若気の至り
Youthful indiscretion
2024-03-07 17:00:00
In youth, everyone is prone to be impulsive and act without much thought.
Some people even exaggerate this tendency and use expressions like 'youthful indiscretion'.
And in the pursuit of Buddhist practice, it's common to see misunderstandings due to youthfulness.
In the first place, young practitioners often have no idea how to attain enlightenment.
As a result, they may end up dabbling in various practices without discernment.
In the midst of this, some may stray from the path, concocting their own arbitrary beliefs, deviating from Buddhism, suffering mentally, and in some cases, even meeting with ruin.
Even if not to such an extreme extent, some practitioners cling to shallow beliefs they held in their youth, considering them as part of the Buddhist path for decades without realizing their misconceptions.
Alternatively, there are cases where individuals adhere to peripheral teachings of Buddhism, neglecting fundamental practices, and yet believe that Nirvana exists beyond these teachings.
The emergence of such lamentable situations is undoubtedly due to youthfulness, but even reaching a certain age without realizing one's misconceptions suggests that the individual's original goal may not have been Nirvana in the first place.
On the other hand, those who sincerely aim to attain Nirvana gradually draw closer to the singular path of Buddhism, despite the numerous misconceptions they may encounter due to youthfulness. Ultimately, they reach Nirvana.
Regarding of this, the Buddha expounded the following teachings regarding this singular path.
274 This indeed is the path. There is no other path to purify the action of seeing truth. You should practice this path. This is the very thing that confuses (and crushes) the devil.
275 If you follow this path, you will be able to eliminate suffering. (As if a thorn had pierced flesh,) Knowing how to pull out the arrow and heal, I have preached this path to you.
276 You should strive diligently (and volitionally). All the Tathāgatas (those who have completed the practice) merely teach. Those who walk this path with a composed mind will break free from the bondage of the devil.
(omit some parts)
280 Those who fail to get up at the appropriate time, who, although young and strong, are lazy and slothful, weak in will and thought, will never find the path through clear wisdom.
(omit rest)
(Words of Truth - Dhammapada" Chapter Twenty: The Way, translated by Hajime Nakamura, published by Iwanami-Bunko)
In essence, Buddhism teaches expedient means, acknowledging that even practitioners striving for the state of happiness may exhibit youthful indiscretion.
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