Teachings of Sukyo Mahikari and Sekai Kyusei Kyo


Part 1

Version 1.0. Editor: Mike Day, March 10, 1997. Updated September 12, 1997

Editor's Introduction

This is a report on the parallels between the teachings of Kautama (born Yoshikazu) Okada, founder of Sukyo Mahikari (SM) and Mokichi Okada (no relation) founder of Sekai Kyusei Kyo (SKK) or Church Of World Messianity.

Technically, Kautama Okada founded the organization Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan (World Divine Light Organization) in 1959, and Sukyo Mahikari was founded by his disciple and adopted daughter Keishu Okada in 1979 after losing a court battle to become the legal successor to Kautama. However, Sukyo Mahikari refers to Kautama as it "founder" and all the teachings from the SM publications below are supposed to have come from him, so the fact of who is the "founder" of SM is not really relevant to the discussion of the teachings.

The sources for this information are the following publications:

  • "Foundations of Paradise (1984)" (herein "FP"), collected writings of Mokichi Okada.
  • "Goseigen, The Holy Words" (G), revelations from God to Kautama Okada.
  • "Mahikari Primary Kenshu Reference Textbook (1990)" (MPK)
  • Mahikari's "Yokoshi Prayer Book" (1976-1986) (YPB)
  • "Sunkyo" (1984), (S) writings of Kautama Okada.

Mokichi Okada died in 1955. The writings in the "Foundations of Paradise" are from the period 1947-1954. Kautama Okada founded Mahikari in 1959. Both founders claimed to have revelations directly from God. Many of the basic teachings are very similar. Both organizations claim that the world is emerging from an "Old Age" into a "New Age" and that people and the world must be purified in preparation for the coming "Paradise on Earth" or "Garden of Eden". Both predict that cataclysms will occur soon as part of this process.

In preparing this document, I was looking for teaching which were similar in wording as well as identical in meaning. However, the "Foundations of Paradise" book was written in simple language, with the intention that anyone could understand it. The "Goseigen", on the other hand, is written in very esoteric language, so it is difficult to compare excerpts from these two documents.

I also found several areas where the teachings were not parallel, and in some cases almost opposite to each other. I have saved these for a second document. It should also be noted that there were some areas of teachings where one or two close similarities could be found, but there were other teachings in the same area which were not similar. This document focuses on similarities, so in most cases only the similar parts are quoted.

Since all of the teachings of SKK predate the teachings of Sukyo Mahikari (SM), the reader may wish to judge whether or not Kautama Okada plagiarized teachings from SKK. It is admitted by SM that Kautama Okada studied SKK but they claim that he was never a member. This claim is in spite of the evidence of a group picture of SKK kanbu (ministers) which included Kautama Okada and the testimony of SKK kanbu that Kautama Okada was not only a member but also a kanbu of SKK.

The only opinion this editor can render at this time is to say that some of the teachings of Sukyo Mahikari and Sekai Kyusei Kyo clearly came from the same source. Other than that, I will let the teachings speak for themselves and invite readers to draw their own conclusions.

Note: References to books are immediately followed by a page number, so for example, read "FP50" as "Foundations of Paradise, page 50". Notes in square brackets i.e. [ and ], were added by the editor.

Revelations from God

SKK:

FP91: "Communications through mediums can be categorized into three divisions: messages that come from divine beings ... from low, animalistic spirits ... ; from human spirits.

"Some examples of the first are revelations received by founders of certain religions in Japan, such as Miki Nakayama of the Tenrikyo Church and Nao Deguchi of Omoto. The revelations of some Buddhist priests in olden days, such as Kobo, Nichiren, and Honen, also belong to this group. ..."

Mokichi Okada in FP does not directly quote his "Revelations from God", although he often refers to them. He said that God revealed to him the art of spiritual healing (FP228), and a Garden design (FP263). See also FP19, FP48, FP62-63.

