In Japan, May is a beautiful season when the fresh greenery deepens and we begin to feel the gentle signs of summer. Hidden within the nature that colors this time of year are many things from which we can learn—through the soft breeze, the warm sunlight, and the refreshing air in which all forms of life shine brilliantly.
Today, let us explore the secrets to a successful life through The Laws of Success, published by Master Ryuho Okawa in 2004. It is said that 21 years ago, Master Ryuho Okawa once fell seriously ill and prepared himself for death, writing the preface of The Laws of Success while lying in bed. With this profound and moving background in mind, every word of the book resonates deeply with God’s love, inspiring the heart to seek happiness, walk the path of success, and cherish each precious day. It is our sincere hope that all of you can feel this vibration as well.
The Laws of Success consists of eight chapters, beginning with a powerful message about living an attractive life. It teaches us to find meaning in this life while being blessed with eternal life as a soul. It also encourages us to discover and build something new in our own way, so that this life may become uniquely joyful and fulfilling. It then goes on to show us how to live with a bright and refreshing spirit.
So, what mindset is important for living a bright and refreshing life?
It is to live each day with gratitude. Life may seem long, but in the end, it is simply the accumulation of one day after another. To continue living with a bright and refreshing spirit, it is important to complete each day within that day—to resolve its problems and not carry unpleasant feelings into tomorrow.
At the heart of living this way is gratitude. How often do we let our days pass by without much thought? Yet true happiness can be found in weaving each day together with gratitude, even for the smallest and simplest blessings. Imagine a life that is peaceful, fulfilled, and free from strain.
The Laws of Success also teaches us the benefits of living with a bright and refreshing spirit.
One benefit is a calm and peaceful heart. Another is living in a way that does not harm others. In other words, it brings us peace of mind and harmony with those around us. In our daily lives, however, our hearts are easily disturbed by even the smallest things.
That is why, while this may sound simple, it is often difficult to put into practice. To live with a bright and refreshing spirit, and to spend each day in gratitude for that purpose—simply keeping this in mind is already a wonderful first step.
Chapter 3 of The Laws of Success is “The Secret of a Successful Living.” At the beginning, the following words are written:
“Maintaining a cheerful attitude as we move through life is the first secret to successful living. Simply put, living a successful life means living with an ongoing sense of cheer. ”
A bright and refreshing spirit and a cheerful heart are quite similar, aren’t they? Both give the impression of being pure, bright, and positive. Being around such a person lifts our spirits, and we naturally want to be friends with them. Perhaps, we hope others may feel the same about us.
So then, what are the practical keys to living cheerfully?
The Laws of Success teaches us two things: to smile, and to refrain from speaking pessimistic words.
Please engrave these words in your heart: “A smile is proportional to effort.”
Creating a smile is also called “Offering the Gift of a Smile.” A smile itself is a gift we offer to others, and having even one more smiling person in the world can make society better. Successful people speak positive, constructive, and uplifting words because words have the power to lead and inspire.
When things are going well, we naturally smile and think positively. But when life becomes difficult and painful, even something as simple as smiling or speaking positive words can feel surprisingly difficult. There are also these words in this book:
“The first step is to make the choice and put in the effort to maintain a cheerful and blithe attitude.”
First of all, picture in your heart the image of your cheerful and refreshing self. Even in painful or difficult circumstances, imagine yourself smiling and brightening those around you with kind and uplifting words. The Laws of Success continues with chapters such as The Keys to Succeeding in Business, The Gate to Economic Prosperity, The Power of Developmental Thinking, and The Path to Ultimate Self-Realization.
The final chapter, Chapter 8, is titled Success Principles for Today’s Leaders, and it teaches the following as one of the most important principles of success:
“But the most important factor in success is the process of achieving it: how we live our lives. Outcomes do not necessarily determine success.(…)
Rather than only seeking results, we should focus on the process of reaching our goals, and pursue whatever success that process brings us. This means living true to our heart and our conscience. It will serve us best if we can achieve success while maintaining a pure heart and remaining as innocent as a small child.”
It teaches the importance of not focusing solely on results, but on how we live through the process while walking the path toward success—and of maintaining a pure heart and remaining as innocent as a small child. To continue striving toward God while remaining infinitely pure and transparent. It feels as though we have been given the eternal path of spiritual cultivation in pursuit of the ideal way of life as human beings.
Finally, from “The Path to Success” (Lecture in Chapter 8, “Success Principles for Today’s Leaders,” from The Laws of Success):
“For those who wish for success, I believe this book will become a kind of bible.
If its teachings are put into practice, success will surely follow—I have no doubt about it.
At the very least, it can be said that if one lives with the spirituality taught in this book, one is already achieving victory in life each and every day throughout the journey.
Therefore, one must never become result-oriented.
It is natural to aim for a goal, but reaching the goal alone should not be regarded as true success.
True success lies in the process itself—how one lives, what state of mind one maintains, and what efforts one continues to make on the way to the goal.
This journey continues over the span of decades, and I am convinced that the sense of success gained during those years in this life will continue into eternal life. (...)
I am teaching you success that will enable you to attain a happiness which will continue through both this world and the other. In short, it is success which is meaningful both in this world and the other, and it can be explained as “realizing the ideals of Buddha in this world on earth.” However, it is not easy for those who are close to you and share your daily life to understand how Buddha’s ideals manifest through you.
Whether or not you are successful will be clear to others, but I would like you to aim for success in which the substance, or what underlies it, is different from superficial, worldly success. As you strive to achieve this kind of spiritual success, you will constantly influence those you meet in your lifetime on this earth.
Now I would like to give you some definitions of success:
Success is eternal progress
Success is eternal development
Success is eternal passion
Success is eternal courage
Success is eternal effort
Success is eternal value
In fact, success consists of elements such as progress, development, passion, courage, effort and value, and eternity is the ultimate goal of these elements. It is important to elevate the quality of this life so it becomes eternal, rather than immortal.”
Warm regards,
Okawa Books India
