Categories
- Japanese (822)
- Kotowaza (413)
- Yojijukugo (407)
- Long Fiction (6)
- Meta (11)
- Nonfiction (73)
- Poetry (13)
- Short Fiction (20)
- Uncategorized (13)
- World-Building (176)
- Miscellaneous (24)
- Rules (127)
- Setting (69)
- Japanese (822)
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Tag Archives: Buddhism
Million-yard stare
Look on my Works, ye Mighty 空空漠漠kuu.kuu.baku.baku Literally: sky / empty – sky / empty – desert / wide – desert / wide Alternately: Vast; indefinitely wide – and empty. Alternately, vague; hazy; ill-defined. When applied to a person, it … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, 空漠, faraway, featureless waste, Ozymandias, vague, wasteland
Leave a comment
A cure for what ails ya!
(Not universally applicable, unfortunately.) 応病与薬ou.byou.yo.yaku Literally: answer – disease – give – medicine Alternately: Just what it says on the tin: giving someone medicine appropriate to the illness they are suffering from at the time. By extension, teaching people the … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, disease and treatment, education, 雑阿含経, medicine, Saṃyukta Āgama, 応病, 与薬
Leave a comment
Or oars
船は帆で持つ帆は船で持つ(Fune wa ho de motsu ho wa fune de motsu;“A ship works because of its sail; a sail works because of its ship”) Definition: A ship is useful because it has a sail; a sail is useful because it’s on … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Buddhism, cooperation, 船で持つ, group action, mutual support, no man is an island, social animal, 因縁, 帆で持つ
Leave a comment
“Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.”
For better or for worse… or for just vaguely smelly 鰯の頭も信心から(Iwashi no atama mo shinjin kara;“Even a sardine’s head, from faith”) Definition: Faith works in mysterious ways; faith is kind of weird if you stop to think about it. Even … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged イワシの頭, Buddhism, 鰯の頭, faith, fish heads, Iroha karuta, irrational belief, magical thinking, sardines, Setsubun, 信心
Leave a comment
The sleeve’s edge; another life
袖すり合うも他生の縁(Sode suriau mo tashou no en;“Even a brushing of the sleeves is a connection from a past life.”) Definition: Every relationship you have in your entire life – including not just the big important ones, but the people you merely … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Buddhism, 蛤の草紙, 袖すり合う, 袖振り合う, fated meetings, human kindness, karma, reincarnation, relationships, 名歌徳三舛玉垣, 多生の縁, 他生の縁
Leave a comment
Iconoclasm
廃仏毀釈hai.butsu.ki.shaku Literally: discard – Buddha – break – Shakyamuni* Alternately: This historical term describes the idea that Buddhism should be rooted out of Japan. This may either be in general, or specifically as part of the changes that swept over … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged anti-Buddhism, Buddhism, Japanese history, Meiji Restoration, nationalism, 廃仏, 排仏, 明治維新, 棄釈, 毀釈
Leave a comment
Orthogrothy
Giving heterodox doctrines a bit of what-for 破邪顕正ha.ja.ken.shou Literally: destroy – wicked / injustice – express / reveal – correct / justice Alternately: The Buddhist concept of breaking down that which is wrong, bad, or untrue, and making the truth … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, 破邪, 顕正, ορθογροθιά, orthodoxy, right & wrong, Sanlun, 三論玄義
Leave a comment
A Scandanavian problem
惚れたが因果(Horeta ga inga;“The lover’s lot is karma”) Definition: For someone who has fallen in love, suffering because of it is an unavoidable part of human existence. When one is in love, pain is an inevitable result – in part due … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Buddhism, Iroha karuta, karma, love is sad, suffering, 因果, 惚れた
Leave a comment
Make sure you get your ball back afterwards
一球入魂 i-.kkyuu.nyuu.kon Literally: one – sphere – enter / insert – soul Alternately: This phrase from the world of baseball refers to putting your full energy and focus into each action; specifically, putting everything you can into each throw of … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, heart and soul, maximum effort, suddenly baseball, Yowamushi Pedaru, 入魂, 全力, 弱虫ペダル, 一球, 一蹴
Leave a comment
landofnudotcom 
Wonder is the seed of knowledge
(France is bacon) 大疑は大悟の基(Taigi wa taigo no motoi;“Great doubts are the foundation of great enlightenment”) Definition: Great doubt is the first step toward great realizations. Doubt leads to asking questions, which leads to seeking answers, which – in theory at … Continue reading →