御教え『弥勒三会』

「文明の創造、宗教篇」昭和27(1952)年

仏教に於ては、昔から弥勒三会の言葉があるが、此事は今日迄神秘の幕に閉され、全然判らなかったのであるから、今度私は之を明かにしてみようと思う。抑々弥勒三会とは、読んで字の如く三身の弥勒が、一度に会われる意味であって、三身の弥勒とは言う迄もなく釈迦、阿弥陀、観音である。そうして釈迦は報身の弥勒であり、阿弥陀は法身の弥勒であり、観音は応身の弥勒となっている。又釈迦は地の弥勒であり、阿弥陀は月の弥勒であり、観音は日の弥勒である。

度々言う通り、右の三聖者は本当の順序からいえば日月地、火水土のそれであり、五六七でもあるので、此数を合わせると十八になる。此十八の数に就て、大本教の御筆先に斯うかいてある。「今迄は天が六、中界が六、地が六でありたものが、天から一厘の御魂が地に降られたので、天は五となり、地は七となりたのであるぞよ」と。然し此意味は最も深奥なる神の経綸であって、此一厘の御魂こそポチであり、麻邇の玉であり、如意宝珠であり、之によって五六七の御代が生れるのである。

又三六九をミロクとも云われるが、此事は最後の天国篇に詳説するつもりであるから略すが、兎に角十八の数こそ、最も重要なるものであって、之を文字によって解釈してみると、十は経緯の棒の結んだ形であり、又神の表徴でもあり、完全の形でもある。

又、八は開く形であり、無数の意味でもあって、昔から仏教に於ても、十八の数をよく用いている。浅草の観音堂も、善光寺も十八間四面であり、毎月の参詣日も十八日であり、十八を倍にすれば三十六でミロクである。除夜の鐘は百八つ打ち、数珠の数も百八個あり、百八煩悩などとも言われるが、此場合の百は十が十で百となるので、之等をみても悉くミロクの意味が含まれている。

茲で伊都能売の意味を解釈してみるが、伊都能売とは数でいえば五と三である。即ち五はイヅ、火で、三はミで水であるから、カミ、神であり、又火と水、イヅとミヅであり、イヅノメ、伊都能売である。そうして火と水の密合が光であるから、文字もそうなっている。即ち光の文字は、火の字の真中へ横棒を一本入れてある。横棒は水であるから、実によく出来ている。之によってみても、文字は神が造られた事が分るであろう。処が光だけでは火と水であるから、二つの力で、今一つの力である地が加わらなければならない。という訳で光が肉体を透るとすると、肉体は土であるから三位一体の力が出る。浄霊も此意味を考えればよく分る筈である。

話は戻るが、曩に述べた処の、釈迦、阿弥陀は印度人種と言ったが、之は只観音との対照の為であって、根本からいえば、ヤハリ日本の神で、只霊体だけ渡られたのである。其霊とは即ち釈迦は稚姫君命であり、阿弥陀は神素盡鳴尊である。従ってそれ迄の印度に於ける大自在天を主としていた民族こそ、真正の印度人種である事も知らねばならない。

次に面白い事をかいてみるが、観音は仏教から生れたのであるから、仏教は生みの親であり、其仏教の開祖である釈迦は、親の親という事になる。すると其釈迦を生んだ伊都能売神は、つまり又親で先祖という訳になる。そうして其神が観世音となるのだから、此点からみても仏とは神の化身である事が分るであろう。そうして釈迦は地であるから生みの働きをするし、阿弥陀は月であり女であるから、ヤハリ観音の母といってもいい。つまり地も月も日を生む意味になるという訳で、宇宙の実相もそうである。

又古くからの伝説にある支那の聖王母であるが、聖王母は月の神の化身であって、其庭にある桃の木から、三千年目に一度桃の実が生り、之を貴重な宝として、天の大神様に献上するという事や、印度の伝説にある三千年目に転輪菩薩が生れ、其菩薩が現われるや万民は救われ、此世は天国楽土となるという意味も、今度の事の予言といってもよかろう。そうして右の転輪菩薩とは観音の別の御名、転輪王の事であろうし、又天理教の親様である天理王の尊も、右に関連がないとは言えないと思うのである。

又阿弥陀は月光菩薩とも言われ、観音は大日如来でもあって、つまり両尊者は月と日で、夫婦という意味にもなる。此事は日本の各地の仏閣によく表われている。即ち観音の祀ってある処必ず大仏があるが、大仏は阿弥陀であるからである。そうして観音は堂宇の中に祀られて御姿は小さく、大仏は外に鎮座されて大きいのは、観音は日本内地の仏であり、阿弥陀は外地の仏という訳であろう。又観世音は黄金の一寸八分の本体が本当であり、阿弥陀は鍍金仏、又は金箔の木像で、大きいのをよいとされているにみても、凡ては分るであろう。


Miroku-san’e

Creation of Civilization, written by Mokichi Okada in 1952

Miroku-san’e is a word which is used in Buddhism since a long time ago but its true meaning has been concealed in secret until now. No one has ever found it. Then I reveal it now. First of all, Miroku-san’e literally means that three of Miroku meat together at one time. They are, of course, Sakyamuni, Amitabha and Kannon. Sakyamuni is Hoshin-no-Miroku, or Miroku of earth. Amitabha is Hosshin-no-Miroku, or Miroku of the moon. Kannon is Oshin-no-Miroku, or Miroku of the sun.

