Four Immeasurable Minds (God's Love)

The following lecture was given at the One Day Truth Realization Seminar on January 29, 2011.

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Today, we will discuss about the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha. This is originally described in The Amitayurdhyana Sutra, Kan Muryoju Kyo in Japanese ("Sutra of the Contemplation of Immeasurable Life"). The most important thing in Buddhism is to realize the supreme truth by the Buddha's enlightenment. In order to have the Buddha's enlightenment, we need to practice many things. One of the practices is the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha. Founder of Seicho-No-Ie, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, referred this as God's love. God's love is impartial and unconditional. Therefore, the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha are also impartial and unconditional.

In the September 2010 Truth of Life magazine the "Prayer to Complete the Four Immeasurable Minds of Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Non-Attachment (Equanimity)" is introduced. I would like to read this prayer first, so please listen to it. (read)

In the first paragraph it is stated, "The Four Immeasurable Minds refer to the four virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and non-attachment (equanimity). It is the mind of the Buddha that is caused by the relationship with an immeasurable number of living things. And the merits are also immeasurable" (p. 18).

Founder said that you would be able to receive immeasurable merits when you practiced the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha. Then, what kind of practices are they? The prayer continues, "The Chinese character for loving-kindness that is read, ji, can also be read as megumu which means 'to give' or 'to bless,' and is the mind of the Buddha that wishes to give blessings to those whose virtues are scarce and are suffering hardships of poverty and illness, etc. and to relieve them of those hardships. The Chinese character for 'compassion,' hi, is a character that can also be read, kanashimu, which means 'to be sad.' It is the mind of the Buddha that sees the sorrowful sight of those who are grieving and lamenting at having experienced wretched misfortune and wants to grieve along with them, help them free themselves of this sorrow, and help them live in a state of contentment" (p. 18).

Basically, loving-kindness and compassion is the similar action. The third Chinese character, ki, is a character that can also be read, yorokobi, which means joy. Even if we experience an unfortunate and miserable life, we should be joyful for other's happiness and should not be jealous if they are so fortunate in their lives. In addition we need to find anything to be grateful. Rev. Seicho Taniguchi talked about gratitude in his lecture. I listened to his lecture and was surprised by it. He said, "When you find that your neighbor has bought a new car, be delighted and grateful as if you have bought a new car. If you can do this, a new car already belongs to you." When I listened to this lecture, I had a question why the neighbor's new car would belong to me if I was delighted and grateful to it. This doesn't mean that the neighbor's car actually becomes mine, but if I can be delighted with my neighbor's happiness as if it were mine, then I have already formulated joy in my mind. Mind creates everything. If we experience an unfortunate and miserable life, it means that we did not accumulate enough virtues in the past. Founder Masaharu Taniguchi explained this in the prayer by introducing the teaching of Shakamuni.

"It is taught that Shakamuni said, 'In years of famine, beg from the farmers.' For famine to occur in the land which the farmers own means that in times of fertility and abundant crops, the farmer did not memorialize to give thanks to the harvest or make offerings and only monopolized the gifts from heaven, and just as he wasted those blessings on his own selfish enjoyment, the past karma has come around and has brought a condition of famine on that farmer. So, in order for that farmer and his family to be helped, that farmer needs to change completely and become of a mindset of loving-kindness and compassion that 'gives unto a monk in ascetic practice.'

"That is why, in order to draw out that mind of blessing and giving to a poor priest who has extended his bowl seeking food, even if it is only with a handful of rice and barley, even in times when the farmer himself is living from hand to mouth, Shakamuni said, 'In years of famine, beg from the farmers.' When the poor, destitute farmer spares what little food he has to stave off his own hunger and gives it to the begging monk, that farmer will be able to hear from the depths of his soul the sound of a voice come welling up from within, praising him, saying, 'You have done well.' And when he hears that voice of praise, it will give birth to a mind of joy" (Truth of Life, Sep. 2010).

The current financial situation is a reflection of one's own past karma; in other words, it is a result of the accumulation of one's actions and a manifestation of one's own mind. We will harvest the result of our own current thoughts, words and actions. Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi taught us the joy of giving by quoting a teaching of the Buddha to beg from farmers who suffered from famine. And at the same time, Rev. Taniguchi taught us to be grateful to everything in heaven and earth. Therefore, it is important to be delighted for our neighbor's happiness as if it were ours.

However, only loving-kindness, compassion and joy cannot be impartial and unconditional, Rev. Taniguchi continues its prayers as follows:

"In this way, stern actions of loving-kindness and compassion will not give way to a mind of expecting or depending on others, but will call forth a mind of joy. When the farmer has a mind of joy, according to the law of like attracts like, joyful things shall come to that farmer. The following year, all the fields of rice and other crops the farmer owns will yield an abundant harvest. Moreover, the farmer will not think that the abundant harvest is something that he achieved alone, but he will accept it as a blessing from heaven and earth. And while he may be able to keep this shared possession for now, depending on the public need, he will share it without reserve. He will own all wealth beyond any selfish attachment to it, and because he does not get caught up in anything in this world, he will never lose the eternal bliss of a mind of joy, will release all things, and complete the virtue of non-attachment (equanimity) that gains complete and total freedom" (p. 19).

