”Lost in Translation"? or “Lost in One’s Own Pride?” ： 外国語、異文化コミュニケーションにおける心得

昨日、私が剃刀の刃を買いに近所の雑貨屋にいると、誰かが店の主人とのやりとり（communication）で難儀しているようでしたので、ちょっと様子を見てみると、この東洋人の客、店主に、”Nail cutter!  I am looking for a nail cutter!　Do you have a nail cutter here?"と尋ねています。しかし、インド人の店主、この客が何を求めているのか、というより、nail cutterとは何なのかわからないような反応です。だから、この店主、”Sir, what is a nail cutter?”と説明してくれるように尋ねる客に質問しています。そしたら、この客、ちょっと苛立ちを示しながら、”It’s a thing to cut your nails!”、と、少し声を上げて、"貴様、そんなこともわからないのか、このアンポンタンめ！”とでも謂わんばかりに。

このおかしな英語表現とその独特のアクセントですぐにこの東洋人の客が日本人ではないかと思いました。日本語で爪切りと言うのでそれを直訳し、nail cutter、と表現したんでしょう。でも、日本語を知らずに英語を使っているこのインド人の店主のような人や、英語を母国語とする人達にとって、nail cutterとは釘を切る工具だと思いがちです。というのは、釘のことも英語ではnailといい、”出る釘は打たれる”という諺は、”A nail that sticks out will be hammered down"というように表現します。

この雑貨屋、工具屋ではないので、当然、釘を切るような工具はないのです。しかも、工具屋でも、釘を切るようなものを見たこともありません。普通、釘って、打つものか、抜くもので、切ったりはしませんよね。だから、釘を扱うには反対側に釘抜きがついた金槌（hammer）で事が足ります。だから、インド人の店主、nail cutterとは何ぞやと摩訶不思議に思ったのでしょう。そして、そうとも知らずに苛々してきた日本人と思われる東洋人の客、これぞ、”lost in translation”がもたらす弊害のいい例ですね。

ちょっとお節介だったかもしれませんが、この日本人らしき客が探している”nail cutter”が爪切りのことを意味していると思った私は、店主に、”I think this gentleman is looking for a nail clipper. I think he means a thing to cut finger nails and toe nails”、と"水を差す”と、それこそ、”水を得た魚”の如き、爪切りを取り出してきて、その客に、”Is this what you are looking for?”、と確かめました。すると、この客、”Yes, that’s what I need!”と、納得したような顔して、さっさと金を払って店を出て行きました。

ただ、気にかかったのは、この日本人らしき客の態度です。

私が”水さすこと”で事が解決したことが癪なのか、この客、自分の正しくない英語表現による質問に辛抱強く付き合ってくれた上で、探していた爪切りを差し出したのに、”Thank you”のサの字も言わずにただ金を払ってプイっと店を出ていったあの態度、どうもそれは日本人のものだとは思いたくないのです。日本人は、海外でも、こっちがお金を払って買い物する客の立場であっても店主や店員にたいし、ついつい無意識的に”ありがとう”と言う国民性で有名です。やはり、店主や店員もいくら商売とはいえ私という客を満足させる為に努力しているんだということへのありがたさを認識しているからなんです。

あの日本人だと思いたくない爪切りを買っていった客、私の”でしゃばり”によってプライドが傷つけられたのかも知れません。だったら、店主とのcommunicationで難儀しているところを見て見ぬふりして放っておけばよかったのでしょうか？でも、店主のほうは私が勘定をしている時に、”By the way, thanks for helping me understand that customer”、と言ってくれました。まあ、見方の違い、立場の違いによって、プライドを傷つける余計な世話、また、痒いところに手が届くような援助、ともなるのですね。

英語にしろ何語にしろ、私達が外国語でcommunicationをする時、やはり日本語からの直訳がもたらしかねない弊害について心得ておき、そうした愚を犯さぬようにその言語で正しいとさせる表現に慣れ親しんでおく努力が大切です。しかし、やはり、それ以上に大切なのは、自分のプライド剝き出しでcommunicateしないということですね。まして、自分の母国語でない外国語でのcommunication、知ったかぶりの傲慢さほど機から見ていてよろしくないものはありません。

やはり、自分の外国語での表現が相手にうまく通じていないと悟ったら、”なんだ、この野郎、こんなこともわからないのか！”といった態度で苛立ちを覚えるよりも、”あっ、まずい！この表現、多分、日本語からの直訳だから相手にわからないんだ”と悟り、”じゃ、どうしたらうまく伝えることができるだろうか？”とcreativeに工夫しなければなりません。確かに、あの客も, “a thing to cut your nails”と説明し直していましたが、nailという言葉が爪を意味しているのか、それとも釘を意味しているのか、それだけではまだはっきりわかりません。だから、この客ももう一歩工夫して、”a thing that cuts (or clips) your finger and toe nails”とすると誰にでもわかってもらえるはずです。心理学的にみて、こうした一工夫ができず、自分ではわかりやすく説明して”あげて”いると思い込むゆえ、通じないで苛々する理由の背後には、やはり、プライドがあります。だから、つまらないプライドは、慣れない外国語での異文化コミュニケーションにおける大きな障害となることを心得ておきたいものです。

そういえば、ローマ教皇フランシスは、スペイン語を母国語とし、イタリア語やラテン語にも堪能であり、英語も相当こなせるのですが、謙遜して、”I am sorry, my English is not so good. Please be patient with me”といった旨の前置きをしてから、英語でのスピーチをしているのを聞いたことがあります。俺は世界に君臨するカトリック教会のボスだぞ！なんていった驕りやプライドはまったくなく、言葉や文化が違う国からさっきやってきたアミーゴが一生懸命に親睦を深めようとして謙遜かつ真摯に努力しているんだと受け止めるようになります。確か、チベット仏教の法王、ダライラマ１４世も、決して流暢とはいえなくても、謙遜さを独自のユーモアを交えて英語で円滑にcommunicationしていますね。

やはり、下手なプライドなしにcommunicateする努力をすると、多少、”あれ？何言ってるんだろう？”と思われるようなところがあっても、creative かつ humorousに相互理解を進めていけます。

一見、よるあるような巷の雑貨屋での会話のやりとりですが、外国語による異文化コミュニケーションにおいて、humbleにcommunicateする努力を続けることの大切さを改めて実感する体験でもありました。

August 15: Day for Shalom – the Assumption – Japan’s Surrender to End the War – O-Bon Festival

August 15 is not only the solemnity of the Assumption of Virgin Mary but also the day that Japan surrendered to end the war, and also the eve of the last day of O-Bon Festival in the Japanese Buddhism custom. Is it coincidental to have these on the same day - August 15? Or, is there a certain meaning behind and to be discerned?  This blog article attempts to answer.

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August 15 is the solemn feast of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (the Mother of God).  It is the day to remember that Mary was assumed (taken) into heaven, as also prayed in the fourth glorious mystery of the Rosary, followed by the her heavenly coronation in the fifth glorious mystery.