SM:

G3: "These HOLY WORDS contained in this GOSEIGEN-SHU (The Book of Holy Words) are also revelations given to me by SUSHIN (the Creator of Heaven and Earth) through a messenger god under similar circumstances as those given to preceding great leaders. ..."

The "Spirit of Truth"

SKK:

FP19: "The time has come, however, when the great love of God will be manifested. God has given me His revelation, has chosen me to explain Truth, and now uses me to bring about its realization. Since my teachings are Truth itself and are being brought forth in a form that is easily understood, if approached with interest and attention, without prejudice, Truth will be vividly realized within the sincere seeker."

FP314: "At present, I truly believe that I am perhaps the happiest person in the world, and my heart is filled with gratitude to God. What makes me feel this way? As members all know, I have been given an especially important mission by God and I am working hard day and night to fulfill it. ... "

SM:

G5: Preface by Kautama Okada, October 10, 1969

"'Pseudo-truth' means, as the word literally shows, 'something similar to the Truth' even with all kinds of distortion. ... Gautama Buddha left a teaching that says, three thousand years after his death, a man shall appear in this world to teach the Righteous Spiritual Path. ... "

"Avoiding a clear answer to his disciple's question, Jesus also mentioned, 'When the Spirit of Truth comes, he shall guide you into all the truth. (John 16-13) ... .

" ... Nichiren Shonin wrote ... ' ... Sooner or later, when the time of heaven comes, a Holy man shall make his appearance to reveal a certain teaching ... '

"In this way, the leaders of the great religions in the past avoided making clear statements on the esoteric secrets of the Heavenly World and they all prophesied the coming of the Holy Man who will clarify it in the future."

G27:

"... The purpose of Thy mission is to give people the way of conversion.

"In preparation for this moment, I let Gautama predict, 'the man who preaches the True Spiritual Path will appear from among laymen 3,000 years after my death.'

"I also let Jesus speak, 'When He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth.'

"Accordingly, Thou are YO to give, not in excess, the exemplar which can be continually granted the most esoteric law of the Ancient Divine Era at the time of the creation of the universe and Heaven and Earth.

"There is another YO of thine.

"As is indicated by 'God is Light' and 'God is Word,' Thou have the role to bear witness to them and give the world the Light, the KOTODAMA and the realization concerning the divine functioning of the forty-eight gods (YOTOYA-GAMI).

"It is because I have not yet sent anyone that could truly bear witness to them.

"God knows that Thou have been totally devoting Thyself to God and have been making endeavors even in tears to get closer to God. Thou have endured the most grave and inexplicable trial from God so that Thou have been able to see Him for whom Thou have been longing.

"I shall now use thee. ... "

The Old and New Ages, and What to Call Them

SKK:

OLD AGE: Age of Night (FP6, FP401), illuminated by the light of the moon (FP50, FP125) , Age of Darkness (FP78), Dark Age (FP125),

NEW AGE: Age of the Sun (FP50), Daylight Age (FP50, FP125, FP6), Age of Enlightenment (FP78) sun has risen, "Light from the East" (FP125), spiritual civilization, paradise on earth, New Age, Age of Maitreya, kingdom of heaven, end of Buddhism, day of judgment (FP3).

SM:

OLD AGE: Age of Long Night, Dark Age (G117), Night (Age of Reverse Laws), pale light, moon light, yin light, water, Age of Negative Gods, Teachings of Pseudo-Truth ... (MPK69).

NEW AGE: Age of Day. (G261) Jesus's age of Judgment (G263). Day (Age of Righteous Laws), Sun in the world of spirit, fire, age of truth, Age of Heaven, Age of Righteous Gods ... (MPK69).

What Will Happen, When and Why

SKK:

FP401:

"Jesus spoke about the end of the world and the advent of the kingdom of heaven, and he urged people to express repentance. [Matthew 2:3, 4:17] It seems that few of them realized the true meaning of his warning, however, probably because the time was premature, it was still the Age of Night.

