Shukke and his disciple - Shukke and his disciple

A play by Kurata Hyakuzo. Overture and 6 acts, 13 scenes. Published by Iwanami Shoten in 1917 (Taisho 6). Shinran's son Zenran has his lover taken away by earthly obligations, and due to his tragic love for her, who has become a married woman, he is disowned for ruining the destiny of others and becomes addicted to alcohol and prostitutes. Struck by Zenran's sincerity and honesty, Shinran's disciple Yuien attempts to reconcile father and son, but he himself falls in love with the prostitute Kaede and, guided by his teacher, enters the Buddhist priesthood and is united with her. When his father asks him on his deathbed if he believes in Buddhism, Zenran answers with a look of anguish that he doesn't know yet. Shinran, with a gentle expression, affirms this. Unlike the pure Jodo Shinshu ideology, it also has a strong Christian coloring, and its worldly challenge of the conflict between love and sexual desire, as well as its fresh emotions, moved young people. It has been translated into English, German, French, and Chinese, and was highly praised by Romain Rolland.

[Shintaro Takahashi]

"The Monk and His Disciple (Iwanami Bunko, Obunsha Bunko, Kadokawa Bunko, Shincho Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

倉田百三の戯曲。序曲と6幕13場。1917年（大正6）岩波書店刊。親鸞(しんらん)の子善鸞(ぜんらん)は、この世の義理に恋人を奪われ、人妻となったその人への悲恋から、他人の運命を損なったとして勘当され、遊女と酒に浸る。善鸞の偽善のない誠実さに打たれた親鸞の弟子唯円(ゆいえん)は父子の和解を図るが、自らも遊女かえでとの恋に陥り、師の導きで仏門に入った彼女と結ばれる。善鸞は、仏を信ずるかとの父の臨終の問いに、苦しげにまだわからないと答える。親鸞は柔らかな表情で、それを肯定する。純粋な浄土真宗思想と異なり、キリスト教的色彩も濃く、恋愛と性欲の相克という現世的課題と、みずみずしい情感が、若い感動をよんだ。英語、ドイツ語、フランス語、中国語に訳され、ロマン・ロランの激賞を受けた。

［高橋新太郎］

『『出家とその弟子』（岩波文庫・旺文社文庫・角川文庫・新潮文庫）』

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