Great Construction

Me As I See Myself (Narratives)

     The title may be found to be peculiar, but as the essay is read and the reasoning, digested, readers will certainly find it makes good sense.
     To begin, there is probably no other existence as intriguing as mine. That is because there has not been the record of a human being such as myself in all history. In the following description of myself, I will try to be as objective and eschew the subjective to the greatest possible extent.
     I begin with my work. As my purpose is the salvation of humanity, nothing that I do deviates from that task. Among the various projects in which I am involved, that which I put most effort is inscribing pieces of paper with letters. In other words, producing calligraphy. In response to requests from my followers, I endeavor to bring to others as much satisfaction as possible. My followers use these pieces of papers as focal points, put them in packets, wear them around their necks, and from a short distance away face the palm of one of their hands toward a sick person, and radiate spirit. When this is performed, pain is alleviated without exception. Furthermore, those who have been diagnosed with intractable diseases and have been declared hopeless by doctors and who were approaching death, have been treated by my followers, some of only a few month’s experience, have become healthy and able to participate in life and society once again. Each day, examples of these cases limitlessly grow. It is not unreasonable that those who with their very own eyes see these miracles which revive the dead are astonished. The lengthening of the human life span which until now was held to be impossible becomes possible. This is probably the greatest issue facing the world.
     The appreciation and enthusiasm of those who each day have thus been saved is beyond counting. The reports and letters of thanks from these individuals form a mountain on my desk. Each time I read these accounts, my eyes grow warm with tears. But this is not all. The procedure by which a piece of paper on which I have written is put into a packet to enable an individual to shade the palm of the hand over a sick person is called Johrei. There is no end to the list of those who through Johrei have experienced that such as having thieves who broke into their homes for robbery running away; those who fell off cliffs, or were hit by trains or automobiles having had their lives saved, coming out without a scratch; and those who have escaped large fires. Particularly to be noted are the miracles in agriculture. Wheat fields that were on the verge of dying have been revived. Insect pests have been avoided through Johrei. Without exception, production has increased. Not few are the cases where horses and cows pronounced on the verge of death by veterinarians have come back to life. The poor have been relieved of hardship. Dispirited families have become joyful. As the focal point in the packet is hung around the neck, one’s fate takes a turn for the good. The innumerable accounts of these miracles are carried in our newspaper and magazine.
     When we look back in history upon the miracles of religious figures and saints, there are instances of one-on-one healing. There are also examples where those who converted to a certain religion or who through blessings were able to channel the power to heal disease, but it is probable that these differ in that they cannot be compared at all to the remarkable power manifested by those who channel through me.
     Then, this happens. Accounts are often heard of as certain people look at the ideograms I have written on a piece of paper, the form of the ideogram becomes light and energetically vibrates, or else is dispersed into the atmosphere. Then again, some people see a ball of light around the size of tennis ball in my stomach. And, there are many who see light coming out of my hand. The light from this ball in my stomach becomes light waves that are sometimes even captured on photographs. There are photographs that have caught this ball of light filling up an entire room.
    Every day, I meet with several hundred of my followers for an hour. The attendees have been told beforehand that they should ask about any problem or doubt which they may have, so when there are many questions, there are times that within the hour inquiries number in the twenties and thirties. It would be fair to say that there is hardly anything that I cannot answer. Of course, every day the questions differ. There are certain things I do not know, but when asked, the answer pops into my head and rushes out of my mouth. It is at times like this that occurs the curious phenomenon that I am taught by myself.
     Those not familiar with my work who see my way of living call it extravagant. In these times when necessities are lacking, to believe so is not unreasonable. As for myself, I do not choose to live such a life, but many of my followers, recipients of abundant benefits and blessings, donate material to me as signs of appreciation, so I endeavor to incorporate into my life and work that love and sincerity as much as possible. It is intriguing that in financial affairs as well, what is required for the work of salvation naturally comes to me. The continuing growth by day and by month of the Japan Kannon Church is there for all my followers and others to see. The preceding shows how our growth proceeds, not under my intent, not by my doing, but by that of God, whose divine intent, freely and flexibly uses me at will. I believe I am nothing more than a puppet being manipulated by God. With that in mind, it is an intriguing reality that I look at myself with great interest and wonder as to what God will have me do next.
     Then again, are all the projects that I am now conducting and the interest they spark. There is probably hardly any precedent for that interest. About which I describe below.
     I am known as a man of religion, but I do not think of myself as such. It may be a peculiar expression, but I do believe the best way to describe what I do is to say that I am an individual working on the world salvation project. In these circumstances, my many followers day by day present with miracles experienced by countless sufferers, so I often hear that those who have been saved respect and honor me as if I were a divine being on earth which I laugh off by saying, “so, that makes me a manufacturer of living gods.”
     I paint pictures, brush calligraphy, compose poems, write books, novels, and song lyrics, and produce and edit newspaper and magazine articles. Furthermore, for the purpose of constructing small prototypes of paradise on earth, I am designing and directing building and garden construction, supervising flower cultivation, interior decorating, and agricultural projects. Those who have seen the divine gardens in Gora, Hakone will know to what I am referring.
     Next, I would like to discuss my hobbies. Whether ancient or modern, I enjoy art, and have since around the age of fourteen continued to appreciate the works of excellent artists. In music as well, I have interest in both that of Japan and that of the West. Of my family members, I am the one who listens to the radio the most. Other interests include, in particular, politics, economics, education, philosophy, literature, and social issues. My study never flags, so I intend to gradually start putting the results of my research into book form.
     In terms of occupations, I am a religionist, political analyst, economic commentator, researcher of educational affairs, man of letters, cultural critic, specialized healer, poet, painter, calligraphist, builder, architect, landscape designer, agriculturalist, and art and music critic, indeed, professions of wide and varied scope.
     It is said that the arms of the Thousand-Armed Kannon have forty limbs and one limb can perform twenty-five functions in order to carry out one thousand activities for salvation, so I believe God is having me perform the activities of the Thousand-Armed Kannon. There are still various points I would like to cover, but as the text will become too long, I stop here and leave the rest to the reader’s imagination.
     The preceding is the substance of me as seen by myself.

Narratives, Jikan Library, Volume 12, page 62, January 30 1950
translated by cynndd

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“Watakushi no Mita Watakushi” was published originally in Chijōtengoku, Issue 6, July 20, 1949, and later reprinted with four substantial revisions by Meishu-sama in Jikan Setsuwashū, Jikan Sōsho, Daijūnihen (Narratives, Jikan Library, Volume 12), page 62, January 30, 1950. The magazine version of “Watakushi no Mita Watakushi” was included while Meishu-sama still alive in the essays anthology for ministers Goshinsho: Shūkyōhen (Divine Writings: Volume on Religion), page 398, March 25, 1954, and together with the book version have, as far as is known, not appeared in translation.