The Wisdom of Japan 日本的知恵

このページは、いくつかの好きな日本語表現を取り上げて短い感想を書いてみたものです。どうぞご覧ください。

Japan is a country with a uniue and vibrant history. Two forces loom large in that history; they loom so large that their influence has permeated almost every recess of the time line of Japan`s life. Those two forces are Shintoism and Buddhism. Even today these two forces exert a powerful influence on the thought and behaviour of the population, either consciously or unconsciously. Beliefs from these sources have seeped into, and  give  even the secular sphere of life in Japan a kind of religious, or spiritual tinge that is part and parcel of its own uniqueness.

As in all nations, in Japan the wisdom of the religious and philosophical traditions are reflected in the language. Japanese language contains many proverbs, sayings and words that embody, and through which we can catch a glimpse of, a depth of insight into the true, spiritual nature of the world. Here I have collected a few of my favorite such sayings.