A Bright Mind - A Healthy and Prosperous Life

The following is an article I wrote for Starbulletin, Hawaii's local Newspater, which appeared on July 11, 2009.

A Bright Mind - A Healthy and Prosperous Life
Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii Missionary Area

　　　Don't you want to lead a healthy and prosperous life? To tell you the truth, there is a secret to that. You can sow the seeds of such a life without any cost at any time by being grateful to the blessings that are granted now, and expressing your gratitude in your words, countenance, and attitude. That is because there is a law of mind in this world that what you envision is realized.
　　　You may claim that you don't have anything to be grateful for because you are sick in bed, or unemployed, or have lots of anxieties. However, think again of your surroundings -– you have a home to live in, have drinkable tap water, have a family with whom you can laugh, are living in Hawaii which people elsewhere in the world call an "earthly paradise," -- there are many positive, beautiful, and wonderful things that you are not aware of but you should be grateful for. No matter how hard your situation may be, you can create a bright future as long as you allow bright and cheerful thoughts to guide you.
　　　Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii will present a wonderful opportunity to learn more about leading a healthy and prosperous life at our annual Public Lecture at the Ala Moana Hotel on September 20th. Your attendance is most welcome.
　　　Thank you very much.

　

2009 July Message

Practicing Deeds Of Love In Modern Times
Tetsuya Abe, Acting Chief, SNI Hawaii Missionary Area

　　Seicho-No-Ie members and followers are encouraged to practice daily the three important religious practices as a person of faith in God. The three practices are practicing Shinsokan meditation, reading the Holy Sutras and Seicho-No-Ie books, and practicing deeds of love. I will explain about deeds of love at this time.

　　Deeds of love are actions of giving love to others. For example, picking up garbage on the street, being kind to elderly or disabled people, using your "stuff" with great care, volunteering, and propagating the SNI teachings - all of these are wonderful and priceless deeds of love. Some of these actions may seem secular. However, if you carry out these deeds while worshiping the divinity of others' "children of God" True Image or revering matter as a manifestation of the Life of God, your deeds no doubt become a religious practice.

　　Some of you might install a solar water heater or solar panels on your roof, or purchase a hybrid car out of concern for the earth's future. You can say that those who purchase an eco-friendly product in spite of a higher price are practitioners of deeds of love. Many people are reluctant to buy an environment-friendly product because of its cost, even if they can afford to pay extra for such a product. However, if you buy those products, you can earn much more rewards because of a principle of "God's Universal Bank," namely, "Give and you shall be given."

　　This is not only the case of expensive goods, but also other consumer items such as bath tissue paper, stationery, and other products. To buy "green products" seems to incur a loss in the short run. However, from God's standpoint, such a deed accumulates your virtues in heaven, and the rewards will surely return to you. More than that, if you stop using disposable chopsticks, dishes, and cups, and begin to use plastic or ceramic ones, it will also bring you wonderful merits in the long run.

　　The founder of Seicho-No-Ie, Masaharu Taniguchi, taught that "Wealth, in the first place, does not simply mean a condition in which there is a large amount of matter. To be wealthy means one has a large amount of something with which to do work that would benefit others." (See page 1 of this newsletter.) If you apply this teaching to this day and age, it can be said that to avoid purchasing eco-unfriendly and disposable products and to voluntarily buy eco-friendly products makes us abundant both spiritually and physically.

　　I've recently learned that the amount of junk mail in the United States is huge. According to a report by ForestEthics, a nonprofit environmental organization founded in 2000 whose mission is to protect endangered forests and wild places, wildlife, and human wellbeing, American mailboxes are inundated with more than 100,000,000,000 pieces of junk mail each year - that's more than 800 pieces per household. To my surprise, junk mail in the United States accounts for one-third of all the mail delivered worldwide, the organization said. The 51,548,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases created each year by junk mail in the U.S. are the annual equivalent of:

　・9,372,000 average passenger cars.
　・11 coal-fired power plants.
　・The COMBINED emissions of Maine, Vermont, Alaska, South Dakota,
　　Montana, Rhode Is　land, and Hawaii
　・Heating 12.9 million homes.
　・Nearly 85,000 international flights of a 747-400.
　・2.4 million cars, idling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

　　If you send back junk mails to the sender by writing, "I don't need this mail, thank you," you will not receive the mail any more, or you can get more helpful information on how to reduce wasted paper in this month's "Environmental Thoughts & Tips" on page 5. It may take a little time, but this small action is also a kind of deed of love.

　　Since you are a loving person filled with wisdom, let us practice our own deeds of love and strive to make an effort to bequeath this beautiful earth to the next generation from a religious perspective. Thank you very much.
　

My Address at the founder's Memorial Service

The following is my address at 24th Memorial Service for the founder of Seicho-No-e, Masaharu Taniguchi, at SNI Hawaii Jisso Center on June 14th, 2009.

--------------------------------------------------------
　　Thank you very much. Thank you very much for coming the founder of Seicho-No-Ie, Masaharu Taniguchi's 24th Memorial Service today. Today, I would like to review how our founder Masaharu Taniguchi thought and experienced before he received the revelation of the "True Image," the most important concept of the SNI teachings with you.

　　The founder Masaharu Taniguchi was born in Kobe, Japan, November 22, 1893. He said that he was born being protected by Sun and moon at 6 o'clock in the morning, when the moon was still shining and the Sun already started to shine in the eastern sky.

　　He had a brother and four younger sisters, however, only he didn't look like with other siblings, he said. When he was 4 years old, his aunt came his home and asked his mother to borrow him for one day when they went out shopping because he was so cute. There was no child with his uncle and aunt. However, they didn't bring him home even the following day. When his mother visited his aunt to bring him back, the aunt refused to pass him over them. It may be a unbelievable thing but it is what it was happened to them. He was raised by his aunt and uncle since then.

　　Our founder Masaharu Taniguchi felt missing his parents, but his parents were not wealthy, therefore, if he had been raised by his biological parents, he could not have taken a good education and Seicho-No-Ie would not have appeared in this world. It means that Founder Taniguchi's subconscious mind knew his destiny and mission so well and guided him to a proper course.

　　Since he felt lonely when he was a child, he cried easily. But he was a possessor of a kind mind. One day, at an examination of arithmetic, there was a question that 6 multiplies 3. He knew the answer is 18, but he wrote 21 as an answer because he thought that adding 3 to the right answer would please the teacher. He said that he confused a concept of calculation with deeds of love.

　　Having said that, as a whole, his grade was terrific. He often argued with his teacher and sometimes defeated him. Founder Taniguchi mentioned that his memory is so great that he could remember all the pages of the text books if he once flipped through them before the examinations.

　　When he joined middle school, he started to ponder why human beings are born and why we have to be good to our parents. That is because he was not satisfied with his family life. Anyway, he likes argument and contemplation and tends to mull over whatever to the finish. He thought that the more you suffer the more you lead a meaningful life at that time.

　　Later, he came to realize the wonderfulness of art and love. He entered a college on a scholarship. In Japan, a very limited number of people who had a great score is granted a scholarship. While he was studying at Waseda University, he provided a shelter to an ex-convict girl at his dormitory. He thought that if you cannot save the socially vulnerable, where there is a meaning of education?

　　The founder Taniguchi made an every effort to save the girl, despite all his efforts, she was arrested by a petty crime. The newspaper reported that a college student who was played with by a juvenile delinquent against his intention. After that accident, Founder Taniguchi's parents didn't pay for his school fees, he could not help but leave the school without diploma.

　　Then, he started to work at a spinning factory by an introduction of his friends as an intern at a very low wage. Then, he promoted to be a position to monitor female young workers. Then, he realized that those female employees had to work in a terrible environment for a long time filled with dusts all day long including night shift. In other words, they were exploited by the managers who were lazy and slept in the day time and enjoyed a party after a party in the night. He argued with a factory manager and quit that company by thinking, "I don't have to live if I cannot live without exploiting the vulnerable.

　　After that happened, he was attracted by a thought that love out of pity is not accomplish but only beauty perceived with five senses can be achieved in this world. To pursuit beauty with physical senses, he had relation with women. As a result of that, he agonized physically and mentally. Especially, mental agony was serious. His intention was not to play with women but to try to experience romance as an art, but as a consequence, his sense of repentance deepened and he had to spend a sleepless night after night.

　　Someday, a magazine was sent to him from a person of a Shinto related religion. In that magazine, there was a description that the time has come when all sins and sinners will be destroyed and the immaculate new Heaven and Earth will arrive." It was just what he sought because he agonized by a sense of guilty and sought a way to vanish all the sins he had accumulated. But at the same time, it gave him fear because he can be destroyed by God's power.

　　He joined the branch of Shinto, named Omotokyo, and became an unchallenged leader. He theorized their tenet and published a book on that. But his spirit was not refreshed. To purify himself, he tried to minimize his possessions as much as possible. All he carried at that time was a piece of kimono and a tooth brush. He poured very cold water upon himself to purify him, which is a Shinto ritual and believed to cleanse oneself, and also tried fasting.

　　Around that time, at Omotokyo, they believed that rebuilding of the world would take place in 1922 and that the members of that organization would be saved and the others would be destroyed by God's hell fire. However, what Founder Taniguchi saw in the dining room was people, who should be saved by God, took away rice from rice cooker pushing aside the others. It was a completely mess. He was truly disappointed to see the scene and thought that they must be destroyed. He also hated himself who thinks so.

　　Those days, there is a beautiful woman with a dark outlook on her countenance who sought God in Omotokyo. Founder Taniguchi was attracted by the woman and she never disappeared from his mind. She was Teruko Emori, later Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi.

