The Life Found Through Seiza [静坐]: An interview with Yanagida Seijirō
 |
| Seiza [静坐] (Yanagida Seijirō [柳田誠二郎]) |
But here, without further ado, is a second piece by Yanagida Seijirō that you may find of interest and help. As before this is very much a draft translation, and I welcome any corrections of mistakes you may notice. The original Japanese text can be found by clicking the link above.
—o0o—
The Life Found Through Seiza [静坐]: An interview with Yanagida Seijirō
— From the NHK programme Age of the Spirit [こころの時代] —
Broadcast on 2nd October, Shōwa 58 [1983]
Interviewer: Kinmitsu Toshirō [金光寿郎], Chief Director
An Encounter with Seiza [静坐]
(Kinmitsu) Today, we are joined by Yanagida Seijirō-san [柳田誠二郎さん], who reached the age of ninety this year and has practicsd the Okada-style Seiza [岡田式静坐] for approximately seventy years. We would like to hear from him about his experiences with Seiza [静坐]. Yanagida-san has served as the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan, President of Japan Airlines, and later as the President of the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund. Currently, he serves as a counsellor [相談役] for Japan Airlines while also leading the Tokyo Seiza Society [東京静坐会], remaining remarkably active and healthy. Now, as you have reached ninety, how do you perceive the matter of age in your daily life?
(Yanagida) Well, as I am ninety, I have indeed become an old man. My teacher, Okada-sensei [岡田先生], used to say that a human being must continue to develop [発達] until the very moment of death, and must remain cheerful [愉快] until that final breath. I live each day reflecting on whether I am truly achieving that. As a counsellor [相談役], I have few corporate duties, so I spend my days thinking that I shall now apply myself to further refining the matters of the spirit [精神面].
(Kinmitsu) I understand that your morning routine begins quite differently from most people.
(Yanagida) Every morning, without fail, I practice Seiza [静坐] for one hour. I once said something rather amusing regarding this: I am managing a “Longevity Company.” The Buddha [仏様] is the President, and I am the Managing Director as well as the errand boy. Every morning, I hold a board meeting to consult on the management methods for longevity. In truth, this means that for one hour each morning, I am in consultation with the Buddha [仏様] through Seiza [静坐]. That is the sort of thing I do.
(Kinmitsu) When one hears the word Seiza, one usually thinks of “Correct Sitting” [正座], but the Seiza you practice daily is written as “Seiza” [静坐]. How does this differ from the “Correct Sitting” [正座] we commonly know?
(Yanagida) I am often asked for a comparison between our Seiza [静坐] and Zen meditation [座禅]. In Zen [座禅], as you know, one sits in the full-lotus [結跏趺坐] or half-lotus [半跏趺坐] position, and to keep the spine [脊梁骨] straight, a meditation cushion [座布] is essential. However, in our Japanese-style Seiza [静坐], by overlapping the legs deeply together, the spine [脊梁骨] stands straight of its own accord. Keeping the spine straight is vital in both Zen [座禅] and Seiza [静坐], but while one requires a cushion, the other does not. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] observed that since the Japanese already have a custom of sitting on the floor, it can be done anytime. He felt this convenience made the Japanese style of sitting preferable, and thus he defined the current form of sitting under the name “Seiza” [静坐].
(Kinmitsu) In Zen [座禅], much is said about putting strength into the tanden [丹田] (lower abdomen). Does Seiza [静坐] also involve strength in the tanden [丹田]?
(Yanagida) It is the same. In Zen [座禅], they speak of first regulating the posture [座相], then the breath [呼吸], and then applying strength to the abdomen to regulate the mind [心]. In Seiza [静坐], we likewise sit correctly, regulate the breath, and apply strength to the abdomen. In that regard, I believe it is identical to Zen [座禅].
The only difference is the manner of sitting. For instance, in Zen [座禅], one sits with eyes slightly open, but in Seiza [静坐], one closes the eyes. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] taught that because closing the eyes brings about significant spiritual [精神的] changes in the mind [心], it is better to do so. Thus, we close our eyes, but the fundamental mechanism remains the same.
(Kinmitsu) It seems, then, that it has much more in common with Zen [座禅] than with ordinary “Correct Sitting” [正座]. I notice you often mention the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi]; what is the significance of this?