It is not enough to release other's pain or misfortune. It is not enough to give joy to others and be delighted for other's happiness. We have to release these attachments to save others or make others happy. If we can practice the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha, our deeds of love become the same as God's impartial and unconditional love. These actions are not attached; therefore, they are much more valuable than the brilliance of a diamond or a ruby or any material things.

There is story that a famous empress in japan, Komyo Kogo (701-760 A.D.), wished her heart's desire to wash one thousand people who suffered an illness. So, she built a bathroom and finished washing 999 people. The last person who appeared in the bathroom was suffering leprosy. He said, "My Majesty, if you could touch the putrid on my back with your lips and suck in my pus, my illness would be able to be healed." As soon as Komyo Kogo absorbed his pus with her lips, the body of the leper transformed into a brilliant light of aura through the entire body and he became Akshobhya Buddha (Toho Ashuku Nyorai in Japanese). This is folkore and its interpretation is depending on each individual; however, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi interpreted it as Kyomo Kogo's direct visualization of the True Image through her perfection of love. Therefore, the sick person's perfect and harmonious true nature appeared as a Tathagata.

In other words, impartial and unconditional love will manifest the True Image. No matter what we are given, we only have spiritual contentment when we give the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha and God's love. We need a strong will to perform them and practice them as much as possible until they become our habit.

Oscar Wilde who wrote a famous book, De Profundis, said, "Within sorrow there is a sacred ground for the soul." In the Bible, a prodigal son lamented that the actual life was not the true life because it was not real. So, he left this life and returned to his Father. Then, the son found the sacred ground beyond the sorrow. We who now live in the United States have almost everything that we need. However, we cannot see many happy people. Oscar Wilde who pursued only physical pleasures in his extravagant life was not really happy because he forgot to return himself to his Father, our Parent God. While he had a high status as an aristocrat, physical beauty, plenty of wealth and bountiful talent as a writer, Wilde was deeply enraptured by matter. He pursued physical pleasures, but once he lost everything and was imprisoned, he was in profound sorrow and found the sacred ground beyond his sorrow. He read the Greek Bible in the prison and developed his thoughts toward Christ.

Wilde said, "Failure is to form habits." He wrote a letter to his lover from the prison, "I had always thought that my giving in to you [his lover] in small things meant nothing: that when a great moment arrived I could myself re-assert my will power in its natural superiority. It was not so. At the great moment my will ower completely failed me. In life there is really no great or small thing. All things are of equal value and of equal size. My habit--due to indifference chiefly at first--of giving in to you in everything had become insensibly a real part of my nature. Without my knowing it, it had stereotyped my temperament to one permanent and fatal mood" (De Profundis, pages 22-23).

Similar expressions were found on page 78, "I became the spendthrift of my own genius, and to waste an eternal youth gave me a curious joy. Tired of being on the heights, I deliberately went to the depths in the search for a new sensation. What the paradox was to me in the sphere of thought, perversity became to me in the sphere of passion. Desire, at the end, was a malady, or a madness, or both...I ceased to be lord over myself. I was no longer the captain of my soul, and did not know it. I allowed pleasure to dominate me. I ended in horrible disgrace. There is only one thing for me now, absolute humility."

In Daihatsu Nehangyo Kaishaku (Commentary of the Nirvana Sutra) by Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, Shakamuni Buddha explained many ways to realize the supreme truth. He explained the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha, three ways (knowledge, action and meditation) to reach enlightenment, the way to practice 7 good deeds, the way how to visualize the nothingness of physical body in order to realize the True Image, etc. Do you think why the Buddha explained these? I believe we need to train ourselves. If we do not train ourselves and just let ourselves do what our physical body wants, we won't be able to become enlightened because it is the same as if a sword leaves in the air as is without any care. Then, the sword will be soon rusted. There are many ways to train ourselves, but to practice the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha or God's love is very important because by practicing these we are able to change our lives. Please do not think that we are all children of God so we can perform the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha or God's love without practice. We have to practice until they are our second nature. Wilde believed that he could assert his will when the great moment arrived; but he couldn't because he practiced the opposite way.

When he lost everything, Wilde found Christ and how Christ loved God and humanity in prison. Wilde wrote, "Christ's whole conception of humanity sprang right out of the imagination and can only be realized by it...There is still something to me almost incredible in the idea of a young Galilean peasant imagining that he could bear on his own shoulders the burden of the entire world: all that had already been done and suffered, and all that was yet to be done and suffered: the sins of Nero, ...factory children, thieves, people in prison, outcasts, those who are dumb under oppression and whose silence is heard only by God; and not merely imagining this but actually achieving it, so that at the present moment all who come in contact with his [Christ] personality, even though they may neither bow to his altar nor kneel before his priest, in some way find that the ugliness of their sin is taken away and the beauty of their sorrow revealed to them" (Ibid. pages 94-95). I believe Wilde found the love of Jesus Christ.

