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What are the many translations of the Precepts?
What's the best translation of the Precepts?
What's the best translation of the Precepts?
+4
Colin
Milarepa
Rlei_ki
LightBody
8 posters
The Reiki Precepts
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
stephenbuck415 wrote:What are the many translations of the Precepts?
Hi Buck,
well, here's one version:
Alleen voor vandaag...
word niet boos
wees niet bezorgd
wees dankbaar
wees ijverig in je werk/je bezigheden
wees vriendelijk tegen mensen
Oh, did you mean English translations?
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
Seriously though, this is a question to which there will hopefully be many replies.
There must be quite a considerable number of (English) translations out there, and depending on factors such as each persons lineage, or the specific style of Reiki they have learnt, people will have received different versions of the Principles/Precepts.
Or should we say, different interpretations of the Principles/Precepts.
I've encountered several people who, on discovering that the version they received differed from the version received by other students they know, were worried that what they had was somehow 'wrong'.
However, IMO, there is no one 'right' version.
We can, admittedly, have a literal version.
Though, so much can be come lost in literal translation - whatever the subject matter.
I believe the reason we have so many different versions of the Principles in English is primarily due to attempts to convey the emotional and spiritual sentiment behind the original Japanese statements, rather than merely present a cold translation of the words themselves
So, as to Bucks other question:
well, c'mon folks, which do you feel is the best - which version touches you the most deeply?
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There must be quite a considerable number of (English) translations out there, and depending on factors such as each persons lineage, or the specific style of Reiki they have learnt, people will have received different versions of the Principles/Precepts.
Or should we say, different interpretations of the Principles/Precepts.
I've encountered several people who, on discovering that the version they received differed from the version received by other students they know, were worried that what they had was somehow 'wrong'.
However, IMO, there is no one 'right' version.
We can, admittedly, have a literal version.
Though, so much can be come lost in literal translation - whatever the subject matter.
I believe the reason we have so many different versions of the Principles in English is primarily due to attempts to convey the emotional and spiritual sentiment behind the original Japanese statements, rather than merely present a cold translation of the words themselves
So, as to Bucks other question:
What's the best translation of the Precepts?
well, c'mon folks, which do you feel is the best - which version touches you the most deeply?
.
.
.
Milarepa- Forum Founder
I guess I'm just used to saying it in Japanese, so i say...
Just for today (Kyo dake wa)
Don't get angry (Okoru na)
Don't worry (Shinpai su na)
Be grateful (Kansha shite)
Work hard (Gyo wo hage me)
Be kind to others (Hito ni shinsetsu ni).
Being careful of the third pronunciation, hehe.
take care
Wayne
Just for today (Kyo dake wa)
Don't get angry (Okoru na)
Don't worry (Shinpai su na)
Be grateful (Kansha shite)
Work hard (Gyo wo hage me)
Be kind to others (Hito ni shinsetsu ni).
Being careful of the third pronunciation, hehe.
take care
Wayne
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
OK so, one of my Italian friends uses a Western-lineage version which goes like this:
Solo per oggi non ti arrabbiare
Solo per oggi non ti preoccupare
Guadagnati da vivere onestamente
Onora i tuoi genitori ed i tuoi maestri
Mostra gratitudine a tutti gli esseri viventi
Fortunately her English is better than my Italian, so she kindly translated it for me (OK - I admit, I don't speak any Italian at all!):
Just for today do not anger
Just for today do not worry
Earn your living honestly
Honor your parents and your teachers
Show gratitude to all living beings beings
.
.
.
Solo per oggi non ti arrabbiare
Solo per oggi non ti preoccupare
Guadagnati da vivere onestamente
Onora i tuoi genitori ed i tuoi maestri
Mostra gratitudine a tutti gli esseri viventi
Fortunately her English is better than my Italian, so she kindly translated it for me (OK - I admit, I don't speak any Italian at all!):
Just for today do not anger
Just for today do not worry
Earn your living honestly
Honor your parents and your teachers
Show gratitude to all living beings beings
.
.
.