As Mary, who was conceived immaculate, was assumed into heaven, with her body and soul altogether, when her “tenure” on earth was over, her body was not subject to earthly decay. Therefore, her full-of-grace status has never been compromised at all.

The feast day of Mary’s Assumption, August 15, is also the day to mark the end of Japan’s imperialistic militarism, as it was this day, 70 years ago, that Japan accepted the Potsdam Ultimatum and surrendered to the Allied Forces.

Another significance of this day is that it is the eve of the last day of the O-bon Festival, which runs from August 13 through August 16, in the Japanese Buddhist custom, fused with old Japanese indigenous ancestor veneration tradition, as well as Confucianism’s filial piety tradition and Taoism’s concept of the word of the dead. This is the period when the spirits of the deceased – the spirits of the ancestors return to the world of living.

Perhaps, influenced by the Ullambana Sutra, in which Buddha instructs his disciple, Maudgalyayana, how he can help his mother’s suffering spirit to obtain some relief, Japaense O-Bon Festival is the festival to bring some respite for the spirits of the deceased from sufferings, especially if they have not attain the heavenly state – Nirvana, by offering some food items on a plate (o-obon).  In a way, Japanese O-Bon Festival is like a combination of the All Souls Day, on which we pray for the souls of the deceased in Purgatory (the Suffering Church) for indulgence, which is a remission from temporal punishment so that they may join the saints in Heaven (Triumphant Church).

The Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, the end of Japan’s imperialistic militarism, and O-bon Festival – all on August 15.  Is this a coincidence? Or, is there any significance that we can reflect on?

In light of the Buddhist concept of causes and conditions, there is nothing coincidental, as all phenomenon are associated with one other although we may not fully understand with human wisdom and cognition.  In other words, nothing in the universe – no phenomena – is in isolation or occurs by accident.  Given this, the Assumption, the end of Japan’s imperialistic militarism, and O-bon, are related as in the manner of the causes and conditions, though it may be beyond our comprehension.

One thing we can reflect on is what may be discerned as a common factor that runs through the Assumption, the end of Japan’s imperialistic militarism, and O-bon.

First, these are to connect this world and Heaven.

The Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary is a hopeful reminder for us that we, too, may be raised into heaven, as Mary was assumed, eschatologically, as long as we follow the way of her Son, Jesus Christ.  In fact, Mary, who is also our mother ( John 19:27), wants us to do whatever her son told to do (John 2:5).

Jesus’ mission is to shepherd us into the ultimate Promised Land, Heaven. For us to be there, we must be his sheep – his disciples.  Among the disciples before, Mary is the perfect one, as she is full of grace, which means that she is immaculate.  Not only that she was perfectly obedient to the will of the Father in heaven (i.e. Luke 1:38) but also she was a faithful follower of the Son, as she was one of the few disciples who followed Jesus all the way to the foot of his Cross, while other disciples scattered.  If we can to find the best example of following the way of Jesus – to understand what it means to follow his way, we can look up to the way Mary lived on earth. Then, we know that we will be also assumed into Heaven, as Mary was, when the time comes.

For most of us, it is quite difficult to go straight to Heaven from the earth. Many of us will spend some time in Purgatory, where our souls will be purified and refined, on our way to Heaven.

O-bon Festival, like All Souls Day, is for the spirits of the deceased, who may be still suffering and may not put to the eternal rest in peace.  O-bon Festival is to give a respite from suffering through offerings, while All Souls Day is to offer prayers for the poor souls in Purgatory to be released into Heaven so that they can join saints there.

As reflected both in the Japanese Emperor’s remarks and the Japanese Prime Minister’s remarks in commemorating the 70^th anniversary of the end of the war that Japan had fought in its imperialistic militarism, August 15 is a day to pray for the spirits of those who were killed and those who had suffered  before they died through the war and as a result of the war, in the countries where Japan engaged in battles and ruled with its military government, as well as in Japan, where many cities were incinerated by air-raids and by atomic bombings, and in Okinawa, where bloody land battles took place.  This is a day to show that we do not forget so many lives that have suffered and lost during and as a result of the war that Japan’s imperialistic militarism was involved.

In remembering August 15, as the day that the war ended with Japan’s surrender, though the land battles in Okinawa and Soviet forces’ invasion of Manchuria, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands (then-Japanese territories)  still continued on and resulted in more bloody deaths, it is also a day that a relief from the war.  At least, except for these areas, no more firings and bombings, as Japanese soldiers laid their weapons as the Emperor of Japan announced the end of the war on this day, 1945.

The Japanese Emperor’s announcement to end the war and command to surrender to the terms of the Allied Forces sure meant a relief, though it also brought a new anxiety as to what would happen to Japan and how the survivors of the war would be treated as the Allied Forces would occupy Japan. To address this anxiety, the Emperor encouraged to endure with hope for a better and peaceful future of Japan in harmony with the rest of the world, as letting the imperialistic militarism go.

In a way, August 15, 1945, as the end of a hell on earth that Japan’s imperialistic militarism brought not only to many nations in Asia but also to Japan. It was also the beginning of the post-war, post-imperialistic-militarism “purgatory” as Japan began to move to rebuild itself and the war-ravaged Asian nations also began to rebuild themselves. Through these “purgatory” years after the war, Japan has not only transformed into a new peaceful nation but also reconciled with almost all Asian nations and Allied Forces nations.  At the same time, Western colonialism, which had been oppressing Asia and to which Japan challenged during the war, has been replaced by full sovereignties of the Asian nations. In this post-war world today, Japan is no longer a threat to Asia and the Western nations are no longer colonizers.

It is hoped that the way Japan has transformed itself throughout these “purgatory” years helps the spirits and souls to have some respite, if not necessarily a complete relief or indulgence yet, from suffering, especially those suffering spirits and souls from the war, due to anger and hatred, as O-bon is to give some relief from suffering to the spirits of the deceased and the ancestors – if not yet to attain eternal peace - Nirvana.  It is also hoped that all the spirits and souls of the deceased and our ancestors will be led to Heaven from wherever they may be now so that there is no more suffering not only here on earth  but also in the world of the deceased. For those who believe in Jesus’ promise of the resurrection (John 6:40), made during his Bread of Life Discourse, it is our hope that Japan’s surrender to end the war prompts all of us on earth and in Purgatory to be raised our bodies and souls altogether into Heaven, as Mary was assumed with her body and soul.

The Assumption of Mary also symbolizes a farewell.  In Hebrew tradition, in bidding a farewell, the word, “shalom”, which means peace, is given.  In other words, in sending a person off and departing, we wish peace.  Mary was a Jewish woman. So, we can see Mary wishing us peace on earth in leaving into Heaven.

After all, it was Jesus, the Son of God the Father, Mary’s son, as well, who said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27), to prepare his disciples for his departure during the Last Supper.

