as far as possible, the very best things for all.
* * *
XXI
死んだら問題はないのです。
問題は死にきつていないからだとはつきり云えます。
When one has died, there is no problem.
It can be said clearly that problems exist because one has not died completely.
* * *
XXII
人はたゞ水面に偶然生じた泡沫のようなもの、それに執着しないで本体の水を知るがよい。
Human beings are but bubbles of foam that happen to form on the surface; do not cling to that—come to know the water itself, the underlying substance.
* * *
XXIII
大自然の前に額く。
Bow one’s head before Great Nature.
* * *
XXIV
いかに濁そうとしても水は常に澄もうとする。大自然は無為に人類の迷いをさまそうと働いている。
However much one may try to muddy it, water is always seeking to become clear. Great Nature, in non-doing, is working to awaken humankind from delusion.
* * *
XXV
大地裂くとも亡びず、天地すたるとも寂として動かざる大なる我よ、願わくは常に汝に離れんとする小さき我をば守れかし。
O Great Self, unperishing though the earth be torn, serene and unmoving though heaven and earth fall to ruin—I pray: protect this small self, ever prone to stray from you.
* * *
XXVI
「数」がなくては不自由です。たゞ本体を「〇 ( ゼロ )」において「数」を遊戯として扱いたい。
We do need numbers; without them we’re constrained. Yet I would set the true substance at “0 (zero)“ and treat numbers as play.
* * *
XXVII
「〇 ( ゼロ )」をもって数を割ると、無限大である。
Divide a number by “0 (zero)” and the result is infinity.
* * *
XXVIII
論議は無用、動き出すに限る。
Intellectual wrangling is pointless; just get moving.
* * *
XXIX
多く知つて行わぬより、少なく知つて実行するがよい。他を責めるより、おのれを省みるがよい。
Better to know a little and put it into practice than to know a lot and do nothing. Better to examine yourself than to blame others.
* * *
XXX
信ぜず行わざれば、難行と見え、信じて行えば易行となる。
Without entrusting (oneself) and practising, it seems the hard way; with entrusting (oneself) and practising, it becomes the easy way.
* * *
XXXI
無心に単調な仕事が出来るならば、それはなかなかの大業である。
If, with selflessness (no-mind), one can carry out monotonous work, that is a great work indeed.
* * *
XXXII
車がうまく動く時、それに最も必要であった油はどこかになくなつてしまう。人も世の中で、その油になることが出来るならば、大事業である。
When a cart’s wheels run smoothly, the oil that was most necessary for them disappears somewhere. So also, if a person in the world can become that oil, it is a great work.
* * *
XXXIII
人に知られることが悪いのではないが「知られたい」と思うのはよいことではない。
It is not bad to be known by others; but to think “I want to be known” is not a good thing.
* * *
XXXIV
人の評判よりも自己の満足が大切である。
More than the opinion of others, one’s own satisfaction is what is important.
* * *
XXXV
一切の人を尊み、一切に感謝し、報恩の行にいそしむ。
Honour every person; give thanks for all things; and devote yourself to the practice of repaying the debt of gratitude.
* * *
XXXVI
ひと（人間）はわびあいおがみあい。
こと（事業）はわびあいはげみあい。
くに（列国）はわびあいたすけあい。
People (human beings): apologise to one another and show reverence to one another.
In our undertakings (our enterprises): apologise to one another and encourage one another.
Among countries (the nations): apologise to one another and help one another.
* * *
XXXVII
世界の行詰りは、感謝を忘れたうぬぼれの累積である。
The world’s impasse is the accumulation of self-conceit that has forgotten gratitude.
* * *
XXXVIII
行過ぎはきっと、どこかで是正される。
Going too far will surely be set right somewhere along the way.
* * *
XXXIX
「思うようにゆかぬ」とは万人が万人ながら云うが、これは「捨て身」になれぬからであると気のつく者はすくない。
“All does not go as I think (wish)”—this is what every person without exception says. Yet few there are who realise that this is because they have not learned the way of “self-abandonment.”
* * *
XL
底の破れた袋に、物は貯まらぬ。足ることをしらぬ心に、喜びは湧かぬ。
You cannot store things in a bag with a torn bottom; joy does not well up in a heart that does not know contentment.
* * *
XLI
個人を中心とせずして全体を中心とし、享楽を中心とせずに捨て身を中心とする時、始めて世界の平和が来る。
When we centre not on the individual but on the whole, and not on pleasure but on self-abandonment, only then will world peace come.
* * *
XLII
疑いあう世界から信じあう世界へ飛躍したい。
I want to make the leap from a world of mutual suspicion to a world of mutual trust.
* * *
XLIII
咎めあうことをやめて、許しあうくらしをすれば、そこから世界が平和になる。
If we cease blaming one another and make our life one of mutual forgiveness, from there the world will become peaceful.
* * *
XLIV
世に云う「進歩」には、多く遠廻りすることが多い。「退一步」に凡ゆる行詰まりを整理する近道がある。
What the world calls “progress” often takes the long way round; “one step back” offers the shortcut to resolving every impasse.
* * *
XLV
商事是亦報恩行
Commercial affairs, too, are a practice of repaying one’s debt of gratitude.
* * *
XLVI
下坐から産れる経済生活が、あらゆる行詰りを解消させてくれる。
An economic life born of the lower seat will resolve every impasse.
* * *
XLVII
物の集まらざるは恥なり、集めて己れのものとするも亦恥なり。
It is a shame when things do not accumulate; but it is equally shameful to gather them and make them one’s own.
* * *
XLVIII
金を扱う者は、知らず知らず贅沢をして徳を積むことを怠る。
Those who handle money, often without realising it, fall into luxury and neglect to accumulate virtue.
* * *
XLIX
「自分はもうけるから……」の言いわけでする贅沢はどこかできっと清算される。
Any luxury justified with “Because I’m making a profit…” will surely be paid for somewhere along the way.
* * *
L
物心不二
Matter and Mind are not-two.
Comments