Great Construction

The Individual Who Is Truly Strong

     These days everyone laments social ills because there are simply too many evil people everywhere. Looking back upon our path to the present, we have been mocked and bullied to the extent that it would be fair to say that ours is a history of conflict with evil people. However, when the state of mind of evil people is carefully analyzed, they never do what they do unconsciously. They do what they do knowing full well what they are doing. Apart from those diabolically evil, most evil people know what they are doing is wrong, but whatever it is they want, be it money, drink, women, or anything else, their desire leads them to throw themselves on to the path of evil. Ordinary individuals who become engaged in evil find that they cannot extract themselves easily.
     Of course, even when it is understood that the laws are to be feared, since wants cannot easily be obtained, great pains are taken to try to evade laws and not be observed. Of course, lying and deceit are skillfully executed. Gradually over time, skill increases, so deceiving others becomes a piece of cake. However, those who are taken in are good people who resign themselves to being deceived which just encourages evildoers even more, but at this stage doing evil is quicker and results are to be had. Escaping the perpetration of evil not only becomes difficult, evildoers become stuck in a swamp. Of course it is a fact that these types of evildoers commit white-collar crime, and so comparatively most are from the middle class and above.
     To the extent that every human being has some sort of individual propensity, some kind of personal weakness, there has been since antiquity some variation of the saying, “All individuals have their eccentricities.” The effects of evil that cause people to suffer, bring misfortune upon them, and create sin must surely prick the conscious of even evil persons. Still, evildoers know full well the pitiable condition caused by excessive drinking and profligate spending, that daily life becomes difficult making trouble for spouse and children. Then, there are those who want women but they know that for such purposes they will have to use a lot of money, that they may also come down with some malignant disease, and they also know they will cause spouse and children much worry. Many lose much through gambling and betting which are thus known to be evil, but urges cannot be controlled, stopping is impossible. There is probably no one who has not had some kind of experience with these aspects. Here is the point I want to make.
     Knowing something is evil but not being able to control the urge to commit that evil means not having the power to control evil, that is, to be lacking in courage. This very courage itself is the most precious possession human beings can have. I always state that if individuals make efforts to improve, they can become divine, and once evil is recognized and controlled, those individuals who have come to have an attitude, a mindset that will absolutely not give in to evil, have already reached a magnificent level of divinity. This power is true power. This power is the real power of Kannon.
     Thus I declare, “weak one, thy name is evildoer.” I am sure those who have followed what I have written above will recognize this truth.

Hikari, Issue 33, page 1, October 29, 1949
translated by cynndd

                *        *        *

“Shin no Kyōja” was published originally on the front page of Hikari, Issue 33, October 29, 1949, and later, while Meishu-sama still alive, was reprinted in the essays anthology for ministers Goshinsho: Shūkyōhen (Divine Writings: Volume on Religion), page 34, March 25, 1954. Soon after Meishu-sama passed away, “Shin no Kyōja” was included in the essays anthology for ministers Sekai Meshiya Kyō Seiten: Geijutsuhen, Shakaihen (Sacred Texts of the Church of World Messianity: Volume on Art, Volume on Society), page 233, September 1, 1955. “Shin no Kyōja,” has appeared in translation. Citation is given below for reference. 

“The Truly Strong Person,” Foundation of Paradise, 1984, page 163.

“The Courage to Suppress Evil,” Reaching for Faith, 2010, page 54.