Mahikari

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Mahikari is the compilation of two Japanese words Ma (真) 'True' and Hikari (光)' Light'. Its meaning according to the Mahikari group is "True Light". It refers to a group of Japanese Shinshūkyō or new religions founded by Yoshikazu Okada (岡田 良一) (1901-1974).

"Mahikari is one of the many new religions that emerged in Japan after World War II. It was founded in 1959 by Okada Yoshikazu, who took the name Okada Kotama (jewel of light) and was eventually addressed by his disciples with the honorary title Sukuinushisama (lord savior). The cosmology, values, and rituals were borrowed by Mahikari largely from another new Japanese religion, Sekai Kyuseikyo, which in turn was strongly influenced by Oomotoko, one of the oldest New Religions of Japan. They contain elements of Shintoism (the emphasis on purity, the reference to gods, and the veneration of the emperor), Buddhism (belief in karma and reincarnation), and Japanese folk religion (the divine status of the leader, miraculous healing, etc.)." (Cornille 1991)

"The Church of World Messianity (Sekai Kyusei-kyo in Japanese) is one of some 700 new religions founded in Japan in the last two centuries. Scholars locate it in the Omoto group: a family of churches originating in the early 1900s. All are syncretic, incorporating elements of Shinto, Buddhism, and Christianity. Most emphasize healing, and several focus on world transformation. Mahikari, an off-shoot of World Messianity, is probably the best known to the English-speaking public". (Spickard 1995)

Contents

[edit] The founding of Mahikari

In 1949 Yoshikazu Okada became a minister of Sekai Kyusei-kyo assigned to the Hauai church in its branch church located in Nishiogikobo, Tokyo. In 1953 he left Sekai Kyusei-kyo but maintained a close association. The concepts in Sekai Kyusei-kyo bear a striking resemblance to the concepts of his own religion.

On Feb 22 1959, he claimed, while having a high fever he was transported to the world of divine spirits and saw a god with white hair standing on a beautiful white cloud, washing clothes in a golden tub. "Later Okada would tell his followers that this experience was a revelation from God concerning his future mission of cleansing the world and human kind." (Mcveigh.1997)

To support his mission he founded a religious corporation called L.H. Yokoshi Tomo no Kai (陽光子友乃会) and started recruiting followers. In 1963 he registered this group under the name Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan [2].

Okada claimed to have received revelations from a god-deity he called Mioya Motosu Mahikari Omikami (御親元主真光御み神, Original Parent, Lord, God of True Light) - or Su (Lord, 主) God for short. He maintained that this god-deity was the supreme creator of everything. His role was to inaugurate a new era as a heralding Messiah for this god and to introduce Mahikari no Waza, a method of channelling a 'divine' invisible energy, or true light (Mahikari, 真光). He claimed that via this practice of holding a hand up and imagining a stream of invisible energy flowing from the palm of the hand, the causes of illness, poverty, and strife could be eliminated from the world.

Mahikari no waza, Okada claimed, was a technique given though him by his god-deity Su God, in order for humans to cleanse the world of spiritual, mental and physical pollution. He claimed in the strongest of terms that the world was facing a great upheaval, or peak of baptism by fire, and that the Mahikari technique was a method of overcoming the challenges ahead. It was his mission and that of Mahikari members to help people prepare for and survive this baptism of fire.

Okada claimed that Mahikari was a means by which possessing spirits, earth bound souls, and ancestor spirits could be purified, saved, and receive enlightenment. He gave examples of what to expect: Group (mass) spirits causing disturbance driven by fierce hatred have reicarnated as people in this world causing battles. In his training classes, he taught that some of these spirits fought in atomic-hydrogen wars between the mythical Continents of Mu (lost continent) and Atlantis. He also claimed that there have been battles between the spirits from planets such as Venus and humans with physical bodies in this world.

