修行と作業
Spiritual practice and tasks
2026-04-08
Some practitioners who are striving to train themselves in order to attain the deathless Nirvana may feel that their practice has become merely a kind of routine or task.
And they may worry that, in such a state, they will not be able to accomplish their goal.
However, in reality, what appears to be mere routine often does in fact constitute genuine practice, while conversely, what one believes to be practice may in some cases be entirely misguided.
This stems from the fact that there is no fixed or rigid form of Buddhist practice that exists in this world; yet it is also true that this very fact can become a source of anxiety for practitioners along the path.
So then, how should a practitioner respond?
It means that, rather than worrying about whether something is “practice” or merely “work,” what ultimately forms the basis of genuine practice is to steadily carry out what one oneself regards as Buddhist practice.
A person who does good work finds play within their work and discovers work within their play.
It would not be mistaken to think that practice and work stand in a similar relationship.
For this reason, a person of insight may, even when speaking of Buddhism in a light or playful manner, still connect it to an important condition for awakening—and this is something that I (= SRKW Buddha) have actually experienced.
Moreover, in the early Buddhist scriptures of Shakyamuni Buddha, we can find the following principle:
“Standing nearby, that deity recited this verse before the Blessed One: ‘Because they have not fully understood the Truth, people who are lured into heterodox paths are asleep and unawakened. Now is the time to rouse them.’ [The Blessed One said:] ‘Those who have fully understood the Truth and are not lured into heterodox paths—these are the ones who are rightly awakened, rightly discerning, and who make smooth the rough and difficult path.’” (Saṃyutta Nikāya I, translated by Nakamura Hajime, Iwanami-Bunko)
For a practitioner of the Buddhist path who aspires to attain the deathless Nirvana, what is essential is simply this: to ardently seek to know the truth and to remain ever mindful and attentive.
In a certain sense, the conditions for awakening can arise for anyone; however, those who are able to bring them to fruition as actual awakening (= liberation) are limited to those who have accumulated merit.
***