Oscar Wilde led a difficult life, but what he had left for humanity was of great value. One way or another, Wilde could reach the great love of God. Like him, we can also do the same because we are also children of God. We do not believe our bad destinies but believe that we are all children of God and can demonstrate impartial and unconditional love by practicing the Four Immeasurable Minds of Buddha. Thank you very much.

Who Are You?

Thank you very much. Some of my friends wondered why I didn't send any season's greetings. My father-in-law passed away last September and my wife and I decided to not send any holiday greeting cards in accordance with the Japanese custom. However, our daughters insisted that is a Japanese custom and we should follow the culture in the U. S. They decided to send their own greeting cards. To avoid confusion, I just put our family's photo and let you know that we are fine as usual. Thank you very much.

The following is my new year message:

Happy New Year! This year we will learn and practice the Truth together and let us make this year as joyful as possible.

The Seicho-No-Ie U.S. Missionary Headquarters was able to receive ISO14001 certification as of November 30, 2010. We are very proud of this. We are seriously concerned about our lives and our environment and we believe we must be grateful to the fact that we are not living of our own power but we are sustained by everyone and everything in the universe.

In Japanese Seicho-No-Ie Prosperity Club website there is an article by Mr. Ryoichi Yamamoto, an honorary professor of Tokyo University. By reading the article, we can understand that the destiny of the earth depends on the amount of carbon emission created by our human's activities; therefore, we recognize that reduction of carbon emission is directly related to world peace and the lives of all human beings.

For example, in a report issued by NASA and the University of Washington, the fact that the sheet ice in the Arctic Ocean will be completely dissolved by 2015 is introduced in the article, but this problem goes back to the problem of the human mind as a natural consequence. In other words, we dump waste. Often we throw away and buy new things even though they can still be used and as a result we increase waste and also increase carbon emissions. This is a problem created by the activities of human beings and the human mind controls these activities. Then, who is a human being who has a mind? Human beings appear to be alive by themselves but actually they are sustained by something. Then, who sustains them? It is important to realize the essence of human beings. It is explained in the December 1985 Truth of Life issue as follows:

"You will become exactly as you yourself believe you yourself to be......Faith moves mountains. The essence of faith is the 'word,' which also means spirit. The awareness of the essence of man is faith. When you truly believe that the essence of man is the child of God, the perfection of that child of God manifests itself. Before you can become aware of your true essence you must discard your awareness of the false self. And that is repentance." (p. 14)

In order for us to be aware of our own essence, which that of a child of God, first we must believe that we are children of God. By faith, mountains move; therefore it is natural that our illnesses are healed and our destinies are improved. Having faith means to realize our True Image. The essence of faith is the "word." So, we have to repeat good words until we can believe in ourselves. At the same time, it means that we discard our physical knowledge which can be recognized by the five senses. Then, we will be able to realize the wisdom of the True Image.

When we keep holding on to our understanding which is recognized by the physical five senses, it is difficult for us to believe in a truly wonderful world which is recognized by our physical eyes. When a bad person is standing in front of you, in order to see that person as good instead of bad, you have to stop seeing his bad life style as an evil person and you need to visualize the True Image of that person. It is hard to do this if you continue to keep the perception of your physical five senses.

On the contrary, if we think that our physical bodies are human beings, we are caught and deceived by our own belief. This is a human being's attachment. When we make a lot of money, we increase our attachment to money. There is an example that a person who was a millionaire won $315 million Powerball game and became very unfortunate. (Please refer to my last blog on December 14, 2010.) On the other hand, there is a story of a homeless man who found $3300 and honestly turned in the money and as a result he was praised and he was able to grab a chance to start a new life. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi introduced this story, which was originally from the New York Times, on his blog on December 14, 2010.

In the New Year, let us resolve never to speak ill of others and our companies/organizations, never to gossip, and resolve only to deepen our prayers, use only good words, and practice deeds of love. May the year 2011 be wonderful for you and your family. Thank you very much.

The Greatest Thing Is Love

I gave the following message at our Special Sunday Service on December 5, 2010. First I gave a short message to the congregation including Sunday School students and Junior Youth Group students. Then, Sunday School and JYG students dismissed I shared "The Greatest Thing Is Love" with Sunday Service attendees.

Message of This Month:

December is a good month to give a lot of love to others. We are all children of God. We have to realize this truth; however, learning the truth only by knowledge or meditation is not enough. We rather have to take action. In Seicho-No-Ie we call this a deed of love. First, we need to know that we are all children of God. Then, we bring out our God's nature through deeds of love.

Then, what is love? In the Bible love is described in this way: "Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; (Sunday School students, do you know the meaning of 'conceit'? It means you have too much pride in yourself. Love is not to show off what you've done for your friends.) love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

So, please be kind to others and help them. Be patient to your family members and not blame them. Do not be jealous of others happiness but be joyful for them. Do not be selfish but think of others first. Keep a record of only good things. Have hope and work hard to realize your hope and never give up. Then, we will be able to have a wonderful year 2011. I hope all of you can practice this love throughout the year 2011. Thank you very much.

