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Reproduced
from'http://www.shorinjikempo.or.jp/wsko/kaiso/index.html'.
Compiled by R. Codling.
Kaiso's Philosophy
"The person, the person, the person. Everything depends on the
quality of the person." So Doshin.
Our founder, So Doshin, saw that "given that everything is
conducted by people, thenthere is no other way to achieving real
peace than to make as many individuals aspossible with strong
senses of charity, courage, and justice," and so he created
ShorinjiKempo. The purpose in this was not to make strong people or
people with greattechnique, but to work through the practice of
Shorinji Kempo and through people's workto acquire healthy bodies,
indomitable courage, and well-rounded character in order tomake
individuals capable of leading happy lives. At the same time the
purpose is tonourish in them the courage and enthusiasm that will
allow them to act aggressively toachieve a peacefully and
prosperously ideal society, and to raise people well endowedwith
good judgment and a sense of justice who will serve as true
leaders.
While Kaiso was still alive, he made use of a broad spectrum of
opportunities to explainto kenshi how human beings should live
based on his personal experiences.
The self is the first thing, but not everything
My Father was a kendo instructor at the end of the Meiji period.
While I was still a bratkid I was put under instruction without
ever being asked wither I wanted to or not."Imagine I'm your
father's worst enemy and come at me." "If you don't like it, come
andget me." With phrases like that I had my lessons pounded into
me. I also did judo. I did alot of things, but in all of them
anyone besides oneself was an enemy. Japanese whoreceive no other
education could never be expected to consider the happiness of
others."Half for one's own happiness and half for the happiness of
others," the greatest guidelineof Shorinji Kempo; this philosophy
was not born in Japan. It is not a product of Japaneseeducation. It
is my own saying.
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A great authority on religion who was a university professor
once said to me, "Sensei,you're a good man and a great man, but
there is one thing about you that bothers me.""What bothers you?" I
asked. "The phrase 'Half for one's own happiness.' Don't you
thinkthat putting oneself forward is a strange thing for a
religious man, and a strange thing foran educated?" he replied.
"Ignoring oneself and doing everything for the good of theworld,
the good of others'. That kind of saying sounds better. Teaching
self concern is tototally out of line," he added.
I don't agree. People who do not treat themselves as important
are strange, one's selfcomes first. But oneself is not everything.
There are others. One should give half of one'sconsideration to
others. If people would hope and seek for the happiness of others,
warswould not merely cease at ones, but there would never even be a
thought of one arising.Not to mention that disputes between
husbands and wives and between friends andcolleagues would
cease.
The martial arts are not the way to create this. One cannot
learn it merely by training thebody. This is the lesson that, when
I went to the Shaolin Temple in China, I was not somuch taught as I
was inspired to understand by the mural on the temple wall when
Ilooked at it. (Lecture at Kagami Biraki Ceremony in 1980)
Become a person upon whom others rely
Shorinji Kempo's symbol, the manji, is a shape to represent the
harmony of heaven andearth, yin and yang, and vertical connections
and horizontal connections. As our symbolstands for these things,
our relations with others are not merely vertical. There are
thoseabove, oneself in the middle, and those below. With horizontal
relations too, havingoneself in the middle and others on both sides
is good. As those relations spread outward,connections go out
infinitely in both directions.
People try to set their sights only up or only down and thus end
up rejecting all manner ofthings. While great grandson try to live
their own lives, great grandfathers try to makethem do just as they
are told, but it's not possible. Even one's own child never really
doesas they're told. Gathering together the children of others and
after only one half to threeyears of teaching Shorinji Kempo
expecting them to do as you say - that is asking a bitmuch.
Even I have never asked such a thing from all of you. You
happened to find yourselves in
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agreement with my policies and have come along with me, which is
fine, but if I were toorder you when to turn left, and when to turn
right, that would not be good. ShorinjiKempo leaders need to have
the same way of thinking. What is wanted is not people whowill do
as they are told, rather raising people who will listen to others
is what we seek.It's a matter of becoming a person who people want
to listen to. (October 1969, from howa ata leader's study
session)
The construction of the dojo is proceeding smoothly toward
completion. You know, justto make something like this, you need to
know how to deal with people, and that meansknowing where to find
the tsubo (pressure point) to help you have the job done. Just
alittle while ago they were putting in the foundation posts, but
the building is on amountain. So is things aren't done just right,
the posts get out of place and break.Unsupervised crews will just
go on to the next post and leave the broken one as is. Butthe
construction boss on site practices Shorinji Kempo. So he said,
"You're going to builda dojo, aren't you? I'll take care of it."
And when a post broke we got a second one putdown beside it. I
never asked him to do that for me, but even without my asking
hewanted to help out. Those irrational personal feelings like
wanting to do something forsomeone helps you out; those feelings
carry a lot of weight.
I can tell you all with pride that although we have put a lot
into the work here, we havenever forced things. Everyone gave of
themselves, and as we were all enjoying the workwe managed to build
something. What do you think of building something like thisaround
yourselves? If you do you'll find that your life can really change.
At the very least,don't you think you should try to become a person
for whom your family, your parents,brothers and sisters will think,
"I'd really like to do something for him" Wouldn't you liketo be a
person who they trust? (October 1969, from howa at Hombu Busen)
Human beings cannot exist alone
In human society, everything accomplished is done by people,
planned by people, andoversees by people. What this means is that
the outcome of human events depends on theway the people who do the
work out the feelings and beliefs of their hearts. Striving
tochange the hearts of people is the great distinguishing
characteristics of the Kongo Zenmovement. Ask yourself if this
doesn't ring true. The presence of one good son, forexample, can
change a whole family for the better. But if, instead, a sullen
criminal ispart of the family, all the members suffer for it. Real
instances of this probably happenaround all of you every day. They
are examples of just how important a single good
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person can be. (Lecture in 1966)
As for ourselves, perhaps the first thing each of us should try
to do is to become thatexcellent person, and to spread that good
influence to the people around us. This is theteaching of Kongo
Zen. By retraining the body and mind, people become capable
ofrespecting people. This simple, clear seeking of mutual good
fortune and happiness is amovement, and the movement is
accomplished through habitual training of the body andmind. It is
expressed by action in our everyday activities. And these actions
become theroots from which such a world can grow. (Lecture in
1966)
In China, I was taught the meaning of the world "people." The
character for people ismade of two things each holding up the
other. It is because they hold up each other thatthey mean
"people." People cannot exist alone. Each held up by the other,
growingthrough that support; such is the true nature of human
beings.
Love. In Buddhism the word is compassion but whichever word you
use, it is the heart ofhuman life. I do not believe that true
happiness can be found in the struggle of doing inothers or being
done in by them.The most important thing which people must do is
not to kill each other. To make theworld a better place, we must
join together and use our wisdom; to increase the numberof people
who see their own happiness but also seek the happiness of others
is the onlyway to such a world. This I have discovered from
experience. "Shorinji Kempo is not amere sport or martial art."
This is an important point. The reason why is that in sports,
ultimately winning isessential. And winning means doing in the
other side. The opponent can even be a teammate, older or younger,
but in the end getting passed up is losing and so all of
one'sthoughts turn to bringing down the opponent. That's why even a
country with great sportis not good enough. And a country where the
martial arts and things like methods ofbattle techniques flourish
is not what we seek. The reason why is that the human heartcannot
be overcome by force alone. It is impossible to bring the heart
into line onlythrough force. Furthermore we live in a different
age. It is the end of the 20th century. Inthis day and age I don't
think we need martial arts or sports anymore. (Lecture in
August1969)
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Make a Friendship You'd Help and You'd Be Helped.
