2009 October Message

In Gratitude to Rev. Seicho Taniguchi, former President of Seicho-No-Ie
Tetsuya Abe, Acting Chief, SNI Hawaii Missionary Area

　　October is the month in which the late Rev. Seicho Taniguchi was born and passed away. He was born on October 23, 1919, and departed this physical world to a high spiritual world on October 28, 2008.

　　Rev. Seicho Taniguchi knew about Seicho-No-Ie from reading a Truth of Life book he borrowed from a private first class while he was hospitalized for lung tuberculosis during World War II. He told us the following story in his lecture: The private first class was reading the book with a happy smile; that is why I (Rev. Seicho) thought it must be an interesting novel. However, when I read the book, I was struck by the strong words of Truth such as "Man is a child of God" or "Disease does not exist."

　　After the War, to show that Seicho-No-Ie is teaching the universal truth, the Founder of Seicho-No-Ie, Masaharu Taniguchi was thinking of translating literature and documents written by enlightenment thinkers and writers in the Western world, and advertised for workers for translation. One of the applicants and the most excellent among them was Rev. Seicho Taniguchi (he was Seicho Arachi at that time). He was immediately hired by the Founder Masaharu Taniguchi, married Emiko Taniguchi, Founder Taniguchi's only daughter, and became successor to Founder Taniguchi in accordance with the will of God. In the Seicho-No-Ie 40-year history book, Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi recalled that "the advent of Seicho Arachi was truly meaningful not only to the Taniguchi family but also to Seicho-No-Ie."

　　Rev. Seicho was only 28 when he started to conduct Public Lecturers and was 33 when he started to publish a book. Throughout his life, he sincerely dedicated himself to the Humanity Enlightenment Movement. When he was young, he manifested his state of mind as follows:

　　I sometimes make a mistake, I am partly imperfect and am not necessarily satisfied with myself, however, I am delighted to be able to move forward seeing the brightness ahead without any mental attachment. With a belief that my love is growing and makes every single one of the people in the world not getting sad, with my prayer for the happiness for our spiritual friends who seek the way, I always lead a bright and cheerful life. (Seicho Taniguchi, "Seicho-No-Ie," December 1950)

　　I become a trumpet for the teachings of Truth with a great joy. I deeply come to understand that there is nothing I can do by my own strength. Everything is the strength of God. The power of God appears in this world without fail through our Founder. (Seicho Taniguchi, "Jinsei no Kaitakusha," or "Pioneers of Human Life," p. 257)

　　Twelve years before the Founder Masaharu Taniguchi made a peaceful transition to a high spiritual world, he showed all of the SNI members that his successor was decided by providence by the following article:

　　 However, as the time for me to go comes closer, through providence, my successor, well-gifted with ability, has already appeared. I was struck with admiration to read Rev. Seicho Taniguchi's commentary on Shobo Genzo in Seishin Kagaku ("Mental Science"). Rev. Seicho Taniguchi's able interpretations of Dogen's difficult Zen terminology not found in an ordinary dictionary, into understandable modern language without missing a single phrase or word, as well as interpreting the Truth through the keys of the Truth of Life―are not simple feats to be attained. This has been accomplished basically through enlightenment and inspiration that came [to Rev. Taniguchi] from the spiritual world. To have such a worthy successor chosen to appear, I feel, was not conceived in the world of humanity. I can now enter the spiritual world with peace of mind knowing that I have a worthy successor. (Masaharu Taniguchi, "Seicho-No-Ie," November, 1975)

　　After the Founder Masaharu Taniguchi passed away, as President of Seicho-No-Ie, and based upon his resolve in his young age, Rev. Seicho guided us and all people in the world to the right faith that believes in God correctly - through Public Lectures worldwide, Spiritual Training Seminars, numerous writings, and through other means for 23 years, and finished his highly inspiring and productive earthly life of 89 years last year.

　　One year ago this month, Rev. Seicho Taniguchi passed on to a high spiritual world. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude for his achievements and guidance, and vow to promote God's Humanity Enlightenment Movement - International Peace by Faith Movement in Hawaii with all of you. Thank you very much.