• Welcome to Touhou Wiki!
  • Registering is temporarily disabled. Check in our Discord server to request an account and for assistance of any kind.

Symposium of Post-mysticism/Part 5: Difference between revisions

From Touhou Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (conspiracy. interpretation fix.)
mNo edit summary
Line 90: Line 90:
| char =Miko
| char =Miko
| ja  =もし殺されたとしてもまた復活すれば良い、それが叶わなければ幽霊として存在しても良い。その程度に考えている筈です。それより怖いのが、完全に存在が否定されてしまう事。
| ja  =もし殺されたとしてもまた復活すれば良い、それが叶わなければ幽霊として存在しても良い。その程度に考えている筈です。それより怖いのが、完全に存在が否定されてしまう事。
| en  ="Even if I die, I'll just be reborn, and if I can't be reborn I'll be fine as a ghost." That's surely how they think. Rather than that, what they're scared of is their existence being denied completely.
| en  ="Even if I die, I'll just be reborn, and if I can't be reborn I'll be fine as a yuurei." That's surely how they think. Rather than that, what they're scared of is their existence being denied completely.
}}
}}
{{DialogTable
{{DialogTable
Line 210: Line 210:
| char =Byakuren
| char =Byakuren
| ja  =ただの虎というのも変ですが、知っての通り日本には虎は棲んでいませんでした。大陸から学問が伝わった時に、虎という生き物も言葉だけ伝わりました。みんなどのような姿をしているのだろう、と想像した結果生まれたのが星だったのです。
| ja  =ただの虎というのも変ですが、知っての通り日本には虎は棲んでいませんでした。大陸から学問が伝わった時に、虎という生き物も言葉だけ伝わりました。みんなどのような姿をしているのだろう、と想像した結果生まれたのが星だったのです。
| en  = I must say calling her just a tiger is a bit weird, but as you know tigers have never lived in Japan. Back when scholarship was coming in from the continent, the fact that an animal called a tiger existed was known only through words. The imaginations of people wondering what they looked like, made birth to Shou as a result.
| en  = I must say calling her just a tiger is a bit weird, but as you know tigers have never lived in Japan. Back when scholarship was coming in from the continent, the fact that an animal called a tiger existed was known only through words. The imagination of people wondering what they looked like gave birth to Shou as a result.
}}
}}
{{DialogTable
{{DialogTable
Line 415: Line 415:
| char =Kanako
| char =Kanako
| ja  =人間が飽きっぽくなったのかもね。あと私が気になっていたのは神子さんの事ですが……貴方は何を目指しているのですか?
| ja  =人間が飽きっぽくなったのかもね。あと私が気になっていたのは神子さんの事ですが……貴方は何を目指しているのですか?
| en  =Maybe humans have become to lose their interest easily. Getting to who's left, I'm interested in Ms. Miko. What are you aiming for?
| en  =Maybe humans have come to lose their interest easily. Getting to who's left, I'm interested in Ms. Miko. What are you aiming for?
}}
}}
{{DialogTable|colspan}}
{{DialogTable|colspan}}
Line 465: Line 465:
| char =Miko
| char =Miko
| ja  =羨ましいですね。私もそれを目指して修行するとしましょう。
| ja  =羨ましいですね。私もそれを目指して修行するとしましょう。
| en  =I envy you. That will be an another goal of my training.
| en  =I envy you. That will be another goal of my training.
}}
}}
{{DialogTable|colspan}}
{{DialogTable|colspan}}
Line 535: Line 535:
| char =Byakuren
| char =Byakuren
| ja  =見事なまでのーー。
| ja  =見事なまでのーー。
| en  =How fool are you-
| en  =How fool are you-.
}}
}}
{{DialogTable
{{DialogTable
| char =Miko
| char =Miko
| ja  =自業自得。
| ja  =自業自得。
| en  =To reap what you sow.
| en  =You reap what you sow.
}}
}}
{{DialogTable|colspan}}
{{DialogTable|colspan}}

Revision as of 10:06, 8 May 2012

Pages 124-135
< Part 4: Yuugi Hoshiguma 
Part 4: The current status and future of the hated 
 Symposium of Post-mysticism   Part 5: Shou Toramaru
 Part 6: Let's talk about youkai extermination from now on
>

第五部
宗教と信仰は幻想郷に必要なのか

Part V
Are Religion and Faith Necessary to Gensokyo?

