Book 40. 235. We will approach the nine practices, which are performed with enjoyment, not as personal training, but as a form of training in cooperation with others to serve many people. (Update in progress: 2027.07.17)

Hello. This is Watanabe Ten from the α and Hakubi Super Simple World Blog. Today's theme is not asceticism, but the Nine Practices. I know that asceticism is the practice of walking, sitting in meditation, and other rigorous training. Above all, it is because there is a belief that by performing ascetic practices, one can get closer to the path of God. Certainly, asceticism can be said to be a special ritual performed to gain personal merit.

I believe that if one continues this kind of training as an individual until they leave the monastic life, it is possible to achieve a certain level of spiritual and physical transformation. As long as one is training as an individual, the rewards of that ascetic practice will only come to that person themselves.

Personally, I would like to change this religious ascetic practice to the "Nine Practices," which have the same pronunciation. The Nine Practices would be a form of training that allows for enjoyable growth, rather than a painful one. First, let me introduce three of the nine practices.

First and foremost, it's about survival. If you want to live a long life, you must train yourself accordingly and be in an environment where you can always obtain food, clothing, and shelter. To live requires a great deal of vitality, and the longer you want to live, the more trials you will face, the more you will need to think about what it means to live as a human being, not as an animal, such as how to procure food.

Secondly, there's walking. As bipedal humans, we're constantly walking around in our daily lives. Walking is a very important verb, as many people know that walking 10,000 steps a day is good for your health. Walking a lot strengthens your body and makes your legs and hips stronger. The skin on your feet also thickens, helping you maintain your physique. Basically, you can maintain your muscles just by walking with your arms and legs. First, I recommend doing some light muscle training.

Thirdly, there's eating. Eating is very important. If we can eat delicious and healthy meals every day, our level of happiness will surely increase. Sure, we might forget what we ate yesterday or the day before, but I think that delicious food is an important part of a better life.

Up to this point, the training has focused on three things: ① living, ② walking, and ③ eating. It's clear that these nine practices are not necessarily difficult or painful. If these nine practices are enjoyable, help you improve yourself, and promote your health, then I think many people will be interested in them.

So, I've introduced three of my own personal interpretations of the nine principles. These are fundamental things related to human survival, but by consciously practicing the three principles of ① living, ② walking, and ③ eating, you can gain a lot of insight.

Even something as simple as walking can be enjoyable, rather than a grueling ordeal, if you research ways to walk faster and less tiring. Similarly, when eating, if you put your hands together in gratitude for the meal you've received, and then put your hands together again before leaving the last bite, saying "Thank you for the bite," you'll feel your intense hunger gradually disappear.

Ultimately, these three practices are self-contained. Of course, I understand that the presence of others is indirectly necessary as part of life in society. This is because, without other people besides oneself, the acts of ① living, ② walking, and ③ eating suddenly become very difficult.

I believe that for the remaining six of the nine practices, you can customize them to your liking. Sleeping, singing, meditating—anything is fine, as long as it helps you grow. Furthermore, I think that practices that include gratitude towards others are also valid forms of practice. In fact, I see them as ideal forms of practice.

For example, one of the nine principles could be making a fixed donation from your monthly income, or participating in volunteer activities. Alternatively, if you have many possessions, making it a habit to give them away to others free of charge could also be considered a principle that involves others.

If I were to introduce three more of my own personal nine lines as an example, they would be ④ sleeping, ⑤ singing, and ⑥ studying. Or, if there were ⑦, ⑧, or ⑨, I would choose nine lines that involve connections with others, such as donating or volunteering.

As is the case with religion, while it is important to pursue personal gain—for example, in religion, seeking eternal life, or in the case of a monk, diligently engaging in personal training—I believe that training that helps many people is what truly brings one closer to what religion means by eternal life. It is unlikely that one's name will be remembered forever in history, but I think it would be good to continue training as a role model for future generations.

In summary, if we had a philosophy like the Nine Practices instead of asceticism, our lives might be richer and we might find greater happiness. To achieve this, one approach would be to aim for a form of practice that involves communicating with and serving others, rather than dedicating the enjoyable Nine Practices to personal training.

That's all for now. I hope we can aim for a form of training where many people can have fun and help each other grow. That's all. Thank you for your growth. This is Watanabe Ten. See you again, Alpha.