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The Teachings As the StandardWe followers of the path must never forget the spirit of single-heartedness with God. It must be our primary concern at all times. We are neither to think according to the world's common sense nor to allow our actions to be guided by what others think or say about us. First and foremost, we are required to examine whether the source of all our thoughts and actions is the faith that is single-hearted with God.131 (1968): Yoboku Association Tohi Chapter Convention
To become single-hearted with God means to settle our minds in accordance with the intention of God the Parent. We are not to make our own minds the standard for our actions. If the source of our thoughts and actions continues to be our own self, we shall never be able to savor the Joyous Life. We rejoice when our desires are satisfied but, when things do not go as we wish, we rarely even take the time to stop and ponder. We must reflect on such an attitude, for it is not the attitude that is rooted in single-heartedness with God. 132 (1969): Autumn Seminar for Newly Appointed Head Ministers
Do you know how to cope with your anger when you get angry at school or at home? Do you think it is all right to impose your own view upon others even if it hurts their feelings? The spirit of single-heartedness with God implies that we make constant efforts to approach these day-to-day matters of seemingly little importance by using our minds exactly in the way Oyasama taught. The mind that is single-hearted with God refers to a perspective that enables us to make a distinction between good and bad, or right and wrong, in accordance with the teachings, which has nothing to do with our self-serving way of thinking. 134 (1971): Students Association Convention
To live every moment in single-heartedness with God does not mean to pray to God from morning till night and do nothing else. Nor does it mean to mention God whenever we open our mouths. It means that all our thoughts and actions are based on the teachings of God the Parent--this is precisely what we mean by single-heartedness with God. Once this is achieved, our attitude will become one of hinokishin. 145 (1982): Hiroshima Diocese Pep Rally
Settling Faith That Is Single-hearted with GodToday, we human beings are swamped by information, which has been made available by extraordinary scientific developments. Consequently, we have very little time to examine the source of our thoughts. Living in an age like this, we are likely to be overly anxious to see the results of our actions or to draw premature conclusions. For this very reason, I should like all of you to be patient and nurture a quality that enables you to process every kind of information coherently and correctly from the perspective of single-heartedness with God.134 (1971): 16th Lecture for Young Path Seekers
The instruction about single-heartedness with God tells us to become a person who can see things with God the Parent's intention as the only standard. We are not to make things suit our convenience by using various standards depending on the situation, saying, for instance: "This is how the world thinks," "This is how a follower of Oyasama thinks," and "This is how I think." Since we are specifically given the teaching of single-heartedness with God, we ought to make a thorough effort to base everything on God the Parent's teachings as the only standard. 137 (1974): 50th Young Men's Association Convention |
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