語彙

こんなことが知りたい2

　なれかし: なって欲しい
　ならざれかし: ならないで欲しい
　かし: 呼びかけや命令の文末に付いて、強く念を押したり、同意を求めたりする意を表す。…ことだ。…よ。
　あれかし【有れかし】《動詞「あり」の命令形＋終助詞「かし」》 ぜひとも そうあって 欲しい と 望む 心を表す。
　にほんばれ【日本晴（れ）１ 一点の雲もなく晴れわたった空。にっぽんばれ。２ 心が晴れ晴れとしている事。心に わだかまり など が 全く無い事。
　くりひろげる【繰（り）広げる】１ 順々に広げる。２ 新しい情景を次々に展開する。
　うつろ【空ろ／虚ろ】１ （「洞ろ」とも書く）内部が から である事。また、そのさま。空洞。うろ。からっぽ。２ 心が虚脱状態である事。また、そのさま。表情などに生気のないさま。３ むなしい事。また、そのさま。
　のべつまくなし【のべつ幕無し】ひっきりなしに続くさま。
　すいぼくが【水墨画】おもに墨の濃淡を利用して描いた絵画。中国唐代中期に始まる。日本には鎌倉時代に伝来し、禅宗文化の興隆に伴って盛んに行われた。すみえ。
　しゅら の ちまた【修羅の巷】激しい戦闘や闘争の行われる場所。
　いきづく【息衝く】１ 息をする。生きている。２ ため息をつく。嘆く。３ 苦しそうに息をする。あえぐ。
　ぬかずく【額突く】ひたいを地につけて拝礼する。ひたいが地につく ほど に丁寧にお辞儀をする。
　きざ【気障】１ 服装や言動などが気どっていて嫌な感じを持たせる事。また、そのさま。２ 気にかかる事。心配な事。また、そのさま。３ 不快な感じを起こさせる事。また、そのさま。
　ありつく【有り付く】１ 求めていた もの をやっとの 思い で手に入れる。㋐お金や食物などが手に入る。㋑働き口が見つかる。２ 住みつく。安住する。３ 異性と一緒に住む。結婚する。４ 似合う。ぴったりする。板につく。５ ある身分や境遇に生まれつく。住みつかせる。また、仕官など させて生活の道を得させる。身を固めさせる。
　けなげ【健気】１ 殊勝なさま。心がけ が よく、しっかり しているさま。特に、年少者や力の弱い者が困難な事に立ち向かって いく さま。２ 勇ましく気丈なさま。３ 健康であるさま。
　おもいあがり【思い上（が）り】思い上がる事。うぬぼれ。
　せんてつ【先哲】昔の哲人。昔の すぐれた 思想家。前哲。
　ねとぼける【寝惚ける】「ねぼける」に同じ。
　ねぼける【寝惚ける】１ 目が覚めた ばかり で まだ 頭が よく  働かず、ぼんやりしている。２ 眠った まま の状態で起き上がって、無意識に おかしな 言動をする。３ 訳の分からない言動をする。分別のない事を言う。４ 色が ぼけて はっきり しなくなる。
　目(め)に余る: １ 程度が ひどくて 黙って見て いられない ほど である。２ 数が多くて一目で見渡せない ほど である。
　はつよう【発揚】１ 精神や気分が高まる事。意気を奮い立たせる事。２ 威光・勢威などを盛んにする事。
　たいま【大麻】伊勢神宮 など で授ける神符。
　似(に)ても似付(につ)かない: 全く似ていない。
　ていしん【挺身】率先して身を投げ出し、困難な物事に あたる 事。
　ぶる【振る】名詞や形容詞語幹 など に 付いて、そのように 振舞う、それらしい様子をする、などの意を表す。
　まじない【呪い】神仏その他 不可思議 な もの の 威力 を借りて、災いや病気 など を起こしたり、また除いたりする術。
　いんしゅう【因習／因襲】古く から 伝えられてきた風習。多く、非難の意を含んで用いられる。
　はったり: １ 相手を威圧する為に、大げさな言動をしたり強気な態度を とったり する事。また、その言動。２ なぐる事。また、おどす事。
　ながらえる【永らえる／長らえる／▽存える】１ 命を長く存続させる。長く生きつづける。２ 長い時間を経る。３ 長つづきする。
　きゅうだん【糾弾】罪や責任を問いただし、非難する事。　
　てきし【摘示】要点を かいつまんで 示す事。また、あばく事。
　とうとぶ【尊ぶ／貴ぶ】１ 尊い もの として あがめる。たっとぶ。２ 価値ある もの として重んじる。尊重する。たっとぶ。
　陰(いん)に陽(よう)に: ある時は ひそかに、ある時は公然と。陰(かげ)になり日向(ひなた)になり。
　あくらつ【悪辣】情け容赦もなく、たち が 悪い事。あくどい 事。また、そのさま。
　たいせいしっこ【大声疾呼】大声で激しく呼ぶ事。大声で盛んに叫びたてる事。
　つきおとす【突（き）落（と）す】突いて高い所から下へ落とす。
　いくた【幾多】数量の多い事。あまた。数多く。
　たまう【賜う／給う】１ 「与える」「くれる」の尊敬語。お与えになる。くださる。
　かかる【斯かる】《「かくある」の音変化》このような。こういう。
　もくぎょ【木魚】１ 読経の時に たたいて 鳴らす 木製 の仏具。丸くて中空で、表に魚鱗(ぎょりん)を彫刻してある。布 など で先端を包んだ棒で打つ。
　すりかえる【掏り替える】人に気づかれない ように、こっそり と別の ものに 取り替える。
　えいたい【永代】ながい年月。永世。
　つかす【尽かす】すっかり 出して なくす。出しつくす。
　とうとう【滔滔】１ 水が とどまる 事なく流れる さま。２ 次から次へとよどみなく 話す さま。
　きょうほん【狂奔】１ 狂ったように走りまわる事。２ ある目的の為に夢中になって奔走する事。
　めいじょう【名状】物事の ありさま を言葉で表現する事。
　なんでもかんでも【何でも彼んでも】１ どういう もの でも。すべて。なんでもかでも。２ どうしても。ぜひとも。なんでもかでも。
　ありったけ【有りっ丈】《「ありたけ」の音変化》あるだけ全部。可能な限り多く。出来るだけ。思う存分。
　おっかぶせる【押っ被せる】１ 勢い よく 覆いかぶせる。２ 人に負わせる。なすりつける。３ 相手の言葉が終わるか終わらない うち に、すぐ次の言葉を高圧的に言う。かぶせる。
　むりからぬ【無理からぬ】無理ではない。道理である。当然である。
　ししく【獅子吼】１ 雄弁をふるう事。意気盛んな大演説をする事。２ 仏の説法。獅子が ほえて 百獣を恐れさせる ように、悪魔・外道(げどう)を恐れ従わせる ところ から 言う。
　けいぼ【敬慕】 うやまい したう 事。
　けだし【蓋し】物事を確信をもって推定する意を表す。まさしく。たしかに。思うに。
　こうりゅう【興隆】勢いが盛んになる事。
　ぼこぼこ: １ 中空の もの を しきりに たたく 音を表す語。２ 水などが盛んに わき出たり 泡だったりする音や、その さま を表す語。３ でこぼこ している さま。くぼみ や 穴 が たくさん ある さま。
　くちはてる【朽（ち）果てる】１ すっかり腐って もと の 形を なくしてしまう。２ 世に知られない ままに 死んでしまう。
　うおうさおう【右往左往】うろたえて あっちへ 行ったり こっちへ 来たりする事。あわてふためいて混乱した さま を言う。
　ばくちん【爆沈】艦船が爆発して沈没する事。また、敵艦船を爆弾などで沈没させる事。
　こはん【湖畔】湖のほとり。湖のそば。
　しょうよう【従容】ゆったり と落ち着いている さま。危急の場合にも、慌てて騒いだり 焦ったり しない さま。
　すき【鋤】１ （鋤）手と足の力を利用して、土を掘り起こす農具。幅の広い刃に、まっすぐな柄を つけた もの。金(かな)鋤・風呂(ふろ)鋤・江州(ごうしゅう)鋤など。２ （犂）牛や馬に引かせ、畑や田を耕す農具。犂轅(ねりぎ)を牛馬につなぎ、犂先で地面を切り起こす。からすき。
　きぜん【毅然】意志が強く しっかり していて、物事に動じないさま。
　いっせつな【一刹那】ごく短い時間。一瞬間。刹那。
　しゆい【思惟】仏語。対象を心に浮かべて よく 考える事。また、浄土の荘厳(しょうごん)を明らかに見る事。
　ばかげる【馬鹿げる】 ばからしく みえる。くだらない ように 思われる。
　万事(ばんじ)休(きゅう)す: もはや施す手段がなく、万策尽きる。もはや おしまい で、何をしても駄目だという場合に使う。
　さまよう【さ迷う／彷＝徨う】１ あて も なく 歩きまわる。また、迷って歩きまわる。２ 1か所に とどまらず、あちこち動く。３ 心が安定しないでいる。判断に迷う。
　がじょう【牙城】１ 城中で主将のいる所。本丸。２ 組織や勢力の中心となる所。本拠。
　じりじり: いらだたしい気持ちが つのって 落ち着かなくなる さま。
　かたみ【形見】１ 死んだ人や別れた人を思い出す よりどころ となるもの。残した品や遺品、また、遺児。２ 過去を思い出させる もの。記念の品。
　やぶ【藪】草木や竹が生い茂っている所。
　おののく【戦く／慄く】恐ろしさ・寒さ・興奮などの為に、体や手足が震える。わななく。
　ぐずぐず【愚図愚図】１ のろのろ と いたずら に 時間を費やす さま。２ ぶつぶつ不平を言うさま。また、幼児が むずかる さま。３ 天候が はっきり しない さま。４ 物の煮えたつ音。また、そのさまを表す語。１ ゆるんでしまりの ない さま。また、しまり が なくなり崩れる さま。２ 態度が はっきり しない さま。また、物事に しまり が ないさま。
　さんたん【賛嘆／讚歎】深く感心して ほめる 事。
　ひらに【平に】１ 相手に懇願するさま。なにとぞ。どうか。２ 事の実行・成立が たやすい さま。容易に。３ ひたすら。いちずに。
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光に向かって1

　さいさん【採算】利益があるかどうか、収支を計算してみる事。商売や事業の、収支の つりあい。
　いっとうりょうだん【一刀両断】すみやかに、はっきり とした処置をとる事。
　れきぜん【歴然】まぎれもなく はっきり して いるさま。
　めあて【目当て】１ 目標とするもの。目印。２ 心の中で目指しているもの。行動の ねらい。目的。
　いっかくせんきん【一攫千金】一度に、しかも たやすく 大きな利益を得る事。
　ゆめみる【夢見る】夢を見る。また、あって欲しい事を心に思い浮かべる。
　ちぎれる【千切れる】１ 細かく切れる。細かく ばらばら になる。２ もぎとった ように 切れる。ねじきれる。
　りんりつ【林立】林のように、沢山の もの が並び立つ事。
　へんちょう【偏重】物事の一面だけを重んじる事。
　なみたいてい【並大抵】普通に考えられる程度である事。また、そのさま。ひととおり。多く打消しの語を伴って用いる。
　しんく【辛苦】つらく苦しい思いをする事。また、その苦しみ。
　しんどう【震動】ふるえ動く事。また、ふるわせる事。
　うとうと: 眠けを催して浅い眠りに落ちるさま。
　けたたましい: 突然、人を驚かすような高い音や声がするさま。
　けいてき【警笛】警戒や注意を促す為に鳴らす笛。また、その音。多く列車・自動車などの乗り物に付いている もの を言う。
　ゆめごこち【夢心地】夢の ような うっとり とした 気持ち。ぼんやり とした心持ち。夢見心地。
　まえのめり【前のめり】前方に倒れそうに傾く事。
　かんだかい【甲高い／疳高い】声の調子が高く鋭い。
　すりつける【擦（り）付ける／摩り付ける／摺り付ける】 こする ように してつける。
　ほのぼの【仄仄】 honobono１ かすかに明るく なる さま。２ ほんのり心の暖かさ など が感じられる さま。

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こんなことが知りたい1

　じゃっき【惹起】事件・問題などを引き起こす事。
　気が遠くなる: 意識がなくなる。正気を失う。
　ようこうろ【溶鉱炉】鉄・銅・鉛などの製錬に用いる立て型の炉。製鉄用の もの は大きく、高炉と言う。炉頂から鉱石・燃料および融剤を装入し、下方の羽口(はぐち)から熱風を吹き込んで燃焼させ、炉底に たまる粗金属 および スラグ を取り出す。
　しも【霜】１ 氷点下に冷却した地面や地上の物体に、空気中の水蒸気が触れて昇華して 出来る 氷の結晶。風の弱い、晴れた夜にできやすい。２ 使用中の電気冷蔵庫の内側に付着する細かい氷。
　されば【然れば】そんな わけ で。そうで ある から。だから。それでは。さて。ところで。
　いかなる【如何なる】いかな。どんな。どのような。
　やり【槍】長い柄の先に細長い剣（穂）をつけた武器。鎌倉末期からもっぱら戦場で用い、室町末期には道具と称して、これを重んじた。穂の形により、素槍・鎌槍・十文字槍・鉤(かぎ)槍などがある。
　ふんどし【褌】男子の陰部を おおう 布。下帯(したおび)。
　かま【釜】飯を炊いたり湯を沸かしたり する 為の器具。金属製 または土製で、鍋よりも深く、腰に鍔(つば)がある。古くは、まろがなえ といった。はがま。
　えんげん【淵源】物事の起こり基づく ところ。根源。みなもと。
　枚挙(まいきょ)に遑(いとま)がない: 沢山あり過ぎて、いちいち数えきれない。
　ないし【乃至】１ あるいは。または。２ 数量などの上下・前後の限界を示して、その中間を省略する時に用いる語。
　ほうがん【包含】つつみこみ、中に ふくんでいる 事。
　ききそこなう【聞（き）損なう】１ 聞く機会を逃す。２ 聞きまちがえる。聞き誤る。
　ちょうそく の しんぽ 【長足の進歩】短期間で大幅に進歩する事。
　あかつき【暁】太陽の昇る前のほの暗い ころ。古くは、夜半から夜の明ける ころ まで の 時刻の推移を「あかつき」「しののめ」「あけぼの」と区分し、「あかつき」は夜深い刻限をさして用いられた。夜明け。明け方。
　かみしめる【噛み締める】１ 力を入れて噛む。２ よく噛んで味わう。３ 物事の味わい、深い意味などを十分に感じ取る。
　じんりん【人倫】ひと。人類。人間一般。
　ろうげん【弄言】言葉を もてあそぶ 事。やたら に しゃべる 事。弄舌(ろうぜつ)。
　わら【藁】稲・麦などの茎を干したもの。
　ふんさい【粉砕】こなごな に打ち砕く事。
　ともる【点る／灯る】あかり が つく。とぼる。
　さらさら【更更】少しも。決して。
　ひとなみ【人並（み）】世間一般の人と同じ程度である事。また、そのさま。世間並み。
　おぼしめす【思し召す】「思う」の尊敬語。お思いになる。お考えになる。
　まるまる【丸丸】ある数量や事柄の全体に及ぶさま。完全に。３ 全く。すっかり。
　きずな【絆】人と人との断つ事の出来ない つながり。離れがたい結びつき。
　手の舞い足の踏む所を知らず: 非常に喜んで思わず小躍りするさま。有頂天になる様子に言う。
　世世生生。しょうじょうせぜ【生生世世】しょうじょうせせ。生まれ変わり死に変わって経る多くの世。未来永劫(みらいえいごう)。
　兎(う)の毛(け)で突いたほど: 極めて微細な事のたとえ。ほんの少し。
　もやもや: 実体や原因などが はっきり しない さま。
　にほんばれ【日本晴（れ）】１ 一点の雲もなく晴れわたった空。にっぽんばれ。２ 心が晴れ晴れとしている事。心に わだかまり など が全くない事。
　はりつめる【張（り）詰める】１ 十分に張る。一面にびっしり張る。２ 気持ちを引き締める。緊張する。
　まします【在す／坐す】１ 「在る」「居る」の意の尊敬語。いらっしゃる。おいでになられる。おわします。２ 物がある意の尊敬語。おありになる。３ 「だ」「である」の意の尊敬語。…でいらっしゃる。「てある」「ている」の意の尊敬語。…ていらっしゃる。
　なされる【為される】「なさる」に同じ。
　なさる【為さる】「する」「なす」の尊敬語。あそばす。他の動詞の連用形や動作性の漢語名詞に付いて敬意を添える。「お…なさる」「御(ご)…なさる」の形でも用いる。…あそばす。丁寧の助動詞「ます」が付く時は、「なさります」よりも「なさいます」の形を とる のが普通。また、命令形には二つの形があるが、「なさい」が普通で、「なされ」は古風な言い方。
　途轍(とてつ)もない: 途方もない。また、並み外れている。
　そぐ【削ぐ／殺ぐ】外に現れようとする勢いや、興味・関心などを奪い去る。
　ちょうちん【提灯】照明具の一。足元を照らす為に持ち歩いたり、標識として備えつけたりする もの。初めは木枠や籠(かご)に紙を張った もの であったが、のち、細い竹ひごの骨に紙を張り、中に ろうそく を立てて用い、折り畳める ようにした。形・用途によって小田原提灯・箱提灯・高張り提灯など各種ある。「一張(ひとはり)」と数える。
　かんばつ【干魃】ひでり。特に、農作物に必要な雨が長い間降らない事。
　おびやかす【脅かす】１ おどかして恐れさせる。こわがらせて従わせる。２ 危険な状態にする。危うくする。
　ぬれぎぬ（濡れ衣を着せる）無実の罪を負わせる。
　ぼうとく【冒涜】神聖なもの、清浄な もの をおかし、けがす事。
　ふんぜん【憤然】激しく怒るさま。
　やつざき【八つ裂き】ずたずたに裂く事。
　よりあい【寄（り）合（い）】人が集まる事。ある目的を持って集まる事。また、その集まり。会合。集会。
　ひっせい【畢生】一生を終わるまでの期間。一生涯。終生。
　いわれ【謂れ】１ 物事が起こった訳。理由。２ 由緒。来歴。
　てんらく【転落／顛落】堕落する事。身をもちくずす事。
　間(かん)髪(はつ)を容(い)れず: 少しの時間も置かない さま。
たちどころ
　たちどころに【立ち所に】〔すぐに〕at once; 〔その場で〕there and then; on the spot
　こんこう【混交】異なる もの が 入りまじる事。ごちゃごちゃ になる事。　
　しのぶ【忍ぶ】辛い事を我慢する。じっと こらえる。耐える。
　あらせられる【有らせられる】１ 「ある」「いる」「おる」の尊敬の言い方。２ 「…である」の尊敬の言い方。
　かなう（適う）条件・基準など に よく 当てはまる。ぴったり合う。適合する。
　くみとる【汲み取る／酌み取る】相手の心情や事情を推し量る。理解する。
　せんりつ【戦慄】恐ろしくて体が震える事。
　いのちとり【命取り】生命、または地位・財産などを失う決定的な原因になる事柄。
　こびりつく【こびり付く】固く くっついて 離れなくなる。
　いちもんふち【一文不知】文字を1字も読み書き出来ない事。　
　あまにゅうどう【尼入道】在家のまま剃髪(ていはつ)して仏門に入った女性。尼女房。
　どん: 名詞に付いて、まさに それに 相当する もの である事を強調していうのに用いる。接頭語「ど」をさらに強めた語。
　てがら【手柄】人から ほめられる ような 立派な働き。功績。功名。
　ふいちょう【吹聴】言いふらす事。言い広める事。
　だみん【惰眠】なまけて眠る事。転じて、何もしないで 怠けている 事。活気の まるで ない 事。
　むだぼねおり【無駄骨折り】苦労した 事 が 何の役にも立たない 事。徒労。骨折り損。むだぼね。
　たいそう【大層】大規模なさま。立派であるさま。
　いばる【威張る】威勢を張って偉そうにする。えばる。
　みょうもんりよう【名聞利養】仏語。名声と利得。名誉欲と財欲に駆り立てる もの。
　せんとく【先徳】死亡した高徳の僧。
　かきわける【掻き分ける】手で かきのける ようにして開く。左右へ押し分ける。押し開く。
　もののかず【物の数】数え たてる ほど 価値のあるもの。問題にすべきもの。
　かたとき【片時】へんじ。ほんの しばらく の間。ちょっとの間。
　ごぞうろっぷ【五臓六腑】体内。腹の中。心中。
　ど: まさに それに 相当する もの である事を強調する。「―真ん中」「―ぎつい」
　かんだん【間断】 とぎれる 事。絶え間。切れ目。多く「間断なく」の形で用いる。
　おうちゃく【横着】すべき事を故意に怠ける事。出来るだけ楽をして すまそうとする事。また、そのさま。
　てんぷく【転覆】列車・船などが ひっくり返る 事。また、ひっくり返す事。
　あいすむ【相済む】１ 物事が終わる。かた が つく。２ 義理や義務が果たせる。多く打消しの形で謝罪や感謝の意を表す。
　はいさつ【拝察】推察する事をへりくだっていう語。
　ぐらつく: 気持ちや考えなどが、揺れ動いて定まらなくなる。
　ほうわ【法話】仏法に関する話。法談。
　もたもた: 人の動作や物事の進行が のろくて はかどらない さま。ぐずぐず。
　びどう【微動】かすかに動く事。「―だにしない」
　てっこつ【徹骨】骨まで とおる 事。物事の中核・真底にまで達する事。
　じあい【慈愛】親が子供を いつくしみ、かわいがる ような、深い愛情。
　つっぱねる【突っ撥ねる】１ 突き飛ばす。２ 要求や願い など を手厳しく断る。拒否する。
　いいぶん【言（い）分】１ 主張したい事柄。特に、言い訳や異議・非難。２ 口論。口げんか。
　いこう【威光】人を おそれさせ、従わせる力や勢い。威勢。
　おしつける【押（し）付ける】無理に やらせる。また、無理に受け入れさせようとする。おっつける。
　何(なに)も彼(か)も: どれもこれも。すべて。
　あんどん【行灯】小型の照明具。木などで枠を作って紙を張り、中に油皿を置いて点灯 する もの。あんどう。
　こりかたまる (凝り固まる) 一つの事にだけ熱中して、他の事を顧みなくなる。
　目：その者が出会った ありさま。体験。「つらい―にあう」「いい―を見る」
　ごうせつ【豪雪】異常に多い降雪。大雪。
　きのどく【気の毒】他人の不幸や苦痛などに同情して心を痛める事。また、そのさま。
　長者(ちょうじゃ)の万灯(まんとう)より貧者(ひんじゃ)の一灯(いっとう): 金持ちの多くの寄進よりも、貧しい者の心の こもった わずかの寄進のほうが功徳が大きい。形式よりも真心が大切であるという事の たとえ。貧者の一灯。
　あざわらう【嘲笑う】人を馬鹿にして笑う。せせら笑う。あざけり笑う。嘲笑(ちょうしょう)する。
　きちく【鬼畜】鬼と畜生。転じて、残酷で、無慈悲な行いをする者。
　うんぬん【云云】あれこれ批評する事。とやかく言う事。口をはさむ事。
　ぐほう【求法】仏語。仏の教えや悟りの道を求める事。
　ぼうめい【亡命】政治的弾圧や思想の相違、宗教・人種的な理由による迫害を避ける為に自国から外国へ逃れる事。
　とらい【渡来】遠く外国から渡ってくる事。
　てきめん【覿面】効果・結果・報いなどが即座に現れる事。
　たいざい【大罪】だいざい。大きな罪。重い罪。
　もうちょう【盲腸】appendix
　たいぎょ【大漁】たいりょう。漁で獲物の多い事。豊漁。
　めっかち: 一方の目が見えない事。また、両目の大きさに かなり の差がある事。
　しみじみ【沁み沁み】心の底から深く感じるさま。
　せんこう【潜行】水中を潜って行く事。
　でんぱ【伝播】伝わり広まる事。広く伝わる事。
　てっとりばやい【手っ取り早い】１ てきぱき している。すばやい。２ 手間が かからない。はやみち だ。簡単だ。
　ふらふら: 揺れ動いて安定しない さま。
　ころあい【頃合（い）】１ 適当な時機。よい しおどき。２ ちょうどよい程度。てごろ。
　たまう【賜う／給う】「与える」「くれる」の尊敬語。お与えになる。くださる。
　ゆする【揺する】ゆり動かす。
　かきむしる【掻き毟る】爪や指先で ひっかく ようにして ちぎりとる。また、むやみ に ひっかく。tear.
　口(くち)を割(わ)る: 白状する。
　さずける【授ける】目上の者が目下の者に特別に与える。
　いいぐさ【言い種／言（い）草】１ 人が言った言葉やその言い方。２ 言い訳。言い分。
　うんえんばんり【雲煙万里】雲煙が はるか 遠く まで たなびいて いる かのように、遠く離れている 事。
　ふそん【不遜】へりくだる 気持ち が ない事。思いあがっている事。また、そのさま。
　匙(さじ)を投(な)げる: 医者が、これ以上治療法が ない として病人を見放す。また、救済や解決の見込み が ない として、手を引く。
　ぼんてん【梵天】仏語。色界の初禅天。大梵天・梵輔天・梵衆天の三天からなり、特に大梵天をさす。淫欲を離れた清浄な天。
　たいしゃくてん【帝釈天】《(梵)Śakra-devānam-Indraの訳》梵天(ぼんてん)と並び称される仏法守護の主神。十二天の一つで、東方を守る。忉利天(とうりてん)の主で、須弥山(しゅみせん)上の喜見城に住むとされる。ヒンズー教のインドラ神が仏教に取り入れられた もの という。
　まおう【魔王】仏道修行や善事を行おうとする気持ちを妨げる天魔の王。欲界の第六天の王。
　てんりんじょうおう【転輪聖王】転輪王。《(梵)Cakravarti-rājanの訳》古代インドの伝説上の理想的国王。身に三十二相を備え、即位の時天より感得した輪宝によって四方を降伏(ごうぶく)させる。輪宝の種類により、金輪王・銀輪王・銅輪王・鉄輪王の四王がある。転輪聖王。輪王。
　そくさいえんめい【息災延命】災難を防ぎ、長生きする事。
　たたり【祟り】神仏や怨霊(おんりょう)などによって災厄を こうむる 事。罰(ばち)・科(とが)・障りと同義的に用いられる事もある。
　おんしょう【温床】ある結果が生じやすい環境。多く、悪い意味に用いる。
　かちとる【勝（ち）取る】１ 争いに勝って自分の もの にする。２ 努力して自分の もの とする。
　ことごとに【事毎に】物事 が ある 度に。事につけて。いつも。
　いがみあう【啀み合う】互いに敵意をもって激しく争う。
　はんもく【反目】互いににらみ合いの状態にある事。仲が悪い事。
　ぐんゆう【群雄】多くの英雄。
　なびかせる【靡かせる】 流れるように動かす。
　ごきない【五畿内】昔、京都の周囲にあった山城(やましろ)・大和(やまと)・河内(かわち)・和泉(いずみ)・摂津(せっつ)の5か国の称。五畿。畿内。
　たちはだかる【立ちはだかる】手足を広げて、行く手を遮るように立つ。立ちふさがって、遮る。
　ふしん【不審】疑わしく思う事。疑わしく思える事。また、そのさま。
　ばぜん【馬前】馬の前。騎馬の前。
　ゆくて【行く手】１ 進んで行く方向。進んで行く前方。行く先。２ 前途。将来。
　どみん【土民】その土地に住みついている住民。土着の民。
　ろうにん【浪人】古代、本籍地を離れ、他国を流浪している者。浮浪人。
　ちょうしゅう【長袖】袖の長い衣服を着た人。公卿・僧侶などを あざけって 言う語。
　むしろばた【筵旗】むしろを竹竿などに結びつけて旗とした もの。江戸時代、百姓一揆(いっき)などに用いられた。
　じきゅうせん【持久戦】一挙に敵を撃破できない時、時間をかけて敵の消耗や援軍の到着などを待って戦う方法。根気よく相手の出方を待つ交渉のやり方などにも言う。
　豈(あに)図(はか)らんや: 全く 思いがけない 事 が 起こった という 気持ち を 表す。意外にも。
　ちゅうさい【仲裁】対立し争っている もの の 間に入ってとりなし、仲直りをさせる事。
　わぎ【和議】和睦の為の協議。
　こうせん【抗戦】抵抗して戦う事。
　えんいん【遠因】ある結果を導いた原因として、直接ではないが、何らかの かかわり を持つ事柄。遠い原因。間接の原因。
　おもいつく【思い付く】１ ある 考え が ふと 心 に 浮かぶ。考えつく。２ 忘れていた事を思い出す。
　かちゅう【火中】燃えている火の中。
　ざんぎゃく【残虐／惨虐】人や生き物に対してする行為の むごたらしい 事。また、そのさま。
　ひどう【非道】人としての あり方 や生き方に はずれている 事。また、そのさま。
　骨身(ほねみ)に沁(し)みる: 骨身に応(こた)える: 全身に強く感じる。また、心に強く感じる。骨身に沁(し)みる。
　ぎぜつ【義絶】親子・兄弟など、肉親との関係を絶つ事。
　せんめつ【殲滅】すっかり滅ぼす事。皆殺しにする事。
　きする【期する】前もって期限や時刻を定める。
　しゅくしゅく【粛粛】ひっそりと静まっている さま。
　たいぐん【大軍】兵の数の多い軍隊。多くの軍勢。
　さしかかる【差（し）掛（か）る】ちょうど その 場所 に 至り着く。
　びっちゅう【備中】旧国名の一。山陽道に属し、現在の岡山県の西部にあたる。古くは吉備(きび)国の一部。備州。
　びんぱつ【鬢髪】 binpatsu 鬢の部分の髪。また、頭髪。
　ぼうりゃく【謀略】人を あざむく ような はかりごと。
　ふぐう【不遇】才能を持ちながらも めぐりあわせ が悪くて世間に認められない事。また、そのさま。
　かこう【囲う】外部から そこなわれない ように、まわり を取り巻く。中に取り込めて、外との境を作る。
　目(め)を付(つ)ける: 特別な注意を向ける。
　てきがいしん【敵愾心】敵に対して抱く憤りや、争おうとする意気込み。
　そそる: ある感情・行動を起こさせる。さそう。
　愚(ぐ)にも付(つ)かぬ: ばかばか しくて問題にならない。
　意地を張る: 頑固に自分の考えや行動を押し通そうとする。
　まいしん【邁進】恐れる事なく突き進む事。
　こっし【骨子】全体を構成する 上 での重要な部分。要点。眼目。
　けつじゅう【結集】釈迦の入滅後、教団の代表者が集まって仏説を集成し編集した事。
　なんかい【難解】分かりにくい事。難しい事。また、そのさま。
　しんえん【深遠】奥深くて容易に理解が及ばない事。また、そのさま。深奥。
　とたん【塗炭】泥に まみれ 火に焼かれる事。転じて、ひどい苦痛。極めて辛い境遇。
　しいる【強いる】相手の意向を無視して、無理に やらせる。強制する。
　グプタちょう【グプタ朝】《Gupta》ガンジス川中流域のマガダ地方から興り、北インドを支配した王朝。320年、チャンドラグプタ1世がパータリプトラを都として建国。4世紀末ごろから最盛期を迎え、文学・哲学・宗教・美術が栄え、インド古典文化の黄金時代となった。5世紀末以降エフタルの侵入に苦しみ、6世紀の中ごろ滅亡した。
　さいせいき【最盛期】勢いが最盛の時期。全盛期。
　はっしょうち【発祥地】ある物事が初めて起こった土地。
　まんえん【蔓延／蔓衍】つる草が のび広がる 事。病気や悪習などが  いっぱい に 広がる 事。
　くちく【駆逐】追い払う事。
　すいたい【衰退／衰頽】勢いや活力が衰え弱まる事。衰微。凋落(ちょうらく)。
　はいぶつきしゃく【廃仏毀釈】《仏教を廃し釈迦の教えを棄却する意》明治政府の 神道国 教化 政策 に基づいて起こった仏教の排斥運動。明治元年（1868）神仏分離令発布と ともに、仏堂・仏像・仏具・経巻などに対する破壊が各地で行われた。
　どうかせん【導火線】事件を引き起こす きっかけ。
　かんとう【巻頭】１ 書物や巻物などの最初の部分。巻首。
　こんく【金口】仏語。釈迦の口を尊んでいう語。転じて、釈迦の説法。
　そうじょう【相承】弟子が師から、子が親から、学問・技芸・法などを次々に受け継ぐ事。
　取るに足らない: 取るに足りない。問題として取り上げる価値もない。些細 な 事 である。
　けろん 【戯論】仏語。無益な言論。無意味な論。
　しちょう【思潮】ある時代の社会に見られる支配的な思想の傾向。
　そうさく【創作】１ 新しい もの を作り出す事。２ 文学・絵画などの芸術を独創的に作り出す事。また、その作品。
　はいしょう【拝誦】読む事を、へりくだっていう語。謹んで読む事。
　こうろんおつばく【甲論乙駁】甲が論じると 乙が それに反対するというように、互いに あれこれと 論じ合う ばかりで、議論の決着がつかない事。
　あらしめる【在らしめる】ある ように させる。
　せしむる: 「見る」「得る」などの動詞の未然形に付いて，他にその動作を させる 意を表す。使役の助動詞「しむ」は，中世以降，終止形・連体形ともに「しむる」となり，それが「見る」「得る」などの動詞に付く時，「せ」を介して「見せしむる」「得せしむる」のような言い方が生じた。
　とりあげる【取り上げる・取上げる】意見・申し出などを聞き入れる。受理する。採用する。
　じょろん 【序論】論文などで、本論への導入部分として最初に述べられる論説。緒論(しょろん)。
　くうそう【空想】現実には あり得ない ような事柄を想像する事。
　よぎない 【余儀無い】他に なすべき 方法がない。やむをえない。
　ようご【擁護】侵害・危害から、かばい守る事。
　さくしゅ【搾取】階級社会で、生産手段の所有者が生産手段を持たない直接生産者を必要労働時間以上に働かせ、そこから発生する剰余労働の生産物を無償で取得する事。
　ひんく 【貧苦】貧乏の苦しみ。
　うめく【呻く】痛さや苦しさ の あまり、低い声をもらす。
　ねざす【根差す】ものごと の 基盤・根本原因が そこにある。
　めばえる 【芽生える】 物事が起こりはじめる。きざす。
　せしめる: サ変動詞「する」の未然形「せ」に使役の助動詞「しめる」のついたもの。主として漢語サ変複合動詞語尾の未然形に「しめる」がついた形で用いられる。…させる。単独のサ変動詞の使役の言い方としては「させる」が用いられる
　へいがい 【弊害】害になる事。他に悪い影響を与える物事。害悪。
　あんたん【暗澹】薄暗く はっきり しない さま。暗く陰気なさま。
　ぞくじん【俗人】１ 世俗の名利などに とらわれている 人。風流を解さない教養の低い人。２ 僧に対して、世間一般の人。世俗の人。
　ねんき 【年忌】死後、毎年巡りくる祥月命日(しょうつきめいにち)。また、その日に行う法要。その数を かぞえる のにも用いる。回忌。年回。
　たいはい【退廃／頽廃】 衰えて すたれる 事。くずれ荒れる事。廃頽。
　こうべん【抗弁】相手の主張に対して、自己の立場を堅持して反論する事。
　にぎりしめる 【握り締める】力を入れて固く握る。しっかりと握って離さないようにする。
　いやおうなし【否応無し】有無を言わせない事。是非を言わせない事。
　うろたえる【狼狽える】不意を打たれ、驚いたり慌てたりして取り乱す。狼狽(ろうばい)する。
　はち 【鉢】仏道修行者の食器。また、僧尼が托鉢(たくはつ)の時に所持する器。応量器(おうりょうき)。鉢の子。
　ぼんご 【梵語】サンスクリット語の異称。その起源が造物神ブラフマン（梵天）にあるというインドでの伝承に基づく、中国や日本での呼称。

