(Please scroll down for the English version.)
寄席出囃子が流れてから、お寺に座った十五人の客は手前の女性から目を外さなかった。彼らの右に弥勒菩薩像は静かに立っていらっしゃい、左の縁側の下に波津地区が広がった。着物を着た女性は拍子木を見台に叩き、声を一瞬で上げ、荒い言葉を拭き捨てた。数秒後、落ち着いた口調と表情に戻った。彼女はそのやりとりを繰り返し、突然、みんなから笑いを誘った。左の縁側から涼しい風が吹いてきた。
今年も波津のみなさんは、匠の聚のイベントに合わせ、地区の弥勒寺で「弥勒茶屋」を開催した。昔、近所の子供たちは弥勒寺まで登り、宿題などをしたと言われる。お寺が長い間使われなかったが、波津のみなさんは去年から一歩ずつ、それぞれのできることで弥勒寺を復活した。具体的な計画などを立てずに、自然に現在の形になったらしい。一人は弥勒寺の歴史を分かりやすくまとめ、小さな資料で配った。お花をしている先生は色とりどりの花でお寺を飾った。若手の夫婦は近所の野菜を使ったキッシュやアイスや飲み物を出した。波津の木工作家は料理のための器、お花のための一輪挿し、落語のための見台を作った。関西弁で落語を演技する女性は客にテレビやスマホより楽しくて、面白い二十分を提供した。表の人も、裏の人もみんなはこのお寺に心を込めている。
大きな拍手の後、受け囃子が流れた。キッシュを食べ続けた客はいて、きんすを鳴らして参拝した客もいた。僕は座布団に座りながら歴史の資料をゆっくり読んだ。最後の段落に、次の文章が載っていた。「昔から弥勒寺・弥勒菩薩は住民の心の拠り所・集いの場となってきました。今も波津垣内の人々には『弥勒さん、弥勒さん』と親しまれ、見上げれば、今も昔も、弥勒さん！と慕われています」。
それぞれのできることから始まった集い。人を笑わせる、食べさせる、美しい弥勒茶屋。波津の上からみなさんを見守る弥勒寺。これから住民の心の拠り所として賑やかになると思う。
Where Your Heart Can Rely On
After the jangly entrance music started playing, the fifteen guests sitting in the temple never took their eyes off of the woman in front of them. To their right, a statue of Miroku Bosatsu standing quietly, to their left, the Hazu district spread out from under the temple’s ledge. The kimono-clad woman struck the small table with wooden sticks, raised her voice in an instant, and began spitting out some harsh words. A few seconds later, she went back to her calm tone and character. She repeated the back and forth, and suddenly, elicited a laugh from everyone. A cool breeze blew in from the ledge on the left.
Once again this year, the people of Hazu co-ordinated with Takumi-no-mura and held the "Miroku Tea House” at the local Miroku Temple. It is said that a long time ago, local children would climb up to Miroku Temple and do their homework, etc. The temple had not been used for a long time, but last year the people of Hazu revived it step by step by just doing what they can. Without a specific plan or anything, it just naturally came to be as it is. One person summarized the history of Miroku Temple and passed out small leaflets. A teacher practicing flower arrangement decorated the temple with all kinds of colors. A young couple made ice cream, drinks, and quiche made from local vegetables. A woodworking artist living in Hazu made dishes for the food, vases for the flowers, and the table used in the rakugo performance. The woman performing rakugo in Kansai dialect offered guests a twenty minutes that was more fun and interesting than their television or smart phone. With people in the front and people in the back, everyone put their hearts into this temple.
A big applause, and then the jangly exit music. Their were guests who continued eating their quiche, and there were also guests who struck the kinsu and prayed. While sitting on my cushion, I slowly read about the history of the temple. The final paragraph had the following words. “From a long time ago, Miroku Temple and Miroku Bosatsu have been a reliable presence and a place to gather for residents. Even now people of Hazu feel close with “Miroku-san, Miroku-san”, and if we look up above, both now and a long time ago, we long to meet Miroku-san!”
A gathering started by people doing what they can. The Miroku Tea House, making people laugh and eat. Miroku Temple, watching over everyone from above Hazu. From now on, I think it will be very lively as a place people’s hearts can rely on.
