誰よりも当事者でなければならない
One must be more of a participant than anyone else
2025-10-07
A Buddhist practitioner must not remain a bystander when faced with a critical situation, but must be more of a participant than anyone else.
For if it were not so, even upon hearing a rare and precious phrase of the Dharma in this world, they would not be able to make it serve as a condition for awakening.
Indeed, what occurs at the very moment of awakening (＝liberation) is this: when one becomes fully aware that one has truly stood in the position of a participant with regard to the Dharma phrase one has heard, and at the same time recognizes the fact that one has exerted no influence whatsoever upon the very manifestation of that Dharma phrase itself — then, on the basis of that Dharma phrase, wisdom arises, and one attains Buddhahood.
Concerning this, the following principle can be found in the original Buddhist scriptures of Shakyamuni Buddha.
874 “He is not one who perceives as it is, nor one who perceives mistakenly, nor one who does not perceive, nor one who has annihilated perception. — Thus understood, his form ceases to exist, for the consciousness of extension arises dependent upon perception.” (The Words of the Buddha – Sutta-nipāta, Chapter 4: The Octet, 11: Strife, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)
Here, the phrase “his form ceases to exist” signifies that he has attained Buddhahood.
And the Buddha who has attained Buddhahood —
“does not see things just as they are, nor sees them mistakenly, nor fails to see, nor pretends not to see.”
In this way, he perceives all things in the world as they should be perceived, acts in response to each situation accordingly,
and all his actions ultimately lead to perfect harmony.
In other words, a true practitioner must be, at least in crucial moments, more of a participant than anyone else; and one who has already attained Buddhahood always acts as a true participant in all matters.
Therefore, if a practitioner remains a mere bystander toward matters, or faces them with a cynical or detached attitude,
he will not be able to attain awakening.
However, if the practitioner falls into excessive sentimentality, awakening (＝liberation) will become a distant goal.
A practitioner who has firmly accumulated merit will act in accordance with the Dharma, without taking either of these two extreme approaches.
In this way, he will advance directly toward Nirvāṇa, give rise to the necessary conditions, and finally attain Buddhahood.
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