"What Jesus referred to as 'the end of the world' [Matthew 13:39-40, 49, 24:3] indicated the purification ending the Age of Night, and 'the kingdom of heaven' indicated the Daylight Age. The long, dark period of suffering is symbolized by night. [Matthew 24:4 ... ] ...

"The first stage of the great change had its inception in the spiritual realm in 1881, and the next important step began in 1931. [See also FP5] The last state of this change from night to day will take place on the physical plane, in the form of major catastrophes. It will be the cleansing action for the entire planet, and it is near at hand. ...

"During the Age of Night, the spirit of water was the active ruling force and the spirit of fire was a lesser power. In the Daylight Age, that will be reversed and the spirit of fire will become will become the greater force, changing darkness into light as it intensifies.

" ... A period of great destruction and then reconstruction such as mankind has never experienced before will come to pass.

"Since disease is a purifying activity caused by the spirit of fire, those who have more clouds on the spiritual body and toxins in the physical body will naturally have to suffer more severely as the change progresses.

"... At the end of this Age, however, disease will become a tremendous purifying activity, appearing abruptly and spreading rapidly. ...

" ... Jesus gave warning of a time of great tribulation ... [Matthew 24:4-14]"

FP402:

"The Last Judgment, as it has often been referred to in Christianity, is the term for the period when the Age of Night changes into the Age of Day.

"Human society and the world in general will change more noticeably as the purification becomes more severe. According to the governing spiritual law, those who are not pure will gradually weaken, while those who are pure in spirit will thrive, in proportion to the extent of purification of the spiritual realm. Good and evil will finally be clearly defined, and no one will be able to resist the power of Nature as the Light grows in intensity."

FP201:

"All the impurities which have accumulated on human beings and on other material creations--all the impure substances that exist on earth--must ultimately be cleansed in one major action if the condition reaches a certain point. Such a general purification will come through a worldwide war. This cannot be avoided because it follows an immutable law of creation. Therefore, it is obvious that in order to prevent that war, everything on earth--man and all other things--must be so thoroughly cleansed in individual ways that an overall cataclysmic purification becomes unnecessary.

"Now, are there means by which everything and everyone on earth can be cleansed and purified? I say there is. This is the mission of our spiritual group, the purpose for which it was established."

SM:

G138-139: "The End of the World is not the end of God's Kingdom, the Universe, and Heaven and Earth. Mankind in the process of development is even going to bring about the destruction of the balance of nature and all creatures in Heaven and Earth without realizing the excessive development of human wisdom. The limit and time will surely come when this horrible treason cannot be overlooked anymore. Therefore, God cannot but make shabby and rotten human souls reform themselves or intensively cleanse them beforehand. For this reason, as a transitorily necessary step to cause a great change for the true civilization, chaos will appear in the world through which all will be drastically changed from how they have been until today. This is the End of the World."

G25: "I let John, Jesus and others speak about 'the end of the world,' which is the end of this transitory world."

S2: " ... since the world entered the period of baptism with fire on the first day of January, 1962 the increase of the spiritual energy of fire has been rapidly accelerating year by year. ... Accordingly, the true cause of such disastrous phenomena as unusual explosions and fires will be left unexplained."

S30:

"... with the year by year increase in fire energy, ... resulting in an increase in fires, explosions and volcanic eruptions.

"In addition, mass outbreaks of hitherto unknown diseases and incurable illnesses are being brought to the public notice and the baneful influence of medicine has been made clear to all people. The things which I predicted when I established Mahikari have already started to take place in society. ..."

S32:

"... changes in the weather sometimes have their origin in the spiritual arrangements of God ... as I have been predicting since I established this spiritual organization in 1960:

"There will be a great increase in unusual atmospheric phenomena caused by the unfolding of the diving plan. To offer just one example, unusually warm winters will occur frequently enough to be called normal.

This is exactly what is happening today. ..."

S37:

"... As the energy of fire increases with no way of eliminating toxins, there will be more and more cases of people who suddenly keel over dead or suddenly slip into death without apparent cause.

