While making money, machines, time, places, books, laws, expectations, memories, and various other things, mankind himself has come to be unceasingly oppressed by these very creations. As master, it is to be expected that all things must be subordinate to man, but the true situation is actually completely opposite, and the ‘master’ is often set to work in the service of his myriad things.
Concerning all etiquette and convention and such, we must at one level deeply reflect upon the extent to which they corrode our hearts and enslave us. All of this corruption and restraint results from our being caught up in superficialities. Instead of making our own true nature the center of our life, we go about our daily existence propped up by external falsehoods.
However, this is not to say that we cannot cure internal distortion through the use of outward criteria. Environment clearly makes the man, nor can the transformative power of external habit be denied. Even so, to go against what is natural, on the other hand, is apt to amount to nothing at all.
Walking around everywhere like a snail, burdened by a heavy shell—there is no one more intractable than such a person as this.
Laying a straw mat on the ground, it is interesting to play house:
“Is anyone home?”
“Welcome. Please come on in.”
“It’s only simple fare, but please have something to eat.”
“It’s delicious.”
“You forgot to bring me a gift.”
“Hey, you’re not supposed to say that to your guest!”
“But, still, you forgot, didn’t you…?”
“All right, let’s try again from the start.”
“Is anyone home?”
“Welcome. Please come on in.”
“Here’s a gift. Please give it to Mi-chan.”
“Oh my. This looks special!”
This is the world of two children,
The most interesting and pleasant world there is.
Why is it so interesting?
Reason has no place here.
Smiling, without engaging in argument, like an infant loved by all around—such a person I like best.