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こんなことが知りたい4

　とつじょ【突如】何の前触れもなく物事が起こるさま。だしぬけ で ある さま。突然。
　せんり【千里】1里の1000倍。転じて、極めて遠い所。
　ひゃくり【百里】1里の100倍の距離。また、遠い距離。
　赤穂浪士（あこうろうし）は、元禄15年12月14日（1703年1月30日）深夜に旧主浅野長矩の仇である高家吉良義央の屋敷に討ち入り、吉良義央および家人を殺害した（元禄赤穂事件）元赤穂藩士大石良雄以下47人の武士である。
　かいしゃく【介錯】切腹する人の そば に付き添っていて、その人が刀を腹に突き刺すと同時に、その首を斬って死を助けてやる事。また、その人。
　はねる【刎ねる】刀で首を切り落とす。
　そむける【背ける】そむく 後ろやわきの方へ向かせる。視線や顔をそらす。
　やりきれない【遣り切れない】我慢出来ない。耐えられない。
　ならない: その事について抑えようのない気持ちを表す。
　むごい【惨い／酷い】見るに たえない ほど 痛ましい。残酷である。
　ごっちゃ: いろんな もの が、雑然と入りまじっている さま。ごった。
　拍車(はくしゃ)を掛(か)ける: 物事の進行を一段と はやめる。拍車を加える。
　おうか【謳歌】声を合わせて歌う事。また、その歌。
　ほうじゅう【放縦】何の規律もなく勝手にしたい事をする事。また、そのさま。　放恣(ほうし)。放埒(ほうらつ)。ほうしょう。
　いにしえ【古】過ぎ去った古い時代。過ぎ去った月日。昔。過去。
　むしけら【虫螻】虫類を卑しめていう語。また、小さくて取るに足りないもの の 意で、人をも卑しめて言う。
　ほうけんしゃかい【封建社会】封建制度を基盤として成立している社会。歴史的には古代の奴隷制社会と近代の資本主義社会との中間に位置する。
　かしずく【傅く】人に仕えて大事に世話をする。wait upon; attend on
　がん【頑】かたくなに人の言う事を受け入れない さま。多く「頑として」の形で用いられる。
　じゅんじゅん【諄諄】よく 分かる ように繰り返し教え諭すさま。
　おのおの【各々】多くの もの の それぞれ。めいめい。副詞的にも用いる。
　ぴしゃり: 手の平などで強く打つ音を表す語。
　かんきゅう【緩急】差し迫った事態。危急の場合。
　くれぐれ【呉呉】繰り返し繰り返しするさま。念を入れる さま。
　せっぱく【切迫】期日などが間近に迫る事。
　もぎとる【捥ぎ取る】１ もいで取る。２ 無理やり取り上げる。
　くさばな【草花】花の咲く草。また、草に咲く花。
　あるまじき【有るまじき】あってはならない。不都合である。とんでもない。
　れきほう【歴訪】いろいろな土地・人を次々に訪ねる事。
　せっぷん【接吻】kiss
　ほうよう【抱擁】 an embrace; a hug
　ごどう【悟道】仏語。仏道の真理を悟る事。悟りを開いて道理を会得する事。
　とんだ: 道理に外れた。よくない。
　たんぱく【淡泊】 味・色・感じなどが、あっさり している事。また、そのさま。
　よくふか【欲深】欲の深い事。また、その人や、そのさま。
　ほんそう【奔走】忙しく走り回る事。物事が順調に運ぶ ように あちこち駆け回って努力する事。
　けんじょう【献上】主君や貴人に物を差し上げる事。奉る事。
　きまま【気儘】１ 遠慮や気がね をせずに、自分の思うままに行動する事。また、そのさま。２ わがまま に振る舞う事。また、そのさま。
　おしい【惜しい】１ 大切な もの を失いたくない。無駄にする事が忍びない。もったいない。２ もう少しの ところ で実現されずに終わって心残りである。残念だ。３ いとしい。かわいい。
　きょうみしんしん【興味津津】興味が あとからあとから 沸いて尽きないさま。
　ぶつよく【物欲】物や金銭を自分の もの に したい という欲望。物や財産への執着心。
　さげすむ【蔑む／貶む】他人を、自分より能力・人格の劣るもの、価値の低い もの と みなす。見下げる。見くだす。
　さんすいが【山水画】山岳や河水などの、自然の景観を描いた絵画。水墨山水・青緑山水などがある。人物画・花鳥画と ともに東洋画の主要画題。
　ぼつご【没後】人が死んでからのち。死後。
　おのずと【自ずと】ひとりでに。おのずから。
　どしどし: 物事が引き続いて起こったり、行われたり する さま。どんどん。
　しきどく【色読】書を読んで、文字に表された意味だけを解する事。
　ひしゅう【悲愁】悲しみに深く心が沈む事。悲しみとうれい。
　とげとげしい【刺刺しい】 態度や言葉づかいに とげ がある。つっけんどんである。harsh, stinging, biting.
　なみだぐむ【涙ぐむ】目に涙をためる。涙を催す。
　とむらう【弔う】人の死を悲しみ いたんで、遺族に お悔みを言う。
　なかれ【勿れ】禁止の意を表す。してはいけない。するな。
　いかんとも【如何とも】どうにも。
　いんしゅう【因習】古くから伝えられてきた風習。多く、非難の意を含んで用いられる。convention
　ばくぜん【漠然】ぼんやりとして、はっきり しないさま。広くて はてし の ない さま。
　おそれおおい【恐れ多い／畏れ多い】１ 貴人や尊敬する人などに対して、失礼になるので申し訳ない。２ わが身には ありがたく、もったいない。
　さいせん【賽銭】祈願成就のお礼として神仏に奉る金銭。また、社寺にもうでる際に奉納する金銭。古くは金銭ではなく幣帛(へいはく)・米などを供えた。
　ごふ【護符／御符】神仏の名や形像、種子(しゅじ)、真言などを記した札。身につけたり壁にはったりして神仏の加護や除災を願う。お守り。ごふう。呪符(じゅふ)。
　うそはっぴゃく【嘘八百】多くの嘘。また、全く の でたらめ。
　とりい【鳥居】神社の神域を象徴する一種の門。2本の柱の上に笠木(かさぎ)を渡し、その下に貫(ぬき)を入れて柱を連結したもの。笠木の下に島木(しまぎ)のある明神鳥居の系統と、島木のない神明(しんめい)鳥居の系統に大別される。
　こよみ【暦】１ 時の流れを年・月・週・日の単位で区切り、分かりやすくした体系。日本では推古10年（602）百済から伝えられた中国暦、貞享元年（1684）渋川春海によって作成された貞享暦などの太陰太陽暦を用いてきたが、明治5年（1872）に12月3日を同6年1月1日とし、以後、太陽暦の一種のグレゴリオ暦を採用。２ 1年の、月・日・曜日・祝祭日・干支(えと)・日の出・日の入り・月齢・日の吉凶・主要行事などを日を追って記したもの。七曜表。カレンダー。
　ばっこ【跋扈】魚が かご を越えて跳ねる事。転じて、欲しい まま に振る舞う事。また、のさばり、はびこる事。
　そじ【素地】何かをする時の基礎。土台。
　まざまざ: １ まるで目の前にあるかのように はっきり としているさま。ありあり。２ ある事を確かな事実として、身にしみて感じるさま。はっきり。つくづく。３ まことしやかに。巧みに。うまうまと。
　けろり: 何事も なかった ように平然としている様。
　かん【貫】１ 尺貫法の重さの単位。1貫は1000匁(もんめ)、すなわち3.75キロで、明治24年（1891）から昭和33年（1958）まで商取引で用いられた。
　つりだす【吊り出す】相撲で、相手の体を つり上げて 土俵の外に出す。
　てんかん【癲癇】 epilepsy. 大脳の神経細胞が過剰に活動する事によって、発作的な痙攣(けいれん)・意識障害などを反復する状態。遺伝的素因または外傷・腫瘍(しゅよう)など さまざま な原因によって起こる慢性の脳疾患。突然意識を失って倒れる大発作のほか、瞬間的に意識を失う小発作、急に無意味な動作を始める精神運動発作、頭痛・吐き気などの起こる自律神経発作が見られる。
　ちからだめし【力試し】体力や能力の程度をためす事。
　うそぶく【嘯く】偉そうに大きな事を言う。豪語する。talk big; brag; boast;
　依憑(えひょう ): よりどころ
　あまよのほし【雨夜の星】雨雲に隠れた星。あっても見えないもの、めったにない もの の 例え。
　かっぱ【喝破】大声で叱り付ける事。
　ゆうぎ【遊戯】１ 遊びたわむれる事。遊び。２ 幼稚園・小学校などで、運動や社会性の習得を目的として行う集団的な遊びや踊り。
　とっぱ【突破】１ 突き破る事。困難や障害などを克服する事。２ ある目標・数量を超える事。
　わきまえる【弁える】物事の違いを見分ける。弁別する。区別する。
　はてな《感動詞「はて」＋間投助詞「な」から》怪しんだり、考え惑ったりする時などに発する語。
　二(に)の足(あし)を踏・む: 一歩目は進みながら、二歩目は ためらって足踏みする。思い切れずに迷う。ためらう。しりごみする。「正札を見て―・む」
　でたらめ【出鱈目】根拠がない事。首尾一貫しない 事。いい加減な事。また、そのさまや、そのような言動。
　でっちあげる【捏ち上げる】ない事をあるように作り上げる。捏造(ねつぞう)する。
　げんせつ【言説】意見を言ったり物事を説明したりする事。また、その言葉。ごんせつ。
　同じ穴の狢(むじな): 一見関係がないようでも実は同類・仲間である事のたとえ。多くは悪事を働く者について言う。同じ穴の狸(たぬき)（狐(きつね)）。
　みずぎわだつ【水際立つ】ひときわ目立つ。あざやか に きわだつ。
　わいきょく【歪曲】１ 物を ゆがめ まげる 事。また、ゆがみまがる事。２ 事実を わざと ゆがめて 伝える事。
　しゅうもう【衆盲】多くの盲人。群盲。
　ささる【刺さる】先の とがった 物が他の物に突き立つ。
　うんでい【雲泥】天の雲と地の泥。二つの間に大きな差違のあるたとえ。
　雲泥の差: 非常な隔たり。大変な差。雲泥の違い。月とすっぽん。
　ありのまま【有りの儘】実際に ある とおり。偽りのない姿。ありてい。
　つうだ【痛打】相手に精神的、肉体的に痛手となる打撃を与える事。また、その打撃。
　がいたん【慨嘆】うれいなげく事。憤りなげく事。deplore; regret.
　口を割(わ)る: 白状する。
　地団駄(じだんだ)を踏む。悔しがったり怒ったりして、激しく地を踏む。stamp one's feet in frustration
　片棒(かたぼう)を担ぐ。計画に加わって協力する。荷担する。多く、悪い事に言う。
　どぎも(度胆を抜く) astonish, take a person aback. ひどく びっくり させる。肝をつぶさせる。