"There will also come a time when suffering and agony will result in cerebral disorders and then death from madness. This phenomena will increase in severity. ... "

S41: " ... Ten years from now [1973] the strength of the fire of divine judgment will also increase in equal measure with the more deeply accumulated sins and transgressions, thereby causing suffering far beyond that which we are experiencing today."

G188: "The phenomena of compensation will become more intensified so that everything will be ineffective (AKAN). ... Therefore, Heavenly God (AKAMU) is appearing to bring the world of pulverization (AHUN). Such Time of Heaven has come. ... He will switch this world into one in which God (KA_A_I_SO_KAMI) makes His Appearance. The world will be in grave condition. The storm of RA_RU_RO cannot be avoided from coming shortly before the Time. In other words, the human world has come to the most critical stage. In preparation for this time, I have taught about the coming of God's Judgment - the End of the World, the Descension of MIROKU, and the appearance of Messiah."

S16:

"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).

"At the time of the baptism with fire many holy spirits will simultaneously descend from the spiritual world. For this very purpose many millions of holy spirits in the spiritual world, including the spirits of holy men, such as Buddha, Moses, Jesus Christ and so on, are now awaiting the time of their descent. ... "

G202: "If the place (kept secret) of which I informed, shakes, thou shall realize that the year to start the great purification by Fire; and the great shake of the earth is near. The three-step preparation has been completed."

G168: "God cannot but reconstruct this world once again. Therefore, God, in disgust, will again bring on the Time of convulsion of the earth if NINGEN [man separated from God] fails in reforming his mind. ... "

God and the Combining of Vertical and Horizontal into the Cross

SKK:

FP211:

"Now , at long last, the time has come for the vertical and the horizontal to meet and be combined in the form of a cross (+). .. the human world is going to be united in the form of a cross (+). This will be the true state of the coming paradise on earth. In other words, it will be a world of kami.

"The word kami (which means God) has the same spiritual significance su has. Ka represents fire and mi represents water. Fire burns vertically and water flows horizontally. These two combined to form the word kami. The action of God is the combining of the vertical and the horizontal."

... "God is now going to bring together all of the parts of the world which have been separate, or divided, and unite them into one. This is the meaning of the coming New Age, of a new world totally ruled by God."

SM:

G240:

"As I have revealed to thee, KAMI (GOD) is the combination of fire and water, KA+MI, in other words, is the Origin (MOTO) of the Power to create all."

... "The Spiritually-oriented civilization itself which is based upon the idea of God-first, spirit-first and soul-first, as I have revealed to thee, is the World of Theocracy to come. It is the one and only foundation for mankind to return to the Garden of Eden to establish the heavenly civilization upon the earth ... "

Material Development and the Divine Plan

SKK:

FP80: "God has always had His Plan to establish a paradise on earth, but in order to achieve this goal He first developed material civilizations to a certain degree. For this reason, He made good and evil. It is because of the friction between good and evil that the brilliant material civilization we see today has been accomplished." [1951/02/25] See also FP28.

FP8: "It is my belief that it was necessary for this truth to be kept hidden in order to bring material science forward to a certain point as a part of God's Plan, a condition belonging to the transitional period."

SM:

G138-139: "God has allowed all kinds of religious faith and belief to emerge at man's own discretion. However, it is because God needed men to fully use their desires for the purpose of making men establish 'the civilization planned by God' on the earth. For that purpose, He allowed men to dig out or cultivate all kinds of treasures on earth, the material blessings, which God let the earth conceive and which He grew. For expediency, God could not but have allowed men's free competition at their discretion. ..."

On Illness and Spiritual Purification

SKK:

FP275: "The object of having faith is to attain spiritual purification and achieve higher spiritual awareness. There are three ways for man to do this; one, through suffering, such as experiencing disasters or practicing asceticism; two, through repeatedly doing good deeds; three, through high-level art. Of these three ways, the simplest and quickest is the last. ..."

FP200: " ... illness is a physical reflection of the dispelling of clouds from the spiritual body, which happens when clouds have accumulated and reached a certain magnitude. During this process an individual feels some pain and discomfort. This what is generally called illness. ..."

