July 16, 2007
A Homophonic Kick in the Citta
Ki to Revitalization
Words mean things
Romanized {transliterated from Kanji into the Roman alphabet} Japanese Buddhist terms contain a lot of confusing homophones. Consider the words shin {pronounced sheen}. There are a number Chinese Characters than we read as shin, or sometimes as jin; I am told there are more than a dozen. Here are a look at some:
信: The On reading of this is Shin, the kun reading is Makoto. It can mean faith, trust, confidence, etcetera. It is used to translate the Sanskrit shraddha, which is saddha in Pali.
瞋: Generally seen as shinni, 瞋恚, this puppy is usually translated as anger. However, there are a number of Sanskrit & Pali words that are collapsed into this term. These include; dvesa {Sanskrit} or dosa {Pali}, which means hatred. Also arati (aversion), pratigha (anger), byapada (enmity), and krodha (rage); among others.
身: This shin means body. We see it in sanjin; which is translation of the Indic trikaya. Tri means three, kaya means body.
真: This one means genuine, real, or true; as in Jodo Shinshu, literally the Pure Land True School.
新: Kun reading atara; this one means new or fresh.
神: This is the Jin in Shoten Zenjin, and the shin in sanju banshin. The Kun reading is Kami, the On reading is often jin rather than shin.
親: This shin means parent.
One more:
心: The kun reading here is kokoro. Shin {心} can be used to mean either mind or heart; in both the literal senses of brain and biological heart; as well as in the abstract and metaphorical senses of mind-energy and essence. Two quite distinct sanskrit/pali words. hridaya and citta, are translated as kokoro/shin. Hridaya means either the biological heart, or is used metaphorically as kernel, core, or essence; as in "heart of the matter." Citta means something like mind, heart, and soul. It is mind, but not the organic brain {manas]; it is heart, but not the organic heart {hridaya}. Citta refers to intelligence or mental and spiritual energy.
Here are some uses of various shins.
Shu, Shi, Shin>: 主師親; This translates as Ruler {sovereign; lord}, Teacher, & Parent.
Shin, Gyo, Gaku: 信行学: This is a translation of three Indic words shraddha {faith,}, charitra {conduct}, and [perhaps] bhavana {education or cultivation}. The SGI translation is Faith, Practice, & Study.
Kanjin: 観心; This is a translation of vipasyana {or vipassana} plus citta meaning mind. Kanjin is a form of insight meditation; a reflection on one's mind or consciousness.
Hannya Shin-Gyo: 般若心経: The first two kanji are a transliteration of Prajna {Wisdom} followed by shin as translation of Hridaya {heart}. Gyo is phonetic change of kyo; meaning sutra in this context; {literally classic works/pass through/ /to pass/to elapse}. So we get Wisdom Heart Sutra, or the 'Heart Of Wisdom Discourse.' Here, hridaya is a metaphor meaning core, as in "heart of the matter."
Tensho Daijin: 天 照大神: This is the name of the Chief Shinto Kami. The first kanji means Heaven, then Illumination {kun reading Tera} followed by Great Kami. The Kami are Japanese divinities; mostly nature spirits, I think.
Shiki Shin Funi: 色心不二; this is a translation of rupa {form} plus citta, followed by "not two," meaning non-dual or a-dvaita.
Sorting all these out from just seeing the written shin can be confusing. Shiki Shin Funi is a real kick in the shin. At a glance, from the roman-ji, we might think shiki shin is 識身 {consciousness & body}; rather than 色心 {form & mind}.
If we really want to grasp these concepts, it is best to back translate them, where possible and applicable, to the original Sanskrit or Pali, where the the nuance of meanings is closer to English than the Chinese or Japanese terms.
Posted by rbeck at July 16, 2007 01:54 AM