コラム 歩く人（後編）
多くの混乱を抱え一千キロ近く歩く事を決意し、その途中で私のお寺にたどり着いた男性と話した時の事です。
まず私は彼の話を聞き、それが仏教的にどのような意味があるのかを説明しました。特に彼の旅は法華経の化城喩品に出てくるたとえ話のようであり、頭がおかしいのではなく仏教的な覚醒と考えるべきではないかと伝えました。
得心し新たな気持ちで歩き始めようとした彼に私は「行脚」のやり方を教えました。お題目の功徳を全て説明する時間はありませんでしたが、「南無妙法蓮華経」と英語で書いたカードを渡し、歩き方を伝える事はできました。
彼の旅が終わったかは分かりませんが、彼が目的地に着き、お題目の功徳と共に新しい人生のスタートを切ったことを確信しています。
Previously I was talking to a troubled man who just happened to walk into my temple. He was confused about many things. I listened to his story about his troubled life. I tried to explain the world from a Buddhist perspective. I told him all the parables from the Lotus Sutra, especially Ch.7, the Magic City, since he was on a journey. I tried to reassure him that he was not crazy, but awakening spiritually.
He agreed with everything I was saying and that I was the first person to understand what was going through his head. You can say that his Buddhaseed was starting to grow. As a parting gift, I taught him “angya” since he was walking. Though I did not have time to fully explain the Odaimoku, I gave him a card with Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo written on it as well as how to pronounce in English phonetics. This way, he can gain the merits and protection of the Odaimoku as he continues on his journey. I have not heard if he has completed his journey, but I believe that he has reached his destination and has started a wonderful new chapter in his life.
