Confidence and courage can be cultivated
Shorinji Kempo became something that everyone could learn precisely because I arranged this ancient Chinese martial art to suit a new era, and I made it easier to teach and easier to learn. It is written, as well, in the materials that "Shorinji Kempo does not aim for win-loss victories, but it is a system that seeks through consistent training to gain gradual improvement and development." It's the same for all of you too: even if you did suddenly start teaching kids' high school or college lessons, there is no way they could learn it. Study in first grade and in second grade is meant to be different. Study is built up over time and gradually raised higher, and that, I believe, is why all of you were able to graduate to high school and college.
Anyone can make the mark if they try because I made this the standard, Shorinji Kempo developed. I also wrote the following. "It is essential to continue pointing to a goal that is within reach, a goal that anyone is capable of attaining if they reach out with whatever hand they possess." This is the kind of thing that is most important. It is not necessary to look to the most incredibility difficult goal, to say something such as, "You must become a world athlete, the best in Japan, no, the best martial arts fighter in the world!"
Thinking that I wanted to give Japan's young people confidence and courage, I started Shorinji Kempo after the war. Out of what does this thing called confidence get created? If someone said to you, "You're no good; you're stupid and you're clumsy," and if you too assumed that you were incapable, then no matter who you were you would lose confidence. Without confidence, then you couldn't expect to feel courage. Shorinji Kempo's approach is different. From all around one is encouraged to gain confidence, and one is allowed to gain confidence in Shorinji Kempo. The phrases are not, "You're clumsy. You're terrible," but "Even I can do it, so you can too. Look, you can do it now, can't you?" When you can feel confident, then you become capable of saying thins that you couldn't before. Even if you can't do something, you get the desire to try it. Confidence and courage are things that are brought up in people.
That said, going so far as not to teach resistance, warding and guarding would be strange. Leaders may not avoid teaching these things. To that end you must be capable of them. Then you say, "I can do it, so now it's your turn." Then if someone learns how, then you say, "Okay! Now, let's go on to the next thing." You don't have to become strong. It's sufficient to be skillful. You will enjoy it too, but others will also be able to enjoy it.
(March 1980 sermon to university leaders seminar)