　　Goddess of destiny, drew them together and they celebrated their weddings. However, Founder Taniguchi came to be suspicious about the way they collect the donation from members, how they run that organization, and even the God they believed in. Seeing her husband lapsing from faith, fear bubbled forth from her mind, Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi got serious heart attack. Seeing his new wed wife severely suffering from the symptom, Founder Taniguchi was so upset, wept bitter, and prayed to God. To be helpful to her as much as possible, he looked through the medical books and encyclopedia of medicine, and he came to become a well-informed about disease and medicine than doctor. Although his knowledge was not helpful at that time because he feared disease too much, plenty of medical knowledge enabled him to guide a sick person well after he founded SNI.

　　After that, our founder Taniguchi quit that Shinto branch. He started to learn and research various eastern and western religions, philosophies, literature, and others in the world. He once followed a well-revered religious person of Japan, Rev. Tenko Nishida, and pondered what is life, what is God, and what is a human being. He theorized his ideas and published a book. In his book, he denied the omnipotent creator of goodness that created this world, ---- this world means a phenomenal world in a SNI term, and he described that this world is created by delusion. The perfect existence that is already saved exists within us, however, since this existence is only a possibility that can be developed after a great amount of efforts and spiritual trainings in the far-distant future, that idea is not dependable and reliable in your actual life, he said. Reflecting upon his anxiety, his health condition was constantly bad.

　　His contemplation kept on and on and on. Next, he came up with a notion that denies the creator of this phenomenal world. If God created this world, a world of scramble, filled with contradictions and killing, it is God who is to blame. He should not be deserved to be called God, the founder Taniguchi thought. He wrote a noble titled, "Judging God." However, just before the book was published, Kanto Great Earthquake happened, and all the books were burned as if they were annihilated by God. It was August 25, 1922. All his efforts seemed in vain.

　　The founder and Mrs. Taniguchi managed to survive from that calamity, they stayed at Mrs. Teruko's home in Toyama, an area along Japan Sea and then moved to Founder Taniguchi's parents' home. (Parents here means adopted parents. He called them as parents.)Their lives were filled with conflictions. He wanted to be a strict vegetarian, but to his parents, it was ridiculous to behave so in such an urgent situation. More than that, Founder Taniguchi's income was a very small. Since he only could earn a little income by writing some articles to a magazine for psychic research he had to ask financial support to his parents. His parents were very frustrated. They raised him from when he was 4 years old, invested him so much, and expected him to take a good education and to be a decent man of good profession. However, he caused a love affair while studying at college and quit, and he could not earn his own bread and while talked about a ideal world. To them, he is like Don Quixote. Their mental conflicts took form as disease of their new born baby, Mrs. Emiko Taniguchi.

　　Being squeezed between an ideal and actual life, he further continued contemplation on God, life, human beings, and others. One day, an English book, titled "The Law of Mind in Action" caught his eyes at a secondhand bookstore. It was one cent and he bought and read it at once. In that book, Hen wick Holmes wrote that the creator of this world is our mind, and the creator God is a creative energy. He was very delighted to find the Creator again because he once denied the existence of creator and didn't gain peace of mind.

　　He had still a hard time at that time. His parents' frustrations mounted more than ever and kept on complaining about his laziness. But he thought there should be a good way for both of them to lead a happy life. According to the book he read, since this physical world is a reflection of our mind, he thought that he should be given a good profession if he envisions that hope. He sat quietly, contemplated, and envisioned that an appropriate profession is already given.

　　After one month passed, he found a piece of newspaper. His parents never subscribed to newspaper for the sake of economy, it was there by accident. Since he entrusted all to God, he didn't try to see a job introduction page instead read a novel in the paper. Then, he coincidentally found Wanted ad for well-paid translation job. He applied and was employed by that comany at a higher salary than he expected.

　　Everything went well except for the health of his family. His daughter suffered from pneumonia and his wife severe colon disease. He understood that their diseases are a reflection of his mind, however, even if he knew that principle, he could not help but worry about his wife's and daughter's severe illness. Can you remain unperturbed when other family members suffer from serious illnesses and it is human nature, he thought. He kept on contemplation. One day, he sat and put his hands together quietly and meditated to receive a revelation of truth. Let me quote his writing:

One day, I was meditating with eyes closed and hands held in prayer in the hope of receiving a revelation of the Truth. Perhaps it was coincidence or perhaps it was God's guidance, but at that time I happened to think of the words, "matter is at once emptiness," which is a phrase out of the Buddhist scriptures. Then out of nowhere, a voice like a huge wave, low but intense, soft and yet overpowering, came to me:

"Matter does not exist!" the voice said.
Then, I wondered whether my mind existed.
Instantly the voice replied, "The mind also does not exist!"
"If there is no mind, does that mean that there is nothing?"
I asked the owner of the voice once again.
"There is the True Image!" the voice replied clearly.
"Then what is the True Image?" I asked.
"The True Image is God. What exists is only God... only the Mind of God
and the manifestation of the Mind of God. This is the Truth."

　　I believe you know how he got enlightened and started our movement. I will not touch upon that today. What I want to tell you is that the Truth he disclosed is not a product of coincidence. It is a result of all his experiences and studies with all his might, and providence of God. When his contemplation reached the climax, revelation of Truth inundated to him and he emphatically declared, "Man is a child of God," "There is no sins," "Disease does not exist," and "All religions emanate from one universal source."

　　Needless to say, after he recieved God's revelation and started the SNI movement, illnesses and misfortunes never came close to his family and their parents - children relationship truly improved. Especially, his father, actually father-in-law became a admired Regional Lecturer and healed peoples' illnesses and solved their problems. He called his son, actually son-in-law, as sensei, sensei, and was said that he read Truth of Live series more than 77 times.

　　Please read the founder Masaharu Taniguchi's books over and over again, and also read Rev. Seicho's and Rev. Masanobu's books and articles, which are another forms of Truth revealed by the founder Taniguchi. By doing so, we can understand the greatest teachings we believe in the world correctly. Thank you very much for your attention.
　

2009 June Message

Let Us Lead Many People To Be Holy Missioners

　　I recently feel that time flies so quickly. June is the month in which our loving Founder Masaharu Taniguchi's Memorial Service will be held. It has already been 24 years since he was transferred to a high spiritual world. Last October, we had a heartbreaking farewell with our second President, Rev. Seicho Taniguchi, who carried the flame of Seicho-No-Ie lit by Founder Masaharu Taniguchi; however, we had an auspicious occasion where Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi became the third President in March 2009. In this memorable year, the way for us to express our sense of gratitude to them is to strive to extend our joy of touching and savoring the eternal Truth throughout Hawaii.

　　After Seicho-No-Ie's founding in 1930, Founder Masaharu Taniguchi had been running the organization with his pocket money. As the subscribers to SNI magazines and members increased, readers' meetings grew, and the expenses to purchase the Headquarters facilities and others became huge, it was no longer possible for him to defray all the necessary costs. Then, in the same way that stock companies are supported by stockholders, Founder Taniguchi established a system, the Holy Mission Fellowship, which is supported by donations from members called holy missioners.

　　The Holy Mission Fellowship is a system to sincerely support the Humanity Enlightenment and International Peace by Faith Movements; however, the merits of being a member are invaluable. When you become a holy missioner, you are supposed to write your name by yourself on the two pieces of paper called Sacred Soul. One piece of Sacred Soul is enshrined at the U.S. Missionary Headquarters and the other is enshrined at the SNI Main Temple in Japan. Since Shinsokan meditation is practiced and the Holy Sutras are read at both the U.S. Headquarters and the Main Temple, holy missioners are blessed by words and vibration of Truth through the Sacred Souls. Furthermore, those who are saved and have merits by the teachings release a vibration of a sense of gratitude, joy, and happiness. Since these are the merits of Seicho-No-Ie, which is financed by donations from holy missioners, the holy missioners themselves receive these vibrations, which generate dividends, not in money but in spiritual virtues. I would like you to understand this point well and to invite people to become Holy Mission Fellowship members. Founder Masaharu Taniguchi explained these points as follows:

　　Since our souls grow by absorbing loving thoughts sent by others, our own bright thoughts, and words of Truth, those whose Sacred Souls are worshiped have a merit and can grow spiritually. That you have a merit by receiving loving thoughts and words of Truth is proven by the fact that distant healing of illness is possible by sending words of Truth with loving thoughts. In this instance, you can see a merit that comes from loving thoughts and words of Truth by seeing the healing. On the other hand, in the case of elevating our souls, we cannot see the merits of receiving good vibrations; however, since those merits are accumulated in the vault of Heaven as a hidden virtue, those virtues will appear concretely someday.
　　In this way, those whose Sacred Souls are enshrined in the Enshrinement as a holy missioner at the Headquarters are always receiving words of Truth through the reading the Sutras, so they are accumulating those merits. That is why I believe you are holy missioners, and I hope you lead many people to become holy missioners and share those merits with them.
(Masaharu Taniguchi, "Bosatsu wa nani wo nasubekika,"
or "What Holy Missioners Should Do"

　　By the way, holy missioners can have much more merits when they know that they are holy missioners, as in the case where someone else is paying for their Holy Mission shares. It would be even better for one to pay for himself or herself. That is because of the principle of "Give and you shall be given," and that their mind is in tune with God's vibration.

　　You can also have a future spouse or future baby join the Holy Mission Fellowship, even though you do not know exactly who they are right now. There are countless examples of happy marriages realized and childless couples blessed with a healthy baby thanks to enrolling a future loved one in the Holy Mission Fellowship.

　　Let us savor the happiness enjoyed by holy missioners and invite as many people as possible to become holy missioners. Thank you very much.

