Master Ryuho Okawa, founder of Happy Science, continues to give public lectures attended by thousands of people. Accordingly, on April 23rd he gave one at Asty Tokushima entitled “The Starting Point of Bringing Happiness to Humankind”.

Tokushima is Master Okawa’s hometown, and around 4,700 people gathered from Tokushima, Kagawa Ehime and Kochi prefectures at the main venue. The lecture was broadcast live via the Happy Science network to venues throughout the Shikoku, Chugoku and Kansai areas.

“We are Tormenting Ourselves Too Much”

Master began the lecture by noting that in Japan, the word ‘faith’ has disappeared from everyday life and academia. In the old days, however, many Japanese people had great faith.

“A new Constitution was established after the war that disassociated religion and politics, and removed religion from education. Religion became a mere superstition . . . but just because our country lost in the war doesn’t mean that all of our previous values were wrong. We are now tormenting ourselves too much.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of Happy Science. Since the very beginning we have constantly been teaching the spiritual world view: that the true form of humans are souls; that there is Heaven and Hell; that we continue to live after death as souls maintaining our personality; that we are reincarnated to Earth countless times to undergo soul training.

Master Okawa’s books of spiritual messages numbering over 300 are clear proofs of the existence of the spiritual world, and the deep thirst for spiritual knowledge by people all over the world.

The Thinking that invites Evil Spirits and Devils

Master Okawa has also taught us that evil spirits and devils exist, and that spirits who cannot rest in peace after death return to our world to pull other people down to Hell or wreak havoc in lives and households.

“The lowest form of humans is when they see other people’s unhappiness and feel contentment . . . this sort of thinking connects and thus invites evil spirits and devils. The principle is simple: people are divided into two categories depending on whether they wish for the happiness of others, or whether they long for the unhappiness of others.”

This point leads to the answer in this lecture as to what “The Starting Point of Bringing Happiness to Humankind” is.

“Are You Not Abandoning Your Role as World Leaders?”

Master Okawa also spoke about the increasing outbreaks of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan. He explained that these forces of nature happen when a country is in a state of confusion.

“It began with the Great Hanshin earthquake followed by the Great East Japan Earthquake and then the recent Kumamoto earthquake. It means that Heaven is not pleased with Japan’s stagnant economy. Japan is in a position to become one step stronger and assume the role of world leader, but they have abandoned it. I think that these disasters are expressions of Heaven’s dissatisfaction.”

Happy Science activities center around the teachings of polishing one’s inner self and having a spiritual world view, But we have also gone beyond most views of religion and have stepped into world politics, economics and international relations to show the right path.

This lecture brings to light that these activities are all pursued with the sole aim to have more people wish for and participate in fostering the happiness of others.

Maglev Shinkansen will bring Prosperity to the Shikoku Economy

After the lecture, Happiness Realization Party leader, Ryoko Shaku, and Tokushima candidate for the Summer House of Representatives election, Masatoshi Fukuyama, had an open talk entitled “Japan’s New Future starts from Shikoku”.

Shaku began by reporting that the Happiness Realization Party is raising funds and sending relief supplies to Kumamoto in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Fukuyama commented that Tokushima now has fewer jobs, a smaller population, and business prospects are so bad since no one buys local items such as vegetables and fish. He said, “Tokushima doesn’t even have a Shinkansen, which started operating elsewhere 50 years ago. My wish is to skip that step and make a Maglev Shinkansen line so that many people, including tourists, can come and the economy of the area begin again prosper.”

Shaku followed up by saying, “other places like Tottori and Shimane don’t have a Shinkansen, and these areas are more reliant on pension funds. Indeed I would like to have a Mahlev going through Tokushima.” With that the crowd erupted into applause.

Rie Nakanishi and Koji Morita, Happiness Realization Party candidates for Kagawa and Ehime prefectures appeared. They each spoke:

“For the last 20 to 25 years the pay rate hasn’t gone up, and the GDP is flat. This means there is something wrong with the economy. I have been bringing up my children while working with a job, and I can’t sit still and watch many people suffering any more. I aim to bring the Maglev through this Shikoku area and cause a revolution in transportation to make this area exciting and thus increase growth (Nakanishi).”

“I have always said and will say again the importance of national security; that we protect our own country ourselves. China and North Korea have increased their menace and so I will pursue growth in the security industry. In Shikoku’s harbors, there is a good shipbuilding company that can make nuclear powered submarines and aircraft carriers. I want to make my country strong and prosperous (Morita).”

In the lecture, Master Okawa additionally spoke on the following points:

• Why he was born in Tokushima
• The relationship between faith and morals
• What the starting point of bringing happiness to humankind is
• How anti-war pacifists are mistaken
• Changing the name of Tokushima’s airport
• The inherent problems in modern Buddhism, Zen meditation and Buddhist chant
• Problems in Old-age pension subsidies

The full lecture can be viewed at your local Happy Science branch.