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こんなことが知りたい3

　いえども【雖も】格助詞「と」の下に付いて、逆接の確定条件または仮定条件を表す。…だけれど。たとい…でも。
　ふうび【風靡】風が草木を なびかせる ように、広い範囲に わたって なびき従わせる事。また、なびき従う事。
　とうてつ【透徹】１ 澄みきっている事。透きとおっている事。２ 筋道が、はっきりと通っている事。
　どうさつ【洞察】物事を観察して、その本質や、奥底に ある もの を見抜く事。見通す事。　
　しゅうそうれつじつ【秋霜烈日】刑罰・権威・志操などが厳しく おごそかである事のたとえ。
　おうよう【汪洋】１ 水量が豊富で、水面が遠く広がっているさま。２ ゆったりとした さま。広々と 大きい さま。
　こいねがわくは【乞い願わくは】ある事を強く希望する気持ちを表す。切に望む事は。なにとぞ。どうか。
　しょうちょ【小著】自分の著作を へりくだって 言う語。
　かんじょ【寛恕】１ 心が広くて 思いやり のある事。また、そのさま。２ 過ちなどを とがめだて しないで許す事。
　しかるに【然るに】それにもかかわらず。それなのに。
　しりめ【尻目／後目】１ 顔は前方を向いたまま、目だけを動かして、後ろの方を見る事。また、その目つき。２ （「…をしりめに」の形で）その場の様子を ちらっと 見て あとは構わず自分の行動を進めるさま。
　ないこう【内訌】内部の乱れ。内部の騒ぎ。うちわもめ。内紛。
　はいずる【這いずる】床や地面の上を這って動く。
　いっきょしゅいっとうそく【一挙手一投足】１ こまかな一つ一つの動作や行動。２ ちょっとした努力。わずかな骨折り。
　せいさん【凄惨／悽惨】目を そむけたくなる ほど いたましい 事。ひどく むごたらしい 事。また、そのさま。
　刀(かたな)折れ矢尽きる: 戦う手段を すっかり 使い果たす。また、物事に立ち向かう手段がなくなる。弓折れ矢尽きる。
　せんこうはなび【線香花火】 一時的で、すぐ勢い の なくなって しまう事のたとえ。
　けいしょう【警鐘】１ 火災・洪水などの、警戒を促す為に鳴らす鐘。２ 危険を予告し、警戒を促すもの。警告。
　らんだ【乱打】激しく続けざまに たたく事。　
　ひゃっきやこう【百鬼夜行】１ いろいろの化け物が夜中に列をなして出歩く事。ひゃっきやぎょう。２ 得体の知れない人々が奇怪な振る舞いをする事。ひゃっきやぎょう。
　はんらん【氾濫】１ 川の水などが増して勢い よく あふれ出る事。洪水になる事。２ 事物が あたり いっぱい に出回る事。あまり 好ましくない状態に言う。
　はびこる【蔓延る】１ 草木などが繁茂する。２ よく ない もの の勢いが盛んになって広まる。広まって勢力を張る。
　ごじっぽひゃっぽ【五十歩百歩】 少しの違いはあっても、本質的には同じであるという事。似たり寄ったり。
　りょうけん【了見】考え。思慮。分別。
　あれかし【有れかし】ぜひとも そうあって 欲しいと望む心を表す。
　ままならぬ【儘ならぬ】思いどおり にならない。ままならない。
　ふちょう【符牒】商品につける、値段や等級を示すしるし。
　青菜(あおな)に塩: 青菜に塩を振りかける と しおれる ように、人が元気がなく しょげる 様子を言う。
　たわいない【たわい無い】しっかり した考えがない。また、幼くて思慮分別がない。　
　やさき【矢先】物事が始まろうとする、ちょうどその時。
　ねごと【寝言】１ 眠っている間に無意識に発する言葉。２ 訳の分からない言葉。馬鹿馬鹿しい言い分。たわごと。
　しんぽう【信奉】 shinpō ある主義・宗教・学説などを最上の もの と信じてあがめ、それに従う事。
　るいるい【累累】積み重なっているさま。また、連なり続くさま。　
　しとね【茵／褥】座る時や寝る時に下に敷く物。しきもの。ふとん。
　しゅちょ【主著】その人の著作のうち主なもの。
　ざいけ【在家】出家せずに、普通の生活をしながら仏教に帰依する事。また、その人。在俗。
　てきびしい【手厳しい】手心を加えず、非常に厳しい。少しも容赦しない。
　なんたる【何たる】非難・詠嘆などの気持ちを表す語。なんという。どのような もの である。
　ねとぼける【寝惚ける】ねぼける。目が覚めた ばかり で まだ 頭がよく働かず、ぼんやりしている。
　とわ【常／永久】いつまでも変わらない事。また、そのさま。とこしえ。永遠。えいきゅう。
　こんこん【昏昏／惛惛】１ 暗くて物の区別が つかない さま。また、道理に暗いさま。２ 意識が ない さま。３ 寝入っている さま。
　たいせいしっこ【大声疾呼】大声で激しく呼ぶ事。大声で盛んに叫びたてる事。
　ついぼ【追慕】死者や遠く離れて会えない人などを、なつかしく思う事。
　くぎょう【恭敬】つつしみ うやまう 事。きょうけい。
　きえ【帰依】神仏や高僧を信じてその力にすがる事。
　とする【賭する】ある目的の為に、失う事を覚悟でさし出す。かける。
　だんあつ【弾圧】おさえつける事。特に、支配者が権力を行使して反対勢力の活動を抑圧する事。
　きり【切り／限り】（多く「きりがない」「きりのない」などの形で用いる）かぎり。はて。際限。
　だは【打破】攻撃して負かす事。
　ろめい【露命】露のように はかない 命。
　せんえつ【僭越】自分の地位や立場を越えて出過ぎた事をする事。また、そのさま。
　それる【逸れる】別の方向へ行く。目標から はずれる。
　もてはやす【もて囃す／もて栄やす】見ばえの する ようにする。引き立てる。
　けしからん【怪しからん】［連語］《形容詞「け（怪）し」の未然形に打消しの助動詞「ぬ」の付いた「けしからぬ」の音変化》道理に はずれていて、はなはだ よく ない。不届きだ。
　けしからん【怪しからん】道理に はずれていて、はなはだ よく ない。不届きだ。
　ほんまつてんとう【本末転倒】根本的で重要な事とささいで つまらない事を取り違える事。
　ごんごどうだん【言語道断】言葉で言い表せない ほど ひどい事。とんでもない事。また、そのさま。もってのほか。
　ぼうきょ【暴挙】１ 乱暴な振る舞い。不法な行動。無謀な企て。２ 暴動。
　けいべつ【軽蔑】いやしいもの、劣った もの などと みなして、馬鹿にする事。さげすむ事。
　まっさつ【抹殺】１ 事実・存在などを認めず、無視する事。消し去る事。葬り去る事。２ こすって消してしまう事。
　ぜんだいみもん【前代未聞】今までに一度も聞いた事がない事。非常に珍しい事、程度の はなはだしい 事に言う。
　しのぶ【偲ぶ】過ぎ去った物事や遠く離れている人・所などを懐かしい気持ちで思い出す。懐しむ。
　ゆかり【縁／所縁】なんらか の かかわりあい や つながり のある事。因縁。
　したう【慕う】離れがたく思って あと を追う。
　さんしゅう【参集】大ぜいの人が集まってくる事。
　こんこん【懇懇／悃悃】心の込もった さま。また、心を込めて丁寧に説くさま。
　せつゆ【説諭】悪い行いを改めるよう言い聞かせる事。
　ほうし【奉仕】利害を離れて国家や社会などの為に尽くす事。
　どうちゅう【道中】旅行。また、旅行の途中。旅に出ている間。旅路。
　けっさい【潔斎】法会・写経・神事などの前に、酒肉の飲食その他の行為を慎み、沐浴(もくよく)などして心身を清める事。物忌み。
　もくよく【沐浴】髪や体を洗う事。また、湯や水を浴びて体を清める事。ゆあみ。
　いみごと【忌（み）事】忌み慎むべき事。嫌い避けるべき事。
　いかん【衣冠】衣服と冠(かんむり)。
　おごそか【厳か】重々しく いかめしい さま。礼儀正しく近寄りにくい さま。
　ずいこう【随行】供としてつき従って行く事。また、その人。おとも。
　おおせられる【仰せられる】「言う」の尊敬語。おっしゃる。
　はんぜん【判然】はっきり と 分かる事。
　きょうべん【強弁／強辯】無理に理屈をつけて、自分の意見や言い訳を通そうとする事
　さんぱい【参拝】社寺、特に神社にお参りして おがむ 事。
　ぎまん【欺瞞】あざむく事。だます事。
　ひたん【悲嘆／悲歎】 悲しみ なげく 事。
　かりたてる【駆（り）立てる】そうせずには いられない 気持ちにしむける。
　すうしん【崇信】尊び信じる事。
　ろんぽう【論法】議論を進めていく筋道の立て方。論理の運び方。
　しふく【紙幅】１ 紙のはば。２ あらかじめ定められた原稿などの枚数。
　ぎょくせきこんこう【玉石混淆】価値の ある もの と ない もの とが、入りまじっている事。
　そうそう【錚錚】多くの もの の中で特に すぐれている さま。
　けいぼ【敬慕】うやまい したう 事。
　ゆうひ【雄飛】雄鳥が大空に飛び上がる ように、大きな志をいだいて盛んに活動する事。
　ひだるま【火達磨】全身に火がついて燃えあがる事。また、そのもの。
　さける【裂ける／割ける】ひと続きになっていた もの が線状に切れて二つに離れる。また、切れ目が入る。「口が―・けても言えない」
　らんぶ【乱舞】入り乱れて舞う事。踊り狂う事。
　こつぜん【忽然】物事の出現・消失が急なさま。忽如(こつじょ)。こつねん。
　しんらばんしょう【森羅万象】宇宙に存在する一切の もの。あらゆる事物・現象。しんらまんぞう。
　ややもすれば【動もすれば】とかく ある 状況に なりやすい さま。どうかすると。ともすれば。ややもすると。
　さんぱいきゅうはい【三拝九拝】２ 何度もお辞儀をする事。３ 手紙文の末尾に書いて、極めて厚い敬意を表す語。
　しんけいしつ【神経質】情緒的に不安定で、わずかな事にも過敏に反応して自分を病的な状態だと思い込む気質。
　さずかる【授かる】神仏や目上の人などから、金では買えない大切なものを与えられる。いただく。
　とりとめ【取（り）留め】はっきり した まとまり。それと定めた目的。
　明(あ)けても暮れても: 飽きもせず、同じ事を毎日続けるさま。年がら年じゅう。よい事として評価される事柄には あまり 使わない。
　うつつ【現】この世に現に存在しているもの。現実。夢・虚構などに対していう。
　ぐけん【愚見】愚かな意見。また、自分の意見を へりくだって 言う語。
　びょう【廟】祖先・先人の霊を祭る建物。おたまや。
　さんろう【参籠】祈願の為、神社や寺院などに、ある期間こもる事。おこもり。
　おうのう【懊悩】なやみ もだえる事。煩悶(はんもん)。
　さしせまる【差（し）迫る】事態や期日などが間近に迫る。切迫する。また、せっぱつまる。
　けさ【袈裟】《(梵) kasṣaya の音写。赤褐色の意で、染衣(せんえ)・壊色(えじき)などと訳す》インドで制定された僧侶の衣服。青・黄・赤・白・黒の正色を避けて濁色の布を用いた ところ からの名。縫い合わせた布の数により、五条、七条、九～二五条の3種がある。中国・日本と伝えられる間に仏教の標幟(ひょうじ)としての法衣にかわり、衣の上に左肩から右脇下に かけて まとう 長方形の布となり、華美で装飾的な もの となった。宗派によって種々の もの がある。功徳衣(くどくい)。福田衣。無垢衣(むくい)。
　れんげ【蓮華／蓮花】ハスの花。
　つきあたる【突（き）当（た）る】１ 進んで行って もの に勢いよく当たる。衝突する。ぶつかる。２ それより先へ進めない ところ に行きつく。３ 思いがけない問題や障害に出会う。
　しょうごん【荘厳】１ 智慧・福徳・相好などで浄土や仏の身を飾る事。２ 仏像や仏堂を、天蓋・幢幡(どうばん)・瓔珞(ようらく)などで おごそかに飾る事。また、その物。
　かくひつ【擱筆】筆を置いて書く事をやめる事。文章を書きおえる事。
　こうじん【幸甚】この上もない幸せ。大変ありがたい事。また、そのさま。
　なにびと【何人】 nanibito どういう人。いかなる人。何者。なんぴと。
　はんさ【煩瑣】こまごま として わずらわしい 事。また、そのさま。
　たっけん【達見】物事を広く、また先々まで見通す、すぐれた意見・見識。達識。
　ゆえん【所以】わけ。いわれ。理由。
　いぬく【射貫く】矢や弾丸などを射て貫く。射通す。
　余(あま)すところなく: 残らず。すべて。
　しょうしゅつ【抄出】必要な ところ を抜き出して書く事。また、そのもの。抜き書き。
　さんぎょう【鑽仰／賛仰／讚仰】聖人や偉人の徳を仰ぎ尊ぶ事。さんごう。
　ばとう【罵倒】激しい言葉で ののしる 事。
　エキス: 物事の最も本質的な部分。精髄。粋(すい)。エッセンス。
　てかがみ【手鏡】手に持って使う、柄(え)の ついた 小さな鏡。
　せいさい【正妻】法律上の正式の妻。本妻。
　ばりざんぼう【罵詈讒謗】悪口の限りを言い、手ひどく ののしる 事。また、その言葉。
　ぜっぴつ【絶筆】その人が、生前、最後に書いた文章や手跡など。
　ごたいとうち【五体投地】仏教徒が行う最高の敬礼法。両ひざ・両ひじを地に着けて伏し、さらに合掌して頭を地につける。接足作礼(さらい)。
　ゆうじゅうふだん【優柔不断】気が弱く決断力に乏しい事。また、そのさま。
　ことなかれしゅぎ【事勿れ主義】いざこざ が なく、平穏無事に済みさえすれば よい とする消極的な態度や考え方。
　だくだく【諾諾】他人の言葉に さからわない で承諾するさま。
　げいごう【迎合】自分の考えを曲げてでも、他人の気に入るように調子を合わせる事。
　ごうしょう【豪商】大資本を持ち、規模の大きな商売を手広く営む商人。大商人。
　ごうしゃ【豪奢】非常に贅沢で、はでな事。また、そのさま。
　かたびら【帷子】裏をつけない衣服の総称。ひとえもの。
　どうは【道破】ずばりと言う事。言い切る事。
　さた【沙汰】問題となるような事件。その是非が問われるような行為。
　ぞくしん【俗信】自然現象などに対する観察・経験・解釈から起こり蓄積された知識。予兆・禁忌・呪術・卜占(ぼくせん)・憑(つ)き物・妖怪など。
　くいしばる【食（い）縛る】１ 歯を強くかみ合わせる。２ 我慢する。耐え忍ぶ。
　かんどう【勘当】１ 親が子との縁を切る事。江戸時代には奉行所に届け出が必要であった。また、主従関係・師弟関係を断つ事にもいった。
　しゃめん【赦免】罪や過ちを許す事。
　おやだま【親玉】仲間の中心になる人物。頭(かしら)。
　しぶとい: 強情で臆する ところ がない。また、困難にあっても へこたれず粘り強い。
　さんがく【参学】学問、特に仏教を学ぶ事。
　そびえる【聳える】山などが非常に高く立つ。そそりたつ。
　みね【峰】山の頂上。山頂。ね。
　とぎすます【研（ぎ）澄ます】１ 刃物を よく といで 切れる ようにする。また、鏡をよく みがいて 曇りのないようにする。２ 心の働きを鋭くする。
　ひょっとしたら: もしかしたら。
　あしどり【足取り】１ 歩く時の足の運び方。歩調。２ 人の通った道筋。特に、犯罪者の逃げた経路。３ 過去の相場の動きぐあい。
　いきりたつ【熱り立つ】激しく怒って興奮する。
　ひきずりまわす【引き摺り回す】１ 引きずって、あちらこちらへと動かす。２ あちこち連れて歩きまわる。
　くだらない【下らない】まじめに取り合うだけの価値がない。程度が低くて ばからしい。くだらぬ。くだらん。
　くたくた: 疲れたり弱ったりして、力の抜けたさま。また、古くなって張りのなくなったさま。
　つかいふるす【使い古す】長い間使って古くする。古くなるまで使いつづける。
　かす【滓／糟／粕】１ 液体を こした あと に残ったり、液体を入れた容器の底に沈殿したり した もの。おり。２ よい所、必要な部分を取り去ったあとの残り。３ 役に立たない つまらない もの。最も下等なもの。くず。
　しかりとばす【叱り飛ばす】激しい調子でしかる。
　かみしめる【噛み締める】１ 力を入れてかむ。２ よく かんで 味わう。３ 物事の味わい、深い意味などを十分に感じ取る。
　えいかん【栄冠】１ 勝利の しるし として与えられる名誉の冠。２ 栄誉。名誉。また、輝かしい勝利。
　ささい【些細／瑣細】あまり重要ではないさま。取るに足らないさま。
　くちあらそい【口争い】言い争う事。口げんか。口論。
　きょうかん【叫喚】大声でわめきさけぶ事。
　どごう【怒号】怒って、大声でどなる事。また、その声。
　かみつく【噛み付く】１ 歯で食いつく。２ 激しい態度で相手に迫る。くってかかる。
　ぎゃくじょう【逆上】激しい怒りや悲しみなどの為に、頭に血が上る事。分別をなくし取り乱す事。
　思案(しあん)に暮れる: 迷って考えが定まらない。
　こてい【湖底】みずうみの、そこ。
　しずまりかえる【静まり返る】すっかり静かになる。
　きりこむ【切（り）込む／斬（り）込む】刃物で深く切る。
　ちぢみあがる【縮（み）上（が）る】１ すっかりちぢんで小さくなる。２ 驚きや寒さ・恐怖などの為、体がすくんで身動きできなくなる。
　せせらわらう【せせら笑う】馬鹿にして笑う。あざけり笑う。また、小ばかにする。
　箸にも棒にも掛からない: ひど過ぎてどうにも手がつけられない。
　とみに【頓に】急に。にわかに。
　そうおう【相応】つりあい が とれている事。ふさわしい事。また、そのさま。
　とりざた【取（り）沙汰】あれこれと うわさ する事。また、そのうわさ。
　こくびゃく【黒白】善と悪。正と邪。是と非。くろしろ。
　どうよう【動揺】心や気持ちがゆれ動く事。平静を失う事。
　鴨(かも)が葱(ねぎ)を背負って来る: 《鴨の肉にネギまで添えてあって、すぐ鴨鍋ができる意から》好都合である事、おあつらえむきである事のたとえ。
　ねらいうち【狙い撃ち／狙い打ち】１ ねらいを定めて撃つ事。そげき。２ 目標を定めて集中的に行う事。
　ぎょうぎ【行儀】礼儀の面からみた立ち居振る舞い。また、その作法・規則。
　だんしょうしゅぎ【断章取義】作者の本意や詩文全体の意味に関係なく、その中から自分の役に立つ章句だけを抜き出して用いる事。　
　あさる【漁る】物や人を探し回る。
　大山(たいざん)鳴動(めいどう)して鼠(ねずみ)一匹: 事前の騒ぎ ばかりが大きくて、実際の結果が小さい事を言う、西洋の諺。
　まやかし: ごまかす事。また、そのもの。いかさま。いんちき。
　こざかしい【小賢しい】１ 利口ぶっていて差し出がましい。生意気である。２ 何かにつけて要領よく振る舞っている。悪賢くて抜け目がない。
　なかんずく【就中】その中でも。とりわけ。
　はらいせ【腹癒せ】怒りや恨みを他の方に向けてまぎらせ、気を晴らす事。
　そざつ【粗雑／疎雑】いい加減で大ざっぱな事。また、そのさま。ざつ。
　しろもの【代物】１ 売買する品物。商品。２ 人や物を、価値を認めたり、あるいは卑しめたり皮肉ったりするなど、評価をまじえて言う語。
　おんとう【穏当】１ おだやかで無理がない事。また、そのさま。２ 素直で おとなしい さま。
　わきいず【湧き出づ】「わきでる」に同じ。　
　がましい: 動詞の連用形や名詞などに付いて形容詞を作り、その物事や状態に似ている意を表す。…の様子である。…のきらいがある。…の傾向がある。
　おぼろ【朧】 ぼんやり とかすんでいる さま。はっきり しない さま。
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光に向かって2