2009 May Message

Let Us Read and Understand The Importance of "Movement Policy"
Rev. Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, Hawaii Missionary Area

　　On a beautiful day on March 21, a special Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii State Association Meeting was held at Jisso Center under the guidance of Rev. Yoshiko Teshigawara, Bishop of the United States Missionary Headquarters. 29 cheerful, enthusiastic, and distinguished leaders, including representatives of Kona, Kauai, Maui, and Hilo came together for the meeting. This meeting was conducted for our leaders to understand the 2009 Movement Policy. (Note: see p. 5 for the 2009 Movement Policy.) I would like to give some explanation of what the Movement Policy is and why it is necessary, because some of you may wonder why it is so important.

　　Seicho-No-Ie deals with diversified issues, from our outlook on life, education, disease, and prosperity to the environment, world peace, and doctrines of other major religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and others. We can say that SNI goes with everything. There are so many ways in which the SNI teachings can be applied in this day and age. That is why International Headquarters studies the current world situations and decides what points we should focus on year by year. As a result of that, the Movement Policy is formulated and shared with our leaders and members throughout the world. This practice was initiated under the guidance of Founder Masaharu Taniguchi, and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi and current President Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi has continued it.

　　Let's me use a metaphor. The sunlight is showering down on the ground. What happens if we collect the sunlight with a magnifying glass and put it on a piece of black paper? After a while, the paper starts to burn. This sunlight originally has power within to burn the paper; however, the power does not manifest unless you concentrate it. In this way, if we make a little effort to concentrate the power we already have, we can make a big difference. In this respect, every year's Movement Policy plays a very important role to unite our energy and have our enthusiasm go in the same direction to be helpful to solve the problems we are facing now. Therefore, when we fully understand the Movement Policy and concentrate our efforts in the direction the policy shows, our activities should be very helpful not only to SNI Hawaii, but also to all SNI, all humanity, and the whole universe. This is the way that pleases our loving Founder Masaharu Taniguchi, who constantly guides us from a high spiritual world with Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi. That is why Bishop Teshigawara comes all the way to Hawaii every year for this meeting despite her extremely busy schedule.

　　2009 is the third year of the "Movement That Grows with Nature." The significance of our environmental preservation activities as a practice of the basic tenets of the SNI teachings such as "Be grateful to the whole universe" and "Everything is a manifestation of the life of God and Buddha's nature" is growing.

　　Touching upon the impact of "Movement that Grows with Nature," including Carbon Neutral Movement, on the global environment, Bishop Teshigawara, who led the meeting, made the following points:

1. There is no mistake in God's plan.
2. Live to the fullest extent in accord with the God's divine will.
3. Vitalize our movement by focusing on grass-roots activities.
4. Cultivate people who are not attached to an increase or a decrease of material possessions.
5. When we set high goals, we are following the guidance from our Founder Masaharu Taniguchi.
　　As usual, thanks to Pat Wada's accurate and wholehearted interpretation, all English speakers could fully understand the guidance from the Bishop.

　　Based upon the basic principles of the Movement Policy, Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii is focusing on expanding and improving our membership throughout this year. Through this movement, we will develop and improve our grass-roots activities such as holding readers' meetings, and so on. To carry out those efforts, we continually encourage our members to practice the three important religious practices - Shinsokan meditation, reading the Sutras and SNI books, and practicing deeds of love - and thereby expand our joy of faith in God.

　　Last but not least, I have an important announcement. Rev. Leslie Iwatani, who has totally devoted himself to this movement for a long time as chief of SNI Hawaii Missionary Area (1995-2004), editor of Truth of Life magazine (1997-2007), and other offices, retired as an employee of the United States Missionary Headquarters on March 31. In accordance with the retirement, his appointment as ordained minister also came to an end. I extend my sincere gratitude to him for his dedication to our movement, as well as to his wife Shirley Iwatani, and ask him to continue to support our movement in retirement. Thank you very much, Rev. and Mrs. Iwatani.

Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi's 20th Memorial Service

The following is my lecture draft for 20th Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi's Memorial Service at SNI Hawaii Jisso Center on April 19th.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you very much for coming today to memorialize Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi, who is commonly called Holy Sister by Seicho-No-Ie members. It has been 21 years since Mrs. Taniguchi passed away.

　　It was in 1963 when Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi got aboard an airplane for the first time with her husband, Founder Masaharu Taniguchi and they came to Hawaii as the first venue for their world lecture tour in that year. Mrs. Taniguchi wrote her impression at that time as follows:

　　During our three weeks stay in Hawaii, we visited the biggest four islands of the Hawaii archipelago where my husband conducted Public Lectures, White Dove meeting was held, and we enjoyed sightseeing. Almost all people whom I met in Hawaii were Japanese Americans, however, there are African American and Caucasian children who attended Sunday school. Air was pure, the green of the trees was brilliant, the sea and sky were thick blue as they were dyed. People there were very relaxed and birds that lived in a nature came close to our feet. (Teruko Taniguchi, "Mezameyuku Tamashii," or "Awakening Soul," pp. 247-248)

　　According to the article, Mrs. Taniguchi enjoyed company of our members in Hawaii and seemed impressed with Grand nature of Hawaii.

　　By the way, one of the characteristics of Seicho-No-Ie organization is woman's activities are outstanding. This does not mean that men are lazy or goof around, however, it is true that many of those who are proactively and enthusiastically engaged in propagation activities are woman.

　　The day before yesterday, we had a Japanese Mother's Study Class. This time, we had twelve attendees including 4 new comers as well as 11 children. In other words, 23 young mothers and very young children less than three years old had a wonderful opportunity to learn the SNI teachings. This attributed to a woman who are constantly proactively inviting her friends, however, if we have a father's class, I suppose we will not able to hold such a productive and fruitful class. In Japan, they both have Mother's and Father's Study Class, but the number of Mother's Study Class is overwhelmingly more than Father's one. And in any SNI events, I guess, 70 or even 80% of propagation activities is contributed by women.

　　Let me show you another example. Bishop of US Missionary HQs, Chairman, the first and second Vice Chairman of SNI Inc., those four are all women. Incidentally, Chiefs of four Missionary Areas are all men. In SNI Hawaii, as we see the ratio of male and female in the Board of Directors, in 2007 -- 2008 period, women were three in eight Directors, however, in 2009 -- 2010 period, the ratio becomes 50 to 50. It is what we are now. Furthermore, when asked the reason you came to SNI, many of them answered that they were enthusiastically recommended by their moms or grandmas or neighborhood ladies. As long as I know, in terms of amount of propagation, I think women is superior to men. I suppose many men have no objection on that.

　　In this way, that women's performances are outstanding is one of the characteristics of Seicho-No-Ie organization. One of the reason, I suppose, is Founder Masaharu Taniguchi provided a wholehearted and thorough guidance aimed at women's way of life. There are some SNI books intended specifically for women, on the contrary, there are no books for men. Founder Masaharu Taniguchi described the reason why SNI put a high value on women's education in the preface of Truth of Life, vol. 29 as follows. Incidentally, Truth of Life vol. 29 is called book for women:

Since human beings consists of men and women, when women cannot demonstrate their natural gifts, all human beings become unhappy and dark. To guide them to demonstrate their gifts is a great work of humanity enlightenment. (Partial Omission) Women are excellent in terms of love, beauty, graciousness, and immaculacy. In this respect, "white dove" is a symbol of women. I don't want to have this women's movement end up giving women knowledge and intelligence or making women rebellious to men as a counter reaction. (Partial Omission) I want to have "white dove" a symbol of expansion of women's natural gifts that are love, beauty, harmony, peace, and graciousness. (Masaharu Taniguchi, Truth of Life, vol. 29, preface)

　　It was Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi who played a central role in a movement that expands women's natural gifts. Founder Masaharu Taniguchi called her wife as a halve of his soul, but also called her a halve of SNI Humanity Enlightenment Movement. He often manifested his sense of gratitude in front of congregation as Lillian Sugita mentioned in her opening remarks.

　　Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, President of SNI, mentioned about Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi, his grandmother, at the 19th Memorial Service 2 years ago as follows:

　　Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi guided our movement with deep love and wisdom as wife of Founder Masaharu Taniguchi and also as the first President of SNI White Dove Association. I think it's all right we call her "mother of our movement," however, since Mrs. Teruko was not only a loving mother but she said clearly "No" to what is wrong and unfair, and she showed a stern attitude. I really respect her in this point.

　　I would like to share an episode what Rev. Masanobu told us. The following story was written by Mrs. Teruko to "Seicho-No-Ie 50th History" book.

　　It was Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, in Kansai area in Japan, where Founder and Mrs. Masaharu Taniguchi started Seicho-No-Ie in 1930. As SNI members increased and readers' meetings flourished, Founder and Mrs. Taniguchi went up to Tokyo, the capital of Japan for seeking further expansion of our movement. It was August 30 in 1934, just four years after its founding. They still held a readers' meeting at their home, there was K who often attended the meeting and gave them argumentative questions. One day he wrote to Founder Taniguchi and said, "If you say that a physical body does not exist, don't you die even if you take poison?"

　　A few days later, K brought sushi to the Taniguchi's family. Then, all the family members who ate sushi vomited. They smelled something like chemicals, but any way, they ate all the sushi. Fortunately, other than all of them vomited, there was no problem with their health. As a matter of fact, K put poison in the sushi he delivered. This is what they knew afterward, K was a criminal who was imprisoned even 10 times by robbery, rape, and others.

　　At that time SNI Headquarters had bought a school facility for their office and hall and just remodeled and renovated. They started to hire some new employees and some construction workers were there, that is why there was an unsettled atmosphere. It was when two cameras and a trouser were stolen. Then, a person in charge of general affairs reported their damage to the police nearby. The police soon caught a perpetrator. It was K. K piled crime on crime, as a result of that, he was given a 4-year-and-several-month unsuspended prison sentence.

