Relearning Japanese and Passing the Test on Buddhist Doctrine No.9
Sitting up straight, Son reads the sentences in Buddhist Doctrine in a soft voice. She passed the test on Buddhist Doctrine No. 9 this March. Son started to listen to Buddhism 8 years ago, when her neighbor Sim Myeongsun (a vice manager of Shinrankai chapter in South Korea) introduced the teachings to her in Buchon City.
As she continued listening, she became eager to understand Takamori-sensei’s lectures precisely. She began to learn the Buddhist Doctrine from No. 1. From 6 until 8 each morning, she would do the chanting and then read quotes from Buddhist Doctrine aloud and think deeply on the words. She memorized them by writing them out from 7 to 9 each night.
She reads each quote at least 50 times and writes it out at least 10 times until she memorizes it. She has written Buddhist quotes on more than 10 notebooks and 500 pieces of paper. Son was educated in the Japanese language at her prewar elementary school until she was eleven years old.
After World War II, however, she had no opportunity to use the Japanese language for a very long time. She remembered how to read and write hiragana and Chinese characters by learning the Buddhist Doctrine. During these eight years, she would sometimes fall ill and stop learning, but would soon bounce back and continue learning while recuperating.
Her condition is still not perfect, but she visits 2,000-Tatami-Mat-Hall twice a year. She is now trying to pass the Daidoshi test* this year.
*Daidoshi test: an accumulative exam of the Buddhist doctrine booklets
Source: The Buddhist Village Times #57 | 2015, Relearning Japanese and Passing the Test on Buddhist Doctrine No.9
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