Marisa

地底に比べると幻想郷は平和で良い場所だな。

Compared the underground, Gensokyo sure is a peaceful place.

Byakuren

平和、かしら。

Peaceful? I wonder...

Kanako

一見牧歌的でもその実、殺伐とした何かが渦巻いているわね。ただ、信仰を集めるには丁度良いくらいだけど。

It may seem idyllic at first glance, but there's a hint of danger swirling around in the air. Well, it's just the right atmosphere for gathering faith.

Miko

平和と言っても、絶えず妖怪の恐怖にさらされている里の人間の生活は楽ではないと思う。妖怪だって妖怪同士のいがみ合いが絶えないし。これからもっと均衡を崩すような存在が現れないとも限らないし……。

You call it peaceful, but due to the constant threat of youkai I can't imagine the human villagers being comfortable with it. And the youkai never cease quarreling amongst themselves. And we can't assume that an even more destabilizing being won't appear in the future....

Marisa

それはお前らの事じゃないのか?

Aren't you all talking about yourselves?

Kanako

増える分には仕方が無いでしょう。幻想郷の存在は外の世界依存ですし。

Well, we can't do anything about the increase. Because one's existence in Gensokyo depends on the outside world.

Miko

ただ、人間だけはそうもいかない。幻想郷では人間が特別な存在であるからしてーー。

It doesn't for humans. Because humans are a special kind of being in Gensokyo—

Marisa

特別な存在?

A special being?

Miko

だってそうでしょ? 他の妖怪達は外で忘れ去られた存在、必要とされなくなった存在であるのに対し、人間は外の世界と同じように存在している。つまり、妖怪を生かす為だけに存在しているんだから……。人間にとっての獣や魚、という事になるでしょう。

Aren't they? The youkai and the like are beings who have been forgotten or are no longer needed by the outside world, while humans exist just as much in the outside world. So if humans only exist to keep the youkai alive... then they become the same as beasts or fish.

Kanako

それだとただの食料みたいな言い方になるけど、獣や魚が存在しなければ人間も窮する、という互助関係ね。例えば、私は人間から信仰を得られないと力を発揮することが出来ないの。信仰を得る為には人間の生活を支えていかなければならないのだから、持ちつ持たれつの関係ってわけ。だから幻想郷で妖怪同士が争ったりしたとしても、人間が消えて無くなる事はない筈なの。

You're trying to make it sound like they're just food, but if beasts or fish didn't exist it would also trouble the humans, they have that kind of cooperative relationship. For example, if I couldn't receive faith from human then I wouldn't be able to use my powers. So in order to obtain faith, I have to support the humans' livelihood, and we enter a give-and-take relationship. So even if the youkai of Gensokyo continue to quarrel, there shouldn't be any chance of the humans disappearing.

Miko

本来、人間は無力であるが、消される危険性が無いという意味では安心かも知れない。

So essentially you're saying that even if the humans are completely helpless, they should have peace of mind simply because there's no risk of them disappearing.

Marisa

あれ? ちょっと前に、人間は妖怪の恐怖にさらされている、って言ってなかったか? それに実際に妖怪に攫われたとか襲われたとかって話もチラホラ聞くし。

Huh? Didn't you say earlier that humans were being threatened by youkai? And there really are stories of people being abducted or attacked by youkai.

Miko

危険性が無いのは個々の人間の話では無く、種としての人間です。個々人はやはり怯えながら暮しているのでしょう。

The lack of risk refers not to individual humans, but to the human species. Individual humans will of course continue to live in fear.

Marisa

何だよそれ、意味の無い安心だな。

What's up with that? What a meaningless peace of mind.

Miko

そう考えるのは人間や一部の妖怪だけで、殆どの妖怪は自分が攻撃されたり倒されたりする事に余り恐怖を感じていません。

That's how humans and some youkai think, but most youkai don't feel any fear at all of being attacked or defeated.

Kanako

そう、なのかしら?