As O-bon Festival completes on the day after August 15, as Mary left this world with her Assumption, all the spirits and souls, who enjoyed the benefits of our offerings for relief, leave us in this world. As we strive to make this earth more peaceful place, we can exchange a farewell greetings of “shalom”, as they leave and return to their places beyond this world, hopefully getting closer to Heaven or Nirvana.

Let us mark August 15 as a day for “shalom”.

終戦７０周年を記念する日、未だ消えぬ憎しみと恨みの煩悩の火を消す誓いの日

今日、平成２７年８月１５日は、終戦７０周年の記念日です。７０年前のこの日、日本は昭和天皇の終戦詔勅の玉音放送でもって、昭和１２年の盧溝橋事件に端を発する日中戦争以来の長い戦争の幕を閉じることができました。

７０年前の今日、日本人の心境は、史上前例の無いスケールで国民皆が多大な犠牲を払って耐え忍んだ戦争が、敗戦という形で終わったことへのいいようの無い失望と虚無感に伴い、それまでの戦時中の苦痛からの開放感やそれまでの敵国であったアメリカを始めとする連合軍に占領されることへの不安感などが複雑に入り混じったものだったと思います。

この節目の日、終戦の意義について考えてみることは大切です。

７０年前の今日の日まで、それまでずっと、日本は負けることの無い神の国である、これは現人神である陛下の皇軍による聖戦である、と多くの日本人が信じていました、というか、信じ込まされていました。西洋列強からの脅威に対抗すべく、急ピッチで帝国主義にある西洋列強に習い富国強兵化した明治以来の大日本帝国は神道を国家宗教とし天皇陛下を政治利用してきました。明治天皇も昭和天皇も、戦争を好みませんでしたが、政府、特に、軍幹部が、陛下に、”戦争するしか打開の道がない”と説得し、　日清戦争、日露戦争、そして、こうした流れと、世界大恐慌などによる不景気にある国民の怒りや失望を外に向けるため、満州を日本の新しい植民地とすることで打開しようとし、満州事変が勃発。その結果、満州国を建国し、日中関係が急激に悪化する中、日米関係もそれに伴って悪化し、盧溝橋事件ば勃発し、日中戦争が始まりました。そして、アメリカは日本への制裁を強め始め、とうとうハルノートでもって日本の満州をはじめとする大陸での権益や権益拡大の野望を打ち砕こうと迫ってきました。これに対し、５．１５事件や２．２６事件などで文民統制だけでなく諸外国との関係悪化や戦争を好まない天皇陛下のご意向にも欺き、自分達の飽くなき覇権欲を追及するようになった軍部は、” 対対米開戦”でしか日本の満州などにおける権益を確保できないと主張、そう天皇を説得し、真珠湾攻撃による大東亜戦争の火蓋が切られたのです。

当時、ハルノートを突きつけてきたフランクリンルーズベルト政権は、アメリカ国民に、戦争不参加という公約をしていました。しかし、ナチスドイツにより致命的になりかねない打撃を受けているチャーチル政権のイギリスは執拗に、アメリカに援助を求めていました。つまり、アメリカの対ナチスドイツ戦争を要求していたのです。しかし、ルーズベルトは自分を選出してくれたアメリカ国民との不戦の公約を破るわけにはいきません。とはいえ、同盟国であるイギリスを”見殺し”にするわけにもいきません。そこで、ルーズベルトは、何とかしてアメリカ国民がヨーロッパで既に展開していた第二次大戦に参戦することを公約に拘わらずに進められるような政治的工夫が必要だったと考えられます。そこで、目をつけたのが、当時のアメリカの東アジア政策の癪に障る日本の大陸での権益拡大に干渉し、日本を苛立たせ、日本からアメリカに攻撃を加えてくるようにすれば、アメリカ国民は反日感情を抱き、不戦を誓った大統領に対し、熱狂的に対日戦を支持し、それによりアメリカはナチスドイツの圧倒的攻撃に苛まれる同盟国イギリスを救うこともできるという”ずる賢い政治的計算”が成り立つわけです。実際こうしたことがルーズベルトとハル国務長官などの側近の胸中にあったかどうか、歴史的仮説の憶測の余地がありますが。しかし、実際、当時の歴史は、こうした”筋書き”通りとなり、こうしたルーズベルトの思惑通りに、辛抱できない日本の軍部は対米戦へと日本と突入させ、ルーズベルトはアメリカ国民の心に激しい対日嫌悪感の炎を燃えさせ、日中戦争が一気に大東亜戦争というスケールの大きな世界戦へと拡大したのです。

終戦から７０年経った今でも、安倍談話は旧日本軍の侵略行為などに対する謝罪と反省の色が薄いとか、昭和天皇の戦争責任、大東亜戦争は日本が西洋列強植民地主義の下で奴隷同様にあった東南アジア諸国を開放することで大東亜共栄圏という”ユートピア”を構築する為の戦争であった、などなどと、いつまでもいがみ合いが続き、感情的なレベルにおいてはこの戦争は今でも続いています。こうしたことについて、”どうしてそういつまでも過去に’拘る’のか？”と聞くと、”お前は、日本の過去の蛮行について何も反省していないのか？”と責められるでしょう。しかし、こうした言い争いがいったいどうして戦後の平和の為になるのでしょうか？　煩悩に翻弄されず、こうした我による執着がもたらす解釈の違いという表面的なレベルでのいざこざに捉われていては、いつまでも問題の本質について無智でいるままです。そうであれば、皮肉にも、また戦争が起こるでしょう。

心理と神学、宗教学を専門とする私から観れば、こうした感情的な”戦争”の続行は、加害国とされる日本と被害国とされるかつて日本が交戦あるいは軍事的介入を行うことで多くの人達が犠牲となり苦しんだ国々双方において煩悩の火が燃え続けている証拠です。厳密にいえば、この煩悩の火は、憎しみや恨み、怒り、それに、一種の妬みなどといった病的な感情がその要素として考えられます。そして、こうした煩悩の背景には、我があります。つまり、どの国も、自分が”加害者と言われたくない”、"自分は被害者だ”ということへの我による執着があり、この執着が、煩悩の感情的な火を燃やし続ける理由なのです。

そもそも、戦争とは煩悩がもたらす最悪のものだといえましょう。

幕末に勝海舟に頼んで咸臨丸に乗せてもらって渡米してから”西洋かぶれ”になった福沢諭吉は、西洋の良きところを取り入れてもアジアとの調和の重要性を諭す勝海舟を”時代遅れ”とでも嘲笑し、脱亜論を強調し、明治政府はこれを脱亜入欧の新しい理想とし、当時の富国強兵政策の哲学的な根底ともなりました。こうした誤った西洋への"妬み”による”執着”という複数の煩悩により、日本はその帝国主義の覇権欲を高めていきました。

確かに、当時のロシアによる脅威を考えれば、日清戦争による朝鮮独立と朝鮮への介入、そして、日露戦争によるロシアへの牽制と朝鮮併合による日本防衛の”防波堤”は”地政学的必要悪”だといえるかもしれません。しかし、こうしたロジックをそのまま、当時のアメリカに当てはめれば、広島と長崎への原爆投下も”戦争早期終結の為の必要悪”だという屁理屈が罷り通るかもしれません。

