Gudō to Dendō no Tame ni Part III –Prepared by SNI U.S.

Missionary HQ 06/2008 1

Gudō to Dendō no Tame ni

Part III
Guide to Propagational Activities
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Chapter 1
Dr. Masaharu Taniguchi’s Words on Propagation

1. Propagation Means to Spread the “Child-of-God Realization”

The reason I am spreading this bright-thought philosophy, Seicho-No-Ie, is not for material gain
or to satisfy my own personal quest for fame that I am the highest esteemed teacher who expounds
the Way to the people. It is only when I realize that I am a child of God, and others are also children
of God, that I feel unbearably sorry for those who have manifested forms unlike a child of God in
spite of being one themselves. I am a child of God. That person is also a child of God.
Nonetheless, there are some who do not realize that they are children of God but see themselves in
various aspects of poverty, sickness, and misery. When I realize this, I am overcome by an
irresistible desire to let them know that their True Image is the same as that of God. After all, this
impulse comes from the Truth that the “self and others are essentially one.” When you realize that
you are a child of God, you cannot help but let others know that each person is also a child of God.
This is the realization that “self and others are one.”
There may be people who think that to spread Seicho-No-Ie means to spread the Seicho-No-Ie
magazines. However, this is not to spread the magazines but to spread the “child-of-God
realization.” It is to spread the vibrations of the words that would make every person a child of
God. Jesus Christ preached along the roadside. Saint Nichiren gave sermons on street corners.
These are not movements they undertook for their own personal gain. They were not concerned
with whether or not preaching on street corners was in bad taste. They did it out of love for
humanity. They loved each and every person as they loved themselves so they could not help but
spread the Truth to which they themselves had become enlightened. They weren’t concerned with
whether society approved or not. When they were so enlightened as "children of God," they were
overcome by the desire to spread the Truth to all humanity. Therefore, until now, various religions
have appeared. All of their founders were impelled by an overwhelming desire to propagate the
teachings of the “child of God.” However, their propagational methods changed according to the
circumstances and age in which they lived.
(Seimei No Jisso, “Truth of Life,” Volume 28, pp. 53-55)
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2. Chosen People
This is a time of emergency! That this book, which is a scripture of our kingdom of God
movement, should have reached your hands at this time of major crisis, when God who has no form
would show Himself in form, is not at all a matter of coincidence. As I have written above, the
movement for darkening human lives controls the entire world which has fallen victim to the power
of money. With propaganda organs boasting a circulation of several billion, this movement is
relentlessly trying to make humankind forget that we are children of God (or children of Buddha).
In order to counteract this and enlighten humankind, we must increase as much as possible the
number of people who read our publications, so that the voices of those who read publications for
spiritual enlightenment will overcome the voices of those reading publications that would darken
their minds.
The most urgent mission for those of us who subscribe to the establishment of the kingdom of
God movement is to increase our readers in order to attain the above objective. Do not think that
when you spread thoughts for spiritual enlightenment, you are helping the business enterprise of a
particular individual. I am made to write by God. I am also performing the editorial duties needed
to publish what is written. To share the writings is your mission. Doesn’t the fact that you have
been made aware of the kingdom of God movement a day earlier than others show that you have
been chosen as the great apostle of this movement? Do not neglect the mission you have been
given. Time marches on. "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (Matt.
19:30).
I am struck by the deeply religious Christians who knock on door after door to sell the Bible and
to gain converts. I take my hat off to them. In the matter of spreading the thoughts of spiritual
enlightenment, I wish you would follow the example of these earnest Christians. Hope is the
mother of fulfillment. My wish will most certainly be realized. Nothing is impossible if one
believes and hopes. I had been hoping that the time would come when deeply religious subscribers
of Seicho-No-Ie would band together and rise, organize a society for spreading our thoughts for
spiritual enlightenment, place large advertisements in the country’s major newspapers, and thus
propagate our thoughts for spiritual enlightenment.
That time has arrived at last.
( Truth Of Life, Vol. 1, pp. 160-162)
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3. To Spread the Teachings of God

You must have genuine devotion to spread the teachings of God. It is different from merely
publishing good magazines that sell. If it was begun as a business venture, then of course from the
income of the business, you can draw your living, vacation, and entertainment expenses. However,
a genuine devotion is demanded in religious propagation. Therefore, since the propagator is the
antenna that receives the broadcast from God and must become His loudspeaker, if he has any
motive for profit or self-aggrandizement or even an iota of impure thoughts, he will not be able to
perfectly receive the teachings of God. When the propagator receives broadcasts from low spirits
and not the genuine broadcast from God, that religion will not have any vitality and will crumble
away.
(Tōhigan no Shinji, “Divine Messages of Nirvana,” a commentary, pp. 149-150)

4. Saving People Will Be Your Expression of Gratitude to God

You will be able to attain enlightenment only by continuously practicing the Truth with a firm
resolve not to retreat. Someone preached that besides offering the Truth, you should put it into
action. Seicho-No-Ie also teaches that “faith that is not accompanied by action is empty talk and
will have no merit.” To take action to save others is your way of repaying kindness and expressing
gratitude to God. The person who only saves himself and leaves by saying, “Goodbye, thank you
very much,” is not saved at all. He has only become selfish. To gain only for yourself and not
repay others results in depriving others. This is a form of temptation so you must overcome this.
Salvation in this self-centered manner goes against the law of karma. According to the law that
“one who deprives others will be deprived,” he may seem to have received merit for the moment
but that merit will soon disappear.
To practice grand compassion exactly as Buddha practiced it is hōkuyō (“offering of the
Truth”). Furthermore, the multitudes who have received the Truth will preach this to others so they
can also become bodhisattvas. “Have the multitudes sit in the training hall and preach to them the
teachings of Buddha.” In Seicho-No-Ie, hōkuyō means converting subscribers to become lecturers.
However, in performing hōkuyō, the lecturer should not make the listeners feel obligated, that “I am
teaching you the Truth,” as if doing a great favor. This is what is meant by, “There is no self, there
are no people, there are no multitudes.” With regard to “life span,” since it refers to time, to say,
“There is no life span,” means there was never a time when “offering of the Truth” was not
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provided.
If there are propagators who say, “I am giving my entire life propagating to the multitudes and
yet I am struggling to make ends meet because my compensation is so small,” then we cannot say,
“There is no self, there are no people, there are no multitudes.” When you provide alms, services,
and salvation, it must be with this awareness: “There is nothingness—no form, no function, no
beginning.” We are already saved in the True-Image World, therefore whatever may appear does
not exist in the phenomenal world. Although appearing as form, it is formless. Although appearing
to function, it is not functioning. Although appearing to happen, it is not happening. This is the true
hōkuyō. If you save someone who thanks you and you reply, “When did I save you?” you are
practicing without being aware of the formless “offering of the Truth.”
(Yuimakyō Kaishaku, “A Commentary on the Yuima Sutra,” pp. 532-534)

