Great Construction

The Sun and the Moon  (2nd version)

     In as far as it concerns religion, I will discuss the meaning of the sun and the moon which, though mysterious and sublime, may seem to surpass the level of the far-fetched. What I have to say is truth however, so I hope that my explanation is read dispassionately. In Japan there are three sacred treasures that date from antiquity. These are the jewel, the sword, and the mirror. The jewel represents the sun; the sword, the moon, and the earth, the mirror. The jewel is the shape of the sun. The sword is the shape of the crescent moon; and the mirror, known as the “mirror of eight finger-tip lengths,” is divided into “eight convexes.” These eight aspects are manifestations of the eight directions of north, south, east, west, “tiger and ox” (northeast), “dragon-snake” (southeast), “feminine-earth” (southwest), and “dog-boar” (northwest). Of these three representations, the earth is obvious and needs no explanation, but I will write on the sun and the moon as their significance is quite profound.
     To make this explanation easier to understand, I borrow a teaching used in the Tenrikyo Church. This view holds that the “moon” is akin to “pushing,” both words being homonyms in the Japanese language and that “the sun” means “pull” as these two words share the same root syllable in Japanese. In other words, the sun and the moon signify pulling and pushing, respectively. I do believe this to be quite a fascinating interpretation, because during the age of night pushing was the preference in all activities. On a grand scale, nations pushed against each other. War is simply this. Collision is a form of pushing. In antiquity conflict was clearly a matter of crossing or “pushing,” swords. Expanding into the realm of human relations, the word for “associate with” in Japanese is homonymous with the word for “push against.” The ideograms differ but the spirit of the language is the same. Also, in Japanese the word for “push ahead” means “victory.” These are entirely activities of the moon which represent the age of night.
     In contrast to the above, “pulling” and “pull” are to “retreat.” “Draw into,” “withdraw from a position,” “be defeated,” “and “bow deeply” are all activities contrary to the moon. In line with this reasoning, losing is a good thing. The human being is modest, humble. With such a stance, conflict should not be possible. We hold that it is good to “pull,” that is, catch a cold. The goal of World Messianity is to create a world free of disease, poverty, and strife. That strife will disappear can be inferred from what I have outlined above. In World Messianity, the sun, that is, the spirit of fire, predominates, so in all activity, pulling rather than “the moon,” “pushing,” should be held within firmly and in this way many people can be drawn to us.
     As the sun is represented by a jewel, smoothness, that is, harmony and clarity, as well as flexibility and adaptability can of course be its only characteristics.

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

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This essay, reprinted from Chijôtengoku, Issue 9, page 7, October 25, 1949, has previous appeared in translation. The citations are given below for reference.

    “The Sun and the Moon,” Foundation of Paradise, 1984, page 360.


    “The Sun and the Moon,” Meishu and His Teachings, no date, page 25.