(Yanagida) Okada-sensei [岡田先生] stressed that sitting straight was of the utmost importance and would use various examples to illustrate this. He taught that for the strength of the upper body to be released so that the body’s centre of gravity naturally descends, the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi] must “drop” [落ちない], otherwise that posture cannot be achieved. While this is not explicitly stated in Zen [座禅], if you look at statues of the Buddha [仏像], there are two lines across the abdomen. That is precisely the style where the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi] has dropped. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] paid great attention to this point.
When I visited temples in the past, I never received such instruction. I sat in my student-style posture with tension held in my shoulders while trying to think—a mistake. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] specifically corrected me on this, telling me to drop the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi]. I tell those who come to the society to sit correctly and keep the spine straight, but always to make an effort to drop the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi].
A Youthful Malaise
(Kinmitsu) You mentioned your younger days; having sat for nearly seventy years, I imagine your initial experience must have been very powerful. Could you tell us how you began and what happened then?
(Yanagida) It was during my high school years, when I was eighteen. At the time, I was reading various books on the spirit [精神面] and worrying about the problem of the mind [心]. Looking at my daily life, it felt as though my mind was split in two. “I must not do this, yet I want to do it.” I wondered which was my true mind. To investigate this, I happened to join a Zen [座禅] group. I practised Zen [座禅] earnestly until my third year of university, but I did not know about dropping the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi]. As a high school student, I was of the generation that took pride in “tattered clothes and a torn cap” [弊衣破帽] and walking with shoulders squared. Because I sat with that tension in my shoulders, the blood in the upper body could not descend. Although I had read Hakuin Zenji’s [白隠禅師] Idle Chat on a Night Boat [夜船閑話 - Yasen Kanwa], which contained warnings about this, I hadn’t yet grasped it. I made a grave error and became quite ill—what was known in the old days as Zen sickness [禅病 - zenbyō]. There is an expression that chasing kōans with poor posture leads to “exceeding the measure of reason” [観理度を越す]. I made that mistake and fell into a severe case of Zen sickness [禅病].
(Kinmitsu) In modern terms, you mean a severe state of neurosis [ノイローゼ].
(Yanagida) Seeing my health fail, someone told me, “If you keep this up, you won’t live to graduate. There is a teacher named Okada Torajirō [岡田虎二郎] who teaches Seiza [静坐]; why not try it?” I was taken to Okada-sensei [岡田先生] and I sat. He suddenly grabbed me by the front of my clothes and yanked me downwards. He pulled me so far I thought I would fall forward. In that moment, I learned the posture of dropping the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi]. While following Okada-sensei [岡田先生], I gradually learned how vital it is to sit with a straight spine [脊梁骨].
Okada-sensei [岡田先生] would say that carpenters use a plumb line [ふりさげ]—a weight on a string—to ensure a pillar is perfectly upright. This is a universal principle of architecture. In the same way, he said, a human being must sit correctly. He taught that when the spine [脊梁骨] is straight, one achieves a truly stable style [スタイル].
I often speak about the power of gravity [引力]. People rarely mention it, but our lives are governed by gravity, which keeps things stable. We take it for granted, but I believe there is profound meaning in this. Since humans are under the significant influence of gravity, a posture in harmony [順応] with gravity is essential. Only when one adopts a posture in harmony with gravity does one achieve a stable style. And it is only within that stable style that a stable mind [心] can reside. This is what I was taught by Okada-sensei [岡田先生].
(Kinmitsu) What became of your Zen sickness [禅病] after you began Seiza [静坐]?
(Yanagida) It vanished almost immediately. Within a single year, my weight increased by four kan [四貫目]—that is sixteen kilograms. By correcting my physical posture, my way of thinking changed from futilely seeking things [求める] to something else entirely; a great transformation occurred.
(Kinmitsu) Are there people at the Tokyo Seiza Society [東京静坐会] today who have seen their health improve through the practice?
(Yanagida) Indeed, quite a few. Women, in particular. Men are out in the world being active, so they unconsciously think about their posture, but women often do not have that mindset. Middle-aged women often suffer from headaches or back pain. When they come to the society, correct their posture, and sit with the intent to drop the solar plexus [鳩尾 - mizuochi], their bodies change remarkably. It changes with surprising ease. And when the body changes, the mood naturally follows.
