Chapter 2
Enlightenment That Laughs, a Buddha That Plays
The True Face of Master Myōsyoshi
1 The Light of Salvation — Encounter with Spiritual Dedication
As I mentioned earlier,
I had long suffered from a heaviness of mind and body that I could not understand.
By the time I turned eighteen, that suffering reached its peak.
My life was in ruins.
I believed that only death could save me.
There was no hope left; the world had turned entirely gray.
—It was the acquisition of spiritual skill that saved me.
Specifically, the method of *Spiritual transference—
a practice for redeeming wandering spirits and purifying dark forces.
Three years of sincere practice led me to an overwhelming
religious experience.
The four types of enlightenment experiences I described in Part One
all originated from that moment.
From that experience, I gained the ability
to perceive the meridians of the body.
I began to see Ki itself—
and from that foundation, I was able to establish
the system known as Tao Shiatsu.
＊Spiritual transference means directing the light of the Buddhas and Buddha/God toward someone or something.
2 The One Who Discovered the Law of Spiritual Dedication
Spiritual transference was the practice that lifted me from the depths of darkness
and led me to the direct experience of awakening.
The person who discovered this law was, in all likelihood,
an extraordinary being—almost completely unknown to the world.
That person was Master Myōsyoshi.
I have never met Master Myōsyoshi in person.
And yet, without question,
no one has had a deeper influence on my life than he has.
Through the practice of spiritual and dharmic dedication that he taught,
my life was transformed at its very roots.
But beyond that,
the stories I heard about him from various people
painted such a fascinating portrait that I couldn’t help but be moved.
He was unique, warmhearted, and full of charm—
a truly endearing character.
There was an almost magical quality to him,
a mysterious yet deeply human presence.
In him, I saw the image of the ideal spiritual teacher.
I even found myself vaguely thinking,
“Someday, I want to become a person like that.”
Let me share with you the picture of Master Myōsyoshi—
or as his disciples affectionately called him, “Ō-Sensei”—
as I heard it from those who once studied under him.
3 Big-Hearted, Free, and Incredibly Charming
“Ō-Sensei (Master Myōsyoshi) loved games!
Sugoroku, hanafuda, shogi—anything really.
He wasn’t very good at them, though!
Just show him a game and his face would light up.
He’d immediately say, ‘Let’s play!’
and before you knew it, everyone was laughing and having a great time.
If he had seen that game you made—Ninja Hope—
I’m sure he would’ve been absolutely delighted!”
— Speaker A
“Ō-Sensei couldn’t stand anything stiff or formal.
He once said he never wanted to do ascetic training in the first place!
But his older brother ordered him to attend the Kōmyōkai Betsuji Nenbutsu sessions.
He’d always fall asleep and roll right over in the middle of them!”
— Speaker B
(Note: The Kōmyōkai Betsuji Nenbutsu was a rigorous practice in which practitioners chanted the Buddha’s name for twelve to sixteen hours a day.
Myōsyoshi’s elder brother served as the personal physician to the revered master Bennei Shōnin and was a devoted practitioner who even built his own training hall.)
“And you know what else? Ō-Sensei loved professional wrestling!
He’d watch it with these deep growls of excitement—
but honestly, watching him was even more entertaining than the match!
He’d move his arms and legs, mimicking the wrestlers as he watched.”
— Speaker C
“Every night, he never failed to perform the Hōkai Ekō ritual—it lasted an hour and a half, sometimes two.
But on Fridays, he’d take a break.
Why? Because that was the night of the pro wrestling broadcast!”
— Speaker D
4 A Wanderer, a Free Spirit — and a Man of Boundless Warmth
“It was somewhere in Korea, or maybe on the continent...
Anyway, they say he struck gold—literally found a gold mine—and came back flush with money!
But then he spent it all and ended up completely broke again.”
— Speaker E
“He used to say things like, ‘Ah, the women of the Caspian Sea are the best!’
and tell us all these wild stories of his adventures.
It was just so entertaining!
Being around Ō-Sensei was always pure joy.”
— Speaker F
And everyone, without exception, said the same thing—
what they remembered most was the warmth that radiated from him.
“No matter who came to see him, he would greet them with a gentle smile.
There was a warmth in him that wrapped around people, soft and effortless—
like sunlight on a spring afternoon.
Just being near him made you feel at peace.”
— Speaker G
5 A Dharma Gate Born from Freedom and Compassion
When I first began visiting the dōjō,
it had already been about ten years since Master Myōsyoshi had passed away.
Even so, many of his disciples spoke of him
as if recalling an unforgettable lover—
their memories still vivid, their voices filled with affection.
Before he established the Dharma Gate of Spiritual and Dharmic Transference,
Master Myōsyoshi had been a healer practicing what was called Seiki jikyō Ryōhō—
a form of energy therapy.
When he infused a person with Ki, their body would begin to move spontaneously,
and illness would naturally begin to heal—
a truly mysterious method.
Even at the dōjō, I was told,
some people who received Seiki jikyō Ryōhō began to move unconsciously,
as though guided by an unseen force.
“He used to say he hated discipline and just wanted to sleep all the time—
and yet, how did such a man end up founding an entire Dharma Gate?
Life really is full of mysteries.”
— H-san
I have often reflected on this.
The Dharma of Spiritual and Dharmic Transference
was not something born from strict, ascetic training.
It blossomed naturally
out of human freedom
and an infinite compassion that embraces all beings.
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