Great Construction

Nature Farming (Guide to World Messianity)


     Japan’s present lack of foodstuffs and the utmost efforts of the government and farmers to correct this lack is something that all Japanese people know. Whether it be for chemical fertilizers, human excrement or whatever, much expense is used to purchase fertilizers that are thrown at agricultural plants, but harvests do not match expectations. The farmers suffer, whether it be from destruction by water or damage from insects. The forecast of a bountiful harvest this year is being celebrated, but this prediction which amounts to only about 322.5 million bushels [62 or 63 million koku] must surely be said to be truly pitiful. For a total population of 83 million, 307 million bushels [60 million koku] does not address the problem. Since God has determined that one human being requires 5.12 bushels [one koku] to live for one year, and the population of Japan is 83 million, a harvest of at least 424.8 million bushels [83 million koku] should be necessary. If that amount cannot be harvested, the only word to describe a celebration of the forecast is mysterious.
     Therefore, it would be good idea to have a talk with God. God continually increases the number of human beings, so what does it mean that God does not provide enough foodstuffs for those human beings. If this were the case, human beings would only dry up in the sun. What is God going to do about our lives? Who is it that made human beings? Is it not just too terrible that human beings were created but not enough foodstuffs are provided, whether it be by the Creator or God, for human beings to have enough to eat to live? You hear that God is love, but this is quite unbelievable. What is God going to do? If you could ask God, this would probably be the response. God would laugh, then open the eyes and say, “Hey, you human beings! Are you asleep? I have provided you all with the wonderful soil so that you could harvest enough to eat, but somehow or another you have gone off and used stinky stuff whose smell cannot even be covered up by pinching the nose, stuff like smelly excrement and toxic substances like sulpher or urine-derived flaky ammonium. You think it a great good, spread it out all over the poor soil making it more and more impure. You’ve completely messed it up!”
     And at this point, the soil says: “No matter how much I may want to work, I can’t do anything when I have become so dirty and impure. If human beings do not become aware of this problem, I will just sit here and wait for them. It is beyond words that there is nothing as foolish as human beings. I do feel sorry for them but no matter how much I want to make enough food for them, my hands are tied. I can’t do anything so I want to complain, but it is a problem that unlike human beings, I can’t talk. But now Messiah has come and has great sympathy for my problem and says he will tell human beings about the problems. I told him that was very gratifying and to please do so. So, wake up! And from now on, don’t do all the unnecessary stuff you human beings are doing now. Please keep me, the soil, as clean as you can, and I will make all the food you need to go along with your tea. You complain about insect pests but you spread around disinfectant powder. That is really stupid. Yeah, insects might die but that powder weakens me and becomes the cause of insects. There is really nothing so stupid,” grumbles the soil. The soil goes on to say: “I am sure you human beings have understood a little, so listen to what Messiah has to say. Lately it seems there are a few farmers who have come to understand, so I am relieved.”
     As these are the instructions from God, you farmers should get a grip, rid yourselves of preconceived ideas, return to basics, and listen to Messiah. By doing so, getting double or triple the amount of rice you’ve gotten so far will be a cinch. Your labor will be half of what is was before, so your rewards will be quadrupled. How about it, farmers? Nature Farming is so wonderful that the sooner you start it, that much greater will be your rewards. This means that listening carefully to what you’re told is the wisest thing you could do.

A Guide to World Messianity, page 43, November 20, 1950
translated by cynndd

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“Shizen Nōhō,” written as the fifth chapter of Sekai Meshiya Kyō Hayawakari (A Guide to World Messianity), November 20, 1950, was reprinted in the essay anthology for ministers Sekai Meshiya Kyō Seiten: Geijutsuhen, Shakaihen (Sacred Texts of the Church of World Messianity: Volume on Art, Volume on Society), page 121, September 1, 1955. Although “Shizen Nōhō” appeared Sekai Meshiya Kyō Hayawakari, it did not appear in the 1955 translation published as A Guide to World Messianity for which another essay on Nature Farming was substituted.