Carefully considering the mental and physical functions of mankind, I find that I can make the following division: the functions of individual persons and those of social beings.
Let us call the former function the pursuit of happiness in daily life through the powers of one’s own body and mind. There is nothing in the universe which is not for a person’s use. If we plant a seed, it will produce fruit two hundred and three hundred times over. The trees in the heart of the mountains grow even when they are not cultivated. The winds turn water mills. The seas carry cargoes of men and goods. Heavy boats or other vehicles can be propelled by the power of coal dug from the mountains, and by the power of water drawn from the rivers or seas to produce steam. Innumerable other things can be made with the creative forces of nature, if they are skillfully employed. Humans thus benefit by only slightly rechanneling the creative forces of nature. We add only one percent to the ninety-nine percent of resources already supplied by the hand of nature. Therefore we cannot say that we create our daily necessities; it is rather as if we pick them up strewn along the roadside. Since it is not difficult to provide them for ourselves, we cannot as men boast of being able to do it.
Of course, an independent livelihood is of the greatest importance for an individual. The ancients teach us that we should eat our bread by the sweat of our brows. But my view is that even if we do so, we have still not fulfilled our destiny as human beings. This teaching only barely raises us up to the level of the birds and the beasts. Look! Every animal provides for itself. Not only do they satisfy momentary needs; certain species, like ants, plan for their distant future by digging holes to make their nests, and by storing up food for the winter. Indeed, there are people in the world who are satisfied with doing the work of ants.
Let me give an example. A person grows up to become an artisan, a merchant, or a government official. He gradually outgrows his dependence on relatives or friends. He makes a reasonable living, without being in debt to anyone. He readily builds a simple house, or rents one. Before it is completely furnished and stocked, he marries a young woman according to his wish. He settles down to a frugal life in which his many children receive an ordinary education. He always has a fund of thirty or forty yen in readiness for emergency and illness; he is anxious about planning to live a long and frugal life. At any rate, because he has the means to secure his household, he becomes proud of the fact that he has been able to earn an independent livelihood. And society also looks up to him as an independent and free man who has achieved some great thing. But this is in fact a great mistake. This kind of individual is only a pupil of the ant. His life’s work goes no further than that. He may have worked or built his house with sweat on his forehead or anxiety in his heart. There may be nothing he could be ashamed of in the light of the teachings of the ancients. But despite his success, we cannot say that he has fulfilled the end of a human being as the highest of all creation.
If a person could thus be satisfied with the mere acquisition of the necessities of life, life would mean only to be born into the world and to die: his condition at death would be no different than at his birth. If such a condition were transmitted to his children and grandchildren, a village would be eternally the same. No one would ever initiate public projects, or build boats and bridges. People would leave everything to nature except for immediate personal and family matters, with the result that there would be no trace of productive human activity anywhere.
There is a saying in the West to the effect that if men were only content with small accomplishments, there would have been no progress since the beginning of the world. This is indeed true. Of course, there are different kinds of satisfactions, which we must distinguish correctly. A person with an unsatiable desire to acquire more and more is guilty of greed or avarice. But a person who does not broaden his mental and physical powers to achieve his aims may be called ignorant and foolish.
Secondly, humans are by nature social. Hardly anything can be done in complete isolation. Human nature is not yet satisfied by the circle of spouse, parents, and children. Individuals must have wider human associations in the community. The wider their associations, the more people feel fulfillment, and this is the reason that human intercourse begins. And with community life there naturally comes attendant responsibilities. What we call learning, industry, politics, law—these are all aimed at promoting social intercourse among us. Without social intercourse they lose their meaning. Why does the government make laws? It makes laws for the precise purpose of protecting the good people from the bad, thereby making human association possible. Why do scholars write books and educate others? It is for the precise purpose of guiding the younger generation to be able to maintain human associations.
In ancient China it was said that ruling the country should be as impartial as dividing meat among people. It was also said that it was better to clean up the country than to remove weeds in the garden. These sayings describe the intentions of men who would endeavor to benefit human intercourse. A person should use his wealth to contribute to the general welfare. This is a constant principle of human nature. Even when a person does not consciously work for society, his descendants sometimes unconsciously benefit from him. It is because we humans are social by nature that we can fulfill our social obligations. If ancient people had not been such, we would not have the present advantages of civilization that we now enjoy. When a person inherits his parents’ property, it is called a legacy. But this legacy merely includes a patch of land and household furnishings. They can be lost without trace. But the world’s civilization is a legacy of a different sort. Each and every person receives a legacy from the human race as a whole. It is so tremendous that it cannot even be compared with land and household furnishings. But who is there to thank for these blessings? It is like receiving the sunlight and the air, so indispensable for life, without cost. For all its value, we present owners should say that civilization is entirely due to the blessings secretly bestowed by our ancestors.
