その侍はある日、左半身不随になった息子に双子の妹が居たことを告げました。そして、その妹が貰われていった家が貧しく、身売りされ、病に倒れ１７歳で亡くなったことを話しました。息子は静かに涙を流しました。その時のその侍の家も裕福でなく、双子の子供を育てる余裕もなく、母親に逆らい世間体も気にせず双子の女の子を育てる強い意思がなかったことを告白しました。
その侍は感謝の気持ちが綴られた娘からの手紙を息子に見せました。そして、娘は地獄のような境遇でも文字を学び、気高く生きて、両親に安心させる手紙を送ってきたことを話しました。娘は両親を恨むことなく、会えぬ両親に優しさを届けました。娘の手紙は息子の涙で濡れました。
長威斎先生が生きた６５０年前であれば、皆が貧しかったと想像がつきます。第２次世界大戦の傷跡が残る私が育った時代も多くの人は等しく貧しさの中で一生懸命に生きていました。しかし、この豊かな今の日本で６人に１人の割合で極貧の子供がいることを知りました。驚きです。
”その男の子は視力検査の結果をゴミ箱に捨てました。母親にメガネを買うお金の負担をさせたくないという理由からでした。 その男の子はトラック運転士をする母親と２人で暮らしている”とある教員の告白にありました。この豊かな時代にそのような境遇の子供がいることを知り、とても悲しく、無力感に苛まれます。しかし、その男の子の母親を思う優しさが救いです。どのような境遇でも、前向きに気高く生きてください。合掌
One day, the samurai told to his son that he who became his left body handicapped had a twin younger sister. And the family which adopted the younger sister was extremely poor so that she was sold and was down with an illness and died at age of 17 years. His son shed tears quietly. He confessed that he had no strong intention to defy a mother without worrying about people around him because they were not rich to brings up a twin child.
The samurai showed his son a letter from his daughter in which her gratitude was written. And even in her circumstances like a hell she learned the launguage, and sent the letter which made my parents relieved to live. His daughter reported the gentleness to her parents who can't meet without bearing a grudge against her parents. Daughter's letter got wet with his son's tear.
Everyone was poor when a chouisai teacher lived 650 years ago. Many people were also very poor after the world war II when I grew up. But I knew 1 out of 6 children was extremely poor in Japan of this abundant now. It's a big surprise to me.
" The boy abandoned a result of the eyesight test in a trash can. It was from the reason that I don't want to make a mother bear the money which buys glasses. The boy lives with his mother who is a lorry driver, it was in confession of the teacher. Very sadly, I know that there is a child of such circumstances at this abundant time and I can do nothing. But his gentleness for his mother is a help. Please live nobly and positively even in tough circumstances. Gosho!
弥勒菩薩（美佐夫作）
Mirokubosatsu Buddha hand-carved by Misao Katori