　　Just after K came out of prison, Mrs. Teruko received a suspicious letter that there was no sender's name on the envelop. It was a letter from K and written that "If your subordinate didn't report the damage to the police, I didn't have to be imprisoned and suffer there. You'd better to be responsible for that. You husband is the most responsible person in your organization, therefore, I require you to pay me some amount of yen per day, a total of 15,000 yen compensation for 4 year's and several months poisoned period. Otherwise, I will beat all of the family to death." I think 15,000 yen at that time is about 150 thousand dollars as the present currency.

　　Receiving a threatening letter for the first time, Mrs. Teruko felt truly scary. However, she immediately thought that "That can't be true. Our family members did nothing to deserve that" and led an ordinary life with a peace of mind.

　　However, four or five days later, she received another letter from K and it was written that "I believe you prepared that money I required. I will get the money soon." This time, Mrs. Teruko was upset and thought that she should prepared that amount of money. If she tried to collect all the money which includes operation funds of the organization, it was not impossible to pay. However, there was no reason to pay. She was not stingy but she made up her mind not to pay even if whatever happened.

　　A few days passed, when Mrs. Teruko was checking all the doors inside her house around 9 o'clock, a big sound came from a glass door on the porch. Can you imagine a traditional Japanese house that has a porch between the house room and garden? Anyway, K was standing on the porch with a bat. Mrs. Teruko walked to K and grabbed him by the collar and pushed him away to the garden. It was K who was taken aback with his mouth open. Then, she said that you should not enter the room from such a place with your muddy shoes on. Strangely, fear never came to her mind, rather she felt very pity for him and said to him kindly as if she were his mother, "Mr. K, I wonder your mother who lives in your home town must feel sorry if she knows you entered someone's home not from an entrance but from a porch..." K was standing with a tearful look. Then, the policemen came and brought him to the police station because some a maid called the police.

　　The following day, Mrs. Teruko was asked to go to the police station to help them make a record of investigation. The chief detective was really moved and told Mrs. Taniguchi that "You are a brave lady, aren't you?" "Why do you think of me a brave lady?" "You gave him a pat on the head, right" "No, I didn't do at all. I only grabbed him by the collar." The detective said that "K said that you gently gave him a pat on the head."

　　Since all Mrs. Teruko did was to grab him by the collar and push him away to the garden, it seems strange. However, we can think like that; Because Mrs. Teruko conceived a vibration of deep love like a mother, that vibration gave him an impression that she pat him on the head.

　　In this way, the love Mrs. Taniguchi showed is a stern but a love that enlivens and sustains people. Even if you have a love, if that love spoils a person, that love is not a real and God's love. Let's see, say, there is someone who did something wrong but does not repent. If you think that you have to leave him/her alone because Seicho-No-Ie teaches harmony and reconciliation, your action does not give life to him/her. You must be reconciled with his/her True Image, but you have to say "No!" to him/her false image. This is another expression of God's love. It applies to family life, workplace, and SNI's propagation activities.

　　For example, given you give someone a private counseling, his family situation was very bad, and there are many points to sympathize with the person. However, if you think that you must be friendly to those who are pity and you keep on giving your sympathy to him, you may not be able to save him in a true sense.

　　I once learned that as a matter of fact. One of my wife's friend, named N, have had a very hard time since she was born. Just after she was born, she lived with her father, mother, and her father's affair. She surely deserved to be sympathized. Many challenges happened to her one after another, however, fortunately, she was introduced to SNI when she was around 25 years old. Then she and my wife knew each other and my wife constantly took care of her. Through participating in the SNI activities, she got more cheerful and happier, however, she got Parkinson's disease several years ago. My wife really felt pity for her and took more care of her, sometimes kindly and sometimes sternly. But her situation didn't turn up. Rather she started to grumble about my wife's way of taking care of her and others. My wife and I practiced Shinsokan Meditation and prayed for and blessed her sincerely and asked God how we should do. Then, what we've done is to leave her alone. My wife stopped to contact her unless N calls her, and N never called my wife. It was a very hard decision to my wife who took care of her more than 10 years, but we understand that the real God's love should sometimes be strict and we need to practice that.

　　About one year and half passed since my wife stopped to contact N, but one day, N called her suddenly. N said that she overcame that difficult disease by her own power. There are some material reasons, but the fact is that she got well by herself. She seemed so happy that she was able to overcome such an adversity and started to engage in propagation activities again. In this way, we've learned that true love is not necessarily lenient, sometimes should be stern. And only leaving her alone and giving a blessing is also a kind of love. Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi taught as follows:

　　To give love does not mean to provide everything that another asks of you. Love is not necessarily expressed through kindness. Letting an individual live truly and helping them to open their eyes may sometimes be a harsh lesson given in love, like ice needles in the bitter winter or like painful lashes from a whip. When a child is spoiled throughout his or her life, that child will grow up with no backbone. And when faced with difficulty, he or she will surely cling on to someone else for help. As every individual is a child of God, we must keep expressing our love in a way that will help draw out the infinite potential that we all possess.(Teruko Taniguchi, Inochi wo Ogamu, Worshipping the Life, pp. 202-203)(Truth of Life, April 2009, pp. 25)

　　Let us understand what is true love from the guidance by Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi and strive to promote the Humanity Enlightenment and International Peace by Faith Movements with pouring love that gives life to people. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

2009 April Message

Let Us Extend Our Deep Love to Our Mother Earth
Rev. Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, SNI Hawaii Missionary Area

　　On March 1, Sunday, the celebration ceremony for the 79th Anniversary of Seicho-No-Ie Founding was held filled with brightness and cheerfulness at Jisso Center. Approximately, 70 attendees enjoyed the program and cerebrated this auspicious occasion. I appreciate every single participant and those who support the event from the bottom of my heart. Especially, we also cerebrated the inauguration of the new President of Seicho-No-Ie and President of SNI White Dove Association. We would like to extend our sincere congratulations on Rev. and Mrs. Masanobu Taniguchi. I also appreciate those who wrote their congratulatory messages to them. Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi must be happy to see them.

　　A week before the Founding Day, I went to Kona to attend a study class and Sunday service as a lecturer with my wife and daughter. We savored beautiful Kona and had a wonderful time with warm and enthusiastic Kona members to share the teachings including how we can overcome the recent adversities and "Sundial Way of Life." My 4-year-old daughter was very happy to be kindly taken care by her elder "brothers" and a "sister." Thank you very much Kona members for your hospitalities.

　　This year, I have heard "it is cold" from almost everyone's mouth. Compared to the last year's winter, the first for us in Hawaii, we surely feel "cold" this year. When I led a morning Shinsokan at Kona Center, I felt cold to the extent that I missed a morning coffee despite I wore a long sleeve shirt and jacket. On the contrary, they had very warm days in Japan as warm as the middle of June in February when it should be very cold. In Australia, many people have been suffering from terrible mountain fires. There is no doubt that something is wrong with climate.

　　What the world's leading climate scientists have agreed and warned is if we cannot curb the increase of the earth's average temperature under 3.6 degree Fahrenheit (2 degree Celsius) compared to the pre industrial level, changes in large-scale components of the climate system will be triggered, that will lead the climate system to the irreversible point. To avoid that happens, the next 10 years is critical, those scientists said. "2009 STATE OF THE WORLD," which is considered as top-ranked annual books on climate change and sustainable development, describes this issue as follows:
　　Halting the increase in global warming at far below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F) is possible, and lowering global warming as rapidly as possible to below an increase of 1 degree Celsius (1.8 F) appears critical if there is to be a high probability of preventing dangerous climate change. The emissions reduction actions required to achieve this are massive and appear to be at the outer edge of what is technically and economically feasible. Scenarios that can start to get within reach of these temperature goals require GHG (Green House Gas) emissions to peak before 2020 and then to drop toward 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, with further reductions beyond this time. (Ibid., p29)

　　 What we are asked to address the global warming issue is not an argument but an action. It is time that everyone should do whatever he/she can. Politicians should do what they can/should as politicians, the same thing should be applied to entrepreneurs, environment preservation groups and others. Then, what religious group should do? To truly solve this problem, it is necessary for all citizens to change their life styles. To do so, their ways of thinking should be changed. This is what we religious practitioners are expected.

If a company makes a environment-friendly car, but it is in vain if people do not buy that car. By creating a system that people are easily able to buy such a product, and by educating people to buy a eco-friendly product even if it is a little more expensive than a normal one provided your budget is allowed, all those efforts to preserve environment will be effective for the first time. And what is far more important is to obtain a mindset that since everything is a manifestation of God and Buddha you should use what appears as material carefully and respectfully, that you should be grateful for what is granted. In this respect, there is a meaning that a religious organization should address this environment issue as a practice of deeds of love. We are now in the degree that the Earth cannot exist if we take an immediate action. Furthermore, this lifestyle ― to control your desires and use everything carefully as a manifestation of God's divine life ― is just the way what our Founder Masaharu Taniguchi, Rev. Seicho Taniguchi lived and what Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi's family are living.

　　　I believe you fully understand the reason why Seicho-No-Ie has been addressing the environment issue. However, if someone who do not understand it ask you that why SNI is doing this movement and if they wonder isn't it derailing the teachings of Founder Masaharu Taniguchi, please answer them that by addressing this issue, for the first time, we can follow the spirit of our loving Founder.

　　　Since its Founding, Seicho-No-Ie has consistently contributed to the welfare and the well-being of the societies, nations, and the world. This attitude never changes. Now that people in the world are at the tipping point where we cannot bequeath the beautiful earth to the next generation unless people unite, gather intelligence, and take a strong action. Based on the recognition, SNI International Headquarters started "Carbon Neutral Movement" that they offset all the carbon dioxide discharged accompanied with our activities and are carrying out effective measures with all members worldwide every year.