The Greatest Thing Is Love:

Seicho-No-Ie Founder, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, wrote many books and some of them introduced the teachings of Buddhism through his inspiring interpretation. One of these books is Mumonkan Kaishaku (means commentary of gateless gate). In the 8th koan (a paradoxical question for Zen meditation) there is a story of Keichu who produced the very first vehicle in ancient China. Keichu made a vehicle and then broke up it as if he was seeking something. Another person, then, asked Keichu what he was doing. Keichu said he was looking for the vehicle.

This is a paradoxical question of Zen, but we always have a similar question in our lives. For example, I have a paper crane made with an origami paper. When you unfold it, it becomes an original origami paper. Now, where is the crane? There is no crane but only a plain paper. Then, can you make a crane other than with this paper? Yes, you can. As long as you know how to make it, you can make a crane with any paper. Then, where does the crane exist? The crane exists only in a person who makes a crane by paper.

This is another example. Almost 2 months ago, I asked Chris to play the piano for this special Sunday Service and right now you've just listened to the beautiful music. He didn't have a music sheet but played beautifully. Where does this beautiful music exist? Is it in the piano? No. Is it in the music sheet" No, it is in Chris' mind. When he has a piano, he can play this beautiful music.

We see something through physical or material existence; however, the real thing does not exist in the material. The day after Thanksgiving, I threw out my back. I was not able to move at all for two days. I had shiatsu massage and Japanese spa therapy Monday and my pain was relieved, but it came back when I worked on my computer for 2 hours. Then, I tried acupuncture and my pain was relieved, but it came back when I walked around shopping at Target. So, I went to the acupuncturist again and I am better now. But I have to take care of myself until my back heals completely.

In Seicho-No-Ie we learn that matter does not exist and the physical body does not exist. However, I had an unbearable severe pain in my back last week. Where did my pain go and where did my pain exactly exist last week? This is like the paper crane does not exist in the original paper or Chris' beautiful music does not exist in the piano. However, many people tend to think that their physical bodies are themselves and believe their health or bad health exists in their physical bodies because they are strongly attached to their physical bodies. Some people are attached not only to their physical bodies but also to money.

This is a newspaper article from Alameda Times-Star which I keep in my scrap book. Mr. Jack Whittaker was a millionaire. He was a successful businessman and saved $17 million. He was happy and thrived. However, everything changed when he hit the Powerball in December 2002. According to the paper, "It was then the largest single jackpot ever, worth $314.9 million. Whittaker opted for the lump-sum payout of $170 million-$93 million after taxes." He lost many things because of this winning.

Whittaker's home and car were repeatedly burglarized. The paper described, "In all, Whittaker says, he's been involved in 460 legal actions since winning. He recently settled a lawsuit that alleged his bank failed to catch $50,000 in counterfeit checks cashed from his accounts." His friends asked for money to borrow but they never paid back, so he lost all his friends. He not only lost his friends but his wife. His daughter has battled cancer for years, but money cannot heal her disease.

This shows that money itself does not make people happy and thrive because the physical body or money is the master of our lives. Our child of God's nature itself is the true self. We call it the True Image. When we realize this True Image and our life itself is eternal, we will be able to release our attachment from our minds and realize true happiness in our lives. Rev. Seicho Taniguchi quoted a story from Mr. Kenji Suzuki, a famous TV announcer in Japan, about his experience when he was young.

"The Word, 'Thank You'

"I (means Mr. Suzuki) was a high school student, just after the World War II. One day an American minister visited me and explained that many children had lost their parents during the past war. The minister said, 'Could you take care of these children?' I answered that I would cooperate with him. I just thought that I would go somewhere to volunteer. However, 68 children between three years old and thirteen years old suddenly appeared in front of me. All I received was an old shabby barracks which had been used by the Japanese military until the end of war with no beds and supplies. All windows were broken, so I even covered them with old newspaper to keep out the cold. I immediately negotiated with U.S. forces and received 70 beds for free. The situation was very severe because it was just after the war. Food, clothing and other necessities were in short supply. It was difficult to live with 68 children. It took a lot of effort. I got up at 3 o'clock in the morning and prepared breakfast, but I found that the children could not sleep because there was no heat. I did not know what to do, so I got up from my bed and lay down on the floor. All the children snuggled against my body to keep warm.

"At that time I was eighteen years old. If I had to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning, prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for the children, hunt for food, teach them and wash all the clothes, I could not have continued for more than three days. However, one of the children, about a twelve year old mentally handicapped girl, came to my rescue. Everyday she voluntarily washed all the laundry. So, I was able to take care of everything else.

"There was no washing machine, but the girl put her hands into a thick sheet of ice which had formed on the water and washed, as hard as she could. I did not even have a piece of candy or a cookie to give her in gratitude.

"All I could do was to say, 'thank you' to her. As I said thank you, she seemed to smile slightly. I wondered whether or not she understood. Other children told her thank you, she also slightly changed her face as if smiling. Saying thank you was the only thing I could do. Otherwise, I had no way to repay her.

