予めの約束
ここでは、「宗教」そのものを否定する場ではありません。
そう言う意味ではなく、自分自身が今後どう生きて行けばいいのかという自問に答えるプロセスとして、生きる価値や目的、目標を世界ではどんな風に導いたのかという意味で「宗教」というワードを借りただけです。
もしも世界中の人が光速で回り続けたら
世界まで話を大きくしなくても、私たちの身近なトラブルって、ちょっとしたペースの違いから生まれていないでしょうか？
例えば、ある人のテンポが別のある人には合わなくて、それでどちらかが「何で？」と不思議に感じるようなことがトラブルになると想像しました。
つまり、全ての人が常に光速で回り続けたら、ぶつかることもありませんし、考えられる最も速い速度で処理し続けることができて、トラブルも起こらないはずです。
しかし、どんな人でも生まれた時と成人した時、さらに社会経験を重ねた中高年になった時、それらを比べても物事への理解や処理が変化しているでしょう。
つまり人は変化する生き物で、光速で常に動き続けるような仮想世界には行き着くことができません。
ここで言う「宗教」の役割
例えばある「宗教」が「人間は時速15キロの速度で走るものだ」と説いたとします。
20代30代の男性であれば、時速15キロの速さで走れるでしょう。しかし、時速15キロで走れない子どもや高齢者もいるはずで、そう考えるとその宗教が説く「時速15キロ」は理解できるけれど実際に実践するのには難があると分かります。
では誰にでもできるであろう「時速１キロ」としたら、どうなるでしょうか。
確かに多くの人がそのスピードを維持できるかもしれません。しかし、簡単に感じれば逆に物足りなさも感じ、不思議とその教えを守る意識が薄れます。
つまり、「程よく頑張ればできそうなくらい」であることがとても重要で、万人に受け入れられるには具体的な数字よりも心の持ち様を説く内容が好ましいことになります。
「１日、一回は良いことをしよう！」
そこで、「良いこと」とは何かを厳密に解釈し過ぎると、さっきの様に簡単に感じたりやっぱりできない人も出てしまうので、「良心」の様な定められている様で定められてはいない丁度いい感じが大切です。
思うに日本人が海外の方々の様に、特定の宗教を信仰しない理由があるとするなら、私たちは「おてんとさまが見ているよ」という曖昧だけど自身を問うような言葉を教えられて来たからではないかと思います。
「他人が見ている」とか「それで良いのか考えろ」ではなく、「お天道様」なのです。
だから日本人は「自分が思うにこれなら悪くないんじゃないか？」を自分自身で問いながら考える習慣を身につけているのでしょう。
「人様の迷惑になるな」
具体的に何をしてはいけないではなく、他人（自分が相手の立場になって）がどう感じるかを想像して自分の言動が迷惑になっていないかを考えてみるということは、成長しても変わらずに使えるフレーズなのです。
「全ての物には神様がいる」という古くから伝わる教えも、「ものを大切に」とは少しだけニュアンスが違って、ポイントは「その相手はどう思うかなぁ？」という自分だけの価値観ではなく、相手を想う気持ちが日本人っぽさではないかと思います。
簡単ですか、こんな風に思いました。
無宗教というと信仰が無いと思われがちですが、そうではなくて「他人を想う気持ち」や「それで良いのだろうか」と自問する気持ちはちゃんと教えられて育ったんですね。
こみちが父親に言われてよく覚えているのは「母親を泣かせるな」でした。
どうすれば泣くかではなく、どうすれば泣かせない生き方かになるか自分なりに考えることに意味があるんですよね。
今日は英語版もあるよ！
A Preliminary Promise
This is not a place to deny the existence or value of "religion" itself.
Rather, I am simply using the word "religion" as a vehicle to explore the process of answering that internal question: "How should I live my life from now on?" I want to look at how the world has derived meaning, purpose, and goals for living.
If Everyone in the World Kept Spinning at the Speed of Light
Without broadening the scope to the entire world, don't our everyday troubles often stem from a slight difference in pace?
For example, one person's tempo might not mesh with another's, leading someone to wonder, "Why are they like that?" I imagined that if everyone were constantly spinning at the speed of light, we would never collide; we would process everything at the maximum possible speed, and no trouble would ever occur.
However, humans are different when they are born, when they become adults, and when they reach middle age with accumulated social experience. Our understanding and processing of things change over time. Humans are inherently changing beings, and we can never reach a hypothetical world where we move constantly at the speed of light.
The Role of "Religion" in This Context
Suppose a certain "religion" preached that "humans should run at 15 kilometers per hour."
A man in his 20s or 30s could likely maintain that speed. However, there are children and elderly people who cannot. In that sense, while we can understand the doctrine of "15 km/h," we realize it is difficult to put into practice universally.
What if we set it at "1 km/h," something anyone could do?
While many could maintain that speed, its very ease might lead to a sense of dissatisfaction. Strangely, the motivation to follow the teaching would fade.
In other words, it is crucial that a goal feels like something you can achieve with a "moderate amount of effort." For a teaching to be universally accepted, it is better to preach a state of mind rather than specific, rigid numbers.
"Do One Good Deed a Day!"
If we interpret "a good deed" too strictly, we run into the same problem: some will find it too easy, while others will find it impossible. That is why a "just right" feeling—something like "conscience," which feels defined yet flexible—is vital.
I believe the reason Japanese people often do not follow a specific religion like people overseas do is because we have been taught phrases like "Oten-to-sama ga miteiru yo" (The Sun/God is watching you). It is an ambiguous phrase, yet one that forces you to question yourself.
It isn't "other people are watching" or "think about whether that’s right"; it is "The Sun."
Because of this, Japanese people have developed the habit of asking themselves, "In my own judgment, is this acceptable?"
"Don't Become a Nuisance to Others"
Instead of listing specific things you must not do, the phrase "Don't be a nuisance to others" asks you to imagine how another person would feel by putting yourself in their shoes. This is a phrase that remains relevant regardless of how much you grow or age.
The ancient teaching that "God resides in all things" (animism) has a slightly different nuance than simply "take care of things." The point is not just your own values, but considering how the other party feels. I believe this consideration for others is a quintessentially Japanese trait.
Final Thoughts
While "non-religious" is often interpreted as having no faith, that isn't quite right. We were raised being taught the importance of "thinking of others" and the habit of self-reflection—asking ourselves, "Is this truly okay?"
One thing I vividly remember my father telling me was: "Don't make your mother cry."
The meaning isn't in a list of actions that might make her cry; the meaning lies in figuring out for myself how to live a life that doesn't cause her sorrow.
【Footnote】
Cultural Notes: Understanding the Japanese Spirit
To help international readers grasp the deeper nuances of this essay, here are two key concepts that shape the Japanese worldview:
1. Oten-to-sama (The Sun / The Eye of Heaven)
In the West, morality is often tied to a specific religious doctrine or a personal relationship with God. In Japan, the concept of "Oten-to-sama" represents a more naturalistic, omnipresent gaze. It is not a deity that punishes, but rather the idea that "the universe is watching, even when people are not." This fosters a sense of self-directed integrity. You act rightly not because of a commandment, but because you do not want to feel ashamed before the natural order of the world.
2. Meiwaku (Nuance of "Nuisance")
While "nuisance" in English can sometimes sound like a minor annoyance, the Japanese concept of "Meiwaku" is central to social harmony. To "not cause meiwaku" means to be hyper-aware of the space and energy you occupy. It is rooted in empathy (Omoiyari)—the constant practice of imagining oneself in another’s position. It is less about following rules and more about a voluntary refinement of one’s behavior to ensure the comfort of the collective.