Part 2 of the Mahikari "First Revelation" posts (translation)
Sorry for the delay! Here is the translation of Part 2 of Phoenix 3000's Japanese posts concerning Mahikari revelations:
Authenticity of the "Revelations" supposedly received by the founder of Mahikari (Part 2)
Re (1):
Since I’ve noticed that some Mahikari devotees seem to think that the wording in the “first revelation” is “Call yourself Kotama”, rather than “I give you the name Kotama", I quote more from the kenshu textbook and Okada's own words.
From the Mahikari Secondary (Intermediate) Kenshu Textbook, "The Divine Name of Sukuinushi-sama," page 8:
The saviour was given the divine name Kotama in the first revelation concerning founding Mahikari. Later he received the divine name Seigyoku. [Note: This is what the Japanese textbook says. The wording in the English textbook is slightly different.]
From Commentary on Kami Muki Sanji, published in 1982, pages 39-41:
Next I will explain briefly about the divine names I received. First I was given the divine name "Kotama", but at first the people in the world of Shinto doubted this divine name. Therefore, they asked God and were even shown the origin of the name. [Omitted] This is how they came to know that this was not a name that I had casually given to myself.
Next I was given the divine name "Seigyoku". [Omitted] I felt dreadfully awed by the character "sei-" (meaning "holy") in this name. [Omitted]
However, in 1961 when I received this name, the participants at Taisai numbered only about 170, so I felt the organization had not yet reached the stage where I could use such a divine name as Seigyoku.
[Omitted] At first I was too afraid to use the divine name "Seigyoku".
However, various arrangements and signs that occurred around me indicated that I must use this name, so I started to use "Seigyoku".
I will relate some of these mysterious experiences. Firstly, on 15 May 1964, I was writing a Goshintai and somehow I spoiled it partway through. Each time I tried to write "Kotama", the ink would splatter onto the holy characters in Goshintai, or the paper would tear. I tried writing three Goshintai, but for some reason it wouldn't go right.
[Omitted]
After the third Goshintai was spoilt, I thought, "This is because God is not pleased." Then, when I wrote "Seigyoku", things went happily and I began to write smoothly.
The Mahikari text uses the expression "received", and even Okada himself says First I was given the divine name "Kotama" in Commentary on Kami Muki Sanji. Therefore, it is irrelevant what Mahikari devotees think is the correct wording. In reality, during his Sekai Kyusei Kyo (SKK) years, Okada preferred for the members around him to call him by the name Kotama, so this was not a "new" divine name given to him by God in 1959. In short, Okada hid the facts and declared that Kotama was "a name given to him by God in 1959".
In addition, where Mahikari (Okada) mentions "the people in the world of Shinto" in cases like the above, these were actually Makoto no Michi people. Replacing “Makoto no Michi people” with "people in the world of Shinto" gives a false impression of authority to these people and what they said.
When the Makoto no Michi people "asked God", this may have been a pre-arranged incident. If Okada was already a member of Makoto no Michi, it was only natural that the answer was a favourable one to Okada. Whatever explanation there is concerning the origin of the name Kotama, it does not change the fact that Kotama was "a name Okada originally gave to himself". (Various Internet sites present facts concerning Makoto no Michi people “consulting spirits” about the name Kotama.)
Concerning the name Seigyoku, Okada said that he was given this name by God in 1961, and that he felt dreadfully awed by it. The same thing is said in the Sukyo Mahikari 30-year Chronicle. In Commentary on Kami Muki Sanji, Okada goes on to say that when he tried to write "Kotama", he failed, but when he wrote "Seigyoku", everything went smoothly, and he explicitly stated this date as being 15 May 1964. So, according to Okada, he started using the name "Seigyoku" from that date. Please refer to Part 1 of this series of posts for information concerning use of the name "Okada Seigyoku" when he endorsed Michikazu Okada's book, Reiyu no Kagaku (The Science of Spiritual Healing).
