Along the coast, beautiful calm sunny day. As the sun goes up, it gradually burns my skin. My Feet hurt, it almost feels like waking on hot stones.
1,200 years ago, this pilgrimage are shaped up by Kobodaishi, his previous name is Kukai 空海, means sky and sea. It is there right in front of me.
Even before Kukai, there were apparently people who were training in this island, along the coast. For the energy coming from lost cities beyond ocean? or from that hanging power cables?
At every temples, I read Heart Sutra, or just skim as light speed some times.
The oldest sanskrit copy of Heart Sutra, apparently remains in Horyuji in Nara Japan.
The one I have with me, was translated in Chinese. Chinese letter placed according to the sound and meaning, and Japanese letter are put along, as Japanese are phonetic.
Kukai went to China and studied. However was he able to read Sanskrit? Actually I can not quite understand nor accept Chinese translation.
When I visited in Shanghai, I saw and tried Coca-Cola. Of course it was written in Chinese. However, because of its red and white stripes I could recognise it. But letters do not exactly sound like Coca-cola, even as a Japanese knowing some Chinese letters, it seems and sounds to me, more like Cacocaco…. How is it possible to imagine and understand from those translated letters, if you don’t know the actual Coca-cola.
It is like singing foreign songs without knowing meaning of lyrics. It may sound happy, but actually it might be sad song.
I think for the language it is very important to understand language itself, also cultural background. Some says for the Sutra, the sound is important. However if you do not understand the language what is the point of writing.
My English is not great. Nevertheless, I do understand and physically know what is good Fish & chips and English breakfast, therefore if I read them I can clearly imagine what it is. That is why Kukai never understood, as he never been to India, spoke Sanskrit, and never ate curry.
I was thinking such indifferent things endlessly while walking. By the time when get to the accommodation I was totally exhausted.
Once I sat in the room, reaching my backpack, which was leaning against opposite side of 9 square meters room, felt almost impossible.
Feeling of walking on Tatami, and evening wind from ocean going through my Yukata was almost taking my exhaustion out from my body.
I had dinner alone at a huge party room. Hijiki (type of sea weed) normally as a small side dish, suddenly became my main dish after a bite. Simply cooked, amazing texture and taste.
15.03.2016
23 薬王寺
鯖瀬 海山荘
30km
海沿い風もなく素晴らしく晴れ、日が昇るにつれ、じりじりと日差しが強くなる、足が痛い、焼け石の上を歩くよう。
千二百年前に弘法大師によって遍路は開かれたらしい。
弘法大師の前の名前は空海、目の前の景色はこれからほとんど空と海。
それ以前にもこの地は多くの修行者が訪れていたらしい。有史以前の古代文明が海の向こうにあったのだろうか。
お寺で一様毎回、般若心経、ハートスートラを読む。
法隆寺には最古のサンスクリット語の写経が残っているらしが、私が読んでいるのはサンスクリットの音をそのまま残して中国語に訳されそして日本語のカナがふられたたもの。空海も中国で仏教を勉強したらしいが。。彼はサスクリット語を読めたのだろうか、そもそも中国語に訳すというのが腑に落ちない。漢字はそれぞれ意味があり音と意味がほぼ同じものにあてがわれたのかもしれないが、でも子供の時に上海で見たコカコーラはCocaColaとは明らかに読めないし。実際に飲んだことがなければその字からコカコーラを想像すらできないと思う。
外国語の歌を聴いて歌っても歌詞の意味を理解していないのと同じだろうか、楽しい歌だと思っていたら実は悲しい歌だったり。外国語を日本語で使う、カタカナに置き換えてしまうと意味がなくなってしまうし、またその逆もあるだろう。
やはり言語はその言語自体と文化背景を理解しなければ理解できない。音が重要という人もいるが、文章は書いてることが理解できなければ意味がないと思う。私の英語は大したものではないが、少なくとも美味しいフィシュアンドチップスとイングリッシュブレッククファーストを体感し理解しているのでそれを読んだ時に理解できる。（美味しいのには観光でちょっといたぐらいでは出会わないかもしれない）だからインドに行ってサンスクリット語を理解してカレーを食べたことのない空海は理解してないなど、
そなことを延々と考えながら歩き宿に着く頃には足だけでなく全身疲労、四畳半の部屋で、腰かけたところから反対側の壁に置いた荷物が遥か遠くに感じる。畳の強い繊維と柔らかさが素足から腫れを吸い出すよう、海の夜風が浴衣の隙間から疲れを流すよう。大きな宴会場で一人で食事、太くてしっかりとした歯ごたえと味、ヒジキが料理に主役になるとは思ってもみなかった。