Long-Awaited Reader's Meeting held in Sydney, Australia
Study of Sundial Way of Life
In Sydney, Australia, a Seicho-No-Ie Readers’ Meeting (Japanese) was held on January 11 at the Vibe North Sydney Hotel. A total of eight people—seven Japanese women and one Australian man—attended and studied the Truth.
In Australia, because of the problem surrounding the separation of Seicho-No-Ie Inc. (old name), the Holy Mission Fellowship-related work and propagation activities, such as lecturer dispatch from the International Headquarters, were halted for five years from December 2002. However, in September 2007, the lawsuit with the corporation was amicably settled. After a little over one year of reconciliatory period, the Readers’ Meeting was held for the first time under the guidance of an Ordained (Assistant) Minister. Rev. Teruo Nishitani (Assistant Minister, Chief of Asia, Oceania and Europe Section, International Department) was dispatched from the International Headquarters as a lecturer.
According to Rev. Nishitani, his guidance aimed to (1) decide on the site of the Reader’s Meeting site, which used to be routed among the members’ homes; and (2) improve the content of the Readers’ Meeting and increase attendees.
Rev. Nishitani used as his texts, Seimei no Jisso (Truth of Life), Vol. 7 by Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, Hidokeishugi towa Nani ka? (What Is the Sundial Way of Life?) by Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, and other publications. In his lecture in the morning, “Seicho-No-Ie and I,” he taught that man is a child of God, a precious existence, who was born with a mission. He included his own religious experiences.
In the afternoon Rev. Nishitani gave two lectures: “Faith in the God of Only Goodness” and “Let’s Practice the Sundial Way of Life.” He explained Seicho-No-Ie’s view on God as well as the “sundial way of life” that finds only good points in everything. He said that the sundial way of life is the Seicho-No-Ie way of life, which embodies the faith that “the True Image, or the God-created world is the only true existence” and the truth that “all phenomena are manifestations of only mind.” It was followed by a period to praise and worship one another’s inner divinity.
Comments received from the attendees included: “I would like to find and praise good points in others and live a bright life.”
Rev. Nishitani commented, “Everyone had been anxiously waiting for this Readers’ Meeting. Since the members have continually held the Readers’ Meeting and they wish to hold an attractive meeting, I would like to continue to provide support in order to expand and improve the Readers’ Meeting.”