私達は、我を捨て超越した次元で、煩悩的感情論によらず、こうして一水四見的に真実を悟らねばなりません。仏教心理学といえる密教的唯識論において、人間の識とは、潜在意識にある末那識によって歪められ、私達はついつい知らずに思い込みの愚を犯します。しかし、無智という煩悩ゆえ、こうした思い込み、つまり、妄想、を我への執着というもう一つの煩悩により、”真実だ！”と主張し、違った角度から同じ事象について観たり考えたりすることができなくなります。こうしたことが、言い争いの背景にあり、更に、このような感情に支配させた心が感情的な争いへと発展し、憎しみ、恨み、怒りなどといった破壊的な煩悩的感情の火が燃え出すのです。心理的なレベルにおいては、もうすでに煩悩による火を放ちあう戦争が始まっているのです。

そして、こうした戦争が戦後７０年たっても続いており、憎しみや怒りといった煩悩の火が燃え続けるだけなく、今でも双方を傷つけあっていることは非常に残念なことです。

我による執着といった煩悩と、憎しみ、怒りや恨みなどといった煩悩的感情を克服せずして、いくら”不戦”とか”平和”とか、集団的自衛権行使反対だとか憲法９条死守とか、血眼で叫んでも、動物的な脳でしかない大脳辺縁帯が司る煩悩的感情を人間的に進化した脳の象徴でもある前頭葉による理性で統制できなければ、また戦争が起きるでしょう。煩悩の感情という火が統制されることなく燃え続ける限り、かつて不戦を誓ったルーズベルト政権の”ずる賢さ”と、かつての武士道精神を欠き精神的に堕落したかつての日本軍部の”慎重さの欠如”が日米対戦をもたらしたように、戦争は起こるのです。

現在、中国や韓国は異常なほどの過去の日本の戦争責任への執着を示し、多くの日本人を苛立たせています。つまり、こうした隣国の執着の煩悩が、日本人の煩悩的感情の火をつける。そうすることで、より煩悩的な感情による戦争がエスカレートすることになる。こうした隣国の煩悩の思う壺にはめられて日本はどのような得をするのでしょうか？真珠湾攻撃も、ルーズベルトの煩悩の巧みな罠にはめられ、武士道精神を欠いた旧日本軍部の苛立ちの煩悩的感情によって行われたものであることを忘れてはいけません。

　

武士道の根本はやは禅定といったような、煩悩的感情にすさぶられない不動の強い心を培い維持することにあります。これは、前述した、前頭葉的な理性による感情統制（抑圧とは違う）にも並行するものだといええましょう。こうした不動の精神的境地は無我であり、煩悩が食い込む余地はありません。軍人たるものは、こうした禅定の武士道精神を示さねばならないのです。そうでないと、また無謀な戦いをしてしまうのです。そして、一般市民である私達も、こうした武士道的な禅定の不動の精神力を涵養することが、まず自分の心を常に平安に保つことでめざしていける世界平和への確かな一歩ではないでしょうか。

終戦記念日である８月１５日は、奇しくも、聖母マリアの被昇天を記念する日でもあります。聖母マリアは、穢れ無き乙女（immaculate virgin）ゆえ、神の御子、イエス、を身篭り、出産させこの世に送り出しました。これは、マリアの意思ではありません。父なる神の意思の救世の意思なのです。罪深い、つまり、煩悩の連鎖を断ち切ることができない、弱い精神力の人間が住む世を救うためにマリアを使わせたのです。乙女マリアの穢れなさはその肉体だけでなく、心と魂もです。なぜなら、マリアの心や魂には我がないからです。無我ゆえ、マリアは、神の意思を素直に受け入れ、自分にその結果どのような試練が襲い掛かるかなどといったことを厭わずに、ただ神の意思のままに神の子、イエスを身篭らせ、産み、夫ヨゼフとの愛の下で育てたのです。

そして、今日、この聖母マリアはこの世での使命を全うし、体と心と魂共に、天に受け入れ（assume）されたのです。神の力の導きで、かつて彼女が神の意思をあるがままに受け入れた如く、そのままの姿で受け入れられたのです。

終戦記念日と聖母マリア被昇天の祝日との関わりについて考えながら、私達も、マリアのようにもっと我への執着を捨て、無我となり、神の意思であれ、キリストの教えであれ、釈迦の教えにある仏法であれ、何か、自分の存在よりも偉大でそれを超越したところの真実に目を開き、素直に受け入れることが必要なのではないでしょうか？

宗教云々にかかわらず、こうした私達すべてが我を超えたところにある偉大な真実とは、隣人愛ではないでしょうか？マリアが素直に受け入れた父なる神の救世の意思、そして、その結果生まれ育ったイエスが説いた教え、そして、釈迦が説いた八正道や仏法の教えにも、我を無にすることで隣人をよりよく愛することの真実があります。だから、父なる神は自分の菩薩的な化身ともいえる御子イエスを愛する罪人である私達の救いの為に罪滅ぼしの生贄に捧げられた。その時のイエスと父なる神との一致した望みは、こうした神の私達への隣人愛、アガペ、を理解し、煩悩、罪、に支配されない禅定のような境地にある無我の生き方へと改心することだったことを忘れてはいけません。

こうしたカトリックの教えにを反映した憎しみ、恨み、怒りなどの煩悩的感情を隣人愛の為に克服した良き例は、フィリピンのエルピディオキリノ大統領だといえましょう。キリノの大統領は、最愛の妻とすべての子供が日本軍により殺害させ、日本に対する怒りや恨みは到底言葉では表現しきれないものだったことでしょう。そして、殆どすべてのフィリピン人は日本による軍政による過酷さを極めた生活を強いられ、殺害され、多大な犠牲を払わされたことなどから、その対日感情は怒りと憎しみに満ちたていました。そうした中で、戦後、アメリカのお膳立てで独立を果たしたフィリピン共和国の大統領がキリノです。彼は、戦後の新独立共和国としてのフィリピンを統率していく上で、こうした国民の煮えたぎった反日感情を、自分自身の日本に対する怒りや憎しみと向きあいながら対日政策を考えねばならない辛い立場にありました。勿論、彼自身、そして、代表するフィリピン国民の怒りと憎しみの対日感情をそのまま反映させた政策を取るならば、現在でも中国や韓国が行うような対日政策をしていたでしょう。しかし、キリノ大統領は、何か、こうした感情的なレベルを超越したところに悟り始め、更に自分自身のカトリックとしての良心と日本により苦しめれた犠牲者としてのフィリピン人の怒りや憎しみとの葛藤の板ばさみの中で苦しみ続けました。そして、ついに、こうした煩悩的感情である怒りや憎しみの火を燃やし続けたままでは、本当の意味での戦争を終わらせたことにはならないということ真実に開眼したのです。そして、まだ多くのフィリピン人が煮えたぎる反日感情を抱き続ける中、まず、自ら率先してこうした煩悩的感情を祈りにより神の恵みの力で克服し、キリストが教えた隣人愛でもって日本との国交回復と感情的な和解に向けての手を差し伸べてきたのです。しかし、こうしたことは、当時のフィリピン人の多くにとってはとても信じられないことでしたが、徐々にカトリック教徒としてキリノ大統領の導きの意味が理解できるようになり、今では、ベニグノ・アキノ3世大統領が、かつてのいがみ合ったアメリカと日本はフィリピンにとっての最高の友人であるとまでフィリピン国民に宣言できるようにまでなりました。

