What is evil? - Guidelines for the Heart by Ryuho Okawa, President - 185 -

April 21, 2020（Last Update: June 13, 2026）

President Ryuho Okawa's work "Guidelines for the Heart" is serialized in the Happy Science's publication Monthly 'Happy Science'. It is also displayed on posters at branches nationwide and is widely known as the monthly face of Happy Science.

For those who want to read the Guidelines for the Heart in the monthly magazine, you can also find it in Monthly 'Happy Science' May 2020 issue.

In this "Guidelines for the Heart," the standards for distinguishing good from evil and the mindset to distance oneself from evil were discussed. I spoke with Akitoshi Nakata, who is involved in the production of Happy Science's music, which embodies the values considered good by gods and Buddhas.

Akitoshi Nakata

Director of the Entertainment and Creator Department of the HSU Faculty of Future Creation, and Director of the Media Culture Business Bureau (in charge of music), and Director of ARI Production Co., Ltd.

Born in 1954 in Tokyo. After graduating from Hitotsubashi University, he worked at a music publishing company. After leaving, he obtained an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was appointed as the representative for Asia Pacific and Japan at Walt Disney Japan, Inc., where he planned and produced events such as "Disney on Classic." He became a monk in Happy Science in 2010 and has held various positions, including in the International Bureau, before his current role.

There is no justice in a godless country.

Reading the words from this "Guidelines for the Heart," "If there is no God, there would be neither good nor evil," I thought of China, where the concealment of information regarding the novel coronavirus is being criticized. The totalitarian state of China is a 'godless country,' and without good, evil, or justice, I believe it is a 'hell' for its citizens. Generally, actions that violate laws and morals are considered 'evil,' but looking at China, I felt anew that 'we must consider good and evil from the perspective of gods and Buddhas.'

Moreover, from my own experience, I believe it is important to know the heart of gods and Buddhas not only at the national level but also at the individual level.

Until I encountered Happy Science, I lived only seeking my own self-actualization. In my 30s, I quit my job at a music publishing company and studied abroad in America to obtain an MBA, but as I studied how to increase sales and survive in society, my heart began to feel anxiety and suffering.

I learned good and evil through the teachings of gods and Buddhas.

At that time, I encountered the teaching of 'Love that Gives' from Happy Science. It states that 'wishing for success only for oneself is wrong (love that takes), while self-actualization that wishes for the happiness of many is good (love that gives).' Knowing this, a great transformation of values occurred within me, and I was able to develop an altruistic heart. While learning the teachings with fellow practitioners, I felt the joy of soul growth, my heart became lighter, and my feelings brightened. I realized that what I truly sought was not to gain status or honor, but 'the growth of my soul.'

After that, in the company where I re-employed, I worked with a heart of love and was able to succeed. While seeking only my own success is not usually considered evil, I realized through experience that it can become evil when viewed in the light of the heart of gods and Buddhas.

Currently, I have become a monk in Happy Science and am engaged in work that conveys the heart of gods and Buddhas through music. I hope many people will listen to songs that align with the heart of gods and Buddhas.

This content is reprinted and edited from Monthly 'Happy Science' Issue 399.

The very popular 'Guidelines for the Heart' is featured in Monthly 'Happy Science', and subscriptions are available, so please take advantage of it!

Training on 'Guidelines for the Heart' is currently being held at temples nationwide! open_in_new

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