What Is Death? / 死とは何か?

By Masami Saionji

While we live in this world, most of us think about death with feelings of uneasiness. This is because our consciousness has become strongly attached to our physical existence, and we identify ourselves as physical beings. We also fear death as something that we will have to go through all alone, separating us from our families and loved ones. In truth, however, death is not something to be feared. Death is not the end of life, nor is it a final separation. Rather, it is the action of ‘returning.’ At the moment of death, we give back to the earth all the material elements which composed our physical body. Those material elements will be absorbed into the earth and our life will go back to its source, the source of the universe. In other words, we return to our original state as a ray of light and living energy. This act of returning is not something that our essential self fears. Rather, it is welcomed with joyful anticipation, as an event filled with sheer bliss.
— Masami Saionji

この世界に生きている間中、多くの人々が死に対して不安を感じています。それは、私たちの意識が肉体そのものに執着しているからであり、自分自身を肉体と同一視しているためなのです。また、自分一人だけが死ぬのだという恐怖感、家族や愛する人々との別れに対する恐れもあります。しかし実際には、死は怖いものでも何でもありません。死とは、生命の終わりでもないですし、最終的な別離でもないのです。むしろ“返還作用”なのです。死の瞬間、私たちは、肉体を構成している物質要素のすべてを地上に返します。それらの物質要素は、大地に吸収され、私たちの生命は、宇宙の源、本源へと還るのです。言い換えれば、光の一筋、生命エネルギーとして元の状態へと戻ってゆくわけです。この返還作用で、恐怖を感ずることはありません。それは、喜びと期待をもって為されてゆく至福に満ちた出来事だからです。
— 西園寺昌美

• Language: English
• Publisher: Byakko Press
• Release date: Feb 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311389688

Masami Saionji

Masami Saionji is the chairperson of three organizations: Byakko Shinko Kai (www.byakko.org), The World Peace Prayer Society (www.worldpeace.org), and The Goi Peace Foundation (www.goipeace.or.jp). A native of Japan and a descendant of the Royal Ryukyu Family of Okinawa, she continues the work of her adoptive father, Masahisa Goi, who initiated a movement for world peace through the universal prayer May Peace Prevail on Earth. As a spiritual leader and lecturer, she has touched thousands of people’s lives through her guidance and inspiration. She travels globally on speaking tours, and has led peace ceremonies in many countries as well as at the United Nations and other international organizations. She has authored over twenty books in Japanese and eight in English and other languages. She is an honorary member of the Club of Budapest and a member of the World Wisdom Council. She was awarded the Philosopher Saint Shree Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prize of India along with her husband Hiroo in 2008. She is also the recipient of the 2010 WON Award honoring distinguished women leaders. In February 2013, Mrs. Saionji had the privilege of presenting the Symphony of Peace Prayers ceremony at the United Nations, in a special event entitled ‘United for a Culture of Peace through Interfaith Harmony’, which was hosted by the president of the UN General Assembly. Mrs. Saionji and her husband currently live in Tokyo, and have three daughters, all working for peace.

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