"The Mahikari cosmos forms a multi-layered hierarchy with positive associations of high spirituality, purity, power, brightness, and warmth positioned toward the top, culminating with the Divine Source, Su God. Moving toward the bottom we find negative associations of low spirituality, impurity, lack of power, darkness, and coldness, ending in an ocean of mud." (McVeigh.1997)

Okada's writings include a book called Goseigen, ( 御聖言 ), a collection of songs/poems called the Yokoshi Prayer Book (Norigotoshu, 祈言書), and a book called Kamimuki Sanji Kaisetsu.

"Kamimuki Sanji Kaisetsu is regarded as the most authorative exposition of Mahikari's fundamental teachings, although it is hardly systematic. The Sekai Mahikari Bunmai Koyodan informed me that it contains Okada's fundamental teachings." (Knecht. 1995)

[edit] Okada's world view

"Having chosen Okada to be the savior ( sukuinushi), Su-God,the True God of Light (whence the organizational name, Mahikari [True Light], is derived), declared his intention of bathing the world in a Baptism of Fire (hi no senrei ), a healing light for the seed-people (tanebito) who respond to it, but a burning and destructive light to those who hide themselves from it. If the imbalance between good and evil in the world cannot be corrected, Su-God will incinerate the world. 2000 A.D. is said to be the deadline, and, if not fulfilled, will provide scholars with interesting material for further study of what happens to sectarian societies when prophecy fails."(Young.1990)

Okada claimed that on 1 January 1962 the world entered an age of Baptism by Fire, by the spiritual energy of fire, a purifying energy that would restore the earth and humankind to their original pure state, in harmony with their creator.

"A photographer with Japan's Yomiuri newspaper happened to take a picture of Mount Fuji that by chance caught in it the face of the god Kunitorozu Tsukurinushi, leader of the forty-eight fire deities spread out over the side of the mountain. A specialist at the Sophia University, a Catholic University in Tokyo, allegedly identified this as the face of Yahweh himself, obviously a strict deity. The Saviour took this as sure proof that the Eschaton, the Age of the Baptism by fire, had begun." ( Davis.1980)

"Today God does not need those souls who cannot keep up with the progress of the divine plan and who are useless for the construction of the new Spiritual Civilization (Do not be conceited just because you are Japanese or Jewish.) It is the divine will that such useless souls will be erased from existence by the baptism with fire. The divine plan is that only the souls who have been sufficiently purified will be permitted to remain on earth as tanebito (seed people)." (Sunkyo. Okada)

Among his predictions was a noticeable disorder in established weather patterns, general and steady increase in global atmospheric temperatures, the eventual melting of the global ice caps, and increasing problems due to rain with a high acidity. He said an increase in what he called the spiritual energy of fire would result in increased phenomena of fire, but that because this same fire energy moves water energy, phenomena such as flooding, cold snaps, and the like would increase. At the same time, potable water would become increasingly scarce, and he said humankind needed to work hastily to develop techniques of removing the salinity of sea water.

The increase in energies of purification would also mean that medications would lose their effectiveness, he claimed, due to the need to eliminate impurities from spirit, mind, and body. Similarly, stronger and stronger agricultural herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides would have to be developed to cope with the increasing purification of toxic products from the soil.

The new age of progressive dawning also meant that many phenomena not in fitting with divine will would be progressively exposed, as would all falsehood and deceit, just as when night becomes day and all becomes illuminated. Entities that had theretofore opposed the will of heaven would progressively be exposed, admonished, struggle, and face dead ends, but would ultimately awaken and reform (See the Book of Holy Words [Goseigen, 御聖言], "The Age of Four A's").

[edit] Influences behind the formation of Mahikari

The mythology of several Japanese new religions feature in the formation of Mahikari.

  • Okada, like others, claimed to be a spokesperson of a Japanese deity- god. It was his mission to save mankind from destruction.
  • He, like others, claimed to receive revelations from this deity- god. He recorded these revelations using automatic writing.
  • He, like others, claimed to be the person to return mankind to a state of spiritual purity. Using a healing/cleaning energy administered from the hand.
  • He, like others, claimed Japan was the spiritual origin of humankind.

