Great Construction

Preface (Stories of Miracles)

     One point I continually stress is that the essence of religion lies in miracles. In fact, it should even be said that religion equals miracles. This is because no matter how many profound theories it may parade, a religion has no value if it cannot heal even one case of disease. There are those who criticize an emphasis on material blessings, but this criticism is greatly mistaken. I will even go so far as to say that such critiques are only made as a way of trying to assign to a low level a religion that is actually able to demonstrate miracles.
     Almost to a person, those who join our church will say that their motive was because they received material blessings. Therefore, most of our members become well acquainted with our religious doctrines only after joining. Since there are many among members of the general public who want to know why there are so many miracles in this church, I will give a brief explanation.
     Only a short while has passed since the birth of our church, but its appearance is not something I had planned. The time for its emergence had come, and through spiritual affinity the Boddhisattva Avalokiteshvara chose me, Mokichi Okada, to use to advance this project. It is the Boddhisattva itself who started this church. The Boddhisattva, therefore, manifests the power of Kannon freely and flexibly through me for the great task of saving the world, so it is only natural miracles occur. When the significance of the establishment of the church is understood, the appearance of miracles is only natural.
     Accounts of the various kinds of miracles I have experienced, from which I have obtained complete conviction in what I teach and that demonstrate the power I have been endowed with to carry out my mission, are carried in the first part of this volume, followed by a limited number of reports selected from the countless ones that have been and continue to be submitted by my followers.

Stories of Miracles, Jikan Library Series, Volume 4, October 5, 1949, page 3.
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