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人生の極意
筆者は学生時代に世界旅行をしたが、「人生の極意」を体得すべく、タイの有名な寺を訪ねたことがある。仏教についての書を読み、瞑想を重ね、そしてインドで修行を積んだ僧の存在を知ったのだが・・・
The secret of life
Have you ever wondered about the secret of life? I have. Amazingly, I discovered it in my student days during my trip around the world!
I was traveling in Southeast Asia with an American friend. "There's a famous Buddhist temple which has some very holy monks," he said. "I've heard they accept foreign guests. Why don't we visit it?" "Count me in!" I replied.
The name of the temple was Wat Suan Mokkh. It was located near Surat Thani in southern Thailand. The monks were very hospitable. They welcomed us, gave us a room and let us stay for several days. The only condition was that we follow the temple rules. No problem!
We began our visit by reading books on Buddhism, talking to the monks and practicing meditation. Bedtime was early -- 9 p.m. -- but we went to sleep with visions of gaining great wisdom.
Our lofty dreams were shattered by the sound of a loud gong. I looked at my watch. It was 4 a.m. Time to wake up! The monks were already studying and meditating. "When's breakfast?" I asked. "Not until 6!" came the answer. I wondered if I could survive until then. We helped clean the temple and, eventually, mealtime arrived.
"Finally, I can sit down to a nice big breakfast," I thought. No such luck! Buddhist monks in Thailand beg for breakfast. As temple guests, we had to beg, too.
We stood with the monks outside the temple and waited, empty rice bowls in our hands. Soon, some Thai housewives came along with food to give us. I was confused because, as they put the food into our bowls, they kept saying, "Thank you!"
"Shouldn't we thank them?" I asked. "No," said the monks. "But why?" I asked. "We monks are holy," they explained. "By begging for our food, we're giving these women a chance to do a good deed." Interesting!
During our stay, we heard there was a wise old monk who had lived in a cave in India for nine years, searching for enlightenment. Amazingly, he spoke English! He must know the secret of life, we thought. We went to visit him.
The monk was calm and serene. "What's the secret of life?" we asked eagerly. "The secret of life," he said, "is . . . education! I advise you both to finish university, enter graduate school and get a master's degree." My friend and I were stunned! We'd traveled halfway around the world to find the secret of life and were told to go back to school. That's what my mother kept saying!
However, the monk's advice stuck in my mind. After returning to Canada, I finished my studies, went to England and got an M.A. Now I'm a professor at a national university. Maybe the monk was right!
Now you know the secret of life. Please guard it well. But don't tell anyone!
- secret of life
- 人生の極意
- Amazingly
- 驚くべきことに
- discovered
- 〜を発見した
- Buddhist temple
- 仏教寺院
- holy
- 高徳の
- monks
- 僧
- accept
- 〜を受け入れる
- Count me in
- 仲間に入れて
- was located near 〜
- 〜の近くにあった
- hospitable
- もてなしのよい
- condition
- 条件
- follow
- 〜に従う
- Buddhism
- 仏教
- practicing meditation
- 座禅を組む
- with visions of 〜
- 〜を夢見て
- gaining
- 〜を得る
- wisdom
- 知恵
- lofty
- 高尚な
- were shattered by 〜
- 〜によって打ち砕かれた
- gong
- 銅鑼の音
- 〜 came the answer
- 〜と返事が来た
- survive
- 耐える
- eventually
- ついに
- mealtime
- 食事の時間
- sit down to 〜
- 〜の席に着く
- big
- たっぷりの
- No such luck
- そうは問屋が卸さなかった
- beg for 〜
- 托鉢して〜を恵んでもらう
- empty
- 空っぽの
- in our hands
- 手に持って
- came along with 〜
- 〜を持ってやってきた
- was confused
- 戸惑った
- do a good deed
- 善行を施す
- cave
- 洞穴
- enlightenment
- 悟り
- calm
- 落ち着いた
- serene
- 穏やかな
- eagerly
- 熱心に
- advise 〜 to 〜
- 〜に〜することを勧める
- master's degree
- 修士号
- were stunned
- 度肝を抜かれた
- halfway around the world
- 地球の裏側まで
- stuck in my mind
- 心に刻まれた
- M.A.
- 修士号
- guard
- 〜を守る