Beyond National Egoism NetWork
Are Humans the “Most Superior in All of Creation”?
Two life-shaping experiences
One day, after a certain occurrence at age 10, I was struck by the thought, “Why are there poor people in this world? There is definitely something wrong with this world.” Then, at age 14, I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Atomic Bomb Memorial) during a school field trip. The entire time while I looked at the many exhibits, I could not stop my body from shuddering. It was not from fear or anger, but simply from the strong feeling, “Humans are so foolish. There is definitely something wrong with this kind of world.”
The memory of these two life-shaping experiences continued to reside deep in my heart. Then, at age 22, I learned of the booklet, “With Everyone, Raise an Ideal for the Country” [“Minna de Kuni no Riso o”] by Shigemasa Wada, who originally made this proposal. After reading this booklet, I had a firm conviction, “This is the certain path where people will become happy and every country and the world will be saved.” I had found the answer to the questions that I had from childhood. I was truly moved from the depths of my heart.
In addition, I felt that my life mission was to convey this idea to the people all over the world. The fruit of 40 years of contemplation and actual practice was the book, “A Country’s Ideal and the Constitution?‘The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment’” (in Japanese) [“Kuni no Riso to Kenpo?‘Kokusai Kankyo Heiwa Kokka e no Michi’”] and the English translation, “Beyond National Egoism? The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment”.
Through an Infinite Relay of Life
In the 14 billion year history of the universe, the first primitive single-celled organisms appeared on the earth 3.5 billion years ago, and the evolution of living organisms began from here. Since then, evolution has continued and the various plants and animals emerged. Three million years ago, apes, or the first humans, appeared and the history of human evolution began. Then, 40,000 years ago, humans in our present form were born, and we arrive at the present-day humans, ourselves, of today.
From the first living organisms that emerged 3.5 billion years ago to each of us of living today, “life” has been passed on like a baton in a relay from one generation to the next. One can say this passing of the baton has occurred virtually an infinite number of times. This means that if even one link in this “chain of life” had been broken, you and I would not exist in this world. From this fact, it can be said that the life of each person and all living beings are irreplaceable.
In addition, in this sense, each one of us, and all living beings on the earth are standing at the forefront of the history of living beings. It is often said, “Humans are the most superior in all of creation.” Does this mean that among animals, humans are the most outstanding existences? Certainly, humans can make full use of a developed brain that other animals do not have, and humans have developed a shining technological civilization and material civilization. As a result, humans have overpowered other animals and are enjoying prosperity on this earth.
Are humans crazy apes?
However, at least since recorded history up until now, we humans have continued to massacre fellow humans on a large scale over and over again. In addition, we humans are discriminating against and abusing fellow humans. Furthermore, now, we put poison in our food and drinking water, pollute the air we breathe, and are destroying the world in which we live. In this kind of world, individually and as a society, many people bear a sense of insecurity and are suffering in life. There is definitely something wrong with this kind of world. With things as they are, it can hardly be said, “Humans are the most superior in all of creation.” Then, are humans “crazy apes”?
We can definitely bring to reality peace
Are humans originally such foolish and powerless existences? I do not think so. We humans have committed many mistakes and caused ourselves and others to suffer. However, with our power, we certainly ought to be able to correct the mistakes we have made. We humans can definitely attain not only our own happiness and peace in our hearts, but also resolve the many problems of society, and bring to reality world peace and the happiness of all humankind.
Perhaps the reasons why these have not been brought to reality until now are lack of interest, ignorance, and most of all, giving up. I am certain that if we firmly believe, “we can definitely bring this to reality,” and make clear the root cause of the mistaken ways, we definitely will be able to find the path to solving the problems. Isn’t that the point when we become existences that are worthy of the expression, “Humans are the most superior in all of creation”?
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Saturday, May 30, 2009