Colin- Admin/Forum Promoter
Hi Wayne
Just as an aside - I have also heard the Don't get angry, which you have pronounced as Okoru, pronounced as Ikaru (i as in ink). I was originally confused by this so I asked a Japanese Reiki friend, who told me:
怒るcan be read as ‘ikaru’ and ‘okoru’. There is no difference in meaning of these two reading.
Nowadays most of Japanese read this as ‘okoru’. But they used to read as ‘ikaru’. In Gokai, you should read as ‘ikaru’.
If you ask to Japanese how to read怒る, most of people would answer ‘okoru’, these days. This is probably why you get such confusion in western country. Chiyoko-sensei and their family leant to read ‘ikaru’. As Japanese, I have no doubt Usui-sensei read as ‘ikaru’.
There is similar confusion with 心配すな(shinpai suna). Nowadays, we don’t say ‘shinpai suna’ but we say ‘shinpai suruna’. Even Japanese in my generation may get confused with this.
Just thought I'd share that with you!
Ai to Hikari
Colin
Just as an aside - I have also heard the Don't get angry, which you have pronounced as Okoru, pronounced as Ikaru (i as in ink). I was originally confused by this so I asked a Japanese Reiki friend, who told me:
怒るcan be read as ‘ikaru’ and ‘okoru’. There is no difference in meaning of these two reading.
Nowadays most of Japanese read this as ‘okoru’. But they used to read as ‘ikaru’. In Gokai, you should read as ‘ikaru’.
If you ask to Japanese how to read怒る, most of people would answer ‘okoru’, these days. This is probably why you get such confusion in western country. Chiyoko-sensei and their family leant to read ‘ikaru’. As Japanese, I have no doubt Usui-sensei read as ‘ikaru’.
There is similar confusion with 心配すな(shinpai suna). Nowadays, we don’t say ‘shinpai suna’ but we say ‘shinpai suruna’. Even Japanese in my generation may get confused with this.
Just thought I'd share that with you!
Ai to Hikari
Colin
Colin- Admin/Forum Promoter
Here is a translation of the Reiki principles which Mrs Takata used:
Just for today--Thou Shalt not Anger
Just for today--Thou Shalt not Worry
Thou shall be grateful for thy many blessings
Earn thy livelihood with honest labor
Be kind to thy neighbors.
Very biblical sounding!
Ai to Hikari
Colin
Just for today--Thou Shalt not Anger
Just for today--Thou Shalt not Worry
Thou shall be grateful for thy many blessings
Earn thy livelihood with honest labor
Be kind to thy neighbors.
Very biblical sounding!
Ai to Hikari
Colin
Colin- Admin/Forum Promoter
And here is another translation, as used by Frans and Bronwen (and Andy Bowling and Chris Marsh):
For today only:
Do not anger - Do not worry
Be humble
Be honest in your work
Be compassionate to yourself and others
This is interesting because instead of 'Be Grateful' they say 'Be humble' and although that is possibly similar in sentiment, I cannot find any translation of 'Kansha shite' which means humble - only gratitude or thankfulness.
The Steines also have another, more Buddhist style, version of the Reiki precepts, which unfortunately, I am not at liberty to share but that one does differ quite significantly from the version found on Mikao Usui's memorial stone.
Ai to Hikari
Colin
For today only:
Do not anger - Do not worry
Be humble
Be honest in your work
Be compassionate to yourself and others
This is interesting because instead of 'Be Grateful' they say 'Be humble' and although that is possibly similar in sentiment, I cannot find any translation of 'Kansha shite' which means humble - only gratitude or thankfulness.
The Steines also have another, more Buddhist style, version of the Reiki precepts, which unfortunately, I am not at liberty to share
but that one does differ quite significantly from the version found on Mikao Usui's memorial stone.Ai to Hikari
Colin
Milarepa- Forum Founder
Colin wrote:Hi Wayne
Just as an aside - I have also heard the Don't get angry, which you have pronounced as Okoru, pronounced as Ikaru (i as in ink). I was originally confused by this so I asked a Japanese Reiki friend, who told me:
怒るcan be read as ‘ikaru’ and ‘okoru’. There is no difference in meaning of these two reading.
Nowadays most of Japanese read this as ‘okoru’. But they used to read as ‘ikaru’. In Gokai, you should read as ‘ikaru’.
