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The Divine beauty 

Of heaven and earth!
All creation,
Members of
One family. 

IMAGE: Eitaku Kobayashi, Izanagi and Izanami (c. 1885) 

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The Path is exceedingly vast. 

From ancient times to the present day, even the greatest sages were unable to perceive and comprehend the entire truth; the explanation and teachings of masters and saints express only a part of the whole. 

It is not possible for anyone to speak of such things in their entirety. 

Just head for the light and the heat, learn from the gods, and through the virtue of devoted practice of the Art of Peace, become one with the Divine. 

The Art of Peace 112

The Art of Peace is the religion that is not a religion; it perfects and completes all religions. 

The Art of Peace 111

When you bow deeply to the Universe, it bows back; when you call out the name of God, it echoes inside you. 

The Art of Peace 110

The Divine does not like to be shut up in a building. The Divine likes to be out in the open. 

It is right here in this very body. Each one of us is a miniature Universe, a living shrine. 

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You cannot see or touch the Divine with your gross senses. The Divine is within you, not somewhere else. 

Unite yourself to the Divine, and you will be able to perceive gods wherever you are, but do not try to grasp or cling to them. 

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Unite yourself to the Cosmos, and the thought of transcendence will disappear. 

Transcendence belongs to the profane world. When all trace of transcendence vanishes, the true person—the Divine Being—is manifest. 

Empty yourself and let the Divine function. 

IMAGE: Sesshu Toyo, Winter Landscape (c. 1470) 

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The Divine is not something high above us. It is in heaven, it is in earth, it is inside of us. 

IMAGE: Matsumura Goshun, Sun over Crashing Waves (c. 1800) 

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Rely on Peace
To activate your
Manifold powers;
Pacify your environment 

And create a beautiful world. 

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Construction of shrine and temple buildings is not enough. 

Establish yourself as a living buddha image. 

We all should be transformed into goddesses of compassion or victorious buddhas. 

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The Art of Peace is a form of prayer that generates light and heat. 

Forget about your little self, detach yourself from objects, and you will radiate light and warmth. 

Light is wisdom; warmth is compassion. 

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The Art of Peace that I practice has room for each of the world's eight million gods, and I cooperate with them all. 

The God of Peace is very great and enjoins all that is divine and enlightened in every land. 

IMAGES: Itsukushima Gate

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Ultimately, you must forget about technique. 

The further you progress, the fewer teachings there are. 

The Great Path is really No Path. 

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The techniques of the Way of Peace change constantly; every encounter is unique, and the appropriate response should emerge naturally. 

Today's techniques will be different tommorrow. Do not get caught up with the form and appearance of a challenge. The Art of Peace has no form—it is the study of the spirit. 

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If you comprehend 

The Art of Peace, 

This difficult path, 

Just as it is, 

Envelops the circle of Heaven. 

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To truly implement the Art of Peace, you must be able to sport freely in the manifest, hidden, and divine realms. 

IMAGE: August Piepenhagen, The Wanderer (1826) 

The Art of Peace 98

Cast off limiting thoughts and return to true emptiness. 

Stand in the midst of the Great Void. 

This is the secret of the Way of a Warrior. 

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The Art of Peace can be summed up like this: 

True victory is self-victory; let that day arrive quickly! 

"True victory" means unflinching courage; "self-victory" symbolizes unflagging effort; and "let that day arrive quickly" represents the glorious moment of triumph in the here and now. 

The Art of Peace 96

If you perceive the true form of heaven and earth, you will be enlightened to your own true form. 

If you are enlightened about a certain principle, you can put it into practice. 

After each practical application, reflect on your efforts. 

Progress continually like this. 

The Art of Peace 95

Fiddling with this 
And that technique 
Is of no avail. 
Simply act decisively 
Without reserve!