"In the same sense, mass suffering, such as storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, are all purifications ... "

FP361: "... it is good to catch a cold."

See also FP104-105 and FP301 for more on illness, toxins, and purification.

SM:

MPK56: "What we have mistakenly called disease is in fact a primary method of divine cleansing. It exists to allow human beings ultimately to become free of illness and completely fulfill their life span. ,,,."

MPK54: "The phenomenon of the misogi harahi [cleansing] of the spirit, mind, and body is misunderstood as being disease. Every time it occurs, use it instead to clean gradually, step by step, your spirit, mind and body. Reducing all the things in (A) [Sickness, Disaster, Starvation, Poverty, Strife, Wind, Water, Fire] or completely eliminating them is the best plan for happiness; it is a very quick method. Purifying the soul-spirit, purifying the spiritual aspect, raising the spiritual level of a person or a family, leads to health, harmony, and material well-being for the family. Thus one easily heads towards a heaven of plenty."

About Death and Reincarnation

SKK:

FP93: "When a person passes on to the spiritual world, he lives there for some time, perhaps a few years, perhaps a few decades, perhaps many hundreds of years...."

FP57:

"... So, it is possible that an individual who is virtuous by nature in this lifetime may have been extremely wicked in the previous life."

"There are many people who do not believe in life after death while they are living here. After death these people cannot easily adjust themselves in the spiritual world and often come back prematurely, in a state of incomplete purification, because of their undue attachment to physical life. ... "

FP83: ... "The period of training on the intermediate plane is from only a few days to as much as thirty years. Those who have not reformed themselves by the end of thirty years must go to one of the lowest regions."

SM:

SM has similar teaching on Reincarnation presented in the Primary Kenshu program.

Spirits and the Spirit World

SKK:

FP68: Description of the Spiritual World. In the FP levels of the Spiritual World are mentioned several times. Different numbers and divisions of levels are mentioned in different places. The following breakdown based on page 68 data mentions 9 levels and describes them as being organized by threes into heaven, middle levels and hell. FP85 also mentions 9 levels. A breakdown into 180 levels is mentioned at FP78, FP280, and FP283.

The following is based on the 9 level model. The individual levels are not all precisely delineated, but this may help for purposes of comparison:

  • UPPER PLANE (HEAVEN) (3 Levels):

FP86: Death expression : No expression of suffering, fresh and rosy color, looks like a living person.

*. First heaven, intense light and heat, those who live there are almost naked

*. "Land of Bliss" (Buddhism) It is always day, there is no night.

  • INTERMEDIATE PLANE (3 Levels):

FP86: Death expression: gloomy or sad, color is pale white.

Somewhat similar to the physical world.

  • LOWER PLANE (HELL) (3 Levels)

FP86: Death expression: Great agony, darkish or bluish black color

*. Hell: . Light labor, just a little suffering.

*. Various: violence, beasts, lust, starvation, Burning Hell

*. "Land at the very bottom" (Shintoism) , "hell of extreme coldness" (Buddhism). No light, total darkness, a completely frozen state.

See also FP66 for more on Spirits and the Spirit world.

SM:

MPK55: Chapter 19, The Spiritual Levels

The levels identified in the book are not numbered, but there appear to be nine of them as follows:

1. The Innermost
2. The World of High Divine Spirits
3. Heaven, Garden of Eden, Paradise
4. Absence of anguish/ souls allowed cultivation of souls
5. Bluish-white/yellow, souls allowed spiritual training
6. Deep anguish, world of light labor
7. Dark-black, Bluish-black, world of heavy labor
8. Purgatory, Hell, animal like living conditions
9. Extremely cold hell

Attaching Spirits

SKK:

FP159: "Clouds accumulate on an individual's spiritual body. When they reach a certain density, an animalistic spirit which is exactly suited to that clouded condition approaches and possesses the individual. When that happens the primary spirit is overcome, so the possessing entity is able to make the individual act just as it wishes. ..." See also FP294, FP309.