Chapter 2
Basic Attitudes Expected in Propagation

1. Having a Deep Karmic Relationship With God

The Seicho-No-Ie Movement Is a Manifestation of God's Love

Phenomenal man appears as a physical being separate and unique. However, the form that
appears separate and individual is a false image and not the true form. We erroneously believe that
as individuals, we are in confrontation and conflict with each other. Therefore God, aroused by the
compassionate loving thought of wanting to teach us that the True Image of a person’s life is
originally one with another, used me as His pen to write the Truth of Life. The Truth of Life was
written with the pen that I held, but it was God who made me write it. This is indicated in the
“Divine Message of ‘Life's Purification Center’” (“Inochi no Yuniwa” no Shinji):
"It was pitiful to see everyone suffering because they had mistakenly believed that their
temporary form was their True Image; therefore, I wrote the Truth of Life series in order that
delusions may be destroyed by the light of wisdom."
If the Truth of Life was written by Masaharu Taniguchi who is simply a physical being, it is
improbable that just by reading a single line (of the Divine Message), “Be reconciled with the whole
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universe,” people would be profoundly moved spiritually that they would achieve a miraculous,
complete turnaround in their thoughts. It is improbable that one would be deeply enlightened by
just reading a line. The person who is deeply enlightened and spiritually moved is the one who has
a deep karmic relationship with God.

The Meaning of Having a Deep Karmic Relationship

Those who have a deep karmic relationship with God have been reincarnated as bodhisattvas,
saints, or disciples when God appeared as Shakyamuni preaching the Dharma. Or when Jesus
Christ was preaching the Sermon on the Mount, the Twelve Apostles, his devout followers who
listened to his sermons, and those who provided him with a place to stay, are also said to have had a
deep karmic relationship with God. Therefore, as stated in the Divine Message (“Life's Purification
Center”), “Those who are saved simply by reading this series are people who have particularly
strong ties with God. Do not neglect such ties, but support the movement by spreading the
teachings, and thereby bring salvation to more and more of your brothers and sisters.”

Become God's Hands and Feet in Propagational Activities

When you arouse a loving desire to save humankind and spread the Way, you will become in
tune with God’s mind. Therefore, appropriate words to save others will naturally come to you. God
indicates this to us: “You should not think that you lack the power to speak to others. Instead, speak
whatever comes to mind at that moment concerning Seicho-No-Ie. Then your words become the
seed and your listeners are thus saved. All you have to do is to sow the seeds. It is God who lets fly
the seeds of the teachings into the minds of mankind. Therefore simply speak whatever comes to
mind, and your listeners will be saved” (Divine Message of “Life’s Purification Center”). The
complacent attitude of being satisfied as long as you are enlightened and saved is selfishness. You
cannot, in any way, attain enlightenment in the True-Image World because the True Image of life is
that “the self and others are one under God.” Therefore, without saving others, it is not possible for
you to receive salvation. It is a delusion to think that only the self is saved.

Saving Even One Person Is a Great Deed

“To save even one person is truly a great deed in the eyes of God. This is a vital matter. To
allow people to use the light of wisdom reinforced by the warmth of love for the benefit of those
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who are not yet ready to be enlightened simply by reading a book, and also for the benefit of those
who wish to delve more deeply into Seicho-No-Ie in order to save people—that is, to allow people
to weave the mandala of the cross of wisdom and love—is the purpose of ‘Life’s Purification
Center.’ Henceforth, many good people within whom dwell the spirit of angels who save people
will gather here at this training center, and they will perform their miracles here. Those who come
to this Center with a mind of love will go home with many divine blessings; however, those who
come to judge or to ridicule will not. They cannot receive God’s blessings until they correct their
attitude because such an attitude does not match the vibration of God’s mind.” (Divine Message of
“Life’s Purification Center”)
In reading this passage, you will keenly feel the depth of God's love. It appears that there are a
considerable number among our subscribers who will not go out to save others even though their
neighbors may be suffering because it is for only one person. God says, “Saving even one person is
a great deed.” He made it even more emphatic, "This is a vital matter.” When we think about this,
we cannot be idle just because we have gained the child-of-God realization. It is abominable to see
people who know the Truth act as though they have gained the secret of successful living which
they wish to monopolize in order to place themselves in a more advantageous position over others.
From God's point of view, He cannot help but take pity, for He would rather save one lost sheep
than those people who are already enlightened. In order to provide places for those who want to
listen to the Truth, be saved, and become leaders to save others, “Life's Purification Center” will be
established in various areas to enable them to further study the Truth rather than a place for those
intellects who read the Holy Books and smugly say, “We understand.”

Relationship Between Training Centers, Lecturers and Officers

It is not good to teach the Truth in a piece-meal fashion like a lecture of a scholar. As indicated
by God, “Life’s Purification Center” will allow the leaders to weave a mandala with a cross of
wisdom and love by adding the warmth of love to the light of wisdom and assisting them in various
ways.
Wisdom has a vertical function to propagate from top to bottom. When God said to “assist them
in various ways,” that is the horizontal function. Generally at the training centers, we only see
members facing the lecturer but not socializing with one another. However, before and after the
talks, the leaders among the congregation and the officers of the subscribers' group should assist in
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developing the horizontal relationship by fostering fellowship among members to help one another.
Through this, the “mandala with a cross of wisdom and love” will be woven. A mandala is a
pictorial representation of all the deities. The Shōju Shūkai no Dōjō is the training center for the
multitude of sages. “Life’s Purification Center” is the training center that has been woven with the
cross of wisdom and love. Thus it is expressed by the word mandala.