I have no intention of encouraging fights, but you need to have
enough courage to get in afight. You need the power to act. If,
moreover, you ignore the sufferings of others, thenyou are in real
trouble.
In relations among people the most important thing is to know
people who will renderhelp when you need it and people who you
would help when they need it. I'm sure youwill agree that it's
important to want to help. To say, "help me!" when you have
aproblem and then ignore your friend's problem when the time comes,
that's notfriendship. For one person cannot make a friendship.
People who will cover for otherswhen there's a problem; Japan's
problem is that we have too many people who can't dothat. (At the
Instructors Seminar, October 1969)
Words Alone are Not Enough
The other day in the paper there was a story about a child who
drowned. The child whowas playing with him ran out into the street
and raising his hands begged for help. It wasout of the question
for the drivers to knock him off the road so thy stopped for him,
butnot a single person would help and save his friend. Stories like
this fill the papers everyday! On the train going to work someone
will be acting up, but everyone pretends not tosee.
"It's not my problem." "If I get involved, there'll be trouble."
With this kind of thinking,there's not even a chance that the world
will improve. Just by saying, "Oh, that poorchild," or, "How can
they do such a bad thing?" nothing is solved. Words alone are
notenough, but perhaps trying to do something is what's needed. (At
the Instructors Seminar,October 1969)
It's Not About Loss and Profit.
When I see each of you in your dogi, you all look splendid. When
I have you do yourtechniques, you're quite skilled. However, the
most vital part of your training, groupcohesion, is missing. Making
excuses and covering up with the words "self-development," or,
"doing my own things by myself," there is a strange group growing
upamong you who ignore the sufferings of others I think this is a
problem.
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To make the world perhaps even just a little bit better, even at
some sacrifice to myself Istarted the Kongo Zen movement to raise
people with the ability to act effectively whowould take up the
struggle for the same goal. You should all read the first page of
theShorinji Kempo Kyohan once more. From what motivations the Kongo
Zen movementwas begun, and to what purpose we pursue it are all
written down there? Through myexperiences in war, I discovered a
way to approach life as a human being. To this way ofliving I have
dedicated my life. It's not about loss and profit. (At the
Instructors Seminar,October 1969)
Beliefs Without Actions are Meaningless
We are not training in Shorinji Kempo in order to become martial
arts instructors. It isessential that we be aware that we are
seeking to make a more pleasing world throughawareness of ourselves
as fellow human begins and through our mutual assistance.
Buddhism is originally a teaching of human mutual esteem. To
respect another requiresthat one first respect oneself. The
characters with which "person" can be written inBuddhist philosophy
mean "spirit" and "stopping." To put it into religious terms,
thatmeans that, if anything, people are spirits who contain in
themselves a portion of theDharma --- and I believe it is only when
one awakens to this fact that one is capable ofrespecting oneself.
The great change in my outlook on life came because I
trulyunderstood the meaning of this.
Each one of us is a splendid person holding a portion of the
Dharma. That means that ifwe put in our effort, we can become
capable of doing anything. We can go to the moon,and we can dive to
the bottom of the ocean. We can make ourselves happy, and we
canmake others happy. To understand this is to discover yourself.
If you understand this,now go and bring your understanding to life;
become a person who works for others, forsociety, and for the whole
world. (At Instructors Seminar, October 1969)
Though many say, "I strive to conquer myself," just what is it
that they are doing? Asingle example would be fine, but are you
making the effort to hold out against anyspecific one of your
desires? What we are practicing here is to act upon what we think
-the unity of mind and body, the oneness of action and ideas.
Giving ourselves for the task of building the best possible
world is not based only uponthoughts but on turning them to action.
Why not try acting on your thoughts? Beliefs
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without action are meaningless. Good things, we do. Bad things,
we stop doing. LatelyI've heard people saying that Shorinji Kempo
has ideals but doesn't do anything. If yourown house or school or
company is in trouble, its no good just to keep quiet and watchhow
things turn out. If revolution can be called giving yourself for a
cause, preventingproblems is also giving yourself for a cause.
Before you concern yourself with whetherit's to your advantage or
not, why not try doing something about the problem.
The person who is trusted by others is the person who can commit
himself. Anyone whohas to think of the costs and benefits is not
worth trusting. When you act and go beyondthe realm of costs and
benefits, you will find the strength of others. Rather than
worryingabout unfairness and your own displeasure, why not think
about how to overcome theproblems? (At Instructors Seminar, October
1969)
Not Doing It is the Same as Not Thinking It
It's all right to get in a fight once in a while. If a boy
doesn't have enough spirit to get intoa little fisticuffs, he won't
do very well. People may be trying to look good when theysay; "I
don't fight," but really, it just reveals their flaws.
When I was a boy, I was always getting into fights. Once, I got
into a fight, and I had twoopponents. As I was throwing one boy, I
was suddenly whacked on the head by the otherwith his geta (wooden
shoe) and I blacked out. People thought I had lost; but I hadn't
lost.I just happened to have blacked out. So when I got up, I said,
"fine" and, taking up apiece of kindling, I went off to lay in wait
for each one of them and beat them. Then eachone of them cried out,
"Help!" So, I was the one who won.
Now, I'm not encouraging you all to go out and get into fights.
There's no need for you towin over someone, but it's no good for
you to lose. Even if you lose once, don't think thatyou have lost.
At the last you have only yourself to depend on. You see, just
because youlost once, it's no good if you just slink away from
something.
One can talk about all kinds of theories. "People who get into
fights are fools." "Violenceis wrong." Theoretically, that's the
way it is; but some people don't understand you whenyou tell them
the theory. If your little brothers or sisters are bullied to tears
by some otherkid, tell the other kid, "Stop it!" and putting your
brother or sister behind you, tell him,"If you want to hit someone,
try hitting me." Try it sometime! When you think you are inthe
right, stand up for it even if you have to risk yourself
physically. I think that's the kind
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of people we want to become.
Even when you think something from the heart, not doing it is
the same as not thinking it.
For example, when you all get up in the morning and see your
father and mother, do youtell them, "good morning, father," and
"good morning, mother"? I'm not talking abouttrying to get on their
good sides. It's just something that everyone should do. The
realityis that the number of people who can't do the things that
they should is increasing; sorecently Japan has fallen into a bad
state.
Japanese today are probably the worst in that way. When it comes
to just dropping trashwhile walking along, Japanese do it more than
any other people. If you think somethingis a bad thing, don't do
it! It's not a matter of being afraid of what people will say, but
ofacting so that people won't have any reason to criticize you.
Being able to act that way isthe quality most lacking in Japan
today.
We have an abundance of thins and clothes. We have plenty of
food. However, when itcomes to the most important thing, the spirit
I spoke of before, we don't have enough ofit. Even if you have a
thought in your hear, if you can't put it into action it's the same
asnever having the thought. If you know what to do and you still
don't, that is even worse.Are you with me? I think this is a
thought that we all want to put into action. (from a
1979sermon)
Why We Could Fill the Budokan Hall
I know you were all surprised (at the turnout) today. Actually,
one of the martial artsstyles recently held a world tournament
here. However, they only half filled the building,and most of them
went home partway through the event. When others are acting
thatway, why is it that so many people gather together for Shorinji
Kempo? Not only havewe filled the building, but we've filled the
area outside the entrance with people waitingfor a chance to get
in. Still none of us are going home; why? The staff here say
they'venever seen the like of it.
