「三獣渡河」の譬喩と智顗の依用

“Three　animals　crossing　the river” sanshouduhe三獸渡河, a simile in which a rabbit, a horse, and an elephant appear to represent the distinction between the Three Vehicles, is one of the most famous similes in Buddhist literature. In Chinese Buddhist works, sanshouduhe quoted in Sengzhao 僧肇(384?-414)’s Niepanwuzhilun涅槃無知論, a chapter in the Zhaolun肇論, is the first important occurrence. The simile was later repeatedly employed by many other authors. Tiantai Zhiyi 天台智顗(538-597) also uses this simile to illustrate his doctrinal stance. However, the exact interpretation of the simile is not always the same. This is because sanshouduhe itself has different purposes, and it varies according to each sūtra or śāstra. There are several characteristics in the original meaning of sanshouduhe. The simile in the Puyaojing普曜經 is thought to be represent an earlier version. The meaning of “river” (河) is regarded as the Twelvefold Causes and Conditions in the Youposaijiejing 優婆塞戒經, the Apitanpiposhalun 阿毘曇毘婆沙論 and the Dabanniepanjing 大般涅槃經 chapter 23-1, although chapter 22-3 uses Great nirvāṇa (大涅槃). The “bottom” (底) of the river depicted in the Youposaijiejing is quite similar to that of the Apitanpiposhalun being interpreted it as vāsanā (習気), while the Dabanniepanjing chapter 22-3 regards the bottom as the insight into Buddha-nature. In spite of these differences, every sutra says that only the elephant is able to reach the bottom “completely” (盡). This last word may also mean perfect “extinction” of the vāsanā, especially in the Youposaijiejing and the Apitanpiposhalun. The “riverside” (岸) in the Dabanniepanjing chapter 23-1 is regarded as the insight into Buddha-nature, that is not yet reached by the Two lower Vehicles. In the Dabanniepanjing chapter 22-3, two types of elephants appear to show the distinction between Bodhisattva and Buddha, instead of identifying the two, as in the Youposaijiejing and the Apitanpiposhalun. Zhiyi was familiar with these characteristics of the simile and appropriately made some changes in his later lectures and works. Sanshouduhe mainly appears in relation to the Shared Teaching (通教) of the Four Teachings According to Content (化法四教). As Zhanran 湛然 (711-782) also pointed out, this is especially seen in the Mohezhiguan 摩訶止觀 and the Weimojingxuanshu 維摩經玄疏. When comparing with the characteristic of the Shared Teaching, the Youposaijiejing and the Apitanpiposhalun are close in content. On the other hand in the Weimojingxuanshu, we can find another version, which takes a stand on the Distinct Teaching (別教). It proclaims that only the Distinct Teaching Bodhisattva is able to gain an insight into Non-emptiness (不空) and Buddha-nature. Here the emphasis is on the difference from the Two Vehicles. In that respect, this use is close to the Dabanniepanjing chapter 23-1. Moreover, in the Miaofalianhuajingxuanyi 妙法蓮華經玄義, like the Dabanniepanjing chapter 22-3, the two types of elephants appear. The small elephant is like the Distinct Teaching Bodhisattva, whereas the large elephant is like the Perfect Teaching (圓教) Bodhisattva and is able to perfectly reach the very bottom which is the Reality (實相). Considering the circumstances mentioned above, Zhiyi’s usage of sanshouduhe is committed to his System of Stages of Practice, which developed in his later years. This simile was adopted not only in the Shared Teaching, but also in the Distinct and the Perfect Teachings. It is likely that the Concepts of Shared Advancing to Distinct (別接通) and Shared Advancing to Perfect (圓接通) were influential in this adoption. Although Zhiyi classified the teachings, through the usage of sanshouduhe he aimed to make the “river” the connecting point, and to establish a systematic structure between the Four Teachings and his System of Stages of Practice. Incidentally the Shared Teaching sanshouduhe was considered a quotation from the Dabanniepanjing in the Mohezhiguan. I surmise however, that this identification may be attributed to Guanding 灌頂(561-632) who is a successor and editor of Zhiyi’s works, and the writer of a commentary on the Dabanniepanjing

The young adults feelings after losing their parents to cancer in adolescence : a study based on the written records of the young adults fight against cancer

目的；青年期にがんで親を亡くした人の死別後の気持ちをあきらかにする． 方法；闘病記より，青年期にがんで親を亡くした人の死別後の気持ちが表現されている言動を，逐語録化し分析した．具体的には，前後の文脈と表現された言語の意味をコード化しカテゴリー化した． 結果；４つのカテゴリー，すなわち，１．親の死を受け止められない，２．親との生活を振り返る，３．進路や人生観が変化する，４．親のいない生活への適応，を抽出した．なお，それぞれのカテゴリーには複数のサブカテゴリーで構成されていた． 青年期に親と死別した人の気持ちは，学校（高校など）でも家でも感情の板挟みとなって葛藤を繰り返し，誰にも打ち明けられずに孤独に耐える．しかし，生前の親との時間や親の生きざまを想察することで，死と向き合い始める．また，その後の進路や人生観の変化も，生前の親からの学びが，対象者の気持ちに影響を及ぼしている．Objective : The Objective of this study identified the feeding of young adults after they lost their parents who died of cancer. Methods : Some of the young adult of these parents had recorded their fight against cancer in their own way, and we first extracted from their records the parts in which their feelings following their parents’ death were written down or the parts in which their feelings about their parents’ death were hinted in the form of what they said or did. We then transcribed these parts word for word, and made an analysis of them. Results : We have found that these parts consist of four categories ： １） being unable to accept their parents’ death, ２） looking back on the life they led with their parents, ３） the change of their career or their outlook on life, and ４） adapting to the life in which their parents no longer exist. Each category comprises more than one subcategory. Conclusions : It is important for nurses to understand and support the complicated feelings of those young adult whose parents died in young adult. It can be an effective suggestion in influencing the mental attitude the oung adult assume following their parents’ death