Leaving aside the question of whether or not the incident that Okada refers to here as a “mysterious experience” actually happened, is this “mysterious experience” really so mysterious?
Even ordinary people experience this sort of thing. When writing something, a person might make the same mistake two or three times, then later, when feeling better, the writing proceeds well at the first attempt.
Isn't it possible to say that Okada arbitrarily interpreted his own carelessness as "This is because God is not pleased", and that when he changed to using a different name, the writing went smoothly.
Many parts of the world Okada invented have been constructed from this type of “interpretation method”.
You may recall I mentioned, in Part 1, that Sukyo Mahikari claims that Okada received “revelations”, in the form of “voiceless voices”, even before “the first revelation”.
The Sukyo Mahikari 30-year Chronicle, published in 1989, says the following on pages 64-65:
Finally, I wanted to apologize to God, so, as an Otamagushi, I took the ￥300 I got by pawning the uniform I had received from the army and made a prayer of apology. Then, when I started to look for a place to die, I suddenly heard a voiceless voice from somewhere saying, "The impurities of your ancestors are going to be erased, erased". Then, for the first time, Sukuinushi-sama thought about the sins committed by his ancestors.
How did Okada himself express what happened at that time? Compare the above with the following closely related extracts from Okada’s own words:
…Then, there was nothing I could do but kill myself and I searched for a place to commit suicide.
Then, I remembered my older sister’s words. She was a Christian believer and, when I was in middle school, she taught me, “Blessed are the poor”.
However, I rebelled against that and went in the opposite direction towards making money. I invested money in various businesses, such as an aircraft company, coal mining, salt works, and timber wholesale. I invested all the inheritance from my ancestors. Then, I lost everything due to war damages.
It was then that I realized that, “Something more powerful than human efforts determines what happens.”
I thought that this must be what Jesus meant when he said “Blessed are the poor”. In short, the sins and impurities accumulated during the cycle of rebirths and transmigrations and/or from one’s ancestors are erased by losing one’s fortune. In kotodama, “fortune (財 = zai) leads to sins (罪 = zai)”.
[omitted]
Looking back now, I tremble at the thought of the fate I was following.
If, when I was looking for a place to die, I had found a place, I wouldn’t be here now. However, I think what I heard at that time could have been the voice of God. Something reminded me of my sister's voice saying the words of Jesus, "Blessed are the poor", as she used to say when I was in middle school. [From Mahikari Journal No. 379 – April 1994, Sukuinushi-sama’s teachings, pages 24 to 28]
Here, Okada’s own expressions are “I remembered”, “I realized”, and “I thought”, rather than schizophrenic-sounding expressions like hearing a “disembodied voice” [will appear in the next post in this series] or a “voiceless voice”. Later, when Okada is reminiscing about this time, he interprets the remembered voice of his sister as possibly being "the voice of God". And that “voice” said “Blessed are the poor”, not “The impurities of your ancestors are going to be erased.”
What is Sukyo Mahikari trying to achieve by changing what Okada wrote in this way? Why do they want to claim that the "first revelation" in 1959 was about the establishment of the organization and that there had been previous "revelations" before that? What credibility do Sukyo Mahikari assertions have, since they change what is written about major events involving the founder of Mahikari in this way?
Or, do these contradictions arise from inconsistencies in the stories told by Okada himself?
Since there are inconsistencies in some things said by Okada himself, he can be an irritation to the Mahikari sect, even though they praise him by calling him “the saviour”.
The following excerpt is from Okada’s own words concerning the “first revelation”:
As written in the current Goseigen, I just followed the divine revelation: “Call yourself Kotama. Raise your hand.” This is the very first divine revelation I received from God.
[From Gotaidanshu (interviews with Okada), published 1985, page 232]
- By phoenix3000
PS from Anne:
If you've not seen the survey for former members yet, please look under "Previous posts" in the sidebar and submit your responses. Thank you very much to all those who have responded so far...there've been some very interesting responses already...but I still need responses from a lot more people for the results to be considered valid. Thanks!