　しょげる【悄気る】失敗や失望で がっかり して、元気がなくなる。しゅんとなる。
　ギブス【(ドイツ)Gips】 gibusu ギプス。
　ギプスほうたい【ギプス包帯】 gipusu 骨折、関節の病気などの際、患部固定の為に用いる、包帯を石膏で固めたもの。
　いわずとしれた【言わずと知れた】言わなくても分かっている。分かりきった。
　したたか【強か／健か】粘り強くて、他からの圧力になかなか屈しないさま。しぶといさま。
　くいだおれ【食（い）倒れ】飲食に贅沢をして、財産をなくす事。
　たいか【大家】ある分野で、特にすぐれた見識・技能を持っている人。
　たんぜん【端然】姿勢などが乱れないで きちんと しているさま。
　そこびかり【底光り】奥底に光が ひそんで いるように見える事。また、その光。深みのある人柄・技芸などについても言う。
　あらいざらい【洗い浚い】残したり隠したりせず、すべてを出すさま。何から何まで全部。残らず。
　あばた【痘痕】痘瘡(とうそう)が治ったあとの皮膚に残る小さなくぼみ。じゃんこ。
　たまりかねる【堪り兼ねる】我慢しきれなくなる。こらえきれない。
　ふとした: 思いがけない。偶然の。ちょっとした。
　聞(き)き耳(みみ)を立てる: 注意を集中してよく聞こうとする。耳を澄ます。
　せがむ: 無理に頼む。しつこくねだる。
　こよなく: この上なく。古くは単に程度の はなはだしい 事を表したが、現代では文語的な表現として賛美の情感を伴って用いられる。
　どりょう【度量】他人の言行をよく受けいれる、広く おおらか な心。
　めいろうかったつ【明朗闊達】明るく ほがらか で、細事に こだわらないさま。▽「明朗」は明るくて ほがらか な さま。「闊達」は心が大きく、小さな事に こだわらない さま。「闊達明朗かったつめいろう」ともいう。「闊」は「豁」とも書く。
　軍配を上げる: 相撲で、行司が勝ったほうの力士を軍配で指し示す。転じて試合や競争などで、勝利・優勢の判定を下す。
　たんたん【淡淡】１ 色・味・感じなどが、あっさりしているさま。淡泊なさま。２ 態度・動作などが、あっさり して こだわり がないさま。
　うちょうてん【有頂天】得意の絶頂である事。また、そのさま。大得意。
　おしげ【惜しげ】惜しむ気持ち。
　せつせつ【切切】心に強く迫るさま。また、心の こもって いるさま。
　はいふ【肺腑】心の奥底。心底。転じて、急所。
　えぐる【抉る／刳る】刃物などを深く刺し入れ、回して穴をあける。くりぬく。
　にんじゅう【忍従】我慢して従う事。　
　みそめる【見初める】その異性を一目見て恋心をいだく。
　こび【媚】人に取り入って、機嫌をとろうとする事。へつらう事。
　いなずま【稲妻／▽電】空中電気の放電によって生じる電光。また、それが雲に反映したもの。稲光(いなびかり)。稲魂(いなだま)。いなつるび。
　かや【蚊帳】夏の夜、蚊や害虫を防ぐ為、四隅をつって寝床を覆う道具。麻・木綿などで粗く織って作る。かちょう。　
　とっさに【咄嗟に】その瞬間に。たちどころに。
　ねこいらず【猫いらず】黄燐(おうりん)や亜砒酸(あひさん)を主成分とした殺鼠剤(さっそざい)。商標名。
　ぬけめ【抜け目】抜けた ところ。欠けている ところ。また、手抜かり。
　ここぞとばかりに:ある機会を好機と捉えて さかんに 働きかける さま などを意味する表現。
　たたみかける【畳み掛ける】相手に余裕を与えないように、立て続けに行う。
　痺れ(しびれ)を切らす: あまりに長く待たされて、我慢できなくなる。待ちきれなくなる。
　いいふらす【言（い）触らす】触れ回って広く世間に知らせる。吹聴(ふいちょう)する。言い広める。
　ばりばり: baribari 勢いよく裂いたりはがしたりする音や、そのさまを表す語。
　いけがき【生（け）垣／生け×籬】丈の低い樹木を植え並べてつくった垣根。
　ごよう【御用】捕り手が官命で犯人を捕らえる事。また、その時のかけ声。転じて、警察に捕まる事。「―になる」
　しあんなげくび【思案投（げ）首】首を前に傾け、深く考え込む事。
　ごくしゃ【獄舎】罪人を閉じ込めておく所。また、その建物。牢獄(ろうごく)。
　くりひろげる【繰（り）広げる】１ 順々に広げる。２ 新しい情景を次々に展開する。
　生(い)きた心地もしない: 恐ろしさで生きている感じがしない。
　途方(とほう)に暮れる: 方法や手段が尽きて、どうしてよいか 分からなくなる。
　かんぜん【敢然】困難や危険を伴う事は覚悟の上で、思い切って行うさま。
　たいぜんじじゃく【泰然自若】 taizen jijaku 落ち着いていて物事に動じないさま。
　がいせん【凱旋】 gaisen 戦いに勝って帰る事。凱陣。凱帰。
　たいまつ【松明／炬】松の樹脂の多い部分を細かく割り、束ねたもの。火をつけて照明に用いた。のち、竹やアシなども 用いる ようになった。打ち松。続松(ついまつ)。継(つ)ぎ松。松火。
　こうこつ【恍惚】物事に心を奪われて うっとり するさま。
　たる《文語の断定の助動詞「たり」の連体形》１ 資格を表す。…であるところの。「学生たるもの、勉強すべきである」２ 取り上げた事柄を、強調して、説明する意を表す。「その表情たるまさしく鬼そのものであった」
　なんて【何て】驚いたり、あきれたり、感心したりする気持ちを表す。なんという。
　そうだち【総立ち】興奮したり驚いたりして、その場にいる全員が立ち上がる事。
　じょうぜつ【饒舌】やたらに しゃべる 事。また、そのさま。おしゃべり。多弁。
　辻褄(つじつま)が合う: 筋道がよく通る。理屈が合う。
　襤褸(ぼろ)を出す: 隠していた欠点を見せてしまう。
　しょうしんよくよく【小心翼翼】１ 気が小さく、いつも びくびく しているさま。２ 細かい事にまで気を配り、慎み深く する さま。
　おどおど: 緊張・不安や恐怖心で落ち着かないさま。
　くくりつける【括り付ける】ひもなどで他のものに縛りつける。また、比喩的に行動の自由を奪う。
　ろうき【牢記】しっかり心に とどめて 忘れない事。銘記。
　めざとい【目聡い／目敏い】１ 見つけるのが早い。目が早い。
　やまない【止まない／已まない】（「…してやまない」の形で）どこまでも…する。…しないではいられない。
　堪(たま)らない: １ その状態を保てない。２ 感情などを我慢できない。３ この上なくよい。なんとも言えない ほど いい。４ 程度が はなはだしい。
　だって: 相手に反論したり、相手の反対を予想しつつ理由や言い訳を述べる場合に用いる。そうはいっても。でも。なぜかというと。
　ふびん【不憫】かわいそうな事。あわれむ べき 事。また、そのさま。
　わだち【轍】車の通った あと に残る車輪の跡。
　涙に暮れる: 涙の為に目が見えない ほど になる。ひどく泣き悲しむ。
　しかめる【顰める】痛みや不快の為に、まゆ の あたり に しわ を 寄せる。「顔を―・める」
　うかぬかお【浮かぬ顔】心配事などが あって晴れやかでない顔つき。沈んだ顔つき。
　ようてい【要諦】物事の最も大切な ところ。肝心かなめの点。ようたい。
　かえって【却って／反って】予想とは反対になるさま。反対に。逆に。
　だいかついっせい【大喝一声】大きなひと声で しかりつける 事。また、その声。
　たりとも: 〔断定の助動詞「たり」の終止形に接続助詞「とも」の付いたもの〕体言に接続して，「（たとえ）…であっても」の意を表す。
　しゅんめ【駿馬】足の速い優れた馬。しゅんば。
　しゅんそく【駿足】１ 足の速い馬。しゅんめ。２ 足の速い事。また、その人。俊足。
　おきな【翁】年取った男。おじいさん。
　かりたてる【駆（り）立てる】その人の意志に関係なく無理に行かせる。
　鎬(しのぎ)を削る: 激しく刀で切り合う。転じて、激しく争う。
　おごる【奢る】程度を超えた贅沢をする。
　とんと: （あとに打消しの表現を伴って）一向に。すこしも。
　せっせ: 脇目もふらず、熱心に物事をするさま。
　びくびく: １ 絶えず恐れや不安を感じて落ち着かないで いる さま。２ 身体の一部が細かく震え動くさま。
　麻(あさ)の如し: 世の中の状態など が ひどく 乱れているさま。「天下―・く乱れる」
　せいこううどく【晴耕雨読】晴れた日には田畑を耕し、雨の日には家にこもって読書をする事。悠々自適の生活を送る事をいう。
　ゆうゆうじてき【悠悠自適】世間の事に煩わされず、自分の思いのままに暮らす事。
　さんこのれい【三顧の礼】《三国時代の中国で、蜀(しょく)の劉備(りゅうび)が、諸葛亮(しょかつりょう)を軍師として招く為に、その草庵を三度訪れたという、諸葛亮「前出師表」の故事から》人の上に立つ者が仕事を頼みたい人に特に礼を尽くして交渉する事。また、ある人を特別に信任・優遇する事。
　きりゃくじゅうおう【機略縦横】策略を時に応じて自在にめぐらし用いる事。「機略」ははかりごと・策略の意。「縦横」はたてとよこ。転じて、自由自在の意。思うままに動かす事。
　とうばつ【討伐】軍勢をさしむけて、反抗する者を攻めうつ事。
　しきけん【識見】物事を正しく見分ける力。また、優れた意見。見識。しっけん。
　せいえい【精鋭】強くて、勢いのいい事。また、そのさま。
　さんしょう【三唱】三度となえる事。
　くつわ【轡】手綱(たづな)をつける為、馬の口にかませる金具。くつばみ。くくみ。
　びしり: 棒などで強く打ったり、木などが折れたりする音や、そのさまを表す語。
　れっか【烈火】激しい勢いで燃える火。
　あぶみ【鐙】馬具の一。鞍(くら)の両脇につるして、乗り手が足を踏みかけるもの。
　ちみどろ【血みどろ】非常に多くの血に まみれている 事。また、そのさま。　
　おちのびる【落（ち）延びる】遠くまで逃げてゆく。逃げおおせる。
　てんねんとう【天然痘】　とうそう【痘瘡】痘瘡ウイルスの感染によって起こる悪性の伝染病。高熱と全身に小水疱(すいほう)とが出て死亡する事が多く、治っても あばた が残る。感染症予防法の1類感染症、検疫法の検疫感染症の一。WHO（世界保健機関）の種痘の励行によって1980年地球上から消滅。天然痘。疱瘡(ほうそう)。
　ばんじゃく【盤石】重く大きな石。いわお。
　しょしん【所信】信じている事柄。信ずる ところ。
　きよほうへん【毀誉褒貶】ほめる事と、けなす事。さまざまな評判。
　しょうし【笑止】ばかばかしい事。おかしい事。また、そのさま。
　いまわしい【忌まわしい】嫌な感じである。不愉快である。
　こうぎょう【鴻業／洪業】大きな事業。
　すうこう【崇高】けだかく尊い事。また、そのさま。
　こんこん【懇懇／悃悃】心の込もった さま。また、心を込めて丁寧に説くさま。
　ひきゃく【飛脚】手紙・金銭・小荷物などの送達に あたった者。古代の駅馬に始まり、鎌倉時代には鎌倉・京都間に伝馬による飛脚があったが、江戸時代に特に発達。幕府公用の為の継ぎ飛脚、諸藩専用の大名飛脚、民間営業の町飛脚などがあった。明治4年（1871）郵便制度の成立により廃止。
　つくづく【熟】物事を痛切に感じる さま。しんから。しみじみ。
　ただならず: 普通でない。ただごとでない。
　ばんしゅう【晩秋】秋の終わり。秋の末。
　しぐれ【時雨】秋の末から冬の初めにかけて、ぱらぱら と通り雨のように降る雨。
　このは【木の葉】樹木の葉。きのは。
　しょぼしょぼ: 雨があまり激しくなく降りつづくさま。
　じっと: １ 動かないで、そのままの状態を保つさま。２ 視線や心などを集中して、よく見たり考えたり する さま。つくづく。
　ゆうやみ【夕闇】日没後、月が出るまでの間の暗闇。また、その時分。宵闇。
　あまあし【雨脚／雨足】１ 線状に見える、降り注ぐ雨。あめあし。２ 雨の通り過ぎる様子。あめあし。
　かつぜん【豁然】心の迷いや疑いが消えるさま。
　はくじん【白刃】鞘(さや)から抜いた刀。しらは。
　りょうりょう【寥寥】数の非常に少ないさま。
　事(こと)に当たる: 物事を担当する。従事する。
　しょしかんてつ【初志貫徹】初めに心に決めた志を最後まで貫き通す事。「初志」は思い立った時の最初の気持ち・志。「貫徹」はやり通す、貫き通す事。
　がくぜん【愕然】非常に驚くさま。
　よもや: 万が一にも。いくらなんでも。
　うちのめす【打ちのめす】立ち上がれ なくなる ほど なぐりつける。
　さすが【流石／遉】１ 評判や期待のとおりの事実を確認し、改めて感心するさま。なるほど、たいした もの。２ ある事を一応は認めながら、一方でそれと相反する感情を抱くさま。ある事をそのままは容認できないさま。そうと ばかり も言えない。やはり そうも いかない。
　ぜんぴ【前非】以前に犯した過ち。昔の悪事。先非。
　ぶすい【無粋／不粋】世態・人情、特に男女の間の微妙な情のやりとりに通じていない事。また、そのさま。遊びの 分からないさま、面白味のないさま など にも 言う。やぼ。
　たんとうちょくにゅう【単刀直入】直接に要点を突く事。遠回しでなく、すぐに本題に入る事。また、そのさま。
　やれやれ: 困難や不安が解決した時、大きな感動を覚えた時などに発する語。
　はっと: １ 思いがけない出来事に びっくり するさま。２ 急に気づいたり思いあたったり する さま。
　てれかくし【照れ隠し】人前で気恥ずかしい思いをした時、人の注意をそらす為に とりつくろう 事。
　ことごとく【悉く／尽く】問題にしているもの全部。残らず。すべて。みな。
　ぶっきらぼう【ぶっきら棒】物の言い方や挙動などに愛想がない事。また、そのさま。
　きき【嬉嬉／嘻嘻】笑い楽しむさま。喜び うれしがる さま。
　こころえる【心得る】物事の事情や意味する ところ をよく理解する。のみこむ。わきまえる。
　しんみょう【神妙】態度がおとなしく、すなおな事。また、そのさま。しんびょう。
　ころり: １ 急に転がったり倒れたりするさま。２ あっけなく死んだり、負けたり する さま。３ 前とすっかり違う状態に なる さま。ころっと。
　意地(いじ)になる: どうしても自分の主張や行動を押し通そうとする。我(が)を張る。
　へとへと: 非常に疲れて力がすっかり抜けてしまうさま。
　たいらげる【平らげる】すっかり食べてしまう。
　けむたい【煙たい】窮屈に感じられ、親しみが持てないさま。けぶたい。けむったい。
　とわずがたり【問わず語り】人が たずねない のに、自分から語りだす事。また、独り言。
　一溜(ひとた)まりもない: わずかの間も もちこたえられない。
　いきせききる【息急き切る】激しい息づかいをする。あえぎながら急いで行動するさまに言う。いきせく。
　すげる【挿げる／箝げる】はめ込む。差し込む。また、そのようにしてとりつける。
　はさ【稲架】竹や木を組んだ、刈った稲を掛けて乾かす設備。稲掛け。
　あざむく【欺く】言葉巧みにうそを言って、相手に本当だと思わせる。言いくるめる。だます。
　もてはやす【もて囃す／もて栄やす】盛んにほめる。多くの人が話題にする。
　途方(とほう)もない: 道理に合わない。とんでもない。途方途轍(とてつ)もない。
　たんせい【端正／端整】１ 姿・形や動作などが正しくて きちんと している事。また、そのさま。２ （端整）顔だちなどが美しく整っている事。また、そのさま。
　おんなばら【女腹】女の子ばかりを産む女。
　みすかす【見透かす】１ 隔たった もの を すかして見る。見とおす。２ 表面に出ていない物事の真相を見抜く。見破る。
　つりこむ【釣（り）込む】気を引いて誘い入れる。興味を起こさせて引き込む。
　みかける【見掛ける】目にとめる。
　ごへい【御幣】幣束(へいそく)の敬称。白色や金・銀の紙などを細長く切り、幣串(へいぐし)に はさんだ もの。お祓いの時などに用いる。おんべ。
　もてなし【もて成し】客への対応のしかた。待遇。
　ほおばる【頬張る】頬 が ふくらむ ほど 口にいっぱい食べものを入れる。また、そのようにして食べる。
　たわいない【たわい無い】しっかりした考えがない。また、幼くて思慮分別がない。
　まじまじ: 目を離さないで一心に見つめるさま。じっと。
　いかめしい【厳めしい】おごそかで重々しい。威厳がある。
　せんぼう【羨望】うらやむ事。
　いぶかる【訝る】疑わしく思う。怪しく思う。
　御免(ごめん)蒙(こうむ)る: 嫌だと断る。
　ほうえんだんう【砲煙弾雨】砲煙と激しく飛んでくる弾丸。戦闘の激しい様子を言う。
　かんげん【諫言】目上の人の過失などを指摘して忠告する事。また、その言葉。
　なつく【懐く】慣れ親しむ。慣れて付き従う。
　たてまつる【奉る】「やる」「おくる」の、その対象を敬って言う謙譲語。上位の人に差し上げる。献上する。
　はばかる【憚る】差し障りを おぼえて ためらう。気がねする。遠慮する。
　ぬけぬけ【抜け抜け】恥ずべき事を平然と行うさま。ずうずうしい さま。
　おもいあたる【思い当（た）る】 なるほど そうかと気がつく。納得がいく。
　立(た)て板(いた)に水: よどみなく、すらすらと話す事のたとえ。
　こきおろす【扱き下ろす】欠点などを殊更に指摘して、ひどくけなす。
　やるかたない【遣る方無い】１ 心の わだかまり を晴らす方法がない。２ きわめて程度が はなはだしい。なみひととおり でない。
　肩(かた)で息をする: 苦しそうに、肩を上げ下げして呼吸をする。
　とりつく【取（り）付く】しっかりと つかまる。すがりつく。とりすがる。
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　つつしむ【慎む／謹む】あやまちや軽はずみな事がないように気をつける。慎重に事をなす。
　へりくだる【謙る／遜る】相手を敬って自分を控えめにする。謙遜(けんそん)する。卑下する。
　もっとも【尤も】道理にかなっている事。なるほど その通りだと思われる事。 また、そのさま。当然。
　まして【況して／増して】前の場合でさえ そうなのだから、この場合は勿論そうだと言う気持ちを表す語。なおさら。いわんや。
　いわんや【況んや】前に述べた事から考えて、この件については言うまでもなく自明の事であると言う気持ちを表す。まして。なおさら。
　そなわる【備わる】必要な もの が不足なく揃い、整っている。また、設備・装置などが用意してある。
　よこどり【横取り】他人の もの を横合いから奪い取る事。
　よこあい【横合（い）】横の方。よこて。
　しんがい【侵害】他人の権利や所有などを おかして 損害を与える事。
　きめつける【決め付ける】一方的に断定する。
　おとろえる【衰える】力や勢いなどが弱くなる。盛んでなくなる。衰弱する。
　けんじ【堅持】自分の考えや態度などを かたく守って、他に譲らない事。
　ひっかける【引っ掛ける／引っ懸ける】ものに かけて ぶら下げる。
　くおん【久遠】仏語。長く久しい事。遠い過去または未来。
　あわてる【慌てる】思いがけない物事に出会って、普段の落ち着きを失う。
　くさき【草木】草と木。そうもく。
　しゅうそうれつじつ【秋霜烈日】《秋の厳しい霜と夏の烈(はげ)しい日の意から》刑罰・権威・志操などが厳しく おごそか である事のたとえ。
　だれしも【誰しも】「だれも」を強めた言い方。だれでも。だれだって。
　つきさす【突き刺す】突いて刺し通す。勢いよく刺す。
　あどけない　無邪気で 可愛い。無心である。
　むじゃき【無邪気】素直で悪気がない事。いつわりや作為がない事。
　さくい【作為】人が自分の意志で作り出す事。
　せいすい【精粋】混じり気のない事。また、選び抜かれた すぐれた もの。
　もみだね【籾種】稲の種とするもみ。種もみ。
　いね【稲】 rice; a rice plant
　かかと【踵】足の裏の後部、足首の下にあたる部分。
　べんべつ【弁別】物事の違いを はっきり と見分ける事。識別。
　さとす【諭す】目下の者に物事の道理をよく 分かる ように話し聞かせる。納得するように教え導く。
　ようしゅん【陽春】陽気のみちた暖かい春。
　たたきつける【叩き付ける】激しく打ちつける。
　ひきずる【引き摺る】１ 地面などを すって引いて行く。２ 長い物を垂らして地面などに触れさせる。３ 無理に連れて行く。
　ゆったり: 落ち着いて のんびり しているさま。
　かけまわる【駆け回る】走り回る。ある目的を達成する為に方々へ行って力を尽くす。
　しゅくん【主君】自分の仕えている君。君主。
　きじん【貴人】身分・地位の高い人。きにん。うまひと。あてびと。
　たてまつる【奉る】「やる」「おくる」の、その対象を敬って言う謙譲語。上位の人に差し上げる。献上する。
　うやまう【敬う】相手を尊んで、礼を尽くす。尊敬する。
　こころのこり【心残り】あとに思いが残って すっきり 思い切れない事。また、そのさま。未練。
　みれん【未練】執心が残って思い切れない事。あきらめきれない事。また、そのさま。
　がそう【画僧】僧侶であって絵をよくする者。特に、密教寺院で仏教図像を描く僧や、禅僧で画家を兼ねている者をさす。
　ずぞう【図像】諸仏の像や曼荼羅(まんだら)などの図様を描き示したもの。多く白描で描かれる ところ から白描図像とも言う。
　ゆうじょ【遊女】１ 江戸時代、公認の遊郭、また宿場などにいた娼婦。
　ゆうかく【遊郭】遊女屋の多く集まっている一定の区域。くるわ。遊里。
　しょうふ【娼婦】売春婦
　けんぽん【絹本】絹地(きぬじ)に描いた書画。また、それに使う絹地。
　ごくさいしき【極彩色】種々の鮮やかな色を用いた濃密な彩り。また、派手で けばけばしい 色彩。
　のうみつ【濃密】密度が濃くて こまやか なさま。
けばけばしい　品がなく派手な様。特に、色彩などが どぎつくて、派手な様。
　しゅせんど【守銭奴】金をため込む事ばかりに執心する、けちな人。
　しゅうしん【執心】ある物事に心を引かれて、それに こだわる 事。また、その心。執着。
　せいし【製紙】紙を製造する事。
　おう【翁】接尾語のように用いて男の老人の敬称とする。
　はばかる【憚る】差し障りを覚えて ためらう。気兼ねする。遠慮する。
　きがね【気兼ね】他人の思惑などに気を使う事。遠慮。
　じかい【自戒】自分の言動を自分で いましめ 慎む事。
　いましめる【戒める】 admonish; 警告する warn; 叱責する scold
　ふせ【布施】仏語。１ 六波羅蜜の一。施しをする事。金品を施す財施、仏法を説く法施、恐怖を取り除く無畏施(むいせ)の三施がある。布施波羅蜜。２ 僧に読経などの謝礼として渡す、金銭や品物。
　ろくはらみつ【六波羅蜜】大乗仏教における六種の修行。菩薩が涅槃に至る為の六つの徳目。布施(ふせ)・持戒・忍辱(にんにく)・精進(しょうじん)・禅定(ぜんじょう)・智慧。六度。
　たたえる【湛える】ある表情を浮かべる。感情を顔に表す。
　とげ【刺】〔植物・動物の〕 a prickle; 〔主にバラの〕 a thorn; 〔サボテンの，また動物の棘(きょく)状凸起〕 a spine 〔木材や石などの破片〕 a splinter
　じゅっかい【述懐】過去の出来事や思い出などを述べる事。
　せそう【世相】世の中の有様。社会の様子。
　ねぎらう【労う】苦労や骨折りに感謝し、いたわる。現代では、同等または下の人に対して用いる。
　ほねおり【骨折り】苦労する事。精を出して働く事。努力。
　腑に落ちない　納得がいかない。合点がいかない。
　こうよう【孝養】子が親を大切に養う事。きょうよう。
　くやみ【悔やみ】1 後悔 regret; repentance　2 死者への弔いcondolence
　ねがわくは【願わくは】願うところは。望む事は。どうか。
　ふみにじる【踏み躙る】 踏んで めちゃめちゃ につぶす。踏み荒らす。
　もうでる【詣でる】１ 神社・寺・墓などにお参りする。参詣(さんけい)する。２ 貴人のもとへ行く。参上する。
　ほうのう【奉納】神仏に喜んで納めて もらう 為に物品を供えたり、その前で芸能・競技などを行ったりする事。
　はんらん【氾濫】川の水などが増して勢い よく あふれ出る事。洪水になる事。flooding
　みせつける【見せ付ける】わざと人の目に つく ようにする。いやでも見えるようにする。
　びくと も: わずかに動いたり揺れたりする様。多く、後に打消しの語を伴って用いる。
　どひょうば【土俵場】相撲の競技場。
　ちからじまん【力自慢】力の強さを自慢する事、また、その人。
　どくは【読破】難解な書物や大部の書物を終わりまで読み通す事。
　たいぶ【大部】 voluminous; bulky
　ほんかい【本懐】もとから抱いている願い。本来の希望。本意。本望。
　じゅりつ【樹立】しっかりと立つ事。また、しっかり とうちたてる事。establishment; founding
　あまぐも【雨雲】雨や雪を降らせる雲。乱層雲の事。
　うんむ【雲霧】雲と霧。
　あせだく【汗だく】《「汗だくだく」の略》汗が あとからあとから 流れる様。汗びっしょりの様。汗まみれ。
　ひきゅう【悲泣】悲しみ泣く事。
　もんぜつ【悶絶】苦しみもだえて気絶する事。
　きぜつ【気絶】一時的に意識を失う事。失神。
　ふみだい【踏み台】高い所の物を取ったり、高い所に上る為に足場とする台。足つぎ。踏みつぎ。
　おぼつかない【覚束無い】物事の成り行きが疑わしい。うまくいきそうもない。
　こんりんざい【金輪際】強い決意をもって否定する意を表す語。絶対に。断じて。
　しょうは【照破】仏が広大な智慧の光で無明(むみょう)の闇を明らかに照らす事。
　うんでい【雲泥】天の雲と地の泥。二つの間に大きな差違のあるたとえ。
　ねんごろ【懇ろ】心が こもって いるさま。親身であるさま。courteously;cordially
　ひくつ【卑屈】下劣な base; 追従的な servile; こびへつらう obsequious
　筆舌に尽くし難い　【ひつぜつ】　あまりに はなはだしくて、文章や言葉では とても 表現できない。
　はなはだしい【甚だしい】普通の度合いを はるか に超えている。
　こころする【心する】十分に気を配って注意する。
　こうとう【喉頭】 larynx 呼吸器の一部。上方は咽頭(いんとう)、下方は気管に連なる部分。軟骨に囲まれており、声帯がある。
　もつれる【縺れる】〔糸などが〕 get entangled 線状の もの が からまり合って解けなくなる。
　こらす【凝らす】心の働きを一つのものや所に集中させる。
　けたい【懈怠】仏語。善行を修めるのに積極的でない心の状態。精進(しょうじん)に対して言う
　よこしま【▽邪／横しま】 wicked, evil 正しくない事。道に はずれている事。
　おさめる【修める】１ 行いや人格を正しくする。心や行動が乱れないように整える。２ 学問・技芸などを、学んで身につける。
　からまる【絡まる】物に巻きつく。巻きついて引き離しにくくなる。絡みつく。get twisted around
　ゆびさす【指差す】指でさし示す。さし示して知らせる。
　ぎょうし【凝視】目をこらして見つめる事。
　しのぶ【偲ぶ】過ぎ去った物事や遠く離れている人・所などを懐かしい気持ちで思い出す。懐しむ
　きゅうじ【給仕】食事の席にいて世話をする事。また、その人。
　あて【当て】心の中で期待している物事。頼り。
　おおっぴら【大っぴら】ooppira《「おおびら」の促音添加》人目を はばからない さま。隠しだての ない さま。
　にんまり　満足した時などに、声を出さないで笑いを浮かべる様
　とりつめる【取り詰める】ひどく思い悩む。思い詰める。
　おやだま【親玉】仲間の中心になる人物。
　しゅんげん【峻厳】非常に厳しい事。
　ふんぱつ【奮発】気力を奮い起こす事。発奮。
　ふるう【奮う】気力が盛んになる。また、気力を盛んにする。
　とりまく【取り巻く】まわりを囲む。取り囲む。
　いっしんふらん【一心不乱】心を一つの事に集中して、他の事に気をとられない事。また、そのさま。
　しかばね【屍】死んだ人の体。死骸。
　しぶとい　強情で臆する所がない。また、困難にあっても へこたれず ねばり強い。
　ごうじょう【強情】意地を張って、なかなか自分の考えを変えない事。
　にっちもさっちも【二進も三進も】物事が行き詰まり、身動き の とれない様。どうにもこうにも。
　へこたれる　気力がくじけ弱ってしまう。へたばる
　どうてい【道程】ある地点に着くまでの距離。みちのり。行程。
　こぶし【拳】5本の手の指を折り曲げて握りしめたもの。にぎりこぶし。げんこつ。げんこ。fist
　もぐる【潜る】水の中にくぐって入る。
　こじつける　関係のない物事を無理に理由をつけ関係づける。また、無理に理屈づける。
　ぼっしゅう【没収】強制的に取り上げる事。
　そうでん【相伝】代々受け継いで伝える事。
　いわや【岩屋】岩壁に自然に出来た洞穴。また、岩に横穴を掘って住居としたもの。いわむろ。
　がんぺき【岩壁】険しく切り立った岩。
　どうけつ【洞穴】洞窟(どうくつ)。ほらあな。
　よこあな【横穴】山腹や崖などに横に掘った穴。
　さんぷく【山腹】山頂と麓との間の部分。中腹。
　みせかける【見せ掛ける】うわべを取りつくろって、実際は そうでないのにそれらしく見えるようにする。pretend; make a show of; feign
　揺さぶる(ゆさぶる)ゆらゆらと前後、左右、上下に動くようにする。
　ろうえい【漏洩】水・光などが、もれる事。また、もらす事。
　きりきざむ【切り刻む】細かく切る。chop cut up; 細かくmince
　うかがう【窺う】隙間などから、密かに覗いて見る。そっと覗く。peep
　いいふらす【言い触らす】触れ回って広く世間に知らせる。吹聴(ふいちょう)する。言い広める。spread news; circulate a rumor
　しぼむ【萎む】wither (away)草花などが生気をなくして しおれたり 縮んだりする。
　そうそん【曽孫】孫の子。ひまご。
　ぼうしょう【傍証】間接的な証拠。直接の証拠とは ならない が、その証明を補強するのに役立つ証拠。
　げんかい【厳戒】厳重に警戒する事。strict guard
　ゆちゃく【癒着】本来は分離しているはずの臓器・組織面が、外傷や炎症の為に、くっつく事。adhesion; conglutination
　ひそう【悲愴】 pathetic. 悲しく痛ましい事。
　つけこむ【付け込む】相手の弱点やすきに乗じて事を行う。機会を抜け目なく利用して自分が有利になるようにする。つけいる。take advantage.
　ぶちあたる 【打ち当たる】強い勢いで当たる。ぶつかる。
　せめたてる【攻め立てる】激しく攻撃する。しきりに攻める。
　どんぞこ【どん底】 the bottom; the depths
　といつめる【問い詰める】真実を言うまで厳しく尋ねる。詰問する。question closely
　かつぐ【担ぐ】物を持ち上げて肩にのせ支える。になう。
　かたん【荷担】力添えをする事。仲間になる事。
　へんりん【片鱗】多くの中のほんの少しの部分。一端。
　まんせい【慢性】症状は あまり ひどく ないが、治りにくく、経過が長びく病気の性質・状態。chronic
　きょうほん【狂奔】狂ったように走りまわる事。
　りんそん【隣村】隣の村。
　ひっきりなし【引っ切り無し】絶え間なく続くさま。切れ目のないさま。
　つかれる【憑かれる】 be possessed. 霊魂などが乗り移った状態になる。
　くちばしる【口走る】無意識の うち に しゃべって しまう。
　わめく【喚く】大声で叫ぶ。大声をあげて騒ぐ。
　たまりかねる【堪り兼ねる】我慢しきれなくなる。こらえきれない。
　きつねつき【狐付き】狐の霊がとりついたと言われる、精神の異常な状態。また、その人。
　ひさん【悲惨】ひどく不幸な miserable; 哀れな pathetic; 悲劇的な tragic
　いさかい【諍い】言い争い。言い合い。また、けんか。a quarrel, an argument, a dispute
　いよいよ【愈愈】〔ますます〕 more and more
　そむく【背く】 disobey; go against
　おぼしめし【思し召し】相手を敬って、その考えや気持ちを言う語。お考え。ご意向。
　すっぱり　鮮やかに物を切る様。すぱっと。
　いざり【躄】１ ひざや尻を地に つけた ままで進む事。膝行(しっこう)。２ 足が不自由で立てない人。
　いざる【躄る】 crawl on one's (hands and) knees
　ちんば【跛】片足が不自由で、普通に歩けない事。
　いんちき: 本物でない事。
　ひやかす【冷やかす】相手が困ったり恥ずかしがったり するような言葉をかけてからかう。
　つきおとす【突き落とす】突いて高い所から下へ落とす。
　ごうそう【豪壮】物事の規模が大きく立派な様。
　たいした【大した】程度が甚だしい様を言う語。非常な。大変な。度はずれた。
　やっき【躍起】焦って むきになる事。become desperate
　むきになる: つまらない事でも本気になる事。
　ゆうひ【雄飛】雄鳥が大空に飛び上がるように、大きな志をいだいて盛んに活動する事。
　いわれない【謂れ無い】正当な理由・根拠がないさま。不当である。いわれのない。
　どうちょう【同調】他に調子を合わせる事。他人の意見・主張などに賛同する事。
　つぶやく【呟く】小さい声で 独り言 を言う。
　ぼろくそ【襤褸糞】ひどく劣っている事。全く価値のない事。また、そのような もの として ののしる さま。
　片棒(かたぼう)を担ぐ: 計画に加わって協力する。荷担する。多く、悪い事に言う。
　かつぐ【担ぐ】物を持ち上げて肩にのせ支える。になう。
　おんなどうらく【女道楽】女性との色事にふける事。女遊び。
　いろごと【色事】男女間の恋愛や情事。
　度肝(どぎも)を抜く: ひどく びっくり させる。肝をつぶさせる。
　くちばしる【口走る】無意識のうちに しゃべって しまう。
　きつねつき【狐付き】狐の霊が とりついた といわれる、精神の異常な状態。また、その人。
　かみがかり【神懸】神霊が人に乗り移る事。また、その状態やその人。
　かかる【斯かる】このような。こういう。
　あまくだる【天下る】天上界から地上に降りる。
　もじる【捩る】著名な詩文などの文句をまねて言いかえる。
　やたら【矢鱈】根拠・節度が ない さま。筋が通らない さま。めちゃくちゃ。むやみ。
　せつど【節度】行き過ぎのない適当な程度。ほどあい。
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　やっき【躍起】あせって むきになる 事。また、そのさま。
　あせる【焦る】早くしなければならないと思って いらだつ。気をもむ。落ち着きを失う。気がせく。
　むきになる: つまらない事でも本気になる事。
　気(き)を揉(も)む:  心配してやきもきする。
　やきもき: あれこれと気をもんで いらいら するさま。
　気(き)が急(せ)く: 早くしようと気持ちがはやる。気があせる。
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　ごとく【如く】《比況の助動詞「ごとし」の連用形》活用語の連体形、体言、助詞「の」「が」に付いて、比喩(ひゆ)・例示を表す。…のように。…のとおり。

