{"id":1158,"date":"2025-07-30T20:47:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T11:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/?p=1158"},"modified":"2025-09-08T18:36:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T09:36:32","slug":"post-1158","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/?p=1158","title":{"rendered":"Japan – Discovering Zen Words – Today’s Best Word is “\u4e00\u5fd7\u4e0d\u9000 Isshi Futai”"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Zen is hard. And Zen words? Even harder.
So I go ahead and make up my own meanings\u2014and I like them just fine.I like to think that Master Huineng, D\u014dgen, Ikky\u016b, and Ry\u014dkan would nod gently and say, \u201cThat’s fine. That’s fine. Let it be, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today’s Zen word is “Isshi Futai” It means “If you have the ambition and just ask for it, the road will open”<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If you have the ambition and just ask for it, the road will open.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The teaching of Dogen Zenji, the founder of the Soto sect, is “Shikantaza” He tells me to do zazen all the time.Dogen Zenji said,”If you remain steadfast in your determination(issi hutai), after three years you will begin to understand something”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His words carried the weight of a thousand thoughts. He once said, \u201cThe practice of Zen is just sitting.\u201d
Nothing fancy. No tricks. Just sit. Breathe. Be still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today’s world of hustle and life hacks, that sounds almost ridiculous. But D\u014dgen went on: \u201cIf you make a vow and never turn back, the path will naturally reveal itself\u2014often in just three years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three years. It\u2019s not long, but it\u2019s not short either. Most people who\u2019ve truly made something of themselves have spent at least that long\u2014waiting, working, wondering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take, for example, a young man named Saku Yanagawa. He left Japan alone and set out to become a stand-up comedian in America. Telling jokes in a foreign language is no easy task. But he kept showing up. He kept standing up. And slowly, laughter followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or consider Mr. Miyade, a man growing coffee on Tokunoshima, a remote island in Japan. He\u2019s been at it for thirteen years. Still, he says he hasn\u2019t produced the coffee he dreams of. And yet, he continues\u2014planting, tending, believing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there\u2019s the curious case of Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura\u2014a Japanese comedian famous in the UK for doing, well\u2026 underwear-based performance art. It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous. But when someone commits fully to something\u2014even the absurd\u2014it transforms. It becomes something real. Something brilliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These people have something in common: they don\u2019t back down.
They pick a path, and they walk it\u2014no matter how winding or strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the world of art, cuisine, and sports, you\u2019ll find many like them.
People who live out the old saying: \u201cWhat you love, you do well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So maybe, for us too, the secret is not in doing everything right, but in simply continuing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sit.
Stay.
Don\u2019t turn away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And one day, without even realizing it, you might find that you\u2019ve arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Act first, continue for three years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some people seem born with talent\u2014artists, athletes, chefs, comedians.
They move through the world like they\u2019ve been handed a secret map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But me?
I\u2019m ordinary.
No special gifts. No obvious calling.
And so, I watch others do great things and tell myself, \u201cWell, I could never do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And maybe you\u2019ve felt that too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We come up with reasons before we even start.
We overthink, hesitate, get tangled in \u201cwhat ifs\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m not good enough.\u201d
We spend so much time planning not to fail\u2026 that we forget to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the days pass.
Nothing starts.
And later\u2014quietly\u2014we regret it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It happens over and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here\u2019s a thought:
What if we did it anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not because we\u2019re ready.
Not because we\u2019re sure.
But simply because we want to try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if, instead of finding reasons why we can\u2019t\u2026
we just started?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u014dgen, that quiet old Zen monk, once said: \u201cIf you stay committed and don\u2019t retreat, after three years, the path will reveal itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three years sounds long.
So try one.
Or even three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do it with no expectations. No judgment.
Just show up. Every day. Like watering a plant you\u2019re not even sure will bloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the quiet magic of it.
Keep going, and something will shift. Not overnight. But steadily, invisibly, inevitably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to be a genius to begin.
You just need a small want. A flicker of interest.
Everyone has something like that\u2014big or small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So pick it up. Make a vow. And don\u2019t think too much.
Just do it. Keep doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s what it means to be Isshi Futtai\u2014to have a single, unshakable intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when you feel like giving up, whisper those words to yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isshi Futtai.
I won\u2019t retreat.