The reason why is that we didn't come here to see who is
stronger or weaker, right? Rightfrom the start, we are different.
To say, "We seek a way," may sound exaggerated oroverdone, but the
reason you are all staying to the end is that when you do
ShorinjiKempo you're seeking for something. Having joined, you
began to understand things, and
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with Kancho (the Head Priest) coming, you though it would be a
good chance to see himand hear him talk once before going home.
In most cases, events cannot be held unless money is contributed
from outside. Thisapplies to more than just martial arts
organizations. Nevertheless, this 30th AnniversaryTaikai was made
possible based solely on your contributions and assistance. It's
awonderful achievement, isn't it? As a religion believing in
self-sufficiency, this has beena perfect demonstration of the true
value of our creed.
Moreover, this is the first time in the history of the Budokan
Hall that this many peoplehave gathered here... Of course, the
times the Beatles and the like have come here arespecial cases. At
other events, they have never filled the hall up to the third and
fourthfloors. With only our own efforts, we have made an impressive
accomplishment. Oncemore, I would like to take this opportunity to
truly rejoice with you all that we did itwithout outside assistance
from anyone.
We can really be confident now, can't we? You can all be
confident in your localcommunities, in your branches, and in your
schools. This is proof that when all put intheir efforts together
and each helps the other, then something will come of our
efforts.Those with money give money, and those without money strive
to give something evenunto their own labor. Shorinji Kempo is
succeeding at keeping alive the good side of theChinese secret
societies and Japan's traditional han, kumi, and neighborhood
groupsystems. This is not restricted merely to good times; when
something goes wrong weshould all stand up for one another and each
should help out the other. I hope you all willgrow into this spirit
of self-reliance and this ability to achieve things, and take it
into yourhomes and your workplaces and your schools, and there join
together to strive forsomething in order to make Japan a better
country.
I entreat all of you to take this as a turning point from which
to be always helping oneanother in the way you lead your lives. We
want to build, with our own hands, lives ofpeace and abundance, and
so that we might not go to war again, I think Shorinji Kempomust be
more and more active. (1977, from the Shorinji Kempo 30th
Anniversary Taikaisermon)
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The Meaning of Our Training
I know I've said this again and again, but in the age of nuclear
explosions, automaticrifles, and napalm bombs such as America has
been using in Vietnam in this ageoverflowing with weapons of mass
destruction -- the idea of someone brandishing hisfists and saying,
"Come on, take me if you can!" is ridiculous!
Even if someone trained his body so that he could beat a person
or kill an animal with hisbare hands, no one would think that made
him a great man.
Still, I hear things like: "My leg rises 5 centimeters higher
than that guy's leg," "I canbreak ten roof tiles with my fist," or
"tanomou, osu" and I just want to say, "Don't makeme laugh."
Although we act as if we understand the error, it is not only
others but someof us as well who just don't get it.It is my own
opinion that when you're talking about a contest, here has to be a
finish to it.Even after you've knocked someone over once or twice,
that doesn't mean the struggle isover. If you've devoted three
years to training your body as a weapon, and then you findthat you
want to kill someone for some purpose, the best method is just to
do it with aquick shot from a gun. That is why weapons developed.
Nevertheless, there are stillplenty of people who, mistaking the
meaning of Shorinji Kempo's training, persist inacting like fools.
(April 1968, from a sermon at the college training camps)
Shorinji Kempo is different from Japan's traditional martial
ways and it ought to bevaluable in its unique way of cultivating
the spirit. Of course, the spirit can be cultivatedthrough zazen or
mountain climbing, and it is possible to give the name of
cultivation tochanting while dumping water over one's head. All
martial ways say that they cultivatethe spirit. There is, of
course, a certain amount that can be accomplished throughattention
to sheer guts or a fighting spirit. But when it comes to what
society needs, to themore fundamental and vital things, what kind
of spiritual training is it that we're talkingabout?
When we call someone a person of character, we mean something
more than just ascholar, a brave man, or someone who can endure any
hardship, suffering, or poverty.Training oneself to endurance is
one strong point, but that alone is too passive and wouldnot be
active. A person of character knows how to move others and knows
how to presenthis own thoughts. In short, the person who, as we
say, acts "half for yourself, and half forothers --" the person who
can do this may be said to have succeeded at self-cultivation.
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Look at the wall paining from the Shaolin Temple in China. Pairs
are enjoyingthemselves, throwing and kicking with happy faces, each
enjoying their varioustechniques. Our way of living in which no one
is trying to beat another is summed up inthat scene. (April 1968,
from a sermon at the college training camps)
Return to the Beginning
There are 100 million people in Japan. There are dozens of
martial arts schools classifiedas budo, and hundreds of religions.
Amidst all these, you have chosen Shorinji Kempoand have found
something to live for. Perhaps what made you continue doing it down
totoday was the workings of fate, the people you've met, and
something that worked itsway into your heart. The most important
thing is the heart to heart communication, thecoming together of
our hearts as one. We have to share the same goals.
We want to make Japan better. For that to happen fellow Japanese
have to help each othermore. Right after the end of the war, when
young Japanese had neither confidence norhopes for themselves, I
preached the equality of all human beings as portions of thedharma,
encouraging people to realize this and take pride in it. That was
my heart's desirewhen I began Shorinji Kempo. We've had our share
of problems till now; Someinstructors seem to think, "If I do
Shorinji Kempo, I'll get some students. Money willcome in. Everyone
will make me look good as a teacher. That's why I'll do
ShorinjiKempo." This kind of fake leader has begun to come up in
Shorinji Kempo too.
That is why last year I raised up my voice and said to you all:
return to the beginning!
I am returning us to the form we had when I began Shorinji
Kempo.
If you are wondering what that time was like, it was a time when
fellow Japanese had losttheir self-confidence and they were
bullying, stealing from, and disparaging one another.I wanted to
break them free of this condition and make it possible for fellow
Japanese toget along with each other as friends. If I had taught in
the normal Japanese budo pattern,where teacher and fellow students
are enemies and one recognizes no one but oneself, itwould have
done no good. Realizing that something different was required, I
decided toteach the physical art which had been handed down as a
discipline (gyo) in China'sShoalin Temple.
Despite my having taught consistently in this way, people come
up who use their students
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and feed off of them. As Shorinji Kempo grows, cancerous growths
have arisen within itas well. That is why I changed policy last
year - so that troublesome branches will bestraightened out and
branch masters might be cut away. My stance is to treat them
likeenemies and destroy their positions.
Shorinji Kempo which I began as just myself here in the town of
Tadotsu, has spread tillnow the organization extends from Hokkaido
to Kyushu, and to 12 countries overseas.Even if I tried to stop it,
it would be impossible. It's growing all on its own. It does
notfellow, however, that I should just leave it to itself. I manage
it, leadership, and placecertain kinds of restrictions on it. The
time has come for me to do all these things andeven to be prepared
to give occasional assistance. That is why I have issued this
changeof direction. (1973 All Japan Instructors Seminar)
Basics for Teaching Children
One of Shorinji Kempo's greatest points of pride is our success
at educating countryyouth. Of course it is a good thing when
someone important joins. However, before wereached that point,
first we had our youth members. It is essential for us to realize
thatthis is the starting point from which today's Shorinji Kempo
was born.