　ごとし【▽如し】［助動］［○｜ごとく｜ごとし｜ごとき｜○｜○］活用語の連体形、体言、助詞「の」「が」に付く。
    １ 比喩(ひゆ)的に、同等・類似の意を表す。…と同じだ。…のとおりだ。…のようだ。
    ２ 例示を表す。たとえば…のようだ。…など。
    ３ 不確実な断定を表す。…のようだ。…らしい。→ごとき
    [補説]「ごとし」は、中古では多く漢文訓読文に用いられるが、語幹にあたる「ごと」は上代・中古の和歌などに用いられた。3は、中世以後の用法で、近代文語文にもみられる。
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　しく【如く, 若く, 及く】１ 同じ程度の能力や価値などをもつ。匹敵する。多く、あとに打消し・反語の表現を伴って用いる。２ 追いつく。到達する。
　如くはない: それに及ぶ もの はない。それが最もよい。
　如くはなし: 及ぶ もの はない。
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　かえりみる【顧みる】過ぎ去った事を思い起こす。回顧する。
　さしのべる (差し伸べる) 力を貸す。援助する。
　たたきこむ【叩き込む】厳しく教え込む。しっかりと覚えさせる。
　とやかく:  なんのかのと。あれこれと。
　ちぎる【千切る】手などで こまかに 切り離す。こまかにばらばらにする。
　おさえつける【押さえ付ける】しっかり押さえて、相手が自由に動けないようにする。
　たなびく【棚引く】雲や霧また煙が横に長くただよう。
　きり【霧】fog; mist
　たいこ【太古】非常に遠い昔。大昔。有史以前。
　さしつかえる【差し支える】都合の悪い事が起こる。支障を生じる。また、妨げとなる。
　さえぎる【遮る】〔向こうを見えなくする〕 obstruct.
　たれびと【誰人】 tarebito なんという人。どんな人。だれ。
　おもいつき【思い付き】思いついた事。ふと浮かんだ考え。
　しょうどう【小童】年少の男子。
　ぐんぜい【軍勢】 gunzei 軍の勢力。軍隊。
　びん【鬢】 bin 耳ぎわの髪。また、頭髪の左右側面の部分。
　とうはつ【頭髪】頭部の毛髪。かみの毛。
　もうはつ【毛髪】人の体毛の総称。特に、髪の毛。
　体毛(たいもう)人や動物の皮膚をおおう細かい糸状の物。
　ほうむる【葬る】死体・遺骨を墓所に納める。埋葬する。
　いきどおり【憤り】立腹。憤慨。anger, wrath.
　がんもく【眼目】ある物事の最も重要な点。
　じんみん【人民】国家・社会を構成している人々。特に、国家の支配者に対して被支配者の事。国民。
　どろ【泥】水がまじって やわらかくなった 土。粒子は砂よりも細かく、大きさ によりシルトと粘土とに分ける。mud; dirt
　そうき【想起】以前にあった事などを思い起こす事。
　にゅうめつ【入滅】滅度すなわち涅槃に入る事。釈迦の死、高僧などの死に言う。
　こねあげる【捏ね上げる】物事を いじりまわして でっちあげる。
　いじる【弄る】指先や手で 触ったり なでたり する。
　きょうかん【経巻】経文を記した巻物。また、経典。
　はっぷ【発布】法律などを世間に広く告げ知らせる事。公布。
　骨身(ほねみ)を惜しまず: 苦労をいとわず。

Buddhism

Buddhism


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"You have not said one thing that can be verified so why would anyone with an inquiring, critically thinking mind believe your mysticism?"
Buddhism is verifiable.
Buddhism says that all human beings are evil and consequently the world after death is hell.
That is verifiable.

Every person believes oneself to be good and virtuous, but that is a mistake, a delusion, a false belief.
In order to see your true self, Buddhism urges people to believe in the Principle of Cause and Effect and do good deeds.
If you really are a good and virtuous person, you should be able to do good and virtuous deeds.

The more you try to be good, the more you realize you are evil.
The more you try to be altruistic, the more you realize you are selfish.
The more you try to be grateful, the more you realize you are ungrateful.
The more you try to be nice and kind and gentle, the more you realize you are rude and angry and resentful.

The more you try to be sincere, the more you have to lie.
Your mouth says "what a cute little kid", your mind thinks "what an ugly brat!".
Your mouth says "thank you", your mind thinks "you just did your obligation".
Your mouth says "I feel sorry for you", your mind thinks "you are just getting what you deserve".

In Buddhism this is called
心口各異 (shin ku kaku i)
言念無実 (gon nen mujitsu)
心(shin) is mind.
口(ku) is mouth
異(i) is different.
言(gon) is to say.
念(nen) is to think
無実 (mujitsu) is no truth.
The mind and mouth act differently, and there is no truth in either words or thoughts.

By earnestly trying to be good and virtuous you realize you are evil.
Finally you realize the world after death is hell.
You will be able to see clearly the world after death.
If you are a good person, the world after death is heaven.
If you are an evil person, the word after death is hell.

The world after death is a world you yourself are creating with your own actions in the present.
By looking at the present you can see the future.
The future is the result of the present.
If you look at your own soul, you will be able to see the world after death.
If you sow seeds of tomato, you will reap tomatos.
If you sow seeds of potato, you will reap potatos.
If you know what you are sowing, you will know what you will reap.

The moment you see clearly the world after death, you are saved by 阿弥陀部(amidabutsu) and achieve Absolute Happiness.

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What is happiness?

Every living being in the universe is looking for happiness. Nobody wants to suffer.  So we can say that the purpose of life is happiness.
Buddhism says there are 2 kinds of happiness: relative happines and absolute hapiness.
Relative happiness is what most people usually think as happiness: money, fortune, social status, power, good health, youth, good looks, family, friends, etc.
But relative happiness is not a true happiness because it is always accompanied with fear, with insecurity.
The fear of not knowing what is going to happen in the future.
In Buddhism this is called 諸行無常 (shogyō mujō).
諸行 (shogyō) means "all things in this world".
無常 (mujō) means "inconstancy".
Everything in this world is continously changing. Nothing remains the same, nothing is permanent, constant or ever-lasting.
Sooner or later relative happiness is destroyed, disappears, fades away, turns into suffering.
Heathy people become sick, beautiful people become ugly, young people become old.
Money, fortune and properties can be stolen, burned and destroyed.
Family and friends can die suddenly in terrrible accidents.
It is impossible to be truly satisfied with this kind of happiness.
Relative happiness is always tainted with the fear of losing it.
The constant fear of not knowing what is going to happen in the future.

True Happiness needs to be something absolutely permanent and ever-lasting, something that cannot be taken away, not even by death itself. True Happiness needs to give us complete security and absolute satisfaction, without any trace of fear.

Buddhism calls it Absolute Happiness, and it can be obtained through the salvation by Buddha Amida.
Kentetsu Takamori in his book こんなことが知りたい 2 says:

　では絶対の幸福とは何か、結論を急ぎましょう。
この場合、絶対というのは、無上、最高不二という意味と、どんな事態が起きても壊れない安心、満足、喜びということです。
　最悪の死に直面しても変わらぬ安心、満足の境地をいうのです。死に直面しても変わらないものならば、その他の障害によって動乱することは毛頭ありませんから、何時でも何処でも満足一杯、喜び一杯、安心し切って明るい生活ができるようになり、人生の醍醐味を心ゆくまで味わうことができるようになるのです。
"Absolute Happiness means supreme, highest, incomparable happiness in the universe.
It is security, satisfaction, joy that can never be destroyed, no matter what happens.
It cannot be destroyed even the at the face of death, the worst situation ever.
Since not even death can destroy the Absolute Hapiness, all other sufferings become insignificant. You can have a bright life, with full satisfaction, full pleasure, completely safe, anywhere, anytime, enjoy life to its fullest."

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What happens after death?

In the sutra 大無量寿経 (daimuryōju kyō) it is written:
一切衆生 必堕無間 (issai shujō hitsuda muken)
All human beings will inevitably fall to hell.

一切衆生(issai shujo) means all human beings.
必 (hitsu) means "inevitably".
無間(muken) is short for 無間地獄 (muken jigoku), which is translated as "hell".
無間(muken) also means "incessantly", "non-stop", "continously".
無間地獄 (muken jigoku) is the worst of all hells, where suffering continues without interruption.

This is also called 後生の一大事 (goshō no ichidaiji).
後生(goshō) means after death.
一大事 (ichidaiji) means a serious affair, a grave matter.

親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin) says:
念仏誹謗の有情は、阿鼻地獄に堕在して、八万劫中大苦悩、ひまなく受くとぞ、説きたまう
nenbutsu hibō no ujō wa, abi jigoku ni dazai shite, hachiman kō chū dai kunō, hima naku uku tozo, toki tamau.

念仏誹謗の有情(nenbutsu hibō no ujō) are people not saved by 阿弥陀仏(amidabutsu).
阿鼻地獄 (abi jigoku) is another name for 無間地獄(muken jigoku).
八万劫(hachiman kō) means 80,000 kalpas.
大苦悩 (dai kunō) means great suffering.

People not saved by buddha Amida, after death will fall to hell and suffer immensely for 80,000 kalpas. One kalpa is 5,670,000,000 years.

In Buddhism, people who keep repeating the cycle of birth and death are called 生死 (shōji).
生 means birth. 死 means death. We have to keep repeating the reincarnation cycle in the 6 worlds of suffering.
The 6 worlds of suffering are:
人間界 (ningenkai) the world of human beings
修羅界 (shūrakai) the world of war
地獄界 (jigokukai) the world of hell
天上界 (tenjōkai) the world of celestial beings
餓鬼界 (gakikai) the world of hunger
畜生界 (chikushōkai) the world of animals
The cycle of reincarnation is called 流転輪廻(ruten rinne) or 六道輪廻(rokudō rinnne).
Buddhas are people who are free from the cycle of reincarnation, they live forever because they don't die anymore.

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Why should we not commit suicide?
Why should we not commit murder?
Why should doctors treat patients?
Why should we care for the old and disabled?

Because the afterlife is hell.

All those questions have exactly the same answer.
People who commit suicide are throwing themselves to hell.
Killing another human being is the same as sending this person to hell.
Doctors literally save patients by not letting them fall to hell.
We have to care for the old and disabled even when they cannot work and contribute to society, so they don't die and don't fall to hell.

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The cause of suffering is death. Or more exactly the 後生の一大事.
Of all kinds of suffering there is nothing worse than dying. People may say they are afraid of nuclear wars, earthquakes, hurricanes, diseases, tsunamis, but what they are really afraid of is dying.
Everything we do in our daily lives is try to prevent death. We are afraid of losing our jobs because of the prospect of not having money to buy food.
People take drugs, drink or watch TV to forget about the future, because the only sure thing about the future is death.
Buddhism teaches us how to defeat death.

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Who is buddha Siddhartha?

Buddha Siddhartha was born in India, as prince Siddhartha Gautama, approximately 2,600 years ago, son of king 浄飯 (Jōbon) and queen Maya.
At the age of 19 he married princess Yashodara.
The following year his son 羅睺羅 (Ragora) was born.
From birth he had everything most people are looking for.
He was a prince, soon to be king.
He was rich, powerful, young, intelligent, handsome, physically strong, with wife and a son, respected by his country, loved by his family.
He had a harem of 500 women.
He had 4 palaces, one for each season of the year.
And yet, in spite of all the luxury and comfort, he was not happy.
His father then asked why he was not happy.
Prince Siddhartha then replied:
"I have 3 wishes. I want my body to never get sick, never get old, never die."
His father was stunned and said it was impossible.
Not even princes, not even kings can avoid the suffering of disease, the suffering of ageing, the suffering of death.

人生は苦なり (jinsei wa ku nari)
Life is suffering. Life is a series of painful, suffering events.
All humans beings in the world are suffering.

Nobody was born to suffer. We all were born to be happy.
What is the true happiness? Where is the true happiness?
True Happiness needs to be something stronger than disease, stronger than old age, stronger than death.
In order to find True Happiness, prince Siddhartha abandons everything, abandons the title of prince, abandons his family, his money, leaves everything behind to search for True Happiness, until he finds it at the age of 35.

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Are humans evil?

In the sutra 大無量寿経(daimuryōjukyō) it is written:
心常念悪 (shin jō nen naku ) the mind constantly thinks evil
口常言悪 (ku jō gon naku ) the mouth constantly says evil
身常行悪 (shin jō gyō aku ) the body constantly does evil
曽無一善 (zō mu ichi zen ) humans have never done a single good deed

That is the description of every human being on the planet.
Is this an exaggeration? Is this an overstatement?
Don't we sometimes do good deeds like being nice and kind and gentle and offering help to the sick, the poor, the elderly? Are all those actions evil?
No, they are not evil. They are all  good, noble and necessary actions that we all should do.

But from the point of view of Buddhism, they are not true, pure good actions.
It is impossible for human beings to be absolutely altruistic.
Human beings are always expecting something in return.
Humans beings are always trying to satisfy their own selfish desires and interests.
When the retribution doesn't meet their expectations, they get angry, and in their minds they kill the person they were trying to help.

We are always expecting something in return.
We are always expecting some kind of payment.
It is impossible for us to do a truly altruistic act.
A truly altruistic act needs be absolutely free, without expecting anything in return.
The purpose of a truly altuistic act must be solely the happiness of the other person.
A truly altruistic act must not aim one's own selfish interests.
It is impossible for human being to do a truly altruistic act.
Human beings are always trying to satisfy their own selfish desires.
Even when they do apparently altruistic acts, like donations or volunteer work.
They are still expecting the other person to thank them.
And when they don't receive what they expect, when the retribution doesn't meet their expectations, they get angry and kill the other person in their minds. They kill the very person they were trying to help. Because they were not really trying to help the other person. They were just trying to satisfy their own selfish desires.

Human desires are insatiable, impossible to satisfy, endless, infinite, never-ending.
The more you have, the more you want. You always want more and more. It is never enough. It is addictive, it gets worse and worse.
Until finally, human beings will do anything to satisfy their desires, Even lie, steal and kill.

Every day, every day, all over the world in the newspapers, we see husbands killing wives, wives killing husbands, parents killing their own children, children killing their parents, brother killing sisters, sisters killing brothers.

People lie, steal and kill to satisfy their own selfish desires.
They will kill foreigners to protect their country.
They will kill strangers to protect their families.
They will kill their own families to protect their lives.

And yet, nobody lives forever.
No matter what you do, you will die anyway, sooner or later.
You will die if you don't have money. But you will also die even if you had all the money in the world.
You will die if you don't kill your enemy. But you will also die even if you killed all people in the world.
Sooner or later everybody dies.
Killing your enemy will not save you.
Killing your enemy makes no difference.
You will die, no matter if you kill or not.

If you are going to die anyway, why not use your life to save other people?
Why not use your life to help other people?
Why not use your life to make other people happy?
If you are going to die anyway, why not be altruistic, instead of selfish?
If you are going to die anyway, why waste time building nuclear bombs?
What are you trying to protect? Your life? Your life cannot be protected, you are going to die anyway.

Buddhism urges people to do good deeds, so they can see their true self.
The more you try to be good, the more you realize you are evil.
The more you try to be altruistic, the more you realize you are selfish.
The more you try to be grateful, the more you realize you are ungrateful.
The more you try to be nice and kind and gentle, the more you realize you are rude and angry and resentful.

Until finally you realize the world after death is hell.
You will be able to see clearly the world after death.
If you are a good person the world after death is heaven.
If you are an evil person the word after death is hell.

At the moment you lose all hopes of being saved, you are saved by 阿弥陀仏(Amidabutsu) and achieve the Absolute Happiness.

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"In order to save all living beings, Amidabutsu sent all buddhas to teach Buddhism all over the universe." How was this accomplished given the vastness of the Universe?

By reincarnation. Only the soul of a buddha travels to Earth. Once on Earth he is born as a normal human child just like prince Siddhartha in India 2,600 years ago. During his lifetime he reacquires his buddhahood. From this point until his death he teaches Buddhism. After his death his soul returns to the 極楽浄土(gokuraku jōdo), the world of buddha Amida.

The concept of reincarnation appears frequently in Buddhism.
親鸞聖人(Shinran Shōnin) considers 聖徳太子(Shōtoku Taishi or prince Shōtoku) the reincarnation of 観音菩薩 (Kannon Bosatsu).
庄松(Shōma) was considered the reincarnation of 法然上人(Hōnen Shonin).

Shinran Shōnin soon before his death wrote a poem saying he was going to the world of buddha Amida, but he wouldn't stay there. He would soon return to Earth to keep teaching Buddhism, until all humanity were saved.

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Is Buddhism a democracy?

No. Buddhism is not a democracy, never was, never will be.
That is because even when listening to the same lecture or reading  the same book, each person has a different interpretation.
It means that the large majority will be wrong, and only a small minority will be able to understand Buddhism correctly.
That is  why we need to listen to same lecture several times, read the same book several times.
Our interpretation is almost certainly wrong.
The more you study the more you understand. Until finally you are saved by 阿弥陀仏 (Amidabutsu) and can understand Buddhism completely and correctly.

親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin) in his  book 正信偈 (Shōshinge)  wrote:
善導独明仏正意 (zendō doku myō butsu shōi)
善導大師(Zendō Daishi) alone explained Buddhism correctly.

Zendō Daishi is one of the masters of Pure Land Buddhism. He lived in China in the 7th century.
At the time Buddhism was very popular in China and India, and there was a large number of buddhist followers, monks and scholars.
But Shinran Shōnin says that only Zendō Daishi was able to teach Buddhism correctly. Everybody else on the planet was wrong.

知識(chishiki) is a person that teaches Buddhism.
悪知識(akuchishiki) is a person that teaches Buddhism incorrectly.
善知識(zenjishiki) is a person that teaches Buddhism correctly.

It is extremely difficult to find a zenjishiki. Shinran Shōnin mentions only 7 zenjishikis from the time  of buddha Siddhartha until his time in the 12th century.

That is why the vast majority of buddhist sects today are most certainly wrong for the most part.

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I find it hard to believe that you actually said all human beings are evil. I thought Buddha's foundational teaching was the divinity within all Human beings?

The more you realize you are a bad person, the more 懺悔 (sange) you feel.
懺悔 (sange) can be translated as contrition, repentance, compunction, remorse, regret, guilt. It is the acknowledgement of having done something evil and feeling sorry for that.
The more you realize you are evil, the more you can say "I am sorry", the more humble you become.

The more you realize you are evil, the more you can say "thank you".
You feel gratitude when you receive more happiness than you deserve.
When you receive more than you deserve you are in debt, and have to repay.
That is why you say "I owe you", "I am obliged for your kindness", "thank you".
Because you are under the obligation to repay a debt of gratitude.
The more you realize you are evil, the more gratitude you feel.
When you realize you are absolute evil, you feel absolute gratitude.
If you are absolute evil, you deserve nothing, and should be in the most profound hell, suffering the most terrible pain.
And yet you are not in hell, you are on Earth, alive and well.
When you realize you are absolute evil, everything around you becomes a blessing, a source for absolute joy and happiness and gratitude.
When you are saved by 阿弥陀仏 (Amidabutsu) you feel infinite gratitude, infinite contrition and infinite joy.

People who believe themselves to be good feel neither gratitude nor contrition.
When they receive benefits, they feel they deserve more, and instead of being grateful, they complain and demand more.
When they receive suffering, they feel no contrition, because they think they have done nothing wrong, so instead of saying "I am sorry" they will blame other people for their problems.
They end up becoming self-conceited, vain, snobbish, disdainful, arrogant, self-important, haughty, contemptuous, insolent, shameless, angry, unhappy.

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Can you prove the Principle of Cause and Effect?

Do you require proof of the Principle of Cause and Effect? This principle is written in the sutra 因果経 (ingakyō) which is the easiest of all sutras.
Most people, even non-buddhists, already believe in cause and effect.
They believe their actions have consequences.
They believe that if they work hard they will be successful.
They believe that if they study hard they will pass the exams.
They believe that if they exercise hard their bodies will get stronger.
That is why people ask: what should I do (cause) to reach this goal (effect)?
The idea of cause and effect is already ingrained in our everyday lives.
Buddhism expands this idea and says that nothing happens by chance or luck. Every single action has consequences. There is a cause for everything that happens in the universe. Everything that happens in one's life was caused by one's own actions in the past. It was not caused by other people, it was not caused by chance, it was not caused by god or buddha or aliens or government.

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Where does Buddhism get its knowledge?

Buddhism comes from Amidabutsu (阿弥陀仏 or buddha Amida).
Amidabutsu is the supreme buddha in the universe.
On Earth there was only one buddha, buddha Siddhartha born in India 2,600 years ago.
But in this vast universe there are more buddhas than grains of sand in the Ganges river. They are called　恒河沙諸仏 (gōgasha shobutsu)。
恒河 (gōga) means Ganges river.
沙 (sha) is sand.
諸仏 (shobutsu) means "several buddhas".
In order to save all living beings, Amidabutsu sent all buddhas to teach Buddhism all over the universe.
Amidabutsu and all other buddhas will keep teaching Buddhism until all living beings in the universe are saved.
The first buddha to appear on Earth was buddha Siddhartha.
The next buddha to come to Earth will be 弥勒仏 (Mirokubutsu).
Buddha Siddhartha gave lectures on Buddhism since his enlightenment at the age of 35 until his death at the age of 80.
After his death, buddha's disciples wrote the sutras. Each sutra is a literal transcription of one of buddha's lectures. There are more than 7,000 sutras. The sutras are called 一切経 (issaikyō).
The sutras were originally written in ancient Sanskrit.
Some hundreds of years later, all the sutras were copied and brought to China and completely translated to ancient Chinese.
聖徳太子 (Shōtoku Taishi or prince Shōtoku) brought all the sutras from China to Japan at the end of the 6th century.

Besides the sutras there are also books written by zenjishikis.
Zenjishiki (善知識) is person that teaches Buddhism correctly.
According to 親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin) there were only 7 zenjishikis after buddha Siddhartha:
龍樹菩薩 (Ryūju Bosatsu)
天親菩薩(Tenjin Bosatsu)
曇鸞大師 (Donran Daishi)
道綽禅師 (Dōshaku Zenji)
善導大師 (Zendō Daishi)
源信僧都 (Genshin Sōzu)
法然上人 (Hōnen Shōnin)

According to 高森顕徹 (Takamori Kentetsu), the founder of Jōdo Shinshu Shinrankai, the following are also considered zenjishiki:
親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin)
覚如上人 (Kakunyo Shōnin)
蓮如上人 (Rennyo Shōnin)

Pure Land Buddhism is based on the sutras and the books written by the zenjishikis.

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Do buddhists worship Buddha or just follow his principles?

Buddhists worship Amidabutsu (阿弥陀仏 or buddha Amida) in the sense they admire and respect him.
But buddhists don't pray or ask for miracles. Buddhism says that miracles don't exist.
And buddhists also follow the principles taught by Buddhism.

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How will you attain Enlightenment and nirvana?

蓮如上人 (Rennyo Shōnin) said:
仏法は聴聞に極まる　(buppō wa chōmon ni kiwamaru)
The essence of Buddhism is chōmon (聴聞).

Chōmon (聴聞) means to listen to Buddhism from the zenjichiki (善知識).
Zenjichiki is a person who teaches Buddhism correctly.

The only way to be saved by buddha Amida is to listen to lectures of Buddhism.
That is why buddha Siddhartha gave lectures on Buddhism for 45 years, since he became buddha at the age of 35 until his death at the age of 80.
There are more than 7,000 buddhist sutras. Each sutra is a transcription of one of buddha Siddhartha's lectures.
The disciples of buddha were all required to give lectures on Buddhism to as many people as possible, in as many places as possible, as often as possible. Often they would give lectures on the streets.
Buddhist temples were originally built for buddhist lectures.

法然上人 (Hōnen Shōnin) was saved by buddha Amida at the age of 43 after reading all the 7,000 buddhist sutras for 5 times.
親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin) was saved by buddha Amida at the age of 29 after listening to the lectures of Hōnen Shōnin.
蓮如上人 (Rennyo Shōnin) was saved by buddha Amida after reading the books written by Shinran Shōnin.
東條英機 (Tōjō Hideki), the general of the Imperial Japanese Army was saved by buddha Amida in 1948 one day before his execution after listening to one single lecture of Buddhism.

