国民利福

ホソバシャクナゲ（境内） Rhododendron makinoi (in the precincts of Tozenji temple)

「・・・信越の富豪が結社して船会社を作り外国交易を行なえば、地域の物産振興、富国強兵につながり国民利福を図ることとなる」

National Welfare

"If the wealthy people of Shinetsu cooperated to form a shipping company and engage in foreign trade, it would lead to the promotion of local products, national wealth, and military power, and would benefit the people of Japan."

　民間で経営

「地域の産物を運んで交易を行なうことは、資本を出した富豪の者の経済のためだけではなく、たとえば近年生産が盛んになってきたジャガイモや養蚕など地域の物産を生産する多くの人々ためになる」
「この会社は武士は加えないで民間で行ないたい」

……として、出資する金持・資本家のための会社でなく「国民利福のために行なう会社」をめざす建議書であった。この「国民利福」の理念は高井鴻山だけではなく小栗上野介が手がけて立ち上げた日本最初の株式会社「兵庫商社」が同じ理念であったから、高井鴻山もそれに共鳴して「民間だけで経営する船会社」を構想した、と考えられる。

　近年、もうけるためには手段を選ばない会社や官僚の、非法、不法な事件が跡を絶たない。
例えば：ライブドアの株価操作、マンションホテルの建築設計偽装、防衛施設庁の官製談合による工事代金の水増しで税金の無駄遣いと天下り先確保、建築確認後のホテル東横インの不正改造、三菱自動車の欠陥車隠匿による死亡・火災・衝突事故、など　

会社規模に大小の差はあっても、国民利福を忘れた経営はいつか破綻（はたん）が来ることを示している

Private Management

"The trade of local products is not only for the economy of the wealthy who have invested in the company, but also for the many people who produce local products, such as potatoes and silkworms, which have become increasingly popular in recent years."
"We want this company to be privately owned, without the addition of warriors."

In this way, the proposal was to create a company not for the benefit of the wealthy and capitalist investors, but for the "benefit of the people." This philosophy of "national welfare" was shared not only by Kohzan Takai but also by Kozukenosuke Oguri, who established Japan's first joint-stock company, the "Hyogo Shosha." It is thought that Kohzan Takai echoed this philosophy and envisioned a "shipping company managed solely by the private sector."

In recent years, there has been no end to the number of illegal and unlawful cases involving companies and bureaucrats who will stop at nothing to make a profit. Examples include Livedoor's manipulation of stock prices, falsified architectural designs for condominiums and hotels, padding of construction costs through official collusion at the Defense Facilities Administration, illegal modification of the Toyoko Inn hotel after building permits were issued, and concealment of defective Mitsubishi Motors vehicles, etc.　

No matter how large or small the company may be, management that forgets the interests of the people will one day go bankrupt.

　「国民利福」はどこから

　では小栗上野介はどこから国民利福の理念を身につけたのであろうか。たとえば次のような言葉がある。

　「川に船をおいて旅人を向こう岸へ渡し、あるいは川に橋を架けて便宜を図るのは布施ですよ。治生産業（ちしょうさんぎょう・政治を行い、産業をおこすこと）はみんな布施ですよ」
　　＊布施とは：自分の持っている力（物でもお金でも心でも）を人のために差し出すこと。ただし、お返しを期待しないで・・・。

　原　文
「船を置き橋を渡すも布施の檀度（だんど）なり。治生産業（ちしょうさんぎょう）もとより布施にあらざることなし」　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（『正法眼蔵・しょうぼうげんぞう』道元著）

　８００年前の道元禅師の言葉だから産業といっても規模が違うが、その理念はどんな時代でも変わらない。「真の武士」であろうとした小栗上野介は、若いときに菩提寺保善寺（もと牛込・いま中野区）の縁で参禅して心を磨き、道元禅師の言葉に触れて身につけた、と想像するのは同じ曹洞宗門人の身びいきといわれようか。

Where did "national welfare" come from? 　

Where did Kozukenosuke Oguri learn the concept of "national welfare"? There are the following words:

"It is a 'fuse' to put a boat on the river to ferry travelers to the other side, or to build a bridge over a river for the convenience of the people. All the general daily social activities such as life, economy, politics, industry, etc. are also 'fuse.'"　
("Shobogenzo" by Dogen) 　　

"Fuse" in Japanese means: to offer one's own strength (whether it be material goods, money, or one's heart) for the benefit of others. However, do not expect anything in return.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

These are the words of Dogen Zenji, who lived 800 years ago. The scale of his "industry" is different from those today, but his philosophy has not changed in any age. It may be said that Kozukenosuke Oguri, who tried to be a "true samurai," refined his mind by visiting Zen meditation at his family temple, Hozenji (formerly Ushigome, now Nakano Ward), when he was young, and that he learned from the words of Zen master Dogen.