Is that so?

Miko

もし殺されたとしてもまた復活すれば良い、それが叶わなければ幽霊として存在しても良い。その程度に考えている筈です。それより怖いのが、完全に存在が否定されてしまう事。

"Even if I die, I'll just be reborn, and if I can't be reborn I'll be fine as a yuurei." That's surely how they think. Rather than that, what they're scared of is their existence being denied completely.

Byakuren

生き残るという意味ではその通りだと思いますが……。しかし、負けた妖怪として印象付けられてしまうので、余り喜ばしい事じゃないかと……。

When it comes to survival I believe that's true... However, a defeated youkai finds it hard to impress anyone, so it's not a pleasant thing to experience...

Miko

そう? 人間みたいに消えて無くなるよりはマシかと。

Really? I thought they'd be more concerned about not disappearing, like humans are.

Byakuren

私は消えて無くならない為に妖怪に仏教を教えているのです。

I teach Buddhism to youkai so that they won't disappear.

Miko

へえ。

Oh...

[妖怪仏教]

Youkai Buddhism

Byakuren

仏教の世界では人間が死を迎えても消えて無くなる訳ではありません。その考え方を妖怪にも教えていく事で、人に忘れられても自我を保てる存在へと高めていくのです。

In the Buddhist world, even death does not cause humans to disappear. I teach that way of thinking to youkai, so that even if they are forgotten they can become beings that preserve their own ego.

Miko

なる程、だから貴方のお寺に居る妖怪は古くさい奴ばかりなのね。

I see, so that's why the youkai at your temple all seem so old-fashioned.

Byakuren

何か言いました?

Did you say something?

Miko

正直言って仏教は政治に利用するものだと思っているの。人心の乱れを正し、全てを受け入れる事が修行だなんて、為政者の為にあると言っても過言では無いわ。私からしてみたら、妖怪に仏教を教えるなんてナンセンス。ただのおままごとみたい。

To be honest, I think of Buddhism as a political tool. It corrects the disorder in human nature, it accepts anyone into ascetic training, it's no exaggeration to say that this is all for the benefit of statesman. From my perspective, teaching Buddhism to youkai is nonsense. It's just playing house.

Byakuren

仏教は自分の存在を否定する事で自分の存在を再確認する、いわば哲学です。確固たる肉体、精神を持っていない妖怪こそ、この哲学を学びやすいと思いませんか? その結果、人間にも妖怪にも良い未来が見えて来ると考えられないとしたら残念な事です。それを政治利用にしか使えないのは、使う者が未熟である証拠。

Buddhism is a philosophy that denies your existence and then reaffirms it. To the strong-bodied yet heartless youkai, shouldn't it be quite easy to teach them this philosophy? It is most unfortunate that you cannot understand the bright future for both humans and youkai that this would result in. To use this only for political ends is evidence of the user's immaturity.

Kanako

でも、お寺にはよく妖怪が出るという話が多いわよね。證誠寺の狸囃子(*1)とか、茂林寺の分福茶釜(*2)とか。

But there are many stories of youkai showing up at temples. Like the Shoujou Temple's belly-drumming tanuki(*1), or the Morin Temple's Bunbuku tea ceremony(*2).

Byakuren

わざと狸ばっかり選んでません? まあ確かにうちにも化け狸が住み着きましたが。

Did you intentionally choose only stories about tanuki? Well, it is true that we've also had a bake-danuki settle down in our temple.

Kanako

何か、狸とお寺の相性って良いのよねぇ。よく森の中に在るからかしら?

Somehow it seems as though tanuki have an affinity for temples. I wonder if they have many in the forests.

Byakuren

それを言うなら神社と狐もね。

You could say the same about shrines and foxes.

Marisa

道場とゾンビもだな。

And about dojos and zombies.

Miko

ゾンビじゃ無くてキョンシーです。てか、もっとそれっぽい動物は思いつかなかったの?

She's not a zombie, she's a Jiang Shi. And couldn't you have at least thought of an animal?