The link to buddha Amida is called 宿善(shukuzen) or 仏縁 (butsuen).
The more you listen to Buddhism, the stronger your shukuzen becomes.

All masters of Buddhism (zenjichiki) dedicated their entire lives to give lectures on Buddhism so people could listen to it and be saved by buddha Amida.

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Could you give us a brief overview of the basic notions of Buddhism?

Buddhism talks about the promise of Buddha Amida.
Buddha Amida is the supreme buddha that has promised to save all mankind to the Absolute Happiness.
Every human being in the world is suffering.
Life is a series of painful events.
There is the suffering of disease, the suffering of aging, the suffering of death.
Fortune, money, power, family, friends, health, youth are all inconstant, ephemerous, impermanent. Nothing lasts forever, everything soon turns to pain and suffering.
And death is the worst of all sufferings.
Death is painful because the world after death is hell.
The future is a continuation of the present. If the present is suffering, the future is also suffering.
In order to defeat death we have to follow the Principle of Cause and Effect, and get to know who we really are.
If you are a good person, the future is heaven.
If you are an evil person, the future is hell.

The Principle of Cause and Effect says that:
- if we do good deeds, we will receive good results,
- if we do bad deeds, we will receive bad results,
- the one who does the deeds is the same one who receives the results.

The more you try to be nice and kind and gentle to other people, the more you realize you are selfish, evil, full of anger and hatred.
The moment you realize your true self, you are saved by Buddha Amida and achieves Absolute Happiness.

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There are several kinds of Buddhism all over the world.
That is because every person has a different interpretation of the buddhist scriptures.
The Buddhism explained here is based on the teachings of Kentetsu Takamori, Shinran Shōnin, Rennyo Shōnin, Hōnen Shōnen and it is usually called Pure Land Buddhism or Jōdo Shinshū.

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I thought souls had no beginnings so how was he "born"?

A soul is not born. Birth and death refers to the physical body, not the soul.

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Why do we have no memory of our past lives, if my soul and yours are eternal and we simply "switch" physical form, if you will, as we die?

Actually we have. In Buddhism the soul is called 阿頼耶識 (arayashiki) and it stores all your actions since an infinite past. Every single thought you had, every single word you said, every single action you did is stored inside your 阿頼耶識.

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Who is Buddha?
Buddha is a person that achieved Absolute Happiness.
All living beings in  the Universe are looking for happiness.
The ones who have achieved it are called buddhas.

Is he God?
No. A buddha is not a god. According to Buddhism, god doesn't exist. God is usually defined as an omnipotent, omniscient creator. Buddhism says such a being doesn't exist.
Nobody created the universe. The universe has always existed since an infinite past and will continue to exist to an infinite future. There is no creator, there is no creation.

Who created Buddhism?
Buddhism was first taught on planet Earth by buddha Siddhartha born in India 2600 years ago.

Because you would have to assume that they teach the same things across all the planets, who was the first person or thing to come up with these teachings?
Buddhism as we know it was first started by buddha Amida. Buddha Amida is the supreme buddha. The only way to become a buddha is by the force of buddha Amida.

Because we cannot remember our past lives, whats the purpose of death? Why do we have no control over death?
In Buddhism, people who keep repeating the cycle of birth and death are called 生死 (shōji). 生 means birth. 死 means death.
The cycle of reincarnation is called 流転輪廻 (ruten rinne) or 六道輪廻 (rokudō rinne).
But people who are saved by buddha Amida are freed from the cycle of reincarnation.
People saved by buddha Amida become buddhas and don't experience the suffering of death ever again.

And does that mean that the supreme buddha is an ordinary man?
No. A buddha is a person that has achieved Absolute Happiness. But all buddhas were once ordinary people before becoming buddhas.
All living beings in the universe are looking for happiness. The ones who have achieved it are called buddhas.

If Buddha Amida is the person who is the creator of the other Buddhas, then is he different from them?
Buddha Amida is not a creator. No buddha was created. Buddha Amida is the supreme buddha because all other buddhas were saved by his power. Buddha Amida is the master of all buddhas. All other buddhas are buddha Amida's disciples.

Where does their soul go when they are freed from reincarnation?
The soul goes to 極楽浄土 (Gokuraku Jōdo), the world of buddha Amida. But a buddha is free to go wherever he wants. He may decide to return to the planet Earth.

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So who is Buddha exactly?

Buddha is a person that achieved Absolute Happiness.
All living beings in  the Universe are looking for happiness.
The ones who have achieved it are called buddhas.

Buddha is a person who achieved the highest level of wisdom.
There are in total 52 levels of wisdom.
The 52nd level of wisdom is called 仏覚 (bukkaku) or level of buddha.
The 51st level of wisdom is called 妙覚 (myōkaku) or 等覚 (tōkaku).

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How does Buddhism explain infants born in Africa that die of hunger?

Jack the Ripper was never arrested, judged or punished.
Hitler was never arrested, judged, or punished.
But Buddhism says they will suffer the consequences of their actions.
If not in this life, it will be in a future life, after death.
Maybe the infant is the reincarnation of Hitler, or Jack the Ripper.

Buddhism says each one of us has an immortal soul that has always existed since an infinite past and will continue to exist to an infinite future. What you do in this life determines what will happen to you after death. What you did in previous lives determines what happens to you in this life.

At the moment of birth we are all different. Some are born rich, other poor, some are beautiful, others are ugly, some are healthy, others are sick, some are born in Japan, others in Europe, some are born in cities, some are born in the middle of a jungle. How to explain such a diversity? Why are we all different at the moment of birth?
Buddhism denies the existence of "chance" or "luck".
Everything that happens in our lives is the result of our own infinite past actions.

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Where does gratitude come from?

Gratitude and contrition come from the realization of oneself being evil.
The more you realize you are evil, the more you can say "I am sorry" and "thank you".

In Buddhism contrition is called 懺悔 (sange).
懺悔 (sange) can be translated as contrition, repentance, compunction, remorse, regret, guilt. It is the acknowledgement of having done something evil and feeling sorry for that.

Gratitude is the realization of receiving undeserved benefits. It is the acknowledgement of not having done anything good to deserve the benefits.
The more you realize you are evil, the more grateful you are for receiving benefits you don't deserve.

When you are saved by buddha Amida, you realize you are the most evil person in the universe. And because of that, your soul is filled with infinite gratitude and contrition.

蓮如上人 (Rennyo Shōnin,  1415 - 1499) said:
悪人を悪人と知らぬ者こそ本当の悪人だ。
"The real evil person is the one who doesn't know he is evil."

An evil person believes oneself to be good.
A good person realizes oneself to be evil.

Kentetsu Takamori tells us the following story in his book 光に向かって:
Once upon a time there was a family that lived in constant fight and their neighbors that lived in perfect harmony.
Tired of so much fight, the father went to the neighbors to ask how they could live in such a harmony.

"That is because the people in my family are all evil. The people in your family are all good,  that is why you keep fighting among yourselves"

"WHAT??" The father was sure he was being mocked, and was about to protest, when they heard a noise in the house. Someone had broken a plate.

"Mom! I am so sorry! I didn't see the plate! I am so clumsy!"

"No,no! It was my fault! I forgot to put it away. I am the sloppy one!"

Mom and daughter kept apologizing to each other, each assuming the blame, each stressing how bad they were.
The father then realized the secret of harmony was in acknowledging oneself to be evil.
That is where gratitude and contrition come from.

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Where does loneliness come from?

Loneliness comes from not finding a person that can understand and accept us the way we are.
It is because our innermost thoughts are so terrible, that we do not dare to speak them to anyone.
If we were to speak our innermost thoughts, people would run away in sheer horror.

In the sutra 大無量寿経 (daimuryōju kyō) it is written:
独生 独死 独去 独来 (dokushō dokushi dokko dokurai)
"You are born alone, you die alone, you go alone, you come alone".

Human beings spend their lives in complete loneliness.

What do human beings think?
Humans beings think of 煩悩 (bonnō) all the time.
煩悩 (bonnō) is made of 108 parts.
Of all these 108, the worst 3 are called 三毒の煩悩 (sandoku no bonnō):
貪欲 (tonyoku) desire
瞋恚 (shinni) anger
愚痴 (guchi) hatred, jealousy, envy

There are 5 kinds of desire:
食欲 (shokuyoku) desire to eat
色欲 (shikiyoku)  sexual desire
名誉欲 (meiyoyoku) desire to be praised
睡眠欲 (suiminyoku) desire to sleep
財欲 (zaiyoku) desire for money or power

Every day, every day, human beings can only think of satisfying these 5 selfish desires.
But these desires are insatiable.
If you don't have, you want.
If you have, you want more.
The more you have, the more you want.
When you can't satisfy your desires, you feel anger.
When you can't express your anger, you feel hatred.

The human soul is filled with insatiable desire, anger, hatred, dissatisfaction, fear, insecurity, anxiety.
All this leads to unspeakable evil thoughts.
Thoughts that human beings don't dare to say to anyone.

So they hide their thoughts, and pretend to be good and nice.
They have to lie and pretend to be nice and good and gentle, so they can get along with friends, family, co-workers.
But the pressure of lying all the time creates anxiety and stress.

So they look for someone that can understand them.
Children talk to their parents, just to find out the parents can't understand them.
Teenagers talk to friends, and discover their friends can't understand them.
Then they talk to the husband, to the wife, just to find out they are married to a complete stranger, incapable of understanding them.
Children can't understand, friends can't understand, nobody can understand.

People just pretend to understand, just to get along with other people.

So human beings need to keep secrets, keep their innermost thoughts hidden from everybody else.
But those thoughts are poisonous, they will destroy the human soul, pull the human soul to hell.

In order to reach salvation, human beings need to find someone they can speak their hearts completely and absolutely, someone that can understand and accept and forgive the most absolute evil.

In this vast universe, only buddha Amida can accept us.
如来は一切を見聞知 (nyorai wa issai wo ken-mon-chi)
Buddha Amida sees, hears, knows everything.
He can see every action we do.
He can hear every word we say.
He can listen every thought we think.

衆生苦悩我苦悩 衆生安楽我安楽
shujō kunō ga kunō, shujō anraku ga anraku
"Your suffering is my suffering, your happiness is my happiness".

Buddha Amida cries when we cries, laughs when we laughs.

若不生者不取正覚
nyaku fushōja fushu shōkaku
"If I can't save you, I will throw away my own life"

Buddha Amida gives his own life as guarantee to his promise.
Buddha Amida promises to save all humanity to the Absolute Happiness.

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Where does hatred come from?

In Buddhism hatred is called 愚痴(guchi).
愚痴 (guchi) is also translated as "ignorance" because it means to ignore the Principle of Cause and Effect.
The Principle of Cause and Effect is written in the sutra 因果経(inga kyō).

善因善果 (zen in zen ka) Good cause, good effect.
悪因悪果 (aku in akka) Bad cause, bad effect.
自因自果 (ji in ji ka) One's cause, one's effect.

If you sow lettuce, you will reap lettuce.
You reap tomatos because you sowed tomatos.
You reap potatos because you sowed potatos.
It is impossible to sow corn and reap lettuce.
It is impossible for one person to sow and another person to reap.
You reap exactly what you sow.

People who don't know the Principle of Cause and Effect blame other people when something bad happens.
They blame the parents, the children, the husband, the wife, the neighbors, the government, the black people, the white people, the jews, the arabs, the immigrants, the boss, the colleagues, the employees...

They blame everybody except themselves.

They put the blame on other people. They hate. And they try to make other people suffer. Which brings more suffering.

This vicious circle of suffering is called 惑業苦 (waku gō ku).
惑 (waku) means wrong thinking.
業 (gō) means karma. In this case it means wrong actions.
苦 (ku) means suffering.

People wrongly think that other people are to blame for their suffering. Then they try to punish those other people. But this backfires bringing back more suffering.
It just becomes worse and worse, pulling people to the depths of the most terrible hell.

Only Buddhism can stop this vicious circle.
Buddhism teaches the Principle of Cause and Effect.
The Principle of Cause and Effect is an absolute universal law that nobody can violate.

You receive suffering because you gave suffering.
It is impossible to reap tomatos if you have never sowed tomatos.

No one is to blame except yourself.
Everything that happens in your life is the result of your own actions.

The knowledge of the Principle of Cause and Effect makes all hatred disappear, to be replaced by infinite regret, gratitude and joy.

No force in the universe can stop the Principle of Cause and Effect.
If you give happiness you will receive happiness.
No matter how small, not matter how short the good deed.
Even if it is just for today.
If you do a good deed, sooner or later inevitably the good result will come back to you.
And no force in the universe can stop it.
The result will come, no matter what.
It is absolutely inevitable, unstoppable.

If you save the life of an ant, that tiny act of compassion will come back to you and bring you happiness.

But if you give suffering, you will inevitably receive suffering, and no force in the universe will be able to stop it.
Human beings may forgive, but the Principle of Cause and Effect never forgets, never forgives.
Human beings can be deceived, but nobody can deceive the Principle of Cause and Effect.
You have to brace yourself because the results of your actions will come back to you, no matter what. No force in the universe, no god, no buddha can help you.

Buddhism urges people to believe in the Principle of Cause and Effect.
It is the only path to salvation.

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Imagine that your neighbor comes to your house and tells you that a tiger just escaped from a truck on its way to the zoo and it is now loose at the neighborhood and urges you to look for refuge.

What do you do?
Would you demand proof?
Would you demand evidence?

Maybe it is just a prank. Maybe your neighbor is lying.

What kind of proof can your neighbor give you?
Just because there is no evidence do you assume it is not true?
Can you really be sure that he is lying?
What evidence do you have that he is really lying?
Can you prove that he is lying?
Isn't it safer to assume that he is telling the truth?
What is the worst that could happen?

The same thing happens with Buddhism.
Buddhism says that the afterlife is hell.
That is why death is so terrifying.
That is why we must not commit suicide.
That is why we must not kill people.
That is why doctors must treat patients.
That is why we must care for the old and disabled, even when they can't work.

But lots of people ask me for proof.
What kind of proof should I give you?
What kind of proof can satisfy you?
The proof itself is useless.
The proof itself will not save you.

Lots of people assume the afterlife is non-existent or heaven.
Are you absolutely sure of that?
What proof do you have?
What evidence do you have?
What happens if you are wrong?
Isn't it safer to assume the afterlife is hell?

Buddha Siddhartha tells us the following story.
Imagine a man being hit by an arrow.
His friend, terrified, urges him to go to a doctor.
But the man refuses to go to a doctor and keeps asking questions.
"Who shot this arrow?"
"Why they shot this arrow?"
"How fast was the arrow?"
"Where did this arrow come from?"
Finally the man ends up dying from his wound.
Buddha Siddhartha asked his disciples what they thought about this man.
"He was extremely stupid."
He kept asking irrelevant questions. He couldn't see what was most important. All those questions could be asked later. The most important thing was to treat the wound. He wasted his time asking irrelevant questions, and finally ended up losing his own life.

When Buddhism tells you the afterlife is hell, what is the most important thing to ask?
Do you ask for proof?
Do you ask for evidence?

The most important thing to ask is why the afterlife is hell, and supposing it is true, what we should do to prevent this tragedy.

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Who is Kentetsu Takamori?

Kentetsu Takamori is the founder of Jōdo Shinshū Shinrankai.

http://www.lifespurpose.info/
http://www.lifespurpose.info/buddha/index.html
http://www.lifespurpose.info/shinran/index.html
http://www.takamori.info/
http://www.shinrankai.or.jp/
http://www.youtube.com/user/shinrankai2000
http://www.youtube.com/user/tulipk/videos

Buddhism is the teachings of buddha Siddhartha, born in India 2,600 years ago.
The disciples of buddha Siddhartha wrote the sutras soon after buddha's death.
There are more than 7,000 sutras.
Each sutra is a literal transcription of one of buddha Siddhartha's lectures.
The sutras exist in only 2 languages: ancient Sanskrit and ancient Chinese.
They were never completely translated to any other language.
Some English translations of some sutras may exist, but the translations may not be correct.
Shinran Shōnin and Hōnen Shōnin read all the sutras several times.
That is why Shinran Shōnin's books are filled with quotations from the sutras.
Kentetsu Takamori also has all the sutras in his house. His books are also filled with quotations from the sutras.

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In order to reach salvation, we need to know the cause of suffering.
The cause of suffering is death. There is nothing more terrifying than death.
We need to solve the problem of death in order to reach happiness.
To solve it we need to see the world after death.
To see it, you need to know yourself.
If you are a  good person, the afterlife is paradise.
If you are a bad person,  the afterlife is hell.
Buddhism urges you to do good deeds so you can know yourself and the afterlife.
The more you try to do good deeds, the more you see you are filled with desire, anger and hatred.
The more you try to do good deeds, the more you see you are evil.
The more you try to do good deeds, the more you see the afterlife is hell.
At the exact moment you see there is nothing you can do to save yourself, you are saved by buddha Amida.

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What happens exactly to the human soul when saved by buddha Amida?

There are many ways to explain that.

Buddha Siddhartha compares the human soul to a rock that inevitably sinks to the bottom of a lake. The human soul is absolutely evil that sinks to the bottom of hell.
The power of buddha Amida is like a giant boat. No matter how heavy the rock, once inside the boat, it never sinks.
The rock itself doesn't change its nature.

Another example is to compare the human soul to coal. It is dark, dirty, cold.
The power of buddha Amida is like fire, shiny, hot, brilliant.
When you mix coal and fire, they become one single substance, impossible to separate.

Another example is to compare the human soul to coal and the power of buddha Amida to pressure and heat. After being saved by buddha Amida, the human soul becomes a diamond, shiny and beautiful.
It is still the same substance, and yet it is completely different.

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There is nothing more terryfing than looking at your own soul.
To look at your own soul is the same as looking at the abyss of hell.
At the exact moment of salvation you actually experience the suffering of death.
At the same moment your soul dies, it is reborn into a new soul, and all suffering disappears completely.

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"Here is the problem: Buddha also discovered Temporariness. ALL KARMA IS TEMPORARY/ Impermanant! The effects of good karma and bad karma wear out! Nothing Lasts. Even so-called Heavenly Realms Do Not Last . They are part of the Phenomenal Realm. "

I am sorry I don't think so.

When buddha Siddhartha says 諸行無常 (shogyō mujō), he is referring only to this world, the world of human beings.
Nothing is permanent in this world.
He is not referring to the entire universe.

Karma is not temporary. Karma is what determines what will happen to you in the future, including the future after death.
Karma is an indestructible, invisible form of energy.

If the entire universe were impermanent, then Truth would not exist.
The words 道理(dōri), 真理(shinri), 真実(shinjitsu) can all be translated as "truth".
Truth is something that never changes, no matter the time, no matter the place.

Kentetsu Takamori in his book こんなことが知りたい 2 says:
正しい宗教は三世十方を貫く大道理の上に立つものでなければならない
The true religion needs to be based on truth, which is valid anywhere, anytime.

三世 (sanze) means the 3 worlds: the past, present and future worlds.
The present world is the world from birth till death. Since we are humans, it usually refers to the world of human beings.
The future world is the world after death.
The past world is the world before birth.

三世を貫く means something that doesn't change no matter the time.

十方 (jippō) means ten directions: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, up and down.
十方 (jippō) is short for 十方微塵世界 (jippō mijin sekai) which is the entire universe.

十方を貫く  means something that doesn't change no matter the place.

That is the definition of 道理(dōri): something that never changes, no matter the time or place.

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Do souls exist?

Buddhism says that each one of us has an immortal soul.
One argument for the existence of the soul is the question of identity.
Where are you? Are you inside your hand? You can lose your hand and still be you. Are you inside your heart? You can have a heart transplant and you are still the same person, with the same name, same parents, same birthdate, same bank account. If you became a different person, the bank could refuse access to your bank account, claiming that you are a different person.
No matter how many organ transplants you have, no matter how much your body changes, you are still you, you don't become a different person.
Due to metabolism all cells in the body are continuously been replaced.
After approximately 7 years you have a completely different body.
Even though your body is completely different, you are still you.
If any part of your body can be removed, replaced or changed, where are you? You are not inside your hand, you are not inside you heart, you are not inside your brain. You can't find yourself anywhere in your own body.
There must be something besides your physical body that stays the same and identifies you.
The real "you" is not your body, it is your soul.
The soul is the only thing that stays the same and identifies you.

What about memory and personality?
Memory and personality are parts of the brain, they do not identify you.
If you borrow money from the bank, you will have to return the money, no matter how much your memories or personality have changed. For the bank you are still the same person, with the same identity. The bank doesn't care how much your memory or personality have changed.

In the same way you can change your clothes, your body can also be changed.
In the same way your clothes belong to you, your physical body belongs to you.
But you and your clothes are separate and independent entities.
You and your physical body are also separate and independent entities.
Your physical body (which includes memory and personality) keeps changing all the time.
But your soul stays the same. Your soul is the only thing that identifies you.

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Do souls exist?

Another argument for the existence of souls is the universal acceptance of monsters by children.
Children all over the world accept the existence of monsters. How come no child ever doubts that? Is it possible that all children have agreed to imagine these monsters? Why do most adults assume it is the product of the children's imagination? What if it isn't ?
It seems unbelievable that children all over the world have agreed to imagine those monsters.
One possible explanation is that these monsters actually exist, but not in this world. They exist in the world before birth. Children are describing memories from previous lives, previous reincarnations.
Children cannot tell the difference betweeen imagination and memories, they are told by adults that it is just their imagination, and they end up accepting and forgetting about it.
But why assume it is just imagination? There is no evidence to indicate that.
It would be very interesting if researchers all over the world thoroughly and extensively documented children's stories and descriptions. If artists would draw pictures based on children's descriptions of these monsters.
It would be an extraordinary breakthrough if unrelated children all over the world started describing exactly the same monster again and again.
It would be a powerful argument to support the idea that these monsters actually exist in another world.

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Do souls exist?

People go to funerals to wish the dead to "rest in peace" because they accept not only the existence of the soul but also the existence of the world after death, which may be one of suffering or happiness.
No matter how atheist one may be, after the death of loved ones, they have to believe in the existence of the soul. Many go to the tombs every year and talk to the tombs as if it were a living person.
People are forced to believe in the existence of the soul and the world after death because they actually exist.

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Do souls exist?

We are forced to believe in the existence of the soul not only when loved ones die, but also when we are faced with death ourselves.
At the moment of death we all will turn to religion for salvation.
Medicine will not save us.
Family and friends will not save us.
All the money in the world will not save us.
Not matter how atheist one can be, at the moment of death, we are forced to believe in the existence of the soul.

Arthur Schopenhauer, at the moment of death, cried several times: "God, oh God!".
When asked by his doctor if his philosophies included a god, he answered: "In the throes of death, I can't help thinking of God. If I am spared of this, I will certainly change all my researches"
The French atheist Voltaire, at the moment of death, cried several times: "I can see the devil! He came for me! I can see hell! Please help me!"
Japanese writer Katai Tayama, at the moment of death at 60, said: "It is too sad to die alone".
Soseki Natsume, at the moment of death at 50, said: "No, this is too terrible, I can't die now!"
Outspoken atheist Hakucho Masamune, at the moment of death, surprised everyone by saying: "Amen!".
Fervent christian Doppo Kunikida, at the moment of death, said in tears: "I can't pray!"

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What if the soul didn't exist?

If the soul didn't exist, we should all commit suicide because life would be meaningless.

Japanese writer Ryūnosuke Akutagawa thought intensely about life, then committed suicide at the age of 35.
Osamu Dazai, after writing the book "人間失格" (Disqualified to be human), committed suicide at the age of 38.
Buddha Siddhartha said "人生は苦なり", life is suffering, life is a succession of painful events.
What kind of happiness can we expect from this world?
What people usually call happiness in Buddhism is called Relative Happiness.
Relative Happiness is not true happiness because there is no satisfaction, there is no security, there is no continuance.

No matter how much you have, you can never get satisfaction with Relative Happiness.
If you don't have, you want it.
If you have it, you want more.
The more you have, the more you want.
The more you have, the more dissatisfied you become.
The human desires are insatiable.
How much money do you need to be satisfied?
Would all the money in the world be enough?
How beautiful does your wife need to be for you to be satisfied?
Would all the women in the world be enough?
How long does it take before boredom comes after the excitement of marriage?
Sick people suffer because of their diseases. But are healthy people happy with their health? How many healthy people in the world commit suicide?
No matter what you do, no matter how much you have, you can never get satisfaction.

There is no security with Relative Happiness.
The more you have, the more afraid you become of losing what you have.
The richer you are, the more your house resembles a prison.
The more beautiful the woman, the more insecure she is.
The richer you are, the more suspicious you become of other people.
The more you have, the greater is the fear.

Finally there is no continuance in Relative Happiness.
In Buddhism this is called 諸行無常 (shogyō mujō).
諸行 (shogyō) means "all things in this world".
無常 (mujō) means "inconstant" , "impermanent".
All things in this world are inconstant, impermanent.
Nothing lasts forever. Everything is momentary, fleeting, ephemeral.
Everything is constantly changing. The change may be abrupt or very slow but nothing stays the same.
Nothing is true in this world.
Buddhism defines TRUTH as something that never changes, no matter the place, no matter the time.
For example when a boyfriend says "I love you" to a girfriend, that is not really true love, because it may change. True love must never change no matter what.
Because nothing stays the same, all happpiness sooner or later becomes suffering.
Healthy people become sick.
Young people become old.
Beautiful people become ugly.
All happiness becomes suffering.
If you think intensely about the future, all you can see is suffering.
You are going to see all your friends and family die.
You are going to lose everything you have.
You are going to see your own body become sick and old and ugly.