Not today.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u7985\u8a9e\u306f\u6700\u9ad8\u3000\u300c\u4e00\u5fd7\u4e0d\u9000\u300d\u3072\u305f\u3059\u3089\u6c42\u3081\u7d9a\u3051\u308b<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u7985\u306f\u96e3\u3057\u3044\u3002\u7985\u8a9e\u3082\u96e3\u3057\u3044\u3002\u3060\u304b\u3089\u52dd\u624b\u306b\u89e3\u91c8\u3057\u3066\u4f7f\u3063\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002\u305d\u308c\u3067\u826f\u3044\u3068\u601d\u3063\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002\u6848\u5916\u3001\u6167\u80fd\u7985\u5e2b\u3082\u9053\u5143\u7985\u5e2b\u3082\u3001\u4e00\u4f11\u3055\u3093\u3082\u826f\u5bdb\u3055\u3093\u3082\u300c\u305d\u308c\u3067\u826f\u3044\u3001\u305d\u308c\u3067\u826f\u3044\u3093\u3058\u3083\u3088\u3001Let it be \u3058\u3083\u300d\u3068\u8a00\u3063\u3066\u304f\u308c\u305d\u3046\u3060\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4eca\u65e5\u306f\u300c\u4e00\u5fd7\u4e0d\u9000\u300d\u3067\u3042\u308b\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saku Yanagawa\u3068\u3044\u3046\u65e5\u672c\u4eba\u9752\u5e74\u304c\u3044\u308b\u3002\u5358\u8eab\u3001\u7c73\u56fd\u306b\u6e21\u308a\u30b9\u30bf\u30f3\u30c0\u30c3\u30d7\u30b3\u30e1\u30c7\u30a3\u30a2\u30f3\u306b\u306a\u3063\u305f\u3002\u5f7c\u306b\u3068\u3063\u3066\u82f1\u8a9e\u306f\u5916\u56fd\u8a9e\u3067\u3042\u308b\u3002\u305d\u308c\u3092\u4f7f\u3063\u3066\u306e\u6f2b\u8ac7\u306f\u3055\u305e\u304b\u3057\u96e3\u3057\u304b\u3063\u305f\u3060\u308d\u3046\u3002\u5fb3\u4e4b\u5cf6\u306b\u5bae\u51fa\u3055\u3093\u3068\u3044\u3046\u4eba\u304c\u3044\u308b\u3002\u5f7c\u306f\uff11\uff13\u5e74\u9593\u3001\u5cf6\u3067\u30b3\u30fc\u30d2\u30fc\u3092\u683d\u57f9\u3092\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002\u307e\u3060\u6e80\u8db3\u3067\u304d\u308b\u30b3\u30fc\u30d2\u30fc\u306f\u3067\u304d\u3066\u3044\u306a\u3044\u3002\u5f7c\u306f\u305d\u308c\u3067\u3082\u8ae6\u3081\u305a\u683d\u57f9\u3092\u7d9a\u3051\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u30a4\u30ae\u30ea\u30b9\u3067\u6709\u540d\u306b\u306a\u3063\u305f\u300c\u3068\u306b\u304b\u304f\u660e\u308b\u3044\u5b89\u6751\u3055\u3093\u300d\u3082\u8ae6\u3081\u306a\u3044\u4eba\u3060\u3002\u82f1\u8a9e\u3067\u306f\u300c\u3068\u306b\u304b\u304f\u300d\u3068\u7565\u3055\u308c\u308b\u3002\u5f7c\u306f\u30d1\u30f3\u30c4\u306e\u82b8\u3092\u7a81\u304d\u3064\u3081\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002\u3069\u3046\u307f\u3066\u3082\u99ac\u9e7f\u306a\u82b8\u3060\u304c\u6975\u3081\u308b\u3068\u672c\u5f53\u306e\u82b8\u306b\u306a\u3063\u305f\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u307e\u305a\u884c\u52d5\u3057\u4e09\u5e74\u7d9a\u3051\u308b<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\u5f8c\u304b\u3089\u5f8c\u6094\u3059\u308b\u304f\u3089\u3044\u306a\u3089\u3001\u3067\u304d\u306a\u3044\u7406\u7531\u3092\u8003\u3048\u308b\u524d\u306b\u3001\u3068\u306b\u304b\u304f\u59cb\u3081\u3066\u307f\u308c\u3070\u3069\u3046\u3060\u308d\u3046\u3002\u305d\u308c\u3092\u4e09\u5e74\u306e\u9593\u306f\u7d9a\u3051\u3066\u307f\u308b\u3002\u4e09\u5e74\u304c\u9577\u3044\u306a\u3089\u4e00\u5e74\u3067\u3082\u826f\u3044\u3002\u7121\u5fc3\u3067\u3072\u305f\u3059\u3089\u9811\u5f35\u3063\u3066\u7d9a\u3051\u308b\u3002\u305d\u3046\u3059\u308c\u3070\u4f55\u304b\u304c\u898b\u3048\u3066\u304f\u308b\u3001\u3068\u9053\u5143\u7985\u5e2b\u306f\u305d\u3046\u8a00\u3063\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zen is hard. And Zen words? Even harder.So I go ahead and make up my own meanings\u2014and I like them just fine.I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-englishistory","category-zenwards"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1158"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11086,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1158\/revisions\/11086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kazu-yamagu.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}