Everybody

(笑)

(Laughs)

[命蓮寺の毘沙門天]

Myouren Temple's Bishamonten

Kanako

そう言えば貴方のお寺に、修行僧とは異なった雰囲気の妖怪が居るよねぇ。ずっと気になってたんだけど。

By the way, at your temple you've got a youkai who projects a different atmosphere than the other monks. I've been wondering about her for a while now.

Byakuren

誰でしょう?

Who could that be?

Kanako

ほら、仏像っぽい奴。

You know, the one like a Buddhist statue

Byakuren

寅丸星ですか? 確かに彼女は他の妖怪とは異なります。実は最初はただの虎だったのです。

Shou Toramaru? She certainly is different from the other youkai. Actually, in the beginning she was just a tiger.

Kanako

ただの虎? 妖怪じゃ無いの?

Just a tiger? Not a youkai?

Byakuren

ただの虎というのも変ですが、知っての通り日本には虎は棲んでいませんでした。大陸から学問が伝わった時に、虎という生き物も言葉だけ伝わりました。みんなどのような姿をしているのだろう、と想像した結果生まれたのが星だったのです。

I must say calling her just a tiger is a bit weird, but as you know tigers have never lived in Japan. Back when scholarship was coming in from the continent, the fact that an animal called a tiger existed was known only through words. The imagination of people wondering what they looked like gave birth to Shou as a result.

Marisa

ただの虎じゃないじゃん。

That is not just a tiger.

Byakuren

おほん。でも名前のあるような妖怪じゃありませんでした。だからいつ消えてもおかしくないような状態だったのです。ですが私や毘沙門天様が留守の間、お寺を守ってくれるようにお願いしたところ、その存在は確固たるものとなったのです。

Ahem. But she wasn't like the named youkai. It wouldn't have been strange for her to disappear at any moment. But when Lord Bishamonten and I asked her to guard our temple in our absence, her existence became unshakeable.

Miko

偉そうに言っているけど、要は留守番を任せただけでしょ?

That sounds great and all, but basically she's just your house-sitter then?

Byakuren

まあ、そうなんですが……。彼女は、毘沙門天の化身となって信仰を集める存在そのものにもなっていますので……強いて言えば神奈子さんと同類でしょう。

Well, she is... but because she also became an avatar of Bishamonten and now exists to gather faith... if I had to label her I'd say she's the same as Ms. Kanako.

Kanako

やっぱりそうなのね。修行しているだけの妖怪達とは違って、何か商売敵っぽい匂いがしたので……。

I figured it was something like that. Unlike the other youkai-in-training, she has the scent of a business rival....

Miko

信仰に敏感なのね……。それにしてもあれが毘沙門天の化身ねぇ。随分と変化(*3)したもんねぇ。

I guess you're sensitive to faith.... But still, she's the avatar of Bishamonten? That's quite a change(*3)...

Kanako

七福神ですからね。これは気を引き締めないといけないかも。

It's because he's one of Seven Gods of Good Luck. I may have no choice but to brace myself.

Byakuren

そう言えば、神奈子さんの御神徳(*4)って何ですか?

Speaking of which, what is Ms. Kanako's divine virtue(*4)?

[八坂の神]

Yasaka no Kami

Kanako

わ、私? えーっと、山の神ですので、地形を作ったりする事かしら。

M-me? Umm... because I'm a mountain god I guess I can create terrain and stuff?

Byakuren

随分と曖昧ですね。

That's extremely vague.

Kanako

神は妖怪と違って自分で自分の性質を変えてしまっても良いのです。性質を変える為に作られるストーリーを『神話』と呼びます。これを使って自由に性質を変える事が出来るのです。今は幻想郷の人間や妖怪と共に神話を作り上げている途中ですが、山の神という存在では信仰が得にくいという事で、徐々に技術革新の神に変化させようとしています。

Unlike youkai, gods are fine even when their natures are changed by themselves. The stories that are created to change their natures are called "myths". Using these, we can freely change our own natures. Currently, the humans and youkai of Gensokyo are in the middle of creating my myth together, but because I'm not receiving faith well as a mountain god, I'm gradually becoming the god of technological innovation.

Miko

神様ってそんなに簡単に御神徳変えられたんだ。

Gods can change their divine virtues that easily?

Kanako

ま、私ぐらいになればね。

Well, if they're at my level.

