A Dissatisfied Mind vs. The Truth of Satisfaction

by Yoshikazu Fukaya

In the Divine Directions, God the Parent makes a point of telling us:

On this path, you must not let your mind be cluttered with dissatisfaction.

Osashizu, December 1, 1899

Another passage explains, in effect: "Once you start giving thought to dissatisfaction, there will be no end to the dissatisfaction you will need to give thought to. Put the truth of satisfaction to the test: try being without dissatisfaction for thirty days! Do that, and you will surely understand the truth of the Parent's intention. When that truth is clearly understood, dissatisfaction will no longer arise. Quickly, quickly! Settle the truth that brings joy in everything" [See Osashizu, March 27, 1896].

Dissatisfaction is the hallmark of a state of mind that is unable to recognize God the Parent's blessings as the blessings they are. It indicates a state of mind that is out of touch with the deep parental love that embraces us with constant and perfect blessings.

The following Divine Direction also cautions us against entertaining feelings of dissatisfaction:

Complaining about the gifts you receive makes it ever so difficult to give you yet another gift.

Osashizu, October 12, 1891

The opposite of a dissatisfied mind cluttered with complaints is a satisfied mind that knows true contentment and accepts everything joyously. Allow me to paraphrase some Divine Directions in which God the Parent explains this truth over and over again in plain and simple language.

"Your physical complaint stems from the dissatisfaction in your mind. Though you are intent on following this precious and wondrous path, priceless as it is, it only takes something small to trigger feelings of insufficiency and dissatisfaction in your mind or to lead you to compare your own situation with that of others. Never entertain such thoughts! Remember that this path was laid by Oyasama alone. Think about what sort of path She came through and how the path once was. Your problem is that you only attach to thoughts of dissatisfaction without giving any thought to how wonderfully blessed you already are! It won't do. If you would just understand this one thing, your mind would become high-spirited and the body refreshed.

"You are dissatisfied, feeling let down that this has befallen you in spite of the great efforts you devoted to the path. I instructed you to remove that thought and replace your mind, and you resolved not to entertain thoughts of dissatisfaction. Faced with this physical problem, however, you are, understandably, finding it difficult to accept your situation joyously. But listen and understand well! If you would just ponder the parental heart and awaken to the depth of God the Parent's blessings--even under these circumstances--you would be able to accept your situation joyously. This will also cancel causality from previous lives. The fruits of your efforts have not gone anywhere. Just keep your mind from wavering!

"Because I love you so dearly, I sometimes find it necessary to admonish you. Nonetheless, if you hold tight to the thought that all is well and good, everything would indeed be well and good. It doesn't help to be dissatisfied, wondering why such a thing has come to pass in spite of your painstaking efforts. . . . Allow your mind to freely receive the truth of well-being. This sense of well-being is the gift of heaven" [See Osashizu, May 7, 1889; August 12, 1889; July 20, 1902; May 3, 1906].

A mind that recognizes everything as being "well and good" is a mind that fully receives the gift of heaven. A mind that is dissatisfied and complains is a mind that chips away at the blessings received.

We ought not to feed dissatisfaction by giving thought to it. Rather, we are asked to accept everything joyously and to settle the truth of satisfaction in our mind. We must also take care not to cause others to be dissatisfied. It is important to do whatever we can to bring them joy and help them be satisfied. To paraphrase another passage from the Divine Directions: "When you stay focused on bringing satisfaction to others, even a very small act can invite great results. It can give their faith a strong and steady foundation. If, on the other hand, you cause them to be dissatisfied, their faith may wane and wither, and it may even snap. Satisfaction brings joy to one and all, here and there. The truth of joy accords with the truth of heaven. Because joy accords with the truth of heaven, it flourishes. From the truth of satisfaction, buds sprout in every direction" [See Osashizu, January 8, 1898; July 14, 1900; February 6, 1904].