Founders: Tokuharu Miki (b. 1871; d. 1938) and Tokuchika Miki (b. 1900; d. 1983)
The Japanese New Religion (Shinshukyo) (see New Religion (Japan)) Perfect Liberty Kyodan derives from Honmichi. There are two founders, the first being Tokuharu Miki (1871-1938) who is regarded as the first founder or Oshieoya of this movement, and the second his son Tokuchika Miki (1900-83). The former was once a Zen Buddhist priest who in 1912 was allegedly cured of asthma by the rite of ofurikae (power of temporarily curing illness) which was administered to him by the Reverend Tokumitsu Kanada. Tokuchika Miki had been imprisoned for his refusal to obey government orders issued in 1937 to disband the movement on account of some of its beliefs including the belief that the spirit of the deity and that of human beings was the same spirit and for regarding the Imperial Rescript on Education of 1892 as a sacred text. He re-etablished the religion after his release from prison in 1946.
Perfect Liberty Kyodan teaches that ‘Life is Art’ in the sense that the former like the latter must be balanced, harmonious, and expressive. The movement’s mission is to teach others the correct mental attitude necessary for living life according to the rules of the Universe.
There exists, Perfect Liberty is persuaded, a fundamental unity between the individual and the world or society and the bringing together in harmony of individual and social freedom is the basis for a truly fulfilling life. By coming to understand its teachings and by applying them to one’s life it is possible, Perfect Liberty maintains, to reach a state where living becomes a continuous form of conscious self-expression accompanied by total mental freedom.
The sacred scripture of Perfect Liberty Kyodan consists of the Twenty-one Precepts, which were received from ‘God’ by the founder and his successor. They provide guidelines on how to lead a fulfilling life. Twenty-one Principles lend support to these Precepts in this aim. It is claimed that by following the Precepts and the Principles one’s life will eventually be transformed into a series of self-expressions that will eventually resemble a masterpiece of art. The achievement of turning life into a work of art is known as makoto or sincerity and tbose who have arrived at this stage of development are said to be living in Perfect Liberty.
Illness and misfortune are seen as forms of divine warning or mishirase to a person that he/she is in need of divine instruction or mioshie. This instruction consists of an explanation of the cause of illness and misfortune, which attributes them to negative or inappropriate states of mind and ways of thinking. Through mioshie a person learns to transform a negative into a positive state of mind.
Practices consist of the recitation of daily prayers which include the Oyashikiri (literally strong faith (shikiri) in the parent (oya) prayer). This prayer is recited in front of the prayer symbol (omitama) consisting of twenty-one petals which symbolize the Twenty-one Precepts and at the centre of which is a circle that represents the window to Mioya Okami (God, Creator of the Universe).
In addition to prayers there are ceremonies including the Thanksgiving Day Service on the twenty-first day of each month. The purpose of this occasion is to express gratitude and appreciation to the leader known as the Oshieoyasama, for his personal sacrifice on behalf of the members. The leader (Oshieoyasama), it is believed, takes on as form of expiation to God for wrongs that have been committed all the misfortunes of his followers. There are also Day of Peace and Ancestors’ Day ceremonies on the first and eleventh day of each month respectively.
The principal annual ceremonies are Founders’ Day festival which takes place on 1 August each year, PL Establishment Day on 29 September, the leader’s birthday on 2 December. On the occasion of Founders’ Day all the participants receive purification by means of the ritual known as the Rite of Blessing. A fire service is also held at this event as a symbol of hope for world peace.
Perfect Liberty places great emphasis on the rearing and education of children who are seen as a mirror of their parents. Education in Perfect Liberty values begins for the children of adepts with Kindergarten. The movement has a number of schools and colleges in Japan where there are an estimated 300,000 members. Its headquarters are at Tondabyashi near Osaka. There are also branches of the movement overseas in North and South America and Europe. The largest of the overseas branches is in Brazil where the membership stands at around 70,000.
