THE 23RD-YEAR MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR REV. MASAHARU TANIGUCHI
Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi Gives An Address and Urges Rebuilding of Lifestyle Through the Guidance Gained from Shinsokan Maditation
The 23rd-Year Memorial Service for Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi was solemnly held on June 17 at the Taniguchi Family Monument in the Seicho-No-Ie Main Temple in Nagasaki Prefecture. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, Vice President of Seicho-No-Ie, addressed about 850 attendees.
Rev. Taniguchi began his address by saying that although rain was forecast, it did not rain, which was a blessing for the attendees. He then pointed out the fact that Tokyo entered the rainy season earlier than the Kyushu District and said that the recent climate change is caused by global warming resulting from human activity. He also said that the big earthquake of a few days earlier was caused by the sliding of the earth’s crust. He noted that both cases show that the earth is ruled by the “law of cause and effect.”
The Vice President went on to say that the correct use of the law of cause and effect is the right way for man to live. He pointed out that since man is given free will from God, he can choose to get help from God or not and by utilizing the law of the mind he can happily live in the phenomenal world.
Rev. Taniguchi next touched upon “A Movement that Grows with Nature” promoted by Seicho-No-Ie. Saying that our lifestyle until now is causing global warming, he stressed the need to change it beginning with the way the Movement is run. He observed that we do not use our freedom of choice or want to complicate things and automatically make decisions based on our fossil fuel dependent lifestyle and that is why we cannot change our lifestyle easily.
The Vice President said that if expressed in religious terms, our present behavior is “karma.” He stressed the need to use our freedom to comply with God’s will, choose and rebuild our lifestyle so as not to bring about adverse results.
He stated that the most important thing in doing so is the standard for our way of thinking for our choices and how to receive good ideas, which is often what controls our life. He introduced “The Prayer to Receive Guidance from High-Level Divine Spirits” from the Zoku, Shinri no Ginsho (Recitations on the Truth, Part II) by Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi and said that the key to receiving good ideas is to correctly tune our mental vibrations by practicing Shinsokan and receive the guidance of only the high-level guardian spirits sent from God.
The Vice President also said that if the attendees daily practice Shinsokan upon returning home, tune to God’s wavelength, receive good ideas, rebuild their lifestyle, and live a life of a child of God which complies with God’s will, the “Movement that Grows with Nature” will be boosted. He urged that they vigorously promote the new Movement.
The Memorial Service started at 10:00 a.m. with Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, Vice President of Seicho-No-Ie, serving as the Chief Priest. After the purification rite, the Invocation, and reading of supplication, sacred branches were offered by Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, Vice President of Seicho-No-Ie; and Mrs. Junko Taniguchi, Vice President of the White Dove Association. It was followed by the offering of a sacred branch by the Head Priest. Then, while the attendees read the Holy Sutra, Nectarean Shower of Holy Doctrines, sacred branches were offered by Rev. Kotaro Miura, Chief of Seicho-No-Ie Missionary Council; and Rev. Kazuo Isobe, Chairman and CEO of Seicho-No-Ie. The attendees burned incense and offered gratitude to Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi’s soul. The removing of the offerings and Affirmation of Perfect Peace and Harmony followed. The Memorial Service came to an end with Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi’s address.