Miko

では、もっと信仰を得やすい御神徳にすれば良いんじゃないんですか? 働かなくても食べていける御利益(*5)とかあったらみんなもりもり信仰するわ、きっと。

Wouldn't it have been better to choose a divine virtue that could gather faith more easily(*5)? If you were granting them blessings of things like free food without having to work you'd definitely be brimming with faith.

Kanako

大きい御利益の為には、当然その分働かなきゃいけないのです。それに……やっぱり能力的に出来ない事は出来ないし。

In order to bestow large blessings, naturally you have to work just as hard. Moreover, of course I can't do what I can't do.

Miko

ですよねー。

I know what you mean.

Kanako

でもそれも、信仰さえあれば実現可能かも知れない。まさに妖怪巫女かの如く。

But anyway, things might be realized if I have more faith. Like a youkai shrine maiden, even.

Miko

妖怪巫女って?

A youkai shrine maiden?

Kanako

街に行っては妖怪が出たーって吹聴して、神社に戻っては妖怪退治を引き受ける事よ(*6)。

They could head into town to start rumors of a youkai showing up, and then head back to the shrine to accept the extermination requests(*6).

Byakuren

それでは、博麗神社の巫女も同じような物だという事ですか?

Isn't that the same as what the Hakurei shrine maiden does?

Kanako

ま、そこまで頭が回る人間じゃ無さそうだけどね。それに巫女は信仰を集めると言っても、人間なんだから信仰を集めたってしょうが無いし、精々、五斗米の為に働いているだけでしょ。

Well, she doesn't seem like someone who could turn that many heads. And although I said a shrine maiden gathers faith, since the one gathering the faith is human, it'll be useless for her to do it, I guess she's just working for a meager salary.

Miko

喰っていく為のお賽銭を頂くのに、妖怪を退治して信仰を集めているだけだと。

Even though she makes her living off of donations, she never tries to gather faith with anything but youkai extermination.

Kanako

そうね。もの凄く信仰が集まれば、もしかしたら神のような存在になるかも知れないけど……。

I know. Although if she somehow gathered enough faith, maybe she could become something like a god?

Byakuren

今だと、どちらかと言うと妖怪に近い存在に見えますけどね(笑)。

But as she is, she looks like she's a being close to a youkai.(laugh)

[神と妖怪の差]

The Difference Between Gods and Youkai

Marisa

そう言えば、神と妖怪の差って何なんだ?

By the way, what's the difference between gods and youkai?

Kanako

神道から見た場合、神とは全ての物に宿る本質です。本来、神とは名前も付けられていないあるがままの自然だったり、道具だったりするものです。

From the Shinto perspective, gods are the true natures within all things. Originally, gods exist namelessly in nature or in tools.

Byakuren

名前の付いている貴方と矛盾しません?

Doesn't that contradict the fact that you yourself are named?

Kanako

神は名前を付けられると力は制限されてしまいますが、自我が持てるようになるのです。何にでも宿る能力を失い、妖怪とほぼ差が無くなりますが……、逆に神話によって生まれ変わる能力を得ます。

When gods are named their powers are restricted, but they receive an ego. They lose the ability to exist within anything, becoming no different from youkai, but in return receive an ability related to their myths.

Byakuren

つまり、神とは神話による変化能力を持つ妖怪だという事ですか。

So basically, gods are youkai whose ability changes depending on myths.

Kanako

しかし、信仰を失うと元の存在に戻っていきます。妖怪の場合は忘れ去られると消える、ですが……それは脅したり騒ぎを起こしたりしていれば防げますが、信仰の方はそうはいかない。脅していてばかりでは信仰を失い、ただの妖怪になってしまうのです。

However, if they lose all their faith, they return to their former existence. As for youkai, they disappear when forgotten, but they prevent that through threatening people or causing disturbances, rather than through faith. If a god who did nothing but threaten people lost its faith, it would become an ordinary youkai.

Marisa

そう言えば豊穣の神に出会ったが、あいつ等、妖怪と区別が付かなかったぜ。

Now that you mention it, I met a harvest god before, but I couldn't tell her apart from youkai.

