Two life-shaping experiences
One day, after a certain occurrence at age 10, I was struck by the thought, “Why are there poor people in this world? There is definitely something wrong with this world.” Then, at age 14, I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Atomic Bomb Memorial) during a school field trip. The entire time while I looked at the many exhibits, I could not stop my body from shuddering. It was not from fear or anger, but simply from the strong feeling, “Humans are so foolish. There is definitely something wrong with this kind of world.”
The memory of these two life-shaping experiences continued to reside deep in my heart. Then, at age 22, I learned of the booklet, “With Everyone, Raise an Ideal for the Country” [“Minna de Kuni no Riso o”] by Shigemasa Wada, who originally made this proposal. After reading this booklet, I had a firm conviction, “This is the certain path where people will become happy and every country and the world will be saved.” I had found the answer to the questions that I had from childhood. I was truly moved from the depths of my heart.
In addition, I felt that my life mission was to convey this idea to the people all over the world. The fruit of 40 years of contemplation and actual practice was the book, “A Country’s Ideal and the Constitution—‘The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment’” (in Japanese) [“Kuni no Riso to Kenpo—‘Kokusai Kankyo Heiwa Kokka e no Michi’”] and the English translation, “Beyond National Egoism— The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment”.
Through an Infinite Relay of Life
In the 14 billion year history of the universe, the first primitive single-celled organisms appeared on the earth 3.5 billion years ago, and the evolution of living organisms began from here. Since then, evolution has continued and the various plants and animals emerged. Three million years ago, apes, or the first humans, appeared and the history of human evolution began. Then, 40,000 years ago, humans in our present form were born, and we arrive at the present-day humans, ourselves, of today.
From the first living organisms that emerged 3.5 billion years ago to each of us of living today, “life” has been passed on like a baton in a relay from one generation to the next. One can say this passing of the baton has occurred virtually an infinite number of times. This means that if even one link in this “chain of life” had been broken, you and I would not exist in this world. From this fact, it can be said that the life of each person and all living beings are irreplaceable.
In addition, in this sense, each one of us, and all living beings on the earth are standing at the forefront of the history of living beings. It is often said, “Humans are the most superior in all of creation.” Does this mean that among animals, humans are the most outstanding existences? Certainly, humans can make full use of a developed brain that other animals do not have, and humans have developed a shining technological civilization and material civilization. As a result, humans have overpowered other animals and are enjoying prosperity on this earth.
Are humans crazy apes?
However, at least since recorded history up until now, we humans have continued to massacre fellow humans on a large scale over and over again. In addition, we humans are discriminating against and abusing fellow humans. Furthermore, now, we put poison in our food and drinking water, pollute the air we breathe, and are destroying the world in which we live. In this kind of world, individually and as a society, many people bear a sense of insecurity and are suffering in life. There is definitely something wrong with this kind of world. With things as they are, it can hardly be said, “Humans are the most superior in all of creation.” Then, are humans “crazy apes”?
We can definitely bring to reality peace
Are humans originally such foolish and powerless existences? I do not think so. We humans have committed many mistakes and caused ourselves and others to suffer. However, with our power, we certainly ought to be able to correct the mistakes we have made. We humans can definitely attain not only our own happiness and peace in our hearts, but also resolve the many problems of society, and bring to reality world peace and the happiness of all humankind.
Perhaps the reasons why these have not been brought to reality until now are lack of interest, ignorance, and most of all, giving up. I am certain that if we firmly believe, “we can definitely bring this to reality,” and make clear the root cause of the mistaken ways, we definitely will be able to find the path to solving the problems. Isn’t that the point when we become existences that are worthy of the expression, “Humans are the most superior in all of creation”?
(If you have any comments regarding this blog, please send email to the address below.
Comments will not be released to the general public without consent.)
nomura@kuninoriso.jp
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Importance of Enlightenment
Transcript from a talk (Translated from Japanese)
Nothing is more important for us than “the importance of enlightenment.” This is because we ourselves are the ones who are living. What am I? What is this world in which I am living? Without truly knowing these, we are living only by our moods or thoughts.
Nothing is more foolish than not knowing truly about yourself, not knowing truly about life, and not living a true way of life, and it is a regrettable life. To grasp anew our true self and the true world, clearly and by experiencing (not with the head or intellect), is more important than all else. This is especially so in the present era in which our human society is rapidly headed toward a dead end.
Buddha became enlightened 2500 years ago. He keenly indicated that the source of all human suffering and chaos in society is ignorance, and that an absolute truth of existence is of being one and indivisible.
So, what is ignorance? Normally, we recognize, judge and think about things with our head (intellect). However, “thoughts” of our head are relative, separate things into “I” and “others,” and we mistakenly understand things as being separate existences.