No one was born to suffer.
We all are looking for happiness.
True Happiness MUST EXIST somewhere.
That is why we are alive, that is why we were born, that is why we must not commit suicide.
True Happiness must be permanent, something that not even death can take away from us.

Buddhism teaches us how to obtain this True Happiness.

----------------
What is the soul?

In Buddhism the soul is called 阿頼耶識 (arayashiki).
Araya or alaya means "storage", "deposit".
"Himalaya" means deposit of snow.
The arayashiki stores our karma, or 業 (gō).
Karma is an indestructible, invisible form of energy which is the result of our actions.
This is called 身口意の三業 (shin-ku-i no sangō).
身(shin) means body.
口(ku) means mouth.
意(i) means mind.
三業 (sangō) means 3 karmas.

There are 3 kinds of actions: actions of the mind, actions of the mouth, and actions of the body.
Every single thought you have is an action of the mind.
Every single word you say is an action of the mouth.
Every single movement you do is an action of the body.

All those action are converted to an invisible, indestructible form of energy, the karma, and are stored in your arayashiki.

The karma becomes the cause for everything that happens in your life, according to the Principle of Cause and Effect.

善因善果 ( zen in zen ka )
悪因悪果 ( aku in aku ka )
自因自果 ( ji in ji ka )

因 (in) means "cause".
果 (ka) means "effect".

Good causes produce good effects.
Bad causes produce bad effects.
One's causes produce one's effects.

The karma stays in the arayashiki until 縁 (en) appears, producing the effect.
縁 (en) are the external conditions necessary to produce the effect.

Karma (cause) can be compared to a seed.
縁 (en) can be said to be all the external conditions necessary for the seed to germinate and grow.
The resultant fruit is the effect.
The effect is the result of karma plus 縁 (en).

The arayashiki contains all our actions since an infinite past.
Because our actions in the present determine the infinite future, the arayashiki contains both our infinite future and infinite past.

In the sutra 因果経 (ingakyō), buddha Siddhartha says:
"If you want to know the future, look at the present."
"If you want to know the past, also look at the present."
The present is the key that unlocks both the future and the past.
The present is the point of intersection of 2 infinities: the infinite past and the infinite future. The infinite past and the infinite future are contained in the very present instant.

"Know thyself", said the ancient Greeks.
There is nothing more important than self-knowledge.

By looking at your own soul at the present moment,  you will be able to see every single thought, word, action you did in all your previous reincarnations since an infinite past.
You will also be able to see the world after death.

------------------
If the afterlife didn't exist, then there would be no problem in committing suicide.
If suicide is OK, then murder is also OK. They both mean the death of a human being.
Murder is the most heinous of all crimes.
If murder is OK, then any other crime, like rape and stealing also becomes OK.

---------
Why is death so terrifying?

Is it because the afterlife doesn't exist?
Is it because the afterlife is heaven?
The only possible explanation is that the afterlife is hell.

-------------------
Let's suppose a doctor tells you that you have a terrible disease and need to take a certain medicine.

Would you demand proof?

The doctor may do his best to convince you about his diagnosis and treatment.

But unhappily a definitive proof may not exist.
Even if it existed, you may not be able to understand it.
Even if you could understand it, the proof itself is useless.
The proof is just academic, to satisfy intellectual curiosity.
The proof itself will not save you.
No matter how convinced you are, if you don't take the medicine you are going to die.
By demanding proof you are just delaying the treatment.
And eventually it will be too late.

It is natural to be suspicious. The doctor may be lying. Or maybe he is just wrong. The medicine may be fake.
But there is a limit to it. After a certain point, you have to decide  to trust or not the doctor.

The definitive proof can be obtained after you take the medicine and get cured.
That is the moment you can actually see the doctor was telling the truth.

Many people in the history of Buddhism were saved by buddha Amida, and dedicated their entire lives promoting Buddhism and the salvation by buddha Amida.
法然上人 (Hōnen Shōnin, 1133 - 1212) was  saved by buddha Amida at the age of 43 and died at 80.
親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin, 1173 - 1262) was  saved by buddha Amida at the age of 29 and died at 90.
蓮如上人 (Rennyo Shōnin,  1415 - 1499) was saved by buddha Amida and died at 85.
Kentetsu Takamori was saved by buddha Amida approximately at the age of 20. He is still alive and is the founder of Jōdo Shinshu Shinrankai.

All  these people are living proofs of Buddhism.

----------------
Can you explain color to a blind man?

No matter how much you explain, the blind man may never understand or accept your explanations. For him all your explanations would sound like fairy tale.

The only way for him to really understand is by curing his blindness.
When he is able to see for himself, he will finally accept and admit you were telling the truth.

The same thing happens with Buddhism.
In Buddhism there is a word called 開眼 (kaigan) which literally means "open the eyes". Of course it is not the eyes of the physical body, but the eyes of the soul.

The eyes of the soul of human beings are closed.
That is why we cannot see the worlds after death.
We can neither see the hell, nor the world of buddha Amida.

But when we are saved by buddha Amida, the eyes of the soul open, and we can see for ourselves all the worlds described by Buddhism.
That is the moment all doubts and suspicions about Buddhism disappear and we can finally admit Buddhism was true.

For people who have not yet been saved, Buddhism will always sound like fairy tale. There will always be doubts and suspicions.

But Buddhism describes in detail the world we are living, and the nature of the human soul.
These are things we can actually confirm.

-------------
Are humans evil or good?

Buddhism says that human beings are evil, that is why the afterlife is hell.

Humans beings are made of 煩悩 (bonnō).
煩悩 (bonnō) is made of 108 parts.
Temples in Japan ring their bells 108 times at New Year's Eve.
This number comes from the number of parts 煩悩 (bonnō) is made of.
Of all these 108, the worst 3 are called 三毒の煩悩 (sandoku no bonnō):
欲 (yoku) desire
怒り (ikari) anger
愚痴 (guchi) ignorance (hatred, jealousy, envy)

There are 5 kinds of desire:
食欲 (shokuyoku) desire to eat
色欲 (shikiyoku)  sexual desire
名誉欲 (meiyoyoku) desire to be praised
睡眠欲 (suiminyoku) desire to sleep
財欲 (zaiyoku) desire for money or power

Buddha Siddhartha describes, in a parable, desire as a blue dragon, anger as a red dragon, ignorance as a black dragon.
The color blue represents depth. If you go to the sea, the deeper the place, the bluer the water seems to be. Human desires are deep, bottomless, insatiable.
The color red is because humans literally get red when angry due to the blood flow.
The color black is the color of the human soul when filled with hatred, jealousy, envy, resentment.

Everything humans do, every day, is to satisfy those desires.
When something prevents them from satisfying those desires, they get angry.
When they must show anger, they feel 愚痴 (guchi).

In the sutra 大無量寿経 (daimuryōju kyō) it is written:
心常念悪 (shin jō nen naku ) the mind constantly thinks evil
口常言悪 (ku jō gon naku ) the mouth constantly says evil
身常行悪 (shin jō gyō aku ) the body constantly does evil
曽無一善 (zō mu ichi zen ) humans have never done a single good deed

This is the description of every human being on the planet.
The mouth and body are slaves of the mind. If the mind has evil thoughts then the mouth and body will do evil deeds.
What is the mind thinking all the time?
The mind is thinking of 煩悩 (bonnō).

---------------
Prince Siddhartha abandoned the castle at the age of 29 to do ascetic practices.
He achieved the wisdom of buddha at the age of 35.
This is a story when he was still doing ascetic practices.

A dove came flying from the sky.
"Please help me! I  am being attacked by an eagle!"
Siddhartha very gently hid the dove in his pocket.
Soon after, a starving eagle came from the sky, searching around eagerly.
"Excuse me. Did you see a dove passing nearby?"
"Yes. It is inside my pocket."
"Thank heavens!! I am saved! Please give it to me. I am starving! If I let it go, I am certainly going to die!"

To save the eagle, Siddhartha must sacrifice the dove. To save the dove, he must let the eagle die.
Faced with the dilemma, Siddhartha made a crucial decision.

"Eagle! Does it need to be a dove to save you from hunger?"
"No. It just needs to be meat. Any kind of meat. It doesn't need to be a dove."

Siddhartha then sliced a piece of his own thigh with a knife and gave it to the eagle.
But that was not enough. He then started slicing several pieces from several places of his own body.

Finally the eagle was satisfied, thanked deeply and went away.
The dove also thanked profusely and went away.
Siddhartha saw both birds surviving and felt happy.

It is noble to teach the eagle compassion.
The dove also must learn 諦観 (taikan, to see the future).
But Buddha Siddhartha travelled the most difficult and suffering path.
That is the best and noblest of all paths.
----------------
Lots of people post comments talking about "anatta".
Since I learned Buddhism in Japanese, I am not familiar with this term, but possibly it is related to 無我(muga).

Kentetsu Takamori mentions this term briefly in his books.
In the book 光に向かって:
歴然として私が無い、この因果の大道理を深信し日々精進する、これが仏法者であり、親鸞学徒である。

無我(muga) literally means "no  I".
因果の大道理 (inga no dai dōri) means  the Principle of Cause and Effect.
深信 (jinshin) means to "to believe deeply".

A buddha is a living being that achieved the highest level of wisdom by finding the Truth of the Universe.
And the Truth of the Universe is the Principle of Cause and Effect.
The Principle of Cause and Effect is explained in the sutra 因果経 (inga kyō):

善因善果 (zen in zen ka) If you sow good seeds, you will reap good fruits.
悪因悪果 (aku in akka) If you sow bad seeds, you will reap bad fruits.
自因自果 (ji in ji ka) You reap what you sow.

If you give happiness, you will receive happiness.
If you give suffering, you will receive suffering.
The only way to receive happiness is by giving happiness.

A buddha is a person who knows and follows the Principle of Cause and Effect and works incessantly to make other people happy.
A buddha is free to go wherever he wants, but he is not free to do whatever he wants.
He is bound by the Principle of Cause and Effect to do good deeds.
He is forced to obey the Principle of Cause and Effect.
He cannot do whatever he wants. He is not allowed to do evil deeds.
If you give suffering, you will receive suffering.
A buddha can see the future and the consequences of his actions if he does evil deeds.

He is 無我(muga),  because he is not free to do what he wants.

That is the meaning of the word  無我(muga).
----------------
Buddhism says we need to be grateful to be human because it is extremely difficult to be born as human being.
In the sutra 雑阿含経 (zōagon kyō) there is the famous parable of the blind turtle and the floating log.

Imagine a blind turtle at the bottom of the ocean that rises to the surface only once every 100 years.  On the surface there is a floating tree log with a hole just large enough for the turtle's head.
Is it possible for this turtle to raise its head exactly at the log's hole?
One of the disciples of Buddha called  阿難 (Anan), answered that it was hard to believe. Buddha Siddhartha then replied that anyone would think that it is extremely difficult. But we cannot say it is absolutely impossible.
The turtle rises only once every 100 years. Moreover it is blind, so it cannot see the floating log.
The log is floating in the vast ocean. It doesn't stay in one place, it is carried by the waves.
Even if the turtle rose to the surface billions of times, for trillions of years, that could still not be enough for it to hit the hole.

To be born as human being is even more difficult.

The word "thank you" in Japanese is 有難う (arigatō) and it comes from the word 有難い(arigatai), which means "something difficult to happen".
We need to be grateful to be born as human being because it is extremely difficult to happen.
Fishes and insects may spawn hundreds of eggs at once. The probability of being born as an insect or a fish is much greater than being born as a human being.

But only human beings can listen to Buddhism, be saved by buddha Amida,  and achieve Absoute Happiness. Dogs and cats cannot listen to Buddhism.
That is why we must not commit suicide, no matter how painful life can be.
-----------
In the sutra 大無量寿経 (daimuryōjukyō) it is written
一向専念無量寿仏 (ikko sennen muryōjubutsu)
Believe only in buddha Amida.
無量寿仏(muryōjubutsu) is another name for buddha Amida.
一向専念 (ikko sennen) means "to believe only"

In the sutra 般舟経 (hanjūkyō) it is written
三世の諸仏は、弥陀三昧を念じて等正覚になる
(sanze no shobutsu wa, mida zanmai wo nenjite, tōshōkaku ni naru)
All buddhas in the universe have (or will ) become buddha through the force of buddha Amida.

三世(sanze) means the 3 worlds: the present world, the future world, the past world.
三世の諸仏 (sanze no  shobutsu) means all buddhas in all 3 worlds: present, past and future. It means all buddhas that exist now and all buddhas that will appear in the future.
弥陀三昧を念じて (mida zanmai wo nenjite) means "by the force of buddha Amida".
等正覚 (tōshōkaku) means the wisdom of buddha.

Throughout the history of Buddhism many people have been saved by buddha Amida.
法然上人 (Hōnen Shōnin, 1133 - 1212) was  saved by buddha Amida at the age of 43 and died at 80.
親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin, 1173 - 1262) was  saved by buddha Amida at the age of 29 and died at 90.
蓮如上人 (Rennyo Shōnin,  1415 - 1499) was saved by buddha Amida and died at 85.
Kentetsu Takamori was saved by buddha Amida approximately at the age of 20. He is still alive and is the founder of Jōdo Shinshu Shinrankai.

All these people spent their whole lives promoting Buddhism and the salvation by buddha Amida.
--------------
There are 2 types of Buddhism:

聖道 (shōdō), also called 自力 (jiriki) or 方便 (hōben)
and
浄土(jōdo), also called 他力 (tariki) or 真実 (shinjitsu).

Shōdō Buddhism  says that the cause of suffering is 煩悩 (bonnō), so we must remove bonnō from the body by doing 修行 (shugyō or ascetic practices).
But shōdō buddhism is not the true path for salvation and buddha Siddhartha himself predicted its decline.
Buddha Siddhartha  predicted that the first 500 years after his death would be called 正法(shōbō).
The next 1,000 years would  be called 像法(zōhō).
The next 10,000 years would be called 末法 (mappō).
The following years would be called 法滅 (hōmetsu).

In the shōbō era, the 教(kyō), the 行(gyō), and  証(shō) would exist.
In the zōhō era, only 教(kyō) and the 行(gyō) would exist.
In the mappō era, only 教(kyō) would exist.
In the hōmetsu era, all 3 (教, 行, 証) would completely disappear.

教(kyō) means the buddhist sutras that teach shōdō buddhism.
行(gyō) means the people who can follow the teachings of shōdō buddhism.
証(shō) means the people who were saved by the shōdō buddhism.

We are right now in the Mappō era.

Jōdo Buddhism says that it is impossible to remove 煩悩 (bonnō) from the body, the real cause of suffering is something called 無明の闇 (mumyō no yami), and the only way to be saved is by the force of buddha Amida.
--------------
Is the life force contained within me to be considered a soul, at least for the purposes of making me uniquely suffering in samsara?
Yes.

Should I even desire that this life force be re-transmitted into another lifetime in which I suffer less?
No.
The end of suffering needs to be in this lifetime, not in the next.
The end of suffering needs to be complete and absolute, not  partial.
親鸞聖人 (Shinran Shōnin, 1173 - 1262) was  saved by buddha Amida at the age of 29 and died at 90.
法然上人 (Hōnen Shōnin, 1133 - 1212) was  saved by buddha Amida at the age of 43 and died at 80.

親鸞聖人は、「南無阿弥陀仏を称れば、この世の利益きわもなし、流転輪廻の罪消えて、定業中夭のぞこりぬ」と仰言って、これは信心獲得して、念仏すれば、この世の利益は限りなく、当然受けねばならぬ業報も、若死することなく、天寿を全うすることが出来るのだと言われています。
If you are saved by buddha Amida, the cause of 流転輪廻 (ruten rinne, transmigration of the soul) disappears, the suffering you were supposed to receive in this lifetime (業報, goho) also disappears, and you can die of old age (天寿を全う).
If you are saved by buddha Amida, you get rid of all suffering, don't get sick anymore, don't suffer accidents, get to be respectd by all people, and after death you are born in the world of buddha Amida (極楽浄土), free to go wherever you please.
---------------
釈迦の前に仏なし、釈迦の後に仏なし
Shaka no mae ni hotoke nashi, shaka no ato ni hotoke nashi.
"No buddha before Shaka, no buddha after Shaka."

On Earth, Buddha Siddhartha (Shaka) was the only person in human history to reach the maximum level of wisdom, the level 52, called 仏陀 (buddha).

But in this vast universe there are more buddhas than grains of sand in the Ganges river. They are called　恒河沙諸仏 (gōgasha shobutsu)。
恒河 (gōga) means Ganges river.
沙 (sha) is sand.

Buddha Amida is also called 無上仏 (mujōbutsu), which means "supreme buddha". He is the supreme buddha of all buddhas in the universe.
Buddha Amida has promised to save all living beings in the universe to the Absolute Happiness. His promise is called 本願 (hongan) and it is written in the sutra 大無量寿経 (daimuryōjukyō).
It is so important that Jōdo Shinshu is also called 本願寺 (honganji).
Jōdo Shinshu is also called 一向宗 (ikkōshū), because of the phrase
一向専念無量寿仏 (ikko sennen muryōjubutsu).
無量寿仏 (muryōjubutsu) is another name for buddha Amida.
一向専念 means to "believe only in".
It means to believe only in buddha Amida. Only buddha Amida has the power to save humanity. No other buddha, god or bosatsu can save us.

In order to be saved by buddha Amida you need to follow the promises of buddha Amida.
In total there are 48 promises, but only 3 are meant for human beings: the 18th, the 19th, and the 20th.
The 18th promise is the most important of all and says we are saved when we receive the 信心 (shinjin). 信心 in modern Japanese is translated as "faith", but its original meaning is "true soul". Buddha Amida promises to give us his own soul to save us.

Unhappily human beings are conceited, vain, proud, egotistical, self-important. Human beings believe to be good and virtuous, with the power to save themselves.
In order to show that human beings are evil, unable to save themselves, buddha Amida created the 19th, and the 20th promises.

In the 19th promise, buddha Amida urges us to practice all kinds of good deeds (諸善, shozen).
In the 20th promise, buddha Amida tells us to do the 念仏 (nenbutsu). Nenbutsu means to say 南無阿弥陀仏 (namu amidabutsu).

The more we try to be nice and good to people, the more we find out we are evil and selfish.
The more we try to be patient, the angrier we become.
The more we try to be compassionate, the more we find out we can only hate people.

When we see we are completely evil, unable to perform a single good deed, condenmed to fall to hell, we abandon all delusions of saving ourselves, and we are able to entrust budha Amida completely.

That is the instant buddha Amida gives us his own soul and saves us.
---------------
commenter
"It is extremely dangerous to say the soul doesn't exist."
"It is extremely dangerous to say the afterlife doesn't exist."
since this is asserted with so much certitude, I would be interested in reviewing your scientific sources. could you cite them please?

hisao
Everybody is looking for happiness, even people who commit suicide. They believe they will be happier dead than alive. They believe the afterlife doesn't exist or it is paradise. But that is a  terrible mistake.
If people believed the afterlife is hell, much worse than this life, they wouldn't commit suicide.

commenter
you still haven't explained your opinion why not believing would be a terrible mistake.

hisao
Don't you think suicide is a terrible mistake?

commenter
well, it would depend on the circumstances, but it would never be a mistake for the reasons you are proposing. You say that something terrible will happen to us after we die. when we die, we are dead, that's all there's to it

hisao
If suicide is OK, then you also think it is OK to kill people?

commenter
I never said suicide is OK, I said it depends on the circumstances, just like with killing people. If a police man can only save a girl from being raped by shooting the 7'10 350lbs rapist, than yes, he should kill him. 

hisao
You said "when we die, we are dead". What is the problem of committing suicide?

commenter
you have a problem with it

hisao
I am sorry, I am trying to understand you. If the soul doesn't exist, if the afterlife doesn't exist, there would be no problem in committing suicide. If the human being just disappears after death, what is the problem in commiting suicide? 

commenter
there is a problem once you understand that this life is the only life we have. there is no afterlife. Try to live your life to the fullest and fill it with meaning and happiness as much as you can, because when it is over, the party will go on, but without you. So suicide, being a personal choice, is unwise because life is too precious to waste. on the other hand, life can also be unbearable through pain, unhappiness, loneliness...people that decide to end their lives do this out of personal choice and after consideration of the circumstances. it's a personal choice, and unless you are causing grave disadvantage to others with your suicide, it is just as much part of a person's right to choose their own path as is sexuality or philosophy 

hisao
Why is life precious? What kind of meaning and happiness are there?
If you think intensely about the future, all you can see is suffering.
You are going to see all your friends and family die.
You are going to lose everything you have.
You are going to see your own body become sick and old and ugly.

commenter
that is the same in your world view. you'll also see everyone die. you'll also grow old. death is as much a part of our existence as is life. You have to accept that, in stead of creating a fantasy in which you won't actually die, but will live forever after death. This wishful thinking degrades the life we have to something temporary, meaningless and inferior.
Imagine your favorite food. What gives you more pleasure eating it? if you have only a small portion, just once in a while? or plate after plate after plate, all you can eat until you're fed up with it? I think this is how we should treat life. Not something that we have in abundance, a never ending source of indulgence, but something precious, to be savored and enjoyed modestly, for it is short lived and fleeting

hisao
The fact that life is short-lived and fleeting doesn't make it precious, especially if it is unbearable through pain, unhappiness, loneliness.
So you think it is OK for people to commit suicide if life is unbearable through pain, unhappiness, loneliness?

commenter
again, not in all circumstances, but as a personal choice (if it doesn't cause disadvantage to others) it should be respected. And if there's no heaven to enjoy, there's also no hell to fear. life just ends...how you lived your life will determine how you affected others and how you will be remembered. that's the afterlife...life after you

hisao
And you also see no problem about killing people? As long as there is a reason?

commenter
please don't put words in my mouth. killing is never OK. depending on the circumstances, it can be permissible, even required if it prevents an even greater injustice.

hisao
You said "If a police man can only save a girl from being raped by shooting the 7'10 350lbs rapist, than yes, he should kill him. "
So if there is a reason is it  OK to kill people?

commenter
you are trying to simplify this to the point where it's black and white. The police officer will never feel good about having to shoot the rapist, the girl will never feel good about him being shot, nobody will feel better at any point. But if shooting the rapist was unavoidable to save the girl (even more extreme, he was raping and strangling her. shooting him was absolutely necessary to save her life), than nobody will accuse the police of being a murderer. he will have done his duty, and what was morally unavoidable. It will always have to be ascertained according to the circumstances, and according to what a decent secular society is in consensus on

hisao
I am just following the logical conclusion.
If there is no afterlife, then it is OK to commit suicide.
Also it is OK to kill people.
So is it also OK to rape people?
Life is short-lived and fleeting.
My life is precious and I need to live my life to the fullest and fill it with meaning and happiness as much as I can.
The girl I rape may feel pain, yes, but I can just kill her, so her pain will be brief.

commenter
You are either willfully misinterpreting out willfully ignorant. In both cases it makes you a troll

hisao
I am just following the inevitable logical conclusion.
If afterlife doesn't exist, then it becomes OK to commit suicide, to kill people, to rape and kill and steal.
There would be no sense in treating patients and prolonging life, if people got sick we could just kill them.
A person spending his entire life raping and killing would have exactly the same fate as a person who helped other people. They both die and disappear. Do you think it is fair? Do you call this justice?

commenter
"If afterlife doesn't exist, then it becomes OK to commit suicide, to kill people, to rape and kill and steal." this is your personal conclusion, I don't see how it is based on what I said in any way. You seem so eager to make your point, you are plucking conclusions out of thin air.

hisao
Is it OK for people to commit suicide if life is unbearable through pain, unhappiness, loneliness?
Is it OK for a policeman to shoot a rapist to save a girl?
Is it OK for me to steal and kill to save my own life?

commenter
I wouldn't be the judge of that unless I had intimate knowledge about the circumstances, however I could understand if the answer were deemed to be yes. If you say you had to kill to save your life, unless I knew the exact situation, I couldn't correctly ascertain whether indeed it was your last option to kill. what suicide is concerned, what is unbearable torment for one might be a slight inconvenience to others. Suicide, murder, stealing...these are hardly comparable. totally different things that require a totally different assessment to determine what is right and wrong.
don't think black and white, it limits your scope on the world

hisao
Why worry about right and wrong if the afterlife doesn't exist? What is the problem of spending my life killing and raping if after death I just disappear?

commenter
we'll, I guess if the only thing stopping you is your flimsy belief in an afterlife, than I guess nothing much is stopping you. You haven't heard anything I said and keep seeing conclusions where there are none. you are unable and unwilling to change your position. this discussion is over

commenter
why go to the doctor if this life is only a rehearsal? why postpone going to heaven? what you are accusing us of is exactly what one would think would happen when you believe in an afterlife. You explain why you wouldn't go around killing? the person you murdered will go to heaven, so what's the problem?

hisao
Buddhism absolutely prohibits suicide. People who commit suicide are throwing themselves to hell. There is nothing more stupid.
That is exactly why we must not kill other people. Killing people is sending people to hell.
That is why Buddhism considers the medical profession a sacred one.
Doctors are literally saving patients from falling to hell.

commenter
well, since buddhism is based on faith without evidence, it has as much merit as any other religion. you are judging people and forcing your worldview based on your personal, unfounded opinion.

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What does Buddhism say about suicide?

Buddhism absolutely prohibits suicide. People who commit suicide are throwing themselves to hell. There is nothing more stupid.

