My New Year's resolution is to work through and master the Heisig method for memorizing around 2,000 kanji - 漢字 - the Chinese characters used to write Japanese. In addition I will be trying to improve my command of the Japanese language, with my ultimate goal being fluency.
This blog will record my progress, and perhaps the occasional piece of zuihitsu- 随筆 - random, passing thoughts.
As my Japanese improves, whenever possible I will try to post in 日本語 and I welcome any comments, suggestions, and corrections.
The blog's URL comes from a statement attributed to Dogen Zenji by Shunryu Suzuki in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind:
When we reflect on what are doing in our everyday life, we are always ashamed of ourselves. One of my students wrote to me saying, “You sent me a calendar, and I am trying to follow the good mottoes which appear on each page. But the year has hardly begun, and already I have failed!” Dogen-zenji said,’ ‘Shoshaku jushaku.” Shaku generally means “mistake” or “wrong.” Shoshaku jushaku means “to succeed wrong with wrong,” or one continuous mistake. According to Dogen, one continuous mistake can also be Zen. A Zen master’s life could be said to be so many years of shoshaku jushaku. This means so many years of one single-minded effort.It is in this spirit that I approach the challenge of learning Japanese.
