袖そですり合あうも多た生しょうの縁えん

Meanings

even a chance encounter is predestined

Proverb meaning that even the slightest contact with a stranger is not a coincidence but the result of karma from a previous life. Often used to encourage cherishing every encounter.

See also: 袖振り合うも他生の縁

「袖そですり合あうも多た生しょうの縁えん」というから、隣となりに座すわった人ひとにも親しん切せつにしよう。
They say even a chance meeting is predestined, so let's be kind to the person sitting next to us.
旅たび先さきで知しり合あった人ひとと意い気き投とう合ごうした。袖そですり合あうも多た生しょうの縁えんとはこのことだ。
I hit it off with someone I met on a trip. This is what they mean by 'even a chance encounter is predestined.'

Kanji

袖sleeve, wing (building), extension
合fit, suit, join
多many, frequent, much
生life, genuine, birth
縁affinity, relation, connection
擦grate, rub, scratch
他other, another, the others

Related words

袖そで振ふり合あうも他た生しょうの縁えん
A variant of the same proverb using 振り (waving sleeves) instead of すり (brushing sleeves). The meaning is essentially identical, but 袖すり合うも多生の縁 is more common today.

Built from

袖そで+合あう+多た生しょう+縁えん

Written forms

袖そですり合あうも多た生しょうの縁えん
Commonly seen spelling; uses すり for the verb and 多生 for the Buddhist term.
袖そで擦すり合あうも多た生しょうの縁えん
Uses the kanji 擦 for 'rub'; equally valid but less common in modern writing.
袖そですり合あうも他た生しょうの縁えん
Variant with 他生 instead of 多生; both refer to a previous life in Buddhist context.
袖そで擦すり合あうも他た生しょうの縁えん
Combination of the less common kanji choices; rarely encountered.

Etymology

A Japanese proverb derived from the Buddhist concept of 多生 (or 他生), meaning 'previous life' or 'other life,' combined with 縁 (karmic connection). The phrase literally means 'even brushing sleeves is a connection from a past life.' The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it reflects the Buddhist idea that all encounters are meaningful.