Authenticity of the "Revelations" supposedly received by the founder of Mahikari (Part 2)
Re (1):
Since I’ve noticed that some Mahikari devotees seem to think that the wording in the “first revelation” is “Call yourself Kotama”, rather than “I give you the name Kotama", I quote more from the kenshu textbook and Okada's own words.
From the Mahikari Secondary (Intermediate) Kenshu Textbook, "The Divine Name of Sukuinushi-sama," page 8:
The saviour was given the divine name Kotama in the first revelation concerning founding Mahikari. Later he received the divine name Seigyoku. [Note: This is what the Japanese textbook says. The wording in the English textbook is slightly different.]
From Commentary on Kami Muki Sanji, published in 1982, pages 39-41:
Next I will explain briefly about the divine names I received. First I was given the divine name "Kotama", but at first the people in the world of Shinto doubted this divine name. Therefore, they asked God and were even shown the origin of the name. [Omitted] This is how they came to know that this was not a name that I had casually given to myself.
Next I was given the divine name "Seigyoku". [Omitted] I felt dreadfully awed by the character "sei-" (meaning "holy") in this name. [Omitted]
However, in 1961 when I received this name, the participants at Taisai numbered only about 170, so I felt the organization had not yet reached the stage where I could use such a divine name as Seigyoku.
[Omitted] At first I was too afraid to use the divine name "Seigyoku".
However, various arrangements and signs that occurred around me indicated that I must use this name, so I started to use "Seigyoku".
I will relate some of these mysterious experiences. Firstly, on 15 May 1964, I was writing a Goshintai and somehow I spoiled it partway through. Each time I tried to write "Kotama", the ink would splatter onto the holy characters in Goshintai, or the paper would tear. I tried writing three Goshintai, but for some reason it wouldn't go right.
[Omitted]
After the third Goshintai was spoilt, I thought, "This is because God is not pleased." Then, when I wrote "Seigyoku", things went happily and I began to write smoothly.
The Mahikari text uses the expression "received", and even Okada himself says First I was given the divine name "Kotama" in Commentary on Kami Muki Sanji. Therefore, it is irrelevant what Mahikari devotees think is the correct wording. In reality, during his Sekai Kyusei Kyo (SKK) years, Okada preferred for the members around him to call him by the name Kotama, so this was not a "new" divine name given to him by God in 1959. In short, Okada hid the facts and declared that Kotama was "a name given to him by God in 1959".
In addition, where Mahikari (Okada) mentions "the people in the world of Shinto" in cases like the above, these were actually Makoto no Michi people. Replacing “Makoto no Michi people” with "people in the world of Shinto" gives a false impression of authority to these people and what they said.
When the Makoto no Michi people "asked God", this may have been a pre-arranged incident. If Okada was already a member of Makoto no Michi, it was only natural that the answer was a favourable one to Okada. Whatever explanation there is concerning the origin of the name Kotama, it does not change the fact that Kotama was "a name Okada originally gave to himself". (Various Internet sites present facts concerning Makoto no Michi people “consulting spirits” about the name Kotama.)
Concerning the name Seigyoku, Okada said that he was given this name by God in 1961, and that he felt dreadfully awed by it. The same thing is said in the Sukyo Mahikari 30-year Chronicle. In Commentary on Kami Muki Sanji, Okada goes on to say that when he tried to write "Kotama", he failed, but when he wrote "Seigyoku", everything went smoothly, and he explicitly stated this date as being 15 May 1964. So, according to Okada, he started using the name "Seigyoku" from that date. Please refer to Part 1 of this series of posts for information concerning use of the name "Okada Seigyoku" when he endorsed Michikazu Okada's book, Reiyu no Kagaku (The Science of Spiritual Healing).
Leaving aside the question of whether or not the incident that Okada refers to here as a “mysterious experience” actually happened, is this “mysterious experience” really so mysterious?
