Summary of the Shinji (September1, 2020) from Kyōshu Seishisha Tomomarukō Sensei

This month is finally September as we reach the time of Kōju Shinja Sanpaiji. Based on the main Shinji for Kigansai, we have learned the Shinji for each month. And the learnings of this year have been almost completed with the Shinji for August.

And Kami teaches us about etoku every September. Etoku signifies a highly moral way of life based on the teachings, in other words, it is a kokoro of the ideal person who could live with the flow of the society. Everyone who learns the Shinji from Kigansai on January 1st and practices the teachings could have built a character of such a kokoro of etoku.

With the Shinji for Kigansai, Kami showed us the theme of 2020. This Shinji is on page two of “Yuwa” published in January this year.

The teachings Kami reveals to society through Shisha are all principles.
The principles of life are immeasurable by human knowledge or experiences without the teachings.
Shinja need to understand the value of the teachings and live life supported by the teachings.
The more the kokoro deepen the kokoro to live by the teachings deepens, the kokoro of human beings are anchored, and will not go off the path.
When family members come together and strive continuously to create a family that lives by the teachings, human beings are able to live lives one with their unmei.
This is the life of a human being who attains a life without regrets.

Shinji, Kami’s teachings, are all principles. They are immutable and universal truths that will always stay true regardless of the time and the place. If we live with the principles, we could make the best of knowledge overflowing in society and experiences. However, if we are consumed by the groundless ways of thinking that have no principles, it will bring about worries, confusion, and troubles.

It is important to understand the value of the teachings and to have a conviction to live by the teachings. It means we have the most reliable criteria for judgment in our life. Therefore, our kokoro will be anchored. If our kokoro becomes anchored, the movement of our kokoro will not go off the path. We will get along with everyone, and they will support us. We could surface unmei given by Kami, our good points, and be of use to society. Then we spend each day filled with meaning and purpose. It is to live a life one with our unmei, and as a result, we could live a life without regrets. We would have reached this point if we have studied Shinji constantly from January.

And the theme for September is etoku, that is to say, it is reconfirmation of the highly moral way of life based on the teachings. If we become the person like this, we will be a person who leads our immediate society. If we are in a company organization, we will play our own role outstandingly in each department. At home, at society, at any of the placed environment, we will be an essential existence and make maximum use of our good points.

This Shinji of September 1st revealed regarding etoku begins with an understanding. Kami shows us the attitude we need to acquire.

The more people (human beings) gain awareness from the teachings and use their kokoro (understanding) to correct their jittai, the kokoro to give back and live is brought out.
The path increasingly becomes the support in your kokoro (life) as you perceive the kokoro that you should have in life.
A life of much meaning and purpose is lived, elevated, at times supported and watched over by your many encounters.

By learning the teachings repeatedly, we could gain various awareness. Based on this awareness, we will be conscious of our jittai to correct, our unmei will be honed gradually, and the will to be of use to people, or the kokoro to give back and live is brought out. This year, those of you who have lived this way must be living each day with much meaning and purpose, extending good points in your many encounters. It is important to elevate yourself more to live such a way of life.  

Furthermore, please pay attention to the following part where Kami shows us awareness.

To the Shinja
Do you understand the kokoro of etoku?
Strive continuously to live by the teachings.
You will gradually feel the existence of your unmei’s strength to guide and protect your life.
In that moment, all human beings understand the existence of Kami.
Simultaneously, you will understand the truth about your life—Kokoro no Michi is what allows you to live.

Kami asks us “Do you understand the kokoro of etoku?” Etoku is the character and personality that abide by the teachings. The personality Kami describes is not about titles, positions, nor having a lot of knowledge. There are countless people who go off the path even if they have titles. A person who has a high character is of use to acquaintances and respected by them no matter what environment they belong. Everyone loves such a person. The existence makes acquaintances feel at ease.
To become such a person, strive continuously to live by the teachings. Learn the teachings again and again, and strive to live by the teachings. Then, we human beings gradually realize that Kami has given us unmei to be of use to society, and we understand the existence of Kami. We will deepen the gratitude to Kami, and have a high belief.
Then, we could see the depth of our own life that Kokoro no Michi allows us to live. The vertical Kokoro no Michi is the connection from parents to children, children to grandchildren. If we realize that our existence is a part of the continuous Kokoro no Michi, we will see that to criticize and deny our family and relatives means to hurt our own Kokoro no Michi. We also understand that we need to love each other within our family and create a family in harmony. The person like this is an ideal person who is needed in society.

 The last paragraph is a principle.

You will understand the workings of this world—that the three worlds of Kami, your ancestors, and human beings come together and revolve.
Human beings are at long last able to live with the kokoro of etoku.
This is where paradise lies.

 A person who has a high character understands very well that they are allowed to live in the workings that the three worlds of Kami, your ancestors, and human beings come together and revolve.Therefore, they never neglect to show respect to Kami, parents, and ancestors. They are able to get along with everyone and be loved by many people. That is exactly a person of a high personality who has a right belief.
Such a person could live at the present time as paradise. Paradise is not in the other world after death. It is where every day is the height of happiness, and our kokoro is always calm, cheerful, and strong, and experiences the joy of life. It is paradise of this world we could surely experience if we build a high character.

The theme for September is etoku which is the personality to gain virtue. Tomomaruhime Sensei taught that the personality shows a right to be allowed to live as a person, and therefore, asked us to strive to be a person accepted by Kami. We need to be aware that the person like this will receive the protection through the Kibō no Michi (*1), and thus we need to strive to approach to be that kind of person.
It is generally seen that people who have special knowledge or titles gather and discuss, only to disturb the harmony by criticizing and denying each other. This is not the highly moral way of living that Kami describes. They only have knowledge and experiences. For everyone who have realized the importance of Kami’s teachings, please strive to live with the teachings no matter what happens, and live a highly moral way of life, having an ideal personality, and gaining virtue. Then we could receive the light of protection from Kami through Kibō no Michi, and live life without any regrets.

 

(*1) Kibō no Michi: A way of salvation revealed by Ōyamanezunomikoto that everyone corrects the jittai that is handed down from parents and ancestors, draw out and surface the unmei, and lead to a life without regrets.