これこそが、イエスキリストの隣人愛の教えにある、仏教でも教える、憎しみや怒りなどの煩悩的感情といった戦争の火種を消すことの良き例ではないでしょうか？そして、それを率先した敬虔なカトリック教徒であるキリノ大統領は、自分の我を神の意思に“assume”、つまり、受け入れてもうことで、捨て、その変わり、その御子であるキリストの教えにある隣人愛を当時まだ憎らしかった日本へ差し伸べられるだけの精神的な勇気が与えられたのです。こうしたキリノ大統領が示したキリストの教えによる煩悩の克服による隣人愛の実践は、戦後の世界平和を願う私達すべてが模範とすべきものです。

また、８月１５日は、盆明けのイブでもあり、現世へ”里帰り”している先祖の霊がそろそろ極楽浄土へと戻る準備をしている時でもあります。こうした御霊を安心して送りだせるようにする為にも、ただ送り火を焚くのではなく、私達の心が煩悩のない禅定の境地にある心であることを示すことが大切ではないでしょうか？そうでないと、御霊も心配で心配で、旅立ち辛いかと思います。特に、あの長い長い戦争で犠牲となった英霊や御霊はとくにそうでしょう。

聖母マリアの被昇天、Assumptionという英語のラテン語からの語源には受け入れるという意味があることは先に示唆しましたが、受け入れるということは、森田療法でもいうように”あるがままに”つまり、自分の我による執着なしに受け入れるということです。そのいい例がマリア様が神の意思のお告げを受け入れたことです。そして、このマリア様が今度、その任務を全うされ、天の父の元、そして、御子イエスのいる元である天へとあるがままの姿、つまり体も心も魂もそのままで受け入れられたわけです。

こうした受け入れは、７０年前に昭和天皇が行ったポツダム宣言の受け入れと、天皇陛下ご自身が、戦後日本を占領した連合軍の最高司令官であったマッカーサー元帥へ示された自分の身柄を受け入れることの引き換えに国民を救うように願われたお心にもみられるのではないでしょうか。そして、こうした受け入れを願うこころは、謙虚さそのものであり、無我の表れでもあります。先述した霊操を編み出したロヨラの聖イグナチオも”Suscipe”という真摯な祈りにおいて、神に向かい、どうか私の意志を受け取っください、なぜならば、私は我を放棄し、あなたのご意思のままに自分を捧げたいからだと願ったからです。

８月１５日は、私達皆が、自己の中にある我を聖イグナチオの”Suscipe”祈りにあるように放棄し、そうすることで煩悩を克服し、禅定んのような平安で、乙女マリアのような穢れ無き心でもって隣人愛を実践していく決意を新たにする日であるとしましょう。こうすることで、いつまでも私達の心の中で燃え続ける戦争の火種である煩悩的感情の火を消しましょう。

平和への願いをこめて,  祈りのうちに、合掌。

Can You “Taste and See” the Goodness of the Living Bread of Life at the Father’s “Bakery”?

Many Catholics go to Mass every Sunday. They fill the pews. But, how many of them really "taste and see" both the Word and the Eucharist, which are the two pillars of Catholic Mass? I wonder what is their reason to go to Mass – if they do not taste any. It must be so boring to be at Mass, then.

This is a symptom of a lukewarm faith, which grieves not only the Holy Spirit (i.e  Ephesians 4:30) but also Jesus. He said the below words to St. Faustina:

Souls without love or devotion, souls full of egoism and selfishness, proud and arrogant souls full of deceit and hypocrisy, lukewarm souls who have just enough warmth to keep themselves alive: My Heart cannot bear this. All the graces that I pour out upon them flow off them as off the face of a rock. I cannot stand them because they are neither good nor bad (Diary 1702). 

I have noticed and found it quite puzzling that many of these church-going Catholics are not really "tasting" the gifts from God – grace - at Mass. They just sit and be nice – at least, trying to look nice. Because going to Mass is more like "routine" to make them look "holy" - perhaps, "holier" than those who do not go to Church.

They may look “holier” than their neighbors, who no longer go to Mass, on the surface. But, in substance, who knows?  If their heart is absent from God, as it is preoccupied with worldly matters, as constantly appear on their iphones and smartphones, even during Mass, they may be far from being “holy” inside.

In truth, they are busy looking at their iphones and smartphones, covertly. They are at least courteous enough to put their phones on silent mode so that they are not nuisance and do not disturb Mass.  However, it clearly shows that God is not on their priority, as they are too busy to pay attention to Him, even in a house of worship.  What is on iphones and smartphones, such as Facebook messages, are more important than Mass.

They are physically present but spiritually absent from Mass. Again, it is what lukewarm faith makes, while grieving the Holy Spirit and the Lord. And, it is a symptom of egotism and such psychospiritual problem.

When they come out, their minds are more concerned about how to get the hell out of the church parking lot and what to eat for brunch, rather than savoring the aftertaste of the Word and the Eucharist.

This phenomena can be compared to the crowd that was once fed by Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, miraculously out of five barley loaves and two fish, in John 6.  After being fed by Jesus, they kept chasing him and his disciples, even all the way to the other side of the Sea of Tiberius, hoping to get “free food” again and again.  

They were so preoccupied with what to put in their stomach rather than what is to nourish their soul.

Sensing this problem of the crowd, Jesus began to tell the crowd his intention of feeding.  This talk is known as the Bread of Life Discourse (John 6:22-59). We read this for the 18^th Sunday (vv. 24-35), the 51-58) in Ordinary Time on Cycle B to understand , what Jesus meant by multiplying the five loaves of barley bread and two fish and what he meant by his self-identification as the “Bread of Life” and the “Living Bread of Life”.

The crowd was more preoccupied with Jesus’ Nazarean family roots, such as being a son of Joseph the carpenter.  Their mind was obsessed with earthly matter. Because of this, they missed the essence of Jesus and his discourse.  This problem prompted them to become upset with Jesus and his discourse, resulting in their rejection. This means that the crowd’s problem resulted in rejecting the Living Bread of Life, which would lead to their resurrection at the end of time.  They did not care, because they were more concerned about something rather earthly.

To me, these pew-filling Catholics too busy to pay attention to God and His grace through the Word and the Eucharist at Mass, seem to be worth being compared to the crowd, who sought Jesus but rejected in John 6.