Even ordinary people experience this sort of thing. When writing something, a person might make the same mistake two or three times, then later, when feeling better, the writing proceeds well at the first attempt.
Isn't it possible to say that Okada arbitrarily interpreted his own carelessness as "This is because God is not pleased", and that when he changed to using a different name, the writing went smoothly.
Many parts of the world Okada invented have been constructed from this type of “interpretation method”.
You may recall I mentioned, in Part 1, that Sukyo Mahikari claims that Okada received “revelations”, in the form of “voiceless voices”, even before “the first revelation”.
The Sukyo Mahikari 30-year Chronicle, published in 1989, says the following on pages 64-65:
Finally, I wanted to apologize to God, so, as an Otamagushi, I took the ￥300 I got by pawning the uniform I had received from the army and made a prayer of apology. Then, when I started to look for a place to die, I suddenly heard a voiceless voice from somewhere saying, "The impurities of your ancestors are going to be erased, erased". Then, for the first time, Sukuinushi-sama thought about the sins committed by his ancestors.
How did Okada himself express what happened at that time? Compare the above with the following closely related extracts from Okada’s own words:
…Then, there was nothing I could do but kill myself and I searched for a place to commit suicide.
Then, I remembered my older sister’s words. She was a Christian believer and, when I was in middle school, she taught me, “Blessed are the poor”.
However, I rebelled against that and went in the opposite direction towards making money. I invested money in various businesses, such as an aircraft company, coal mining, salt works, and timber wholesale. I invested all the inheritance from my ancestors. Then, I lost everything due to war damages.
It was then that I realized that, “Something more powerful than human efforts determines what happens.”
I thought that this must be what Jesus meant when he said “Blessed are the poor”. In short, the sins and impurities accumulated during the cycle of rebirths and transmigrations and/or from one’s ancestors are erased by losing one’s fortune. In kotodama, “fortune (財 = zai) leads to sins (罪 = zai)”.
[omitted]
Looking back now, I tremble at the thought of the fate I was following.
If, when I was looking for a place to die, I had found a place, I wouldn’t be here now. However, I think what I heard at that time could have been the voice of God. Something reminded me of my sister's voice saying the words of Jesus, "Blessed are the poor", as she used to say when I was in middle school. [From Mahikari Journal No. 379 – April 1994, Sukuinushi-sama’s teachings, pages 24 to 28]
Here, Okada’s own expressions are “I remembered”, “I realized”, and “I thought”, rather than schizophrenic-sounding expressions like hearing a “disembodied voice” [will appear in the next post in this series] or a “voiceless voice”. Later, when Okada is reminiscing about this time, he interprets the remembered voice of his sister as possibly being "the voice of God". And that “voice” said “Blessed are the poor”, not “The impurities of your ancestors are going to be erased.”
What is Sukyo Mahikari trying to achieve by changing what Okada wrote in this way? Why do they want to claim that the "first revelation" in 1959 was about the establishment of the organization and that there had been previous "revelations" before that? What credibility do Sukyo Mahikari assertions have, since they change what is written about major events involving the founder of Mahikari in this way?
Or, do these contradictions arise from inconsistencies in the stories told by Okada himself?
Since there are inconsistencies in some things said by Okada himself, he can be an irritation to the Mahikari sect, even though they praise him by calling him “the saviour”.
The following excerpt is from Okada’s own words concerning the “first revelation”:
As written in the current Goseigen, I just followed the divine revelation: “Call yourself Kotama. Raise your hand.” This is the very first divine revelation I received from God.
[From Gotaidanshu (interviews with Okada), published 1985, page 232]
- By phoenix3000
PS from Anne:
If you've not seen the survey for former members yet, please look under "Previous posts" in the sidebar and submit your responses. Thank you very much to all those who have responded so far...there've been some very interesting responses already...but I still need responses from a lot more people for the results to be considered valid. Thanks!
posted by Anne at 3:43 AM
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