SM:

MPK43: "Attaching spirits are the spirits of either human beings or animals which have once gone to the astral world after death but have then entered the bodies of people or animals living in the physical world. This may be due to a number of reasons including resentment, hatred, and anger. Attaching spirits manipulate the minds and bodies of their hosts, usually causing various phenomena of suffering and misfortune."

The Spiritual Cord

SKK:

FP55-56: "In personal relationships, the cords usually are strongest between husbands and wives, then between parents and children. ... The spiritual cords between non-relatives can be cut or broken, but those between blood relations cannot be severed."

SM:

S10:

"... the spiritual-vibration cords that connect parents with their children are thick and strong and are composed of many dense strands.

"The next strongest spiritual cords are between brothers and sisters and then husbands and wives. A husband and wife ... as they spend their lives together, this cord gradually becomes thicker and stronger and in the end may even exceed the spiritual connection between parents and children.

"The spiritual-vibration cords between you and unrelated persons ... can be severed. ... However, we are not allowed to do so in the case of parents and children, brothers and sisters, or husbands and wives."

The Character Su

SKK:

FP211: The Character [three horizontal lines, with a vertical bar connecting them and a tic on top] (Su)

[Su] ... "by itself clearly expresses the spiritual meaning of the law. I am going to analyze this character.

"The three horizontal bars--upper, intermediate and lower--represent heaven, humanity and earth. They also signify the sun, moon and earth, and the numerals 5, 6 and 7. Also, they stand for the divine realm, the astral realm and the physical realm.

"This is the right order. Government, economy, education, religion and all other matters will function smoothly if this order is maintained. If it is not, nothing can go well."

SM:

G119: ... "Therefore, the three ([three horizontal bars]) of the character TOU ([This appears to be an error--the character shown does not have 3 bars--apparently means SU--see page 280]} indicates not only the Heaven, the Astral, Earth and the Sun, Moon, Earth, but also the World of the Divine, the Astral, and the Physical and God's Kingdom and the three other spiritual worlds and the Three Great Spiritual Worlds and the material world. The Vertical line ( [vertical line]) shows that the vertical (Fire) function, which manifests as the Law (NORI) of the Vertical Power, is functioning through these three worlds interlockingly without the slightest disorder. ... "

G90: [OKITE] "... is the origin of the laws which have been set to function through both the vertical three worlds of the Divine, the Astral and the Physical and the horizontal three worlds of the past, the present, and the future, It is the foremost Origin of the Great Original Law which functions vertically through the three great spiritual worlds shaping the King's Form ([three horizontal lines, with one vertical line connecting them]) ... "

G280: The SU character, just like in FP is identified clearly as such.

Fortune Tellers and Mediums

SKK:

FP292: "Of all the spirits which speak through mediums, eighty or ninety percent are low animal ones, and ninety-nine percent of these are evil spirits whose instinctive desire is to deceive human beings. ... "

SM:

G195: "... up to now, many of those who have been called "one overshadowed by God" have been merely possessed by TENGU, a minor-dragon god, a mountain wizard, or mostly by an aged fox or raccoon. Most fortune tellers are like that. Almost all of them are charlatans and cannot teach the True Arrangement of God."

Miscellaneous Common Subjects

Ancestor Altars and Ceremonies:

Both groups have the same teaching about ancestor: ... "Spiritual beings need nourishment; without it, they become hungry. ... What is different from the physical world is that spiritual beings need very little nourishment, for they are satisfied with a small daily amount. " ... (FP77)

Divine, Astral, Physical:

SKK: 5-6-7 correspond to Divine, astral, physical. (FP211) SM: G31. 5-6-7 = Divine, astral, physical.

