
23/06/2024
(episode 306) Article 1: Do not gather in groups unnecessarily.
Did you know that there are mirrors in the shrine's altar?
I personally think that people in ancient times must have found it very mystical to see their own reflection in a mirror.
There are many theories about this mirror, the ”sacred mirror/go-sinkyou/御神鏡”, but I will introduce the most well-known one.
One theory is that a ”go-sinkyou” itself is a symbol of the deity, and also reflects oneself.
This means that "you yourself are deity" and "look and see if you are being reflected in a way that you can be proud of in front of the deities."
If you remove the "ga/我" (self) from "go-sinkyou/御神鏡," it becomes "kami/神" (deity).
I always look at the "go-sinkyou" in the main hall and remember reflecting on myself,
and sometimes I think about it on my way home from the shrine.
Here is an explanation of Article 1 of Shotoku-taishi.
"Wa/和" does not mean wanting to get along with everyone.
It is about having a flexible and strong heart.
On that basis, if people can talk things through, we can understand each other.
First, value peace and try not to cause conflict unnecessarily.
People tend to form groups with common interests, and few are free from such things.
That is why people do not obey kings, rulers, or fathers, and do not get along with their neighbors.
However, if those in positions of authority value harmony and those below them also talk to each other in a friendly manner,
it will naturally become reasonable and nothing will be impossible to achieve.
Natsume Soseki/夏目漱石, a great Meiji era writer, said something similar.
"If you use your intelligence, you will cause conflict. If you let your emotions get the better of you, you will be swept away. If you insist on your own way, you will be cramped. In short, the human world is a difficult place to live in."
I think that Japanese people have been living with similar problems for the past 1,400 years.
Even if I want to warn my family about something, when I do, they get upset (笑). If I don't say anything and just leave it, then I'll end up getting annoyed (笑). It's definitely not a good place to live (笑).
Shotoku