2010 March Message

Let Us Actively Spread the “Child of God Realization” to All
Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii Missionary Area

　　It has been just 80 years since Seicho-No-Ie was founded on March 1, 1930. I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to our founder Masaharu Taniguchi who started this movement with all his might, former President Rev. Seicho Taniguchi who succeeded our founder and carried out his will perfectly, and President Masanobu Taniguchi who assumed the post of Seicho-No-Ie presidency just 1 year ago and has been warmly guiding all SNI followers around the world.

　　Rev. Seicho Taniguchi taught us the meaning of Founding Day as follows:

　　Seicho-No-Ie was founded on March 1, 1930. This is the date on which our Holy Master Masaharu Taniguchi first published the magazine named "Seicho-No-Ie." It is the memorable day when the Truth which had been treasured in the True Image World came into this world for the first time. That is why all SNI members around the world celebrate the day. (Nobiyuku Hibi no Kotoba, or Daily Words for Growth, p. 64)

　　The reason why Seicho-No-Ie exists on earth, grants hope for a better life to many people including ourselves, and promotes the movement to bring about world peace is because our founder Masaharu Taniguchi brought "the Truth treasured in the True Image World" into this world. I believe the only way to repay our sense of gratitude to him is to propagate the teachings to as many people as possible.

　　There is an anecdote in the Buddhist scriptures that tells how valuable it is to meet the Truth. Once upon a time there was a blind turtle that came up to the ocean's surface once in a hundred years to breathe. Floating in the same sea, there was a 10-foot-square board with a small hole that was almost the same size as the turtle's head. The chance that the head of the turtle which came up to the surface once in a hundred years fits in the hole of the floating board is extremely small; however, the chance for us to meet the Truth is almost as rare and valuable as the blind turtle's head fitting in the hole.

　　We are very fortunate to know the Seicho-No-Ie teachings and meet the most excellent master ahead of most of the world's population ― about 7 billion people. Founder Masaharu Taniguchi led various kinds of movements to contribute to society by applying the SNI teachings according to the need of the time. Now is the time when people in the world have to address global environmental problems hand in hand. Based upon the spirit of the Divine Message of Grand Harmony, all SNI leaders and members worldwide are promoting the "Movement that Grows with Nature" with one heart. These efforts are shown as the Movement Policy that is presented every year; the 2010 Movement Policy will be coming soon (it will appear in the May issue of this Newsletter).

　　To convey the teachings in accordance with the Movement Policy is to carry out the priceless deeds of love that increase happy homes, manifest the True Image of all sentient and non-sentient beings, contribute to the resolution of global warming problems, and realize world peace. Please read the following article on propagation written by founder Masaharu Taniguchi and actively spread the Child-of-God realization to our surroundings with courage and a bright mind. Thank you very much.

　　　The reason why I am spreading this bright-thought philosophy―“Seicho-No-Ie" ―is not for material gain or to satisfy my own personal quest for fame as the highest esteemed teacher who expounds the Way to the people. It is only when I realize that I am Buddha [divine] and others are also Buddha, that I feel unbearably sorry for those people who have manifested forms unlike Buddha in spite of being one themselves. I am Buddha. That person is also Buddha. Nonetheless, there are those who do not realize that they are Buddha but present themselves in various aspects of poverty, sickness, and misery. When I realize this, I am overcome by an irresistible desire to let them know that their image is the same as that of Buddha. After all, this impulse comes from the Truth that "self and others are essentially one." When you realize that you are a Buddha, you cannot help but to let another know that he also has Buddha-nature. When you realize that you are God, you cannot help but to let him know that he is also God-like. This is the "self and others are one" realization, i.e., love of Buddha and love of God. To practice this love is an act of bodhisattva.
　　There may be people who think that to spread Seicho-No-Ie means to spread the Seicho-No-Ie magazines. However, this is not to spread the magazines but to spread "Buddha," the "child of God" realization. It is to spread the vibrations of the words that would make every person a "Buddha," a "child of God." （Seimei no Jisso, or Truth of Life, vol. 28, pp. 53-55)