四神足 The Four Gods’ Feet
第一章 渇望の炎（欲神足）
朝霧がまだ森を包む薄明の中、アーナンダは小さな庵の前に立っていた。
彼の胸には、一つの強い「渇望」が燃えていた。
それは、ただの欲望ではない。
真理を求め、迷いを断ち切り、ニルヴァーナの智慧を得たいという純粋な願い。
その願いこそが、「欲神足」――修行を突き動かす火のような力だった。
彼は静かに呼吸を整え、心の奥底に問いかけた。
「何を望むのか、私は。」
思考の波が静まると、答えが浮かんできた。
（迷いを断ち、真理に到達したい。
この道を歩み続ける意志を、今こそ固めねばならぬ）
そう決意すると、彼の内に燃える渇望は、冷たくはかない欲望ではなく、
強く、そして澄み切ったエネルギーへと変わっていった。
その日、アーナンダは師のもとへ赴いた。
師は静かに微笑み、問いかける。
「アーナンダよ、お前の心の火はどう燃えているか？」
彼は答えた。
「わたしの望みは、揺るぎない覚悟となり、今ここにあります。
たとえどんな困難があろうとも、わたしは道を歩み続けます」
師はうなずき、静かに言った。
「その渇望こそが欲神足だ。
これを失えば、修行は流れ星のごとく消えてしまう。
だが、燃えすぎると炎は己を焼く。
渇望は強く、しかし柔軟に保て」
その後、アーナンダは修行の毎日に入る。
燃える意志を胸に、身体の痛みや心の揺れを乗り越え、坐禅に集中した。
時に心は乱れ、欲望に惑わされる。
だが、そのたびに渇望の炎を思い出し、折れずに立ち上がった。
夜空を見上げると、一つの星が彼の胸の内で輝いているように感じた。
それは、「真理を求める魂の灯火」。
欲神足の炎は、これからも彼の歩みを支え続けるだろう。
第二章 絶え間なき歩み（精進神足）
朝日の光が山の稜線を染め始めるころ、アーナンダはすでに林の中で歩を進めていた。
昨日の疲れなど感じさせぬ足取りは、まるで風のように軽やかだが、どこか確かな力強さを秘めていた。
彼の胸にあるのは、「精進神足」――
絶え間ない努力と持続する意志の力である。
「修行はただの一時の熱情ではない。
毎日、毎瞬、繰り返し歩み続けることが真の力となるのだ」
師の教えを反芻しながら、アーナンダは己の心の弱さと向き合っていた。
数日前、修行の道で幾度となく挫けそうになった夜のことを思い出す。
疲れから坐禅中に意識が薄れ、雑念に心を奪われた。
そのたびに、「もういいや」と諦めかけた自分を、必死に叱咤した。
「ここで止まれば、どこにも辿り着けない――」
そんな葛藤のなかでアーナンダは気づいた。
修行の本質は、完璧であることではない。
転んでも、何度でも立ち上がること。
その繰り返しが、やがて揺るぎない力となるのだ。
今日も彼は、森の奥の小さな清流のほとりで、黙々と呼吸を整え、坐禅に入った。
流れる水音が心の乱れを洗い流し、呼吸は徐々に深く、静かに整っていく。
「努力こそが、道の光。
走り続ける者にのみ、光は道を照らす」
彼の心に、師の言葉が再び響いた。
日が傾き、夕暮れの風が肌を撫でるころ、アーナンダは新たな決意を胸にした。
「どんなに困難でも、必ず進み続けよう。
その一歩一歩が、未来の智慧を紡ぐのだ」
、第三部「四神足」第三章、「意神足（いじんそく）」――意志の力第三章 揺るぎなき心柱（意神足）
霧深い朝、アーナンダは小高い丘の頂上に立っていた。
冷たい風が彼の袈裟を揺らし、遠くの森の緑を揺らす。
ここまでの道は決して平坦ではなかった。
修行の道は、肉体と精神の試練の連続であり、何度も心が折れそうになった。
しかし、彼の内にひとつの確かな柱が立っていた。
それが「意神足」――揺るぎなき意志の力である。
ある夜、疲労と孤独の淵に沈みそうになったとき、
アーナンダは自らに問いかけた。
「なぜ、私はこの道を歩むのか？」
答えはすぐには見つからなかったが、探求の中で一筋の光が差し込む。
（それは、苦しみを超え、真実の智慧を得て、すべての生きとし生けるもののために歩むためだ）
意志は、ただ強いだけでは意味を持たない。
柔軟さを持ちながら、揺るがずに保たねばならない。
そのバランスを学ぶため、アーナンダは禅
思考が風のように過ぎ去り、意志は中心に留まる。
師は言った。
「意神足は、岩のように固く、そして水のように柔らかくあれ。
その心柱が、修行者の道を支える」
アーナンダは静かにうなずき、心の中で誓った。
「揺るぎなく、しかし柔軟に。
この意志を支えに、さらに深く歩み続けよう」
第四章 鋭き眼差し（察神足）
薄曇りの午前、アーナンダは静かに川辺に座っていた。
水面に映る木々の揺らぎ、風に運ばれる葉のささやき。
彼の眼差しは、外界の細やかな動きに深く集中していた。
これは「察神足」――修行者が持つべき、鋭く明晰な観察力の鍛錬である。
彼の内面もまた、観察の対象だった。
心に湧き上がる感情の波、無意識に浮かぶ思考の影。
それらをただ受け入れ、判断も抵抗もせずに見つめ続ける。
以前は、怒りや焦りが生まれると、心はそれに飲み込まれ、迷いの渦に巻き込まれた。
だが今、アーナンダは一歩引き、その感情を第三者のように見つめることができる。
「心の動きは、川の流れのようだ。
それに逆らわず、ただ観察することが智慧の第一歩だ」
師の言葉が胸に響く。
「察神足は、真理の透視眼。
これがなければ、誤った道に迷い込む」
アーナンダは深い息を吸い、目を閉じた。
心の中に生じる微細な変化を、まるで星の瞬きを見るように感じ取る。
この観察の力こそが、彼の修行の根幹を成し、
未来に訪れる試練を乗り越えるための灯火となるだろう。
The Four Gods’ Feet
Chapter 1: Flames of Desire
In the twilight when morning mist still enveloped the forest, Ananda stood in front of a small hermitage.