People With Indwelling Spirits of Angels

Many of the spirits that gather there (“Life’s Purification Center”) are high spirits with a
passionate desire to save humankind—to the point of enlightening their physical brains. Those who
have indwelling high spirits are called “persons with spirits of the angels.” However, if the high
spirits (or bodhisattvas) are already enlightened, it would not be to their advantage if their physical
brains were not.
Since our acts come from the cooperative efforts of the spirit and the physical body, it would not
be good if the physical brain of a person, who is a high spirit, does not know the “Truth.” When a
person perceives through his physical eyes that there is a new Seicho-No-Ie training center or a
seminar is being held, his indwelling spirit will arouse in him a desire to attend. In such cases, it
may appear as though the brain prompted him to attend. However, actually, in many cases, it is the
guidance of the indwelling spirit that motivated him to attend. When these people listen to the
lectures, miraculous healings take place to demonstrate and manifest the power of God. Healing
does not refer to only disease. It can also mean a bad fate becoming good through enlightenment.
When family disharmony completely changes for the better, this is also considered healing. These
miracles provide models through which people become aware of the existence of God, thereby
enlightening them. However, there are people who are not able to receive any virtue from God in
spite of their attendance at training centers. The reason for this is that those who come to judge or to
ridicule cannot receive God's blessings until they correct their attitude which does not match the
vibration of God's mind.
In other words, when the thought waves become in tune with God, the virtues of God will
appear in the phenomenal world as reflections. In the True Image, we are perfectly endowed with
His virtues. However, in the phenomenal world, whether a person is able to obtain God’s “favor”
depends on his thoughts.
(Tōhigan no Shinji, “Divine Messages of Nirvana,” a commentary, excerpts from pp. 174-182)
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2. When You Take Decisive Action, You Will Have the Time
In order to make the SNI Truth a part of your life, it is not sufficient just to practice Shinsokan
or to read the Seicho-No-Ie publications. You must put Truth into action. Since Truth is life itself
and since action is the real nature of life, Truth reveals its power to vitalize what has been hidden up
to that time, as soon as it is put into action. Until then, Truth lies in a latent condition and manifests
only when it enters the realm of action.
I feel my point can best be illustrated by the case of Seicho-No-Ie as a religious movement. I
started to publish Seicho-No-Ie magazine, hoping that I might bring spiritual illumination into
people's lives by announcing the Truth I had discovered. Getting this magazine started was no easy
task. I engaged in strenuous work for eight to ten hours a day in a business office. As I mentioned a
moment ago, my body was so weak that an insurance company turned me down and people
whispered that I was in the secondary stage of tuberculosis. When I came home from work, I was
completely exhausted. I did not have the physical strength to prepare a monthly magazine for
publication while I held a full-time job. On the other hand, to work full-time to publish the
magazine was not an easy decision to make. There is a proverb that “flies gather around smelly
objects” and “fish do not dwell in pure water.” Generally speaking, expenses mount and it is
difficult to meet those expenses when trying to start a truly good magazine. Even Thomas Carlyle
(1795-1881), Scottish essayist and historian, once observed that a popular book which sees a second
edition is usually trash. Good publications can succeed if they are consistently maintained, although
circulation may not grow rapidly. It is therefore not possible to start a good magazine without some
external source of funds. In short, it was necessary for me to continue working at the office to earn
the necessary funds and publish the magazine on the side with these funds. But my physical
strength was not up to such a strenuous schedule. So I thought of saving a certain portion of my
salary each month to accumulate some capital. I thought, from a common sense point of view, that
when my financial circumstances permitted, the magazine would be launched.
In the first place, I had come to this area without even a suitcase after the 1923 Tokyo
earthquake. Several years after that, when we had gathered some sort of wardrobe, a robber entered
our home and walked off with all our clothes. We gradually replaced our wardrobe piece by piece
over the next several years, when again we were, very fortunately, robbed of all our clothing. I say
“fortunately” because my mind's eye opened up at that moment when we were robbed the second
time. My common-sense attitude that I would start a magazine to benefit humanity as soon as my
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financial and physical circumstances permitted me was shattered. There are people who say that
they will do this and that when such and such conditions are met. That sort of attitude is quite
common, but it is not one that would permit any serious action.
It is not that “I should attempt if possible.” It is possible if I make up my mind to do so. It is
not that I should do something if circumstances permit. Circumstances will arrange themselves if I
undertake a task with determination. When I made up my mind and faced the task with a strong
determination, the strength I needed started to pour out of my weak condition. After a hard ten-hour
day at the office, I found enough time to prepare a monthly magazine and also to pray for people
and to meet those who came to see me for guidance. I was able to do about as much work as one
might normally expect of three men. At that point, I started to put into action the Truth I had
acquired through the silent efforts of meditation and thought. When this happened, my real nature
which had been latent up to that time started to appear vibrantly. The real nature or Truth of Life
also started to appear in my writings. People began to write me that they had been cured of their
illness. Subscribers appeared to testify that they had seen visions of the God of Seicho-No-Ie. At
first I thought that I, a human being, prepared and published Seicho-No-Ie, but it turned out to be a
religious magazine prepared and published by God.
(Truth of Life, Vol. 3, text edited, pp. 39-42)

3. Discard Your Dependence and Manifest Your Capability to the Fullest

Attitude on Propagation
The thoughts and emotions that hinder your child-of-God realization are due to your
dependence on other people’s sympathy and patience without fully exerting your efforts and using
illness and other reasons as excuses for not manifesting your full potential. Such attitudes toward
life—seeking indulgence or sympathy from others—will bring mediocrity and prevent you from
manifesting the highest level of your talents.

Discard Thoughts of Self-Pity

The mind that thinks of “weakness” is the mind that seeks indulgence. Feeling self-pity is being
indulgent to oneself. As long as you do not discard the notion of self-pity, you will not become
strong. That is, you will not be able to perfectly manifest your child-of-God realization and ability.
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Discard Your Indulgent Mind and Do Your Utmost

When you are not living up to your full potential but working in a half-hearted manner, thinking
that others will be content with just enough, you are seeking their indulgence. In spite of being
given the full potential as a child of God, you are not manifesting your capability to the fullest. In
performing your work, you should repeatedly say to yourself: “I am a child of God. I have the
highest capability.” You will then be able to manifest your God-given talents.

