Great Construction

The Return of All Teachings to One


     There have been varieties of religions until now, but all contain grave errors. These mistakes came about because in the divine economy of the world, God could not let be known the way things really are. Due to this situation, no matter how much the individual tried and persisted, the way things truly are could not be understood. Because the way things truly are could not be known, various forms of confusion and doubt arose, and human society was not able to improve. In other words, until now humanity has not been informed of the true facts. Instruments such as religious doctrine and sacred texts have been provisional, that is, were only conditional teachings and theories. Thus, until now, since the time of Shakyamuni, the sacred books and the theories propounded by individuals such as holy persons and persons considered to be great have been useless.
     The truth is that until now those who are called saints or great people did not understand the way things really are, and they died in perplexity and bewilderment about a great part of the truth. It is said that Bodhidharma became enlightened after he agonized while sitting and facing a wall for nine years years, but how much enlightenment he was able to receive is not known. The one who perceived to the most inner, profound levels was Shakyamuni, but even so, the way things truly are is not explained in the sutras.
     Up to the present, various teachings, both major and minor have appeared, and the fact that even now the number of new religions is increasing results because, to put it simply, true teaching has not appeared. If a theory or a teaching of absolute value were to appear, the other theories and teachings would have no room to exist. Take, for example, medicines and drugs for sickness and disease. The fact that varieties of medicines are successively produced is because those previously created did not cure, and if a medicine or drug that truly cures disease were to be created, the problem of disease would be solved, and room for new medicines would be no more. Another example is smallpox. Ever since its discovery, the resolution to smallpox would have been found if there had been created something to eliminate it. Whether theory or teachings, if the real thing can be found, all teaching would become one. All teachings, even the eight sects or nine sects, would lose their reason for existence nor would there be any place for other new religions. The fact that we have so many such-and-such sects and so-and-so churches is proof that the absolute thing has not yet existed. More intriguing is the fact that until the present, there has not been anything called the Kannon Sect or the Kannon Church. This was part of the profound economy of God in preparation for the future when all religions would be amalgamated and unified.
     Now at long last, the teaching of Kannon—“teaching” is not the right word. What will appear is actually power, the energy of Kannon. And, finally through the power of Kannon, the time has come for all teachings to return to one. Therefore, that which is called the teaching of Kannon is as a teaching extremely simple. Previously, I talked about the sun. The sun is the teaching of Kannon.
     A while ago, we heard from Mr. Shimizu. The fact that the moon of many teachings concealed but that now the light from the East will appear means that the curtain of night will close and daylight will follow. If we apply this concept to the world, when we speak of the moon of many teachings, the moon is western civilization. As the light from the east appears, western civilization will be cleansed and liquidated.
     Until now, the top position has been held by the teachings of Buddhism. The sutras are indeed a tremendous body of work comprising 84,000 texts, but as I have said before, it would have been a good thing if so many texts had not been produced. Because so many texts were written, no one could become enlightened. Because enlightenment was not to be had, many individuals fell into doubt and confusion.
     Truth should be extremely simple. Should not truth be simple so that the greatest number of human beings can be saved?
     So, if we ask why did so much text have to be used, we can answer by comparing truth to light. To illuminate by candlelight, many candle sticks have to be lit. It is common that many more than ten candles have to be lit just to illuminate one room, so that the sutras, the Bible, and other sacred texts had to use a lot of text was for the same reason. In addition, the actual texts of the sutras themselves and of the Bible are very difficult to understand. This fact is also uncanny. What is absurd is that people think more highly of them because they are difficult to understand. My dear reader! To make a comparison, are there any audience members who would say they thought interesting the story of a play they were watching that they did not understand? If such persons actually existed, they would probably be mentally ill.
     It is unavoidable that until the sun came out we have had to put up with lighting many candles or turning on numerous electric bulbs even though the atmosphere would still be gloomy.
     The Kannon Society, however, is quite simple. All you have to do is face the sun. To illuminate your home, it is sufficient to open the door. In terms of human beings, it is sufficient to open the window of the heart, of the mind. There is the story from former times just related by Mr. Okaniwa about Sawaichi in the Tsubosaka account of spiritual experiences, and until now, material benefits were not to be had even if were pursued the fervent faith as described in the account. Now, as in the Kannon Society when you pray to the scroll you have just received for only 1.50 yen, your sickness and diseases are most often cured so it truly is quite a good time to be living.
     Some two or three days ago, a certain woman came to my home, and when she climbed the stairs to the second floor what she said was, “Teacher, the Kannon picture scroll hanging on the wall downstairs is really living! First, the eyebrows moved, and next the eyes blinked, and then the mouth opened in a smile. And then I was surprised to see that the standing Kannon started to walk. It walked to the right, then returned to its original place. There are accounts of old that relate how sculpture by Hidari Jingoro seemed to be alive and that it walked and flew, so those stories weren’t made up, were they?” I told her the stories were not made up, and then added that if the depicted Kannon could not do at least that much, how could it save the world? 

World of Divine Light, Issue 5, January 25, 1936
    translated by cynndd