Part 16

This is a short popular form of the longer proverb, Hotoké no kao mo sando nazuréba, hara wo tatsu: “Stroke even the face of a Buddha three times, and his anger will be roused.”

24.—Hotoké tanondé Jigoku é yuku. Praying to Buddha one goes to hell.

The popular saying, Oni no Nembutsu,—“a devil’s praying,”—has a similar meaning.

25.—Hotoké tsukutté tamashii irédzu. Making a Buddha without putting in the soul.

That is to say, making an image of the Buddha without giving it a soul. This proverb is used in reference to the conduct of those who undertake to do some work, and leave the most essential part of the work unfinished. It contains an allusion to the curious ceremony called Kai-gen, or “Eye-Opening.” This Kai-gen is a kind of consecration, by virtue of which a newly-made image is supposed to become animated by the real presence of the divinity represented.

26.—Ichi-ju no kagé, ichi-ga no nagaré, tashō no en. Even [the experience of] a single shadow or a single flowing of water, is [made by] the karma-relations of a former life.

Even so trifling an occurrence as that of resting with another person under the shadow of a tree, or drinking from the same spring with another person, is caused by the karma-relations of some previous existence.

27.—Ichi-mō shū-mō wo hiku. One blind man leads many blind men.

From the Buddhist work Dai-chi-dō-ron.—The reader will find a similar proverb in Rhys-David’s “Buddhist Suttas” (Sacred Books of the East), p. 173,—together with a very curious parable, cited in a footnote, which an Indian commentator gives in explanation.

28.—Ingwa na ko. A karma-child.

A common saying among the lower classes in reference to an unfortunate or crippled child. Here the word ingwa is used especially in the retributive sense. It usually signifies evil karma; kwahō being the term used in speaking of meritorious karma and its results. While an unfortunate child is spoken of as “a child of ingwa,” a very lucky person is called a “kwahō-mono,”—that is to say, an instance, or example of kwahō.

29.—Ingwa wa, kuruma no wa. Cause-and-effect is like a wheel.

The comparison of karma to the wheel of a wagon will be familiar to students of Buddhism. The meaning of this proverb is identical with that of the Dhammapada verse:—“If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.”

30.—Innen ga fukai. The karma-relation is deep.

A saying very commonly used in speaking of the attachment of lovers, or of the unfortunate results of any close relation between two persons.

31.—Inochi wa fū-zen no tomoshibi. Life is a lamp-flame before a wind.

Or, “like the flame of a lamp exposed to the wind.” A frequent expression in Buddhist literature is “the Wind of Death.”

32.—Issun no mushi ni mo, gobu no tamashii. Even a worm an inch long has a soul half-an-inch long.

Literally, “has a soul of five bu,”—five bu being equal to half of the Japanese inch. Buddhism forbids all taking of life, and classes as living things (Ujō) all forms having sentiency. The proverb, however,—as the use of the word “soul” (tamashii) implies,—reflects popular belief rather than Buddhist philosophy. It signifies that any life, however small or mean, is entitled to mercy.

33.—Iwashi no atama mo shinjin kara. Even the head of an iwashi, by virtue of faith, [will have power to save, or heal].

The iwashi is a very small fish, much resembling a sardine. The proverb implies that the object of worship signifies little, so long as the prayer is made with perfect faith and pure intention.

34.—Jigō-jitoku. The fruit of ones own deeds [in a previous state of existence].

Few popular Buddhist phrases are more often used than this. Jigō signifies ones own acts or thoughts; jitoku, to bring upon oneself,—nearly always in the sense of misfortune, when the word is used in the Buddhist way. “Well, it is a matter of Jigō-jitoku,” people will observe on seeing a man being taken to prison; meaning, “He is reaping the consequence of his own faults.”

35.—Jigoku dé hotoké. Like meeting with a Buddha in hell.

Refers to the joy of meeting a good friend in time of misfortune. The above is an abbreviation. The full proverb is, Jigoku dé hotoké hotoke ni ōta yo da.

36.—Jigoku Gokuraku wa kokoro ni ari. Hell and Heaven are in the hearts of men.

A proverb in perfect accord with the higher Buddhism.

37.—Jigoku mo sumika. Even Hell itself is a dwelling-place.