The Unity of Life

Every living thing is meant to create a world of joy and comfort together with human beings. However, those who conceived bad designs started to kill them and thus human beings and other living beings were separated, arousing fear and hostility. This did not limit to the relationship between animals and human beings alone, but also spread between human beings. Hostility and fear between people incurred the present danger of a nuclear war. People come to kill each other as a result of a wrong way of thinking. While people should conceive a way to live and let live, they conceive of a way to kill each other. This is the deadlock created by the absence of faith in religious teachings in the modern times.

Religious life taught humanity to live and let live a way of life in which people, monkeys, birds and other forms of life live amicably together. The art of killing showed great development in the modern civilization, If human beings hope to continue living, we must return to possess views toward life from a religious standpoint. Then the mountains, rivers, snakes, monkeys and all others will become part of us. There will no longer be hatred. We will be able to regard them as our complementary partners in life.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam teach that God created heaven and earth and the creation. It is understandable so far. However, when man did wrong, He regretted that the force of evil filled the face of the earth and decided to destroy the creation. God contemplated that all life on earth except for a pair of each animal be annihilated. The Old Testament relates to us that this was Noah's Ark and the Deluge.

However, this very idea of destroying the evil can adversely be used by the evil. Who are evil? Religion was handed down in the world for us so that evil can be converted to good rather than to be destroyed. The Buddhas in the teachings of Buddhism appeared to reveal this to the world, Monks who carried this leaching also spread the teaching of non-killing to the world. Buddhism prohibited killing. Fishes and domestic animals were also set free during the festival time to release life.

' have come to be associated with the native Americans. Never have I heard from them that the Creator destroys the life of his creation. They are also taught that life must be treasured and protected. That is what we have in common.

We seek peace in our lives. Thus, we face the issue of how to create a peaceful world. . . . After Japan was defeated in the war and started to create a new country, I believed that it was necessary to revive the teachings of Buddhism in Japan and began to construct peace pagodas. It required tremendous materials, yet I started without having any financial support. However, Buddhism was finally revived in the hearts and minds of the Japanese people. More than fifty peace pagodas were erected in Japan. They are the symbols of peace which will unite the entire world.

We must now create a civilization that lets life live and makes the most of it. No other alternative is possible except a peaceful religion that teaches the way to convert the mind peacefully.

From conversations with Bill Wahpepah, June 17, 1980, Kiyosumi Dojo, Japan.

Teachngs of Nichidatsu Fujii.