In the dawn of history men’s intellects were not yet developed, just like infants. For example, ancient wheat harvests were turned into flour by being pounded with natural stones. Later, through someone’s invention, two stones were made flat and round, with a small hole in the center of each. An axle of wood or metal was placed through one of the holes, and over this stone the other stone was placed. This let the axle of the lower stone pass through the hole of the upper stone. The wheat was placed between the stones and ground into flour as the heavy upper stone was turned around. This is what is called a millstone. In ancient times such a millstone was turned by hand, but in later ages its shape was gradually improved. More convenient methods, such as water wheels or wind wheels, were devised, and finally steam power was used.
This is true with everything else. The world improves by a gradual evolution, so that yesterday’s advanced methods are soon old-fashioned. Last year’s bright new ideas are commonplace by this year. Looking at the trend towards rapid progress in Western countries, we see that as soon as the telegram, steam power, and all sorts of instruments appear, they are transformed into more and more novel forms. And it is not only the material instruments that are novel. The more our knowledge develops, the wider our social intercourse becomes. And as our associations broaden, the closer become the bonds between us. One country cannot rashly wage war against another, for the rights of nations are guaranteed under international law. There will be a gradual and unlimited advance of civilization if there can be open economic discussions, radical transformation of political and business institutions, reformation of the school systems, the forms of books, government conferences, the debates of Diet members, etc. Take the history of any Western civilization and read about it from its beginning up to the 1600s. Then skip the next two hundred years, and pick up the story again from around 1800. So astonishing will have been the leap forward in that country’s progress that we can hardly believe that it is the official history of the same country. Inquiring further into the cause of its progress, we will find that it has been due to the legacy and gifts of those who went before them.
Japanese civilization, too, first came from Korea and China. Japan’s civilization then progressed to its present level through our own countrymen’s indefatigable efforts. As for Western Learning in Japan, it began as far back as the Hōreki Period [1751–64]. (See the woodblock print book called Rangaku kotohajime.)† In recent years intercourse with the foreigners began and, along with it, Western theories have been introduced to our people. Some of us Japanese have begun to teach Western learning and to translate Western works. There has been an increasing intellectual revolution; along with it, political institutions have been renovated, and the feudal domains have been dismantled. At this present moment we are again making a new start in the direction of advanced civilization. We may say that this too is the legacy of the ancients, and the gifts of those who have blazed the trail before us.
I have said above that since ancient times there have been not a few people who through their physical and mental labors contributed to the good of the world. These persons were not satisfied with their own material wealth. They valued their social responsibilities, and set their sights on doing something noble. We present-day scholars have also received a civilized legacy from these people. Since we stand in the vanguard of modern progress, there should be no limits to our way ahead. Let future generations look back upon us to thank us for our legacy to them, just as we are grateful for the blessings of the past.
Generally speaking, our entire duty lies in living in this world today in such a way as to transmit the traces of our activities to our far-distant descendants. This is a grave responsibility. We cannot be satisfied with merely reading volumes of school texts, becoming businessmen, artisans, or minor officials, just for the sake of several-hundred-yen salaries so as barely to be able to support our own families. This level of activity does others no harm, but it does them no good either. Moreover, one must act in a timely way. Even a capable person cannot exercise his power if he does not act at the right times. There have been numerous examples in all ages. In my own home town I knew of talented and noble men. They may have taken wrong courses from the standpoint of modern civilization. But this was due to the conditions of their times, not to their personal faults. They could have made a contribution, for they were full of ambition to do things, but they never had the opportunity to do so. They therefore carried their treasures within themselves and took them to the grave. They were never able to give expression to their natural endowments and benefit the world. This was indeed regrettable.
But now times have changed. Western ideas have gradually come into use; the old regime has been overthrown, and the feudal domains dissolved. This should not be looked upon merely as the result of a military upheaval. The merits of civilization do not end with an ephemeral war. The real change has been a revolution in the public mind, stimulated by modern civilization. The upheaval of war has already ended seven years ago. Its traces are no longer to be seen, but the effect on public feeling continues on. Generally speaking, things cannot be guided unless they are moving. We must avail ourselves of the opportunity of the present moment to encourage learning and guide the public mind to higher levels of civilization. Since it is precisely we scholars who at the present time are presented with this opportunity, we must work very hard to accomplish this result for society.