It is extremely dangerous to say the soul doesn't exist.
It is extremely dangerous to say the afterlife doesn't exist.
It is extremely dangerous to say the afterlife is paradise.
People may believe and commit suicide, thinking it is better to be dead than alive.
If people knew the afterlife is hell, much worse than this life, they wouldn't commit suicide.

Over one million people commit suicide every year all over the world.
Most of them are not suffering mental disorder.
Every human being on the planet has thought or will think of suicide.
Children are not the only ones to suffer from bullying.
Adults are bullied all the time by their bosses, co-workers, employees, even family and friends.
When the pressure is too much, people just give up on living.

Buddha Siddhartha said 人生は苦なり (jinsei wa ku nari), "Life is suffering".

善導大師 (Zendō Daishi, 613 - 681) said:
四方八方眺むれど　唯愁嘆の声のみぞ聞く。
(shihō happō nagamuredo, tada shūtan no koe nomi zo kiku)
"Everywhere I look, I can only hear the voice of anguish".

All human beings on the planet are suffering.
But no one wants to suffer. Everybody is looking for happiness.
Even people who commit suicide. They believe they will be happier dead than alive. They believe the afterlife doesn't exist or it is paradise. But that is a  terrible mistake.

Buddha Siddhartha was walking along a river with his disciples when he saw a young girl. She was putting rocks in the pockets of her dress. She was preparing to commit suicide.
Very gently buddha Siddhartha asked why she was doing that.
Realizing it was buddha, she confessed everything. She fell in love for a man, got pregnant, but was then abandoned by him. Worrying about the future of her unborn child, she decided to take her own life and asked buddha to let her go.
Buddha Siddhartha, in spite of feeling pity for her, said very angrily:
"You are a fool! I will teach with a parable.
Once upon a time a bull was suffering for having to pull a wooden cart every day.
He thought and concluded that the cart was the cause of his suffering.
He then destroyed the cart by crashing it to a large rock.
His owner then built a metal cart, much heavier and stronger, for him to pull.
The bull deeply regreted his decision.
You think that by destroying your own body you will be happy? You will just fall to the most terrible hell!"

The girl then became a disciple of buddha and was saved afterward by buddha Amida.
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The age of the universe is not finite. The universe has always existed since an infinite past and will continue to exist to an infinite future.
There are in total 10 worlds (or realms).
Six of them are worlds of suffering.
人間界 (ningenkai) the world of human beings
修羅界 (shūrakai) the world of war
地獄界 (jigokukai) the world of hell
天上界 (tenjōkai) the world of celestial beings
餓鬼界 (gakikai) the world of hunger
畜生界 (chikushōkai) the world of animals

We are trapped in the 6 worlds of suffering. We keep repeating the cycle of birth and death in these 6 worlds.
The cycle of reincarnation is called 流転輪廻 (ruten rinne) or 六道輪廻 (rokudō rinne). This is often translated as "transmigration of the soul".
People who keep repeating the cycle of birth and death are called 生死 (shōji). 生 means birth. 死 means death.
人間界 (ningenkai) is the only world where it is possible to listen to Buddhism and be saved.
地獄界 (jigokukai)  is the next world of reincarnation. It is the most painful of all worlds.
畜生界 (chikushōkai) is the only other world we can see. All other worlds are invisible to us.
天上界 (tenjōkai) is the world with the least pain.

Of the remaining 4 worlds, one of them is 極楽浄土 (Gokuraku Jōdo) the world of buddha Amida.
The other 3 worlds are worlds of 菩薩 (bosatu).

What Buddhism calls 人間界 (ningenkai) includes humans beings on Earth. But Earth is not the only planet with beings capable of listening to Buddhism. Earth is a mere speck of dust compared to the universe.

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Why Buddhism urges people to do good deeds?

So you can see your own soul and the world after death.
If you are a good person the world after death will be paradise.
If you are a bad person the world after death will be hell.
Buddhism urges people to practice good deeds so they can know if they are good or bad.
We all believe to be good but that is a mistake.
Buddhism says that human beings are evil, moved by desire, anger and hatred, and because of that the world after death is hell. That is why death is the worst suffering in life.
By looking at your own soul, you are saved by buddha Amida and achieves Absolute Happiness. You will be able to see the worlds after death, including the paradise of buddha Amida. 
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Does god exist?

No. Buddhism says that god doesn't exist.
When we say "god", most people understand the god described in Christianity, the omnipotent creator, able to perform miracles.

According to Buddhism the universe has always existed since an infinite past, and will continue to exist to an infinite future. There was never a creation, there will never be an end of the universe, there is no creator. This is called 無始無終 (mushi mushū), "no beginning, no end".
There is no god that created the universe, the universe was not created by anyone.

Buddhism says that miracles don't exist. A "miracle" is an effect without a cause. Everything in the universe follows the Principle of cause and effect. For every effect there must be a cause. It is impossible to have an effect without a cause. The cause may be unknown but it is never non-existent.

It is impossible to have an omnipotent being. No one in the universe is omnipotent. It leads to a paradox.
In ancient China a stupid man was selling shields and lances.
"This shield (盾) can stop any lance. And this lance (矛) can penetrate any shield!!"
A customer then asked: "what happens if you use that lance against that shield??"
That is the origin of the word 矛盾 (mujun), "paradox".
An omnipotent being should be able to create such a lance and shield, leading to a paradox.

The idea of "god" was invented by the pre-historic man to hide his own ignorance.  For everything he couldn't explain, instead of honestly saying "I don't know", he would say "it is god's will". God is just a lame excuse to hide one's own ignorance.

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If god doesn't exist, what should we believe in ?
Buddhism says we have to believe in the Principle of Cause and Effect.

善因善果 (zen in zen ka) good seeds produce good fruits.
悪因悪果 (aku in akka) bad seeds produce bad fruits
自因自果 (ji in ji ka) You reap what you sow.

The only way to achieve happiness is by doing good deeds.
If you give happiness you will receive happiness.
If you give suffering you will receive suffering.
Buddhism urges people to do good deeds.

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Buddhism is a religion whose only purpose is the salvation of the soul.
If you have a health problem you have to go to a doctor.
Never go to religion to solve a medical or health problem.
The physical body ultimately cannot be saved. Sooner or later the body will die and be buried or cremated.

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Where does that initial karma energy come from?
Buddhism says that each one of us has an invisible, indestructible soul that has existed since an infinite past and will continue to exist to an infinite future. There is no initial karma.

How can we have reincarnations since an infinite past, it is evidently finite as life only appeared on Earth approx. 2 billion years ago?
The Universe in Buddhism is called 十方微塵世界 (jippō mijin sekai).
微塵 (mijin) means "particle of dust" because the universe is so vast, the planet Earth is a mere particle of dust compared to the universe.
On planet Earth there was only one buddha, buddha Siddhartha, born in India about 2,600 years ago.
But in this vast universe there are more buddhas than grains of sands in the river Ganges. Those buddhas are called 恒河沙諸仏 (gōgasha shobutsu).
恒河 (gōga) means river Ganges.
沙 (sha) is sand.
But the total number of 生死 (shōji), people who have not yet become buddhas, far exceeds the number of buddhas.
The planet Earth is not the only planet with life in the Universe.
According to Buddhism the universe is brimming with inhabited planets, and in all those planets there are buddhas teaching Buddhism.

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金や、財産や、地位や、名声は、我々を幸福にする材料ではあるが、それがそのまま幸福ではない。
Money, fortune, social status, fame, etc, are only the ingredients of our happiness.  But they are not by themselves happiness.

幸福と幸福の材料を混同している迷信こそ、全人類を不幸のドレイにしている。
To mistake happiness and its ingredients is the illusion that causes humanity to be slave to suffering.

昔と比べれば、現代人は驚異的に物質に恵まれていながら、不安と焦燥、満たされない孤独感に悩んでいる。
Comparing to old times, modern people are impressively blessed materially, but they suffer from anxiety, impatience, unsatisfied loneliness.

材料の活殺は、それを使用する人の腕一つにかかっている。
The usefulness of the ingredients lies solely in the ability of the person using them.

その生かし方を教えたものが、真実の仏法なのである。
How to use them is exactly what True Buddhism teaches.

高森顕徹 白道燃ゆ pag 12
Kentetsu Takamori

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この一瞬の人生を如何に生くべきか、如何に死ぬべきは、これこそ一生参学の大事でなければならぬ。
How to live this momentary life, how to die, that is the most important thing in life.

「人身受け難し、今すでに受く。仏法聞き難し、今すでに聞く。この身今生に向かって度せずんば、更にいずれの生に向かって、この身を度せん」
It is difficult to be born as human, and yet I am human.
It is difficult to listen to Buddhism, and yet I am listening.
If I don't reach salvation in this life, when will I reach salvation?

まことに、永劫の迷いを断ち切り、絶対の幸福を獲得する為に生まれて来たことがひしひしと身証される。
We were born to cut the infinite illusion and obtain the Absolute Happiness.

高森顕徹 白道燃ゆ pag 4
Kentetsu Takamori

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What is the difference between good and evil?

In Buddhism the dividing line between good and evil is if it is selfish or not.
Selfishness in Buddhism is called 我利我利亡者 (garigarimōja).
Unselfishness is called 自利利他 (jiririta).
Kentetsu Takamori in his book 白道燃ゆ, tells us the following story.

Once upon a time a curious man went to Hell (地獄) just to see how things were.
He arrived there at lunch time. All inhabitants of hell were at the table ready to eat. Thinking that in Hell people wouldn't be eating well, he was surprised to see several long tables filled with all kinds of delicious foods. In spite of having plenty of food, all Hell inhabitants were starving to death.
Puzzled, the traveller looked more closely. All inhabitants had 1-meter-long forks and knives attached to their hands. The utensils were too long and they couldn't bring the food to their own mouths.

With his curiosity satisfied, the traveller then went to Gokuraku (極楽), the buddhist paradise. He arrived there just in time for dinner. As expected all buddhas were healthy and well-fed.
But the traveller was again surprised. The buddhas had exactly the same 1-meter-long forks and knives attached to their hands. How could they eat??
Then the traveller waited for the buddhas to start eating.
Instead of bringing the food to their own mouths, they were feeding the fellow buddha across the table.

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Is it right for a king to kill somebody?

There are 3 kinds of right and wrong.
The right and wrong of the laws, of the moral and of religion.

The laws and regulations of a country define right and wrong in many subjects. But usually they are restricted to what people do, and in some few occasions, to what people say.

Then we have the right and wrong defined by morals or ethics. Something may be morally wrong but not legally wrong. Moral and ethics are usually a set of rules for people to live together in harmony. Usually they define the good manners and good behaviour.

Finally we have the right and wrong defined by religion. If you do the right things, you will be saved and after death you will go to Paradise. If you do the wrong things, you will not be saved and after death you will go to Hell.
The right and wrong defined by religion is not necessarily related to morals or the laws of a country. Specially in Buddhism, what you think is more important than what you say or do.
In Buddhism it is a crime to even think of killing.
In moral it is wrong to say that you want to kill somebody.
In law it is a crime only if you actually kill somebody. Usually the police doesn't care if you just say or think of killing.

In your example the king may not be wrong according to the laws of his country, but according to Buddhism, killing another human being is a crime, and the king will have to suffer the consequences of his actions according to the Principle of Cause and Effect.

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What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a religion taught by buddha Siddhartha at about 2,600 years ago in India.
Buddhism teaches the purpose of life of all humanity, how to obtain the Absolute Happiness by solving the worst suffering of life, the suffering of death.

---------------
Is this really Buddhism?

Some people say that what I post here is not Buddhism.
In order to know if a certain proposition is Buddhism or not, we have to go to the buddhist sutras.
The buddhist sutras were written by buddha Siddhartha's disciples after his death.
There are more than 7,000 sutras. They are called 一切経 in Japanese.
Each sutra is a literal transcription of a lecture of buddha Siddhartha.
Buddha Siddhartha gave lectures on Buddhism since he became buddha at the age of 35, until his death at the age of 80.
Each sutra starts with the words 如是我聞 or 我聞如是  which means "I have heard in this way ".
Each sutra has a question posed by one of buddha's disciples.
Buddha's answer to that question becomes the content of the lecture.
The only exception is the sutra 阿弥陀経. In this sutra buddha Siddhartha simply starts to talk, without being asked by any of his disciples.
The sutras were written in ancient Sanskrit. Hundreds of years later, there was a massive effort to translate all the sutras to ancient Chinese.
All the sutras were brought to Japan by prince Shōtoku around the year 600.
Some sutras were translated to Japanese, but not all.
Hōnen Shōnin (1133 - 1212) read all the sutras several times.
Shinran Shōnin (1173 - 1262) also read all the sutras several times. Shinran Shōnin's books are filled with quotations from the sutras.

The most famous sutras are:

大無量寿経: the most important sutra of all. It is here where the 48 promises of buddha Amida are written and explained. Only this sutra will survive forever. All other sutras will disappear after the 末法 era.

阿弥陀経: explains in detail the world of buddha Amida (極楽浄土)

観無量寿経: one of the most dramatic lectures of buddha Siddhartha. It is the lecture given specifically to queen Idaike (韋提希), when she was imprisoned by her son, the prince Ajase (阿闍世), after she tried to save the king Binbashara (頻婆娑羅) of the kingdom of Magada (摩訶陀). Queen Idaike was saved by buddha Amida after listening to this lecture, becoming the very first person to be saved by Buddhism, after buddha Siddhartha.

因果経: the second lecture given by buddha Siddhartha soon after Enlightenment. It is the easiest of all sutras. It is here where the Principle of Cause and Effect is explained.

涅槃経: the last lecture of buddha Siddhartha, soon before his death at the age of 80. One of the disciples asked buddha what buddhism was, in a few words. Buddha answered: 仏法は法鏡なり, Buddhism is the mirror of Truth. The more you listen to Buddhism, the more you can see your true image.
Also in here is his final message to his disciples: 破邪顕正せざる者は仏弟子にあらず、仏法中の仇なり. The one who knows Buddhism but doesn't teach to other people, is not a disciple of Buddhism, he is an enemy of Buddhism.

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Who is buddha Amida?

阿弥陀仏(Amidabutsu) or buddha Amida is the supreme buddha.
On planet Earth there was only one buddha, buddha Siddhartha, but in this vast universe there are more buddhas than grains of sand in the river Ganges. These buddhas are called 十方諸仏 (jippō shobutsu).
The supreme master of all buddhas is buddha Amida.
All buddhas in the universe are disciples of buddha Amida.

In the sutra 大阿弥陀経 it is written: "諸仏の中の王なり、光明の中の極尊なり"
Buddha Amida is the king of all buddhas, he is the noblest of all wise beings.

Why is buddha Amida the master of all buddhas?
The answer is in the sutra 般舟経: "三世の諸仏は、弥陀三昧を念じて、等正覚になる"
All buddhas in the universe became buddhas through the force of buddha Amida.

Buddha Amida is also called 無量寿仏(muryōjubutsu).
仏(butsu) means buddha. 無量(muryō) means infinite.  寿 is short for 寿命(jumyō), often translated as "life", but it also means "compassion".
無量寿仏 means "the buddha of infinite compassion".
Buddha Amida is also called 不可思議光如来.
如来 means buddha. 不可思議 means "unimaginable".  光 is short for 光明, often translated as "light", but it also means "wisdom".
不可思議光如来 means the "buddha of unimaginable wisdom".

Shinran Shōnin wrote in his book 正信偈 (shōshinge):
"如来所以興出世　唯説弥陀本願海"
Buddha Siddhartha came to this world to teach only about the promise of buddha Amida.

Buddhism has only one purpose: to teach about the promise of buddha Amida.
Buddha Amida has promised to save all living beings in the universe to the Absolute Happiness.

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Does an omnipoten being exist?

It is impossible to have an omnipotent being.
No one in the universe is omnipotent.
It leads to a paradox.

In ancient China a stupid man was selling shields and lances.
"This shield (盾) can stop any lance. And this lance (矛) can penetrate any shield!!"
A customer then asked: "what happens if you use that lance against that shield??"

That is the origin of the word 矛盾 (paradox).
An omnipotent being should be able to create such a lance and shield, leading to a paradox.

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How to defeat death?

First we need to know why death is so terrifying.
Death is terrifying because we don't know what is going to happen after death. In Buddhism it is called 後生暗い心. 後生 means after death. 暗い means dark. 心 means soul.
When we think about death all we can see is darkness.
How can we see the world after death?
To know the future we have to look at the present.
The future is the result of the present.
The present is the cause of the future.
If you sow tomatoes, you know you will reap tomatoes.
If you are a good person, the world after death will be paradise.
If you are a bad person, the world after death will be hell.
The question then becomes: are you a good or a bad person?
Everybody believes oneself to be a good person, but that is a delusion.

In the sutra 大無量寿経(daimuryōjukyō) it is written:
心常念悪 (shin jō nen naku ) the mind constantly thinks evil
口常言悪 (ku jō gon naku ) the mouth constantly says evil
身常行悪 (shin jō gyō aku ) the body constantly does evil
曽無一善 (zō mu ichi zen ) humans have never done a single good deed

This is the description of every human being on the planet.
The mouth and body are slaves of the mind. If the mind has evil thoughts then the mouth and body will do evil deeds.
What is the mind thinking all the time?
The mind thinks of 3 things:
欲 desire
怒り anger
愚痴 ignorance (hatred, jealousy, envy)

There are 5 kinds of desire:
食欲 desire to eat
色欲 sexual desire
名誉欲 desire to be praised
睡眠欲 desire to sleep
財欲 desire for money

We try to satisfy these desires all the time. When something gets in the way, we get angry. When we cannot express anger, we feel hatred.

Buddhism urges people to do good deeds so they can see their true soul.
The more we try to do good deeds, the more we realize we are unable to do good deeds.
The more we try to love people, the more we realize we can only hate people.
When you are able to clearly see your own soul you will be able to see the world after death.
At that moment you will be saved by Buddha Amida and achieve Absolute Happiness.

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There are 8 kinds of sufferings. They are called 四苦八苦.
生苦 suffering of living
老苦 suffering of getting old
病苦 suffering of disease
死苦 suffering of dying
愛別離苦 suffering of losing loved ones
怨憎会苦 suffeing of meeting hateful ones
求不得苦 suffering of not achieving goals
五陰盛苦 suffering of having a physical body

Of all these sufferings the worst of them is the suffering of dying.
At the moment of death we lose everything.
There is nothing more terrible, more fearsome.
At the moment of death people cry in utter desperation.
The only way to achieve happiness is to defeat the worst of all sufferings.
Everything else becomes meaningless at the face of death.

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Once upon a time, the famous Mito Komon Mitsukuni was inspecting the city, after announcing a large prize for filial piety.
In this city there was an infamous man who treated his own mother very cruelly. He decided to win the prize by carrying his mother in front of Mito Komon.
When Mito Komon saw him, he shouted:

"Give the prize to that man!"

Mito Komon's aides, astonished, protested:

"Your Excellence! What are you saying?? That man is an impostor! He is trying to deceive you just to get the prize!"

Mito Komon explained:
"Yes, yes. I know. But it doesn't matter if it is a lie. It doesn't matter if it is a fake.  It doesn't matter if it is just for one day. A good deed is still a good deed, even if it is a lie. Even if it is just for one time, the important thing is that is he is being nice to his mother now. Give the prize to him!"

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Everything that happens in one's life is the result of one's own past actions. The past actions could be from a prior life, from last year, last month, last day, last second. We cannot change the past but the present is under our control. The future is determined by our actions in the present. That is why Buddhism urges people to do good deeds. That is the only way to achieve happiness.

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Do miracles exist?

Buddhism says that miracles don't exist. A miracle is an effect without a cause. Buddhism says the universe is governed by the Principle of Cause and Effect.
善因善果 (zen in zen ka) good cause produces good effect.
悪因悪果 (aku in aku ka) bad cause produces bad effect.
自因自果 (ji in ji ka) you reap what you sow.
That is why Buddhism urges people to do good deeds. That is the only way to achieve happiness. Not pray or wait for miracles.

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What happens to you is the result of your own actions. You can control your own actions.
If I do good deeds, I will receive good results.
If my neighbor does bad deeds, he will receive bad results.
It is impossible for my neighbor to do bad deeds and I receive the bad results from those deeds.

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No matter how many tsunamis there are, if I am not at the exat time and place of a tsunami, nothing will happen to me.
No matter how many rapers there are, if I am not at the exact time and place a raper attacks, nothing will happen to me.
All your actions, good and bad, are converted to karma. If you have a bad karma, your karma will pull you to the exact time and place a tragedy will happen. If you have a good karma, you may be a split second later or earlier, and nothing will happen to you.
And karma is something that you yourself created with your own actions.

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Buddhism says that each one of us has an immortal soul that has always existed since an infinite past and will always continue to exist to an infinite future. If I commit a crime now, the bad result may come immediately, may come tomorrow, may come next year, or may come a million years from now in a future life. Noboby knows when the result will come, but according to the Principle of Cause and Effect, sooner or later I will have to suffer the consequences of my actions. According to Buddhism infants are suffering the consequences of their own actions in previous lives.

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The raper, by commiting a crime, will also have to suffer the consequences of his actions. But according to Buddhism , the infant is not innocent either. Why does the infant need to be exactly at the time and place a raper attacks? Even if the world were infested with rapers, if the infant is not at exactly the time and place the raper attacks, nothing will happen to the infant.
Jack the Ripper was never arrested, judged or punished.
Hitler was never arrested, judged, or punished.
But Buddhism says they will suffer the consequences of their actions.
If not in this life, it will be in a future life, after death.
Maybe the infant is the reincarnation of Hitler, or Jack the Ripper.
We only receive what we give.
If I receive happiness, it is because I gave happiness.
If I receive suffering, it is because I gave suffering.

I am not condoning rape or prostitution. It is possible to minimize those crimes with better education, better police, better policies, better technologies, etc. But the infant will still have to suffer the consequences of his/her actions. If it is not by rape, it will be by something else. All we did was postpone or change the kind of suffering the infant will receive.

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What is the Principle of Cause and Effect?

The Principle of Cause and Effect is the fundamental principle of Buddhism and also the truth of the Universe. It was taught in the sutra of Cause and Effect (因果経 ingakyō), the second lecture by buddha Siddhartha soon after his Enlightenment, and is the easiest sutra of all.

The Principle of Cause and Effect is stated in only 3 sentences:

善因善果 (zen in zen ka) good cause, good effect
悪因悪果 (aku in aku ka) bad cause, bad effect
自因自果 (ji in ji ka) one's cause, one's effect

If you do good deeds, you will receive good results.
If you do evil deeds, you will receive bad results.
The person who does the deeds is the same person who receives the results.

If you sow seeds of orange, you will reap oranges.
It is impossible to sow seed of orange and reap apples.
It is impossible for one person to sow and another person to reap.

If you give happiness, you will receive happiness.
If you give suffering, you will receive suffering.
It is impossible to receive suffering without having given suffering.
The only way to receive happiness is by giving happiness.

Let's suppose you are a law-abiding citizen who was crossing the street and then was run over by a drunk driver that ignored the red sign. In this case who is to blame? What did you do to deserve this? It seems clear that you are innocent and the drunk driver is guilty and responsible for your suffering.

But Buddhism has a different interpretation. It is impossible to receive suffering without having done something wrong in the past.

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What is the meaning of life?

According to Buddhism, every living being in the Universe is looking for Happiness.
Happiness is the purpose of life of every living being.
The only way to achieve Happiness is by defeating the worst of all sufferings.
The worst of all sufferings is the suffering of death.
We are afraid of dying because we don't know what happens after death.
The future is the result of the present. If you do good deeds, you will have a future of happiness, if you do evil deeds, you will have a future of suffering.
In order to know if the world after death is hell or paradise, you need to know if you are a good or bad person.
To know yourself you need to practice good deeds.
The more you practice good deeds the more you get to know your soul is filled with desire, anger and hatred.
Complete self-knowledge allows you to see the world after death and achieve Absolute Happiness.

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According to Buddhism your future is determined by your own actions in the present, as predicted by the Principle of Cause and Effect, if you do good deeds you will receive good results, if you do evil deeds you will receive evil results.
Human beings are selfish, they have insatiable desires, they always want more and more, the more you have the more you want. When they can't satisfy these desires they get angry. And then they feel hatred, resentment, jealousy.
The world after death is a world we ourselves are creating with our own actions in the present.
If you look into your soul you will be able to see the world after death.
The human soul is a dark place, with dissatisfaction, insecurity, loneliness, hatred, resentment and fear.
The purpose of Buddhism is to solve the problem of the human soul.
The human soul is solved when saved by Buddha Amida.  People saved by Buddha Amida have received the wisdom and compassion of Buddha Amida. Their souls are reborn.
They have the knowledge of the Principle of Cause and Effect, that says that the only way to receive happiness is by giving happiness.
Buddhas are unselfish. They only think about making other people happy.
Buddhas will do anything to make other people happy, even sacrificing their own lives.
Buddhas have no fear of dying. Buddhas have no fear at all. They are willing to die for the happiness of other people.
By being unselfish, Buddhas have no fear, no dissatisfaction, no insecurity, no loneliness, no hatred.

The knowledge of the Principle of Cause and Effect makes Buddhas unselfish.
By being unselfish Buddhas have no fear of dying for the happiness of other people.
By having no fear of dying Buddhas have solved the problem of death.
By solving the problem of death Buddhas have become immortal, never to experience the suffering of death again.

Human beings don't know or don't follow the Principle of Cause and Effect.
Human beings are selfish, they think only about themselves, they think only about satisfying their desires.
Human beings have insatiable desires.
If they don't have it, they want it.
If they have it, they want more.
The more they have the more they want.
The more they try to satisfy their desires, the more dissastified they become.

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http://www.takamori.info/
http://www.shinrankai.or.jp/
http://www.youtube.com/user/shinrankai2000
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