- This article has been published on Substack.
- Due to its high public importance, I am also posting it on this blog.
Buddhism, Ayurveda, and spices.
India is one of Japan’s cultural homelands. For example, the Chinese monk Xuanzang traveled the Silk Road to study Buddhism in India, bringing Buddhist scriptures back to China where he translated them.
Indian-style curry, as well as curry adapted to Japanese home cooking, are beloved in Japan and available through food delivery services.
Ayurveda has also been transmitted to the Japanese as one form of Eastern medicine.
Now, rather abruptly, I will translate and quote from the autobiography “Fukuo Jiden” (public domain) by Fukuzawa Yukichi, a key contributor to Japan’s modernization.
Quote
From Fukuzawa Yukichi’s Autobiography
Upon Growing Up, Before Becoming a Monk
As I mentioned before, my late father must have found it disagreeable to serve as a petty official. If that were the case, he should have kicked away from Nakatsu and gone elsewhere. However, he apparently had no such intention whatsoever. The fact that he endured all manner of dissatisfaction and remained content with his modest stipend was surely due to the constraints of the times that made it impossible for him to act freely. Even now, I feel sorry for him and find it regrettable.
For instance, there was this incident during my father’s lifetime. From what I can surmise now, my father had planned that the Fukuzawa household would be inherited by the eldest son, which would have been fine. However, I was born as the fifth child. When I was born, I was a large, lean, big-boned baby, and the midwife said that if this child were given plenty of milk, he would surely grow up splendidly. Hearing this, my father was greatly delighted and said, “This is a good child. When this child grows up and reaches ten or eleven years of age, I’ll send him to a temple to become a monk.” He repeatedly told this to my mother.
My mother later told me about this, saying, “I couldn’t understand why your father said he would make you a monk at that time, but if he were still alive now, you would be a temple priest by now.” She would say this whenever the topic came up in conversation. When I reached adulthood and reflected on my father’s words, I realized that Nakatsu was organized under the feudal system like items neatly packed in boxes, with an order so fixed that it wouldn’t budge an inch even after hundreds of years. Those born into retainer families became retainers, those born into foot-soldier families became foot-soldiers. Generation after generation, retainers remained retainers, foot-soldiers remained foot-soldiers, and those caught in between were the same—no matter how many years passed, there wasn’t the slightest change.
So, considering my father’s position, no matter what he might do, he could never make a name for himself. Looking at society, however, there was one thing called “monks”—there were many cases of sons of mere fishmongers who became high-ranking priests. Therefore, when my father spoke of making me a monk, it must have been with this intention. I believe this interpretation is correct.
The Feudal Class System is the Enemy of One’s Parents
When I think of such things, I realize that during my father’s entire life of forty-five years, he was constrained by the feudal system and could accomplish nothing, dying with his dissatisfaction unfulfilled—how regrettable this is! Moreover, the anguish in his heart when he planned for his newborn child’s future and resolved to make him a monk so that he might achieve some distinction, and the depth of his paternal love—whenever I recall these things, I become angry at the feudal class system while simultaneously shedding tears alone as I contemplate my late father’s feelings.
For my sake, the feudal class system is the enemy of my parents.
Source: Fukuzawa Yukichi, Fukuo Jiden (The Autobiography of Fukuzawa)
URL: https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000296/files/1864_61590.html
End Quote
Fukuzawa Yukichi was an educator who contributed to Japan’s modernization and founded the Dutch learning academy in 1858 that became the origin of Keio University. He did not know English initially but learned Dutch first, then later studied English. During Japan’s period of national isolation, Dutch was more accessible.
If Japan had continued its class system, he might not have been able to demonstrate his talents, just like his father.
India has its own culture and reasons. However, the CEOs of Google and Microsoft are from India, and India is currently in its demographic dividend period (with many analyses suggesting this runs from around 2011 to the 2030s) with a large working population and consumption. If India cannot leverage this opportunity, it would not only be India’s loss but would also destroy chances for India to contribute to the world through diplomacy and trade—which is truly regrettable.
Therefore, I think “equality of opportunity” at the starting line is important, not “results.” Above all, I hope that one of my cultural roots does not suffer losses.
That is why I introduced Fukuzawa Yukichi’s autobiography. Thank you for reading.