<Translation from Seirei Amakudaru Uji pp.53-57>
|
Significance of the Establishment of Hozo
Shrine (Main Shrine) -- Message from Rev.
Seicho Taniguchi, then Vice President of
Seicho-No-Ie, at the Opening Ceremony of
Hozo Shrine on August 19, 1960 <Translation from Seirei Amakudaru Uji pp.53-57> |
Having auspicious completion of the Uji Temple
Hozo Shrine today, the wonderful sanctuary
was established here. As those of you, the
Seicho-No-Ie members already know, Dr. Masaharu
Taniguchi who published the Seicho-No-Ie
magazine in 1930 founded Seicho-No-Ie not
as a form of religion but as a pure spiritual
movement. The principle of "One Truth
of All Religions" does not mean all
religions are same but it memans that the
essence of the true religions emanates from
one universal God. No matter how different
the forms of religious rituals or architectural
designs of church/temple buildings are, the
essence of their teachings is one. It should
be one. Otherwise, it can not be called a
true religion - that is the truth of "One
Truth of All Religions." This is the
fundamental spirit of the foundation of Seicho-No-Ie
that has never changed.
Accordingly, Seicho-No-Ie movement has purely
developed as the Truth propagation movement.
But when it comes to an issue to enshrine
various ancestral spirits, various forms
of religious rituals are expected for enshrinement.
For those who are Shintoist, we respect Shinto
ritual style and for those who are Buddhist,
we respect Buddhist ritual style. Therefore,
when the issue arises as to a sort of communion
between spiritual and physical phenomenal
worlds, it is inevitable that one common
ritual style to be born. In Seicho-No-Ie,
Seicho-No-Ie members rather well understand
the essence of their family's religious backgrounds
inherited from their ancestors as they are
being as Buddhist, Shintoist, Christian or
others. This is Seicho-No-Ie that brings
life to true religions.
However, there are members who used to be
atheists or who feel uncomfortable with various
religious rituals inherited from their ancestors.
Those people rather prefer to have their
ancestors' spirits enshrined in Seicho-No-Ie
ritual style. Especially in Seicho-No-Ie,
we enshrine not only the spirits of people
who died but also we worship wonderful Holy
Missioners while they are alive as children
of God of eternal life. It then naturally
brings to create own Seicho-No-Ie ritual
style in order to continue worshipping their
spirits in the spiritual world after their
life on this earth. Therefore, as long as
the group called Seicho-No-Ie has an unification
of its life, as if there is a sacred room
for family alter or a place for sanctuary,
it was the course of nature to have a place
to hold directly communicate with the spiritual
world in One Life, what we call as the Seicho-No-Ie Humanity Enlightenment Movement
- the International Peace by Faith Movement. This was natural course in the process at
which Seicho-No-Ie group activities have
truly achieved growth of its life and formed
a sort of one independent family.
Hence, as the spiritual sacred place to communicate
with the spiritual world in the whole of
Seicho-No-Ie, the ground of Hozo in Uji was
purchased and it has been gradually developed
to establish an appearance as such imposing
palace and sanctuary. When we see this in
Seicho-No-Ie as a whole, this is an alter
room as well as a sanctuary.
In such meaningful spiritual ground, establishing
the imposing sanctuary here and putting in
order a wonderful form would be interpreted
as an actual proof that Seicho-No-Ie movement
contains a great mission to be achieved in
the future. As everyone knows, the recent
world situation is extremely tensed. Even
in Japan, the politics has been in serious
chaotic situation. Regardless of whether
labor or educational worlds, there are various
problems have been accumulated. Then various
people make various efforts according to
their general belief in order to solve such
problems only by phenomenal knowledge. However,
it does not bring the fundamental solution.
Because the life of human beings continues
to live beyond their life of physical body,
we can not achieve true humanity salvation
if we don't consider the relations with life
transcend to the spiritual world. If a physical
death were the end of life of human beings
and brought to the crematorium to become
smoke or ashes, it may be understandable
only for physical human beings. However,
if we were such, we never understand the
reason or purpose of our life. Therefore,
when we think of the eternal life, we have
to take into consideration of the way of
life after physical death, the true awakening,
and the spiritual growth. Nevertheless, it
is not considered at all and it is totally
ignored in modern political or educational
movements.
In such case, when we give our full play
to the Seicho-No-Ie Humanity Enlightenment
Movement on the true spiritual basis in the
whole world as Seicho-No-Ie members, of which
mission is to promote the humanity salvation
movement, the establishment of such imposing
place to directly communicate with the spiritual
world in the first place contains a very
significant meaning.
Under the protection in the spiritual world
and guidance from our ancestors, we have
to practice true faith in our daily life
in pure and honest attitude in the phenomenal
world in order to deal with problems of politics,
economy, family, illness and others. In this
sense, it is very significant to establish
the impressive Hozo Shrine (Main Shrine)
in this Uji ground. This is very important
as to the future path of Seicho-No-Ie, that
is the humanity meaning what Seicho-No-Ie
has to play its role in the future. We have
to remind ourselves that our mission is not
yet achieved just by the completion of building.
We would like to take this opportunity to
renew our determination to move forward to
achieve great development of Seicho-No-Ie
and its wonderful mission.
("Seishimei" September 1, 1960)
