“The fourth principle is the Principle of Progress, a teaching ideally suited to modern society. In Buddhist terms, this teaching is about building a Buddha Land, a utopia on Earth.

In worldly terms, it is to encourage the people who study the Truth to be successful in this world, because the more successful a person is, the greater their influence. I want people to achieve true success and increase their influence on others, without ever becoming slaves to money, becoming absorbed solely in getting promotions, or increasing their attachment by remaining stuck fast to their position.

I would also like people to seize hold of the happiness that can be carried from this world to the next. Happy Science provides clear teachings about the other world so it is unlikely that any of our members would search for the kind of happiness that is limited to this world alone. I have never given teachings that would bring people happiness in the other world, but unhappiness in this one. I do not say that our members must be unhappy in this world, or sentenced to death. There are religious groups that convey this kind of message, but I feel a personal responsibility for the happiness of people in this world too, and I want to avoid scattering fresh seeds of misery if I can possibly help it. It is my hope that everyone will achieve the greatest possible happiness in this world as well as the next.

As long as this is not achieved at the cost of the happiness of others, happiness in this world will lead to happiness in the next. However, if it is a happiness achieved by stepping over others, it will not bring happiness in the next world either. The happiness I speak of is the kind that brings happiness to others as well as to yourself. This is the sort of happiness I would like you to achieve in this world, and to take it with you when you return to the other world.

Therefore, I would like lay believers to develop and prosper in their earthly professions, without creating attachments or bringing pain to others, and to use the resulting happiness as a power to convey the Truth to others.

If this world becomes a utopia, hell will diminish

My aim is to turn this world into a utopia. If this world were to become an ideal society, it would result in the diminishment of hell. Although we may try to destroy hell altogether, this would be extremely difficult, so the first step is to cut off the supply of spirits to hell. To achieve this, we must turn this world into an ideal world. Once the supply of spirits to hell has been stopped, its inhabitants will begin to reflect on their lives, and gradually they will ascend to the heavenly world, resulting in a decrease of the numbers in hell.

So the first thing to be done is to stop the supply of spirits to hell. As long as there is a ready supply, it will not matter how many are saved from hell; there will be plenty of new ones to take their place. It is a vicious cycle. First, it is necessary to turn this world into a Land of Buddha. To this end, I would like to turn society into a place where the majority of people learn the Truth, explore Right Mind and strive to practice the Principles of Happiness.”