"She did not know how to warm her hands. I held her hands to warm them. Her hands and fingers were swollen, bleeding and frostbitten. Her fingernails had peeled off. I picked her hands up and embraced them under my armpits as long as I could, like a bird hatching an egg. I could find no other alternative." (Jiko Kanseino Tameni, pages 200-202)

Can you imagine that this girl put her hands into a thick sheet of ice water and washed even though her fingernails were peeled off and her hands and fingers were swollen, bleeding and frostbitten. Mr. Suzuki picked her hands up and embraced them for warming. That was all he could do, but what a beautiful act of love he did! He gave the girl a great deal of love which was much more valuable than money or cookies. She received his love and maybe was satisfied. Getting back to his story, Mr. Suzuki wrote:

"Soon I found plenty of people to continue my volunteer work, and I could leave this institution. A week after I left, the mentally handicapped girl was hit by a reckless driver and was killed instantly. I still believe that she is in heaven washing clothes. She ended her short life at about 12 years of age. However, she spent her life with 67 other children through performing the only ability she had which was washing clothes. She shared her ability and she died. I believe that her life was very valuable. Reflecting on my life, I have not done anything. I am ashamed to compare my life with hers. i have slumbered away more than 50 years." (Ibid., p. 203)

Rev. Seicho Taniguchi comments about Mr. Suzuki's act of love and the mentally handicapped girl's act of love as follows:

"Mr. Suzuki said that he had slumbered away, but he had not slumbered at all. He gave love to many people and also to this girl. This deed of love was invisible, but he definitely gave true love, beautiful words and action. She was not blessed physically, and graduated from this world by instant death. She must have had no pain because she died instantly. Man is surely born into this world or another world in order to express his eternal life. It does not matter whether the world is here or elsewhere. In her next life, this girl must be born not as a mentally handicapped or an orphaned child but born into a happy family to grow with blessings because she accumulated 'good deeds' without asking for compensation, fame or money. She did whatever she could do without asking for anything. These good deeds or acts must become good fruit in the next life. Life is not lived only one time. You must realize this truth that life is eternal. Keeping good words and actions in your life and expressing them bring out the child of God nature and infinite potential within oneself." (Ibid., p. 204)

I order to realize our True Image, we need to practice Shinsokan and at the same time practice deeds of love. The deed of love given by the mentally handicapped girl in Mr. Suzuki's story is very powerful because love is the power to change everything. During the holiday season, let us practice this love and help others. To conclude my lecture I will again quote the same passages I quoted in the beginning from the Bible.

"Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Thank you very much!

Ougu (one who deserves offerings)

This message was given at the Seicho-No-Ie Southern California Missionary Area's Fall Festival held at the SNI United States Missionary Headquarters.

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Thank you very much for attending the Seicho-No-Ie Southern California Missionary Area's Fall Festival. Today is the joyous day that our founder, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi was born.

This world is full of God's life. God's life is also the Law. There are laws which include the providence of God, regulations and codes created by human beings and laws in nature (including the "law of cause and effect"). The Laws created by God permeate the universe; however, laws created by human beings cannot restrict a person if he quits his company or goes out of his country. The laws in nature also cannot affect them if people or things get out of the earth or the solar system.

In order to transcend phenomenon we must get into the "True World." However, that world is not a place of no law but a place in perfect order with the best and highest world "Law." In the section of "God" of the Holy Sutra, Nectarean Shower of Holy Doctrines God is the "Law that governs the universe," and the manifestation of the "Law" of God is the "law of karma," and that law permeates and exists in three times (worlds) in common in the past, the present and the future. By utilizing that law phenomenal human beings make an effort to become happy without realizing it. A prayer is an example.

By praying people try to solve their problems when they face them. For example, a person who wants to be married prays to find her soul mate and a person who is troubled by poverty prays to be granted money. In other words, those who have already been granted a thing that they need do not pray to be granted that particular thing.

It is natural that a thing which has already existed appears in this world. We do not care about it and do not pray for it. For example, when I went to Denver 3 weeks ago, I was very thirsty and didn't have a chance to buy a bottle of water. As soon as I checked in at the hotel, I couldn't resist but just drank the tap water which I usually don't. To my surprise, the water was delicious. The origin of the water is the Rocky Mountains. Not only do we not buy a bottle of water but also we do not pray to be granted water when we have delicious water from tap water if we have delicious water.

However, we tend to pray or want to pray for something which we need or want but do not have at hand, such as money, a soul mate, or ability. However, we are all children of God and God has already given us everything that we need, but unfortunately many people do not realize it. In the backyard of our home there is a persimmon tree and it bears delicious fruit every year. My children love persimmon fruit and they don't pray to God to be granted a persimmon fruit when they want to eat. All they do is ask me to take a persimmon from the tree and to peel the skin off because they already know that a persimmon tree is there. However, even though there is a persimmon tree on the backyard, it takes time for my children to actually eat a persimmon because it takes time to get a persimmon from the tree and make it ready to eat.

We must know that "although there are many bad things seemingly appearing in this world, they do not truly exist because God never created bad things." Instead, when we visualize that only goodness exists in the world, it will materialize because it already exists.

The infinite abundance or a soul mate which is already given to us needs time to materialize in this world. Even though you plant a flower seed, it won't suddenly bloom the next day. It needs a certain period of time, and the process in appearance of what we want in this phenomenal world does not suddenly realize. Instead, a thing that we want often appears in a different form in the process. This thing also appears in front of us in accordance with the law of karma and the law of the mind. In the process of appearing in this world a form often changes its shape and sometimes appears as despair in order for us to progress. Therefore, by visualizing the True Image we will be able to make an effort to achieve something although it appears as despair in the process. To visualize the True Image is in other words to continue making our effort and this means that we practice Shinsokan meditation everyday.

Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi taught us that difficulties and troubles are the disguise of the environment as a grindstone to improve our destinies. He also taught us that those who do not give up until the end would succeed. Those who can rise from any environment like a phoenix are the masters of their lives and this world is our "life's school" and "life's stage."

In any life's stage a common important thing is to not do bad things but do and accumulate good things. To make an effort to do and accumulate good things and do not do bad things is the most important thing for us. Founder Masaharu Taniguchi was able to start Seicho-No-Ie because he accumulated good deeds. Rev. Seicho Taniguchik the second President of Seicho-No-Ie, and Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, the third President of Seicho-No-Ie, are the same. They have accumulated good deeds in their past lives repeatedly; therefore, receiving the guidance of the Lord of Seicho-No-Ie they became the leaders of this movement to save people in the world and realize world peace.

However, those who do not pay attention to make effort in their life's stage will cease their improvement like a pianist who tries to perform on the stage without enough practice. Those who have practiced enough will get the result. Almost ten years ago, my friend who was a jass pianist once went to see the recital of Alexis Weissenberg at the Carnegie Hall because he had bought a year's ticket for Carnegie Hall. I was a big fan of Weissenberg when I was young and listened to his records, especially "Pictures at an Exhibition" and "La tombeau de Couperin" repeatedly. I might say that I listened to them over five hundred times. But listening to my friend's story, I was disappointed. My friend said that he could tell that Weissenberg had not seemingly had enough practice before this recital because of his mistakes. I don't know what excuses Weissenberg had, maybe he had been sick, but even such a famous pianist could not play the piano piece beautifully with a lack of practice.

Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi taught in the book, Tohigan no Shinji (means the divine message of reaching paradise) as follows: "In the Ten Epithets of the Tathagata there is a divine virtue called 'ougu' or 'one who deserves offerings'." (p. 15) We must accumulate our virtue to be deserved offerings.

Rev. and Mrs. Masaharu Taniguchi left Japan on March 10, 1964, for their World Lecture Tour and first arrived in Hawaii.

Mrs. Teruko Taniguchi wrote about this world tour in her book, Sekai wo Tabishite (means traveling the world) and on page 39 she wrote about Mr. Takehachi Ezaki and his ordeal when he had moved to Hawaii at the age of 18 (note: I believe it is about 1905 or 1906), but he was saved by the teachings of Seicho-No-Ie.

"When Mr. Ezaki came here to Kauai on a three-year contract to work at a pineapple factory run by an American, his joyful dreams were quickly shattered and a life of near slavery and suffering began. If he was even a little slow, a whip would suddenly come cracking down on him. Since it was forbidden by law to hit a person, he would be grabbed by the scuff of the neck and pushed down. If a Japanese person god sick and went to the doctor, the company and the doctor would conspire and because the doctor would say the person 'isn't sick,' the person would have to go work in the fields reeling with dizziness. Apparently there was no telling how many people died in the fields." (end of quote)

I cannot believe that these things happened unconcernedly in the early 1900s. In this situation the teachings of Seicho-No-Ie saved Mr. Ezaki and his family. The teachings healed diseases of those who read Seicho-No-Ie, restored harmony at home and changed people's minds and consequently they were able to restart at a new life of joy. This is wonderful deeds of love and thanks to Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi who started Seicho-No-Ie. He was indeed a person who deserves offerings. Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi stayed at the new house which had been built for Mr. and Mrs. Ezaki as their retirement home.

In the Island of Kauai there were only 24 Seicho-No-Ie households; however, at the lecture about 500 people gathered. The next day Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi were taken to the Kokee Mountain which was called a miniature Grand Canyon. However, deep fog covered everything and they could not see other than fog-like white curtain. However, when they stepped up in front of the handrail; lo and behold, dense fog disappeared as if opening a white curtain. Some said that was very rare. The canyon was very beautiful and Mrs. Taniguchi wanted to stay a little longer, but someone said, "Let's go home." So, Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi started moving toward their car, but Mrs. Taniguchi wanted to see the magnificent view one more time and turned back. Then, the white curtain was just starting to close from left to right and the sight became a white world again. The view was served for Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi, which they deserved.

Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi stayed at a new house as their lodge when they traveled to Los Angeles after leaving Hawaii. It is written on page 69 in the same book as follows:

"The Ambo residence was in a quiet residential area on the outskirts of Los Angeles. In the front, there were azalea bushes in bloom. They had built this house for our use, and no one had used it as yet. I thought it was a little big for the couple, but Mr. and Mrs. Ambo told me that he had built it so that we could use it and therefore it had become bigger than originally planned. It even had a room for my husband to use as a study. We talked with Dr. and Mrs. Hornaday for a while, after which they went home.