(Kinmitsu) One immediate concern for many, including myself, is that our legs go numb when we sit. What happens in that regard?
(Yanagida) If strength is held in the abdomen, the circulation in the legs remains the same as when standing. If the strength leaves the abdomen, the circulation in the legs worsens, and numbness follows. Numbness is a sign that the abdominal strength has lapsed. Because of this, if strength is maintained in the abdomen, even an old man like myself can sit for an hour without any trouble at all.
Do Not Venture to Seek [あえて求むるなかれ]
(Kinmitsu) Posture aside, you mentioned that before practising Seiza [静坐], you were earnestly seeking enlightenment [悟り]. You stopped seeking it—so what should the mental attitude be during Seiza [静坐]?
(Yanagida) Okada-sensei [岡田先生] said this:
“Do not venture to seek [あえて求むるなかれ]. Sit in the realm of non-action [無為 - mui]. If there is a space of three feet square to sit, the spring of heaven and earth [天地の春] will overflow within it. The power of life and the joy of life arise from within this. Seiza [静坐] is truly the Gate of Great Peace and Joy [大安楽の門].”
This is the most important thing. You regulate your form, sit straight, breathe, and put strength in your abdomen. At that time, you must not think, “If I do this, I will reach a state of no-thought [無念無想],” or “If I do this, my mind will be concentrated.” Just sit, breathe quietly, and put strength in the abdomen. That is all. “Do not venture to seek; sit in the realm of non-action [無為 - mui].” One must discard all thoughts of attaining enlightenment [悟り] or reaching no-thought [無念無想]. That is the vital point.
If you try to reach a state of no-thought [無念無想], the very desire to reach it exists, and thus you cannot achieve it. If you sit in that posture, a great vitality emerges, a feeling like spring overflows, and you understand the true power and joy of life. He called it the “Gate of Peace and Joy.”
(Kinmitsu) At the beginning, you mentioned holding a board meeting with the Buddha [仏様] every morning. I take it this “dialogue” is not a specific conversation?
(Yanagida) No. Just by sitting and remaining still, the heart of the Buddha [仏様] emerges.
(Kinmitsu) So if you are thinking of something, it will not emerge. The “realm of non-action” [無為 - mui] means doing nothing.
(Yanagida) Thus, in the Shin sect [真宗 - Shinshū], there is the phrase “taking ‘no-reason’ as reason” [義なきを義とする]. One must discard all human calculation [計らい]. Just sit, breathe quietly, and put strength in the abdomen—that is all. Though saying it is one thing, and doing it is quite difficult.
(Kinmitsu) Previously, you spoke of the struggle between two minds—what one should and shouldn’t do. What happens to that conflict?
(Yanagida) Sitting makes one healthy. I often say that the first step in Seiza [静坐] or Zen [座禅] is to become a person of “cool head and warm feet” [頭寒足熱 - zukan sokunetsu]. Food tastes delicious, and one sleeps well at night. As I said, my weight increased by sixteen kilograms. When you become healthy, your daily life becomes entirely different from before.
In the midst of this, the question arises: “What about your mind?” Your body may be healthy [頭寒足熱], but how does your mind change? That is the question Seiza [静坐] and Zen [座禅] naturally lead to. When you reflect on those two conflicting minds, you eventually begin to feel that they are, in fact, one. The “mind that sees” and the “mind that is seen” disappear and become a single entity.
(Kinmitsu) You have a hanging scroll [軸] you wrote that expresses this in different words. How is it read?
(Yanagida) “True joy is originally possessed, yet lost and unknown; false suffering is originally empty, yet gained and unrecognised.” [真楽本有失而不知 妄苦本空得而不覚]
“True joy is originally possessed” [真楽本有] means that joy is inherently part of us from the beginning. Yet, most people lose sight of it and do not know it. They forget the joy they already have. Then, “false suffering” [妄苦]—various sufferings—are essentially non-existent. We take these non-existent things upon ourselves and suffer. That is the meaning.
