Message by Rev. Tetsuo Watanabe, President of SKK Paradise on Earth Service, June 15 & 16, 2007, Hall of Worship, Atami, Japan
Good morning, and welcome to todays Paradise on Earth Service. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to God and Meishu-sama for all the blessings we have received the past month.
We have just completed our sincere and solemn prayer earlier marking our determination and commitment to the work of the Divine Light Program, our promise to follow Kyoshu-samas guidance regarding Sonen Jissen practicing ones faith through daily prayer and meditation. I also offered my heartfelt prayer that we create within ourselves a strong faith by connecting to Meishu-sama who is a true child of God-a Savior.
First, I would like to introduce you to those members from overseas who are attending this service.
[June 15] Five from Korea, nineteen from Africa, more specifically from Angola, South Africa, Mozambique, Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, six from the US and 182 young adults and youths from Brazil. In total, 212 people from eight different countries. Please welcome them with a big round of applause. Thank you. Tomorrow we will welcome 108 people from Thailand in addition to members from Europe. We will have an additional 203 members arriving from outside of Japan. Seeing this occur, I can sense that the worldwide Johrei expansion will begin manifesting in conjunction with the progress of the Kyoto Sacred Grounds improvement and beautification.
[June 16] Forty from Korea, eleven from Sri Lanka, twenty four from Portugal and United Kingdom, nineteen from Africa, more specifically from Angola, South Africa, Mozambique, Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, one from the US, one from Indonesia, and 108 people from Thailand, in total, 204 people from twelve different countries. Please welcome them with a big round of applause. Thank you. Yesterday, we received 212 people from eight different countries including 182 young adults and youths from Brazil. Seeing this occur, I can sense that the worldwide Johrei expansion will begin manifesting in 2 conjunction with the progress of the Kyoto Sacred Grounds improvement and beautification.
Celebration of Sandai-samas Birthday and Friends of MOA Museum Foundation
Today, I would like to share with you some wonderful news. Sandai-sama, the third spiritual leader, celebrated her 80 th birthday on the fourth of this month. Sandai-sama is very healthy and energetic, and she is joyously involved in MOA museum activities as part of Meishu-samas cherished desire: Salvation through Art and Beauty. She is also putting her time and energy in creating her own works of art. I am honored and privileged to convey, together with you, best wishes for a very happy birthday to her.
At her birthday celebration, I asked everyones assistance in increasing the membership of Friends of the MOA Museum Foundation. We have so far received additional membership applications of more than 13,000. I gladly reported this to Sandai-sama, and she was very pleased to hear of this great accomplishment. She conveyed her appreciation to all of you for your efforts in accomplishing this. I thank all of you as well.
I also have a strong desire to further the museum activity that is the focal point of Salvation through Art and Beauty Project. The purpose of the project will be to joyously purify peoples souls through the development of appreciation of the fine arts. These art pieces collected by Meishu-sama are, I would say, lovely treasures for humanity.
I have an announcement. At two oclock this afternoon, a movie call Ginrei no Hate (literally translated means, The End of the Snowy Mountain Peak) will be shown here. This movie was one of Meishu- samas favorites, and we will have the honor of Sandai-sama and Kyoshu- sama joining us as well to watch the movie. So please stay after the service.
Where does Meishu-sama reside?
Now that we have received Kyoshu-samas guidance, we have learned so many important points. For example, the significance of the divine essence within each individual, about the source of Love, about who we truly are as beings, how to use our five senses, and so on. These points are essential to 3 advance Sonen Jissen practice, practice of faith through daily reflection. One of the things we should do is study Kyoshu-samas words carefully and put it into practice in order that we may develop a strong connection with Meishu-sama.
I have also been reflecting upon myself based on not only what I have learned from him today, but also what I had studied and learned from his past guidance. I would like to share a part of my learning with you today.
Let me ask this question to you first. Do you know where Meishu-sama resides now?
I believe He resides in very close proximity to the Supreme God. In other words, He is in the highest level of the divine realm in the spiritual world. My next question to you is, then, where is this divine realm where Heaven exists?
