Zen Comics: Wisdom Through Manga

Feigning Mediocrity to Perform Quiet Deeds

Culture Lifestyle

Hiding one’s abilities can make it easier to contribute to the world.
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Hiding one’s light may not always be a bad thing. The characters in the phrase 和光同塵 (wakō dōjin) mean to soften (和) one’s radiance (光) and become one (同) with the dust (塵). In other words, to conceal one’s talent or knowledge and pass as unremarkable in the everyday world. The phrase can be used to describe Zen priests who do not make a show of their wisdom or good deeds, so they are more able to help others and be an influence for good.

Cast of Characters

Noriko: A member of the class cleaning committee
Inoue: Her classmate
Tanaka: Another member of the class cleaning committee

A class meeting after school.
A class meeting after school.

Noriko: “Inoue! Why don’t you ever help with the cleaning?”
Noriko: “Inoue! Why don’t you ever help with the cleaning?”

Inoue: “Cleaning? That stuff wears me out.”
Inoue: “Cleaning? That stuff wears me out.”

Noriko: “So only you get to rest. Despicable!” Inoue: “Ah, shut it. Who put you in charge?”
Noriko: “So only you get to rest. Despicable!”
Inoue: “Ah, shut it. Who put you in charge?”

After the meeting . . .
After the meeting . . .

Mari: “You’re amazing, Noriko. I could never say all that to Inoue. He’s terrifying.” Noriko: “Of course I’m going to tell him, the way he acts.”
Mari: “You’re amazing, Noriko. I could never say all that to Inoue. He’s terrifying.”
Noriko: “Of course I’m going to tell him, the way he acts.”

Mari: “Meanwhile, Tanaka does nothing as usual.” Ayako: “That useless lump.”
Mari: “Meanwhile, Tanaka does nothing as usual.”
Ayako: “That useless lump.”

Cleaning time that day.
Cleaning time that day.

Noriko: “Where is Inoue?!”
Noriko: “Where is Inoue?!”

Noriko: “I’m not letting this go. Not today.”
Noriko: “I’m not letting this go. Not today.”

Noriko: “Hmm, it’s Tanaka. What’s he doing here with Inoue?”
Noriko: “Hmm, it’s Tanaka. What’s he doing here with Inoue?”

Tanaka: “Wow, the top of the window’s sparkling. That’s amazing, Inoue.” Inoue: “You can save the sweet talk.”
Tanaka: “Wow, the top of the window’s sparkling. That’s amazing, Inoue.”
Inoue: “You can save the sweet talk.”

Tanaka: “No, it really helps doing the bits I can’t reach.”
Tanaka: “No, it really helps doing the bits I can’t reach.”

Noriko looks on silently.
Noriko looks on silently.

Tanaka: “Could you give me a hand moving the shelves tomorrow?” Inoue: “Ah, all right, sure. . . . Not like I have a choice, right?”
Tanaka: “Could you give me a hand moving the shelves tomorrow?”
Inoue: “Ah, all right, sure. . . . Not like I have a choice, right?”

Thinking to herself: “You can do it, Noriko!”
Thinking to herself: “You can do it, Noriko!”

Noriko: “Hey, can I help too?”
Noriko: “Hey, can I help too?”

(Originally published in Japanese on October 9, 2019. Manga by Mokutan Angelo.)

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