The Principle of Order (順序の理)

The first lesson in this book is the importance of order, called the principle of order (順序の理), which teaches the God hierarchy, a proper way to study, and so on.  

On page 42, there is a god hierarchy diagram that describes the first and second gods. Understanding hierarchy is vital for proper behavior in the Shinto shrine. The book also mentions that an incorrect God hierarchy will lead to incorrect understandings of God’s law and result in negative karma.

Furthermore, the principle of order presents a practical approach to comprehending God’s law. The author writes volumes so that readers can learn gradually, from the basics to more complicated topics, by reading them in order, beginning with volume 1. We are able to solve applied mathematics when we first understand the fundamentals of mathematics. Similarly, if we master the fundamentals of God’s law, we will be able to understand the more difficult themes.

God’s Law of Water (水の神理)

The book then proceeds to explain God’s law of water, which teaches readers multiple lessons about water-related concepts.

One of the lessons is that the first God, or the God of Water, manages the moons as well. The author describes the important influence of water and the moon on both the world and on humans. The influence is shown as tides, human blood circulation, breaths, life and death, the ups and downs of life, and so on. A table on page 112 illustrates the relative relationship between God’s law of water and God’s law of fire, such as night vs daytime, man vs woman, and father vs mother. In addition, a table on page 114 describes the relative elements of God’s law of water itself, such as water on the sky and water under the ground. The tables classify the elements and show how a single law impacts both the world and humans.

The chapter also dives into the sins that people have unintentionally committed. The story about sin makes me think of driving rules. If we ride a bicycle without knowing the driving rules, we may have accidents with vehicles and pedestrians because of selfish driving. As the rule of roads is called the driving rule, the rule of the universe is called God’s law. We may break the law if we do not understand it. And, just as we would be punished for breaching the driving rules even if we are not familiar with the driving rules, we will receive the results of incorrect acts as karma even if we are unaware of God’s law. Studying God’s law is important in our life because it teaches us why negative results happen and how to deal with them.

God’s Law of Fire (火の神理)

The next chapter covers the teachings of fire-related topics.

First, the author teaches about God’s fire-related work in the universe and in the human body. He states that there are 365 days in a year (due to the revolving of the earth around the sun) and that the normal human body temperature is 36.5 degrees Celsius. The author clearly says it is not a coincidence. The God of Fire is involved in both heat and the sun and provides the heat for us. He presented such indicators in previous volumes. It seems that mysterious similarities are messages from God to solve the mysteries of the universe.

The next topic is about our soul. “Who am I?” is one of the most difficult questions in various studies, such as in the medical or philosophical fields. The author answers the fundamental question. Although we have a physical body, he says that the body is a given object by God to live on earth. When we die, we leave our bodies on earth. The answer to the question “Who am I?” is a soul, which is created by the water force of the first God and the fire force of the second God. This answer gives us a new outlook on life.  

Divine Principle of San (さんの神理)

The author presents the other important principle on page 186. It is the divine principle of San. San, さん in Japanese hiragana, has several meanings, including birth and the number three.

To truly understand the divine principle of San, it is important to read volume 9, which contains an impressive history of world creation. It is a difficult principle that requires an understanding of the history of world creation. The divine principle of San indicates symbols that describe the world in many dimensions, such as Gods, the spiritual dimension, the physical dimension, humanity, birth, death, and so on. The author states that God gives the symbols to those who truly understand God’s law.

This book also includes stories of people who have received the symbol. Such great people are described as role models. They are Saints in other religions. God’s law does not have borders by religions, ethical groups, or countries. The author calls this religion style the religion of freedom that people are free to choose their religion. 

God Name

As the title states, “the religion of freedom: a way of teaching” is a religion that stands for freedom of belief and is open as an educational place for everybody who seeks the truth. The teachings cover areas such as how to pray and how to be helped. The author teaches God’s name since it is necessary for those pursuing  education. As the name of God is given in Japanese characters and alphabets on page 236, the author teaches people from any country.

Summary

In volume 17, the author intends to help readers in understanding difficult topics. Studying the universal principle, or God’s law, will provide answers to people’s fundamental questions regardless of religion, nationality, or country.