(Kinmitsu) So, if we look at that again, it means, true joy is something we all possess inherently, but we have lost it and do not know it. Furthermore, suffering is a delusion [虚妄]. Because it is a delusion, it is essentially empty [空 - kū]. Yet, despite it being empty, we “gain” this suffering and fail to realise its emptiness. When we are caught in two minds—wondering what to do—there is suffering.
(Yanagida) By continuing the practice, one gradually reflects and comes to understand this. However, unless one sits and progresses through certain stages, it is difficult to reach a complete enlightenment [悟り].
Stages of the Spirit
(Kinmitsu) As you continue to sit, do the worries that plagued you in your youth gradually cease to be an issue? Is that how the stages progress?
(Yanagida) Yes. Spiritual [精神的] progress is not something where you reach a “great enlightenment” [大悟 - daigo] and suddenly understand everything. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] said we shouldn’t even think about “great enlightenment.” Hakuin Zenji [白隠禅師] said the same: “How many times great enlightenment? Small enlightenments [小悟 - shōgo] are beyond count.” I believe there are stages in which various things become clear. In the Rinzai [臨済] school, there are kōans and stages such as “Dharma Body” [法身] or “Investigation of Words” [言詮], leading eventually to “Difficult to Pass” [難透] or “The Upward Path” [向上]. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] did not speak of such stages. Instead, he said: “Read books. Read the Bible [聖書], read the Analects [論語], read the sacred scriptures [教典]. Compare them with yourself and check how your own mind has developed.”
(Kinmitsu) So, rather than reading to learn what is written, the act of reading helps you realise the state of your own self. As your understanding grows, you have progressed.
(Yanagida) Quite. He taught us that, and so he never used kōans at all. When I speak of spiritual development, I often quote the Analects [論語] of Confucius [孔子様]: “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning. At thirty, I stood firm. At forty, I had no doubts. At fifty, I knew the Mandate of Heaven [天命]. At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ [耳順 - nijun]. At seventy, I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping the boundaries [矩を踰えず - nori o koezu].” Some say this describes the stages of Confucius’s own spiritual development, while others say it shows the stages of development for any human being. “Standing firm” at thirty means becoming an independent adult. “No doubts” at forty corresponds to what we in Japan call the “prime of discernment” [分別盛り]. “Knowing the Mandate of Heaven” [天命] at fifty means that by that age, one understands the purpose of their life and what they have achieved. One finds peace in that mandate—the state of “peace of mind and establishment of life” [安心立命 - anjin ritsumei]. “An obedient ear” [耳順] at sixty has various interpretations, but it suggests a person so well-versed in the ways of the world that they can accept whatever is said with an open heart. Some say it means reaching a point where one is entirely indifferent to praise or blame [毀誉褒貶 - kiyo-hōhen]. “Not overstepping the boundaries” at seventy means that in everything one does, one acts in accordance with the law [法則]. This is the pinnacle of human development. These stages exist, and one reflects on them while practicing Seiza [静坐]. “How was I at forty?” and so on. I tell those who practice Seiza [静坐] that while their bodies are improving, they should also check how their spirits [精神面] are developing.
(Kinmitsu) From what you’ve said, the body follows natural laws [自然の法則], and Confucius’s words describe the natural laws of the mind's development.
(Yanagida) Exactly as you say; that is the natural law [自然の法則].
Sitting in Accordance with the Way of Heaven [天の道に従って坐る]
(Kinmitsu) Regarding Confucius’s words about “following the heart's desire without overstepping the boundaries,” I noticed that Okada-sensei [岡田先生] said that things like patience [忍耐] or self-control [克己 - kokki] are unnecessary. What did he mean by that?
(Yanagida) Okada-sensei [岡田先生] divided people into three stages. The lowest is the “Head Person” [頭の人]—someone crammed with knowledge but whose feet are not firmly on the ground. Like an inverted pyramid. The second is the person of self-control [克己の人], patience [忍耐], and asceticism [禁欲], who lives by suppressing themselves. In Japan, such people are often considered very admirable, but he called them “Middle-tier People” [中位な人]. The highest person [最高の人] is one who has built a “Temple of Divinity” [神性の殿堂] within their abdomen [お腹]. They have fully developed their abilities, created a state of peace and joy [安楽], and can follow their heart’s desire without overstepping the boundaries. Thus, he said that suppressing oneself through self-control or asceticism is only a middle stage. If a human being truly develops, it is natural that such asceticism becomes unnecessary. One should not merely endure; one must reach a state where such endurance is no longer required.