　　　Special Conference for World Peace in Brazil in August will be held upon this viewpoint. That is why we cover the environment issue in this Newsletter. Your understanding and your actions --- which is as is the practice of the teachings ---- are highly appreciated.

　　　To those who use the Internet or e-mail, I recommend you to subscribe to an online newsletter published by Earth Policy Institute. The latest report and analysis for the sustainable development by Mr. Lester Brown, an American prominent environmentalist, should be read by those take care of our Mother Earth. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi also recommends it. You can register for the subscription from the following address: "http://www.earthpolicy.org/Subscribe/index.htm"

2009 Founding Day Lecture

The following is my lecture at Founding Day Celebration Ceremony at SNI Hawaii Jisso Center, on March 1, 2009.
-------------------------------------------------

　　Today is the Founding Day of Seicho-No-Ie. I would like to extend to all of you my sincere congratulations on this occasion of the founding of Seicho-No-Ie. Thank you very much.

　　It has been 79 years since Seicho-No-Ie's Founding and more than that, we have one more auspicious thing today. As MC mentioned in his opening remarks, at Nagasaki Main Temple in Japan, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi was inaugurated as President of Seicho-No-Ie on March 1st. Due to the time difference from Hawaii, the inauguration ceremony was conducted yesterday. Rev. Taniguchi ascended to Ryugu Sumiyoshi Hongu, the main shrine at SNI Main Temple where Sumiyoshi no Ookami, whose role is to pure the universe, is shrined, and succeeded the Seicho-No-Ie Presidency. Incidentally, Founder Taniguchi taught that the name of "Sumiyoshi no Ookami" is another name of "the Lighter of the Seven Golden Candlesticks." Furthermore, Mrs. Junko Taniguchi became President of SNI White Dove Association on the same day. Let us extend our heartfelt congratulations on their inauguration and vow to promote God's Humanity Enlightenment Movement - International Peace by Faith Movement with all SNI members throughout the world under the guidance from the New President.

　　SNI Inc. prepared special sheets so that every Missionary Area member can write their sincere congratulations on the inauguration. I hope everyone who attends this ceremony will write some message with your name to them. SNI Inc. compiled all the Missionary Area's sheets and sent them to Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi.

　　As you know well, Founder Masaharu Taniguchi started Seicho-No-Ie by publishing the first issue of "Seicho-No-Ie" magazine on March 1, 1930. Seicho-No-Ie is a Japanese name and is translated into English as "The Home of Infinite Life, Wisdom, and Abundance." However, this translation is not a literal translation. If you translate "Seicho-No-Ie" as it is, it should be "House of growth," because "Seicho" means "growth," "No" means "of," and "Ie" means "Home or House." But this translation does not represent the deep hidden meaning, therefore, we usually say, "The Home of Infinite Life, Wisdom, and Abundance."

　　I think this translation is very good and enough to convey the deep meaning, however, I would like to show you furthermore the deeper meaning that Founder Taniguchi originally intended. To tell the Truth, our New President of Seicho-No-Ie, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi expounded the true and deep meaning of Seicho-No-Ie at his first Public Lectures in the United States when he visited four U.S. cities in 1992. It was 17 years ago. Unfortunately, he didn't come to Hawaii at that time. But his lecture at that time was compiled and published as "WHAT IS SEICHO-NO-IE?" therefore, some of you might read that. Be that as it may, you may forget the content because the publication was made many years ago, so I want to learn the deep meaning of "Seicho-No-Ie" with you by reviewing the Rev. Masanobu's lecture.

　　Please look on the left side of the screen. "sei" of "Seicho-No-Ie" is written in Kanji, or Chinese Character in this way. On the right side, the screen shows the ancient form of the pictograph from which the character derives. In this case, the Kanji "sei" derives from the image of a young cactus-shaped plant growing from the earth. A plant grows vertically. From its seed, a sprout grows upward, and the root extends downward. Growth also involves time. In this way, the word "sei" represents time. Please remember that.

　　Let's move on "cho." The left side of the screen is Kanji and the right side is the ancient form of the character. This pictograph represents a person with long hair who has a hoe on his shoulder. His long hair is being blown in the wind. In this way, "cho" means length. Length is a measurement of space. We are living in the three-dimensional world which consists of height, width, and depth. All of them are measured by length. Therefore, "cho" represents space.

　　From the above mentioned, I believe you understand that "sei" and "cho" are "time" and "space" respectively. Then, let's move on to "ie." "Ie" means house. House is a shelter where a family lives. On the right half of the screen, there is a pictograph of "ie," you can see an upside-down U- or V-shaped line half-encircling a funny figure with a curly tail. This figure represents a hog.

　　In pre-modern China, a hog was raised inside the house. You may wonder why you raise a hog in a house, however, a hog was so highly valued for sustenance by a family that it was protected and carefully raised in a house. So, the word "ie" means a place in which something valuable is kept and raised. In addition to that, a house is a place where every member of a family interacts. It is also a place where different members gather to interact. Therefore, it is an intersection, namely, a place of meeting and interaction.

　　Putting all those things together, "Seicho-No-Ie" means the intersection or encapsulation of time and space. It means a point from which time and space emanate. You may wonder if there is actually such a point.

　　Here, please think of seed. The seed is a point from which a plant's life grows through time and space. In other words, the seed is a point from which the plant's time and space extend themselves. However, you cannot see anything like flowers, or stems, or leaves in the seed. Nevertheless, we can say there is the source of those shapes or functions of the plant in the seed. It is invisible, but it surely exists, and we can say that everything is in the seed. Therefore, you can say that there is everything in "Seicho-No-Ie" and Founder Taniguchi taught that "Seicho-No-Ie" is another name for the great universe. Rev. Seicho Taniguchi taught that "All teachings are comprehended in Seicho-No-Ie" in his book, "Messages of Wisdom and Love."

　　I believe you understand the deep meaning of Seicho-No-Ie that Founder Taniguchi intended and realize that the name manifests the Truth itself. That is why when we propagate and publicize our teachings, we should use and tell the name of "Seicho-No-Ie" as many times as possible with understanding the deep meaning. It means the more we say "Seicho-No-Ie," the more we disseminate the Truth.

　　When I was a college student, Rev. Jun Okada just arrived in the Missionary Area I belonged to as Chief of that MA. At the first greetings he encouraged all the members gathered as follows: "Let us increase the number of people who think or who say 'Seicho-No-Ie' is wonderful. Let us fill all the prefecture with people who say 'Seicho-No-Ie is wonderful." Please pay attention. He never said to let us increase Holy Mission Fellowship Members. He didn't say that at all. Instead of that, he proposed to increase the number of people who love and appreciate Seicho-No-Ie. Every member liked the idea and started to say "Seicho-No-Ie is wonderful" whenever they met and they had a meeting and seminar with joy and happiness. By just practicing this, a sense of joy bubbled forth to those who said that and the joy prevailed to every nook and cranny in that MA. Then, what do you think happened as a result of it? To everyone's astonishment, in onlye year, another 10,000 people added to the 30,000 existing members at that time as Holy Mission Fellowship Members. Up to that time, they had increased less than 10,000 members in 10 years.

　　Because of this, Rev. Okada did various things, but the main thing he did was to recruit who desire to make new members because to be a member means to have a ticket for eternal happiness. As you already know, a member can receive a wavelength of blessings from all over the world as long as you have a good antenna. To have a good antenna means to tune your mind to God. Rev. Okada told those who desire to make new members as follows: All you have to do is rejoice. If you have a mind that you want to make new members, it means that you are a Bodhisattva, or Goddess of Mercy. Dr. Taniguchi taught that God already prepared 10 people and more in your surroundings who want to be Holy Mission Fellowship Members. As you rejoice, the more people want to join us through you. Then, Rev. Okada asked the staff of the Missionary Office to make a name plate for Bodhisattvas who desire to make new members and hang those plates on the wall and be blessed. And he encouraged members to bless them by reading the Holy Sutras.

　　What do you think had happened? One member, who could not have recruited a single member, said that "One of my friends whom I keep on giving a magazine asked me "When I read that magazine, I often found "Holy Mission Fellowship Member." What is it? Is it something I can join?" According to him, his friend became the HMF member with 4 family members." To our surprise, this kind of reports came to the Missionary Center one after another after that movement began, as I mentioned, and they had 10,000 new members in only one year without any special efforts other than rejoicing. How wonderful the power of joy is!

　　Sometimes, I receive a kind of suggestion saying, "Why don't you think the reason why the number of our members declined?" I appreciate those suggestions every time, however, since we are taught to lead the "Sundial Way of Life" from our Founder Taniguchi and President Taniguchi, I want to put this way of life into our movement. By thinking that I am a child of God, there are many people who want to be a member in my surroundings, but because we have not yet opened our minds' eyes we could not find those people, Oh God, please guide me to find those people who want to join us, I believe we can move forward our movement without any special efforts. Since what we are promoting is God's movement, therefore, we should believe God guides and leads us as He wants.

　　Since last August, we started a Japanese Mothers' Class at Matlock Center. We had the study class the day before yesterday with 8 attendees and 7 children, a total of 15 people attended the class. Among them, three women were completely newcomers to SNI. Other than my wife and I, none of the participants attended any SNI events before last August. Since my wife Terumi came here in July 2007, she sincerely prayed to God to give us women who want to attend our mothers' class in her morning Shinsokan Meditation every single day. She created her own prayer for the success of her mothers' class. However, nothing happened for a year. But then there appeared a woman who has a one-year-old boy whom Mrs. Kusaka propagated the teachings. She is Mrs. Miho. Mrs. Miho called my wife to attend our mothers' class and attended last August. Since then, she told many friends of her that SNI mothers' class is wonderful, SNI mothers' class is wonderful. Therefore, every time we have a class, we have a newcomer that Mrs. Miho invited to attend. I learned from this case that we have lots of invisible advocates and supporters even though they are not yet members, and sincere prayers are always answered.