Tenrikyo founded by Miki Nakayama (1798-1886), which means “Heavenly Wisdom” (tenri means heavenly wisdom and kyo means teaching or religion). During a healing ceremony, Miki reportedly entered a trance and said, “I am the True and Original God. I have been predestined to reside here. I have descended from Heaven to save all human beings, and I want to take Miki as the Shrine of God and the mediatrix between God and men.”

Konkokyo, translated as “Golden Light,” was founded by Bunjiro Kawate (1814-1883). "After years of earnest seeking and praying he at last found God, Parent of all men, the Parent-God of the Universe, who revealed himself to Konko Daijin (Kawate’s posthumous honorary name) as Tenchi-Kane-no-kami. It was on November the 15th of 1859 that the words of God came upon the Founder, calling him to the sacred mission of saving men, and revealing at the same time that the prosperity of mankind is the ultimate purpose of the Parent-God of the Universe, and that without the realization of that purpose God Himself is morally imperfect." (Thomsen, op.cit., p. 70.)

Oomoto, which means “The Teaching of the Great Origin,” began in 1892 and was founded by Nao Deguchi (1836-1918). She claimed she had a visitation of a supernatural entity bestowing a mission on her to save humankind. She claimed that the origin was one, that mankind must return to that origin, and that humankind faced a great upheaval. She claimed to receive revelations from her god-deity which she wrote down using a form of automatic writing called Ofudesaki, "From the Tip of the Brush". Oomoto is promoted as the catalyst to unite all religions. Oomoto use a healing method called Miteshiro ( honorable hand-substitute) to drive out possessing spirits.

Sekai Kyūsei Kyō (世界救世教) was founded by Okada Mokichi (1882-1955). In June of 1920 he joined Oomoto. Okada was a teacher in an Oomoto church in Tokyo in 1934 when he started using a different process to the official Oomoto healing method, and he was expelled. He claimed to have received revelations from his god-deity in 1926 but kept them hidden. Due to the political climate in Japan at the time, he destroyed them and rewrote some from memory years later. In 1945, with the conclusion of World War II, Okada moved his base of operations from Tokyo to Hakone and Atami, and launched his full-scale activities. His devotees called him Meishu-sama, which could be translated as 'Master of Light.' In the words from a devotee, "It is also fitting here because the phrase, 'the light from the east,' steeped in the antiquity of western civilization aptly describes Okada’s birth and life of activity in Japan, which has traditionally been considered as the most eastern part of 'The East.' "

"He found he could infuse his own charisma into paper amulets, enclose the amulets in golden lockets and sell them for 2,000 yen apiece. Okada was on his way to fame and fortune as a new messiah". (Davis, 1980) He claimed by using these amulets a person could clean and purify spirtual pollution.

Mahikari was founded by Yoshikazu Okada (岡田 良一) (1901-1974). He preferred to be called Kotama(Ball of Light) Okada and is no relation to Mokichi Okada.

Okada's prior involvement in the Church of World Messianity (Sekai Kyusei Kyo, 世界救世教) clearly played an important role in his new religion, Mahikari. The practise of Johrei (Purification of the Spirit), the imagined energy radiating from the hand, is similar to Mahikari (True Light), and the Ohikari, the pendant worn around the neck by members of Sekai Kyusei Kyo, is similar in concept to the Omitama pendant worn around the neck by Mahikari members. "The notion of a divine energy administered through the hand can be found in other New Religions. In Omoto there is the belief in shinki / reiki (divine spirit) that is radiated in a ritual called miteshiro (divine hand-substitute). Sekai Kyiiseikyb's hikari (light) is given in a ritual called jorei (spirit cleaning). Jorei is very similar to Mahikari's okijome, as is Omoto's miteshiro,"(McVeigh. 1992)