Therefore, things we understand by our thoughts are only “false” things that we have interpreted in a way for our own convenience, and are not the “truth” as it is. Furthermore, the “self” we understand by “our relationship to others” through our thoughts is consequently merely the self that we have defined on our own, and is not the “true self” itself. By thoughts, we cannot grasp the true self and the absolute truth of existence of being one and indivisible.
In order to grasp the absolute truth of existence directly and not with the head, first, it is necessary to have a strong desire to attain this by experiencing, no matter what it takes. At the same time, it is vital to quiet down our thoughts of the head by proper meditation or “zazen” (sitting in silent meditation).
However, it is a fact that the wall of our thoughts is extremely thick and grasping the truth directly is very difficult. Speaking from experience, after running into a problem that cannot be solved with the head, struggling and struggling, and facing a complete dead end and desperate situation, suddenly, a consciousness beyond the head (thoughts) takes effect and you can grasp directly the absolute truth of existence of everything being one and indivisible.
The “Seminar of Life,” which I supervise, is based on this principle. So far, many participants have awakened to their true self and the true world in the short period of one week.
In any case, we must make this our top priority theme anew—
What am “I who exists” and not merely “I who lives daily life.”
(If you have any comments regarding this blog, please send email to the address below.
Comments will not be released to the general public without consent.)
nomura@kuninoriso.jp
Nothing is more important for us than “the importance of enlightenment.” This is because we ourselves are the ones who are living. What am I? What is this world in which I am living? Without truly knowing these, we are living only by our moods or thoughts.
Nothing is more foolish than not knowing truly about yourself, not knowing truly about life, and not living a true way of life, and it is a regrettable life. To grasp anew our true self and the true world, clearly and by experiencing (not with the head or intellect), is more important than all else. This is especially so in the present era in which our human society is rapidly headed toward a dead end.
Buddha became enlightened 2500 years ago. He keenly indicated that the source of all human suffering and chaos in society is ignorance, and that an absolute truth of existence is of being one and indivisible.
So, what is ignorance? Normally, we recognize, judge and think about things with our head (intellect). However, “thoughts” of our head are relative, separate things into “I” and “others,” and we mistakenly understand things as being separate existences.
Therefore, things we understand by our thoughts are only “false” things that we have interpreted in a way for our own convenience, and are not the “truth” as it is. Furthermore, the “self” we understand by “our relationship to others” through our thoughts is consequently merely the self that we have defined on our own, and is not the “true self” itself. By thoughts, we cannot grasp the true self and the absolute truth of existence of being one and indivisible.
In order to grasp the absolute truth of existence directly and not with the head, first, it is necessary to have a strong desire to attain this by experiencing, no matter what it takes. At the same time, it is vital to quiet down our thoughts of the head by proper meditation or “zazen” (sitting in silent meditation).
However, it is a fact that the wall of our thoughts is extremely thick and grasping the truth directly is very difficult. Speaking from experience, after running into a problem that cannot be solved with the head, struggling and struggling, and facing a complete dead end and desperate situation, suddenly, a consciousness beyond the head (thoughts) takes effect and you can grasp directly the absolute truth of existence of everything being one and indivisible.
The “Seminar of Life,” which I supervise, is based on this principle. So far, many participants have awakened to their true self and the true world in the short period of one week.
In any case, we must make this our top priority theme anew—
What am “I who exists” and not merely “I who lives daily life.”
(If you have any comments regarding this blog, please send email to the address below.
Comments will not be released to the general public without consent.)
nomura@kuninoriso.jp
Striving toward creating a nation in an exciting way
Transcript from a talk (Translated from Japanese)
Striving toward creating a nation in an exciting way—
Let us raise an ideal for Japan together
Modern-day Japan is facing a serious dead end in areas such as politics, the economy, education and social welfare. Further, globally, due to factors such as environmental destruction and wars, our human society is facing history’s worst crisis. In order to overcome this crisis from the root level, we need to create a completely different flow from the ones of the past. I feel that the key is in the present Constitution of Japan.
Including Japan, the main cause or culprit of this worst dead end of human society is conflicts of national egoism that says, “As long as it is in my country’s best interests.” These conflicts of national egoism cause wars, promote development of science and technology, promote competition among businesses, and create problems such as with the environment, poverty, and famine.
According to the Preamble of the present Constitution of Japan, Japan will make all out efforts to contribute to solving the many serious problems of the world by peaceful means. It proclaims strongly that this is how the country will secure its survival. This means Japan renounces national egoism by its own will unilaterally. In addition, Article 9 calls for renouncing all types of war including war for self-defense and abolishment of military.