　　Since I came here, I've felt that we have wonderful leaders and members. And if we can successfully uncover the cap which prevents your infinite abilities from coming forth, I believe tremendous power will be coming into existence. I feel there are still some covers that cap your abilities. However, which direction we are going in is very important. We need to go in the same direction that the President shows and SNI Inc. and other all SNI members worldwide will follow. If we do so, and we move forward with God, we are able to look forward to a bright future for SNI Hawaii. This concludes my address. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

2009 March Message

Celebrating Founding Day
Rev. Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii Missionary Area

　　　March is a blessed month for Seicho-No-Ie members because we celebrate Seicho-No-Ie's Founding Day on the first day of the month. It has been 79 years since its founding and this is the 80th Founding Day. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on this auspicious occasion with all of you. And I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Founder Masaharu Taniguchi for providing us wonderful teachings to bring about world peace, and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi for devoting himself to propagation activities over the course of his life.

　　　We have one more propitious event on March 1 this year. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi will become the third President of Seicho-No-Ie, and the ceremony of the succession to the Seicho-No-Ie Presidency will be celebrated at the Seicho-No-Ie Main Temple in Nagasaki, Japan. Together with all Seicho-No-Ie members throughout the world, let us send our best wishes and congratulations on his inauguration, enthusiastically study the teachings disseminated by the new President as well as Founder Taniguchi and the late Rev. Taniguchi, and promote our movement with confidence and brightness.

　　　What I've recently been thinking is that the Truth taught by Founder Taniguchi is illuminating the world more brightly as time goes by. Let me show you some of his remarkable articles from a book newly published last year in Japan.

Jan. 16: Don't Be Stuck In a Habitual Stable Situation

　　　There is no progress for those who cannot accept a new idea, resist when change is necessary, and refuse a new experience to come to their life. These resistances come from the fear for the future. That is because they are obsessed with a foolish fixed idea that things they did in the past are the safest and best. If people had been ruled by such a fixed idea, they could not have made any progress in the world. It seems to be disappointing to see current situations collapsing, but be that as it may, it is a springboard for progress and happiness.

Jan. 17: Filled With a Refreshing Feeling of Vitality

　　　A new environment bears a new development. Without new developments, life cannot be refreshing and invigorating. In a new environment a new dream is cherished, a new experience starts, new things are brought about, and new happiness and new culture are established. Open your mind now and deal with the new world. Don't refuse what is new. What is new is an angel from God who sustains you in a new way. No matter what changes may happen and no matter how hard a cold wintry wind blows, spring is sure to come before very long. Within a situation where all nature looks bleak and desolate, spring with cherry blossoms in all their glory is already prepared. (Masaharu Taniguchi, Shinpan Komyo Hogo: Michi no Maki, "Sermon on Light: Volume on the Way," new edition)

　　　The article above, written more than 60 years ago, sends a wake-up call to people who live in this age. Among Founder Taniguchi's books there are many articles that are of increasing significance. This proves that the Truth transcends time and borders. Let us read Founder Taniguchi's books every day and strive to grasp the essence of the teachings as much as possible.

　　　Rev. Seicho Taniguchi clearly showed us about how we, who are provided the precious teachings, should act on Founding Day:

　　　Founder Masaharu Taniguchi started this movement by publishing the inaugural issue of "Seicho-No-Ie" magazine in March 1930. If you are a SNI member, you should not be lazy on this memorable day of Founding. The Seicho-No-Ie movement is nothing less than a movement to convey the truth of Seicho-No-Ie. The inaugural issue of Seicho-No-Ie magazine was published not just for research or favorite pursuit but for propagation purposes. If Founder Taniguchi only wanted to seek the truth for himself, there was no need for the magazine to be issued and he should have confined himself at a temple or shrine for prayer. However, he didn't do so and propagated and expanded the truth to as many people as possible. (Seicho Taniguchi, Riso Sekai, "Ideal World," March 1986)

　　　Fortunately, we have many wonderful leaders and members who sincerely accept the changes in a new era and strive to expand propagation in the Hawaii Missionary Area. It is truly wonderful. There is no doubt that when we unite and follow the guidance from the new President of Seicho-No-Ie, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, and advance this movement with open minds, the will of God will appear and newcomers and young people will join us one after another. Thank you very much for your support and participation in our movement.

Our Visitation to Kona

　　My family and I visited Kona to share the SNI teachings with SNI Kona members at a study class on Feb. 21, Saturday, and Sunday service on Feb. 22. It was the first time for my wife and our daughter to go to a neighbor island and its center, therefore, they were too excited to sleep the night before.

　　Mr. Gordon Ogi, President of SNI Kona Center, prepared all the programs, encouraged their members to attend those events, and took care of us during our stay. Thanks to his dedication, we were able to spend a meaningful and fruitful time to share the teachings and a very good time to exchange each other. We enjoyed our company with about 15 participants on Saturday and about 20 participants on Sunday.

　　I was in charge of a 45-minute English lecture respectively on Saturday and Sunday. I talked about my spiritual journey on how I was engaged in SNI movement and on how to deal with this economical adversities by introducing the teachings by Founder Taniguchi on this topic and a testimony of a president of car repair company who had once faced an economical and mental challenging but got recovery by putting "Sundial Way of Life" into practice in his life. The next day, I talked about "Sundial Way of Life" in more detail and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi's accomplishment because he was an excellent role model of Sundial way of life.

　　There are some "brothers" and a "sister" to my 4-year-old daughter in Kona who attended the events. Since they kindly took care of my daughter during the service and class, my wife was able to attend the events without worrying about our daughter. More than that, since she has recently been attending ESL (English as Second Language) class at an adult school in Kailua Oahu, she enjoyed communication with their members.

　　I will extend my sincere appreciation to Mr. Gordon Ogi's family and all of the members we met from the bottom of my heart for their heartfelt hospitality.

　　Let me share some pictures I took...















From SNI Kona Center. Sunset from this center is magnificent, though we missed this beautiful scene this time....















With Sunday service attendees















Trees of coffee at SNI Kona Center















At Hilton Hotel. Mr. Ogi kindly took us to the hotel to amuse our daughter. She was very excited and enjoyed everything she experienced. With Mr. Akinori Imai, a winner of Overseas' Double Ring Award. His smile is fantastic!



Beautiful singing of birds. About 6:30 in the morning at Mr. Ogi's residence

-TA

2009 February Message

Change is Chance
Rev. Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, Hawaii Missionary Area

　　　On January 20, Mr. Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. Let us extend our congratulation to him, the first Hawaii -born and African-American President in history. He described how much he loves Hawaii and how Hawaii made him what he is today in the January 3rd issue of "The Honolulu Advertiser."

　　　No place else could have provided me with the environment, the climate, in which I could not only grow but also get a sense of being loved. There is no doubt that the residue of Hawaii will always stay with me, and that it is a part of my core, and that what's best in me, and what's best in my message, is consistent with the tradition of Hawaii.

　　　Some of the major factors contributing his land-slide victory were said to be as follows: He realized what is necessary in this day and age, promised ways to meet those expectations, clearly expressing them in concise and inspiring words, and made use of cutting-edge technologies, and encouraged great interest in the election. His key word was, is, and probably will be "change."

　　　We should not apply all those factors to the world of religion, although some of them might be helpful to our movement. It is a fact that there is unchangeable truth in religion. "Man is a child of God" is the absolute truth that should not or can not be changed no matter how many years pass since the founding. And the truth should be unshakable and eternal not only in the U.S. but also in South America, Europe, China, and North Korea. This is what the central part of religious truth is.

　　　On the contrary, the way to express our reverence to God and memorialize our ancestors, and the clothing worn at those ceremonies should be changed in accordance with people, time, and the place. From this respect, we changed the way to worship God since last June. The two-bows, two-handclaps, and halfway-bow style was replaced with a brief prayer to worship God. I think it is not easy to change a traditional way, but thanks to your understanding and cooperation, we haven't had any major problems or confusion along with this change. I appreciate you for that from the bottom of my heart.

　　　Following this, change will be made in the manual for Ancestor Memorial Service from this January. Some may feel uncomfortable when a familiar style is changed, however, it is inevitable in order for the SNI teachings including Ancestor Memorial Service, which is unfamiliar in Christian culture, to be accepted in a natural way by the average American. This will definitely help contribute to the development of our movement. Your continuous support and understanding are highly appreciated. I gave a detail explanation on it at the memorial service on Sunday, January 4, and I will put a draft of this lecture on my own blog, http://make-peace-by-faith.blogspot.com/. Upon request, I can mail you.

　　　We have two other major changes in Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii. One is our officers. We elected 2009-2010 officers in November and the installation ceremony will be conducted on January 25. I extend my sincere gratitude to all of the 2007-2008 officers and hope the new officers will fulfill their mission in accordance with the will of God.

　　　Another change is the Newsletter editing staff. Rev. and Mrs. Leslie Iwatani, who have been editing our Newsletter for 16 years, have retired and it was decided that I take over assisted by Mr. Clifford Nishimura. Mrs. Shirley Iwatani will continue to edit my article as she has done. I extend my sincere gratitude to Rev. and Mrs. Iwatani for their long dedication and I would like to make this Newsletter more widely read and loved by our members. Thank you very much.

2009 New Year Message

This is a draft of my New Year Message delivered at SNI Hawaii Jisso Center on January 1, 2009. I hope you will find it interesting.

Rev. Tetsuya Abe

---------------------------------------------------------------
　　　A happy New Year! Thank you very much. I wish all of you will have a meaningful and blessed 2009 to realize the will of God as much as possible. First of all, I will introduce you to an article by Rev. Seicho Taniguchi that is perfect for a new year. That comes from "Messages of Wisdom and Love."