"On a quite different plane, we must also remember that Okada was influenced by ideas about the lost continent of Mu. According to Okada, Japan forms the last surviving portion of this continent, once the home of a superb, sun-worshipping culture. The people of this continent were builders of pyramids, a fact reflected in the activities of the lost continent’s last survivors, the Mayas, Egyptians, and, of course, the Japanese. We might thus conclude that Mahikari’s teachings comprise a collection of esoteric knowledge of various origin, some from published material and some from Okada’s earlier experiences as leader in another religious group, the Sekai Kyosei Kyo (World Messianic Movement), whose cosmology and rituals bear many resemblances to Mahikari’s." (Knecht.1995)

Takenouchi Documents ;

"Many of the ideas Okada wove into Churchward's account of Mu were taken from the Takenouchi Documents, said to be preserved by the Takenouchi family in a shrine in Ibaraki Prefecture. This information has been set forth by Yamane Kiku in a book called The Authentic History of the World Secreted Away in Japan. It is from this book - which the Saviour (Okada) regarded as the last word on ancient history - that we learn that Jesus died in Japan, and that nearly all the other saints and holy men of the world at least visited the country." (Davis.1980)

"In a collection of his sermons we find a chapter entitled “Light from the East,” which explains that the founders of the world’s great religions realized their teachings could not reveal the ultimate truth, and knew that such the truth would eventually come from the East. He further says that Moses and Jesus, among others, came to Japan to undergo spiritual training in preparation for their missions, and that they later died in Japan. For him their careers are further proof that their teachings are only transient and that ultimate salvation will come from the East, that is to say from Mahikari and/or Japan (SEIÕ 1973, pp. 82–106)" (Knecht.1995)

"Where one does find stories of this type, detailing how the teachers of the world’s great religions trained in Japan and eventually returned there to die, is in a book entitled Hikari wa tõhõ yori [Light from the East] (YAMANE 1988), first published in 1937. In the postscript to the latest edition the author’s son mentions that parts of this book were republished in a journal that functioned as the more or less official journal of an organization called the Taiko Kenkyukai (Group for the study of the ancient past). One of the contributors to this journal was none other than Sekiguchi Sakae, Okada’s close companion for many years and his successor as Oshienushi (and who later served as head of the Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan following the separation from Sukyo Mahikari). Under these circumstances there can be little doubt as to what Okada’s real sources were, at least for certain parts of his teachings." (Knecht.1995)

Kiku Yamane's grandson, [1]Ichiro Yamane, Assistant Professor of Social Psychology, Nagoya, states that in his opinion the Takenouchi Document (also known as the Takeuchi Document) is so nonsensical that the danger of its ideas tends to be over-looked. It is nessary to closely examine that aspect. He states, In his opinion it was created by an extraordinary braggart right around the time that the Japanese military had an ambition to march out to the continent. It provided the myths to justify the Japanese Emperor ruling the world under the same logic that the Emperor ruled Japan at that time.

'The originals of this (Takenouchi) document and the "sacred treasures" were confiscated by government authorities and later lost in air raids during World War II. As a result, it is impossible to confirm or deny the authenticity of any of these items. For documentary criticism of the "Takeuchi Document" and its alleged copies, see Jindai hishi shiryô shûse, appendix "Kaidai" [Explanatory notes] by Ôuchi Yoshisato, and Kanô Ryôkichi,, "Amatsukyô komonjo no hihan" [Criticism of the Amatsukyô document], Shisô (June, 1936), 983-1027'.(TSUSHIMA Michihito)

Kojiki, Records of Ancient Matters;

"Much earlier Mahikari mythology is attributed to the Kojiki, Records of Ancient Matters, which was written circa 712 CE. Though the Kojiki is a depository of Shinto myths, it is well known to scholars as a “late compilation in which political considerations and specifically Chinese conceptions intrude themselves almost everywhere.” Mahikari utilizes many of the mythological deities found in the Kojiki but focuses on the Su god who personally chose Okada as his savior."(Weston.2002)

[edit] Mahikari Groups

"Only one out of seven to ten people introduced to Mahikari ultimately becomes a member, and among the members there is a very high dropout rate (leaders admit to about 70%). This makes membership estimates hap-hazard." (Cornille 1991).