As I often say, those saints should be that of the sun, the moon and earth, or that of fire, water and soil in order. They also represent five, six and seven and these three numbers add up to eighteen. Regarding the number of eighteen, the teaching of Oomoto says, “The three worlds of the heaven, the middle and the earth were all six until now. Then “Ischirin-no-mitama”, or one per cent of the divine soul came down to the earth from heaven. Therefore, the world of the heaven became five and that of the earth became seven.” It shows the most profound God’s providence. This “Ischirin-no-mitama” is a small mark, and also called “Mani-no-tama” or Cintamani stone. It gives birth to the world of five, six and seven, or the world of Miroku. Three, six and nine are also said to be Miroku. I will explain it in detail in Heaven Part so that I omit it now. In any case, eighteen is the most important number. It is written as “十八” in Japanese and let me explain these characters. “十” represents the form of tying the vertical bar to the horizontal bar. It represents the symbol of a god and the perfect shape. “八” represents the open shape and means countless. This number is also often used in Buddhism since a long time ago. For example, the size of the main temple hall of Senso-ji in Asakusa and Zenko-ji in Nagano is eighteen “ken” square. The “ken” is one of the Japanese units of measurement. The temple festival for Kannon is held on the eighteenth of every month. Twice of eighteen is thirty-six, and these three and six are said to be Miroku in Japanese. Joya-no-kane or bells ringing out the old year is struck one hundred and eight times. Buddhism rosary has a hundred and eight beads. People are said to have a hundred and eight attachments. In these cases, ten times ten is a hundred so that this number also includes the meaning of Miroku.

Here I explain the meaning of “Izunome.” If it is represented by numbers, it does five and three. In other words, five represents “Izu” or fire which is pronounced as “ka” in Japanese, whereas three represents “mi” or water. When you put them together, they represent “Kami” or a god. Fire is pronounced as “izu” in Japanese and water is as “mizu.” When you put them together, they are pronounced as “Izunome.” Then the light is produced by the mixture of fire and water. Therefore, the Japanese character of light, or “光” follows this. In other words, when you put a horizontal bar in the middle of “火” which means fire in Japanese, it becomes “光.” As the horizontal bar represents water, the Japanese character of light is well-formed. When looking at them, you would see characters were made by God. However, light or two powers of fire and water should be added to another power or earth. The earth represents the human body. Therefore, the power of the Trinity comes out when the light passes through the body. When you deeply think about this meaning, you would comprehend the principle of Johrei.

Now I go back to the previous subject. I mentioned that Sakyamuni and Amitabha were Indian as I just wanted to compare them with Kannon, but they were basically also Japanese deities. It means that only the spirits came over to India from Japan. In other words, the spirit of Wakahimegimi-no-mikoto was put into Sakyamuni and that of Kamu-Susanoo-no-mikoto into Amitabha. It means that people of true Indian race were consequently those who were centred on Mahesvara. You should know it.

Then I tell you an interesting story. Kannon was born from Buddhism so that Buddhism is his true parent. Sakyamuni is the founder of that Buddhism. He is consequently the grandparent of Kannon. Then Izunome-no-kami produced Sakyamuni. It means he is the ancestor of Kannon. That Izunome-no-kami became Kanzeon after all. From this point of view, you would understand that Buddha is the incarnation of the deity. As I mentioned, Sakyamuni represents earth and takes the role of giving birth. On the other hand, Amitabha represents the moon and a woman. Therefore, it may say he is the mother of Kannon. In other words, the earth and the moon produce the sun. This is the real state of the universe. Here I explain two legendary stories. In China, Seiobo was the holy mother and the incarnation of the moon goddess. There was a peach tree in her garden and it bore fruit once in the three thousandth year. She presented this fruit as a precious treasure to the great god of heaven. In India, Tenrin Bodhisattva was born in the three thousandth year. Soon after he appeared, he immediately saved all people and the world became a heavenly paradise. You would say that these stories predict what is happening now. This Tenrin Bodhisattva would be called Chakravartin, which is another name of Kannon. Tenri’o-no-mikoto as the Oyasama (Parent) in Tenrikyo is supposed to be something related to this Bodhisattva, too. Then Amitabha is also called Candraprabha, or Moonlight Bodhisattva, whereas Kannon is called Vairocana, or Dainichi Buddha. Each of them represents the moon and the sun as “Dainichi” means the great sun in Japanese. It means they are a married couple, which is shown by Buddhist temples all around Japan. That is, there is the statue of Buddha wherever the statue of Kannon is enshrined in Japanese temples. It is because that Buddha represents Amitabha. In this case, the statue of Kannon is small and enshrined in the hall, whereas that of Buddha is big and situated outside. It would be because Kannon is a domestic Buddha, whereas Amitabha comes from abroad. The correct shape of Kannon should be made of gold and one “sun” eight “bu” in height, which is equivalent to about five point five centimetres. On the other hand, Amitabha should be a gilt bronze statue or a wooden statue covered with gold leaf. The bigger the statue of Amitabha is, the better it would be. When you look at those facts, you would understand everything.

Translated by N.H.

You can read the other teachings in English on Johrei.