主人公
しゅじんこう / Shujinkō
Shujinkō (主人公) Meaning
Meaning
In Zen, "shujinkō" means the true master within you: the awake, clear mind that is not pushed around by other people's opinions or by passing emotions. In modern Japanese the word has come to mean the protagonist of a story, but it began as a Zen expression.
Origin
It appears in Case 12 of the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate), a classic collection of Zen dialogues. The Tang-dynasty Chinese monk Zuigan Shigen is said to have called out to himself every day, "Master!" and answered, "Yes!" Then he would continue: "Are you awake?" "Yes!" "Don't let yourself be fooled by others, any day, any time." "Yes, yes!"
How it helps with everyday worries
It is easy to spend a whole day reading your boss's mood, checking how a post was received, or replaying what someone thought of you. Little by little, you can lose track of what you actually feel and value. This old monk's habit is a gentle reminder to check whether you have quietly handed the lead role of your life to someone else. "Don't be fooled" can also apply to the voices inside: anxiety, old assumptions, the whisper that says you're not good enough. You don't need an immediate answer about who you really are. Simply calling to yourself and answering, again and again, can build a calm center that holds steady when things around you shift.
A small practice for today
Take one breath and silently call your own name, then answer "Yes." Ask yourself, in a single word, what you are feeling right now.