Fire and Water:

SKK: "According to the laws of Nature, fire burns vertically and water flows horizontally. Fire flames by the force of water and water flows by the force of fire." (FP54) SM: "The time shall come when the Water begins to lie horizontally, and the Fire begins to flame up vertically in the spiritual realm of this world." (G202)

Gratitude:

SKK: " ... whenever we have any difficult experiences, we should be grateful." (FP362) "... gratitude reaches God, ... This is why those who are always grateful naturally enjoy happiness and good fortune ... " (FP303) SM: "Once thou have known God's revelation (God's Teaching and the Righteous Way) and Law (NORI), and have understood the law of offering gratitude for all good and bad from the bottom of thy heart ... " (G80)

Guardian Spirits:

SKK: FP58, 62: SM: G124

Harmony:

SKK: "Everything in this universe is operating in perfect harmony; nothing is discordant. When anything appears to be inharmonious to human sight, is nothing more than surface appearance. ... Any discord is man-made, the result of something people have done which is not in agreement with the great laws of Nature. ... " (FP364) SM: "All in the universe and the Heaven and Earth are created in 'harmony.' ... " (G112)

Michi:

SKK: Michi (The Way of Truth) "As I always say, michi is another expression for the Creator. To worship God is to worship michi. So, individuals who live in accord with this Way of Truth and abide by it are the truly civilized ones. ... " (FP220-221) SM: "Since it is the spiritual path (MICHI) which changes people into the ones able to be given the great reward, it is one of the most esoteric ways towards God's Kingdom." (G30)

Miracles:

Both groups report many miracles among its members, " ... such as the recovery of individuals who have been pronounced hopelessly ill by medical science, or the hair-breadth escapes of some people from disasters, or the saving of some homes from destruction by fire just as they have seemed lost, are all due solely to this Divine Power." (FP113)

Nature Spirits or Consciousness:

SKK: "... We should realize that everything in Nature has consciousness and should be treated accordingly." (FP274) SM: MPK43 refers to "nature spirits".

Spiritual Investigation:

SKK: FP72 SM: MPK43.

Swastikas:

SKK: Gammadion (reverse swastika) of Buddhism. [The gammadion] "... symbolizes the rotating action which begins when the vertical and horizontal come to a meeting point." (FP212) SM: "The Power of God is + (KAMI), and the Power of Oversoul, which causes the gigantic turnaround of the axle, this is, the Power of | (the Vertical), Fire (Sun, the Positive, Spirit), is condensed and solidified. It is the World of [reverse swastika] (MI) and [swastika] (HI). The swastika indicates the power (CHIKARA) to draw the circle (WA) of SU. ... children of God ...start turning in the left revolution ... " (G199)

Truth and Pseudo-Truth:

SKK: "There are both truths and pseudo-truths in religion, philosophy, science, art, education and all other fields. ... " (FP20-21) SM: ... " Your truth (SHINRI) is actually the pseudo-truth (SHINNYO). The time for discernment has come.... " (G88)


Teachings of Sukyo Mahikari and Sekai Kyusei Kyo


(Part 2)

Version 1.1. Editor: Mike Day, April 13, 1997.
Updated September 13,1997

Editor's Introduction

This is a report on some clear differences between the teachings of Kautama (born Yoshikazu) Okada founder of Sukyo Mahikari (SM), and Mokichi Okada (no relation) founder of Sekai Kyusei Kyo (SKK) or Church Of World Messianity. The sources for this information and the meaning of the publication references are listed in Part 1. I have summarized each difference under its heading.

Man's Mission and the Divine Plan

These quotes sound very similar, but I think the tone is important. The SKK approach towards Man's Mission is positive, the SM approach is "fulfill you mission or else ..."

SKK:

FP299: "Man is born into the earth dimension with the mission of establishing an ideal world. This is God's Plan, so when he lives and functions in harmony with the Plan, man can live and work most happily in perfect health. This is an eternal, immutable truth."

SM:

S23: "The modern age is a time when those people who do not fulfill their mission of spreading the teachings of the divine plan to others, being afire with a passionate, unselfish love for others, with love for mankind, are of necessity destined to be judged by God."