For the basics of instruction in the youth branches, the first
thing I want to say to you isthis: forget your background; forget
the university you graduated from. Take yourselfback to what you
were like at one, always inexperienced. Your instructional approach
ofyouth groups will change depending on how aware you are of what
you were like as a 3rdKyu Kenshi and what you were like as a
child.Don't think of yourself as someone important, but go back to
what you were as a child,and join in together with them. My success
is based entirely on doing just that. At thelowest level, students
are just enjoying themselves doing the same things over and over
inplay together with you, and one day they notice that they've
reached a new level... If youjust get rid of the thought that
you're some important adult, or that you're a teacher, Ibelieve
that you can do it. It's a simple thing that's also difficult, but
I want you all to beardown and stick with it.
In the posture of our leaders, we are beginning to see people
who have forgotten thestarting point of Shorinji Kempo, and who are
starting to think that doing Shorinji Kempois their job. When
people look at it that way, it's no longer educating youth or
anythinglike that. This is a fundamental mistake. Especially, like
all of you, when you are teaching
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children. They are pure; so they will be looking to what their
teacher does.
I won't order you to act against your won interests, but if you
can at least think that youare doing it as a hobby, I would be
grateful. Hobbies cost money, and they can be a lot oftrouble. Yet
they are fun. The question is whether you are willing to do it on
those terms.
Because their bodies are small, of course there are things that
they can't do - it's fine ifthey can't. Still, they can understand
things. When they get bigger, then that will beuseful. Whether they
understand or not, you explain it to them through words, and
havethem learn it through their bodies. If you repeat it every day,
it will get through to them. Iknow this from experience. When you
think that you can't do much with them becausethey're kids, or that
you're better because you're an adult, then you're putting them
downbecause they're kids. I think that is a big mistake.
Children understand things in their own way, and maybe try take
things in an even purerway. Trying to make children understand
things when you don't even try to understandthem is the wrong way
to do things. The problem is on the side of the adult who
doesn'ttry to understand children. (From the 1978 Youth Training
Seminar sermon)
Real Instructors Ought to Teach Their Students by Themselves
The universal desire to become stronger, or at least to not be
made a fool of by others, isnot part of your reason but of your
instinctive feelings. Shorinji Kempo is the highestform of self
defense, and contains within it something not found in other
martial arts. It isset up so that anyone who tries it can do it.
All of you who are listening now were firstattracted to this
quality, and then you kept on going.
The basic curriculum is the way that we meet that desire to
become stronger. If youpractice in accordance with the Curriculum,
you should be able to achieve at leastShodan. Once you are a
Shodan, the path to making 2nd Dan is already opened up beforeyou.
It's the same as school, where you can't go to college without
first graduating fromhigh school. One day you look up and it has
been three years, or ten years. hasn't thatbeen your
experience?
To instruct people so that their desires are fulfilled, and to
have them discover forthemselves what real strength is through a
process of discipline - that will get yourstudents enthusiastic.
This kind of education can only be taught through your direct,
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hands-on involvement.
Leaving it up to your [senior] students is not good enough.
After you return home fromthis seminar, you who are in charge of
your own training halls ought to train your newpeople at least to
the stage of 3rd Kyu.
It is in that kind of environment that real affection - perhaps
it is better called love -between students and instructors will put
down roots for growth. The bond is the result offace to face
interaction, actually taking them by the hand and teaching them.
Perhapsyour lack of that sort of interaction has made a barrier
between you and your students.They may even have come to hate and
disparage you.
The excellence within Shorinji Kempo is entirely a product of
the way in which we buildup our own trust in others and get our
partners to feel that same trust in us. We train at alevel slightly
above the student's; for a 3rd Kyu partner, we give them opposition
at 2ndor 1st Kyu skill level. This is what I have been doing all
along. I have been called agenius. I don't have any need to kick
around with all these country kinds. Isn't it preciselybecause I
have done so, however, that Shorinji Kempo has continued its
existence forthese last 30 years?
Traditionally, teachers of martial art in Japan set themselves
up on high, emphasizinghow strong they are, how important they are,
and what a difference there is betweenthemselves and their
students. If their students catch up to them, their positions would
beendangered; and that is why they set themselves up as if they
were in an unreachableposition.
there are fools who will have problems arise with their students
and then complain in acorner that they were betrayed, but before
they start complaining, I think they ought toexamine just what
their part was in the problem. (August 1979, All Japan Instructors
Seminar)
Knowing someone can be the turning point of your life
Today is a regular training camp; so there are probably some of
you here at the best ofyour seniors, who came because you just
couldn't get out of it. Despite any suchcircumstances, however, you
have paid a good sum of money to come all the way downhere to
Shikoku. Such being the facts, think of it as part of your personal
fate to be here.Or perhaps mere chance or something you had no
interest in can become the start of an
-
unexpected new encounter... Maybe it would be good for you to
think about things thisway, once in a while. No matter what else
the circumstances, you are using your preciousmoney and time to
come here for us. Given that, even if it's just for a few days, we
allwant to square off with each other in earnest.
Two or three days ago, one of my students came to call on me. He
came to tell me thatafter having arranged meetings with dozens of
women, he had finally found a marriagepartner. I smiled and said,
"That's quite an accomplishment," but his face was serious.
He quoted, "When you meet someone and start to spend time with
them, if there isn'tsome kind of vital element that just clicks,
then that most vital part of the relationshipcannot last between
you," then said, "I was struck by those words of yours, and so I
haveyour influence to thank for this marriage." No matter how much
he was influenced byme, his having dozens of potential marriage
partners was a surprise. Nonetheless, thechances that bind people
together are truly a matter of deep mystery.
As I said before, there are times when the acquaintance of only
a few hours can be arelationship that will change your entire life.
On the other hand, from the time we are firstaware of our
surrounding, daily we meet many people, teachers, friends, and
colleagues,without anything ever growing out of it. you may be
thinking, "yes, I have known peoplelike that," but find that you
can't remember their names or even their faces. In the end, itis as
if you passed them by without ever stopping to meet. Really, that
kind ofacquaintance is far more frequent, isn't it? But today,
here, it can be the former ratherthan the latter. I would like this
to be one of your "acquaintances with value."
Perhaps this is a bit exaggerated, but existence as a human
means never knowing whenyou are going to die. Moreover, when beings
mutually unsure of when they will diegather together on a certain
day, at a certain place, in pursuit of something, then shouldn'twe
try to make it significant? Precisely because we live our lives
without knowing whenwe will die, we should hold today and tomorrow
as precious and strive as hard as we canfor that something that we
know we love. So not just for the purposes of today, but alsoso
that you may live your lives thusly, I hope you will try to feel
the significance of thatmeeting of human being with human being. I
have often told you to live half for yourselfand half for others.
The reason is that in making my way through the harsh realities of
mydays, I believed that as long as I was alive, I ought to live to
the full, without regret. Andthat thought is one of the ways I
found to live thusly. (March 1972)
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Decide why you are going and where you are going
It's true for both apples and tangerines, but one always spoils
first. After that, they start torot beginning with those next to
the first one. It's like an infection, or like cancer. Whatyou all
have to do, is to not be that first rotten apple or tangerine! And
the reason is notbecause doing so will make you money, or give you
prestige; that kind of thinking isalready rotten from the core.
