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日本語は英語の下にあります。
Many Japanese think highly of Prince Shotoku.
It’s because he established the foundation of Japanese society by fulfilling four achievements.

Actually, 2021 is the 1,400th anniversary of his death.

He set 6 different ranks called “Toku, Jin, Rei, Shin, Gi and Chi” based on Confucianism. 
Each rank was separated into two, “small” and “large”. 
Each rank of “Toku, Jin, Rei, Shin, Gi and Chi” had significant colors such as purple, blue, red, yellow, white, black, respectively. 
Dark and light purple were used at the same rank representing large and small in the same order as mentioned.
The colors and their intensity of the crown could distinguish their ranks.
“Toku, Jin, Rei, Shin, Gi and Chi” means virtue, women’s love or devotion, rules of courtesy, faith, men’s love or devotion, prajna, respectively.

The seventeen-Article Constitution is the oldest Japanese law in existence.
It was authored by Prince Shotoku and was enacted by Empress Suiko in 604A.D.
Unlike the current constitution, it consists of morals.

Article one advocated respect for harmony.
Then, respect for Buddhism came next in article two.
Finally, the country’s political system that the emperor was the head of the state was declared in article three.

When we see the current constitutions in the world, it’s common that article one or preamble declares the country’s political system such as democracy and socialism.
But this first Japanese constitution advocated respect for harmony and Buddhism before the declaration of the country’s political system.
We could imagine how important Prince Shotoku considered cultivating people’s mind.
It’s noteworthy that article 10 and 17 can still be applied to our daily life because it mentions what we should do as human beings.
If we mastered these, we would live happier.
Other articles just mentioned the manners of the officials, though

Let’s see what these are.

Article 1 (translated from Nihon-Shoki, Chronicles of Japan)

Harmony should be respected and order should be valued. 

Human beings with the same opinions and thought tend to gather and start making a group. 
Also it’s rare to be a master of the art of living.
Therefore, human beings are disobedient to their masters and fathers. 
Instantly, human beings are in discord with neighbors.
However, when people keep harmony with their seniors, keep in peace with juniors, and have concert in discussion, things will be going well naturally.
There is no way things can’t be done.

The original one from Nihon-Shoki, Chronicles of Japan; 
一曰　以和爲貴　無忤爲宗　人皆有黨　亦少達者　以是或不順君父　
乍違于隣里　然上和下睦　諧於論事　則事理自通　何事不成

Article 2 

Respect three treasures. 
Three treasures are Buddha, Dharma and Buddhist monks.

In other words, these are universal precepts that are considered as an anchorage for all living things that had come into existence in four different ways (viviparity, oviparity, hydrarch, and metaplasia).
No period or no person does not respect these universal precepts.
There are a few people who are extremely bad. 
People follow teachings when people are taught well.
There is nothing that can fix the crooked mind if it’s not founded in these three treasures.

The original one from Nihon-Shoki, Chronicles of Japan; 
二曰　篤敬三寶　三寶者佛法僧也　則四生之終歸　萬國之極宗　
何世何人非貴是法　人鮮尤惡　能敎従之　其不歸三寶　何以直枉

What do you think? Comment below!

To be continued…
Go to Article seventeen of the Constitution

【Translation for language learners of either English or Japanese】/英語・日本語学習者向け翻訳 えいご　・　　にほんごがくしゅうしゃむ　　ほんやく

　多くの日本人が聖徳太子を敬服しています。
それは、主に以下四つの業績を上げ日本の基礎を築いたからです。

1. 冠位十二階を制定し、出自ではなく能力のある人を登用できるようにした。
2. 現存最古の十七条の憲法を制定した。
3. 隋と対等の関係を築くことにより、日本を独立国とした。
4. 神道と仏教を両方崇拝することにより、宗教戦争を終わりにした。

2021年は、聖徳太子の没後1400回忌となります。

　冠位十二階とは、徳・仁・礼・信・義・智の六つの階級を設定し、それぞれ大小を設け12階としました。
徳・仁・礼・信・義・智は、紫・青・赤・黄・白・黒の色で代表され、濃淡で大小を表した冠で分かるようにしました。

　十七条の憲法については、第１条で和を尊びぶことを謳っています。
仏教を敬うことが次の第２条となっています。
最後の第３条で天皇を中心とした国家である事を謳っています。
世界の現在の憲法をみてみると、第１条もしくは前文で、民主主義や社会主義などの国の方針が示されています。
しかし、日本初の憲法では、和を尊び仏教を敬うことが、国の形よりも先に述べられています。
聖徳太子がいかに人民の心を培うことが重要であると考えていたかが想像できます。

注目すべきは第１０条と１７条で、人間としてどうあるべきかを知る今日にも通じる教えです。
もし、これらを修得できたら、より幸せに生活できるでしょう。
他の条項は、役人としての心得が書いてあります。

では順にみてゆきましょう。

一に曰く、和やわらぎを以て貴しと為し、忤さかふこと無きを宗と為す。人皆党たむら有りて、亦達さとる者少し。是を以て或は君父に順はずして、乍たちまち隣里りんりに違ふ。然れども上和やわらぎ下睦びて、事を論あげつらふに諧かなへば、則ち事理じり自おのづから通ず。何事か成らざらむ。

二に曰く、篤く三宝を敬へ。三宝は仏ほとけ・法・僧なり。則ち四生ししょう（胎生、卵生、湿生、化生けしょう）の終帰しうき、万国の極宗なり。何れの世、何れの人か是の法を貴ばざる。人尤はなはだ悪しきもの鮮すくし。能く教ふるをもて従ふ。其れ三宝に帰せずんば、何を以てか枉まがれるを直さむ。

つづく…
十七条憲法へ

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