by Masuo Nezu

These are personal reminiscences about the late founder Rev. Nikkyo Niwano from his former chief secretary, Masuo Nezu, now in retirement. During his years of service, the writer accompanied Rev. Niwano on dissemination tours, interreligious cooperation activities, and peace promotion work, both in Japan and overseas. This series recalls not only heartwarming episodes from the founder's everyday life, but also the spiritual insights derived from his words and deeds.

31

"Do what is natural--naturally"

On the morning of February 13, 1985, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano did exercises at his hotel as part of his daily practice during his dissemination tour of Japan's southern island of Okinawa.

Having been blessed with excellent health, as well as longevity, Founder Niwano was often asked how he managed to maintain his good condition. One reason appears to have been the fact that he did morning exercises every day for decades. On one occasion he had received instruction from a yoga teacher, and adding to that whatever seemed helpful, he then exercised without fail every single day.

When he was past eighty, the topic of exercise came up one day while Rev. Niwano was talking with some visitors. Getting up from his chair, he sat right down on the carpet and demonstrated his daily routine. Bringing the soles of his feet together, he spread his knees wide apart, and with his back straight, bent forward from the waist until his head touched the floor.

"This isn't hard," he told them. "You just sit naturally like this. Some people say that Shakyamuni Buddha's position of sitting with folded legs crossed is difficult. For me, it is easy."

The visitors were amazed at how supple his body still was after more than eight decades. "I practice this exercise every morning and then recite the sutra," he said. He began playing golf at the age of sixty. That strengthened his legs and lower back and had the additional virtue of improving his eyesight--from aiming his ball at the course's distant putting green.

His "salt-water regimen" was a holdover from earlier days. When he awoke each morning, he inhaled a small amount from a glass of salt water warmed to body temperature up each nostril in turn, down into the back of his throat and then spat it out.

"That is taught in Yojokun (Precepts for Health, a manual on healthy living written by the Neo-Confucian scholar Kaibara Ekiken in 1713, at the age of 83, reflecting his belief that cultivation of body and spirit go together). It sounded so good that I started to practice it. It is refreshing and, above all, prevents one from catching colds. Since I practice it daily, the inside of my nose stays clean and clear, and I breathe more easily," Rev. Niwano said.