(Kinmitsu) Then the “spring of heaven and earth” [天地の春] is found there.
(Yanagida) Yes. He taught that the need for asceticism shows one has not yet progressed. At a certain stage, self-control and patience are no longer needed. One remains natural and becomes a noble human being.
(Kinmitsu) However, I was startled by the words that followed: that one cannot achieve this unless they place their body in a coffin and feel as though they are buried “ten million fathoms underground” [地下千万丈]. That is a terrifying image.
(Yanagida) It means that if you worry about praise or blame [毀誉褒貶 - kiyo-hōhen], you cannot achieve true human development. To be indifferent to praise or blame, you must put yourself ten million fathoms down, bury yourself in a coffin, and focus on your own self-cultivation [修養] without regard for your surroundings.
(Kinmitsu) If you are ten million fathoms down, the rumours, praise, or insults of others have no relation to you. You are told to live in that place.
(Yanagida) There is an amusing story about that. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] would travel to the provinces once a year. Someone asked him, “Is there any effect in visiting the provinces?” He replied, “If even one person is born who does not care for praise or blame [毀誉褒貶], that is enough.” If there is one person who is not governed by the external world, that person becomes a noble individual, and the province will improve around them. To have the spirit of burying oneself ten million fathoms down is quite a feat.
(Kinmitsu) At the same time, he said that Seiza [静坐] is the discarding of the “self” [我 - ga]. This is “no-self” [無我 - muga], I suppose, and ten million fathoms down, no “self” could emerge. In that sense, while Seiza [静坐] is often seen as a health method, it aims at a much higher spiritual level—at original nature [本来の自然].
(Yanagida) Yes, that is correct. I often mention the book The Doctrine of the Mean [中庸 - Chūyō], which says: “The Mandate of Heaven [天の命] is called Nature [性]; to follow that nature is called the Way [道].” Having practiced Seiza [静坐] for so long, I have recently realised that Seiza [静坐] is itself a law [法則]. The Mandate of Heaven is a heavenly law [天の法則], and to follow it is the Way. I believe Seiza [静坐] is a law that follows the Mandate of Heaven. As long as we live as human beings, we must observe this law. It is extremely simple: keep the body firm and do not breathe roughly. Do not use the jagged breath of someone in a fight; always keep the breath quiet and maintain a peaceful, calm mind. Then, strength enters the abdomen, and a great vitality is born from within. To work and live calmly, yet powerfully. This is essential. I have come to think that this is the practice of the law following the Mandate of Heaven.
Regarding natural laws, Hōnen Shōnin [法然上人] spoke of “Naturalness” [自然法爾 - jinen hōni]—that water flows downwards and fire burns upwards. He taught that such a law exists. In the same way, he said that if one believes in the Primal Vow of Amida [弥陀の本願] and recites the Nembutsu [念仏] from the heart, one will surely be welcomed by the Buddha [仏様]. This, he called “Naturalness” [自然法爾]. This is truly remarkable; I think Hōnen Shōnin was a great man, especially since it was an age before gravity [引力] was understood. In the same way, Okada-sensei [岡田先生] taught that if you sit correctly, breathe quietly, and put strength in the abdomen, you will naturally become a noble human being—this is “Naturalness” [自然法爾].
One uses the Nembutsu [念仏], the other uses Seiza [静坐], but both follow a natural law. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] held Hōnen Shōnin in high regard.
Hōnen Shōnin said one should simply recite the Nembutsu [念仏] single-mindedly. When newcomers asked Okada-sensei [岡田先生] what Seiza [静坐] was, he would say, “Just sit in silence.” This meant to sit single-mindedly. It is the same thing. Since a law exists, believe in that law and do it. Thus, we must practice Seiza [静坐] single-mindedly.
(Kinmitsu) But when we say “natural,” many think of the human heart as it is—getting angry, wanting to cry, wanting to take what we desire, or finding the spectacle of a neighbour’s fire interesting. How should we handle these “unwholesome” thoughts?