This path I am commending to you is one that I have takenand
experienced. Returned home after the war with nothing, I worked and
built a dojo,then bought the equipment for it. I didn't have tens
of students come to me from thebeginning. I began with one or two;
the first several years were an investment. To put itin an extreme
way, you take a loss from teaching. Yet it's not a loss. I found
pleasure indoing it. That's why I could do it with all may heart.
If I had thought to slack off becausethere were only a few people,
that would have created something different from what wasactually
created.
I have been using the phrase, "return to the origin," and you
should all be completelyclear by now about the motivation I had for
starting Shorinji Kempo. Rebuildingyourself, you rebuild society.
You also become happy, but it is fulfilled by our wantingothers to
be happy. To do so, someone has to open a path: Shorinji Kempo
started as anattempt to make people who would open the path, or in
a word, leaders. I have no desireto assemble a bunch of small fry.
I've said this from the beginning. So it's the same for allof you.
If you think this is something just for your benefit, or for your
profit, you're deadwrong.
Things are better for me, but I want to make them better for
others. For that purpose, Ineed a large vehicle. Having five on
board is better than one, and I expect that having ahundred is
better than five. To steer such a large craft, then a lot of other
conditions haveto be met. You can't jump to that point right from
the start, so you just make sure youguide people and put in the
effort required to go forward. Having an answer to sometheoretical
question of whether you can or can't doesn't matter! I have come
this farthinking in this way.
When someone walks 10,000 steps, he can walk in circles or walk
toward Tokyo. Whyam I going, and where? These must be decided
clearly at the outset. At this point all ofyou have a good idea of
your direction right? Yet, when you come along someplacewhere the
road is under repair or it's broken down, you scoot off to the
side. Do you seewhat I'm saying? The initial goal was clear, but
there is a danger of it changing along theway. Ultimately we need
to maintain our beginners' hearts. We need to reflect over and
-
over again on why we have done things. (February 1975 Branch
Establishment Seminar)
Half for one's own happiness, and half for the happiness of
others
"As Japanese, we resolve to love our native country of Japan"
(the original version of theShinjo (creed) was written specifically
for Japan) rolls off the tongue easily when sayingthe creed, but
above all else, the starting point you should take for really
thinking aboutloving your native country is one of how you should
be as a human being. I think the daywill arrive when all of you
will come to understand this, but when it comes to the thingthat is
the most important in the world, that thing is individual people,
isn't it? To bring itclose to home, it's about whether or not your
family and friends can live in happiness,right? Some of you will
boldly say, no it's ideas, or country, society, or a spirit of
earnestloyalty to one's company. But for me, the things for the
purpose of "a single humanbeing" come first, and putting first
ideology, systems of thought, and other things that donot treat
human beings as valuable is out of the question; I think they are
mistaken.
When you think about the existence of human beings, the starting
point is one's own self,and it is only when you value yourself that
it all begins. In other words, when you cometo treat yourself as
valuable, for the first time you become able to respect other
people. "Idon't want to go through suffering, but who cares if it
happens to someone else." Aperson who can only feel things on this
level does not simply have a problem with others,but he will end
his own life without having been able to treat himself well. Am I
wrong?
It is partly because my father died when I was small and I
struggle together with mymother in taking care of my two little
sisters, but I grew up with a deep feeling ofwanting to help my
sisters and mother eat even if I couldn't eat anything. This is a
lovethat wants to give. I was only a child, so I couldn't earn any
money, and the most I coulddo was help my mother. In the end the
three of them died before long, so I actually wasn'table to do
anything for them. Yet, that desire to be considerate, to protect,
and in even thesmallest way to make some happy... isn't this a
feeling or thought that naturally arises andgoes out from the
hearts of people in every area and every country? Thus, even as
youregard yourself so do you regard others, and especially so when
the others are weakerthan yourself. Yet, even if it is only half
way, you can be considerate of others, andthroughout I always
valued this feeling that had budded in my youth. Moreover, it
wasprecisely because I always valued it that it became the
foundation of my later thinkingthat "half for one's own happiness,
and half for the happiness of others," and "when Isupport the life
in others, I too am brought to life." (August 1974, lecture at a
university
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students' camp)
Shorinji Kempo is not about selling techniques piece by
pieceIndonesia, America, France, and Singapore; for the past
several years Shorinji Kempohas been making a high tempo expansion
overseas. What this means is that in countrieswith different
languages, religions, and customs of living people - people with
differenthistories from ours and who live in different cultural
spheres - have begun to take interestin Shorinji Kempo. The result
of this, if I may paint the picture large, is that we aregradually
changing from a single Japanese organization into the world's
Shorinji Kempo,and our role is progressing as we shed our old
skin.
So, at this vital time, how are we Japanese doing? How well have
we understood ShorinjiKempo's campaign, the way we ought to be
according to the Creed? At best we couldprobably teach the
techniques, isn't that the level, the condition in which we
findourselves...?
The greatest reason that Shorinji Kempo has grown so large
certainly lies in themagnetism exerted by our unique system of
techniques. Yet if ever a gun was turned onyou, would you stand up
to it with bare fists? One burst and that would be the end of
it.When I say this I think some people get offended, abut aside
from certain limitedsituations unarmed combat skills are really
useless. In actual society, they are basicallyworthless.
Some gather a little from this school and a little from that,
then set up a new school andmake themselves founders of a school.
Selling certificates, they are concerned aboutmaking money. Again,
using the term "perfect execution," they wallow in their
ownsatisfaction in their narrow little worlds. It's impolite to say
so, but that kind of person iscommon among people who call
themselves martial artists. From the outset, however, Ihave always
stood against seeking a reputation through selling techniques piece
by piece.Moreover, when I reached the conclusion through my own
experiences that things weregoing terribly, I didn't just consider
it but I put my thoughts into action and startedShorinji Kempo.
Some fools are conceited enough to think that Japanese are
better than other peoples,more exalted. This thinking says that
even if it means death it is good to exhaust one'sloyalty in the
upward direction alone, toward country and emperor. This system
andeducation would not permit people to think of themselves living
as individual humanbeings. Groups could only coalesce vertically,
human relations could never grow
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horizontally and form groups. I want to change these old
patterns of Japan, of being aJapanese, even if it only makes a
small change. This is not only for Japanese; I also wantto make a
society in which the citizens of many countries can live together
in friendship.To that end, I have made our very selves the object
of human reconstruction. This isessential. (October 1973, lecture
at all Japan leadership special seminar)
If fighting is your goal, go somewhere elseIf your purpose in
coming to Shorinji Kempo is simply from a desire to learn
weaponlesscombat, then you shouldn't be here anyway. It's the
desire to gain an autonomous way ofliving, no matter what it takes
- people who think that way are welcome.
If everyone cared only about their own little happiness or
benefit, the world certainlywon't get any better, neither will it
improve. And if you simply will the destruction of anyway of
thinking or of living that differs, if you say, "suppress the
statements of anyone inthe way," then the world can only get worse.
It's neither of these extremes, but ratherbeing able to think of
the benefit of others at the same time as I think for myself,
beingable to think not simply of Japan but also of other countries
- that is the kind of humanbeing you want to be.
To that end, moreover, shouldn't we each change our individual
values. No mater howslow the speed, it goes on steadily. Though it
might seem impossible, we have only tokeep going. I have no
intention of changing this way of thinking, and I wish to
maintainmy autonomy for this purpose. Moreover, I wish for all of
you to gain this sameautonomy. (1973, lecture at University
camp)
In Shorinji Kempo, our natural way of greeting each other when
people meet begins fromthe gassho rei. Then you grab me, and I grab
you, and we each throw each other in turn.Amidst all this I want to
grow in skill, but I also heartily wish for you to get better
too,and so we each build up our progress.