What is a problem in this picture  - the problem with the crowd in John 6 and the problem with these pew-filling church going Catholics looking at their high-tech phones during Mass?  And how can we resolve this problem?

One hint is found in the second reading for the 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time on Cycle B - Ephesians 4:30-5:2.

In Ephesians 4:30, Paul tells,  “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”.

Who gives a grief to the Holy Spirit, who is, in essence, God, as the Son, Jesus, is so?

Who gives a grief to Jesus, who is the Living Bread of Life? And, who gives a grief to God, whose grace as in the Word and the Eucharist are celebrated with our thanksgiving?

How we impose grief to the Holy Spirit – Jesus, the Living Bread of Life – God? 

Paul also reminds us that those who cause grief to the Holy Spirit have a psychospiritual problem. In other words, their heart is filthy as it is defiled.

As written in Mark 7:15, Jesus has also indicated that psychospiritual filth within us – within our heart – can corrupt everything that comes out of us.

If our heart is filled with filth – often resulting from and in earthly matters, as symbolized with what is on iphones and what to fill our stomach,  then, how can we “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 34:8) – the εὐωδία/euodia (sweet aroma) (Ephesians 5:2) in the Living Bread of Life, which is offered at Mass in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, along with the Word, as we cannot live with the bead (not to be confused with the Bread) alone (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).  In fact, the Word we “tasted and see” leads to the Living Bread of Life, as it is the flesh of Christ (John 6:51, 53, 55), which is what the Word has become to dwell among us (John 1:14).

What is the psychospiritual problem to be so ignorant and indifferent about this priceless Bread, which is not the kind of bread that cannot sustain our life?! How come we can afford to be so stupid to refuse this Living Bread of Life with the εὐωδία/euodia that leads to eternal life through resurrection?

To me, the Father in Heaven, Adonai, the Creator and Provider (just as Joseph, the step father of Jesus is celebrated at the St. Joseph Table Feast on March 19 for), is the baker, bringing us fresh loaf of the Living Bread of Life with sweet aroma.  No wonder we pray, “Give us this day, our daily bread….”.

In this sense, Mass is the Father’s bakery, with sweet aroma.

When we go to Mass, we should not care about what is on our Facebook…who is posting what….who is calling and texting us , as we are busy “tasting and seeing the goodness of the Lord” – the εὐωδία/euodia of the Living Bread of Life, which is also the Word that has become flesh thanks to Immaculate Mary’s cooperation with the Father.  

Let us make sure that our senses are not compromised so that we can appreciate the sweet aroma and savor the Living Bread of Life, “baked” fresh every day.  To have uncompromised sense, our heart must be clean. For this, we must remove all the filths out of our heart (Ephesians 4:31). Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit, either, as we remove filths from our heart.

From now on, we shall attend Mass with our clean heart and clear senses to maximize our savoring of the Living Bread of Life with the Word, amused by the sweet aroma, as we are at the Father’s “bakery”. 

Marian Message from the Man-Made Atomic Hell of Nagasaki

In case you have never seen this picture, what do you think it is?

It does not offer a pleasant appearance. Rather, it looks spooky and sad.

It looks like a sculpture of a woman’s body above her chest, without eye balls, shoulders and arms.

In fact, this is the remain of the wooden statue of Virgin Mary of Urakami Cathedral, Nagasaki, that miraculously endured the intense fire of a plutonium bomb explosion, 70 years ago, today – 9^th August, 1945.

The second atomic bomb, dropped in Nagasaki, 3 days after the first one incinerated Hiroshima. This second atomic bomb exploded about 500 meters above Urakami Cathedral, where the wooden Virgin Mary statue was.  

The cathedral was completely destroyed, and people in and around the cathedral were either evaporated into vapors or burned without any trace in flash. With such intense heat and fire, there is no way that a wooden statue would sustain the blow. At least, this makes no sense, in science. But, it is a reality and mystery.

With the cathedral being hypocenter, the whole city of Nagasaki had become another man-made hell, following Hiroshima. As in Hiroshima, while at least 40,000 people were estimated to have died on the day of the bombing, many more people were in agony for hours, days, and years, following the bombing, in Nagasaki. 

While so many people died and many more were screaming for life, asking for water to cool and help, the wooden Virgin Mary statue endured the hell fire, witnessing the sufferings and deaths of many innocent people in the city.

How does this make sense?  Perhaps, a better question to ask ourselves is – what does this reality mean to us, as we continue to live with a far greater scale of nuclear weapons today?

To me, the spooky-looking Virgin Mary statue of Urakami Cathedral is a powerful witness of the many lives that have been killed, have been suffering in agony and pain, not only the atomic bombing of Nagasaki but also all the lives that have been killed, suffered, in agony and pain, in Hiroshima, and beyond.  This statue of Virgin Mary is a vivid witness and reminder of all the lives lost, suffered in agony and pain, due to Japan’s military actions throughout the Asia-Pacific.

This is not just about the deaths and suffering in agony and pain in Nagasaki – but all the places devoured by the war that Japan’s militarism was involved.

Some may still say with anger and hatred that Japan deserved the nuclear hell of Nagasaki, as well as the nuclear hell of Hiroshima, given the scale of the atrocities of the Japan’s past militarism. But, this myopic and vengeful view only feeds a vicious cycle of hatred and anger to continue into the generations to come.  Then, it may turn into a seedbed for another war, possibly a nuclear war with a far greater scale than the bombs that created hells in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I would like you to see the face of this remain of the Virgin Mary statue, again.

Does she look that she wants you to remain vengeful?

To me, she looks like a face of a mother, whose children are all killed. The fact that her eyes are missing symbolizes great losses of lives. Her sad face, indeed, evokes an image of Pieta, Mary holding the corpse of her son, Jesus.

About 2,000 years ago on the hill of Golgotha  in Jerusalem, Mary endured to see her son, Jesus died in agony on the Cross, as human sinfulness, such as narcissistic grudge (phthonos/ φθόνος ) was killing this innocent man (Matthew 27:18).  During the years of Japan’s war, countless people throughout the Asia-Pacific died in agony, many of whom were innocent civilians, also in many cities in Japan, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where atomic bombs were dropped, and Okinawa, where fierce ground battles took place.  The blast of the plutonium bomb exploded in Nagasaki 70 years ago can be a culmination of all the sufferings and deaths throughout the war, signaling its end. The wooden statue of Virgin Mary, as our mother (John 19:27), had to bear witness to all of these deaths and suffering in agony, caused by anger and hatred, as well as greed, just as what killed Jesus - phthonos/ φθόνος – narcissistic anger and grudge (Matthew 27:18).

The wooden statue of Virgin Mary, our mother, had to ensure in the culmination hell that human sinfulness of phthonos/ φθόνος has brought about, to kill each other, in Nagasaki, to send a powerful message for our conversion from a vicious cycle of phthonos/ φθόνος for peace.