　　A new sun has risen. This is the start of a new day. But that sun is old. What is new about this? Man's mind has been renewed. When man's mind recognizes something as new, all things become new. When man's mind thinks that something is old, all things become old.

　　Man's mind is the creator of all things. In addition, both hope and despair have been created by man's mind.

　　Then let us create hope, freshness and joy. Now, just as you are, with your mind, with your face, with your body you can always create hope and joy -- that is, only if you wish to.

　　What is it that moves your mind? It is your own resolve and not that of another. Your mind becomes your freedom. Why? Your mind is your possession.

　　Therefore resolve now to be happy for whatever the circumstances you can always be happy. Resolve to be grateful. Then you will be able to be grateful to all people, things and circumstances in the universe. (Partial Omission)

　　You are always the master. You are the ruler of your destiny. You are not the slave of another. So you must not think that your unhappiness is the responsibility of another. You are solely responsible for your happiness and unhappiness.

　　If you desire to rejoice and if you desire to become grateful, you will soon become happy. A small happiness calls forth a medium-size happiness. A medium-size happiness calls forth an even larger happiness. An even larger happiness infinitely summons up greater and greater happiness for us.
　　　　　　　　　（Messages of Wisdom and Love, pp. 68-69）

　　　The book "Messages of Wisdom and Love" is a wonderful book. It was published in 1993 in Japanese and the English translation was published in 1995. Whenever I go to our neighbor island centers to attend their Sunday Services or seminars, I am supposed to bring some SNI books. When I went to Hilo 2 years ago, I gave them some copies of this book. Then, when I went to Hilo again in the end of last year, Ms. Joan Yoshioka told me that "This book is marvelous. What is written is perfect in this day and age." If you haven't tried, please read it. You can purchase this book at Matlock Center.

　　　Well, today, I want to talk about Shinsokan. I believe Shinsokan is one of the greatest inventions in the world that Dr. Taniguchi made. Because if you never fail to practice Shinsokan every day, I can guarantee that everything will go well with you. Everything means without exception. What Rev. Seicho Taniguchi kept on telling us was to practice Shinsokan every day. It is very easy to say but may be difficult when it comes to putting it into practice. But unless Shinsokan is practiced Shinsokan by as many members as possible, we cannot forward our movement. There are very few "Musts" we should do. Seicho-No-Ie respects freedom very much, therefore, we don't say, you must do or you must that. However, Shinsokan is exceptional. In the "Seicho-No-Ie Article of Faith," item 8 said, "Practice Shinsokan Meditation as least once a day to enlighten yourself. Incidentally, a title of Rev. Seicho's first article was "Shinsokan as a source of culture."

　　　I wrote an article about Rev. Seicho Taniguchi in the December issue of Newsletter. In the article I shared my experience when I attended a central committee meeting of Youth and Young Adult Association. Let me quote from the article

---------- (Quatation from SNI Hawaii Dec. Newsletter)-------
　　　At the end of the meeting, Rev. Seicho gave his concluding remarks. We were supposed to record his message by writing in the minutes so that we could share it with other YYAA leaders. For that purpose, four members were assigned to write down his speech, and later we were supposed to check with each other and wrap up the minutes.

　　　At the Central Committee Meeting in January 1994, Rev. Seicho earnestly gave us inspiring guidance on Shinsokan Meditation as follows: "Please give guidance to leaders in the Missionary Area to have even elementary school children practice Shinsokan Meditation. Even if they are very young, it is not enough for them to do only prayers at Spiritual Training Seminars, etc. For example, when learning to play the piano, they use a real piano, don't they? They cannot improve their skill by playing on a toy piano. In this way, to practice Shinsokan is necessary...." He wholeheartedly taught us the importance of Shinsokan for about twenty minutes or so. I felt it was just what a soul-stirring guidance should be. Although 15 years have passed since then, I can clearly remember that day.

　　　This incident took place just after the meeting. When the four attendees assigned to write down Rev. Seicho's message checked their writings with each other, one of them wrote almost nothing. According to him, Rev. Takashi Koseki, he was so impressed with Rev. Seicho's message that he completely forgot his assignment and unconsciously concentrated on listening by placing his hands together in prayer. This example shows how much the attendees were moved by the message.
---------------------------------------------------------------

　　　Based upon Rev. Seicho's guidance, when I conducted an STS for elementary school students I tried to practice Shinsokan with them. Before the seminar, all the leaders in the Missionary Area were hesitant to practice Shinsokan with elementary school children because when they had tried in the previous seminars they had failed. After that they didn't try and they only did a brief prayer instead. Things were same at all other Missionary Areas in Japan.

　　　At a staff meeting of the STS, I told them that Rev. Seicho guided us in the central committee meeting to teach elementary school children Shinsokan and I would conduct Shinsokan with them. At my lecture, I explained Shisokan as easily as possible, although it was painstaking, and then started to practice. After Invocation, I told them to join me reciting, "God's sea of infinite wisdom, God's sea of infinite wisdom, God's sea of Infinite love......" Every attendee sincerely joined me reciting those difficult words to them. After that, I took time to meditate on these thoughts even if for a short time. To my surprise, every single attendee sat well and concentrated on Shinsokan pretty well. Not only myself, but all the staff members were very impressed to see the scene. And we all were also moved that what Rev. Seicho taught us was really true.

　　　Those words, "God's sea of infinite wisdom, love, life, abundance, joy, and harmony," may be difficult for school children to understand, however, those kids can grasp the truth intuitively. Even my daughter once remembered those words when she was three years old. As Jesus Christ and Founder Taniguchi indicated, "a mind of a little child" is important when it comes to true faith. Incidentally, Jesus taught in Gospel According to Luke chapter 18 as follows: "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

　　　There is a book titled, ”Ai to Inori wo Jitsugen Suruniwa" or "To realize Love and Prayer" written by Rev. Seicho Taniguchi. You can see so many examples of how a prayer is wonderful and works in the book. Let me introduce a piece of them:

　　　There was a young man named "I" in Hokkaido, northern part of Japan. His uncle had an affair with a widow and in no time she carried a child. Then the uncle conspired with the woman by having the young man become close to the woman. She tempted him and they finally had a physical relationship. Then, the woman intimidated him by telling him that "I carried your child. How should you do?"

　　　The young man was working at a farm of his uncle. He agonized so much, but he heard from someone that the baby the woman carried is not his but his uncle's. In other words, he knew that he was deceived by his uncle. He hated and even detested his uncle to the extent he wanted to kill him.

　　　At that moment, Mr. K, a leader of SNI Youth and Young Adult Association in Hokkaido, led him to worship the divinity of his uncle and the woman. Mr. K's explanation followed: There is no single evil person in the world. Everyone is a child of God. He/She must be a manifestation of Goddess of Mercy that corrects your mistakes in your mind. Therefore pray for and bless them thoroughly.

　　　The young man "I" was extremely frustrated but followed his advice and practiced Shinsokan every day and prayed for and blessed them during Shinsokan. He also prayed for the happiness and prosperity of all human beings.

　　　In a little while, she gave birth to a baby. However, half of the baby's face was covered by a black birthmark. The baby passed away several days after she was born as if she finished her earthly duties. The uncle and the woman reflected upon themselves and deeply repented.

　　　Since the young man "I" was completely able to forgive his uncle and the woman, he felt refreshed and worked sincerely at his uncle's farm. Seeing how hard he is working, the really wanted to do whatever he could for him. The uncle gave him a large land and a lot of healthy livestock.

　　　After a while, the young man "I" got married to a beautiful and wonderful woman. Even thought the woman knew that young man "I" had a relationship with a widow, but she believed in him. By practicing Shinsokan he was able to enter the True Image world and practiced love and forgiveness. As a result of that, he was given a wonderful spouse and children, a large land, and a lot of livestock. Then he was giving love by propagating the teachings.

　　　After Rev. Seicho introduced this story, he taught as follows:

　　　You can say that he is a person of a real practitioner of God's love and prayed for people to the end. He didn't prayed for those who favored him. He even prayed for those who persecuted him by a plot. By so doing, for the first time, his environment changed entirely, a mask of apparent evil people was taken off, and an earthly paradise came into being. Love turns hatred into delight. Love is not just an emotion. Love is correctly guided by will. Don't think of biological instinct as true love. That does not show the sublimity of a human being. True human love should be heavenly that goes beyond people's like and dislike. There is value of love where you transcend the world of five senses.　

　　　The power of prayer is so great and Shinsokan is inevitable to deeply understand and savor the truth that "Man is a child of God." Founder Taniguchi taught that Shinsokan is as essential a nourishment for your mind as rice and bread is vital for our physical body. Therefore, I hope you make a resolution that you practice Shinsokan at least once a every single day this year, savor the profound teachings as much as possible, and share the joy of happiness that bubbles from the bottom of your heart. This is the basic of our propagation activities.

　　　This concludes my New Year remarks. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

2009 January Message

To Realize the Will of God in 2009
Rev. Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii Missionary Area

　　Happy New Year! I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all of you for your attendance and for the activities you have done last year. This year let us learn the Seicho-No-Ie teachings more deeply and propagate them enthusiastically with a cheerful and bright mind.

　　Nowadays, great changes are taking place in various ways. Since the Industrial Revolution, human beings have gotten energy by burning fossil fuels and pursued a better and more convenient life. However, as we have seen global environment deteriorating, it is high time to change our lifestyle. These days, human beings have also become conscious of the importance of "life with nature" by respecting nature and using energy that comes from nature. This life is nothing less than practicing a way of life of being reconciled with and grateful for the whole universe, as taught in the Divine Message of Grand Harmony. Fortunately, since President-elect Barack Obama has declared to deal with the environmental issue proactively as soon as possible, we can expect our country to lead the world in this field.

