강물은 흘러드는 물줄기를/川は流れ込む水を/The River Does Not Reject the Waters

[연영림]

강물은 흘러 드는 물줄기를 거부하지 않는다

평화를 사랑하는 세계인으로

6장 사랑하면 통일이 됩니다

세상에 만연한 이기주의는 개인을 망칠 뿐 아니라 다른 사람과 민족의 발전까지도 발목을 잡습니다. 인간의 마음속에 있는 탐욕이 평화세계로 나아가는 길에 큰 장애물이 되는 것입니다. 개인의 탐욕이 민족의 탐욕으로 번져나가고 탐욕으로 얼룩진 마음이 사람과 사람, 민족과 민족 사이에 분열과 분쟁을 일으킵니다. 역사상 수많은 사람들이 탐욕 때문에 일어난 분쟁으로 피를 흘리며 죽어갔습니다. 

이런 분쟁을 없애려면 세상에 널리 퍼진 잘못된 가치관과 사상을 바꾸는 일대 혁명이 일어나야 합니다. 우리 사회에 실타래처럼 엉킨 복잡한 문제들은 생각의 혁명이 일어나면 삽시에 해결됩니다.사람과 사람이, 민족과 민족이 사랑으로 상대를 먼저 배려하고 협조한다면 현대사회의 문제들은 모조리 풀릴 것입니다.

나는 평생 평화를 위한 일에 몸을 바쳐왔습니다. 평화라는 말만 떠올리면 지금도 목이 메어 밥이 넘어가지 않고 눈시울이 붉어집니다. 세계가 하나 되어 평화를 누리는 그날을 그려보는 것만으로도 그저 감격스러울 뿐입니다. 평화란 그런 것입니다. 생각이 다르고 인종이 다르고 말이 다른 사람들을 하나로 연결하는 것입니다. 그런 세계를 그리워하고 바라는 마음입니다. 평화는 구체적인 행동이지 막연한 꿈이 아닙니다. 

그 동안 평화운동에 매달리는 것이 쉽지만은 않았습니다. 고난도 많았고 돈도 많이 들었습니다. 하지만 개인의 명예를 위해 그리하지 않았습니다. 돈을 벌려고 한 것도 아닙니다. 온 땅에 견고하고 진정한 평화가 깃든 세계가 이룩될 수 있도록 전력을 다했을 뿐입니다. 이 일을 하는 동안 나는 외롭지 않았습니다. 세상 사람들이 바라는 바가 결국은 모두 평화이기 때문입니다. 그렇지만 이상한 일이지요. 모든 사람들이 그토록 원하는 데도 평화가 아직 오지 않았으니 말입니다

평화를 입으로 말하기는 쉽습니다. 그러나 평화를 불러오기는 쉽지 않습니다. 사람들이 평화로운 세상을 이루기 위해 가장 필요한 진리를 제쳐놓고 모른 체하기 때문입니다. 사람들과의 평화, 민족들 간의 평화를 말하기 전에 우리는 하나님과의 평화를 이야기합니다. 

요즘 종교들은 자기 교파만 제일로 여기고 다른 종교는 무시하고 배척합니다. 다른 종교나 교파에 담을 쌓는 일은 옳지 않습니다. 종교란 평화로운 이상세계를 찾아가는 커다란 강물과 같습니다. 강물은 드넓은 평화세계에 닿기까지 길게 흐르며 수많은 샛강을 만납니다. 강줄기에 합해진 샛강들은 그때부터는 샛강이 아니라 큰 강물입니다. 그렇게 하나가 되는 겁니다. 

강물은 흘러 드는 샛강의 물줄기를 내치지 않고 모두 받아들입니다. 그 많은 샛강을 다 끓어 안고 같은 물줄기가 되어 바다로 향합니다. 세상 사람들은 이 간단한 원리를 모릅니다. 강물을 찾아 흘러 드는 샛강들이 이 세상의 수많은 종교와 종파입니다. 샘이 솟아올라 흐르기 시작한 근본은 서로 다르지만 찾아가는 곳은 같습니다. 평화가 넘치는 이상세계를 찾아가는 겁니다.

종교 사이에 가로막힌 담을 헐지 않고는 절대로 이 땅에 평화가 찾아오지 않습니다. 종교는 이미 수천 년 동안 전 세계의 수많은 민족과 연합해서 커왔기 때문에 문화적 담장이 드높아 그것을 헐어버리기란 지극히 어려운 일입니다. 각기 다른 종교가 높은 담장 안에서 자기만 옳다고 주장하면서 수천 년을 지내왔습니다. 때로는 세력을 넓히려 다른 종교와 대립하고 싸우기도 했습니다. 하나님의 뜻도 아닌 것에 하나님의 이름을 걸었습니다. 