(Yanagida) I believe the “discriminating mind” [差別の心 - sabetsu no kokoro] must vanish. We often think, “That fellow studies less than I do, yet his salary rose faster,” or “Why was I born into such a poor family?” or “The state should take better care of me.” These all arise from discrimination [差別]. As long as there is discrimination, there will never be peace. Thus, both Seiza [静坐] and Zen [座禅] aim to eliminate the discriminating mind. One becomes one with heaven and earth [天地と一体]. There is no discrimination. Even if discrimination exists, it is based on the premise of being one with heaven and earth. We say “flowers are red, willows are green.” Such differences exist, but they emerge from the premise of unity with heaven and earth. Without that premise, if we create discrimination out of pure selfishness [我利我利 - garigari], the world will never be settled, and true peace [安心] will be impossible. There is the famous Inscriptions on the Believing Mind [信心銘 - Shinjinmei], which says: “The Great Way is not difficult [至道無難]; it only dislikes picking and choosing [唯嫌揀択 - yui ken kenjaku].” The Way is not difficult at all; it is simply the discarding of discrimination. When I read that, I thought, “Indeed, that is it.”
However, to eliminate discrimination is extremely difficult; it requires a great deal of practice... That is why the Bible [バイブル] says that unless one has the heart of a young child, they cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. What is the heart of a young child? It is a mind without discrimination. Thus, Christianity [キリスト教] also teaches that discrimination—even small discrimination—is not allowed. In Seiza [静坐] or Zen [座禅], we speak of ending these small discriminations to become one with heaven and earth, which means a mind without discrimination.
(Kinmitsu) But one cannot become this way simply by thinking about it. When unwholesome thoughts arise, what does Seiza [静坐] advise?
(Yanagida) When a thought arises, one must discard it, but one must practice so that such thoughts do not arise in the first place. To discard a thought after it has arisen requires patience or rationalisation, but we must practice so they do not occur. For that, one must live correctly and always keep strength in the abdomen.
(Kinmitsu) Does having strength in the abdomen really make such a difference?
(Yanagida) Yes, such thoughts naturally do not emerge. It is the “continuation of right mindfulness” [正念相続 - shōnen sōzoku]. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] taught that all human vices—envy, arrogance, and the like—arise when the strength leaves the abdomen. To prevent these thoughts, one must put strength in the abdomen. “Continuation of right mindfulness” [正念相続] means that such thoughts do not arise. I believe this is the central issue in Zen [座禅] as well. Once enlightened, one must not lose that enlightened mind for even a second. It requires significant practice.
(Kinmitsu) I read in a book that the mind deceives itself, but Seiza [静坐] stops this self-deception. Is this the same as the “continuation of right mindfulness” [正念相続]?
(Yanagida) Yes. The mind is no longer two, but one. It is always non-dual [一元的].
Applying Seiza to Life
(Kinmitsu) If one sits in the “realm of non-action” [無為 - mui] and seeks nothing, how does that affect one’s work? You have worked at the Bank of Japan and Japan Airlines; if you do nothing in the “realm of non-action,” what happens to the work?
(Yanagida) This question often comes up. Even when doing the same work, the “flavour” is different if one works with the heart of a Buddha [仏様] rather than solely for profit and loss. Hakuin Zenji's [白隠禅師] Song of Zazen [座禅和讃] says: “Singing and dancing are the voice of the Law [法].” This means even using an abacus is practicing the Buddha-dharma [仏法]. One must practice to that level. Thus, I often say: in the economic world, there is the principle of competition, so go ahead and compete. However, do not fight [争ってはいけません]. It is a very subtle distinction. One might ask if competition isn’t the same as fighting, but it is not. Competition is a convention of this fleeting world [浮世の約束]. But it is not fighting. It is competing to achieve the harmony of Great Nature [大自然]. This is very easy to say, but extremely difficult to put into practice. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] spoke of the “Spirit of Great Love” [大愛の精神]. He said that rain falls equally on the wicked and the good. Should we not go out into the world and work with this Spirit of Great Love as our foundation?
(Kinmitsu) However, when people practice Zen [座禅] or Seiza [静坐], they might sit for thirty minutes and then think, “There, that’s done,” and return to their ordinary life. One tends to snap back into the ordinary dimension...