Kanako

神社も持たないような野良神様(*7)は、殆ど妖怪と化しています。信仰を集めようったって難しいですからね。ちなみにその豊穣の神って誰の事です?

Stray gods without shrines(*7) often get reduced to youkai. Because it's difficult to gather faith like that. By the way, who was this harvest god?

Marisa

えっと、秋穣子だったかな。

Um... I think it was Minoriko Aki.

Kanako

ああ、あの野生の神様ね……。確か紅葉の神である姉妹(*8)が居たと思いますが、正直、豊穣の神は有名な神様が沢山居ますからね。倉稲魂(うかのみたま)とか……。信仰は全部そっちに持って行かれてしまったのでしょう。まだ紅葉の神の方が商売敵が少なく、信仰を集めやすいと思うわ。落ち葉と芋を合わせて焼き芋の神々、とかにして人間の里の隅にでも移動販売すればそれなりに信仰(*9)が集まると思うんですけどね。

Ah, that feral god... I believe she had a sister(*8), a god of autumn colors, but honestly it's because there are so many famous harvest gods. Like Ukanomitama... So all the faith ends up going to them. There isn't much competition in the god of autumn colors market though, so it's probably easier to gather faith with that. Combining fallen leaves and potatoes, you get the gods of roasted sweet potatoes[1], so if they set up a nice kiosk in some corner of the human village I think they could gather a lot of faith(*9).

Marisa

そうなのか。それを聞いたらあいつ等喜ぶと思うぜ。冬が来てまた落ち込んでたからな。

Is that so? I'm sure they'd love to hear that. They've been in a slump since winter came in.

Byakuren

他にも野良化した神様が色々居そうね。

It seems there are quite a few other gods who have become stray.

Kanako

最近の人間は簡単に神様に名前を付けるのに、信仰しないからねぇ。

It's because even though humans nowadays easily attach names to gods, they don't have faith in them.

Byakuren

ちょっと前の妖怪の話と似てますね。

That sounds like our earlier conversation about youkai.

Kanako

人間が飽きっぽくなったのかもね。あと私が気になっていたのは神子さんの事ですが……貴方は何を目指しているのですか?

Maybe humans have come to lose their interest easily. Getting to who's left, I'm interested in Ms. Miko. What are you aiming for?

[道教と仙人]

Taoism and Hermits

Miko

え? 何をって?

Eh? What I'm aiming for?

Kanako

人間を超える力を持って何をしたいのかしら。さっき為政者になりたいって言ってましたが、人間を支配したいのですか?

Now that you have power surpassing humanity, what do you want to do? Earlier you said you wanted to become a statesman, so you you want to rule humanity?

Miko

あーいや、為政者になりたいって言ったのは、放って置いたら幻想郷が崩壊するかも知れないと思ったからです。大丈夫ならばわざわざやりたいとは……そんなに思いませんよ。私は宇宙の真理である(タオ)を追求したいという欲望を満たす為に修行しています。

Ah, no, I said I wanted to become a statesman when I thought Gensokyo might collapse if left alone. If it's going to be okay without me then I want to.... I haven't given it much thought. In order to fulfill my desire to pursue the Cosmic Truth called Tao, I guess I'll be training.

Kanako

道って真理の事なんですか?

Is Tao something like Truth?

Miko

そう、それを知る事で、自らの力を高める事が道教の基本思想なのです。十分な力を得た人間を仙人と呼びます。私はさらに修行を続け父老不死となり、行く行くは天人になる事を目指しています。

Yeah. The fundamental principle of Taoism is that by knowing the Tao you can increase your own power. Humans who have obtained enough power are called hermits. I plan to use my immortality to continue training beyond that and someday become a celestial.

Marisa

天人、ねぇ。天界に行った事あるけど、あんまり良い場所じゃ無かったぜ。

A celestial, eh? I've been to Heaven but it didn't seem that great a place.

Miko

え? 行った事があるんですか?

Eh? You've been there?

Marisa

ちょっとね。

For a bit.

Miko

羨ましいですね。私もそれを目指して修行するとしましょう。

I envy you. That will be another goal of my training.