An Example on the Sternness of Teaching the Gospel

The following anecdote of Jesus Christ is found in the Bible:
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and
his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to
him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time
has not yet come” (John 2:1-4, NIV).
Why is it that Jesus replied so coldly and in such an abrupt manner, “Dear woman, why do you
involve me?” Why is it that he did not reply in a voice with affection? I pondered this question for
a long time until I realized that Jesus did this so that as a “propagator of Truth,” he strictly trained
himself to disavow any feeling of indulgence on others. In Ittoen (movement based on Zen
Buddhist principles), this is called kion nyūmui. This means that if one indulges in family love, he
may lose the opportunity to go out to spread the gospel or curtail it. That he can save humanity on a
part-time basis will be this indulgent thinking. When Jesus said, “My hour has not yet come,” he
meant, “the time I will be enjoying the circle of family life is when I am placed on the cross. Until
then, I cannot take things in a leisurely way.”
When Jesus was crucified, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary
the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom
he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple,
“Here is your mother” (John 19:25-27, NIV). Here Jesus who had said, “My hour has not yet
come,” for the first time indicated his love as a son for his mother. The path to spread the Truth is
rigorous. To think that one can do it leisurely is being indulgent to oneself.

An Example Demonstrated by Tenko Nishida in His Missionary Work

When I think of the intensity involved in propagation, I always recall the fervor of Tenko
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Nishida (1872-1968), founder of the Ittoen Movement. There was a time when his son Yasutaro was
gravely ill and on his deathbed surrounded by relatives. Mr. Nishida left his dying son with these
words: “Humanity is seeking my help and calling for me. I must go to them. This is also for the
salvation of my son. Good bye.”
This is similar to Jesus Christ who unconcernedly said to his mother, “How does this concern
me? My hour has not yet come” (when the time comes, we'll meet again) and promised to meet
again when he was placed on the cross. Doing the right thing and propagating the Truth are a heavy
burden whereas expressing love for the family is not.

To Spread the Gospel Is a Mission of Life or Death

On spreading the Gospel, Jesus used the expression, “whoever acknowledges me before men”
and said: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6, NIV). “Whoever acknowledges me
before men” is the person who speaks the words of Truth; that is, he is spreading the Truth of the
indwelling Christ or from the standpoint of a Buddhist, the indwelling Buddha.
Jesus said: “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear,
proclaim from the roofs” (Matt. 10:27, NIV). “Whoever acknowledges me before men I will also
acknowledge him before my Father in heaven” (Matt.10:32, NIV). “Do not suppose that I have
come to bring peace to the earth” (Matt: 10:34, NIV). “For I have come to turn a man against his
father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law…man’s enemies
will be the members of his own household…and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me
is not worthy of me” (Matt: 10: 35-36, 38, NIV).
The propagation of the Truth by Jesus Christ was rigorous and even more precious than
phenomenal life.
In order to spread the gospel of the True Image of life, you must detach yourself from the "love
of attachment" to your father, mother, son and daughter. As Jesus declared, “And a man’s enemies
will be the members of his own household” (Matt 10:36, NIV).
In a sense, Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), Japanese novelist and playwright, elected to take the
path of the cross for the sake of truth as he separated himself from his family, and furthermore, even
from his phenomenal life and literary talents.
(Seicho-No-Ie, March 1953, pp. 9-11)
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4. How Much You Love Is Important

The Enlightenment Movement Cannot Be Realized by Worrying About What Others Think
In organizing a Seicho-No-Ie group at your workplace, there may be times when you will be
looked at in a skeptical way by those who do not know what Seicho-No-Ie is all about. Among
them may be people who have been harboring prejudice toward Seicho-No-Ie. These are the people
who have read inflammatory articles in magazines and newspapers about Seicho-No-Ie in its early
years, written by those bent on destroying anything that was novel. They may oppose and obstruct
the efforts of devout members who are attempting to create Seicho-No-Ie groups at their workplace
or school. Even without such interference, they may be looking down on the members as religious
fanatics.
In such situations the “Divine Message to Move Forward in Our Mission” states: “You will
never be free of mental agony if you concern yourself with what others may think and continue
to let it worry you. Focus your mind only on the love you have given others and what you have
accomplished.” These words will give you the courage and resolve to still your vacillating mind
and lead you to move directly toward the manifestation of your love for humanity.
You must overcome the self-centered vanity of being afraid of criticism—what others may
think, that is, “I don't want to be criticized.”
(Partial omission)
Individuals are bombarded by the commercialism of mass media and drowning in a whirlpool of
greed, sex, and violence. There is no greater peril. To save humanity from such perils, we must
overcome our materialistic view, emphasize our dignity, and restore the spirit of worshiping one
another as children of God and brothers and sisters. We must manifest the highest ideal of the nation
(partial omission) as part of the world brotherhood of all children of God and perform whatever
mission necessary wherever we are. We must realize and make everyone understand this so that we
may love humanity and extricate ourselves from this danger. There is no other way. This indeed, is
the true path of love. When we realize this, how can we be concerned about “what others may
think?” Here is your test on how much love you have. God tells us not to be concerned about what
others may think, but instead, “How much love have I given?” That is all you have to be aware of.
God continues, “Just think about what you have accomplished: was it self-serving or a true deed of
love of being at one with another?”
(Tōhigan no Shinji, “Divine Messages of Nirvana” a commentary, pp. 116-118)
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5. We Must Not Forget the Kindness of Being Given the Truth

There Must Be Fidelity in Faith As Well

God does not punish; we punish ourselves. A person is not a “body” but being spirit, he is a
universal existence at one with all others. Therefore, if he enlivens others, he will also be enlivened.
When we become selfish by not nurturing or loving others, the flow of the Grand Life will not be
manifested phenomenally and illness will appear. When you realize the Truth that “we are children
of God,” you will naturally want to spread that Truth to others. If you do not, it is proof that the
Truth—“We are children of God; self and others are one”—is not being realized. According to the
“Divine Message on the Act to Return Kindness,” we must not forget the kindness of those who
have provided us the opportunity to know the Truth. Since readers have learned about God through
Seicho-No-Ie, if they are ungrateful and think, “I already know the Truth for I am in direct contact
with God. There's no need to go through Seicho-No-Ie,” then as a reflection of the mind that cut off
divine life, illnesses and misfortunes will appear phenomenally.

