my way of translation 11/30

極楽と地獄
The Hell and the Paradise:

修行僧が、老師に「地獄とは、どんな所か」と尋ねた。老師は答えた。「地獄には、大きな釜にうどんが煮えている。食べるには、長さ一メートルもある長い箸を使うしかない。そのため、うどんをつかむことはできても、口に入れることができない。皆、自分が真っ先に食べようと、狂ったようになり、しまいには、うどんは飛び散ってしまい、誰も食べることはできない」。
An ascetic monk asked an aged monk, "What kind of the place is the hell?" And the aged monk replied, " In the hell there is a big pot where udon noodles are being boiled. There is no way but using long chopsticks as long as one meter in order for people to eat them. It is hard to put them into their mouth even if it is possible to catch them, because everybody is trying frantically to eat them first. So, finally, udons gets cut and move away, and then nobody could eat them."

修行僧は、「それでは極楽とはどんな所か」と尋ねた。老師は答えた。「実は、極楽も同じようになっている。ただ、人々はうどんを長い箸でつまむと、釜の向こう側にいる人に、「どうぞお先に召し上がってください」とすすめる。相手は有り難く受け、「ごちそうさまでした。今度はあなたがどうぞ」と、うどんをすすめ、全員がおいしいうどんを食べることができる」。
The ascetic monk asked, " Then, what kind of the place is the paradise?" And the aged monk replied, " Actually, the paradise is also set in the same to the hell. However, when a person there catches the undon by the long chopsticks, he says, first of all, to another person sitting at the opposite side of the pot, " Please have them first." And the person who has received that kindness feels very thankful for that and says, " Please have them this time." Like this, everyone living there can eat the udon."

われわれの人生においても自分のことのみを考えるのか、それともお互いに思いやりを持って接するのかによって、極楽にも地獄にもなり得るのだ。
The above-mentioned things are true of our lives. Whether you only think of yourself, or you are considerate fort others will decide whether you go to hell or paradise.

（稲盛和夫の言葉から）

my way of translation 11/29

人間的成長の分水嶺
A watershed for your growth as a human being:

苦難に直面したときに、打ち負かされて夢をあきらめてしまったり、いい加減なところで妥協をしてしまったりするのか、あるいは苦労を苦労と思わず、ひたむきに努力を重ねることができるのか。ここに人間的に成長できるかどうか、その分水嶺があるのです。
When you face difficulty, there are two ways: One is that you are defeated by it and would give up on your dream, or you would make an easy compromise where inappropriate. The other is you could continue making a steady effort without thinking trouble is trouble. The watershed lies there, whether you could grow or not as a human being.

（稲盛和夫の言葉から）

my way of translation 11/28

損な役を引く受ける勇気
A courage to take on a role that doesn't pay:

成功すればするほど、偉くなればなるほど、謙虚にふるまわなければならない。自分が最も損な役を引き受けるという勇気がなければ、上に立ってはならない。自己犠牲を払う勇気のない人が上に立てば、その下に位置する人たちは不幸になる。
The more successful, the greater you may be, the more modest you should be. Unless you don't have a courage to take on a role that doesn't pay, you should not be in the top position. If a person without a self-sacrifice mind has some important role,
the people under him have to suffer from adversity derived from that selfish boss.

（稲盛和夫の言葉から）

my way of translation 11/27

信頼は心の反映
Trust is a reflection of your mind.

信頼関係は自分自身の心の反映だ。たとえ、自分が損をしたとしても、人を信じていく。その中でしか信頼関係は生まれない。信頼とは、外に求めるのではなく、自らの心の内に求めるべきものなのだ。
A relationship of trust between you and some other person is the result on which your mind is reflected. Even though it may case some damage to you, you have to ger along with that person, trusting him. Only in that kind of circumstances could a trust relationship be born. Trust is what you should find not outside your mind but within your mind.

（稲盛和夫の言葉から）

my way of translation 11/26

心を高める、経営を伸ばす
To enhance your mind and expand your business:

企業の業績をさらに立派なものにしていこうとするなら、経営者がその人間性を高め、人格を磨いていく以外に方法はない。
In order to expand your business further, there is no way but for you, or business operator to enhance your personality and brush your mind.

私自身、京セラの創業間もない頃から、「経営がトップの器で決まるならば、トップである私自身の器を磨き、大きくしていかなければいけない」と強く思い、懸命に努力を重ねてきた。
Since a while after I established Kyosera corporation, I have long made efforts as hard as possible, thinking," As long as the business performance is decided by the top's capability, I myself, as the top person, should brush up my personality and enhance my capability."

（稲盛和夫の言葉から）