The Mission of Japan

The key words in the SM quote are "His Deputies to govern this world." So according to SM the Mission of the Japanese is to govern the world. For SKK it is "to help the people of the world to enjoy life through beauty ... "

SKK: True mission of Japan (FP266)

"[Japan's mission is] to help the people of the world to enjoy life through beauty and thus to contribute to the elevation of civilization. ... the Japanese people in general have a sharp sense of beauty, and ... they excel in manual arts."

"In brief, my wish is simply to help realize the primary mission of Japan as a country of beauty, as a paradise for the world."

SM:

G275 "... God created the races of five different colors. ... There are two kinds in the yellow race (KIBITO)--that is, OBITO and KIBITO--the so to speak head family and branch family. The land called HINOMOTO, in which thou are living, is the Land of Spirit's Origin (...). ... He placed O-BITO (the King race) here and dispatched and spread all five races throughout the world as branch races. It is the peerless (FUJI) place in which God placed the ones with the role to unite (SEBERU), called SUMERA, as His Deputies to govern this world. Those who are the original race of the five races in respect to the spiritual origin were called YAMATO ... . It was called YAMATO ... because this place was a great paradise full of love and harmony and called the Garden of EDEN. ..."

On Governments

SM apparently does not accept democracy on any level: "Nowhere in this universe, ... is there any actual democracy. It is absolutely inpermissible to God. " On the other hand, SKK seems to support the concept, at least on Earth.

SKK:

FP247: "... I believe that the terms "world nation" and "world government," which have been advocated by many individuals in the United States of America for several years, indicate nothing other that the ideal world which is being born. When that happens, a president of the entire planet must be elected ... "

SM: S21: Democracy versus Theocracy

"It is generally believed and accepted that we are living in a democratic age. Within our organization, however, the principle of democracy is not acceptable. Nowhere in this universe, neither on Earth nor in Heaven, is there any actual democracy. It is absolutely inpermissible to God. The principle of this universe is none other that theocracy, Divinity as the leading principle. ...

"The age during which civilizations will be based upon Divinity leading, in which God himself leads mankind as in the Age of the Gods is called the Age of Theocracy. ...

"Therefore the words, orders and indications of the Oshienushi (the master of divine teaching), the representative of Su no Kami on earth. should be supreme, to at least kumite. It is accordingly requested that you pay special attention to the above."

On Other Religions

In some respects, the teachings are similar. SKK prefers to unite all faiths, while SM claims that religions have "lost their power" and exist to protect their own profits, and that therefore mankind must "transcend" religions.

SKK:

FP310: "You must be especially careful of any religion which has secrets that followers are admonished not to reveal to outsiders; you may conclude that such a religion is controlled by evil forces. A good religious faith has no secrets and is thoroughly open, bright and happy."

FP18: "In order that such a world may become a reality, however, there must come into being a spiritual movement that can unify all the faiths of the world, one that is so powerful spiritually all of the earth's people will accept and believe its teachings."

SM:

S25: "There is no need for observance and support of the religious teachings found in the various established religions which exist merely for the sake of protecting their own profits. ... They have lost their power to perform spiritual miracles and give salvation and cannot save mankind or solve the world's problems. ... "

S29: " ... if you can walk from place to place giving the Light of Salvation to mankind, whether it is called the Light of Kannon, the Light of Christ or the Light of Yahweh (Jehovah), it will be all right. ... "

YPB6: "Unless Hito ...in the whole world unite themselves with [God] .. they cannot welcome the coming Holy Century ... Regardless of religious denominations all mankind in the world should master and practice what is written in this book ... Sukyo ... transcends the realm of human religions."

On Japan's Role In WWII

SKK is apologetic about Japan's role in WWII. SM has no comment on the subject that I can find.

SKK:

FP302: "As we apply this to the present state of Japan [1947], we can understand the reason why almost all of the Japanese people are suffering miserable conditions today as the result of Japan's defeat in World War II. It is nothing other than the purification of the clouds this country formed by invading other countries, exploiting other races, and killing many people."

 
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