Translated by Yoshino Ito

As we are opening the Okinawa Butsuryuji Temple Homepage, I would like to take this opportunity to describe the memories of the situation of those days, when we built the temple.

I left Kagoshima for Okinawa by a boat of 1200-tons in 1949. The boat began to pitch heavily as soon as it sailed out of Kinko Bay in Kagoshima, and I was exhausted from seasickness when we reached Naha Harbor in Okinawa.
I was almost lost in contemplating the fascinating landscape of the island from the boat. The contrast of colorful coral reef in the sea, red roofs of the houses and deep blue sky was like a beautiful picture.
On the land, there were a lot of small shops jostling each other to get more customers under military administration of the USA. Elderly women sitting on the wood were crying to sell Okinawa Soba (noodles) and Yoshi-Tofu in the bamboo baskets in the open space, which formed a natural market for the local people.
When getting closer and watching carefully, you would find the fact that the imported jewels, precious metals and watches were extremely cheap compared with the ones sold in the main land of Japan. On the other hand, daily necessaries especially food, were very expensive. For example, while spring onion cost only 2 ~ 5 yen in the main land, it cost about 20 times in Okinawa at that time. Luxury items were cheap while daily necessaries were expensive - we could easily imagine their hard lives in Okinawa.

The main aim of my visit was to hold a mass for many people who were killed during the World War 2. It was reported that in some battlefields, all the people died but never surrendered. First of all, I visited the survived lay followers. They all adored me as if I had been their parent, and began to talk with tears about their cruel experiences in the war flames. The tragic stories of both killed and survived were beyond words. These stories must be handed down from generation to generation, but as for each state of mind that went beyond the bounds through each experience, it won't be handed down, I think.
Even though the people in Okinawa were having such severe time, they all (including children) welcomed us with the Okinawa dance. They were so nice and I felt like being wrapped in their humanity. I met many people during the stay. Meeting those people, I became to understand Okinawa better - there were a lot of sorrowful episodes behind the showy prosperity of the commercial area. Street children sneaked into the base for stealing, money matters set children at variance with their parents - those things had rarely happened in the island of courtesy, Okinawa. People were losing their peace of mind as a result of the increasing crimes like theft, robbery and so on. I discussed many things with some right-minded people and then decided to propagate and build a temple in Okinawa.

I began to talk like this;
"The main aim of my visit was to hold a religious service for the dead. But I came to know what was happening in Okinawa. People seem to be losing their real figure - their owngroundby being spotlighted from many directions. It is now under American rule, but the potential sovereignty belongs to Japan and the ground itself is unstable."
I continued,
"As for the economy, it relies on the base. Landowners get rent charges, people sell jewels made in USA to the visitors and there are many shops and bars for the servicemen. It looks flourishing, but it depends on the Ryukyu Bank under the military administration. If the bank refrains from lending, it immediately affects the merchants. If it lends out generously, they can carry a good business - it all depends on the mood of the US military administration. The primary industries, fishery and agriculture are the exceptions, but they are insignificant."
"Some are enjoying their richness and some are living in the worst conditions suffering from unemployment, expensive daily necessaries and so on. People have high political awareness, but they are scattered - some prefer to be ruled by America, some by Japan and maybe by Soviet Union.
One of the major religions in Okinawa is a traditional mediumistic one that is based on divine messages of the mediums (Noro and Yuta)."
"It seems to me that everything in Okinawa is twisted and swayed by someone and nonessential things. I have learned these things since I came here."

"I'll tell you one of the stories in the Hokkekyo."

"This is a fable called "Erikeijyu" (means a jewel sewed on the neck) which tells a state of the people's mind spoken by the Buddha. People do not realize the precious stone deep inside their mind. The precious stone is a nature of Buddha - Myo-ho-ren- ge- kyo - and the mind of merciful bodhisattva. It is also the human's true nature."
"I know it might be a little rude remark, but I think today's Okinawa is just like the beggar in the story. People don't have their own identity as they are moved by surroundings and dazzled by immediate profits.
I might go too far in saying that people must wave American flags when Americans come, Japanese flags when Japanese come and USSR flags when Russians come - it depends on social conditions.
They need to have certain steady core which is native to Okinawa, everyone must realize one's own valuable essence in each mind.
Shakamuni Buddha showed Kuon-no-Shakuson - the origin of all the Buddha and the whole Buddha. He handed us Myo-ho - the supreme law of Buddha of Honmon-Happon-Shoden, to have people notice the valuable essence in the mind and let it come up to the surface and take shape. This Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo of Honmon-Happon-Jyogyo-Shoden is the enlightenment of Buddha itself and is also the spirit of Buddha existing at the bottom of our heart and spirit of bodhisattva.
This spirit of Buddha in our hearts is like a gemstone, and doesn't shine like a diamond in a jewel store. It begins to shine and take shape when we begin to live under and have faith in Jyo-gyo- shoden- no- myo-ho which is shining with the power of Buddha's spirit.
Thus we could attain Buddhahood- enter Nirvana in this world.
This is the religion by which we become Buddha ourselves, not by praying the idol of Buddha or God. Lay followers practice the bodhisattva's path. It is the pass of Jihi - maitra- compassion to save other people.
It is the faith to save other people and be saved ourselves by saving other people. It also changes life style, state of mind and environment. And there appears the world of true peace in front of us. Lay followers enter the world of Buddha alive, this means that death is like finding ourselves in Jakko-jyodo (paradise) when we awake. Departed souls of our ancestors are also saved of course.
I would like to preach the true religion which shows the wonderful course of the Buddha. I was told some amazing stories of benefits as evidence of the faith during the war by some lay followers in Okinawa. It is my firm purpose to propagate such Dharma and faith.

Finally the reporters gave me full support saying,
"That is the Buddhism. We support you because Okinawa has been a Buddhist country."

Later on, we built the first temple after the war. As Okinawa was like one country under the supervision of American military government in those days, we had some serious problems during the procedure of the construction. For example, there were no regulations for sending building materials from the main land of Japan, as it was in a state of disorder just after the war. Trying every means available including making a representation to Japan's government and the commander, we managed to complete Okinawa Butsuryuji temple.

For detailed information, please link to the homepage of Okinawa Butsuryuji.

From editor:
"the homepage of Okinawa Butsuryuji is under translation now. You can enjoy only Japanese edition at this moment."