To be honest with you, I cannot with confidence specifically say where it is; however, I do have an opinion. Due to the fact that there is oneness of spiritual and physical, the spiritual manifests itself in all materials; it also exists in the Earth and the Sun. In this example, we could say this entire, diverse universe itself is the spiritual world. The Divine Realm can be there. This is from a macroscopic viewpoint, but let us take a look at this from a closer perspective in our daily lives.
Kyoshu-sama taught us before that in the center of who you are, there is love, truth, wisdom, courage, and a bright heaven, full of eternal life. In this center, you will see Meishu-sama.
What does this mean? It means that everyone has a spiritual manifestation within themselves. There is a heaven in you, and Meishu-sama also resides in the innermost room of heaven within you.
The Rabbis Gift
By the way, have you heard the story called The Rabbis Gift? You can often find this story in English textbooks for high school students in Japan. I assume that some of you may know it well, but Id like to introduce this to you because it is a wonderful parable.
4 The story begins with a monastery that had fallen upon hard times because of anti-monastic persecution and the rise of secularism in the 17 th to 19 th
centuries. It was once a great order, but all its branch houses were lost and there were only five old monks left. In the deep woods surrounding the monastery, there was a little hut that a rabbi occasionally used for a hermitage.
One day, the abbot thought that a visit to the rabbi might result in some sage advice to save his monastery.
The rabbi welcomed the abbot to his hut, but when the abbot explained his visit, the rabbi said, I know how it is. People have lost their faith. It is the same in my town. Almost no one comes to the synagogue anymore. So the old abbot and the old rabbi wept together; they then read parts of the Torah and spoke of deep things.
When the abbot had to leave, they embraced each other. The rabbi said to the abbot, I am sorry that I have no advice to give, but I can tell you that the Messiah is one of you.
When the abbot returned to the monastery, his fellow monks gathered around him to ask, Well, what did the rabbi say?
The rabbi said something very mysterious, it was something cryptic. He said that the Savior is one of us. I dont know what he meant...
In the time that followed, the old monks wondered about the significance of the rabbis words. The Messiah is one of us? Could he possibly have meant one of us monks? If so, which one?
Do you suppose he meant the abbot? Yes, if he meant anyone, he probably meant Father Abbot. He has been our leader for more than a generation. On the other hand, he might have meant Brother Thomas. Certainly Brother Thomas is a holy man. Everyone knows that Thomas is a man of Light. And, of course the rabbi didnt mean me Im just an ordinary person. Yet, suppose I am the Messiah? Oh, God, I couldnt be that much for You, could I?
5 As they contemplated, the old monks began to treat each other with extraordinary respect on the chance that one among them might be the Messiah.
Hardly knowing why, people began to come back to the monastery to picnic, to play and to pray. They brought their friends to the beautiful forest, and their friends brought their friends. This presumably happened because they could somehow sense the aura of extraordinary respect that began to surround the five old monks, and that seemed to radiate out from them and permeate the atmosphere of the place.
Some of the younger men who came to visit the monastery started to talk more and more with the old monks, and later one asked if he could join them. Then another, and another So within a few years, the monastery had once again become a thriving order and vibrant center of light and spirituality.
Meishu-sama resides within you
Did this story have meaning to you? After receiving the rabbis cryptic words, the five old monks started wondering if he might be the one, oh, no he might be the one In this way they had changed the vibration of the monastery by treating each other with extraordinary respect and gratitude.
The same principle can apply to us. Suppose each one of us holds a place of paradise within? Suppose we could be the being of Our Savior, Meishu- sama? Have you thought about that?
In the prayer of Sonen Jissen, practice of faith through daily reflection, it clearly states that we have a divine essence, but it does not clearly state that that divine essence is Meishu-sama. I would like to suggest that we pray from now on that I will treat each person who I meet today as a person who has a divine essence and Savior Meishu-sama within them.
It would be of great importance and significance if we can develop a strong awareness of Meishu-samas being within all.
If I say that, you might say, Oh really, is Meishu-sama within my husband who is drunk all the time?
