Prayer for Love and Mercy

 It occurred to me recently that there is tangible proof right around us of God’s unconditional love, so I try to write about it here. When we make offerings to God (or to the Buddha), has God ever actually accepted them? We might say, "Let's make an offering to God today out of gratitude," and present food or drink, but when we look the next day, it’s still sitting there. "God hasn't eaten any of it! It’s going to spoil if left like this." Exactly. God has never once accepted our tribute—and neither has the Buddha. In other words, isn't God essentially saying this? "I don't want or need such things; you should share them among yourselves, or give them to the poor who truly need them." That is why the offerings are returned to us as gifts *from* God—blessings to be shared. "Well then, why not just share them among everyone from the start?" Exactly. And if that circle of sharing expands wider and wider until it encompasses all of h...

 I used to be a hardcore online gamer, but now my wife has banned me from playing, leaving me with a huge amount of free time—so what should I do? (Of course I have a job, though.) I ended up just borrowing books from the library at random. Somehow, I went from Ninomiya Kinjiro to a series on Japanese classics; I moved from Nakae Toju to Kumazawa Banzan, and now I’m onto Yamaga Soko. Who are they? I have no idea either. They seem to be Confucian scholars from the Edo period (17th century). Yamaga was a military strategist, apparently. But it’s just so fascinating. I used to think Confucianism wasn't a religion, but that doesn't really matter. The things they say are just great. I mean, I’m basically getting lectured and scolded every day, but I actually find it pleasurable. They simply admonish evil and encourage good. Don't be swayed by immediate gain. Think about what benefits society. So, what should I do? Kumazawa Banzan was a disciple of Nakae Toju, and when asked, ...

 What does "filial piety" look like from a parent's perspective? As a parent myself, I understand this: we do not seek repayment from our children. A parent's love for their child is "unconditional love." Therefore, a child's happiness is the greatest act of filial piety. Now, what does "filial piety" look like from God's perspective? God does not seek repayment from us. God's love for us is "unconditional love." Therefore, the happiness of all living beings is the greatest act of filial piety toward God. God does not seek to be loved Himself. Rather, He asks that we love the people and the lives that He loves. To love people is to love God; to love life is to love God. If we do not love people, we have not loved God; if we do not love life, we have not loved God. That is likely why the teaching goes so far as to say, "Love your enemies." Yet, since that is impossible to do all at once, perhaps that is why "love...

 I believe that one of the essential elements of finding joy in work is "bringing happiness to others"— in other words, altruism. It recently occurred to me that comedians are the people who experience this most viscerally. Making people laugh is an incredibly difficult feat, isn't it? If your timing is off by even a fraction, you "bomb." It is something I could never do myself. When it *does* work, people laugh—and when people are laughing, they are unconditionally happy. They momentarily forget any unpleasantness or hardships they’ve been through. That sense of happiness felt by the audience reflects directly back onto the person who made them laugh, filling the performer with a profound sense of bliss. I found myself thinking that this feeling is likely the driving force behind their choice to work as comedians. That is why I want to offer my unconditional support to comedians, *rakugo* storytellers, and everyone else whose work involves making us laugh. Guid...

 Confucianism places great emphasis on "filial piety"—that is, the virtue of honoring and caring for one's parents. I had never quite grasped why filial piety was considered so important until I read the works of Nakae Tōju, a Confucian scholar from the Edo period (17th century) in Japan. We are, after all, our parents' children—an obvious fact, perhaps, but a profound one. Since we owe our very existence to them, it is only natural to devote ourselves to them in return; otherwise, we would be guilty of ingratitude. That certainly makes sense. And if you trace that lineage of parenthood back far enough, you eventually arrive at the progenitor of the universe itself—God, in other words. Confucianism, however, doesn't seem to use the word "God," referring to it instead as *Taikyo* (the Great Void). In any case, since we all originated from that source, we are truly all siblings—children of that ultimate parent, whether you call it God, *Taikyo*, or Buddha....

 I’ve been thinking about altruistic behavior, but the train of thought was veering off in so many different directions that I risked losing my way back; so, I’d like to wrap things up here. I previously wrote that being conscious of altruism helps one live a better life; when it comes to working as a member of society, there are two specific reasons for this. The first is that being conscious of altruism doubles the joy of work. The primary purpose of working is, of course, "to put food on the table." There is no time for high-minded platitudes. You need money for that, and earning that money is the first source of joy. However, if you look at society today (and perhaps it was always this way), the joy of work often stops right there. It’s all about whether the pay is good or how much you can earn. Yet, the very nature of work involves doing something that benefits others. When you meet someone’s needs, they say "thank you" and provide compensation. That joy of hea...