Active membership would probably be less than half the membership numbers declared by the groups.

"Generally characterized by an emphases on psychic phenomena and spiritualistic elements, groups often included within this category include Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyôdan; Sûkyô Mahikari; Suhikari Kôha Sekai Shindan; Agonshû; Shinnyoen; Reiha no Hikari Kyôkai; and Ôyamanezu no Mikoto Shinji Kyôkai. Most of these organizations are comprised of relatively young members and have increased their numbers over a short period, although some have apparently already passed their peak and are stagnant or experiencing declining memberships." (INOUE Nobutaka.1997)

The following groups can be categorized as Okada or Mahikari influenced new new Japanese religions.

Established :

  • 1959 - L.H. Company of Sun Light Children Yokoshi Tomo no Kai - later changed to Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan
  • 1963 - Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan - nominal membership - 50,000 to 100,000 worldwide (2007)
  • 1974 - Shin Yu Gen Kyu Sei Mahikari Kyodan - nominal membership ?
  • 1978 - Sukyo Mahikari - nominal membership - 150,000 to 250,000 worldwide (2007)
  • 1978-79 - The Light Center - Belguim - nominal membership - ?
  • 1980 - Subikari Koha Sekai Shindan - nominal membership - 4,500 (2007)
  • 1984 - Yokoshi Tomo No Kai (Singapore) may be the same as Seiho Mahikari - nominal membership - ?
  • ? - Mahikari Seiho No Kai - nominal membership - ?

[edit] Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan

1959 - Yokoshi Tomo no Kai (L.H. Company of Sun Light Children) - later changed to Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan

  • First Holy Master - Holy Name: Seio, Kotama Okada Real Name:Yoshikazu Okada (1901-1974)
  • Second Holy Master Holy Name: Seiho, Sakae Sekiguchi (1909-1994)

After the death of the first Holy Master on June 23, 1974, the Reverend Seiho became the second Holy Master in accordance with a divine degree.

  • Third Holy Master Holy Name: Seisho, Katsutoshi Sekiguchi (1939-)

On January 3, 1994, the Reverend Seisho became the third Holy Master by divine degree.

[edit] Sukyo Mahikari Perspective

Sukyo Mahikari (崇教真光), established following the death of Kotama Okada and the subsequent legal dispute over rightful spiritual succession, was established by Keiju Okada with the goal of enabling people to experience the existence of a higher dimension through the art of True Light. True Light (Mahikari), the Light of the Creator God, can be radiated from the hand by people who complete a three-day introductory course and receive a sacred pendant. The Light purifies the spirit, mind and body. This art can be practised anywhere and at any time and is the main activity at Sukyo Mahikari centres throughout the world.

Teachings in the form of universal or transcendent principles ,sukyo 崇教, that people experience in their lives empower all to understand aspects of the unseen realm of spirit via their own experience. True light (Mahikari, 真光) enables people to efficaciously follow a God-centred, spiritual way of life. The sukyo principles are said to expound fundamental laws established at the foundation of the universe that apply to all people irrespective of their individual faith systems or beliefs.

