20130927

Go around the world of Buddha statues 1: My favorite Buddha statue. At the beginning of this series.

 the head of Gakkō Bosatsu(Bodhisattva)

< the head of Gakkō Bosatsu(Bodhisattva) >

A series of " Go around the world of Buddha statues " starts.
Each time, I post the photo of Buddha statues and a simple explanation.
We see around the Buddha statues in Japan, China, India, South Korea, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

「仏像を巡って」の連載を始めます。
毎回、仏像の写真と簡単な説明を載せます。
日本を中心に中国、インド、韓国、中央アジア、東南アジアを巡ります。


Three statues of a Yakushi Nyorai(Tathāgata) and two Bodhisattvas in Yakushi-ji( Temple), Nara: a bronze casting in the early 8th century 

Three statues of a Yakushi Nyorai(Tathāgata) and two Bodhisattvas in Yakushi-ji( Temple), Nara: a bronze casting in the early 8th century >

My favorite a Buddha statue
These Buddha statues shined in gold at first.
The central statue is a Nyorai(Tathāgata), and indicates Buddha.
The statue of both sides is a Bosatu(Bodhisattva), and a practicing person that is ranked second in importance to Buddha.
This Nyorai(Buddha) and Bosatu(Bodhisattva) have the many names.
These statues were made after about one century since a Buddha statue was handed down to Japan.
Then, making of Buddha statue developed till the Kamakura period, at the 13th century.

I like the Gakkō Bosatsu (bodhisattva) of this left-hand side.
In fact, I do not understand the difference between Bosatsu of right side and left side.
I was charmed by the name of "the moonlight".

私の好きな仏像
この仏像は最初、光背のような金色に輝いていた。
中央の像は如来で、仏陀を現しています。
両側の像は菩薩で、修行中の仏陀に次ぐ人です。
如来や菩薩には幾多の名前があり、大乗仏教の経典により異なります。
この三尊像は日本に仏像が伝わってから約1世紀後に作られたものです。
この後、鎌倉時代、13世紀まで作風は発展して行きます。

私は、この左側の月光菩薩が好きです。
実は、私には左右の月光・日光菩薩の違いはわからないのです。
「月の光」の名前に惹かれたのです。


same as above

< same as above >


Gakkō Bosatsu, 2.5m in height

< Gakkō Bosatsu, 2.5m in height >

It is impressive with burnished black skin, a graceful carriage, refined clothes and accessories, a plump face.
I am attracted by long and narrow eyes, with eyes downcast, and a little smile of the mouth.


黒光りする艶やかな肌、柔らかな身のこなし、洗練された衣装と装身具、ふくよかな顔が印象的です。
私は、伏し目がちで切れ長の目、微かに笑みを湛える口元に惹かれます。

                      
above-mentioned statues were dedicated in this Yakushi-ji

< above-mentioned statues were dedicated in this Yakushi-ji 
This temple was built by Emperor in the 7th century.

この寺は、7世紀に天武天皇の命により造営された。

At the beginning of this series
The Buddha statue was born in India, and spread on Asia.
We watch the change and the development from the birth of the Buddha statue in Asian each place.
I treat a period from B.C. 1500 to A.D. 1200.


連載のはじめに
仏像はインドで誕生し、アジア各地に広まった。
仏像の誕生からアジア各地への展開、変遷を見ていきます。
紀元前1500年頃から紀元1200年頃までを扱います。


The area where Buddha statues are seen in

< The area where Buddha statues are seen in >
At what do I aim in this series?
We investigate what a change of Buddha statues means.
If we understand it, we can understand the meaning of birth of God statue.
We will look at the history of God statue from 30,000 years ago.
By looking at the changes in the Buddha statue and the God statue, we may be able to understand the idolization and the symbolization of supernatural thing.

Coming back to the ancient times, I want to start on the journey for intellectual adventure together with you.




