Quote 22 of 32

From Essays in Idleness, by Kenko (c. 1283-1352)

A certain man decided to make his son a priest, and said to him 'You
must study, and learn the principles of the faith, and by preaching
and so on make this your means of livelihood.'  The son did as he was
told.  First of all, in order to become a preacher, he learned to ride
a horse.  This was because he thought that it would be regrettable for
a priest, who owned neither palanquin nor carriage, when he should be
invited to take a service, and a horse sent to fetch him, to fall off
because he had a loose seat.  Then, because he might be pressed to
take wine and food after some sacred rites, and his host would htink
him dull if he were utterly without accomplishments, he learned to
sing [the popular ditties called] haya-uta.  Having at length
begun to be proficient in these two arts, he felt anxious to do better
still, and while he was devoting himself thereto, he grew to old age
without having had time to expound the scriptures.

Nor is this priest the only one.  This thing happens to all people.
While they are yound they look many years ahead, and are always
meaning to study, to exhaust all forms of accomplishments, to carry
out great undertakings, and in every way to rise in the world.  BUt
all the while they take life easily, they continue in idleness, and
pass their days and months troubling to do only the pressing tasks
beneath their eyes; and so they grow old having accomplished nothing.
They end by never growing skilful in anything, without having gained
the position they had thought.  Since the years cannot be brought back
again, they go on declining, as a wheel runs downhill.
		-- #188

Tags: faith wine wheel scriptures preacher undertakings livelihood ditties palanquin sacredrites