[edit] Origin of Mahikari

Mahikari is the Japanese word for True Light. This expression, containing the characters for ‘true’ (ma, 真) and ‘light’ (hikari, 光 ), was introduced to the world by Mr Kotama Okada, who founded the Mahikari organization in 1959. It is now used in countries throughout the world[1] when referring to the organization he founded. In response to revelations Okada is said to have received at 5am on the 27th of February 1959 (p 4)[2] he established the Mahikari organization and for fifteen years he guided its expansion (p39).[3] In the preface to the Book of Holy Words (Goseigen, 御聖言) containing some (only 52 p45)[3]of the revelations he received, he describes the conditions under which he received the revelations (p x)[2]

[edit] Mahikari as an Organisation

After fifteen years of regular communications from God and dedicated service to society, Mr Okada received his last revelation on 13 June 1974 at 2am (p 69).[1] This revelation detailed the urgency of completing the World Shrine to the Creator God (considered the Noah’s Ark of this age) and entrusted the leadership of the Mahikari Organisation to his foremost disciple, his adopted daughter, Ms Keiju Okada. As early as 1964, she had been officially acting as his representative, and had completed a special ten-year training course in 1972. On the death of the founder in 1974, most believers naturally followed Keiju as leader, but confusion arose when Mr. Sakae Sekiguchi claimed to be Yoshikazu's successor. (p 77).[4] Sekiguchi was a senior staff member who had been appointed by Ms Okada to assist her by leading expansion activities, with extensive influence within the organization, and he took the matter to court. The founder’s daughter, wishing to focus on completing the World Shrine, established Sukyo Mahikari in 1978.

By 1982 the Tokyo High Court had decided it did not have the jurisdiction to decide the rightful spiritual successor. The judge indicated an amicable compromise would leave both as leaders of independent organizations. Mr Sekaguchi’s group retained the original name of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan and they have published their view of this matter on their web site. A Japanese journalist gave an independent account of the legal proceedings in 1996. (p 79)[4]

[edit] Single Origin

Geology explores the evolution and origin of our Planet Earth and Paleontology documents the single origin of life on Earth. The founder declared this as a fundamental tenet of his teachings: "The origin of the earth is one, the origin of the world is one, and the origin of all humankind is one." (ch2).[5]

[edit] Mahikari as a Cleansing Technique

The term "Mahikari" also refers to the Art of True Light (真光の業, mahikari no waza). This refers to the art or technique (業,waza) of radiating True Light (真光, Mahikari) from the hands, an art that has been practiced by over eight hundred thousand people since 1959. (p 63)[1] Mahikari is said to purify cloudiness in the soul and pollution of the body (toxins) so that practitioners of this art are able to help not only themselves and their families, but most importantly, they can help others and improve society (p 28).[1] To become a practitioner, one attends a three day lecture course and receives a sacred locket called an Omitama (p 29)[4]

[edit] International Headquarters

The Main World Shrine of Sukyo Mahikari, a shrine established by Sukyo Mahikari for the creator parent lord God, was completed in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, in 1984. Snow-covered Temple entrance

[edit] Hikaru Memorial Hall

In 1999, Sukyo Mahikari opened the Hikaru Memorial Hall[2] in Takayama, a world class museum that provides evidence from scientific research concerning this single origin. The museum presents archaeological and palaeontological evidence about the origin of life and civilization, art works from the East and West and special exhibitions. It also displays historical aspects of the life of the founder, as well as some of his central ideas, as presented by Mahikari.

[edit] References:

  1. ^ a b c d T Yasaka, Hope for a Troubled Age, L H YOKO Publishers Tokyo, 1999.
  2. ^ a b Yoshikazu, Holy Words (Revelations)., Sukyo Mahikari, North American Region California @nd English Edition
  3. ^ a b Kentaro Shibata, Great and Holy Master?, L.H. Yoko Shuppan, Tokyo. 2003.
  4. ^ a b c A K Tebecis, Is the future in our hands?, Sunrise Press., 2004.
  5. ^ Sukyo Mahikari, Mahikari Primary Course Text. Sukyo Mahikari Takayama, Japan. 2004.

[edit] Links

  • Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan (World Divine Light Organization)[3]
  • Shin Yu Gen Kyu Sei Mahikari Kyodan[4]
  • Yokoshi Tomo No Kai[5]
  • Sukyo Mahikari Japan[6]
  • Sukyo Mahikari North America[7]
  • Sukyo Mahikari Europe and Africa[8]
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