Buddhist Term for "now"

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can help me. I am looking for the correct Japanese word for the buddhist idea of "now" as in "just now" "live in the moment". I believe it may be "nikon" or "nikkon" but am unsure. Also if you could provide a image of the proper kanji for the term it would be greatly apppreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

Tada Ima translates as "only now" you can find the kanji In Mitsugi Saotome's book: "Aikido and the Harmony of Nature." In gassho

greg angus sensei has hosted his teacher in toronto the last couple of years. Seishiro Endo sensei gave their dojo the name 'naka ima' which means 'inside now'.

here's a link : http://www.nakaima.ca/nakaima.html

maybe that's the term you're looking for?

good luck
jvc

Dan-

Unfortunately, there's probably no explicit term for this idea. That is, there's many words, kanji, or ideas that could express this idea of being "in the moment" that seems so prevalent in both Aikido and Buddhist philosophy, but whether there's any explicit terminology? You'd have to dig pretty deep into the writings of Aikido people or Buddhist people to find just what you're looking for. "Naka ima" 　中今　or 仲今　and "Tada ima" 唯今are related to this idea, but only in the context they were presented. In other words, they don't mean much on their own, and moreover, would not be considered "Buddhist terminology." Words that Buddhists use to define doctrine are, for the most part, pretty esoteric. Take the word "Shobogenzo"　正法眼蔵　(a collection by Dogen　道元). Translated literally it means "true law eye treasury." What the heck does that mean? Well, you'd have to look into the entymology of the word to see what "true law eye" refers to, etc.

Anyway, I'm not sure what you are planning on using this for, but why not use the english instead? It probably means more in English than it does in Japanese, anwyay. Why try to dissect the meaning of symbols that you can't read and don't understand, when you can explain what you are trying to talk about instead? Anyway, just an idea.

Peace,
Tom Newhall

Mark Uttech wrote: Tada Ima translates as "only now" you can find the kanji In Mitsugi Saotome's book: "Aikido and the Harmony of Nature." In gassho

只今 "tadaima" is more anciently pronounced "shikon" (onyomi) -- which may be what you are looking for.

Erick-

You can use either character for "tada," but I think "tadaima" is probably spelled out in hiragana more often than kanji, ただ今 or　ただいま. Either way, I might point out that "tadaima" is used in everyday Japanese to say "I'm home," or to announce your arrival somewhere.

Peace,
Tom Newhall

Thank you all for your replies. They are helping my head in the right direction. I once asked my shodo teacher if "tadaima" was the correct word and she said that "tadaima" wasn't used to express"right now". Unfortunatley we never got a chance to finish the conversation as to what she thought the correct word would be. "Shikon" could very well be that word.

Thanks again.

Dan.

Tom Newhall wrote: Either way, I might point out that "tadaima" is used in everyday Japanese to say "I'm home," or to announce your arrival somewhere.

I was about to say the same thing.

tadaima is not the same as Tada ima. Tada ima translates as "only now", meaning that there is only this moment. You can find the kanji on page 162 of Mitsugi Saotome's book: "Aikido and the Harmony of Nature"
In gassho,
Mark

Mark Uttech wrote: tadaima is not the same as Tada ima. Tada ima translates as "only now", meaning that there is only this moment. You can find the kanji on page 162 of Mitsugi Saotome's book: "Aikido and the Harmony of Nature"

The latter is the meaning of the older onyomi usage for the same kanji -- "shikon."

Interesting. what are you going to do now? I am staying with my sources/

Mark Uttech wrote: Interesting. what are you going to do now? I am staying with my sources/

MU.