하나님의 뜻은 평화에 있습니다. 국가와 인종, 종교로 찢겨져 서로 헐뜯고 싸우며 피 흘리는 세상은 하나님이 바라시는 바가 아닙니다. 하나님의 이름을 놓고 피 흘리며 서로 싸우는 우리들은 그분을 고통스럽게 할 뿐입니다. 갈기갈기 찢긴 세상은 모두 사람들이 자신의 부귀와 영달을 위해 만들어놓은 것일 뿐 하나님의 뜻이 아닙니다. 하나님은 분명히 내게 그렇게 말씀하셨고, 나는 하나님이 말씀하신 것을 이 땅에 실천하는 심부름꾼입니다.

종교와 인종을 한데 어우르는 평화세계를 만들기 위한 길은 한없이 고단했습니다. 때로는 사람에 치이고 때로는 능력에 치이는 일이 수없이 많았지만 나는 그 사명을 저버릴 수 없었습니다. 나와 함께하는 식구들이나 동료들이 너무 힘들어 비명을 지를 때면, 차라리 그들이 부럽기도 해서 “여러분은 가다가 싫으면 돌아설 수도 있고 하다 하다 못하면 죽을 수도 있으나 나는 그럴 수도 없는 불쌍한 사람입니다“ 하고 그들을 향해 하소연한 적도 있었습니다. 

川は流れ込む水を拒(こば)まない

自叙伝　P.248

　世の中に蔓延した利己主義は、その個人を滅ぼすだけでなく、他の人と民族の発展までも阻害してしまいます。人間の心の中にある貧欲さが平和世界に進む道において、最も大きな障害物になるのです。個人の貧欲さが民族の貧欲さに拡大し、貧欲さに染まった心が、人と人、民族と民族の問に分裂と紛争を引き起こします。歴史上、貧欲さのために起きた紛争によって、大勢の人たちが血を流して死んでいきました。

　このような紛争をなくそうとすれば、世の中に流布する誤った価値観と思想を変える一大革命が起きなければなりません。私たちの社会の糸束のように絡まった複雑な諸問題は、そのような革命が起きれば、あっという問に解決されます。人と人が、民族と民族が、まず愛で相手に配慮し、協力すれば、現代社会の諸問題はことごとく解決するでしょう。

　私は、生涯平和のために身を捧げてきました。平和という言葉を思い起こすだけで、今も喉が締め付けられて食べ物が通らず、目頭が熱くなります。世界が一つになって平和を享受する、その日を思い描いてみるだけでも、これ以上ない感動があります。平和とはそのようなものです。思想が違い、人種が違い、言葉が違う人たちを一つに連結することです。そのような世界を慕い、願う心です。平和は具体的な行動であって、漠然とした夢ではありません。

　これまで平和運動に取り組んできたことは、簡単なことではありませんでした。苦難も多く、お金もたくさんかかりました。しかし、個人の名誉のためにしたのではありません。お金を稼こうとしたわけでもありません。すべての国・地域の人々に警告し、本当に平和が宿った世界が実現するよう、全力を尽くしただけです。この活動をしている間、私は孤独ではありませんでした。世の中の人たちの願うことが、結局はすべて平和に帰着するからです。しかし、不思議なものです。ありとあらゆる人がそれほど願っているのに、平和はいまだに訪れていないのです。

　平和を口で語るのは簡単です。しかし、平和を呼び込むのは簡単ではありません。人々が、平和な世界を築く際に最も必要とされる真理を避けて、知らないふりをするからです。人との平和、民族間の平和を語る前に、私たちは神との平和を語らなければなりません。

　最近の宗教は、自分の教派だけが一番と考え、他の宗教は無視して排斥します。他の宗教や教派に対して壁を積み上げることは正しくないことです。宗教とは、平和の理想世界を求めていく巨大な川と同じです。川は広々とした平和世界に至るまで、ずっと流れていきながら、たくさんの支流と出会います。本流に合流した支流は、その時からは支流ではなくて本流です。そのように一つになるのです。

　本流の川は、流れ込んでくる支流を追い出さず、すべて受け入れます。そのたくさんの支流をすべて抱きかかえ、同じ流れとなって海に向かいます。世の中の人たちは、この簡単な原理を知りません。本流の川を求めて流れ込む支流が、この世の中の数多くある宗教と宗派です。泉が湧いて流れ始めた根本はそれぞれ異なりますが、求めていく所は同じです。平和に満ちた理想世界を求めていくのです。

　宗教の問に立ちふさがる壁を崩さなければ、絶対にこの地上に平和は訪れてきません。宗教は、すでに数千年の間、全世界の多くの民族と連合して大きくなってきたので、文化的垣根が非常に高く、それを崩してしまうことはとても大変なことです。それぞれ異なる宗教が高い壁の中で、自分だけが正しいと主張しながら数千年を経てきました。時には勢力を広げようと、他の宗教と対立して争うこともありました。神の御旨でもないことに、神の名を掲(かか)げたのです。