連載で目指すこと
仏像の作風の変化が、何を意味するかを探ります。
このことがわかれば、世界の神像誕生の経緯も理解出来るのではないだろうか。
神像の歴史と彫像の歴史は不可分なので、3万年前からの世界各地も扱うことになる。
仏像や神像の変遷から、超自然的なものの偶像化と象徴化を理解出来るかもしれません。

皆さんと一緒に遙か昔へと知的冒険に旅立ちたいと想います。

















20130926

A solitary walk: Kobe Harborland

 a full view of Kobe Port from “MOSAIC”

< a full view of Kobe Port from “MOSAIC”. No.3 of Arrow >

I introduce a sightseeing spot of new Kobe today.
One of the charms here is to be able to enjoy a meal while viewing of Kobe harbor.
Large shops, and the restaurants of cuisines from all over the world gathered.


今日は、新しい神戸を味わえるスポットを紹介します。
ここの魅力の一つは神戸港を見ながら食事を楽しめることです。
次いで大型のショッピング街、各国の料理が楽しめるレストランが集約されていることです。


Kobe Harborland map

< Kobe Harborland map: The facilities are indicated in pink. Green arrows show my photo. >

There is "Kobe Harborland" in the seaside of JR Kobe Station.
It came into being 20 years ago.
The shopping area, the gourmet, the amusement, the wedding, the cinema, the entertainment, the hall, and the hotel have gathered here.
I shot this photographs around 5:00 p.m.

JR神戸駅の海側に「神戸ハーバーランド」があります。
これは20年前に誕生した多彩なビル群からなります。
幾つかの巨大ビルに、ショッピング、グルメ、アミューズメント、ウエディング、シネマ、エンターテイメント、ホール、ホテルが揃っています。
写真は午後5時頃撮影したものです。


JR Kobe Station side

< JR Kobe Station side. No.1 of Arrow >


a hall

< a hall >


umie

< “umie”: A inside of the shopping building  >


MOSAIC

< “MOSAIC”:  A restaurant street. No.2 of Arrow  >


MOSAIC

MOSAIC

MOSAIC

< Insides of “MOSAIC” >


Twilight from "harbor walk."

< Twilight from "harbor walk."  No.4 of Arrow   >

Please drop in here when you happen to come to Kobe.

神戸に来られた折は、一度お立ち寄り下さい。

























20130923

History of sickness and medical art 10: ancient Mesopotamia 2







myrrh: Painkiller, preservative of the mummy  


< myrrh: Painkiller, preservative of the mummy  >

We look at Mesopotamia from B.C. 3 millennium of the civilization birth to the middle of B.C. 1 millennium.

都市文明誕生の紀元前3千年紀から紀元前1千年紀中頃までのメソポタミアを見ます。


Fertile Crescent    

< Fertile Crescent    >

Great Ziggurat of Ur: a ruin of shrine at about the 21st century BC

< Great Ziggurat of Ur a ruin of shrine at about the 21st century BC

Healer
A nation managed the medical care, and the healer served the royal palace and the nation.
The classes of the healer were three grades, and their assigning tasks were fixed.
The top cleric diagnoses the patient, subsequently the exorcist drives off an evil spirit, and finally the doctor gives medicine.
The healer received education in a shrine and learned medicine from the clay tablet document.


医 師
国家が医療を管理し、治療者は王宮や国家に仕えていた。
治療者は三階級あり、分担が決まっていた。
最上位の聖職者が患者の診断を行い、次いで祈祷師が悪霊を追い払い、最後に医者が薬を与える。
治療者は神殿で教育を受け、粘土板文書から医学を学んだ。


a monster and a sun god of ancient Mesopotamia

< a monster and a sun god of ancient Mesopotamia

The recognition of sickness
Although there was also the empiricism side, it was considered that most causes of sickness were the punishments of God or an evil spirit.
As for the medical treatment, incantations and prayers occupied important role.
People thought that there was a magical power to the medicine.
As for the important sickness, the plague or an epidemic was called by the name of each God.
The devil of epidemic had a form of a fly, because people recognized that the fly carry the sickness that roused violently in summer.


