第2025回「殊勝を求めずとも」2026/7/24【毎日の管長日記と呼吸瞑想】｜ 臨済宗円覚寺派管長 横田南嶺老師

[We are looking for thumbnail photos] *Please see the bottom of the description. ■ Abbot's Diary "Without Seeking Excellence" https://www.engakuji.or.jp/blog/40546/ ■ Voicy https://r.voicy.jp/wWK8lg8AXKB ■ note https://note.com/engakuji/n/na1ed54eb... Finally, there is a breathing meditation to prepare the start of your day. ------------------------------------------------- The Linji Lu contains the phrase, "Though one does not need to seek excellence, excellence will naturally arrive." In the Linji Lu by Master Asahina Sogen, it is translated as, "Even without intending to act superior, everything naturally becomes noble." In Professor Iriya Yoshitaka's Iwanami Bunko edition of the *Linji Lu*, it is translated as, "Even without trying to attain the highest state, it will come to you." When asked about seeking "shūshō" (秀勝), Master Asahina translates it as "acting superior," while Professor Iriya translates it as "striving to attain the highest state of being." Let's consider the meaning of "shūshō" itself. The Kōjien dictionary defines it as: 1. Being exceptionally excellent; supremely excellent. 2. Being deeply moved (by shrines, temples, or sermons); feeling reverent. 3. Being courageous; admirable; sublime. Furthermore, "shūshō" is also used as a Buddhist term, and the Buddhist Dictionary published by Iwanami Shoten explains it as: "Meaning exceptionally excellent, outstanding, it has often been used to describe the miraculous beauty and spiritual excellence of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. By extension, it is used to mean courageous, remarkable, sublime, etc., as in 'a shūshō-na kokoro' (a courageous and admirable attitude)." In his book Lectures on the Rinzai Record (Shunjusha), Master Omori Sogen states: "To know one's true self and attain genuine insight means, in other words, knowing that one is oneself, being content with oneself, and being convinced that oneself is absolute. From this perspective, one cannot be bound by any internal or external constraints. Therefore, those who attain such self-awareness, while dwelling in a world of relative duality, are liberated from those constraints and are free. In the human world, is there anything more remarkable, or rather, more wondrous and inconceivable, than this?" He proposes this. . Master Yamada Mumon's teachings are explained with remarkable care. I quote from the Zen Culture Research Institute's *Rinzai Roku*: "The word 'shūshō' (excellent/remarkable) can be interpreted in many ways. Being able to study is shūshō, and observing the precepts is shūshō. Having proper manners and conduct is shūshō, not lacking food and not being poor is shūshō, recovering from illness is shūshō, and having a harmonious family life is shūshō. All the new religious movements of today are seeking this shūshō." This is how he begins his explanation. Furthermore, "Elegance is merely an accessory. It is the clothing of a person. No matter how fine the clothes one wears, if one does not understand the inherent value of a person, it is of no use. If one understands the inherent value of a person, then it should be fine no matter what one wears on top, no matter what one looks like. Moreover, elegance comes naturally without even seeking it. One does not need to frantically seek to avoid illness, poverty, being liked by others, making money, having a successful business, or avoiding moral decay; if one firmly grasps one's true nature..." If one truly understands the concept of "nothingness," one will not fall ill. One will never lack for food. People will follow without seeking them. One's actions will become righteous without seeking them. If one grasps the genuine perspective, the truth of human nature, one will not suffer even if naked. Today's religions ignore the fundamental truth of human nature, put aside their own worth, and only seek external things such as making money, curing illnesses, and business prosperity. If a person truly has value, such things will come to them in abundance. This is what is being advocated. "Seeking virtuousness" corresponds to "artificiality," according to the words of Zen Master Linji. Zen Master Linji repeatedly taught against artificiality. The Linji Lu (Record of Rinzai) contains the following passage: "You say you practice all six perfections equally. But in my view, they are all karmic creations. Seeking the Buddha and the Dharma is itself karmic creation leading to hell. Seeking to become a Bodhisattva is also karmic creation. Reading scriptures and reading teachings is also karmic creation. The Buddha and the patriarchs are people who do nothing." Professor Iriya translates this as: "You say you practice all six perfections, but from my perspective, they are all karmic creations. Seeking the Buddha and the Dharma is karmic creation leading to hell. Trying to become a Bodhisattva is also karmic creation. Reading scriptures is also karmic creation. The Buddha and the patr...