If you ask to Japanese how to read怒る, most of people would answer ‘okoru’, these days. This is probably why you get such confusion in western country. Chiyoko-sensei and their family leant to read ‘ikaru’. As Japanese, I have no doubt Usui-sensei read as ‘ikaru’.
There is similar confusion with 心配すな(shinpai suna). Nowadays, we don’t say ‘shinpai suna’ but we say ‘shinpai suruna’. Even Japanese in my generation may get confused with this.
Just thought I'd share that with you!
Ai to Hikari
Colin
Holy Crikey! You mean to say i wasn't reciting the original Gokai! My practice is ruined......
Milarepa- Forum Founder
Colin wrote:
The Steines also have another, more Buddhist style, version of the Reiki precepts, which unfortunately, I am not at liberty to share
Ai to Hikari
Colin[/font]
Aha. The fabled all-powerful secret Gokai. Where's my cheque-book, i've to catch a plane to Australia. Or should i just incorporate any Tendai meaning into one of my own accord, hmm.
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
Colin wrote:
There is similar confusion with 心配すな(shinpai suna). Nowadays, we don’t say ‘shinpai suna’ but we say ‘shinpai suruna’. Even Japanese in my generation may get confused with this.
You say 'shinpai', I say 'shimpai' (well, more like sheempai)...
(Hmm, I feel there's a song in there somewhere:
Tomayto,
Tomato;
Potayto ...)
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
Colin wrote:.. instead of 'Be Grateful' they say 'Be humble' and although that is possibly similar in sentiment, I cannot find any translation of 'Kansha shite' which means humble - only gratitude or thankfulness.
Indeed.
I commented about this to Andy Bowling some years back when I first heard this 'interpretation', but never got a response. (At the time Chris was playing 'secret ninja' and wouldn't speak to me directly.)
Colin wrote:The Steines also have another, more Buddhist style, version of the Reiki precepts...
It does seem that if it has the word 'Precepts' in it someone somewhere will claim it as the 'original' used by Usui-sensei...
A case in point is the Buddhist "Juzen Kai" (Ten Precepts)
some claim these to be the origin of the Gokai:
"Do not kill
Do not steal
Do not indulge in sexual misconduct
Do not tell lies
Do not exaggerate
Do not slander
Do not twist the truth
Do not be miserly
Do not be angery
Do not hold erroneous views"
others have suggested a different set - the Buddhist Eight Precepts
"I will refrain from taking life
I will refrain from stealing
I will refrain from all sexual activity
I will refrain from telling lies
I will refrain from using intoxicating drinks and drugs
I will refrain from eating at the wrong time
I will refrain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainments, wearing perfume, cosmetics, or garlands
I will refrain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping"
And then of course, some, realizing that there is a set of Buddhist Precepts which not only have, er... 'Precepts' in the title, but also the number 'Five',
decided that of all the options, surely these must have been the original ones used by Usui-sensei:"I will refrain from killing
I will refrain from stealing
I will refrain from sexual misconduct
I will refrain from false speech
I will refrain from alcohol"
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Milarepa- Forum Founder
Colin wrote:Here is a translation of the Reiki principles which Mrs Takata used:
Just for today--Thou Shalt not Anger
Just for today--Thou Shalt not Worry
Thou shall be grateful for thy many blessings
Earn thy livelihood with honest labor
Be kind to thy neighbors.
Very biblical sounding!
Ai to Hikari
Colin
True mate. I wonder where she would have got that aspect from. Hmm, another apparent Christian earlier in lineage (?). And where in turn would that person have got it..
Perhaps a well travelled, very spiritual, theologian, who realised quite easily the universal truths in all religions, so had no problems incorporating various aspects/concepts of a few religions.
Who knows.
take care
Wayne
Milarepa- Forum Founder
Rlei_ki wrote:
It does seem that if it has the word 'Precepts' in it someone somewhere will claim it as the 'original' used by Usui-sensei...
The best evidence we have is the memorial. It's curious why folks attempt to add on to what is clearly wrote there.