I published the book, “Kuni no Riso to Kenpo” (“A Country’s Ideal and the Constitution”, original in Japanese and published in English as “Beyond National Egoism—The Road to an Nation for International Peace and the Environment” last year. In this book, I presented the following proposal:
In the midst of the dead end situation of the world, let us truly revive Japan. Further, in order to take initiative toward overcoming the critical situation of the world from the root level, let us more assertively bring to life the spirit of peace of the present Constitution of Japan, and let us raise a new ideal in Japan, ‘to aspire for a nation for international peace and the environment.’
In recent years, Japan has seen political turmoil and fallen into its worst ever recession. During this time, people have gotten the impression that the issue of revising the constitution has disappeared. However, considering that on May 18, 2010, the National Referendum law will come into force, it can be anticipated that before long, the movement to revise the constitution will become very active again. Now, especially since we are in this kind of period, we must think about this very seriously.
“Beyond National Egoism—The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment
Shohei Nomura
Mamizu Shuppan Publishing
Contents
I. The Constitutional Debate That Will Determine Japan's Future
Chapter 1 Can We Protect the Peace Without Military Force?
Chapter 2 Arguments for and against Constitutional Revision
II. Know the Present State of the Global Environment and Human Society
Chapter 1 Know the Present State of the Environmental Problems
Chapter 2 Population, Food Supply, Water, Energy, and Nuclear Power Problems
Chapter 3 Considering Conflicts and Wars of the 21st Century
III. How Can We Overcome This Crisis?
Chapter 1 What Is the Fundamental Cause of the Crisis Situation?
Chapter 2 Considering the Future of This Nation
Chapter 3 Overcoming National Egoism
Proposal for the Japanese People
─Everyone, Let Us Raise an Ideal for the Nation
─Now, What Should I Do?
Proposal─For the People All Over the World
(If you have any comments regarding this blog, please send email to the address below.
Comments will not be released to the general public without consent.)
nomura@kuninoriso.jp
Striving toward creating a nation in an exciting way—
Let us raise an ideal for Japan together
Modern-day Japan is facing a serious dead end in areas such as politics, the economy, education and social welfare. Further, globally, due to factors such as environmental destruction and wars, our human society is facing history’s worst crisis. In order to overcome this crisis from the root level, we need to create a completely different flow from the ones of the past. I feel that the key is in the present Constitution of Japan.
Including Japan, the main cause or culprit of this worst dead end of human society is conflicts of national egoism that says, “As long as it is in my country’s best interests.” These conflicts of national egoism cause wars, promote development of science and technology, promote competition among businesses, and create problems such as with the environment, poverty, and famine.
According to the Preamble of the present Constitution of Japan, Japan will make all out efforts to contribute to solving the many serious problems of the world by peaceful means. It proclaims strongly that this is how the country will secure its survival. This means Japan renounces national egoism by its own will unilaterally. In addition, Article 9 calls for renouncing all types of war including war for self-defense and abolishment of military.
I published the book, “Kuni no Riso to Kenpo” (“A Country’s Ideal and the Constitution”, original in Japanese and published in English as “Beyond National Egoism—The Road to an Nation for International Peace and the Environment” last year. In this book, I presented the following proposal:
In the midst of the dead end situation of the world, let us truly revive Japan. Further, in order to take initiative toward overcoming the critical situation of the world from the root level, let us more assertively bring to life the spirit of peace of the present Constitution of Japan, and let us raise a new ideal in Japan, ‘to aspire for a nation for international peace and the environment.’
In recent years, Japan has seen political turmoil and fallen into its worst ever recession. During this time, people have gotten the impression that the issue of revising the constitution has disappeared. However, considering that on May 18, 2010, the National Referendum law will come into force, it can be anticipated that before long, the movement to revise the constitution will become very active again. Now, especially since we are in this kind of period, we must think about this very seriously.
“Beyond National Egoism—The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment
Shohei Nomura
Mamizu Shuppan Publishing
Contents
I. The Constitutional Debate That Will Determine Japan's Future
Chapter 1 Can We Protect the Peace Without Military Force?
Chapter 2 Arguments for and against Constitutional Revision
II. Know the Present State of the Global Environment and Human Society
Chapter 1 Know the Present State of the Environmental Problems
Chapter 2 Population, Food Supply, Water, Energy, and Nuclear Power Problems
Chapter 3 Considering Conflicts and Wars of the 21st Century
III. How Can We Overcome This Crisis?
Chapter 1 What Is the Fundamental Cause of the Crisis Situation?
Chapter 2 Considering the Future of This Nation
Chapter 3 Overcoming National Egoism
Proposal for the Japanese People
─Everyone, Let Us Raise an Ideal for the Nation
─Now, What Should I Do?
Proposal─For the People All Over the World
(If you have any comments regarding this blog, please send email to the address below.
Comments will not be released to the general public without consent.)
nomura@kuninoriso.jp
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