Difference Between Knowledge and Realization

The Seicho-No-Ie teaching is simple. You can quit any time you feel you've already learned all
there is to know, but there is a difference between knowledge and realization. Seicho-No-Ie has a
tremendous amount of Truth literature, much more than other religions. Simply stated, the Seicho-
No-Ie teaching is the vertical Truth that “we are children of God” and the horizontal Truth that “the
environment and our physical bodies are all reflections of our minds.” With knowledge of the
vertical and horizontal Truths, that would be the end of the teaching. One may say, “With that, I
understand. Goodbye. Since we are children of God, I am a child of God. God is my parent,
therefore I am directly connected to Him as His child,” and he will not attend the meetings of the
Brotherhood Association, Missionary Headquarters, or Training Centers. Some also boast that they
are the “independent” children of God but these people are also wrong. This is because we think we
are in direct communication with God and forget the Truth that we are mutually related as children
of God and not isolated existences. Each of us is an entity of one person within a “whole” and
being sustained through our relationship with the child-of-God realization. Forgetting this, we think
that it is only through our own power that we are in direct contact with God, giving rise to this
erroneous thinking. Shizan Ashikaga, the archbishop of the Rinzai sect of the Hōkōji Temple, told
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Akiyo Sekigawa of Ōita City, “You have become enlightened to the Truth through Seicho-No-Ie.
Therefore, you must not falter and go to another religion. Even in faith, we must be chaste.”
Indeed, it is so. There are some who would look into other religions and rationalize: “Since all
religions fall under one Truth, isn’t it the same no matter where we go?” These people are being
unfaithful towards the “cause” (teachings) that has opened up their divine nature. And no matter
how grandiloquently their sermon preaches the Way, it will still sound hollow.
A certain person, an erstwhile proofreader for Kōdansha Publishing Co., once harbored a grudge
against someone so much that he was at the point of killing him but when he read and practiced a
Divine Message of Seicho-No-Ie, his hatred disappeared. Now he feels refreshed and very grateful
that through Seicho-No-Ie he has been taught the way to erase his hatred. Two or three times a year,
without fail, he will write to thank me. A person like this certainly understands the “cause and
effect” relationship of salvation, not forgetting to be grateful. We can say that he is indeed an
exemplary person.

6. Two Aspects of What Leaders Should Know

Two Aspects Within the Bodhisattvas

Shakyamuni said: “Maitreya, you must know this well. There are two aspects of the
bodhisattva. What are they? Bodhisattvas of the first aspect love flowery words and are able to
memorize and recite the beautiful words and phrases in the sutras. However, they are not able to
attain the profound depth of the Truth. They are what we call ‘novice bodhisattvas.’ On the other
hand, bodhisattvas of the second aspect will fearlessly attempt to delve into the scriptures,
unadulterated by any troubled thoughts. Moreover, they will also unerringly understand the true
meaning expounded in the scriptures. After they listen to the sutras, their minds will become pure,
fully understanding the meanings and retain them. And they will constantly read and reread,
practicing what is taught in the scriptures. These are the bodhisattvas who have been ‘diligently
practicing the Way for a long time.’”
Continuing on with the words of Shakyamuni: “Maitreya, there are also two reasons why
novice bodhisattvas are not able to penetrate the profound teachings of the Dharma. The first is
becoming terrified and doubtful as they listen to the profound meaning of the teachings. Unable to
follow meekly, they denounce the teachings in disbelief, ‘We've never heard of this teaching.
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Where did it come from?’ The second reason is that even if there are bodhisattvas who accept and
expound the profound teachings, the novice bodhisattvas do not befriend them or honor or respect
them. They will go so far as to criticize the teachings as evil. These are the two reasons why novice
bodhisattvas are unable to penetrate the depth of the Dharma and are only hurting themselves.”
Shakyamuni taught how to discern the mental attitude of the bodhisattvas by saying, “If these
two reasons prevail in the bodhisattvas, it means they are novices and not of great importance.”
These are the type of bodhisattvas who have become terrified at the profound Truth that they had
never heard; they become doubtful, unable to meekly accept and follow the Truth. Unable to
believe, they criticize and assail the teaching. Moreover, they will say with arrogant indifference:
‘What kind of Truth is that? I don't want to listen to that sort of Truth from the beginning. Where
did that teaching come from?’” We must pay particularly close attention to the precepts of
Shakyamuni.
There are those who listen to testimonies by others but determine their worth by only applying
their own standards saying: “That sort of testimony is trivial, I don’t want to listen to it. Where did
that person come from? Since that testimony is trifling, I will not listen to it.” These are the so-
called “novice bodhisattvas,” regardless of how long they have been subscribers. Bodhisattvas who
have truly deepened their faith will listen attentively to the testimonies no matter how trivial they
may be and try to grasp the deep Truth in them.
“Another characteristic of the novice bodhisattvas,” said Shakyamuni, “is that even if there are
some who uphold and profoundly expound the Truth, the novice bodhisattvas will try to avoid them.
On rare occasions, the novice bodhisattvas may approach them but instead of humbly accepting the
good points of the teachings, they purposely recognize the negatives by pointing out the errors in
them. Bodhisattvas belonging to the above two classifications believe and understand the Truth;
however, by deprecating themselves in spite of being immersed in the profound Truth, they are
unable to mentally prepare themselves and overcome evil.”
Shakyamuni continued: “Maitreya, there are also two reasons why bodhisattvas are not able to
achieve an enlightened state—that all things are essentially non-existent—in spite of being
bodhisattvas who believe and understand the profound Truth. One reason is that these bodhisattvas
will look down with disdain on the new aspirants of the Truth and by being conceited, they will not
instruct them kindly in the teaching. To scorn and hurt them means that their own enlightenment
will also be affected. The second reason is that in spite of understanding and believing in the Truth,
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when they are faced with actual problems, these bodhisattvas will become captive to phenomenal
appearances and form various prejudicial opinions. These are the two reasons why bodhisattvas
who aspire to the highest Truth will be impairing their own enlightenment.”
This is how Shakyamuni explained in minute detail the mental attitude of the leaders.
(Yuimakyō Kaishaku, “A Commentary on the Yuima Sutra,” pp. 544-546)

