E25036A

     The true purpose of religion is the embodiment of truth. When asked what is truth I say most assuredly that truth is the state of nature as it is. From the East the sun rises and sets in the West is truth. Also, the fact that human beings are born and inevitably die, as represented by the Buddhist teachings, “What is born, certainly dies” and “Those who meet must part,” is truth. That human beings live through breathing air and eating food is certainly truth as well. That such obvious facts have to be spelled out to this extent is that the present state of humanity has become nonsensical and absurd.
     Even when are observed in accord with this reasoning all distasteful aspects in contemporary society, such as confusion, conflict, disorder, and crime, it is undeniable that the conditions in which humanity exist, rather than having become fortunate, have come to be mostly of misfortune. In which case, the question that must be considered is where to locate the cause for misfortune. From where I view the situation, the cause of misfortune is because all fundamentals have become too far distanced from truth, and this state is all too obvious. As humanity has become distanced from truth, the separation has not been perceived. When the reasons of why such a situation has come about are investigated, I must say that contemporary people have come to the point where indeed they do not even understand truth itself. That is to say, it is probably because in the midst of the distress of daily life there is no capacity to think about such matters as truth.
     Indeed, until the present, even in the most vital institution of religion are some points where truth has not been clear, and it was often that non truth was taught believing it to be truth. If truth had actually been expounded, human society should have become much better than it is today. Or, to a certain degree a heavenly paradise, I believe, may already have been realized. But the time has come and now will manifest God’s will. Through me, it has come to be that at the same time that truth be instructed, also will the embodiment of truth be carried out. Thus, the discourse that I expound is all truth itself made the most easily understandable for all peoples, so if readers make a close and frank perusal based a clean slate, truth will indeed become slowly apparent.
     Based on the above, I will start to explain from an example close to hand. Human beings contract disease because there is something within them that has strayed from truth, and medical science cannot heal disease because it also has strayed from truth. The political situation and social thought is bad; crime increases; and suffering due to tight money, inflation, and deflation are all because somewhere there is something that has strayed from truth. If humanity had not strayed from truth, whatever is right and correct human beings should be able to do as they wish. God has fashioned human beings to work in this way. Therefore, an ideal society replete in virtue and beauty as well as the possibility of human beings being able to lead lives of joy and happiness would not be such a difficulty. In other words, here lies the possibility of the appearance of paradise on earth that I promote.
     I do believe that because humanity is so distanced from truth, much of what is in my discourse is thought to contain mistaken points, but in reality my discourse is not mistaken at all. My discourse is most reasonable and natural. Whatever may be thought to be mistaken is because it is seen from the eyes of non truth. The more my teachings are thought to be heretical is due to the reality of society being heretical.
     God has given human beings unlimited freedom. This is truth. Animals other than human beings have only been given limited freedom. Here lies the preciousness of human beings. The freedom of human beings is that because they exist in a position midway between the two extremes either of improvement, where they can reach a divine level, or, of the depravity where they fall to the level of beasts. To pursue this line of reasoning, we see the following. That is, depending on what human beings do, this world can either become a pleasant garden of fulfillment, or if the opposite, can also become a tragic hell.
     This is truth. In which case, if asked which of these two choices should be made, unless the chooser is congenitally a demon, selecting the first choice of a garden of fulfillment is only natural.
     Thus, the very manifestation of this first choice, the heavenly world, is the ultimate aim of humanity. The very accomplishment of this goal is the embodiment of truth. As embodiment of truth is what the mission of religion should be, through the pen and through speech, I continually teach truth. And yet, although there are not enough hours in the day, I continue efforts in my status as one who embodies truth.

Narratives, Jikan Library, Volume 12, pages 14, January 30, 1950
translated by cynndd

　　　　　　　　＊　　　　　　　　　　　　　＊　　　　　　　　　　　　　＊

“Shinri no Gugen” has appeared previously in translation. Most of these translations are self-proclaimed as being translations of this version from the twelfth volume of the Jikan Library series, Narratives. However, it cannot be denied that in the minds of the translators, the text of the original 1949 version from Hikari, Issue 18, may have had some influence. Of all the translations, whose citations are given below, the dates, either of the 1949 or the 1950 version, of the original texts of those translations of The Glory, Teachings of Meishu and Kyoshu, and Meishu and His Teachings have yet to be determined as of this writing.

“Embodiment of Truth,” The Glory, Number 002, December 1, 1954.

Embodiment of Truth,” Teachings of Meishu and Kyoshu, page 3; no date given but estimated to be late 1956 or early 1957.

“Religion is the Embodiment of Truth,” Teachings of Meishu-sama, Volume One, page 8, 1960.

“Realization of Truth,” Teachings of Meishu-sama, Volume One, Revised Edition, page 12, 1965, 1967.

“Realization of Truth,” Foundation of Paradise, page 19, 1984.

“Embodiment of Truth,” Meishu and His Teachings, page 14, no date given but estimated to be from around 1965.

“The Embodiment of Truth,” A Hundred Teachings of Meishusama, page 35, no date.

“The Realization of Truth,” Teachings of Meishu-sama, Volume One, page 5, 1967, 2009.