Transcriptionally linked simultaneous overexpression of P450 genes for broad-spectrum herbicide resistance

雑草が獲得した最強の除草剤抵抗性メカニズムの解明 --解毒酵素の一斉活性化--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-06-14.Broad-spectrum herbicide resistance (BSHR), often linked to weeds with metabolism-based herbicide resistance, poses a threat to food production. Past studies have revealed that overexpression of catalytically promiscuous enzymes explains BSHR in some weeds; however, the mechanism of BSHR expression remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the molecular basis of high-level resistance to diclofop-methyl in BSHR late watergrass (Echinochloa phyllopogon) found in the United States, which cannot be solely explained by the overexpression of promiscuous cytochrome P450 monooxygenases CYP81A12/21. The BSHR late watergrass line rapidly produced 2 distinct hydroxylated diclofop acids, only 1 of which was the major metabolite produced by CYP81A12/21. RNA-seq and subsequent reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR)-based segregation screening identified the transcriptionally linked overexpression of a gene, CYP709C69, with CYP81A12/21 in the BSHR line. The gene conferred diclofop-methyl resistance in plants and produced another hydroxylated diclofop acid in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Unlike CYP81A12/21, CYP709C69 showed no other herbicide-metabolizing function except for a presumed clomazone-activating function. The overexpression of the 3 herbicide-metabolizing genes was also identified in another BSHR late watergrass in Japan, suggesting a convergence of BSHR evolution at the molecular level. Synteny analysis of the P450 genes implied that they are located at mutually independent loci, which supports the idea that a single trans-element regulates the 3 genes. We propose that transcriptionally linked simultaneous overexpression of herbicide-metabolizing genes enhances and broadens the metabolic resistance in weeds. The convergence of the complex mechanism in BSHR late watergrass from 2 countries suggests that BSHR evolved through co-opting a conserved gene regulatory system in late watergrass

Anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen ethanol extract from Cistus sp. of Spanish on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bee pollen, a honeybee product, is the feed for honeybees prepared themselves by pollens collecting from plants and has been consumed as a perfect food in Europe, because it is nutritionally well balanced. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen from <it>Cistus </it>sp. of Spanish origin by a method of carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and to investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action and also to elucidate components involved in bee pollen extracted with ethanol.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The bee pollen bulk, its water extract and its ethanol extract were administered orally to rats. One hour later, paw edema was produced by injecting of 1% solution of carrageenan, and paw volume was measured before and after carrageenan injection up to 5 h. The ethanol extract and water extract were measured COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activities using COX inhibitor screening assay kit, and were compared for the inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The constituents of bee pollen were purified from the ethanol extract subjected to silica gel or LH-20 column chromatography. Each column chromatography fractions were further purified by repeated ODS or silica gel column chromatography.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The bee pollen bulk mildly suppressed the carrageenan-induced paw edema and the water extract showed almost no inhibitory activity, but the ethanol extract showed relatively strong inhibition of paw edema. The ethanol extract inhibited the NO production and COX-2 but not COX-1 activity, but the water extract did not affect the NO production or COX activities. Flavonoids were isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of bee pollen, and identified at least five flavonoids and their glycosides.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It is suggested that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent anti-inflammatory activity and its effect acts <it>via </it>the inhibition of NO production, besides the inhibitory activity of COX-2. Some flavonoids included in bee pollen may partly participate in some of the anti-inflammatory action. The bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.</p

Comprehensive assessment of metabolic syndrome among rural Bangladeshi women

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS), defined as a constellation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, is one of the fastest growing public health burdens in the Asia-Pacific region. This trend is despite the fact that people in this region are no more overweight than Europeans and Americans. Unfortunately, in South Asia, MS screening has only been performed in a few countries other than Bangladesh. Therefore the present study is designed to conduct a comprehensive screening of MS in Bangladeshi rural women, which includes estimation of prevalence and assessment of risk factor. Methods: A total of 1535 rural Bangladesh women aged ≥ 15 years were studied using a population based crosssectional survey. The prevalence of MS was estimated using NCEP ATP III, modified NCEP ATP III and IDF criteria. Results: The prevalence rates of MS were 25.60 % (NCEP ATP III), 36.68 % (modified NCEP ATP III), and 19.80 % (IDF), as revealed by the present study. Furthermore, based on the NCEP ATP III criteria, 11.60 % of the subjects were found to have excess waist circumference; 29.12 % had elevated blood pressure, 30.42 % had elevated fasting plasma glucose level, 85.47 % had low HDL values and 26.91 % had increased triglyceride values. Low plasma HDL level was found to be the most common abnormality in the target population and elevated waist circumference was the least frequent component. Conclusions: The present study reveals a high prevalence of MS and its associated risk factors in rural Bangladeshi women. These findings are important in that they provide insights that will be helpful in formulating effective public health policy, notably the development of future health prevention strategies in Bangladesh