Great Construction

One Instance of a Spiritual Disease

     There are various illnesses that result from the possession caused by the spirits of people or animals that have died, and the following example demonstrates this kind of possession quite distinctly. That medical practitioners do not understand it is not unreasonable. As can be seen here, it is obvious that a true healing method clearly explains and also must be able to heal diseases of both the spirit and of the body. Until the present, however, medical science has emphasized the physical and faith healing has relied upon the spiritual, so both approaches were impaired. Neither was able to heal all diseases. Here lies the wonderful value of World Messianity.
     In this account, a spirit suffering in the spiritual world possesses a human being in the physical world in order to be saved. The peculiar symptoms of the patient are exactly the conditions of the spirit when it died, so once the relationship between the spiritual and the physical is understood, how the healing process unfolds can also be understood.

　

A Family Saved by the Guidance of Ancestors

Kikui Daizo, 41, Toyama Church
Toyama Prefecture

     In April 1952, I was guided to join the church. Clumsily I share with you one part of my happiness.
     In April 1951, a cold I happened to catch turned into pneumonia and then into tuberculosis for which I was hospitalized. As a result of receiving injections of streptomycin, taking para-aminosalicylic acid, and maintaining absolute rest as recommended by my doctor, the severe cough I suffered from lessened and my appetite gradually returned. At three months I was discharged from the hospital for which I was very happy. After that, I still continued to visit the hospital as an outpatient, but it happened in the middle of October, I believe, just as autumn had advanced. Because I had heard that the Thunberg’s geranium I could pick in my garden had beneficial medicinal effects, I chopped it up, brewed it, and drank it as tea, which my friend Mrs. Murakami once saw me doing and asked, “You seem to be so earnest about getting better. Are you really better?” We continued to talk about different topics, and then she said, “Let me show you a book,” and she handed me a volume that had been wrapped carefully in a newspaper. She said pleasantly, “It will be a good-tasting medicine. Try it instead of tea,” put the book in a large bag, and gave it to me. At the time I thought I had being doing a good thing by drinking the tea and had been rather pleased with myself. Now that I have learned how terrifying medicinal toxins are, I am more than sorry. That night, when everyone had gone to bed, I took the book (the Chijôtengoku magazine) out of the bag and started to read it. The volume referred to matters I had never heard of or seen before. This is not just a regular old book, I thought, and I found it pleasant to read a little bit from it each night. After that, a friend said there was something she wanted me to hear, invited me to the Kurokawa home, and I went along. As I was listening to the talk, suddenly I strangely felt in the world of dreams, as if I were surrounded by a group of foxes. It seemed so real I just had to look around at the whole group. When the talk was over and I thought it time to leave, some people were waving their hands over other peoples’ bodies. Everyone seemed so serious. On the way home, I learned what had been going on as my friend explained to me. I was surprised to find something so wonderful in Fukumitsu.
     From that time on, I felt drawn to and visited the home of Rev. Kurokawa several times to hear more about the church. Hearing the valuable explanations, I felt I should meet Rev Takumi, the head of the church. I heard that a neighbor, Mrs. Asano, was going to dedicate a Divine Light Tathagata scroll in her home on February twenty-second and that the head minister would be there, so accompanied by my mother, we went to hear more details about the path. As if I had found a ray of bright light, I could not contain my joy.
     However, on the night of March six, as always my mother and I recited a Buddhist chant together before going to sleep. The next morning, they tell me, I had lost consciousness. I could hear the voice of my husband far away waking up everyone in the household, and then I regained consciousness. I could not speak. I could not see. I could not move at all. My husband kept asking me, “Are you awake?” “Can you understand me?” But all I could do was nod. There was a big fuss in the household and someone said, “We have to call a doctor quickly!” My husband said to me, “Shall we have the usual doctor come, or since it is a different illness this time, shall we go to another doctor? I will do as you say.” I thought to myself, “This time we mustn’t call a doctor,” but since I could not speak, I just moved my head from side to side. Everyone was surprised, “What kind of sick person is this?” My mother realized what I was trying to say and said, “Her hands are wriggling. I am sure she is trying to indicate Mrs. Asano,” so I was relieved and collapsed again in exhaustion. I heard later that my husband went to fetch Mrs. Asano. She was able to channel Johrei to me right away and I was so happy that tears flowed from my eyes. My body felt better and before I realized it, I fell asleep. While I was sleeping, neighbors came to visit and worried about me, they said to my family, “What are you thinking, not having a person so sick not seen by a doctor!” This was a misplaced kindness, but my family, probably thinking of what society would say, called a doctor. After looking me over, the doctor said, “I do not really know what this sickness is, but just so it does not reach the brain….,” and gave me an injection. That evening, Mrs. Asano came with Rev. Mizokuchi. Right away, Rev. Mizokuchi channeled Johrei to me and in easy to understand terms explained about the church and Johrei to my family. He told us, “Your illness is a sign from your ancestors that they want to be saved. If your husband joins and is able to channel Johrei to you, you will soon get better. Please save your ancestors as quickly as possible.” Even though I could not say anything, within me an inexplicable feeling of bright hope welled up. As I received Johrei, I became able to hear clearly what people were saying, my headache stopped, and on the second day I was able to go by myself to the toilet. Everyone was surprised, although it is regrettable that at that time all that was eliminated was saliva. I was told if I wanted to express something, to write it down and was given a pencil and paper but I could not write even a single letter. In such a pitiful state, Mrs. Asano and Rev. Mizokuchi took turns channeling Johrei and telling me various aspects about the path. Later, on March eleventh, my husband attended the regular service of the branch church and received his sacred focal point.
     How marvelous! From that day I was able to do housework and bit by bit I was able to speak again. My prayers were fulfilled. I was very thankful. It just seemed too good for me. The doctor told me, “Your illness is peculiar. Medical science has nothing on it.” I thoroughly learned that even though I was the one involved, my sickness was not the doings of human beings at all. After that, I took the introductory course and although for a while I had trouble passing food through my throat, I am now able to eat. We dedicated a Kannon screen in our family altar and everyday we receive blessings. April last year my second son had purification of an inflamed mouth and although we did worry about it, we depended on Meishu-sama, and as we gave our son Johrei, he had completely recovered within a month. We are only choked with tears of gratitude for all the blessings we receive in spite of the many sins and impurities our family has.
     I still have much to learn and from now on I intend to repay even if only by a thousandth the blessings I have received. A person as unlearned as myself is not able to express thoughts well in speech or through the brush. All I can say is, “Meishu-sama, thank you very much.” I also want to express my gratitude to Rev. Mizokuchi and Mrs. Asano who, trudging through the snow with a small child on her back, visited my home many times to channel Johrei to me.

Eikô, Issue 194, February 4, 1953
 translation by cynndd