Moreover, it is through such practice that we can maintain
awareness of the relationbetween self and other, awareness that
while the self exists the other outside of oneselfwho is different
in every way from the self exists also. This awareness of the
reality ofhuman society seems so thoroughly familiar and yet one
forgets it so quickly. What ismore, amidst the awareness of the
existence and relationship of self and other, onechanges oneself to
go beyond oneself and become capable of thinking at least half for
the
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feelings and happiness of others. That is the way we should be,
and if the encounter withShorinji Kempo should be a chance for such
a self reform then it is a good thing.
Thus the kind of scenes where one person suddenly knocks down a
partner and says,"Pretty impressive, huh? Do you give? Well then,
you follow me!" have no place in ourorganization. "I want to brag
about my physical power. I want to learn a way of alwayswinning
fights." If that alone is your goal, then Shorinji Kempo is not for
you, and Irecommend that you find another martial art. (1973,
lecture at leadership seminar)
If you act with all your energy, your life will change
This year I reached 69 years of age. My heart has been working
both day and night,without stopping, for 70 years. This is a
splendid thing.
It's already been ten years since this, but once while I was in
the air in a plane overSiberia, I had a heart attack and my pulse
stopped completely. I was dead. It so happenedthat there was a good
doctor on board with us, and he gave me first aid, and thus
hebreathed life back into me. But I've experienced that particular
half dead condition manytimes. Well, if I die then my life ends
there, but obviously I am living, so I have today,and I can stand
in front of you all.
The thing I wish to say here is that even when you are doing the
same thing, dependingon the way you do it you get completely
different effects. One day is one day. The waythat you live that
one day is the most important concern. For me, looking at a life
thatsomehow passes by and a life with a sense of something that
makes it worth strugglingfor with your all -- everything turns out
differently between the two. You all know what Imean in a vague and
verbal way, perhaps. But in the daily actions of your life, when
itcomes to whether or not you live by that thought in your everyday
actions, it seems to methat perhaps you don't. I am 69 now, and
yesterday, I felt that anew. In words, I haveknown it for a long
time now, but yesterday all anew, in a passion, I remembered
thevalue of being alive.
I have been 35 years since we lost the war, and so this year it
will be 33 years since Icame home to Japan and started Shorinji
Kempo. 33 years ago, I gave all my thinking toliving in earnest.
After losing in war I came home to burned out fields with nothing
leftstanding, alone, and I started Shorinji Kempo. Today, 33 years
later, multitudes of peoplehave joined in and felt the value of
living, taken pride, and found hope. This is a splendid
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thing.
Yet, the root of all this began with my beliefs and my actions,
all from a single person 33years ago. The greatest reason that this
has succeeded to the pint where it now circles theworld, is that I
really felt life's joy and pride in it, that I gave my life to it,
and that I madeserious and earnest efforts for it.
In comparison to me, you all are extremely young. Even if you
start today, even at yourage, I imagine you could each make out
about as well as me. For the rest of your lives, trytaking things
on the way I have! You should be able to. This - this is the
differencebetween casually doing something and really giving it
your all. (1980 from a sermon at theNewly Established Branch
Masters Study Session)
Meaningless without Action
When I was young, I was told this by a Chinese person: "Why do
you treat your life soshabbily? You are alive because you are
needed, and when your work is over, you die.That is the reality of
the universe. That being so, why not stop despising yourself, and
tryto live your life more vigorously?" This became the starting
point for my awareness ofmy own existence, and my life changed.
Some people are able to make their lives proceedjust as they plan.
What is the difference between those who can do this and those
whocan't? Essentially, it's a question of whether or not one can
plan one's life and put that intoaction. Was it chance that made
you decide to come to Hombu? Some of you probablycame because a
senior told you to, but making the decision and then acting on it
was doneby yourself, no? If that's so, then your life should also
be subject to change, shouldn't it?
That which can think and act is the self; the awareness of
respect for oneself begins formthere. I am alive. Think this way:
while I am alive, I am a necessary existence. Indeciding what to
do, you should start from there. If you do so, then you will be
capable ofself confidence.
I am not just saying this. I am speaking with a reserve of self
confidence, and that'sconvincing. You can do the same - follow my
example. If you just think it to yourself,that's no good. If you
don't express it in action, it's meaningless. When what is
expressedbecomes an internal presence, that is when you finally
have strength. (April 1968 from auniversity training camp
sermon)
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Just thinking something without acting, that is not worthy of
respect. It's no more thanempty wishes. One shouldn't be infatuated
with oneself, but actions taken withconfidence are important. I'm
an activist. When I say, "I'll do it!" I stop everything andit's
"You and you, let's go now." The thinking and the doing get going
virtually with thesame rapidity.
This is what I request from everyone. Many people think, "just a
minute" when it's timeto do something. However, I don't. When I
think it I do it, and I do it as hard as I canwithout worrying
about tomorrow.
One more thing, don't let an opportunity get way. Basically what
I'm saying is bedecisive. I have never gotten caught up in
thinking, "Should I do this or that?" I decidefor myself whether it
looks possible or not. Then I do all that I can, and afterwards I
don'tworry about it. As long as I take responsibility for what I've
said and done, there's noproblem. This is what I request both from
myself and from others.
Take a look at me.
My face looks like I don't have a care in the world. My beard is
gradually getting whiter.My daughter is still young, and so I would
like to live longer for her. Still, I could dietoday. The atom bomb
could drop tomorrow, and everything might be gone. If humanbeings
vanished from the face of the planet, there would be no Shorinji
Kempo. But, afterall, I still work my hardest. That is my way of
thinking. (August 1967 from and instructorsseminar sermon)
Try to think ten years ahead
The beginning of the first chapter in the Kyohan reads, "People
who can look ahead 100years into the future are looked on as crazy.
People who get stuck in the present get leftbehind. Those who see
ten years into the hence and act on it become successes."
Thesewords were stated by Ichizo Kobayashi, the founder of the
Hankyu Railroad. Twentyyears ago, immediately after the end of the
war, I returned to Japan at a time when no oneknew what would
become of the Japanese people. So when I saw the conditions in
JapanI thought that this would never do, that if I did not somehow
give some spine to theyoung Japan could end up in a terrible mess.
So for the sake of educating the young, Irounded up some young
people, despite getting laughed at, and just kept on saying
thingslike what I'm saying here. The high school students of those
days have already become
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respectable adults. That which created the basis of your
gathering here today is thechildren of those days who were good
enough to make my words their own, right? Wheynot try thinking ten
years ahead? Though it may be impossible now, why not hold thehope
that you can do it in ten years. Then, why not do it? Myself, at
your age I think Iwas a little worse than you all are now. I was an
utterly desperate lone wolf, and therewas nothing anyone could do
about it. The person is now doing and saying all kinds ofthings
like thin. So in your cases, you should achieve even better
results, if you simply doit with all your heart. (From a sermon in
1966)
Don't Give Up Until You Die
Apathetic People are on the increase. When some difficulty
rises, they just give in. It's thesame whether they lose in love or
their company collapses. Just a single misstep and it's,"I can't
take it anymore." Putting it nicely, they are naive. Putting it
harshly, they don'treally have any guts. They are lacking in my
spirit of wanting to trying to do somethingto the very last. Until
you're dead, you haven't lost. You can't give up until you're
dead."Don't think that you make yourself live. Think that you are
caused to live." When I wastold this it opened my eyes. No one is
ever born because they wanted to be born, andeven when you want to
die itf s quite difficult to be capable of dying. There are
evensome people like me who tried to commit suicide but didn't die.