No, I dont think Meishu-sama can be within my stupid son... 6
I just cannot believe He can reside spiritually with my daughter who does strange things, wears ugly make-up, and is fooling around all the time. She does not even go to school?
I know my daughter in-law has a monster with-in, not Meishu-sama.
My mother in-law must have Godzilla within instead
If your thoughts, or Sonen, are like these, you are creating a spiritual condition that Meishu-sama cannot manifest his power and mercy to changes your circumstances
3 steps to create the spiritual environment
Herein lies the importance of practicing Sonen Jissen, practicing ones faith through daily prayer and meditation.
What matters most is the creation of a spiritual environment where Meishu- sama can work through you as a divine instrument. If you can do this, you will be truly allowed to find lifes greatest happiness.
You cannot change others, but you can change yourself. As Kyoshu-sama taught us today, We have to watch over our own attitudes and thoughts, not those of others. We are the ones who are required to change first. In order to do this, there are three steps:
First, purify your ancestors spiritual clouds by leaving everything in Meishu-samas hands and asking that they be forgiven through the practice of Sonen Jissen.
Second, is to recognize and humbly accept any negative situations occurring in your life as messages from your ancestors wanting you to become spiritually aware of their suffering and their desire for salvation.
Third, is to acknowledge the divine being within usthe existence of God and Meishu-sama who are spiritually nurturing us all the time. We must develop a firm faith that purification is the Love of God allowing us to attain true happiness, and that gratitude for daily blessings from God, Meishu- sama and the people around you each day is essential. 7
Illness, poverty and conflicts are manifestations of Gods Love. Therefore, those drunk husbands, ignorant sons, and monster mothers-in-law are playing an important role in helping us polish our souls and develop our spirituality. All you have to do is look at it from a different point of view. When you are able to do so, you will understand the wonderful blessings and eternal love of God.
I wrote an article for the latest issue of Izunome Quarterly Magazine entitled Change Your Viewpoint, so please take a moment to read it when you have a chance. You might find it interesting and also receive inspiration to overcome your current difficulties.
The three steps of faith developmentto purify your ancestors karma, to acknowledge the Divinity within, and to express gratitude for daily blessings are the vital points for creating a spiritual environment that Meishu-sama can manifest his Dignity, Power and Greatness in our lives of faith.
Implementation of the practice is vital
Most important, I would like to stress the point that you must put your thoughts and words into practice, and not just leave them unimplemented in your mind.
One time, Meishu-sama asked a household assistant, Do you have the forecast of the Typhoon yet? She replied, I was thinking that I should report it to you now.
You were thinking? Meishu-sama replied. Just thinking about doing something does not mean anything. What would you think if I said to you, I am thinking of buying you a ring? So say now, Thank you to me. Meishu-sama jokingly said to her.
Like the example with Meishu-sama, Sonen Jissen, practice of faith through daily prayer and meditation, is not complete only in the realm of Sonen or thought. Once you begin to put this process into practice, you will receive increased blessings. Many faith experiences show us that changing our thoughts will bring blessings, but actual implementation of the Sonen practice will bring ever greater blessings.
8 You should also know that creating positive, high vibration spiritual conditions will influence the spiritual environments of others around you, ultimately resulting in their transformation as well.
It is my belief that our mission is to share such joy and happiness with many people as possible, and to help them become inspired and connected with Meishu-sama, a true child of God, a Savior.
This Paradise on Earth Service is the 53 rd one after a ceremony to commemorate the birth of a Messiah, in the year 1954.
Let us improve ourselves and create the possibility of being purposeful instruments for God and Meishu-sama so that we can work for the salvation of humanity. Let us create great miracles as proof that Meishu-sama is a true child of God, a Savior.
We should accept and acknowledge that we are indispensable to each other, and in order to complete our spiritual mission, we need to respect, love, encourage and help one another. We will then be regarded as genuine instruments to do the Divine Work of Salvation.
In conclusion, I would like to offer this promise to God and Meishu-sama together with you. I hope and pray you will receive wondrous miracles and blessings. Thank you.