I received a reply from my last Newsletter asking, "May I get a copy of the book you write from?" This is a valid question, but these lessons are direct teachings from the monks that I study under and are not read from a book. I have been studying the spiritual side of the warrior arts directly under 2 spiritual guides since 1999.

One of the practices is Mahayana Buddhism and the other one is Taoism. I am not studying any one particular religion. Like Sensei states, "All religions can be a good thing." Takamatsu was a Buddhist monk and he felt that that many of the religions out there are corrupt and so he chose to study alone. He felt that one does not have to attend a temple to be a spiritual being.

I am particularly interested in Mahayana because it is most closely related to the esoteric practices of Ninpo and the Kuji. That is all. This martial art can be done no matter what religion you practice. That is the great thing about Ninpo. Ultimately, I study the Dharma (Law of cause and effect) because it teaches how the human mind works, namely my own. It teaches experientially. I don't have to believe in blind faith or beg for God's help when things are not going well because dharma is psychologically based, and as such, I know that I already have the skills necessary to overcome great obstacles. In addition, because it is experiential, it can be verified through practice and, incidentally enough, it cannot be understood without the practice. Like taijutsu, the practice has to become internalized to be understood. If I took it out of a book, I would learn nothing and my students would understand this the minute they ask a question and I fumble with the answer.

The Buddha felt that we live to help others. If there is anything we can do to make others happy we should do it because when they are happy we will be happy too. That is the nature of things. This nature produces merit. The Buddha did not teach that we would go to heaven if we make merit. In Buddhism, heaven is used just to make the teaching more interesting. Those who are obsessed with heaven often make merits hoping that they will go to heaven. We have heard of them being called "Do-Gooders," because they want to gain something in return for doing good deeds. This could be like a young person that helps the elderly neighbour simply because they know that the elderly neighbour has no heir. They are greedy at heart. It is difficult just to keep what they now have. Still they want more. This is not a pure merit making. It will not bring joy to the practitioners. The same is true of ninjutsu teachers that are teaching to make money.

Good deeds usually bring joy and happiness to the practitioners who are satisfied with what they are doing without clinging or wanting anything in return. Still there are people who are obsessed with good deeds and over do it because they like the joyous feeling. They are not yet making real merit because they have not cleansed their mind from desires. Many religious teachers not only preach the wrong belief but they also intentionally use heaven as reward. "You will go to heaven if you do this and that" they claim. They might begin by telling a story about their dream. "In the dream, I went to heaven and while I was there I met an angel that had explained to me that because I donated my money and my time to the church, I had made great merit and, because of my actions, I may enter the gates of heaven." People, who hear this, might start giving into the selfishness of the individual. These are monks, priests, etc., who prey on people. If you believe them, you will be duped and deceived. They will have many dreams for you. When they need anything, they will come to that kind of story. It is a danger to religion when people are misled about the real Buddhism.

Any religious teachers, who work on spreading dharma to gain money or fame, are not doing the right thing. You can spread the truth from the Buddha's teaching, and motivate people to practice the right dharma in their daily life so that they will achieve the result by themselves. I teach Ninpo because I love to do that. Many teachers teach for the money and status associated with being the highest rank. They even ask sensei for ranks. I have never in my 22 years of training ever asked anyone for a rank. In fact, I skipped out of Japan twice to avoid sensei giving me a rank. He had cornered me and made me do Godan on the third run. To these people, the higher the rank, the more money they can make. The unfortunate thing is that these people are the ones that lack the necessary skill to survive mentally or physically in a street confrontation. They get their students to do all the teaching for them because they fail to realize that teaching is a learning part of their experience. I train by using the students and the students learn when I train this way. Therefore; we are training together. It is only through my growth that they grow. Therefore; we can make merit together. I hope these teachings help you in your daily life to find real merit.

"Just keep going!"

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