I think, after all, that theidea that one can simply live at will
or die at will is mistaken. That is why I spent myyouth
volunteering for dangerous jobs ? I was waiting for Heaven to kill
me ? but thebullets kept dodging me, and I was saved. That is how I
gained truly complete confidencethat it was not my own life. The
matter of living is not related to one's own thinking. Trythinking
that way and change your life. Think that something will come of
your life.Don't give in to the world. (From a September 1969 sermon
at Busen)
You can be happy if you think positively
In the very beginning, Shorinji Kempo started from a five and a
half mat room, and Icame to pour all my assets and efforts into
that. I worked as hard as I could, andeventually I came to spend
everything I had on Shorinji Kempo. Now, the real estatealone would
probably make a vast amount. However, not one of those assets is
mypersonal property. A minimal savings for living is essential, but
I don't think you need
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any more than that. It is all the property of Shorinji Kempo.
"Use it while you're alive." Ithink that's the main thing. I
discovered this way of life immediately after defeat in thewar, and
because I have always given everything I have, multitudes of people
have givenme their assistance. Moreover, legions of young people
are growing up who have visitedme out of admiration and respect.
There is nothing in life to march such a splendidpleasure as this.
There are some people who say that money is better, but no matter
howmuch money or how many things one has, one can't really use
them. When it comes tothe clothes one always wears, it's one or two
sets. Or for shoes, they say that there isalways just one pair that
really fits, and so in the end even with many pairs there is
reallyjust one pair. Until just recently, I didn't have a car
either. The reason was that when Ineeded one I took a taxi, and I
had just decided to think as if I had stored cares all overthe
country. Essentially, with a conversion of the heart, of one's way
of thinking, one canbecome incredibly profit. So I think that the
younger the age at which one is able to reachsuch a position and
change one's life, the better. You all, as well, once you have
gained afundamental stability in life, next you might consider
finding some sort of a reason tolive. Moreover, if it is not simply
for your own purposes, and if instead you have a sensefor others as
well, then anything you do will succeed, and that is how I have
survived.Shorinji Kempo is not simply the teaching of techniques,
but rather its real existence is inteaching that way of living.
(August 1970 from a university training camp sermon)
Relationship built through your action
All of you gathered together here today are already quite aware
of where you stand, andfurthermore you are all people in positions
from which you should be taking actionresponsibly. There must be a
great number of people who are watching you, partly out
ofattraction and partly out of respect. So when you think of your
position, what should youdo? I have said to you before, "Always
take the lead, always stand at the head and takecommand," and,
"Become the train's engine!" That means being more passionate
thananyone else, continuing to run and carrying everyone. Am I
wrong? Trying asserting yourposition year in and out with demands
like, "Isn't there some good way for me to makeout? I want to take
it easy, so I just want to ask you a favor." Just try it no one
will stickwith you! Or try always making excuses for yourself,
saying "my student said so," or "soand so told me to," and always
putting the blame on others; someday you'll be exposed,and when you
look back, you won't be able to gain their trust anymore. I donf t
wantyou to take any of these ways, and that's why I'm standing here
now upbraiding you,warning you, sounding the alarm. Some call me a
great leader or a great teacher, but nomatter how great the leader
or the teacher, in time they turn rotten or lose their
brilliance.
-
But it's hard for their subordinates to say anything. Now I am
here and I stand alonespeaking and acting bluntly, but if I
disappear, what's going to happen? If you can't evencriticize each
other frankly, then you have no chance of taking care of someone
who hasgone rotten. I think it would end up with everyone taking
care not to upset anyone, andeveryone overtly trading in turf,
interests, and reputation. Without daily personalrelations based on
the ability to speak frankly to each other, to check oneself and
totransform each other, there is no way for real relationship of
trust to develop. Moreover,it is even header and more trying to
maintain trust than it is to build it in the first place.Mao, the
former leader of China's revolution used to say, "Among friends,
there are bothtrue friends and false friends. True and false
friends can be distinguished clearly throughtimes of action." As
you know, I have come to the same conclusion through my
ownexperiences. However before we casually set about calling people
false and true, considerwhat I have often said without a meeting of
minds, without the communication ofintention to build a living
organization of shared hearts, people cannot take action inaccord.
It is said that only after this problem is solved can such action
be achieved, abutthe reality is that it is through action that
trust is born and organizations grow. Take faithin this, and take a
shot at doing and continuing our real activities. Perhaps the
numbersmight be inferior, but we would certainly be able to make
true friends and an organizationin which all could take pride.
(From a sermon at the July 1976 summer university training
camp)
Make friends who would help you out in a jam
I began Shorinji Kempo with a deep desire to make shared
happiness and an ideal worldright in my own backyard. What should
be difficult about this idea of trying to build inone's own
neighborhood a society of fellow human beings, friends, and
neighbors whocan benefit each other. While mastering the techniques
I learned in China may be tough,having students learn how to think
for shared happiness while teaching them techniquesthat only get
more interesting the more you do them - this is what Shorinji Kempo
hasdone and what it is working to keep doing. Going it alone is no
good. Don't you think youshould help out and offer each other
friendship? Make some good friends; why not?Making statements like
these, Shorinji Kempo has expanded. From the beginning, I usedto
say that there was no point in joining Shorinji Kempo alone, so
bring along a friendwho matters to you. I demanded that they come
in pairs or, I used to tell them, I wouldn'tlet them join. I meant
someone who they'd want to rush off and help if the kid were
introuble, and someone who'd feel the same way about them. How
about you today, is thereanyone around you that close to you? Raise
your hands. Well, not too many. Life withoutfriends who would come
running when you're in trouble, whether you asked or not, and
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without friends for whom you would rush off to help, a life like
that is awfully lonely.(March 1977, from a sermon at college branch
training camp)
I learned this the hard way in the war. Japan lost and lost
again, and even after the war was overJapan's soldiers didn't try
to build horizontal ties. Infantry was infantry, artillery was
artillery,and they were all split apart and avoided efforts to
build any cohesion. The reason why was thatthe feudalistic habits
of vertical divisions had existed for so long that everyone was
trained to seetheir neighbors as a kind of enemy when they were
from a different outfit. I have seen enough ofthis amidst the
extremities of war and amidst the processes of ordinary life to
make me sick. Themere ability to jump back together when there's a
fight or when you're all being insulted, orcoming together only to
stand up outsiders is not good enough. There are now about 400
collegeShorinji Kempo branches, but just as a minimum, what do you
think about getting together aboutonce a month with fellow college
kenshi from your area and holding joint practices? That wayyou
would get to know each other's faces, become friends, and if
something came up you couldeither enjoy it together or help each
other out. That is the kind of change I want from you! Nomatter how
much physical strength one may have oneself, it is meaningless
alone. You are oldenough; it's time you got this through your head!
