琴古流本曲「一二三鉢返之調」
Kinko-ryu Honkyoku "Hifumi Hachigaeshi no Shirabe"
第34回虚無僧追善供養尺八献奏大会（法身寺にて）
The 34th Memorial Shakuhachi Dedication Service for the Deceased Komuso's at Hotshinji Temple
「一二三鉢返之調」の私なりの現時点での解釈を述べます。
「一二三」は文字通り最初の一、二、三歩です。つまり初めです。この部分の解釈にはあまり相違はないと思います。
「鉢返し」は意見が分かれるところです。喜捨をしてくれた返礼という解釈も聞いたことがあります。私も初めはそうだろうと思っていました。
しかし、約１２００の神社仏閣でこの調を奉納しているうちに、「鉢返し」の意味が少しづつ見えてきました。「鉢」とは托鉢の鉢です。坊さんである虚無僧にとって、鉢とは水や食べ物やお金を受ける器です。生活の手段とも言えます。そして、「返す」とは「御仏」に返納するという意味であることがみえてきました。生きてゆく上での貴重な道具を返してしまうのです。もはや、水も食べ物もいらない境地、つまり、即身仏の境地です。
この意味で、「一二三鉢返之調」は誕生から死までを唄った調ともいえます。
A Personal Interpretation of "Hifumi Hachigaeshi no Shirabe" at this time.
"Hifumi" means "one, two, three" in Japanese. It is like ABC in English. The first steps. I believe there is little disagreements on this interpretation.
"Hachigaeshi" literally means "returning the bowl. "Some people say that it is a sign of apapreciation of receiving alms-giving. Komuso was considered as a Buddhist monk, and their way of making a living was by receiving alms. When I first heard this, I just accepted the idea without giving much thoughts on this.
However, while dedicating this tune to about 1200 temples and shrines and churches, its meaning revealed itself.
The Buddhist monk received water, food, and money in their "Bowl." So, the bowl was their means of making a living. It was quite important for the monk. If he gave up his bowl, he could no longer receive water, nor food, nor money!
And who did he return the bowl to? It became clear to me that to the Buddha Himself. That means the monk no longer needed to sustain his body.
"Shirabe" means "a tune" in Japanese.
So, the meaning of "Hifumi Hachigaeshi no Shirabe" is "the Tune from the Beginning to the End."
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