Great Construction

The Light from the East (Eikō 182)

     It must have been about two thousand years ago that in a far corner of Europe the phrase “the light from the east” was born, and gradually it has spread to the extent that there is no one who does not know of this phrase. Because the meaning has not been truly understood down to the present, it has remained an enigma, but I would like to inform all of the true import of the phrase “the light from the east.”
     To state the conclusion from the beginning, “the light from the east” is a prophecy concerning myself. There will probably be no one who is not surprised to hear this, and those not familiar with me will most likely not be able believe right away, so here I will give indisputable examples and explain.
     To begin, I will describe my place of birth and my movement after leaving it. My birthplace was a slum area that before administrative reorganizations was called, Hashiba-chō, Asakusa Ward, Tokyo City. To explain this place is as follows. Japan is, needless to say, at the extreme eastern edge of planet; plus, the eastern capital of Japan is Tokyo. The eastern edge of Tokyo is Asakusa, and the eastern edge of Asakusa is Hashiba-chō. East of Hashiba is the Sumida river, so Hashiba is the very east; looking from the perspective of the entire world, Hashiba is the easternmost extremity. This is where I was born, and at the age of eight, my family moved west from Hashiba to the district called Senzoku-chō. About the time I finished elementary school, we moved to Naniwa-chō in Nihonbashi Ward, and later to Tsukiji-chō in Kyōbashi Ward. From there, I went on to Ōimachi in what at that time was known as Ebara Ward, then to Ōmori in the same ward; following that to Hirakawa-chō in Kojimachi Ward, and from there to what is now the building called Hōzan-so of our organization in Tamagawa. From which I made a big jump to Hakone and Atami, and next I will be going to Kyoto, altogether ten moves. Apart from the move to Kojimachi, nine of the moves have been in the western direction. And, of course, from now on I will continue to move west. In the end, from China,  movement will be to the region of Europe.
     From my own situation, to expand observation to all aspects of culture in Japan, we see that all was born in the west and developed as they headed east. In religion, both Buddhism, and each Buddhist sect, and Christianity, followed by Shinto which was born in Japan, were all born in the west and moved east. The Nichiren Sect of Buddhism is the only religion to be born in the east. For this, there is a profound reason. That is, the original purpose of Buddhism was to be salvation during the world of night. In other words, Buddhism was the protection and blessings of the divine being of the moon. But now being the time for the transition to the world of daylight, as all begins first in the spiritual world, this world already saw the first gleanings of the dawn seven hundred years ago.
     This is the significance of the birth of Saint Nichiren. When he had finished the usual training period for a Buddhist priest, he came to a determination within himself and fixed an indomitable resolve to spread the message of the Lotus Sutra. The first place he went was to his birthplace in the province of Awa, where he ascended Mt. Kiyosumi located next to the sea, and as the sun was starting to rise, faced the eastern heavens, and proclaimed “Glory to the Sutra of the Lotus of the Supreme Law!” From this time forward he started to brandish the Lotus Sutra, proclaim it everywhere, and sing the high praise of the virtue of the Law. His achievement in founding his own sect that even today continues to sway society is certainly inspiring. Saint Nichiren’s great project is indeed the first glimmering of the light from the east. When observed spiritually, it could be said that in the eastern extreme of the spiritual world which until then had all been a world of darkness was like the vague flash of light immediately preceding sunrise. This phenomenon naturally did not appear to human eyes, but it was of course an important divine event as one step in God’s great economy. Next, six hundred years and several decades later, on June 15, 1931, when the dawn broke, accompanied by thirty-some persons, I climbed to Nihon-ji temple which is located on the summit of Mt. Kenkonzan in Awa, and facing the eastern heavens we offered a prayer. It was this moment when something mystical happened. I am not able to announce what that mystical something was yet, but it was this very event that as a part of divine economy, was the border between night and day. Interestingly, to the east Mt. Kiyosumi is within hailing distance. They are much like sister mountains. That the name of the temple is Nihon-ji (“Japan [origin of the sun] Temple”) also suggests the divine mystery.
     What I have written above concerns karmic ties with Buddhism, but in other areas such as Confucianism, morality, Sinology, Chinese herbal medicine, as Japan’s culture all was transmitted from Korea and China, and recently European culture imported directly, almost all of Japanese culture has come eastward from the west. Thus, apart from the Nichiren sects, there was nothing that was born in the east. What must be considered at this point is the question of whether the culture that was developed in the west made possible a peaceful, happy, ideal world, and the answer is no; in fact, the reality is quite the opposite. Yes, it must be admitted that materially a splendid civilized world has come about, but the essential element of human happiness has not been attained at all, and there are probably many who think it will not be obtainable in the future either. For that reason, people today truly do not have any kind of hope, and a common sentiment in a great majority is that because even each day is stuck in unease, the search in the depths of their hearts for some kind of light of hope cannot be suppressed. The center of this fervent hope is indeed the light from the east.
     I have described how the flow of culture has been backward, and this truth is easily comprehended when the reality of nature is observed. The sun and the moon both rise in the east and move west. This is truth, so it is the very thing that is born in and appears from the east that is eternal truth itself. I state without error that those who conduct themselves with this belief will be able to obtain true happiness. In other words, the muddied waters that have advanced from west to east will be forced back with one push and a completely clear crystal world will be constructed.

Eikō, Issue 182, November 12, 1952
translated by cynndd

　 　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　　*

“Tōhō no Hikari,” which appeared originally in Eikō, Issue 182, November 12, 1952, and, while Meishu-sama still alive, reprinted in the essays anthology for ministers Goshinsho: Shūkyō-hen (Divine Writings: Volume on Religion), March 25, 1954, page 397, has appeared in translation. Citation is given below for reference.

“The Light from the East,” The Light from the East, Volume 2, 1986, page 247.

“The Light from the East,” A Hundred Teachings of Meishusama, no date, page 10.