7. Seeking Return in the Enlightenment Movement Is Against the

Principle of Lecturers

Save Others Without Seeking Return

The first of the “Eight Laws of Bodhisattvas” states: “Work for the benefit of the multitudes and
do not seek any return.” This is a very important matter for Seicho-No-Ie lecturers. A Seicho-No-Ie
system of Regional Lecturers was created in accord with the “Eight Laws of Bodhisattvas.” Since
the lecturers have their own means of livelihood, they do not need any compensation even when
they are saving and benefiting people. Therefore, it is consonant with the first law of the “Eight
Laws of Bodhisattvas,” “Work for the benefit of the multitudes and do not seek any return.”
However, on occasion, there have been lecturers making their rounds on the side, seeking
compensation to supplement their livelihood. This is against the principle of the original
bodhisattvas (lecturers). A side job in which compensation is given for services rendered cannot be
placed in the category of the lecturers’ “Eight Laws of Bodhisattvas.” “Receive all sufferings on
behalf of the multitudes. The merits of your conduct will be provided.” This must be the attitude of
a lecturer. The attitude of “I will teach you” is not the right attitude in propagating to others.
“Attune your mind to the multitudes; be humble and you will be unhindered.” This means that
the lecturer should not take a conceited attitude that “I am the teacher.” He should feel that he is not
saving people but he is just another member of the multitudes. The reason he is able to save others
is only because God has been using him as His tool. With these humble thoughts, you must move
freely and unhindered in accordance with the will of God.

Humbly Listen to Other Lecturers

“See all the bodhisattvas as though they are Buddha” means to worship all lecturers, who are
bodhisattvas, as Buddha. This is the mental attitude lecturers must have. “When they listen to a sutra
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for the first time, they accept it, without question, like the followers of Shōmon (disciple of
Sakyamuni).” To propagate, a lecturer preaches to others; however, as a listener, he should humbly
listen to other lecturers, like the disciples of Shōmon. When he listens to their lectures, he must be
able to draw out the teachings that he was not aware of. He should “not covet the offerings given to
other lecturers and enhance his own gains but control his avarice” means he must not envy the large
offerings given to other lecturers, hoping his offerings will increase. When such thoughts arise, the
lecturer must place a rein on his mind, as in controlling a horse. “To always reflect on the errors of
the self and not complain about the shortcomings of others” means that the lecturer, who is a
bodhisattva, should not point out the inadequacy of other lecturers but reflect on himself to improve
and correct his own errors.
“Always seek merits with wholehearted devotion.” “Wholehearted” means with concentration
and dedication and also has the meaning of “true nature,” that is, “True Image mind.” You must not
seek merits with the mind that seeks phenomena. The more your True Image mind shines forth, the
more your phenomenal merits will be manifested naturally.
When Yuima expounded the “Ten Good Deeds” and “Eight Laws of Bodhisattvas,” all ten
thousand bodhisattvas in attendance became enlightened to the Truth that, “Phenomena essentially
do not exist, nor do they perish.”
(Yuimakyō Kaishaku, “A Commentary on the Yuima Sutra,” pp. 459-461)

Chapter 3
To Those Who Lecture

Thoughts on the Lecturer and the Listener

Masaharu Taniguchi

There are people who come to listen to religious lectures and say that they’re old and dated.
To them, only novel ideas are worthy of consideration. If only new things are pursued to appeal
to the senses, there wouldn’t be any religion or morality. Religionists must not simply pursue
novelty in their talks. Conversely, the listeners should also not come expecting to hear
something new all the time. If that is what they want, they should go to a story-teller and listen to
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his jokes. Novelty is not what the listeners should seek from religious teachers. Rather, they
should seek depth in their enlightenment and in their faith. As the audience listens, the speaker’s
enlightenment and faith should be communicated to them, and that will naturally eliminate the
listeners’ delusions. The effect should then be manifested through changes in their health and
lives. The novelty of a talk does not determine the worth of a religion. The problem is whether
the speaker can convey his enlightenment to his audience to deepen their faith. Nevertheless,
Seicho-No-Ie lectures and Holy Books have the power to bring family harmony and restore good
health. This is because it is the “living Truth” that transcends newness or oldness.
In the Zen sect is the kōan (Zen master’s record of actions or statements including questions
and answers). This is not simply a quiz concerning enlightenment but an account of the senior
founding teachers and serves as a model for ascetic practice. It is a record of the teachers—in
what situation and way they conducted themselves, and in what manner catechism was
conducted—thus providing standards for the junior members to reflect on themselves and deepen
their faith. Needless to say, the words spoken by these senior teachers are “old.” However, if
these words were savored in good faith, one would be able to relish an even deeper appreciation
that inexhaustibly gushes out. Not knowing how to savor this, listeners who criticize the lecturer
because of his dated talk and mannerism, “That teacher's lecture is stale,” are merely exposing
their own shallowness.
Not only religion, but also the arts which possess deep beauty will never become old no
matter how many times they are appreciated. Beauty is always fresh and new. For example, a
person goes to see the Kabuki play “Kanjinchō” performed by Kōshirō. It is wonderful that
Kōshirō has the appeal to attract an audience. However, the audience attending the same play
many times is also great for they do not seem to tire but are always discovering new beauty.
Attending one performance of “Kanjinchō” will suffice if it’s for the sake of an interesting story
line but appreciation of the arts is more than that.
There are people who attend religious lectures to listen to some interesting testimonies of
faith as well as for the enjoyment of humorous talks. The testimony is similar to the kōan of
Zen. Since it is an account of the senior seeker of the Truth who has attained enlightenment, the
listeners will gain a foothold by listening intently to the points the lecturer is stressing, thereby
raising the level of their enlightenment, however small. The problem of newness or oldness
arises because the listeners are seeking something fresh. However, on the other hand, the lecturer
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must raise the level of his own faith so that even in silence, he will be able to raise the level of
faith of his audience. The enlightenment of Yuima (sk. Vimalakirti, a contemporary of
Shakamuni renowned for his profound understanding of Mahayana) is commented on as follows:
“Yuima’s silence is like thunder.” However, it will not reflect well on the lecturer if he is a poor
speaker. It is unfortunate when the lecturer’s state of enlightenment is understood only by those
who have attained a higher level of mind, and not by those who come attracted by the novel story
lines and clever story-telling. Hence, it is necessary for the lecturer to be a polished speaker. He
must study to deepen the impact on his audience with new lecture materials. However, the art of
conversation cannot exist by itself without the speaker’s enlightenment. When a speaker is
enlightened, his speaking ability will be clearly manifested. Rather than be a good speaker with
empty words, it is better to be an average speaker with a good content.
(Kōmyōka Undō Yōryō, “Essentials of the Enlightenment Movement,” ed. 1958, pp. 33-36)