[邪仙現る]

A Wicked Hermit Shows Up

Byakuren

そう言えば、神子さんと一緒に出てきた仙人、霍青娥さんでしたっけ? あの方から非常に非常に強い邪気を感じるのですが、あの方は一体……?

Now that you mention it, wasn't there another hermit who showed up with Ms. Miko? Ms. Seiga Kaku? I've felt an extraordinarily strong evil from her, but what exactly is she...?

Miko

私に道を教えてくれた、いわば師匠の様な方です。

She's the one who taught me Tao, you could call her my master.

Byakuren

死体を思い通りに操ったり、自然の摂理を乱す事を行うのが仙人だとすると、ちょっと私は受け入れられない思想ですが……。

She manipulates corpses as she pleases and disrupts the providence of nature with her actions. I can't bear the thought that she's also a hermit....

Miko

道はあくまで宇宙の真理です。それをどう利用するかまでは道教では教えません。邪心を抱く者が利用すれば邪に、善心を持つ者なら善に。青娥はその事を、身を以て私に教えてくれました。

In the end, the Tao is the Cosmic Truth. How to use this Truth isn't something that Taoism teaches. It is evil when used by the evil, and good when used by the good. That is something Seiga taught me through her actions.

Byakuren

人それぞれだと言うのですか? 私には力を持つと、欲望に身を滅ぼされるだけだと思えてなりません。それが自分自身、身に染みて判った事なんですが、貴方とは異なるのですね。

Are you saying it's up to the person? I could only think that when you obtain power, you just get yourself destroyed by desires. Personally, that is what I've come to deeply understand, I differ from you.

Miko

欲望も自分自身の一つ、切っても切り離せない真理です。その事がお経を唱えてるだけで満足する、枯れたお坊さんには判らないのですか。

Desires are also a part of one's self. The truth is that it is impossible to separate from them. Even by chanting as many sutras as you like, a mature priest can't understand this?

Byakuren

現に、青娥さんはあちこちに迷惑を掛けています。あのままでは誰かの手によって滅ぼされるかも知れない。いや他ならぬ私の手によって……。

Actually, Ms. Seiga has been going around bothering people. At this rate, it wouldn't be surprising if someone destroyed her. If other people don't, I might do it myself...

Marisa

確かにな。最近、私の家に忍び込まれてビックリしたぜ。思わず殺めるところだった。

Definitely. Recently she snuck into my house and surprised me. I almost murdered her by accident.

Miko

忍び込まれて何をされたの?

What did she sneak in for?

Marisa

羽衣を持って行かれた。折角綺麗だったから自分の物にしたのに。

She took a veil. After I went through all that trouble to clean it, it should've been mine.

Miko

羽衣って……青娥の羽衣?

A veil... Seiga's veil?

Marisa

ああ。

Yeah.

Byakuren

見事なまでのーー。

How fool are you-.

Miko

自業自得。

You reap what you sow.

[宗教家の思想]

Their Religious Ideologies

Marisa

ま、それは置いておいて。折角宗教家三人に集まって貰ったんだが話が一向に進まんな。さっきからお前達の主張が交わったり、相容れなかったりと行ったり来たりしているように見えるが、とどのつまり宗教って何なんだ?

Well, let's leave that aside. Even though we went through the trouble of gathering three religious figures, this topic hasn't advanced at all. I can see you've all been going back and forth, exchanging mutually exclusive opinions, but in the end what exactly is religion?

Byakuren

哲学だと思っています。苦しみから解放される為の。

I believe it's a philosophy. To free us from suffering.

Miko

同じく、哲学です。自らを高みへと導くための。

I have the same idea, it's a philosophy. To guide us towards improving ourselves.

Kanako

じゃあ哲学です。何となく。

Then it's a philosophy. Somehow or other.

Marisa

哲学って何だよ(笑)。

What's a philosophy?(laugh)

Kanako

冗談はさておき、宗教ってのはこの世を理解する為の手段なのよ。科学も魔法もみんな同じ、ただ一つの学問。

Jokes aside, religion is a method of understanding the world. Science and magic are also the same, they're all forms of scholarship.

Marisa

じゃあ、なんで種類があるんだ? 喧嘩したり色々と。

Then why are there so many? It starts a lot of fights.