(Yanagida) That is a common tendency. I tell the members of the society never to forget the posture and breathing they use while sitting. If you practice Zen [座禅] at a temple but then come out, sit cross-legged, and start a fight, the Zen [座禅] was meaningless. There is a phrase: “The Way must not be departed from for even a moment” [道は須臾も離るべからず]. The Way is nothing difficult; it is keeping a correct posture, quiet breath, a peaceful heart, and yet a full abdominal strength and great vitality. That style is the practice of the Way. To always remain in that style is to walk the Way. That is how I interpret that phrase. It is very difficult, but we must gradually move towards that state.
(Kinmitsu) For women, in their daily lives of cooking or laundry, should they remain in that state as well?
(Yanagida) Yes. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] said that even when cutting tofu, strength must remain in the abdomen. In the end, it is the “continuation of right mindfulness” [正念相続].
(Kinmitsu) But when you say strength must be in the abdomen, people might tend to strain [their muscles] [力む - rikimu] themselves.
(Yanagida) Straining [the breath] [息む - ikimu] is very dangerous. It is bad for the brain and the heart. I often give a common-sense explanation: “cool head and warm feet” [頭寒足熱] is easy to understand. Another is to “lower the diaphragm” [横隔膜を下にさげなさい]. When you sit correctly and your centre of gravity descends, the diaphragm naturally lowers. The chest cavity expands, chest pressure decreases, and the heart becomes very relaxed. This prevents heart disease, myocardial infarction, and cerebral haemorrhage. This is very important. To keep the chest “empty” [虚 - kyo] and the abdomen “full” [実 - jitsu]. Similar words are found in Laozi [老子]. People who are said to be “broad-chested” are often healthy and relaxed. That is the goal of Seiza [静坐] and Zen [座禅]. One must carry that awareness constantly. To train for that, one must set aside time for Seiza [静坐] or Zen [座禅]. Nowadays, many Zen [禅] practitioners sit very earnestly but don’t seem to care about it in their daily lives. This is where Okada-sensei [岡田先生] differed. He taught the “non-duality of mind and body” [心身不二 - shinshin fuji]. If the mind changes, the body changes; if the body changes, the mind changes. He said that any Japanese man of five feet three inches must weigh sixteen or seventeen kan (60-64 kg). This is very different from traditional teachings. In temples, they never speak of one’s physique, only the mind. He was very strict about this, saying one’s physique must be grand [堂々として]. I believe he felt this after seeing Christian [キリスト教] society in America and Europe—their way of existence and their physiques. This difference is what sets Seiza [静坐] apart from traditional Zen [禅]. He held Dōgen Zenji’s [道元禅師] Zen [禅] in high regard and agreed with it. Dōgen taught that “Zen is not the practice of Zen; it is a matter of peace and joy” [座禅は修禅にあらず、安楽のものなり]. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] valued this greatly—that the moment one sits, everything is already resolved, and one is in peace and joy and enlightenment. Where he differed was in saying that Seiza [静坐] encompasses intellectual, physical, and moral education [知育・体育・徳育]. Religious groups today don’t talk about such things; if they did, the Ministry of Education might be cross! But he said that the body improves and moral conduct [徳行] improves. He said that even school violence would vanish. He taught it as something possessing those three facets, which I find very interesting and why I practise it myself. Thus, though it is “Lay Buddhism” [在家仏教], it is about each individual becoming a noble human being. “What is eternal life?” [永遠の生命 - etānaruraifu]. This is the ultimate question everyone faces at the moment of death. To clarify this is the final goal of Seiza [静坐]. The Buddhist [仏教] term “Measureless Life” [無量寿 - muryōju] and the Christian [キリスト教] “Eternal Life” are the same, as he taught. Now that I am ninety, I know the end is near. “So, what about you when you die?” Okada-sensei [岡田先生] said: “My body is not only this. I shall not die.” He said he was eternal life and would not die. So, I ask myself if I, having studied his way, can say before others, “I shall not die.” That is no easy task of cultivation [修行]. I feel I must sit correctly every single day. I have not yet reached it, but that is my intent. I am very grateful for this opportunity to speak. As it says in recent newspapers, half of those over seventy are sick, and one in eight Japanese is a patient. Such a state of affairs is rather problematic for a country, is it not? It is also a concern if the average age [平均年齢] increases in such a manner. Is it not extremely important that we change our mindset [心を入れ替えて] and remain well [元気でいる] without relying too much on doctors? To that end, I feel deeply [痛感] that it would be beneficial for people to give some thought to those spiritual aspects [精神面] and combine them with health methods, whether it be Zen [座禅] or Seiza [静坐].