"After a delicious dinner of Japanese food, we took a bath and washed the perspiration of Hawaii and the Mainland at once and felt very refreshed. With a soft breeze coming in from the windows, we looked out of the window and the beautiful lights of downtown Los Angeles. Mr. Ambo said, 'The garden isn't finished yet, but when you have finished your travels and come back here, there should be beautiful roses in bloom.'

"It seemed a shame to walk on the new carpet with our slippers--that's how beautiful the room was. We were only staying in Los Angeles for a day and leaving at 6:30 am the next day for New York. In a brand new, pure white bed, we felt like nobility as we lay down for the night. Ah, we had finally arrived on the American continent."

Mr. and Mrs. Ambo did not live in their new house before Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi stayed. They not only did not live there but also changed the floor plan to increase bedrooms and even a study room for Rev. Taniguchi for their one night stay. Fortunately, they returned and stayed a few nights after their lecture tour in the U. S. This is "ougu" and indeed "one who deserves offerings." In other words, Rev. Taniguchi accumulated his good virtue.

By following Reverends Masaharu Taniguchi, Seicho Taniguchi and Masanobu Taniguchi let us accumulate good virtue in accordance with the laws, perform good deeds and disseminate the teachings to as many people as possible. Furthermore, let us contribute to the movement to protect our nature, accumulate good deeds more and more determine to join the people who deserve offerings.

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Thank you for visiting this site and reading my message at the Fall Festival on Nov. 21, 2010. Have a happy Thanksgiving Day!

Express Blessings That You Have Received

The following article was introduced in the October 2010 newsletter.

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On October 10, 2010, we observed the second year memorial service for Rev. Seicho Taniguchi since his transition to the angelic world. Seicho-No-Ie was started by the founder, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, and Rev. Seicho Taniguchi became the second President of Seicho-No-Ie. Now, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi is the President of Seicho-No-Ie. Rev. Msaharu Taniguchi, Rev. Seicho Taniguchi and Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi taught us the same truth that we are all children of God and were born in this phenomenal world to express the kingdom of God. We have learned that our lives are eternal, so when our physical bodies die, we still continuously express our divinity in the spiritual world in accordance with the level of our souls. In order to express the divinity we have to arouse God's love within our minds and hearts. It is also important to be grateful to everyone and everything in heaven and earth. In order to do this, first of all we need to recognize the blessings which are given by God. It is explained in the 365 Golden Keys To The Summit Of Fulfillment on page 3 as follows:

"Blessings of Heaven and Earth

Just stop for a few moments and think of the many blessings nature gives us that are essential to our life. Think of how much all that is living provides us without which our existence cannot be sustained. Have we not heretofore been too insensitive to the innumerable gifts accorded us in various forms, both visible and invisible? Indeed, we have taken too little notice of all those blessings. Because we have taken them for granted, we have neglected to be grateful out of ignorance.

Even though they are actually there, nothing comes into existence, so long as you do not recognize them. For example, even if there were a one-million-dollar check in your pocket, unless you are aware of it, it is as if it were not there. So it is with everything. Be it a blessing of nature, love of people, love of parents, or love of country, unless you yourself are perceptive enough to sense and acknowledge it, it is as if it did not exist. To be thus ignorant and unaware of what is actually there is the same as being blind. No matter what, we must never allow ourselves to become blind. It is indeed only when we perceive and recognize all the blessings and gifts provided that they are ours." (end of quote) (p. 3)

As stated in the Words of Wisdom in this book, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi asked us to think of how many blessings and how much love we have been provided. He also emphasized that we should be awakened to and be grateful to the blessings of nature, to the kindness of others, to the love of parents, and the benefits from your society and country. He said that unless you are perceptive enough to sense and acknowledge them, it is the same as if they did not exist.

Let us recognize our blessings and love that sustain us first even though it's not easily recognized in our daily lives. Then, be grateful to them. Being grateful is not a passive but active action. If you feel gratitude toward something, you should express it. Unless it is expressed, it is the same as if it did not exist. Likewise, we see nature as the expression of God's love, we are grateful to it, and so we should try to protect them as our expression of gratitude.

Seicho-No-Ie United States Missionary Headquarters and the Southern California Missionary Area currently work hard to obtain a certificate of ISO14001. ISO means International Organization for Standardization and 14001 is the Environmental Management System. In other words, it is a global environmental standard. Everything needs a standard. If a product has no standard, it will have trouble. If people don't produce a product by following the standard, a problem will arise. For a very recent example, billions of eggs were recalled because of the threat of salmonella poisoning. So, by receiving an ISO14001 certificate we will be able to prove that SNI USMH and SNI SCMA are approved as organizations that care and protect our environment. The Seicho-No-Ie teachings are to be grateful to our nature and earth as expressions of God's life, and we have to express our gratitude as Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi said. Therefore, Seicho-No-Ie is now trying to express our gratitude through our performance in accordance with ISO14001.

Then, do you know what we are actually doing? We educate members and the public to preserve our nature. We recycle and reuse things as the life of God. To reuse means to reduce our waste; so we weigh our waste every week. We implemented the solar power panels to reduce electric energy consumption which was created by fossil fuel. There are many things that we are trying right now. I would like to explain in detailed information about this in the future again. I ask for your cooperation in order to receive this certificate. We need your cooperation, especially in separating waste in the designated bins. Last time when I checked a recycle paper bin, someone dumped his bento box with a remainder of rice and other food. These papers were not able to be recycled because of the residues from the food and soy source. So, I ask you again for your cooperation.