Chapter 4
The Enlightenment Movement and the Guardian Angel
Masaharu Taniguchi

A Guardian Angel Is Assigned According to One’s Duty

According to the responsibility of one’s duty, a guardian angel will be assigned. When a person
is born, he will be assigned a guardian angel who will provide guidance and protection during his
lifetime. If the person has an important responsible duty, he will be assigned another guardian angel
who is a high spirit well experienced in the area of his responsibility. This is the assistant guardian
angel. When the founders of various religious sects hear the voice of God through His spoken
words or through auto-dictation, they are hearing the Divine Messages transmitted by the assistant
guardian angels assigned to them. We call this messenger of the Divine Message “the Angel from
heaven.”
The Holy Sutra, Nectarean Shower of Holy Doctrines states, “One day the Angel came to
Seicho-No-Ie and sang.” We can interpret this to mean that “the Bodhisattva Kanzeon came to
Seicho-No-Ie as a specially assigned guardian angel to expound the Truth.”
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On the Assistant Guardian Angel and Governing Angel

Besides the high spirit, the original guardian angel protecting a person throughout his life, there
are various angels, collectively called assistant guardian angels, attending the person. Sometimes
they are called “governing angels” since the spirit, in order to achieve its own purpose, is controlling
the person. The psychic physiological phenomena, the feats that astound the psychical researchers,
are the work of this form of “governing angel.” (Shirohato, “White Dove,” March 1968)

Activity of the Lecturer and Guardian Angel

A medium may act as an intermediary between spirits and humans, such as communicating,
healing, and occasionally acting as a photographic medium through which the photographs of the
spirits’ astral bodies are taken and exposed through photochemical. When you listen to a lecturer’s
talk, you will hear actual cases of healing of various illnesses. It means that a spirit who likes to
heal illness has been assigned to the lecturer. When the lecturer sees a sick person and thinks, “I
feel so sorry for him; I want to heal him,” the spirit who has been assigned to him will heal the
affected part. We see this type of healing in Seicho-No-Ie. The believer, who is healed, may think
that he is enlightened: “I am a child of God. I alone am honored, in heaven and on earth.”
However, true enlightenment cannot be attained as simply as that. Even Priest Hakuin said: “[I had]
major enlightenments, eighteen times; minor enlightenments, too numerous to mention.” He
explained, “I thought it was a major enlightenment but it wasn't and the next time a truly major
enlightenment appeared.”
Many religious healings come from guardian angels assigned to religious teachers. There is a
whole gamut of levels of guardian angels. Among them are high spirits called “archangels.”
Each person is assigned at birth a guardian angel to protect him as well as specialized guardian
angels who are assigned according to his duties and responsibilities. If one becomes a prime
minister, he will be assigned an appropriate guardian angel in that field. All guardian angels have
their own specialized areas, for example, a lecturer may be assigned a guardian angel skilled in
healing diseases and performs his duty accordingly. Another person may have a guardian angel
proficient in eliciting enlightenment. There are also people with different missions who are
assigned guardian angels capable of assisting in the particular field of their endeavors. Therefore,
there are various guardian angels according to a person’s job responsibilities.
When a religious movement begins, it is not begun by one high spirit, but as a group activity of
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the high spirit realm. This group activity is not the activity of a group of high spirits manifesting as
human beings, but it is an activity within the spiritual realm. It means that the group activity of the
spiritual realm is being reflected on earth and that the spirits of the spiritual realm are dwelling in
each individual. In tune with the same wavelengths of one another in the spiritual world and in the
real world, they are working hand in hand together for the Humanity Enlightenment Movement.
(Tōhigan no Shinji, “Divine Messages of Nirvana” a commentary, pp. 209-210)

Worship the Guardian Angel With Gratitude

You were taught to be grateful to God when you practice Shinsokan at the Spiritual Training
Seminars but it is also good to offer your gratitude to your guardian angel: “Dear guardian angel,
thank you very much for protecting me and guiding me throughout the day and night.” Also, offer
your gratitude to all things in the universe. Since we are taught, “To be in harmony with all things
in the universe means to be grateful to all things in the universe,” you should always remind
yourself of being indebted by being grateful to them. In the Buddhist scripture, it is stated that when
we remember Buddha, He will also remember us. Although your guardian angel is constantly
protecting you, when you direct your thoughts to him, you will become even more in tune with his
vibration and protection. Therefore, whenever you have time, offer your gratitude to God who is
permeating the whole universe, as well as to your ancestors and guardian angel.
Jinsei o Shihai Suru Senzo Kuyō, “Ancestors’ Memorialization That Controls Life,” pp. 149-150

Chapter 5
Guidance at Training Halls and Readers’ Meetings
And the Relationship Between Lecturers
Masaharu Taniguchi
Being Too Busy Is Not Good
During rest breaks or after working hours, you should attend social functions with colleagues at
work or gatherings at their homes for whatever reason, good or bad. Offer prayers for divine healing
and practice Shinsokan meditation, guiding them on the principle that “illness does not essentially
exist.” You will then be able to conduct your daily affairs as well as help others. It is not good to be
like the Buddhist ascetics of China who sequester themselves in the mountains only to purify their
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own lives by doing Zen meditation.