A strong “desire” was burning in his chest.
It was not just desire.
A pure wish to seek the truth, cut off delusion, and attain the wisdom of Nirvana.
That wish was “desire” – a fiery force that drove his training.
He calmed his breathing and asked himself in the depths of his heart.
“What do I want?”
As the waves of his thoughts calmed, the answer came to him.
(I want to cut off delusion and reach the truth.
Now is the time to strengthen my will to continue walking this path.)
With that decision, the desire burning within him was no longer a cold, fleeting desire, but a strong, clear energy.
That day, Ananda went to see his master.
The master smiled quietly and asked.
“Ananda, how is the fire in your heart burning?”
He answered.
“My desire has become an unwavering resolve, and it is here now.
No matter what difficulties I face, I will continue on the path.”
The master nodded and said quietly.
“That desire is the lustful power.
If you lose it, your training will disappear like a shooting star.
But if it burns too much, the flame will burn you.
Keep your desire strong, but flexible.”
After that, Ananda began to train every day.
With a burning will in his heart, he overcame the pain in his body and the turmoil in his mind, and concentrated on zazen.
At times his mind was disturbed, and he was led astray by desire.
But each time he remembered the flame of his desire, and stood up unbroken.
Looking up at the night sky, he felt as if a star was shining in his heart.
It is the “light of the soul that seeks the truth.”
The flame of Yokushintari will continue to support his steps.
Chapter 2: Uninterrupted Walking (Shojinshintari)
As the light of the morning sun begins to paint the mountain ridges, Ananda is already walking through the forest.
His steps are as light as the wind, showing no sign of the tiredness of the previous day, but there is a certain strength hidden within.
What he has in his heart is “Shojinshintari” —
the power of ceaseless effort and sustained will.
“Practice is not just a momentary passion.
The true strength comes from continuing to walk repeatedly, every moment, every day.”
While ruminating on his teacher’s teachings, Ananda was facing the weakness of his own heart.
He remembers a night a few days ago when he had nearly given up on his path of training.
During his zazen meditation, he lost consciousness due to fatigue, and his mind was taken up by distracting thoughts.
Each time, he would desperately scold himself for giving up and saying, “That’s enough.”
“If I stop here, I’ll never get anywhere.”
In the midst of this struggle, Ananda realized.
The essence of training is not to be perfect.
Even if you fall, you should get up again and again.
Repeating this will eventually become an unshakable strength.
Today, too, he sat in silence by a small, clear stream deep in the forest, regulating his breathing and meditating.
The sound of the flowing water washed away the disturbance in his mind, and his breathing gradually became deeper and quieter.
“Effort is the light of the path.
Only those who keep running can see the light of the path.”
The words of his teacher echoed in his mind again.
As the sun went down and the evening breeze caressed his skin, Ananda felt a new resolve in his heart.
“No matter how difficult it may be, I will keep moving forward.
Every step will weave the wisdom of the future.”
Part 3 “The Four Divine Feet”, Chapter 3, “Ijinsoku” – Willpower Chapter 3: Unwavering Heart Pillar (Ijinsoku)
On a foggy morning, Ananda stood at the top of a small hill.
The cold wind shook his robe and shook the green of the distant forest.
The road to this point was by no means smooth.
The path of training was a series of physical and mental trials, and he was close to breaking down many times.
But one solid pillar stood within him.
That was “Ijinsoku” – unwavering willpower.
One night, when he was about to sink into the depths of fatigue and loneliness,
Ananda asked himself.
“Why am I walking this path?”
He didn’t find the answer right away, but a ray of light shone through in his search.
(It was to transcend suffering, attain true wisdom, and walk for all living beings.)
A strong will is meaningless if it’s just strong.
It must be flexible and unwavering.
To learn that balance, Ananda practiced Zen.
Thoughts pass by like the wind, and the will remains at the center.
The master said.
“The will should be as hard as a rock, yet as soft as water.
This central pillar supports the path of the practitioner.”
Ananda nodded quietly and vowed in his heart.
“Unwavering, yet flexible.
With this will as my support, I will continue to walk deeper.”
Chapter 4: A Sharp Gaze (Sensing Sight)
On a cloudy morning, Ananda sat quietly by the river.
The swaying of the trees reflected on the water’s surface, the rustling of leaves carried by the wind.
His gaze was focused deeply on the minute movements of the outside world.
This was “sensation” – the training of sharp and clear observation that a practitioner should have.
His inner self was also an object of observation.
The waves of emotions welling up in his mind, the shadows of thoughts floating unconsciously.
He simply accepted them, continuing to stare at them without judging or resisting them.
In the past, when anger or impatience arose, his mind was consumed by them, and he was caught up in a whirlpool of confusion.
But now Ananda was able to take a step back and look at those emotions as if he were a third party.
“The movements of the mind are like the flow of a river.
The first step to wisdom is to simply observe without resisting it.”
His teacher’s words resonated in his heart.
“sensation is the clairvoyance of the truth.
Without it, you will stray down the wrong path.”
Ananda took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He senses minute changes occurring within his mind as if he were seeing the twinkling of stars.
This power of observation will form the basis of his training,
and will be the light that will help him overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