　神の御旨は平和の実現にあります。国家と人種、宗教によって引き裂かれ、互いにけなし合い、争って血を流す世界は、神の願うものではありません。神の名を掲げて血を流し、互いに争う私たちは、神を苦しめてばかりいるのです。ずたずたに引き裂かれた世界はすべて、人々が自分の富と栄達のためにつくったものにすぎず、神のみ意にかなうものではありません。神は私にはっきりとそう語られました。私は神が語られたことをこの地上で実践する使者です。

　宗教と人種を一つにする平和世界をつくるための道は、限りなく苦労の多いものでした。時には人に妨げられ、時には能力の壁にぶつかることがたくさんありましたが、私はその使命を捨てることはできませんでした。私と共に歩む食口や同僚が、あまりのつらさに弱音を吐くとき、かえって彼らを羨ましく思い、「皆さんは、歩んでいて嫌だと思えば戻ることもでき、やってできなければ死ぬこともできますが、私はそのようにすることもできないかわいそうな人です」と、彼らに向かって切々と訴えたこともありました。

The River Does Not Reject the Waters That Flow into It

As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen

Pages 241-244

Selfishness is rampant in the world. Ironically, however, the individual is destroyed by this, and not just the individual, but those around him and the nation as a whole. The greatest obstacle to the world of peace is avarice in people’s hearts. It starts in individuals and expands to the nation, and hearts stained with avarice cause division and conflict at every level. Countless people throughout history have shed their blood and died in conflicts caused by avarice.

To eliminate such conflicts, we need a great revolution to change the enormous impact of values and thinking that are widespread in the world today. The complex problems our societies face, today, can be resolved quickly if there is a revolution in people’s thinking. If, each individual and nation begins to look out for the other first, working together with the other, the problems of modern society will be resolved.

Throughout my life, I have dedicated myself to efforts for peace. Any time the word peace comes up, I become emotional. I choke up, it becomes difficult for me to swallow my food, and tears begin to well up in my eyes. It moves me deeply just to imagine the day when the world becomes one and begins to enjoy peace. That is the nature of peace. It links people who think differently, are of different races, and speak different languages. Our hearts yearn for this world and harbor a hope that it will be realized.

However, peace comes through concrete action, not just having a vague dream. Building a movement for peace has not always been easy. There have been many difficulties, and it has required large sums of money. I have not done this for my own honor, or to make money. All I did was invest my full effort, so that we can have a world where a strong and true peace takes root. For as long as I have been doing this work, I have never been lonely. This is because, ultimately, peace is the desire of every person in the world. It is strange, though. Even though everyone wants peace, it still has not come.

It is easy to talk about peace. But to bring peace is not easy. This is because people push aside the most elemental truth needed to bring about a world of peace. They pretend not to know this truth is there. Before we talk about peace among individuals or among nations, we must talk about peace between ourselves and God.

Each religion today thinks of itself as the highest, rejecting and looking down on other religions. It is not right to build fences against other religions and denominations.

A religion is like a wide river flowing toward an ideal, peaceful world. The river flows for long distances before it comes to the wide expanse of peace. On its way, many streams flow into it. The streams cease to be streams from the point they meet the river. From that point, they, too, become a part of the river. In this way, they become one.

The river does not reject any of the streams that flow into it. It accepts them all. It embraces all the streams and forms a single flow as it continues toward the ocean. People in the world today do not understand this simple truth. The streams that seek out the river and flow into it are the numerous religions and denominations of today. Each stream traces its origin to a different spring, but they are all going to the same destination. They are seeking the ideal world overflowing with peace.

Peace will never come to this earth unless we first tear down the walls between religions. For thousands of years, religions have grown in alliance with particular ethnic groups, and so they are surrounded by high cultural walls. Tearing these down is an extremely difficult task. For thousands of years, each religion has surrounded itself with such high walls, insisting that it is the only correct religion. In some cases, religions have expanded their influence and entered into conflicts and fights with other religions, using God’s name in places that had nothing to do with His will.

The will of god lies in peace. A world fragmented by differences in nationality, race, and religion, where people attack and fight one another and shed one another’s blood, is not what God wants. When we shed blood and fight each other in His name, we only cause Him pain. A world torn to shreds has been created out of the desires of people to promote their own wealth and glory. It does not represent the will of God. God clearly told me so. I am only His errand boy, receiving His words and carrying them out on earth.

The path to bring about a world of peace, in which religions and races become united, has been exhausting. Many times, I was rejected by people, or my own abilities fell short, but I could not put aside this mission. When members and colleagues who worked with me would cry out in anguish because of the difficulty of the task, I would even feel envious of them.

“If you decide this path isn’t for you, you have the option to stop and turn back,” I told them. “Or if you try and try and still can’t accomplish it, you have the option to die trying. But you should pity me,” I said. “I am a person with no such options.”

[JUNKO*^^*]

고맙습니다*^^*