病気の認識
経験主義的な側面もあったが、病因のほとんどは神や悪魔の罰とみなされた。
治療は加持祈祷が重きをなし、薬にも魔力があると考えられていた。
重要な疾病、ペストは「ナムタルウ」、流行病は「ネルガル」などの神の名で呼ばれた。
悪魔ネルガルがハエの形をしていたのは、ハエが夏に猛威を奮う病気を媒介していると認識されていたからです。



< cure >
Cure
The healer used the longtime medicine manual for diagnosis of tuberculosis, jaundice, etc., and was able to do it exactly.
However, in many cases, the healer diagnosed it by internal organs divination of the animal rather than examining a sick person.
The fortune-teller judged the patient's sickness from the appearance of the liver of the slaughtered sheep.
The liver model of this photo is a priest's guidance document.
The liver was full of blood and was considered to be the center of a life or a soul.


A model of the liver divination of the sheep: in Babylonia, the 19th century BC, made of clay

< A model of the liver divination of the sheep: in Babylonia, the 19th century BC, made of clay >

治 療
結核や黄疸等の診断には、古くからの医学便覧を用い的確に出来た。
しかし多くは病人を診るより、動物の内臓占いで診断されていた。
占い師は、屠った羊の肝臓の状態から患者の病気を判断した。
写真の肝臓模型は神官の手引き書である。
肝臓は血液に溢れ、生命や魂の中心と考えられていた。


As general treatment, there were inunction, massage, tub bath, wet pack, enema, etc.
As for the surgical operation, they used it for an injury, a bone fracture, a cataract, a calculus, and an abscess.
Those days, for an operation, there were a scalpel of bronze, a saw, and a drill.
The dental treatment was prosperous; there were tooth extraction, anodyne for a toothache, and false tooth.


一般的な処置として香油塗擦、マッサージ、沐浴、湿布、浣腸などがあった。
外科治療は外傷、骨折、白内障、一部には結石と膿瘍手術も行われた。
当時、青銅のメスや手術用のノコギリ、穿孔ドリルもあった。
歯科治療は盛んで、抜歯や歯痛止めの薬、義歯も行われていた。


a dedication of sacrifice beast: in ruin of a shrine of Mali, about 2500 years BC 


a dedication of sacrifice beast: in ruin of a shrine of Mali, about 2500 years BC >

Medicine
As for medicine, they used 250 kinds of medicinal herbs, such as a decoction, powdered medicine, a fumigant, an enema, and a purgative, and 120 kinds of mineral medicine, such as an alum, copper, clay, and magnetic iron.
In many cases, the medicine was given at each time when was determined by the race of stars.
The best-known drug is a laurel, aloe, cannabis, cinnamon, castor oil, myrrh, mustard, and an olive etc.
The doctor used sulfur for sterilization of a skin disease, and the hemp for depression or neuralgia.

薬 剤
薬は煎じ薬、粉薬、燻蒸剤、浣腸剤、下剤など250種類の薬草と、明礬、銅、粘土、磁鉄など120種の鉱物薬が利用された。
薬剤は多くの場合、星の運行によって決められた時刻に与えらえた。
最もよく知られた薬剤は、月桂樹、アロエ、大麻、シナモン、ヒマシ油、没薬、カラシ、オリーブなどである。
医者は皮膚病の殺菌に硫黄を使い、うつ病や神経痛には大麻を使った。


three wise man devoted myrrh, gold, and frankincense to Jesus.

< three wise man devoted myrrh, gold, and frankincense to Jesus.  >

 Summary
Although the medical art of ancient Mesopotamia still had the limitations of a prayer and magic, there is accumulation of huge knowledge and it had arrived at the practical use region.
It affected the medicine of Egypt and Israel, Greece, India.
However, it will be delayed with the collapse of Assyria and the Babylonia Empire at the 6th century BC.
When the medicine of this ground came under the spotlight again, it was the birth of Arabic medicine after 1,000 years of it.


まとめ
メソポタミアの医術はまだ祈祷・呪術による限界があったが、膨大な知識の蓄積と実用域に達していた。
エジプトやイスラエル、ギリシャ、インドの医術に影響を与えた。
しかし前6世紀のアッシリアとバビロニア帝国の崩壊と共に停滞することになる。
この地の医術が再び脚光を浴びるには1千年後のアラビア医学を待たなければならなかった。




20130920

Introduction of the movie : "Lincoln"

movie, Lincoln

This is a film work describing U.S. President Lincoln.
The film director is Steven Spielberg.
I recommend this movie to you.