Kanako

種類があるのは使っている言語が違う、というレベルよ。言葉が異なれば主義主張も歪んで伝わってしまい、喧嘩する事もあるでしょう。でも全宗教を通してみんなが望む事はただ一つ。自分に不利益な事が起きないようにする事なの。自分の身は自分で守る為に、神に頼ったり、仏にすがったりするのよ。

There are so many because they're using their words differently, it's at that level. If the words differ, the principles will be distorted through transmission, which can cause fighting. But for all religions there is but one desire. To avoid experiencing hardships. In order to protect themselves, people rely on gods or cling to Buddhas.

Byakuren

確かに、そういう事かも知れませんね。時には宗教戦争など起きる事はあれど、それも自分を守る為に起きるのでしょう。

That may certainly be true. Even if it may sometimes cause religious wars, those are also ways that people protect themselves.

Marisa

人に迷惑を掛けて何が自分の身を守る為、なんだか判らんが、宗教家はみんな平和主義って訳か?

I don't see how bothering other people is protecting yourself, but does that mean that all religious people are pacifists?

Byakuren

そう、私のお寺に居る妖怪達も、必要がなければ戦いません。被害を被っていなければ戦う必要は無いからです。

Yes, the youkai that live in my temple won't fight unless necessary. It's never necessary to fight unless you've been harmed.

Miko

確かにそこは共通してますね。どちらかというと、何の思想も持っていない、何の宗教も信仰していない人間が目先の欲や嫉妬で争い、傷つけ合うものです。

That's certainly a commonality. If I had to say it, humans without ideologies or religious faith tend to hurt others with their short-sighted greed or jealous rivalries.

Kanako

幻想郷もみんな平和に暮らせるようになると良いですね。

It would be nice if everyone in Gensokyo could live together in peace.

Akyuu

あ、霊夢さん。ちょっと待ってください。まだ取材中ですので……

Ah, Ms. Reimu. Could you please wait for a moment? I am still collecting data...

Marisa

あれ? 霊夢じゃないか。どうした? そんな剣幕で。

Oh? If it isn't Reimu! What's up? What's with the angry look?

Reimu

さっきから聞いていれば好き勝手言ってばかり! あんた達がどれだけ迷惑を掛けているのか私が見せてあげるわ!

From what I've heard, you're all just saying whatever you like! I'll show you exactly how troublesome you really are!

*1 破れるまでお腹を叩いた、攻撃力の高い狸のお話。

1: The story about a tanuki with high attacking skills who hits the belly until it breaks.

*2 中途半端に茶釜に変身した、防御力の高い狸のお話。

2: The story about a tanuki with high defensive skills who half-transforms into a tea kettle.

*3 神子は大昔は毘沙門天を信仰していた。現在は富をもたらす七福神の一つだが、当時は護国、戦勝の神だった。

3: Miko believed in Bishamonten in the ancient past. Though it is now one of the Seven Fortune Gods who gives wealth, it was the protector god of the state and the god of victory at the time.

*4 神様のお仕事内容。仕事の結果の事を御利益という。

4: The actual jobs that gods do. The results of their jobs become their divine virtues.

*5 ニートの御利益と言うそうです。

5: A divine virtue of NEETs, she seems to be saying.

*6 いわゆるマッチポンプ。片手にマッチを持って火をつけ、片手にポンプを持って火を消す事。

6: It's what's called a matchpump[2]. Lighting a fire with a match in one hand, extinguishing it with a pump in the other.

*7 信仰を失い、野生化した神様。

7: Gods who lost their faith and became feral.

*8 秋静葉。怒ると真っ赤になる。

8: Shizuha Aki, turns red when angry.

*9 ……? お小遣い?

9: ......? Allowance?

< 4: Yuugi Hoshiguma 
Part 4: The current status and future of the hated 
 Symposium of Post-mysticism   Part 5: Shou Toramaru
 Part 6: Let's talk about youkai extermination from now on
>

References

  1. It is common in Japan to bake a sweet potato by burning fallen leaves.
  2. A Japanese-made English that means someone who provides a solution to a problem that he himself started in the first place.