Although each one's effort may be small, practicing is important. Because in a small thing is indeed where God's love exists. Thus, you have to be careful about a tiny thing, like telling a tiny lie, committing a small evil, and squandering small change, etc. Rev. Seicho Taniguchi taught us that to neglect a tiny thing in one's life is to go against the purpose of one's life. For example, it is of course good to read an entire book, but if you read a line or a paragraph using a short time in a day and continue reading, it sometimes becomes a great inspiration. If every time you go to the bathroom and read the same book, you will finish it before you know it. If you practice a foreign language everyday for ten minutes, you will be able to practice 300 minutes in a a month. Therefore, you would have studied for 5 hours. In a year you would complete 60 hours of study and it will increase your knowledge. Everyone can find 10 minutes in a day. Rev. Seicho Taniguchi said that if someone says, "I don't have time to read such a thick book," it means that the person confesses that he or she does not want to read it. If you separate waste properly and reuse it again, we can preserve our resources.

From April of this year we started a monthly Ancestral Memorial Service in order to memorialize our ancestors as well as our predecessors who devoted themselves to the Humanity Enlightenment Movement in the Southern California Missionary Area. It is impossible for our church to exist without our predecessors' hard work and devotion. Although each donation by one person might be small, the accumulation made it possible to establish this church.

It is the same of our happiness in this phenomenal world. For example, we cannot see the spiritual love and protection from our ancestors, but they are surely there. First we need to recognize them and then be grateful to them. How wonderful it is if everyone can be grateful to their ancestors everyday using 20 minutes or so at home. This is a small effort but the entire family will surely become happy if one continues it. At this present time we have to be considerate to take care of not only our own family's happiness but also nature on earth as our family. It is important to care for every material existence by worshiping the life of God within.

Rev. Seicho Taniguchi taught us as follows:

"In order to efficiently use the resources on earth sooner or later we by no means will end up on cul-de-sacs if we continue using a thing once and then throw it away and increase futile waste. Furthermore, it will cause destruction of the environment by burning resources and realize the phenomenon of a declining birth rate." (Daidowo Ayumu Tameni [means to walk on the broad way], p. 71)

"A camera, a jewel, a watch or a personal computer, etc. is not often recycled. Few people will dump them, but the most precious, detailed machine is a physical body which we are accustomed to use. This physical body is not a real man but a mere tool for our souls. To express greatness as a Child of God Man on the earth by using this tool can be said the purpose of a human life in this world. Therefore, we must use this physical body with great care, never harm or discard it and have to achieve our life's goal." (end of quote)(Ibid., p. 74)

Please take great care of your physical body to express your child of God nature. In order to do this, we have to take care of small details of our daily meals and exercise. Furthermore, expression of the gratitude toward our ancestors or nature using a short time in a day seems to be a small effort, but by continuing and accumulating these small but important efforts, we will become happy. Thank you very much.

Way to Infinite Abundance Part 7

There are some more exercises, but I would like to conclude this topic by sharing exercise 8.

Ex. 8: Everyone has his/her own problems and sometimes these problems are beyond his/her control. Then, all he/she can do is to try to enjoy the situations and take advantage of these situations. Write down your current problems and write how you can enjoy your situations.

This is an example. One of my friends, Rev. Otsuka, who is a resident minister in Germany, traveled from his hometown, Frankfurt, to Brussels in Belgium in June this year to provide a seminar. He used a train for this trip. While he was in the train, there was an announcement which told him that the train would use a different course due to some reasons. That would cause his arrival to be one hour late. He did not want to be late, but the situation was beyond his control. So, he decided to enjoy the beautiful scenery along with the Rhine River. This photo was taken while he was in the train. (http://yujio1957.cocolog-nifty.com/photos/uncategorized/2010/06/03/p5310111s.jpg)

In our lives we need to enjoy and be cheerful in order to become prosperous. We have to keep a smile on our faces when we awaken because our smile and laughter attracts more smiling and laughing, bright situations.

Way to Infinite Abundance Part 6

Exercise 4: This exercise is an extended version of Exercise 3. Our attitude toward material things is important. We take care of things which belong to us, but we sometimes take advantage of things which are the public domain. This is clearly explained in the TOL Vol. 8 on page 149. (Please read that page.) This excercise should be carried out in our daily lives. You can also create your own principles:

1) Pick up trash in public spaces and dump it in an appropriate place. Do not ignore it. If you cannot find a trash can near you, carry a shopping bag and dispose it.

2) While shopping at the supermarket, you often see a thing left at a different place where it doesn't belong such as as a loaf of bread near can food corner or milk near the vegetable stand. Whenever you see it, relocate it to the proper place. Do not think that you will take a job away from the store employees. That is an excuse. Do not also allow yourself to give an excuse that you are already in line to check out. If you cannot do this in the beginning, next time when you go shopping at least you should return an item that you picked up and decided not to buy it.

3) Keeping a smile on your face wherever you go. This ha a positive effect to everyone.