May
20
2010
正念場
しょうねんば [shounenba] – The word 正念 comes from Buddhism, and refers to “Right mindfulness”, part of the Noble Eightfold Path to enlightenment. Add 場 (place) to it, and you have a word that means “a situation that tests someone’s true mettle“.
Although originally a Buddhist word, the spiritual connotation has been mostly lost. The word is now more commonly associated with climactic scenes in kabuki theater.
Alternative form: 性根場 [shouneba].