Word of the Month by Keiko Takahashi
April 2015
Compass of the Times 133
Interactions Based on the Divine Truth
Keiko Takahashi
Proceeding in Life as a Good Friend (Zenyu)
Every April when the Good Friend (Zenyu) Gathering is
held, we take time to reflect on the way we live as GLA
members, recalling the spirit of the Good Friend.
Zenyu (Good Friend) is originally a word from Buddha, the founder
of Buddhism. The word is derived from the Sangha
where his disciples lived together and learned the
teachings of Buddha. They called a friend who excels in
wisdom, who guides them, and with whom they can have
a harmonious association toward a common goal, a Good Friend.
In GLA, we value this word that describes the spirit of
our members. Good Friends are those who acknowledge
each other as souls harboring aspiration and mission in
life; they study the Divine Truth together with mutual
support and cultivation.
It is well-known that when Ananda, one of Buddha’s ten
great disciples, asked whether gaining a Good Friend is halfway on the path to enlightenment, Buddha answered, “Ananda, that is not it. To gain a Good Friend is the whole path to enlightenment.”
This is by no means an exaggerated expression.
It is something extremely precious when we can proceed together with the same purpose and learn a lifestyle based on the Divine Truth. This is because the gain of a Good riend is equivalent to obtaining the foundation for transforming one’s entire life.
Inner-Outer Energy Exchange Forms a "Human Being"
In the Study of the Soul, it is thought that a human being consistently circulates the energy which comes and goes
between the inner and outer realms.
In this we perceive the outside reality, which we face dayto-day, and let our mind/heart work, expressing it through word and action. Through this we alter the reality which we perceive once again, let our mind/heart work on this, express it through another word and action, and continue this cycle. Through this reiterative process we perform the exchange of our inner and outer energy.
We perceive our daily reality, which unfolds outside, as a
reflection of our inner realm. We absorb it and, while
responding to the calling, we transform ourselves and
aim to develop our mind/heart. Through this we grow as human beings, and deepen our lives through such an
exchange of outer and inner realms.
Those with whom we share our lives, such as our family
and friends, each of whom lies outside the others’ reality,
exert inner and outer exchange of energy (inner-outer energy
exchange) through the exchange of words and actions.
Through this we exert an enormous influence on
one another.
A human is born as a helpless baby who can do nothing,
and develops into a person who harbors their own
personality. Inner-outer energy exchange is an essential part of
this process.
Small children acquire skills to live as human beings
through inner-outer energy exchange with those that care
and protect them such as their parents. It is easy to
imagine that such energy exchange has a great influence
upon their lifestyle, value system, and interest.
Once they start to go to nursery or elementary school then
their inner-outer energy exchange in their everyday interactions
with friends, exerts a major influence upon them.
The reason why the environment is always considered
important in education is because inner-outer energy
exchange makes up a person. The time and place, when
and where one is born, the family, the friendships made
at school age all form inner-outer energy exchanges.
Inner-Outer Energy Exchange with Good Friends Is an Indispensable Treasure
Therefore, if we have a group of friends whom we can
call Good Friends, what would happen? Undeniably, they
will bring in a definitive influence on our life.
The essence of acquiring a Good Friend, in short, lies in
inner-outer energy exchange of those who seek the Divine
Truth.
If we have friends who have roots in the Divine Truth,
inner-outer energy exchange which would happen with them
will guide our mind/heart and our lives toward the right
path. They serve as the force to constantly correct and
restore our ways of feeling, thinking, and taking actions,
and thereby to create our lives.
It is not an overstatement to say that there is no other
great treasure than gaining a Good Friend.
This month, I would like you to devote the time to deep thoughts on this subject.
1 The Study of the Soul
It is the perspective that grasps our lives from the level of the soul, and
refers to the system of the truth, the Divine Truth, that permeates
every aspect of the human soul and the world. As opposed to the study
of phenomena that is directed at the tangible world, the Study of the
Soul is an investigation of all things, including the formless and
intangible world. (Excerpted and summarized from pp.3-4, The Reason
Why You Were Born as You by Keiko Takahashi)
Preliminary translation as of March 30, 2015
GLA member-volunteers translated Takahashi Sensei’s words. We would appreciate your feedback for the sake of our improvement.
Please feel free to write your thoughts or comments to us at:
inquiry@gla-intl.com
or mail to: International Dept., GLA
2-18-3 Kaminarimon,
Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0034, Japan
Thank you for your kind support.