May we listen to a message of  Mother Mary who endured to witness her son, Jesus, died in agony, because of phthonos/ φθόνος in our heart from Jerusalem. Likewise, may we listen to a message of Mother Mary, who witnessed her children die in agony throughout the Asia-Pacific, culminating in man-made hell of Nagasaki, brought by phthonos/ φθόνος.

In suffering that Mother Mary witness and bear with us, there is neither foe nor friend, because all are her children, as Jesus is her son. Because, all are God’s beloved children, as Mary is the Theotokos, the Mother of God, the Son, Jesus.

May peace – eirene/ εἰρήνη - that Jesus offers (Matthew 9:20)  rule our heart and our world. 

The word below the remaining head of the Mary's wooden statue, says, “平和” (heiwa), which means peace – eirene/ εἰρήνη - in Japanese.  

A Psychospiritual Lesson from Hiroshima Day and the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

6^th August - The very day an atomic bomb was used to kill innocent people for the very first time in human history was also the Feast Day of Transfiguration of the Lord on Mt. Tabor.

Ironically, the blast of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima as so bright, beyond human comprehension by any measures. Thus, this fact tempts some people to compare it to the bright light of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

As the faithful, we must be careful not to myopically and uncritically put a blast of atomic bomb explosion in comparison to the bright light of the Transfiguration, because these are quite opposite in essence but present very similar outlooks to human senses. As Descartes pointed out in his “Meditation”, senses can be quite deceptive.  Our sensory-cognitive view is not free from bias and often leads to what psychologists (i.e. Von Hippel and Trivers) call self-deception. In other words, by simply comparing the atomic bomb blast of Hiroshima to the bright light of the Transfiguration, we can be inadvertently fooling ourselves about light.

Not to commit stupidity of self-deception, we must carefully examine what we come to know through our senses. This critical thinking is certainly require in thinking the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast or any atomic bomb blast in comparison to the bright light of the Transfiguration.

Essentially, the atomic blast light in Hiroshima was a light of man-made hell, while the bright light of the Transfiguration was divine light to show God’s joy and delight.

The atomic light symbolizes death, but the light of the Transfiguration reflects a joy of God over the union of the divinity and the humanity through the presence of the Son, Jesus.

Jesus, the Son, in his transfiguration light, has been sent to this world in the God the Father’s grand salvific plan, which will complete with Revelation 22. However, a sun-mimicking artificial nuclear light of an atomic blast was to bring death in a grand scale. Therefore, the former is divine, while the latter is devil. A blast light of an atomic bomb also symbolizes a hell brought by devil through the cooperation of humans, whose soul is tainted by him, because the devil’s mission is destruction and death.

How ironic it is that devil mimics his work of death and destruction to God’s saving act by making an atomic bomb blast bright enough to evoke the divine light of the Transfiguration in some fool’s minds.

Besides he has polluted many people’s logical minds to justify the use of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki as “moral good”, devil sure has made a hell-making bomb’s blast light bright enough to fool some human minds to associate with the divine light of the Transfiguration.

Given how devil has been cleverly attacking both our logical aspect and sensory aspects of our mind, as we know from an example of our belief and perception of an atomic bomb, we must defend our mind – both our logical and sensory parts from very deceptive challenges by devil and his collaborators.  Otherwise, we may be heading into a destruction of our entire world -  no comparison to the  atomic bombing destructions of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70 years ago, in the name of “god”.

To prevent this, we must engage in disciplining our mind, both psychologically and spiritually,  so that we know hidden traps in our sensory-cognitive experience, namely, biases, and avoid the stupidity of self-deception. For this,  we must strive for humility, constantly seeking grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is parakletos, guiding advocate that comes to be on our side. With our confidence in grace and the Holy Spirit, we can prevent our mind to go off the tangent and slip into the devil’s work.

As he is light of God, which can be as bright as the light of the Transfiguration, we are called by Christ to shed is light of the same essence to give life, hope, courage, and joy to this world, on his behalf - while fighting against devil’s constant attacks, which often starts with deceptions. We must know which light we are casting - light of God or light of devil. 

Reflection On a Motive and Justification of Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – From Cognitive Dissonance into Internal Consistency

When I wrote my short reflection on atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on my Facebook wall,  3 years ago, someone, a Caucasian US-born man, who poses himself as committed to “social justice”,  wrote back, “What about all the atrocities that Japan caused in Asia?”, adding that he did not intend to say that the atomic bombings were a revenge to Japan’s atrocities.  To me, this American man’s words rather seems inconsistent and clearly indicate his difficulty to reflect on “social justice” issue on a use of atomic bomb to kill innocent people without “mixing apples and oranges”.

In response to my Japanese-language blog , “広島原爆投下７０周年目に際し、核兵器問題の本質である煩悩と罪の克服に向けて考える”(Toward Overcoming  the Psychospiritual Defilement Underlining the Nuclear Weapon Problem, in Marking the 70^th Anniversary of the Hiroshima Atomic Bombing), which I posted yesterday,  a Filipino-American, whose family members had to endure living hells caused by Japan in the Philippines, wrote to me, “Let us not dwell in any spiritual or any guilt trip about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki”.  As the point of this Japanese language blog article I wrote yesterday was to call our attention to overcome our “idolatry” of nuclear weapons, which started with the Manhattan Project, as it is what allowed atomic bombs to be used against innocent people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 70 years ago, and to justify this evil action as if it were an action of moral good to save lives.

These are just a few knee-jerk reactions I often get, whenever I speak and write about the living hell of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  As a psychologist and a pastoral minister, these kinds of reactions always make me wonder if I am causing cognitive dissonance and such knee-jerk reactions are behavioral manifestation of their cognitive dissonance to my words on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

According to social psychologist, Leo Festinger, cognitive dissonance may be a good thing as it can lead a person to internal consistency, a post-cognitive-dissonance psychological state to be able to see difference perspective without wasting energy in futile argument as to which view is “right”.

It is my hope that you find the below article to give you meaningful cognitive dissonance to enhance your internal consistency (not to be confused with internal consistency in statistical analysis).

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6^th day of August every year is a somber reminder of how evil in human mind can turn nuclear science to kill countless numbers of fellow humans in a flash and leave those who managed to have survived in immeasurable suffering and pain for years to come, until they die. 

This year marks the 70^th anniversary of the very first day in the entire human history, when humans used then-nascent science of nuclear fission to kill other humans in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. What an irony that we have been enjoying the benefits from the consequences of the Manhattan Project, through which the world’s first set of nuclear weapons were developed, through nuclear-power generated electricity, nuclear medicine, and so forth, because nuclear power plants work with the same physics principle as atomic bombs and many radioisotopes used in medicine today are byproducts of nuclear reactions.  If you benefit from nuclear-generated electric power and nuclear medicine, then the quality of life you enjoy cannot be taken for granted as it is connected the man-made living hell of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

There is always a question: Were atomic bombs absolutely necessary to end the war back in the summer of 1945 by killing so many innocent people in a split second and leaving many more to die as time goes by?