Then again, not that i know personally, i go by a translation specially done by a Jiro Kozuki,
. To make a claim in a way invalidating what can be checked on the memeorial, is a bold claim, that's why it's curious these folks add so much on.
take care
Wayne
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
getting back to Buck's original questions...
here is the interpretation of the Precepts as used in the style of Reiki known as Jin Kei Do (this version was composed by Ranga Premaratna as an attempt to share his personal understanding of the Jin Kei Do approach to Reiki)
Be mindful each moment of your day:
To observe the arising of greed, anger and delusion, looking deeper for their true cause.
To appreciate the gift of life and be compassionate to all beings.
To find the right livelihood and be honest in your work.
To see within the ever changing nature of your mind and body.
To merge with the universal nature of the mind as Reiki flows within you.
By following these Reiki Ideals daily, your mind and body will truly transform with the power of Reiki.
.
.
.
here is the interpretation of the Precepts as used in the style of Reiki known as Jin Kei Do (this version was composed by Ranga Premaratna as an attempt to share his personal understanding of the Jin Kei Do approach to Reiki)
Be mindful each moment of your day:
To observe the arising of greed, anger and delusion, looking deeper for their true cause.
To appreciate the gift of life and be compassionate to all beings.
To find the right livelihood and be honest in your work.
To see within the ever changing nature of your mind and body.
To merge with the universal nature of the mind as Reiki flows within you.
By following these Reiki Ideals daily, your mind and body will truly transform with the power of Reiki.
.
.
.
Dragonfly- Forum Promoter
Rlei_ki wrote:getting back to Buck's original questions...
here is the interpretation of the Precepts as used in the style of Reiki known as Jin Kei Do (this version was composed by Ranga Premaratna as an attempt to share his personal understanding of the Jin Kei Do approach to Reiki)
Be mindful each moment of your day:
To observe the arising of greed, anger and delusion, looking deeper for their true cause.
To appreciate the gift of life and be compassionate to all beings.
To find the right livelihood and be honest in your work.
To see within the ever changing nature of your mind and body.
To merge with the universal nature of the mind as Reiki flows within you.
By following these Reiki Ideals daily, your mind and body will truly transform with the power of Reiki.
.
.
.
I've never seen this one before, but I really like it. The form reminds me a bit of the Noble Eightfold Path. (of which there is ongoing commentary about whether or not one should use "right" or "correct" or some other adjective that may sound pejorative depending on the context. I think you just need to find the context that works for you.)
Lois- Member
Where's the smiley for confused???!!! Goodness me I clicked on this as i thought it would make a straight forward non-complicated read!! Gosh guys I had no idea there were so many different versions of the Reiki Principles!!
found it at last!
found it at last!
Colin- Admin/Forum Promoter
Hi LoisYes, the Reiki Precepts and, in fact, the system of Reiki itself can become as confusing (or as simple!) as you want it to be!
I think most of the versions of the Reiki Precepts (setting aside the traditional Buddhist Precepts for now) are saying the same thing but some have slightly different emphases on interpretation.
I agree with Wayne though that since we apparently have Usui sensei's version of the Reiki Precepts written in stone, why change them? How can you get more "original" than Usui as far as Reiki Precepts are concerned?
Ai to Hikari
Colin
Lois- Member
You know me Colin....I like to keep it simple and I have to say I agree they are in Stone ...why change it? Works for me
chuglet- Member
Milarepa wrote:I guess I'm just used to saying it in Japanese, so i say...
Just for today (Kyo dake wa)
Don't get angry (Okoru na)
Don't worry (Shinpai su na)
Be grateful (Kansha shite)
Work hard (Gyo wo hage me)
Be kind to others (Hito ni shinsetsu ni).
Being careful of the third pronunciation, hehe.
take care
Wayne
Likewise Wayne..I always say them in japanese and interchangebly(and unconciously) drift between okaru/ikaru...
having been exposed to 3 different versions in training(and more online and in books), it is the one above that flows most naturally for me...
papakeri- Member
Milarepa wrote:I guess I'm just used to saying it in Japanese, so i say...
Just for today (Kyo dake wa)
Don't get angry (Okoru na)
Don't worry (Shinpai su na)
Be grateful (Kansha shite)
Work hard (Gyo wo hage me)
Be kind to others (Hito ni shinsetsu ni).