(Kinmitsu) Yes, Okada-style Seiza [岡田式静坐] was once very popular in Japan. After Okada-sensei [岡田先生] passed away at a relatively young age, those who practiced only for health gradually stopped. Yet, in the groups that continue today, people find that it is not just about health, but also about the spiritual [精神的な] side.
(Yanagida) I often say that health is a “bonus” [景物], but the spiritual is the “true purchase” [本当の買い物]. Okada-sensei [岡田先生] died at forty-nine. A few days before he passed, he told Kinoshita Naoe [木下尚江] (one of his disciples), “It’s fine to die anytime now, isn’t it?” He then burned all his diaries and records, leaving nothing behind. After he died, a small note was found in his jacket pocket. It said: “To liberate the conscience of the Yamato people [大和民族] from its shackles and lead them to the land of freedom. This is my mission. For this, I sacrifice myself. I am one who sacrifices his whole being.” When we were young, we debated what he meant by the “shackles of the conscience of the Yamato people.” In essence, he was speaking against forced “Loyalty to the Emperor and Patriotism” [忠君愛国 - chūkun aikoku] and the idea that one must be filial to parents in a certain prescribed way.
(Kinmitsu) I was astonished to find that he was quite critical of “Loyalty to the Emperor and Patriotism.” Especially regarding the Japanese invasion [侵略] of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast China; he said in the first year of the Taishō [大正] era [1912] that if the people of Korea or Manchuria came to love their own countries, they would surely cast Japan out. To have said that in that era is truly amazing. He could see things from such a broad perspective, things that most people couldn’t even imagine then.
(Yanagida) It was because he knew true love—the love of Nature, of God, and of the Buddha [仏]. He felt that forced impositions that went against that love were wrong. I think it was a truly profound insight [達見]. If he had voiced such arguments openly then, he would have faced a massive backlash.
(Kinmitsu) Furthermore, he said it was truly deplorable to force religious faith upon others. This is also a profound insight [達見]; he told people not to recommend Seiza [静坐] too much, or to tell others they “must” do this or that. What was his thinking behind that?
(Yanagida) It means that if there is no “karmic connection” [因縁 - innen], teaching is useless. However, all humans possess the original “karmic connection” to become a Buddha [仏]. You cannot force those without the current connection, but those who have the connection will find their way here of their own accord. Regarding matters of the mind [心], one must come of their own accord. Instead of telling someone “You have a problem, so come here,” he waited for those with problems to come seeking help. The “proper time” [時節 - jisetsu] is essential. That is how “karmic connections” [因縁] work in this world. Even Śākyamuni [釈迦 - Shaka-sama] saw this and said that those without the connection could not be helped.
(Kinmitsu) At the same time, he reportedly reprimanded primary school teachers who, after only a week or ten days of Seiza [静坐], began teaching it to others.
(Yanagida) Yes, that is true. It is a great task. Whether it is Seiza [静坐] or Zen [座禅], it is a profound matter. Thus, I believe religion is very important. In England, everyone goes to church on Sundays. If Japan had such a custom, perhaps the problem of violence would change.
(Kinmitsu) In that sense, when posture is corrected through Seiza [静坐], it is not just the body; the mind [心], in its natural state, stands straight toward the centre of the earth, allowing for a relaxed yet vigorous life.
(Yanagida) Yes, exactly. First regulate the body, then the mind. That is what I believe.
(Kinmitsu) From that, one’s view of not only oneself but of all things in heaven and earth [天地万物] changes, and one’s way of life broadens.
(Yanagida) Yes. Becoming one with heaven and earth. The spirit of love emerges from that.
(Kinmitsu) So, by discarding the “self” [我 - ga] through Seiza [静坐], one can live in a vastly wider world. Thank you very much for your time today.
Comments