A logic of President Harry Truman, who gave an order to drop atomic bombs in Hiroshima on 6^th August and in Nagasaki on 9^th of August, 1945, tells that these atomic bombs were used against Japan to “save lives” that could be killed with the prolonging of the war.  To follow this logic, which seems to parallel utilitarianism, President Truman and those who sided with him, must have thought that the lives killed by atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, whether civilians and military personnel, were a necessary sacrifice in order to save more people by preventing the furthering of the war, which sure would kill far more people.  To me, this logic reminds me of these words of Caiaphas, who pressed the religious leaders to put Jesus to death to save their nation from a severe punishment by the Roman Empire:

You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.   (John 11:49-50)

Caiaphas was high priest, at the time of Jesus when the nation of Judea was a Roman Empire’s province, who  drove the religious leader’s plot to make Jesus as a security threat to the Roman Empire by presenting him as a dangerous man, who proclaims himself as the king of the Jews  (i.e  Mark 15:1-15), while there is no other monarch but Cesar in the Roman Empire.  Caiaphas and his supporters  set this plot up to have Jesus be executed by the Roman Empire in such a way out of grudge-driven envy (φθόνος/phthonos)  toward him (Matthew 27:18), because of his amazing ministries and challenge toward the religious authority.

Bringing up this biblical topic to related to Truman’s logic is not to compare the lives of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the life of Jesus, but only to juxtapose Truman’s way of thinking to justify the use of atomic bombs to kill ordinary citizens of these Japanese cities to Caiaphas’ logic to justify why the religious leaders had to plot to have Jesus be executed as a “king of the Jews” (INRI - Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum), who is a threat to Caesar. According to Caiaphas’ way of thinking, so many people of Judea would be killed by the Roman soldiers unless we present Jesus to the Roman authority for trial and for execution.

“φθόνος/phthonos” Caiaphas’ logic, as they are resolutely believe that Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (or any other cities in Japan) was a right decision and even to be praised, for saving more lives from being killed. As Truman indicated in his press release on 6^th August, 1945, his decision to drop atomic bomb in Hiroshima is a consequence of Japanese upright “refusal” of the July 1945 Potsdam Ultimatum. If you take the face value of this explanation of Truman, basically, you may believe that  it is Japan’s fault to have two atomic bomb dropped by the United States for “refusing” the Potsdam Ultimatum.

Some people also argue that dropping atomic bombs to Hiroshima and Nagasaki was “just” or “due” revenge to Japan’s attack on the Pearl Harbor, and many other destructions that Japan caused throughout the war in the Asia-Pacific region. If it can be justified as a just revenge, then I cannot help but think of a parallel between a revenge motive to drop nuclear bombs in Japan for all the atrocities brought by Japan during the war and a revenge motive to kill Jesus for being nuisance and threat to the religious leaders of that time of Tiberius Caesar, given the multifold meaning of the Greek word, “φθόνος/phthonos” , used in Matthew 27:18. This word can mean “revenge”, as well as “jealousy”.

In a way, killing innocent Japanese citizens, living in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, by atomic bombs, is understood as a justifiable ““φθόνος/phthonos”, for all the destructions made by Japan not only to the Pearl Harbor but also in many countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific, just as Caiaphas justified killing Jesus is a right revenge for all the disturbances he created to the religious leaders.  For this, as in Caiaphas’ utilitarianism-like justification to have Jesus killed by the Romans as a way to protect Judea from the Romans,  Truman’ moral justification to drop atomic bombs may make sense as his effort to save more lives at the price of the lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Some people find no moral and logical objection to this, while others do – depending on their respective cognitive framework or the way of thought process.

If you find it difficult to understand that there are multiple ways and views to understand the same historical fact, then, you simply believe Truman’s justification and explanation for his decision to drop atomic bombs for as he stated. However, if you appreciate the meaning of this Buddhist proverb, “一水四見”(isshuishiken), which literally means “there are four ways of viewing the same water”, as the proverb reminds us not only that there are multiple ways of viewing an object but that our views of an object may change as we alter the way we view it.

As the president of the United States of the time, Harry Truman had to justify that his decision to drop atomic bombs was for the best interest of the United States. Whether you see his logic in parallel to the logic of Caiaphas, if you are convicted that  Truman’s is “the” history, then, so be it, as you probably cannot understand the meaning of “一水四見”. However, you are cognitively flexible enough to entertain different perspective on the history leading to Truman’s decision then, you may not find it difficult to know that Japan did not necessarily “refuse” the Potsdam Ultimatum but did reply to the Allied Forces with  a “yes or no” manner but it is believed that the Allied Forces interpreted the Japanese word, “黙殺”(mokusatsu), as a “refusal”, though “黙殺” can mean “to refrain from commenting (on this matter at this time)”, as it literally means “to keep it in silence”.

I am not sure if former US Ambassador to Japan, Joseph Grew was on the team to interpret the word of “黙殺”in Japan’s response to the Potsdam Ultimatum, when the United States government received Japan’s response, as Grew’s faculty of Japanese must be good enough not interpret it myopically as “rejection” of the Ultimatum. If that was the case, then, President Truman could have been a bit more patient, knowing that Japan was getting ready to dialogue with the United States to end the war as soon as possible with a mutually agreeable term. As a matter of fact, the United States was already aware of the Japanese Emperor’s explicitly expressed his desire to end the war by negotiation with the United States as he really did not want to see more lives being lost in the war, at the 16^th July, 1945, Imperial Cabinet Conference. Given this fact, I find it difficult to believe the validity on the face value of Truman’s justifying logic to drop atomic bombs.

What about you?

Yes, atomic bombs were dropped,  and a great number of innocent lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were literally evaporated in a flash. If not, incinerated and reduced into untraceable ashes, while many others died, leaving charred corpses. Those who managed to survive have also died with various painful medical symptoms, often with maggots creeping into rotten tissues, as time went by. Though the number continue to dwindle, those who have been alive have been living the both physiological and psychological, as well as spiritual and existential, traumas.

Given this undeniable fact of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as voiced by “被爆者”(hibakusha) – survivors of atomic bombing, you cannot say that atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki put an end to the exhausting war, which Japan started with bombing the Pearl Harbor US military base in Hawaii, as well as the Clerk US military base in Manila.

In fact, this day, 6^th August, 2015, marks the 70^th anniversary of the beginning of a war that President Truman started in Hiroshima – the war of nuclear science and technology against innocent humans. And, this war, even after 70 years, still continues on not only as surviving “被爆者”continue to live in pain and suffer, dragging the impacts of the traumas, but also as we continue to live under a false sense of security under the umbrella of nuclear weapons today.

I am sure that some people find this reflective writing of mine on justification and motive for dropping atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be disturbing or irritating. If that is the case, my writing must be challenging their comfortable and simplistic view on this issue. And I sure hope that this disturbance and irritation will lead to what Leo Festinger calls, “cognitive dissonance”, which shall help you widen your mind and eventually lead to internal consistency, in which you can hold multiple different views without distressing yourself – to the Buddhist wisdom of “一水四見”.