(March 1977, from a sermon at college branchtraining camp)
An ability that only exists in human beings
There is a saying by an ancient Chinese thinker, Mencius: "The
noble who will not actlasciviously, the poor man who will not be
moved, the warrior who will not submit; theseare great men of
substance." What this means is that regardless of how much money
orsocial standing you have, it is only the person who does not let
his thoughts or his spiritsgrow corrupt, who despite all poverty
and mean circumstances of life does not change hisaspirations, who
does not submit despite all threats of authority and violence- only
thiskind of person is a real man. In short, live your lives without
selling your humanity oryour aspirations for money and social
status, for good appearances or for desire. Thesaying means that a
being that possesses the power of will to choose such a way of
living,that is a human being. This itself is the courageous way to
live and to be.
Well then, what is wisdom? It's not simply intelligence,
education, or knowledge, no. It'sthe spiritual ability to discern
the truth, a perceptual ability to grasp truth; it bills down tonot
sparing real efforts "to serve not only oneself but others too."
Now that is wisdom - itis the destination which wisdom should
reach. That's what I want to tell you. Thecharacter for benevolence
or charity (jin) is written with the elements for two people.That
means two people each equally treating the other in friendly
fashion, but this can't
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happen without the mutual presence of hearts seeking to serve
others. That is, basedsolely on our way to living and way of
thinking, there are seeds of possibility that cannourish virtues of
earnestness and true-heartedness that are separate from selfish
desireand egocentrism, and these same seeds are what makes us
human. Of course, even amongother animals, there are examples such
as the dog who would not leave the graveside ofhis dead master, or
animals who go to lengths to help their companions. There
areinstructive acts such as when parents act for the benefit of
their children. Yet, when itcomes to acting wholeheartedly to help
others, hen you do have the ability to exercise thisthing that we
call benevolence, even if you have to do so by trial and error.
That justdoesn't seem to exist outside of human beings.
If I may speak presumptuously, aside from the animals known as
human beings, there isno being which can do what we commonly refer
to as incredible accomplishments(kamiwaza, literally "divine
works). It was about five or six years ago that mankind
firsttraveled to the moon about 400,000 kilometers away and then
came back, and you know,the people who did that were neither gods
nor buddha. This is the kind of approach Imean. And if you can make
this approach your own, then you can get away from thespiritual
intimidation and pressure of ideas like fate or karma that treat
people's fates andabilities as things determined from birth, and
you will no longer be fooled or manipulatedby dubious religions.
You will take up the courage that is yours as a person and
thewisdom that is yours as a person and become able to face up to
things. (1974 sermon at aseiho training session)
'Guko Moves the Mountain.' You know, I like that idea.
There is a phrase that embodies the spirit of stinting no effort
and piling labor on labor toget things accomplished: "Guko moves
the mountain." You know, I like that idea. Gukowas an old man who
lived long, long ago someplace in China. In front of this old
man'shouse was a high mountain, and it was terribly inconvenient to
come and go from thehouse. At last he got fed up with it, and
together with his son and grandson, hecommenced to dig out the
mountain. Of course, there were people who laughed at themas fools
for trying to take on a mountain. But this didn't phase Grandfather
Guko at all,and he answered them, saying, "Even when I die, I have
a child. The child begets mygrandchild, and that child begets a
child. Child follows child and grandchild followsgrandchild without
end. If we all put our time into it and cut down the mountain,
well, themountain doesn't get any higher, so there's nothing to
stop us from flattening it out."
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What do you think? Full of lessons, wouldn't you say? It means
that even when you can'taccomplish something right away, if you
change the way you think, the way you see, theway you go about
things, then the impossible can become the possible. That's
right.Moreover, the story of Guko also contains a spirit of concern
for his ancestors and peoplein the future, a desire to do something
for those people, a desire to consider them. I oftensay to you all,
"If you do not know the joy of giving, then your so-called life
will hold nocharm," and it's true, really. That means the idea of
existing completely on your own be itunder capitalism or socialism
is not possible. Understand this well. And, if I could addanything,
it would be that if you do live in the spirit of Guko, then even
your smile, whileits still just a smile, it will become a thing of
splendor. Japanese people have a grimace ofa smile that's like the
Mona Lisa's somehow all hollowed out, that has some
ineffablequality, some power to radiate obsequiousness, and it's
said that we're a people not toowell liked throughout the world.
However, if you pass your days with a refreshed heart,then someday
a fine smile with no trace of the faked grimace will come to you,
naturally.
You know, I couldn't do it right off the bat either. I won't say
I've become a handsomeman, but to become someone people would like
and trust, I had to put a great deal ofconscious intention and
effort into making the man who can smile now with this
fineexpression making myself Doshin So. [laughter] Don't get caught
up in murky fears ofthe future; vanquish your clinging to the past.
Don't you think you might try using yourhead and your heart to
value the present and live simply?
Because You Only Live Once
No matter how much people pray or plea, when they die they die,
and when they can't dosomething they just can't. People always live
within limits, including the limit thateverybody ends up dying, no
matter who they are; that's reality. However, precisely forthat
reason, great meaning arises out of the way of living and being
that each personchooses within the single life they get. So it
follows that if you have a way of thinkingabout something, then it
will be worth something to give it a try. Also, once you
realizethis, you can take the whole spectrum of sorrow and joy as
resources for your maturation.There are people who say, "I will
discover this being called myself, believe in myself,and develop
myself, "I will discover this being called myself, believe in
myself, anddevelop myself into someone worthy of trust." Why do I
call to you, saying I want tobuild up the numbers of people such as
this? Take your participation in today's programas an opportunity,
and ask yourself, "Why am I in Shorinji Kempo?" This is a
goodmoment for that. What do you say? Ask yourselves the question
once more in earnest.
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If you don't, then the meaning of taking this vacation and
paying train fare and coming allthe way to Shikoku will be lost.
There are all kinds of ways for university students toenjoy
themselves, but you've gone to the trouble to carving out time and
coming to meetme. Isn't that because you're seeking something that
you couldn't figure out yourselves?Something's missing. Somehow
you're uneasy. Somehow the world's out of kilter.Whether or not
you're fully aware of this desire, this dissatisfaction, this
doubt, it'salways there gnawing at the corners of your heart, isn't
it?
Cutting to the conclusion here, not being able to understand
that missing something in allits details, not being able to resolve
your doubts, not even knowing what tomorrow willbe - that's what it
is to be human. I hate to say this because it sounds a little like
a Zenmonk talking, but that's what makes living interesting. Let me
give you an example ineasier terms. Say you knew right from the
beginning that you would marry someone onsuch and such a day and
separate on a specific day in the third year of your marriage.
Forme, I wouldn't even want to fall in love.
What I'm trying to say is, you don't know how it's going to turn
out, so just try goingahead with it, right? And then, if you try
and it doesn't work, it's also important to havethe spirit to try
again, and again, and again. Let me give you another ordinary,
everydayexample: you think you're in love and so you join together,
but somehow you werewrong. It doesn't go well. I experienced this
myself? But if that's what happens, ratherthan gutting it out and
snarling at each other, separating instead can lead both of you
tohappiness. If you give up on this because it seems too much
trouble, it can become amuch nastier conflict. When you decide,
"this is what I should do," then just try it.Suppose you fail and
lose everything you had? Like I've been saying, you're still
notdead, so you should realize that you still have plenty of
chances to hold firm for whatmight come next. So if you grasp the
fundamentals of living that way, you won't have tobrood over the
trivial details right in front of you or be paralyzed over vague
uncertaintiesabout the future. (March 1975 University Training Camp
sermon)