A Guru Is Born by Takeshi Kitano

Author:Takeshi Kitano [Kitano, Takeshi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vertical Inc.
Published: 2012-04-18T17:00:00+00:00

Komamura and Kazuo were both called to Shiba’s room the night after the funeral service. Shiba looked exhausted from a busy three days, but he was still less gaunt than Komamura, who apparently hadn’t slept since the Guru died. His eyes were as red as a rabbit’s and had dark bags hanging below them.

“Have a seat. Fix yourself a drink if you want one,” Shiba offered, but no one reached for the whiskey. Even Shiba wasn’t drinking that night.

“I’ve called you two in to discuss the future of the organization. I wanted to hear your thoughts. What do you think, Komamura? What should do?”

Komamura remained silent and didn’t open his mouth. Kazuo found the heavy atmosphere in the room suffocating.

“Hey, don’t be so rigid. I want you to speak freely. Okay, Komamura?”

After a long moment, Komamura reluctantly spoke. “There’s nothing to do but dissolve our organization now that the Revered Guru is gone.” It was a thought that hadn’t even occurred to Kazuo. He thought Shiba would eventually take on the role, so he was caught off guard by Komamura’s conviction.

“What sort of sissy comment is that? And you, a member of HQ management? Pathetic,” Shiba quickly countered.

“But the Revered Guru is dead.” Komamura shed a few more tears as he looked into Shiba’s eyes. As for Kazuo, who never had a proper conversation with the Guru, he didn’t feel such attachment. The Guru had left only a fleeting impression. But for Komamura, who personally tended the Guru and saw him as the catalyst for his religious conversion, there was no end to his sorrow. It was understandable.

“What have you two learned until now?” Shiba pressed, slicing through Kazuo’s thoughts. “If religions were to shut down as soon as their founders died, there’d be no religions left in the world. Proper religions like Christianity, Buddhism and Islam aren’t maintained through heritage. No real religion would rely on anything as stupid as that. Such cults are doomed to fail. We pass down the tenets of faith through the organization, not through blood ties. Look at the Pope, look at Rennyo or Dogen. You see, the only way to honor our deceased Guru is to continue spreading his word and to enlarge our organization, the way we’ve always done.”

“What are we going to do for a guru then?”

“That’s why we’re having this discussion, to make that decision.”

Kazuo stared in silent amazement at their exchange, yet he found it refreshing to hear that religious leaders weren’t predestined by lineage.

“It’s rude to even make that decision when the Revered Guru hasn’t been gone seven days.”

“There’s nothing rude about it. The custom of observing seven days of mourning is only for appearances. We can do without it. Don’t get hung up on details.”

“Then by order of seniority, Mr. Shiba, you should do it. It’s decided,” Komamura said in a defeated tone. Kazuo thought that made sense.

“No, you idiot! You think I’d do something that ridiculous?” Shiba snapped. Kazuo’s jaw dropped.

Komamura’s face turned maroon with anger. “How dare you talk that way! What’s so ridiculous about being Guru?”

“You’re right.

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