What defines a happy life? This chapter begins with that question and unfolds a profound metaphor: that our lives are one-man shows, written, performed, and watched by ourselves. The author challenges conventional notions of happiness—status, beauty, wealth, family, or work—asserting that most people live and die without ever touching true happiness, despite their efforts.
Each of us crafts the conditions of our life in order to explore and pursue the eternal themes of joy and fulfillment. We design our circumstances, even difficult ones, to challenge our assumptions and awaken us to deeper truths. Our lives are like plays in which we are both actor and audience, striving—often in vain—to receive the core message hidden behind each role.
The tragedy is that we so easily lose ourselves in the roles we play. We forget that the costumes and settings are just that—temporary constructs meant to convey a message. But once we realize that we are not the role but the one observing it, the curtain begins to lift. The joy of life lies not in perfect performance, but in receiving the message we gave ourselves before entering the stage.
To truly know joy and happiness, we must recognize the play for what it is: a path back to our true self. When the actor finally joins hands with the lone audience member—the real self—there is a moment of profound gratitude. "I'm glad I took this role. Thank you." This is the joy of awakening.
Thus, life's turning point lies in correctly receiving the message we've been acting out all along. In the chapters to follow, the author promises to present the steps to pass through this gateway. With proper guidance, we can come to see life as the play it is—and discover within it the truth, joy, and happiness that await.
幸せな人生とは何か。本章ではその問いを出発点とし、人がそれぞれの条件や環境を自ら設定し、「自作自演」の人生という芝居を演じているという視点が語られます。美貌や富、家族や仕事など、一般に幸せの基準とされるものは多様ですが、それらを得てもなお「本当の幸せ」を知らずに人生を終える人が大半であると著者は指摘します。
人生は、自分が脚本を書き、演じ、観客として眺める一人芝居。テーマは常に「幸せと喜び」です。そのテーマを理解しきれないまま、何度も舞台を変え、転生を繰り返してきました。与えられた役を通して、いかにその背後にある真のメッセージを受け取れるかが、本当の幸せの鍵です。
役になりきってしまい、肝心のメッセージを見失うのが人間の常。しかし、自分は役を演じているに過ぎないと気付いたとき、芝居の本質が明らかになります。自らに託されたメッセージを正しく受け取る人生こそが、真の幸せに至る道であり、それは誰にとっても共通のものです。
この芝居を演じきり、唯一の観客＝本当の自分と出会ったとき、私たちはようやく「ありがとう」「万歳」と心から叫べる瞬間を迎えるのです。そしてそのために、正しい手順を踏んでいくことの大切さが、次章以降で示されていきます。