Shōnenba (正念場 - A Crucial Phase)

Feb 23, 2019 04:04
Shōnenba

In the meeting of my university several days ago, the word 'shōnenba' (正念場) was used to the university operations next fiscal year.

'Shōnenba' means a crucial phase or situation.

'Shōnen' (正念) is a Buddhist term, meaning to seek the right mind or the truth.

In addition, 'ba' (場) means "field" or "situation."

That is to say, 'shōnenba' represents a very important situation that requires the right heart or the truth.

[Example]
'Senkyo ga shōnenba wo mukaeru' (選挙が正念場を迎える - "The election faces a crucial stage").
正念場

先日の大学の会議で、来年度の本学の運営に対して「正念場」という言葉が使われました。

「正念場」とは、ここぞというとても重要な場面や局面を表す言葉です。

「正念」は仏教用語で、正しい心や真理を求めることを意味します。

また、「場」は "field" や "situation" を意味します。

すなわち「正念場」とは、正しい心や真理が必要となる重要な場面というわけです。

【使用例】
選挙が正念場を迎える。
No. 1　petemondrian
  • In the meeting of my university several days ago, the word 'shōnenba' (正念場) was used to the university operations next fiscal year.
  • In the meeting at my university several days ago, the word 'shōnenba' (正念場) was used regarding the university operations next (fiscal) year.
  • 'Senkyo ga shōnenba wo mukaeru' (選挙が正念場を迎える - "The election faces a crucial stage").
  • 'Senkyo ga shōnenba wo mukaeru' (選挙が正念場を迎える - "The election is entering a crucial stage").
Toru
Thank you so much for the correction! :)
No. 2　dec
  • 'Shōnen' (正念) is a Buddhist term, meaning to seek the right mind or the truth.
  • 'Shōnen' (正念) is a Buddhist term, meaning to seek the right mind or the truth.

    I looked up Wikipedia and, in the context of Buddhism, 正念 seems to be translated as "right mindfulness" in English (Sanskrit: sammā-sati). I would guess that "right consideration" is a decent short translation when describing applying that to real situations. When describing what that means, I would guess it's something like "openness to perceiving the real situation" (instead of being deluded by preconceptions).

  • In addition, 'ba' (場) means "field" or "situation."
  • In addition, 'ba' (場) means "field" or "situation."

    I suppose that this 場 is probably very close in meaning to 場面 or 場合

  • That is to say, 'shōnenba' represents a very important situation that requires the right heart or the truth.
  • That is to say, 'shōnenba' represents a very important situation that requires the right heart or the truth.

    I would say that "heart" here is not something proactive (積極的、like 大胆) but "accepting" (being *com*passionate or "listening to your heart"; so this "heart" is more "inward" than "outward") and "the truth" is not some philosophical or objective truth, but "the way things actually are" (Sanskrit: tathātā).

    After all that complicated analysis, it's possible to translate this simply into English as being "a/the moment of truth"

  • 'Senkyo ga shōnenba wo mukaeru' (選挙が正念場を迎える - "The election faces a crucial stage").
  • 'Senkyo ga shōnenba wo mukaeru' (選挙が正念場を迎える - "The election faces a crucial stage").

    At first I was surprised by your using 選挙 and 迎える because I thought that people/animals were the only ones that did 迎える. Then I looked it up and it makes sense because "to enter (eg, a phase)" is one of the other meanings of 迎える。

    Using my earlier re-translation: "The election is approaching a moment of truth." or (*much* more complicated): "The election has reached/is [fast] reaching a crucial stage where aspirations and tactics must necessarily face the cold realities of popular sentiment and electoral calculus"

Toru
Thank you very much for the correction and helpful comments! :)
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