'Buddhist Nun for a Day' mixes religion and role play (２００７年７月１４日版 P20)

Teacher's Review

 

I think learning about the different religions of the world is extremely important. It's like looking into the soul of a culture. 'Nun for a day' seems like an interesting approach. Many westerners are mystified by Buddhism. However, people trying it as 'cosplay' kind of shatters that image. The story illustrates this very well. It prepares you for a spiritual quest and suddenly it turns into a game of 'dress-up'. These kinds of twists in writing make things much more interesting. It's the main reason I like the story. As for looking into the soul of Japanese culture, I think the story shows the 'Japanese' approach to religion quite well. What I mean is, the Japanese have a very practical approach to religion. Most people I talk to say the aren't religious. At the same time, they participate in many more religious rituals than I ever did in Canada. It's more like a habit than anything else. I like this common sense approach. But I won't be doing any 'cosplay' any time soon.

 

Marcel Morin

記事に登場する単語解説　

 

（太字の単語をクリックすると、English wikipediaでの解説を表示します。 ）

Methodist 　　メソジスト教徒（プロテスタントの一派）

hymn 　　　 　　賛美歌・聖歌

ushered into 　〜に案内されて

don 　　　　　　　着用する・見につける

adorn 　　　　　　飾る・装飾する

sutra 　　　　　　お経

mercy　　　　　　 慈悲・哀れみ

chant　　　　　　 単調に繰り返す言葉（ここでは経を指す）

incense 　　　　香

rosary 　　　　　ここでは数珠　　

surplice 　　　　白衣

wimple　　　　　 頭巾

pudgy 　　 　　　 ずんぐりした

ecletisism 　　　折衷主義

 

※ chantは、ここでは「お経」の意味で使われていますが、キリスト教のchantは「聖歌」を意味します。

　　chantの試聴ができるサイト => http://www.chantcd.com/index.php/page/shop:samples/