The movie portrays President Lincoln for 28 days who gets “Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution” through the Congress in 1865.
This amendment became an epoch that this nation goes on to the abolition of slavery.
Constitutional amendments advanced after his death too, and the system of the black freedom that he desired was constructed.


これは米国大統領リンカーンを描いた作品です。
監督はスティーブン・スピルバーグです。
この映画を皆さんにお薦めします。

映画は、1865年、「米国憲法修正第13条」を議会に通過させるリンカーン大統領の28日間を描いている。
この修正案は、奴隷制廃止への第一歩を踏み出す画期となった。
彼の死後も憲法修正が進み、彼が望んだ黒人解放のレールは敷かれた。


movie, Lincoln

The movie chases the President carrying the realization of an emancipation of slaves alone in a civil war and a crisis of dividing nation.
He was a father who must send a son to the battlefield and was a husband who was blamed by his wife for it.
The film director portrays the loneliness, the suffering and the decision of a man scrupulously.


映画は、内戦と国家分裂の危機の中、奴隷解放の実現を一人背負う大統領を追う。
彼は戦場に息子を送り出す父であり、それを責め立てられる夫でもあった。
監督は、男の孤独、苦悩と決断を克明に描き切った。


movie, Lincoln

Lincoln was founding president of the Republican Party that demanded the emancipation of slaves and freedom.
The Civil War was in the fifth year, and 600,000 lives were lost.
In this situation, he cannot but give up the emancipation of slaves for the cease-fire and the prevention of dividing nation.

リンカーンは奴隷解放と自由を目指し結党された共和党の初代大統領だった。
勃発した南北戦争は5年目に突入し、60万の命が失われつつあった。
ここに至って、彼の選択肢は、停戦と国家分裂阻止のために奴隷解放を取り下げるしかないと思われた。


movie, Lincoln

< NowNow
But, if he misses this opportunity, he judges that there is not a way of the emancipation of slaves.
Then he submits the constitutional amendment that will be little possibility of approval.

He persuaded eagerly mainstream cease-fire group and radical emancipationist group of the Republican Party.
Moreover, he broke down several men of dissident the Democratic Party.
The amendment was enacted in reverse by a narrow margin, and this became a climax of the move.
The Civil War terminated in the surrender of the Confederate Army, and a strong federate nation without the compromise was completed, and the emancipation of slaves that Lincoln desired was accepted in the whole land.
This was the result of his strong will and political competence.


だが彼は、この機を逃しては奴隷解放の道が無いと判断し、成立の見込みが乏しい憲法修正案を提出する。
彼は反対派の民主党、解放急進派と主流の停戦派の共和党議員を懸命に説得し切り崩しを行った。
そして修正案は僅差で逆転成立し、これが映画のクライマックスとなる。
南北戦争は南軍の降伏で終わり、妥協の無い強い連邦国家が完成し、リンカーンの望んだ奴隷解放は全土に受け入れられた。
これらは彼の強い意志と政治手腕の賜であった。


movie, Lincoln 

The feature-length movie didn't include the war spectacle, and most were scenes of various human relations in the Congress and the White House.

I was greatly impressed and wondered at it.
1.       Prominent mind and ability of one person decided a future of the nation. 
2.       Although the emancipation of slaves might have given the nation the great blow, the U.S. finished crucial reforms.
3.       What does Lincoln’s loftiness depend on?  Lincoln was a pious Protestantism.


この長編映画に戦争スペクタクルはなく、ほとんどが議会やホワイトハウス内の人間模様でした。

私は大いに感動し、また不思議に想った。

1.      一人の卓越した精神と能力が国の将来を決めた。 
2.      奴隷制否定は経済に大打撃を与え国の分裂を招くものだったが、米国は大改革を成し遂げた。

3.      リンカーンの崇高さは何処から来たのだろうか? リンカーンは敬虔なプロテスタントだった。











20130917

History of sickness and medical art 9: Mesopotamia 1

 Herodotus, Greek historian

< Herodotus, Greek historian
I introduce the medical art of ancient civilization.
First, a role that medical art of the ancient civilization fulfilled in the society is described.
Then, I introduce it of ancient Mesopotamian civilization.

