In Japan, Buddhist temples use bulletin boards (掲示板) to inspire us and help lead us closer on the path to enlightenment.
They’re usually located near the main entrance gates leading to the temple grounds. The local monks post handwritten calligraphy of proverbs or life lessons to inspire or stir visitors. In recent years, temples’ boards have been surprising visitors with catchy slogans or interesting puns. This trend led to the “Let it Shine!” project, which invites Japanese people to share and vote for the best temple bulletin boards of the year.
In 2018, the winner was Gifu’s Ganren Temple, which posted the slogan “You will die someday.”
Life lessons
お寺の格言掲示板、いつもハッとさせられるけど、ここまで衝撃を受けたのは初めて。
“The temple’s proverb-bulletin board is always a surprise, but it’s the first time I’ve been shocked so far.”
Food for thought
Earlier this week, the chief priest @matsuzakichikai of Eimyou temple (永明寺) in Kitakyushu shared a Buddhist sermon on Twitter that didn’t go unnoticed.
掲示板の法語を替えました
モノの見方で世界は変わるのです
“I changed the Buddhist sermon on the bulletin board.
The world changes depending on how you see things.”
The tweet earned 150K likes and a flood of responses, this modern times’ proverb reads:
“グラム単価で考えるとポルシェよりふりかけの方が高い”
“If you think in grams, furikake (dried Japanese condiment) is more expensive than a Porsche.”
We did the math and it checks out. We guess no one is purchasing two tons of furikake anytime soon!
Make a comparison with より ~ (の)方が
In Japanese, (A)より(B)の方が helps make a comparison between nouns, adjectives and verbs. The word coming before より is always the “lesser” thing, while the one before (の)方が is always the “better” thing. The particle の should be attached to 方が whenever you use it with a noun.
高尾山より富士山の方が高いです = Mount Fuji is taller than Mount Takao.
日本語を書くより話す方が上手です= I’m better at speaking Japanese than I’m at writing it.
Both より and 方が can be used independently. While より can mean “rather than” or “as opposed to” — a structure you often find with Japanese short sayings — 方が translates that something is simply “better” without making a specific comparison.
金より体 = Health is better than wealth.
赤いワインの方がおいしい = Red wine is better.
Vocabulary
お寺 otera Buddhist temple 格言 kakugen Proverb/ Maxim 衝撃を受ける shyokugeki o ukeru Be shocked 法語 hougo Buddhist sermon モノの見方 mono no mikata Viewpoint 単価 tanka Unit