　　Last year, we received the sad news that Rev. Seicho Taniguchi, President of Seicho-No-Ie, passed away. SNI Hawaii conducted a Memorial Service for the late Rev. Seicho Taniguchi on December 7 with approximately 60 people in attendance. It was a heartfelt solemn service and I appreciate all of you who attended and made the service so meaningful. International Headquarters officially conducted a service to memorialize the late Rev. Seicho on December 17 (JST), which was recorded on DVD with English translation to be shared with each U.S. Missionary Area. At Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii, we will view it at the 100-day service for the late Rev. Seicho on February 1 at Matlock Center. I appreciate your understanding and attendance.

　　The only way to repay the guidance we have received is to spread and propagate the SNI teachings by following the guidance from the next President, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi.

　　Since last August, we have been conducting a Japanese Mothers' Study Class aimed at young mothers. At the class, Mrs. M, who received the Japanese “White Dove” magazine from Mrs. Kusaka (a long-time Propagator in Hawaii), has been inviting her friends so we have newcomers at every class. She e-mailed me (Abe) and expressed her joy of attending the class: "I am happy to attend the Mothers' Study Class with my friends. It’s wonderful to be able to share valuable time with good friends, isn't it? I am so happy!" Don't you think this feeling should be a source of our propagation?

　　We all should have had an experience being impressed with the teachings and having a desire to share them from the bottom of our hearts. Those feelings must still exist in your heart. However, they do not bloom and bear fruit unless expressed. To express the joy of knowing the teachings and your desire to share them are what our beloved Founder Masaharu Taniguchi and President/Vice President of Seicho-No-Ie and International Headquarters, whose mission is to spread the will of Founder Taniguchi, desire.

　　I wish all of you will have a meaningful year to realize the will of God as much as possible. Thank you very much.

Lecture on Grand Purification Ceremony

The following is my lecture draft on Grand Purification Ceremony conducted at SNI Hawaii Matlock Center on December 28, 2008.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
　　　This Grand Purification Ceremony is the last event for SNI Hawaii this year. Thank you very much for coming at the busy end of the year. The Grand Purification Ceremony is originally a Japanese Shinto ritual. From ancient times, we have had the ceremony of Oharai or purification in English. However, the original meaning of Oharai is to clear away or brush away. I mean, if you have a dust on your clothing, what do you do? You should brush it away.

　　　In Shintoism, sin is considered to be a state of being wrapped or covered. It is originally non-existence, therefore, it will disappear when cleaned up or brushed away. Among the Oharai, the most biggest one is Ooharai, or Grand Purification. This way of thinking is in accordance with what Founder Taniguchi taught us, therefore, in Seicho-No-Ie, we conduct this ceremony as an SNI ceremony.

　　　Listening to this explanation, you may be surprised to see that sin is considered to be something light or not serious that can be brushed away in Shintoism. Because in the context of Christianity, sin is deemed to be more heavy or serious. According to Britannica Concise Encyclopedia sin is described as follows:

　　　Christian theologians divide sin into actual and original sin. Actual sin, consisting of evil acts, words, and deeds, is in turn divided into mortal sin, in which the perpetrator deliberately turns away from God, and venial sin, a less serious transgression committed without full awareness of wrong doing.

　　　Regarding original sin, because I think you know about it well, I won't mention it now. To put it simply, Adam, the progenitor of human beings, disobeyed God's order, and his guilt was transmitted to his descendants. This is commonly taught in Christianity and Judaism.

　　　Founder Taniguchi studied the holy Bible very well and he totally understood the heaviness and seriousness of sin in the Christian context. After all things were considered, Founder Taniguchi bravely declared, "There is no sin in the world created by God."

　　　Among all the 33 divine messages, do you know which divine message appeared first? It is the Divine Message of Seicho-No-Ie meals. Do you think it was because Founder Taniguchi was very hungry and he wanted to eat a meal as soon as possible? No that isn't true. I don't know the reason actually, however, there is a very important message in it.

　　　The message is that "taking a meal is really the most solemn ceremony." If we have the most solemn ceremonies too much, we may have lots of weight. Putting aside a joke, this divine message touches upon an issue of sin. There is a reason for that Founder Taniguchi was agonized and suffered with a sense of guilt before he got enlightened. He felt guilt for we cannot live without sacrificing other creatures. At that time, he didn't eat animal meat, however, he sincerely felt sorry for the fact that when he drank water, he had to kill some germs which were in the water. When he ate rice, he thought he killed the life of the rice because it is a living being. When he walked, he thought he killed microorganisms. He even thought to kill himself, however, that would also mean he killed an important life that is given by God. So he couldn't. It may sound funny but he worried about that very seriously.

　　　He hated the fact that we cannot live without any sacrifice and prayed to God seeking for a world without any sacrifice and a world of coexistence. After his sincere and desperate prayer and contemplation, he finally received a revelation from God that "Matter does not exist." "Our physical body does not exist." "Our mind also does not exist," and he found a world without any sacrifice. Before the revelation, for Founder Taniguchi, to eat a meal was a cause of guilt. However, after he found the True Image world, to eat a meal became the most solemn ceremony that we offer to God who dwells within us. As you know, plants and fruits can pass on their life to the next generation only by being eaten by human beings and other animals. Therefore, if a grain of wheat or rice seems to die, it is not a real death. In the bible, According to John, Jesus taught that "unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." In this case, a grain of wheat does not really die but lives eternally by giving its life. However, things are different between plants and animals. Because animals have a sense of pain, they do not want to be killed. When they get caught they try running away. Therefore, to eat plants and to eat animals are very different from a religious perspective. Founder Taniguchi awakened the fact that when you eat plants, it enlivens the life of those plants in the end.

　　　In this way, our Founder Taniguchi not only studied Christian theology but also pondered over sin and meals and agonized over a sense of guilt. He even once denied God, saying that He does not deserve to be called God. However, in the end, he arrived at the truth that "There is no sin in the True Image world." Therefore, the declaration that "there is no sin" should be the greatest achievement in the world of religion. It is too great and too wonderful, so a few people can understand and savor this profound truth so far.

　　　At today's ceremony, we purify our sins, delusions, and impurities. However, what we should pay attention to when we conduct this ceremony is not that there are sins, delusions, and impurities to bother our True Image, but that they are only wrapping and covering the True Image and they will disappear when illuminated by God's light. Furthermore, we need to be aware that "matter does not exist" because when you believe "matter exists," sins and delusions appear. Founder Taniguchi taught as follows:

　　　To purify and eradicate all delusions and to manifest the perfect and harmonious world of the True Image is the Grand Purification Ceremony. This is the practice to purify and eradicate completely from our thought that this world is a world of matter and to become enlightened to the fundamental truths that "Matter does not originally exist." This indeed is the significance of the Grand Purification Ceremony.

　　　What Founder Taniguchi taught here is not only a matter for the individual, but a matter for all human beings. In other words, the purpose of the ceremony is to remove the materialistic viewpoint that claims "Matter exists." As you already know, the materialistic viewpoint is the cause of all unhappiness. To think that happiness comes from matter or excessive attachment to matter are grounds for sickness, domestic problems, even wars and environmental problems.

　　　Therefore, today's Grand Purification Ceremony will not only purify our individual sins or delusions but will purify all human beings' sins and delusions. Lastly, let me read a part of "Recitation of the Truth," "Prayer to become aware of my indestructible true body."

Prayer to Become Aware of My Indestructible True Body

　　　God is the one and only reality. God is the one and only Creator. He is good. Since evil cannot possibly from that which is good, everything created by God is good. Since everything is good, there is no evil. Since disease is evil, it does not exist. Since sin is evil, it does not exist. If it seems that evil causes and evil effects exist, they are no more than dreams. If disease, senility, poverty, misfortune and the like appear to exist, they are no more than illusions. Dreamers, awaken! Illusions, begone. The light of Truth is already illuminating your mind. When you awaken from your dream and your illusions have vanished, what remains is only the truly perfect and good ultimate realities created by God.

　　　God is the only reality. God is the only Creator. All existence comes from God. That which maintains all existence is God's wisdom which lies behind every manifestation. It is through God's wisdom that every existence was designed, ordered, put in its proper place, brought into harmony with everything else, and maintained. There cannot be any imperfection, inadequacy, or contradiction in God's wisdom. There is only perfect harmony between everyone and everything in this world created by God. There is no conflict between countries. All races of the world are in harmony with each other. They do not discriminate against one another because of skin color but see only the True Image of each other as children of God and thus have nothing but respect and love for each other. Furthermore, there is harmony within the family, and there is absolutely no Jealousy, hatred, or anger among family members.

　　　As we now visualize the True Image of existence, we see that the life of all living things, even to the smallest microorganism, is an outpouring of God's life. As long as they have life, all forms of life are expressions of God. Thus, no virus, bacteria, fungus, or protozoa can ever invade man and cause him to fall ill. The belief that man comes under attack by microorganisms and falls ill is nothing but an illusion. Wake up from such a dream! Cast off such illusion. Wake up and become aware of the Truth that, as a child of God, you possess an eternally indestructible true body that is forever healthy and ageless. As a child of God, man is not matter, a physical body, or a frail existence destined to age and self-destruct. Man is an eternal indestructible, spiritual, ageless, deathless body. Man cannot become senile, fall ill, or die.

　　　We express our heartfelt appreciation to God for imparting this Truth to us. Here and now, we resolve: In order to impress this Truth deeply in our subconscious, we shall practice Shinsokan every day. We are deeply grateful.

(From "Shinri No Ginsho," or "Recitations of the Truth," pp. 283-287)