Fleeting and Inadequate - Guidelines for the Heart by Ryuho Okawa 188 -

For those who want to read the guidelines in the monthly magazine, you can also find it in Monthly 'Happy Science' August 2020 issue.

This month's "Guidelines for the Heart" showed a reflection on oneself while feeling the fleetingness and inadequacy of life, deepening one's life. I spoke with Mr. Kazutaka Yamamoto, who is involved in the cemetery project of Happy Science, about the secrets to shining in a limited life.

After reading this month's "Guidelines for the Heart," I reflected on my life again and felt, "Time passes quickly." While reflecting on my immaturity and lack of effort, I learned the importance of living life vigorously from the sight of cicadas singing in midsummer.

I am in charge of funerals and memorial services for Happy Science, and recently, I learned about "how to live" from the funeral of a 5-year-old girl.

The girl had a severe heart condition from birth and had been hospitalized for a long time. However, she never complained about painful injections or blood tests and always kept a smile. Her presence encouraged nurses, other children with the same illness, and their families, and at the funeral, many people tearfully spoke to her portrait, saying, "I’m glad to have met you" and "Thank you."

Although the girl's life was short, what she gave to others was significant. I was deeply reminded that what matters is not "how long one lives" but "how one lived."

Through various opportunities to face the lives of many people at funerals and memorial services, I have learned that every life is a "precious life" that has loved many and has been loved by many without exception. And humans live their lives earnestly, die, return to the other world, and are reborn in this world. There is the "Buddha's compassion" that sustains all life, and I strongly feel that everyone is watched over by the "Buddha's gaze."

Death is generally something that is disliked, but isn't it important to think about the "other world" and "deities" during funerals of relatives and acquaintances? "Death" comes equally to everyone and is one process in the eternal cycle of reincarnation.

Now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world are forced to confront death. I hope you will read this "Guidelines for the Heart" repeatedly and feel the meaning of life.

This content is reprinted and edited from Monthly 'Happy Science' Issue 402.

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

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※ The first week of every month is scheduled for a special feature on the guidelines.