About this site

Great Construction—Teachings of Meishu-sama Portal is a companion site to the Japanese-language Okada Jikanshi no Ronbunshu site. The Japanese-language site contains as much of the Japanese-language originals of Meishu-sama's teachings as are available. This is mainly made possible by the fact that according to Japanese copyright law, the copyright on most of Meishu-sama's teachings expired in January 2006.

The English side of this site is much smaller than the Japanese-language side. Although the copyright on the originals that Meishu-sama published while alive has expired, the copyrights on those translations published after he died are probably still in force in the respective countries where they were published. These translations can be procured from the various organizations that published them or from various Internet vendors. This site primarily carries the translations made by Meishu-sama's followers who make these translations as service. We do hope that this site will make more of Meishu-sama's teachings available to the world outside Japan.

This site is managed without relation to any religious entity or organization.

Because most of Meishu-sama's English-language teachings were published outside Japan, they are therefore subject to the copyright laws of other jurisdictions, and also because, for the most part, these teachings were published much later than the Japanese-language originals, these English-language translations are still subject to the copyright laws of the jurisdictions where they were published, so, to repeat, they are not carried on this site.

The copyright to the translations that are carried on this site are held by the individual translator and we ask users of this site to respect the rights of each translator.

Meishu-sama on his teachings

Of the many poems, books, and essays by Meishu-sama, there are two essays that Meish-sama wrote about his own writings that are of particular note. These two essays are, together with the translations prepared for this site, the following.

"Ooi ni shinsho o yomu beshi" ("The Teachings of God Should Be Read as Often as Possible")

"Katsuji no joorei" ("Johrei Through the Printed Word")

These two essays have appeared in published translations of Meishu-sama's teachings. Although we cannot reproduce the essays here for copyright reasons, we do provide the translated title, name of publication, and page number for reference.

"Ooi ni shinsho o yomu beshi" "The Teachings of God Should Be Read as Often as Possible" has appeared three times in English.

"Read Often the Written Words of God" in Meishu and His Teachings, no date, page 33.

"The Importance of Studying the Teachings Regularly" in Foundation of Paradise, 1984, page 327.

"Be Diligent in Your Reading of the Teachings" in A Hundred Teachings of Meishu-sama, no date, page 164.

"Katsuji no joorei" "Johrei Through the Printed Word" has appeared twice in English.

"Introduction-The Power of the Written Word" in Teachings of Meishu-sama, Volume Two, 1968, page 3.

"Johrei through Printed Words" in Foundation of Paradise, 1984, page 325.

A final request

Different groups and various teachers have taught many things about the way Meishu-sama's teachings should be taken. They are equally valid. Here, we would like to quote a small portion from the article, "The Importance of Reading the Teachings," written by Yoshihiko Kihara, then Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sekai Meshiya Kyo (Church of World Messianity) which appeared in the Japanese-language church newspaper, Eikô, Issue 285, December 1, 1954.

"Then again, we have this kind of member. If he sees something in the teachings where Meishu-sama cautions about such-and-such, he is apt to think that the teaching was written about someone else who is doing something wrong. Further, he may also think that this teaching says that one should not do such-and-such. Some people may even go so far as to make rules about this conduct for other members. If there should be such a person, that person is indeed one who has not read the teachings sufficiently. Meishu-sama teaches that just as a food should not overly reek of its scent neither should faith reek of faith. Brandishing the teachings of Meishu-sama about is offensive and leaves a bad impression. Each teaching is for you and you need not concern yourself with how it may apply to others."