これから古代文明の医術を見て行きます。
最初に古代文明の医術が果たした役割を述べます。
次いで最古のメソポタミア文明を見ます。


The upper part of the Code of Hammurabi: a scene that the sun god confers a code to the King

< The upper part of the Code of Hammurabi: a scene that the sun god confers a code to the King
Things that medical art of the ancient civilization fulfilled.
Also in ancient civilization, as we saw in non-literate society, people thought for that God and grudges cause many sicknesses.
Divine services and black art was important for the curing.
The more the solution of a problem like hard cure is difficult, the more the people depended on power of God for it.
The kings of the ancient town also depended on God.

The epidemic would rage along with urbanization.
However, when the literate society advanced, the medical art progressed, and the understanding to the sickness advanced.

This brought people the recognition for their society and the satisfaction that advanced more.
The religion that had come into being in the cultural sphere having higher medical arts was venerated, and spread.
On the other hand, the relation between the medical arts and the religion produced various local differences by the national history.

All was the big consciousness change that happened on the earth of ante-Christum.
We look at the situation in order of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, India, China, Greece.

                                                   

古代文明の医術がもたらしたもの
古代文明においても、無文字社会で見たように神や悪魔、恨みが多くの病を引き起こすと考えられ、神事と呪術で治療することが重要だった。
治療も含めた問題解決に、手に負えないものほど人々は神の力に頼った。
古代文明の王達も神に頼った。

都市化が進むほど伝染病は猛威を振るうことになった。
しかし文字使用が進むと医術も進歩し、病への理解も進んだ。
これはより深い理解と満足を人々にもたらした。
進んだ医術を持つ文化圏で誕生した宗教は崇敬され広まった。
一方、医術と宗教の関わりは、その国家の成り立ちによって地域差が生じた。

すべては紀元前の地球全域で始めて起きた大きな精神変化でした。
その様子を、メソポタミア、エジプト、イスラエル、インド、中国、ギリシャの順に見ていきます。


a formulary of Sumerian doctor, BC2200 

< a formulary of Sumerian doctor, BC2200 >
In Mesopotamia
Preface
The activities of the doctor have been written down in the Code of Hammurabi that King of the Babylon made at the middle of the 18th century.
From the remains of a library in Nineveh of Assyria Empire, the clay tablet of the medicine document of 800 sheets written before the last 7th century was found.


メソポタミアでは
はじめに
前18世紀中頃、バビロンの王が造ったハムラビ法典には医者の活動が記されていた。
アッシリア帝国のニネベの図書館跡から、前7世紀以前に書かれた800枚の医術書の粘土板が見つかった。

The reappearance figure of ancient city Babylonia: At 100 years after the construction of Ishtar gate in blue, Herodotus visited this ground.

< The reappearance figure of ancient city Babylonia: At 100 years after the construction of Ishtar gate in blue, Herodotus visited this ground.
The 5th century B.C., Greek historian Herodotus has written about medical care of Babylonia in "the history".

“Because the doctor is not in this country, the sick person is taken to the open space without being put in the house. If a passerby knows about the sickness, he will go to a sick person's side and will give wisdom about sickness.”
  
He drew a situation sharing treatment experience in society.
Because he couldn't watch the doctor like in Greece, he thought that there was not any doctor.
However, there were doctors unlike Greece in the Babylon.

From next time, I look at the medical art of ancient Mesopotamia.



前5世紀、ギリシャの歴史家ヘロドトスはバビロニアの医療について「歴史」に以下のように書いていた。

「この国には医者というものがいないので、病人は家に置かず広場に連れて行く。・・・通行人は病気について知っていれば、病人の傍らへ行って病気について知恵を授ける。・・・」

彼は治療経験を社会で共有する姿を描いている。
彼はギリシャにいたような町医者を見なかったから、医者がいないと考えた。
しかしバビロンにはギリシャと異なる医者達がいた。

次回より、古代メソポタミアの医術を見ます。