There is a saying, “Minor saints hide in the mountains, major saints in the cities.” Yuima, in
spite of being wealthy, secluded himself in the city to propagate and he even enlightened
Bodhisattva Monju (Bodhisattva of Supreme Wisdom). To lead a life conducting business on the
one hand and saving people on the other is a more noble and sacred act than to conduct business and
spend all of one’s spare time playing golf. Nevertheless, to work and save others at the workplace
can become a form of recreation.
This is because the part of the brain used for inventions, technology, and finances is different
from the part used for saving people, praying, and divine healing. When the mind is directed
toward “saving people,” that part of the brain used in everyday situations will be at rest. No matter
how busy, you should remain calm and collected and not complain, “I’m busy, I’m busy.”
According to the Divine Message, “Never say you are too busy. I feel sorry for those who want to
ask you about the Way and receive healing from you but refrain from doing so because it is
difficult to ask you; thus, they lose their chance to be saved.” (“Divine Message to Seek Wisdom
and to Save Humanity”)

A Shrine of Wisdom and a Shrine of Love

God was pleased when the first edition of the Truth of Life was published by indicating in the
Divine Message: “My shrine is already at hand. I call it the Truth of Life.” Actually, there are
many people who have been saved by only reading the Truth of Life. However, even if told to “read
the book,” some will not do so because they are not in the habit of reading. Then too, even if they
do read, they will not be able to grasp its true meaning. Hence, we need training centers where
lecturers will be regularly assigned to offer guidance. If the Holy Book, the Truth of Life, is the
“Shrine of Wisdom” to guide people to the Truth, the place where the lecturers provide direct
guidance with love should be called the “Shrine of Love.” Since love is the power to heal, the
lecturer should not take the attitude that all he has to do is teach the Truth from the podium through
his wisdom. The lecturer must know that when he is expounding the teachings, he should,
according to the person that he is counseling, provide guidance freely, at times sternly and other
times gently, depending on the circumstances. And at the same time, he must be aware that he is the
intermediary of God’s love through which healing takes place and not through his own power.
Therefore, he himself, as the intermediary of God’s love, must deeply arouse loving thoughts in the
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other person. By coming to this training center and having the True Image of the child of God
manifested, illnesses are healed as a matter of course and all life’s problems will be solved.
Therefore, God epitomized this and named it Kenshin Dōjō (Truth Realization Center) and
indicated that it be read as Inochi no Yuniwa (Life’s Purification Center). He indicated that by
intersecting the intellectual “Pillar of Truth” consisting of the Truth of Life and other publications,
with the “Pillar of Truth” of Life's Purification Center representing love of the training center, the
pillars on which to erect heaven here on earth are created.
Recently there have been many Seicho-No-Ie training centers being erected one after the other.
We are very grateful that the time is at hand for the creation of heaven on earth and we would like to
offer our thanks to our area’s devout members.
Incidentally, Inochi no Yuniwa is the general term for training centers and is an ordinary noun.
Today, the only training center named Inochi no Yuniwa is located in the city of Dazaifu in Kyūshū.
The name means “place of the purification of life.” Yu means “purify.” Niwa is “place.” It means
that by purifying life, the perfect True Image of life which has been buried and hidden will be
manifested and the individual’s life will be perfect. This will further become the base from which
heaven on earth will be created. The will to create heaven on earth is indeed great.
(Tōhigan no Shinji, “Divine Messages of Nirvana,” a commentary, excerpts from pp. 102-105)

It Is Important to Make a Vow

Prince Gakkai (disciple of Yuima) presented his bejeweled clothing and his armor to
Bodhisattva Yakuō (Bodhisattva of medicine) and offered his prayer to Buddha: “O World-honored
One, after you have entered nirvana I gave offerings of the Truth and have been allowed to protect
the Shōbō (true Dharma). It is my earnest desire, O Tathagata, that through your authority and your
occult power, a palace of Truth be erected to enable me to overcome delusions. May I be allowed to
altruistically practice the acts of the bodhisattva?” This is called Kuyō Hotsugan (“offering of the
vow”). When you conduct services to Buddha without any vows, mechanically offering it like the
spinning turntable of a record player, there will be little merit. Doing anything mechanically does
not have any spiritual value. It must have spirit in it. When Prince Gakkai presented his jeweled
clothing and his armor to the Tathagata, he gave his vow at the same time. This is the “offering of
the vow” and it means that through the power of thoughts, your future destiny may change when the
vow is manifested into your life. Therefore, each time you make monetary offerings of membership
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dues or donations, you should place them between your palms with this vow: “Through the merit of
this offering to the Truth, may we become a Buddha in the next world.” In this way you should
relate your vows with your offerings.
(Yuimakyō Kaishaku, “A Commentary on the Yuima Sutra,” pp. 540-541

True Sermon Preaches the True Image

Yuima said a true sermon expounds the True Image which is almost impossible to express in
words. This True Image is preached to the multitudes who essentially do not exist. As in a movie,
the physical body is an illusion that appears magically through the vibration of a magician’s words.
Since there were no movies in Yuima’s time, he explained that a person is like an image projected
through the vibrations of the mind of a magician, and although appearing to be real, the physical
body does not essentially exist. According to the spoken words of the magician, the image of a
person in the movie changes. Therefore, the preacher is like a magician, and the listeners are people
revealed by the magician. Your physical body is manifested as though through the magical power of
the magician and does not essentially exist.
Here is a magician who will change you exactly as you are told through the power of words.
When he tells you, “You’re in the last stage of tuberculosis,” you’ll certainly feel tired and gaunt.
However, when he says, “You’re a child of God, perfect and harmonious,” you’ll recover as you are
told. Yuima said this is the secret of preaching. If a person is told, “Human beings are evil; they’re
made to commit sins, so don’t sin,” then according to the words, he will indeed commit sin. It is
useless to preach, “Thou shall not kill, steal, or commit adultery” after concluding that he is evil,
and try to make him good. Conversely, if he is told, “Human beings are good, therefore be good,”
then like the words spoken by the magician, he will become good. Yuima declared that you must
not preach to the multitudes as though they are evil. It is not good to call the commandments Jūzen
(“Ten Good Deeds”) after concluding that human beings kill so “he shall not kill” or steals so “he
shall not steal.” Yuima continues: “Instead of preaching the ten evils, we must preach the ten
merits. Rather than preaching out of kindness and warning others of evil, praise the Mahayana
(Great Vehicle) with grand compassion and the loving grace of Buddha, and expound the merits of
the Three Treasures.”
Here Yuima is telling us to praise the words of Truth, the loving grace of Buddha, and the merits
of the “Three Treasures”—Buddha, Dharma or Law, and the Buddhist priests. Buddha is the living
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essence of the Truth of the universe. The law puts life into the Truth and the priests will teach the
Truth. All we need to do is extol the merits of the “Three Treasures” with a feeling of gratitude for
Buddha who is the grand life, the Dharma, and the priests who expound His teachings. It is wrong
to think that people will become good by only preaching evil and not extolling goodness.
(Yuimakyō Kaishaku, “A Commentary on the Yuima Sutra,” pp. 116-117

End of Part 3