Being careful of the third pronunciation, hehe.
take care
Wayne
Hi Wayne,
For what it's worth, in an email conversation with Frank Arjava Petter, he was trying to explain the sense of the Japanese expressions to me and said (and I'm quoting from memory here, so don't hold me to exact wording) that "okoru/ikaru na" has the flavor of "why bother to get angry?" and "shinpai suna" has the flavor of "why waste effort on worry?" Not offering this as a "better" translation", but just a possible aid to understanding or interpretation.
Love and Light,
Garry
Milarepa- Forum Founder
Hi Garry,
Yeah, i can see the value in his interpretation. It's sounds kinda nonchalant, or 'shrug of shoulder' stuff. In a good way though.
Many thanks for sharing that!
take care
Wayne
Yeah, i can see the value in his interpretation. It's sounds kinda nonchalant, or 'shrug of shoulder' stuff. In a good way though.
Many thanks for sharing that!
take care
Wayne
Rlei_ki- Senior member/Forum Promoter
Colin wrote:... I have also heard the Don't get angry, which you have pronounced as Okoru, pronounced as Ikaru ...
...怒るcan be read as ‘ikaru’ and ‘okoru’. There is no difference in meaning of these two reading.
...Nowadays most of Japanese read this as ‘okoru’. But they used to read as ‘ikaru’. In Gokai, you should read as ‘ikaru’.
...Chiyoko-sensei and their family leant to read ‘ikaru’. As Japanese, I have no doubt Usui-sensei read as ‘ikaru’.
That's one of the wonderful, infuriating things about kanji characters - most individual kanji can be read in several different ways, depending on context.
Also, there are many idiosyncratic 'esoteric' readings, used by different individuals and groups as a way of conveying veiled meanings - understandings of 'secret' importance to their teachings.
As a result of this latter 'tactic', some people have been drawn to also question whether Usui-sensei would have actually pronounced 直霊 as 'choku rei', or alternatively, as 'nao hi'
Or if, rather than 'hon sha ze sho nen' he would have said 'hon ja ze sho nen'
- or even 'hon ja ze sei nen', as some would now have us believe...
.
.
Colin- Admin/Forum Promoter
Yes, it can be frustrating and confusing, can't it!Rlei_ki wrote:Colin wrote:... I have also heard the Don't get angry, which you have pronounced as Okoru, pronounced as Ikaru ...
...怒るcan be read as ‘ikaru’ and ‘okoru’. There is no difference in meaning of these two reading.
...Nowadays most of Japanese read this as ‘okoru’. But they used to read as ‘ikaru’. In Gokai, you should read as ‘ikaru’.
...Chiyoko-sensei and their family leant to read ‘ikaru’. As Japanese, I have no doubt Usui-sensei read as ‘ikaru’.
That's one of the wonderful, infuriating things about kanji characters - most individual kanji can be read in several different ways, depending on context.
Also, there are many idiosyncratic 'esoteric' readings, used by different individuals and groups as a way of conveying veiled meanings - understandings of 'secret' importance to their teachings.
As a result of this latter 'tactic', some people have been drawn to also question whether Usui-sensei would have actually pronounced 直霊 as 'choku rei', or alternatively, as 'nao hi'
Or if, rather than 'hon sha ze sho nen' he would have said 'hon ja ze sho nen'
- or even 'hon ja ze sei nen', as some would now have us believe...
.
.
However, since there are no (known) tape recordings of Usui sensei, I don't think we'll ever know exactly how he pronounced 直霊 but we do have tape recordings of Mrs Takata and she definitely pronounces it choku rei. Also, I would imagine that Onisaburo Deguchi pronounced it as nao hi, since that is how it appears in translations of his work.
The pronounciation of 'hon sha ze sho nen' is more problematical because even Mrs Takata on one of her tapes sounds like she is saying 'hon ja ze sho nen' rather than 'hon sha ze sho nen' but alternate readings could also render it as 'hon sha shi sho nen', 'hon sha shi sei nen', 'hon ja shi sho nen' or 'hon ja shi sei nen' as well as the enigmatic 'hon ja ze sei nen'
I guess you just have to go with what works for you!
Here is another question: Will a French dog sit if you tell it to "Sit!" instead of "Assis!"?
Ai to Hikari
Colin
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