Owada-Sutra

My father used to say the following saying to me, my brother and sister.

First, you should study.

Second, you should study.

Third and forth, nothing.

But, fifth, you should study.

The role of a student is to study.

According to my father, these words were by Mr. Takeo Owada who was an outstanding Principal of Takada High School in Japan.  Mr. Owada gave deep impacts and inspirations to many students including my father who later became a high school teacher and a priest.

Amazingly, Mr. Owada's four sons all graduated Tokyo University and later each son led important roles in Japan.  Mr. Hisashi Owada is one of them.  He has been known as a father of Princess Masako.

Because my father often repeated this saying at home, I think I studied hard and now started to realize the importance of this saying.   I want to call it Owada-Sutra.

Nowadays, education in Japan, here in the United States and some other countries, they teach education is not a race.  Policy is more relaxed.  Children are taught life is a journey.

However, as soon as children are no longer students and become parts of the society, they will soon realize "race" is always happening and on-going around themselves, whether it's small or big.

And in many cases, it is “race or competition itself" which can produce better "product."   I think amazing technologies are being developed through various competitions.......such as Apple vs. Microsoft....iphone vs Galaxy...Toyota vs. Nissan...

In order to know "middle" or "middle way" which is the best way, one needs to know which is "left" and "right."   After experiencing both "right" and "left", one can know its true middle. 

So as an antithesis of the current education policy, I want to chant this Owada-Sutra more in this society.

By the way, I am the most "baka-tare(stupid)" child of my parents, but I have a feeling I can be the best .....because I am "the middle" between older brother and youner sisiter.  Just kidding.

子供のころから、父によく聞かされていた言葉があります。

「一に勉強、二に勉強、三、四がなくて、五に勉強。学生の本分は学問にあり。」と。

これは、父が学生だった当時、高田高校の名物校長であった小和田毅夫師が口にしていた言葉といいますが、小和田校長には四人の息子さんと二人の娘さんがあったそうで、男子は皆東大卒、そして女子は、奈良女大とお茶の水女大を卒業されたといいます。中でも、二男の小和田恆氏は、外務事務次官という日本官僚の長を務められ、氏の娘さんのお一人が日本のプリンセスになられたことは周知のことかと思います。

父はやがて高校教師と住職を兼任し、教育の道に携わりましたが、小和田校長の薫陶と影響を受けた学生は殊のほか大勢いらっしゃるようで、私が高田高校に在学中にも「一に勉強、、、」とおっしゃる先生がおられました。

「ゆとり教育」が叫ばれる昨今において、小和田校長のこの言葉は、とても極端に響きます。しかし、小和田家がいかに稀代の秀才を輩出し、また多くの教育者を育てられたか、を考えますと、「ゆとり」のアンチテーゼとして、「一に勉強、、」（私は「小和田経」と呼んでいます）は、今まさに必要な教えに思うのです。