Sermon: How to get rid of anxiety - People are more frightening than the coronavirus - The fear of the new coronavirus is spreading all over the world. In this emergency, the government has requested that events be canceled and schools be closed, which has had a major impact all over the country. People's anxiety is also affecting purchasing activities, and at drugstores across the country, people are rushing to buy toilet paper and tissues, following masks, and the day's stock is sold out immediately after opening. A message posted by a person working at such a drugstore on social media caused a big stir. "I'm more afraid of people than the virus." He says that since masks began to run out of stock, the attitude of customers has changed day by day. People who were kind to him became murderous and simply vented their frustration. In response, he simply bowed his head and said, "I'm sorry," for days on end, and in the midst of all this, he said the words mentioned above. It is easy to see how people lose their cool in an emergency. And I feel that people's true nature is revealed at such times. When you feel anxious about a media report, if your anxiety is amplified on social media, that information will spread in the blink of an eye. Research has also shown that false news is more likely to be retweeted on social media than true news. In other words, false information spreads faster and more widely than true information. The spread of the false information that "Toilet paper will be in short supply!" seems to speak to the results of this research. There have also been reports of harassment and bullying against the families of medical staff who worked on infection control measures on cruise ships, and of quarrels over someone who coughed on a train. It really seems like humans are more frightening than the virus. The current COVID-19 outbreak is an emergency situation that we have never experienced before. At times like these, everyone feels anxious. It is important to understand that an anxious mind is more likely to produce wrong actions. In his essay "The World Becoming Monkey-like," Uchida Ikki wrote the following: "For example, a driver who drives on the shoulder of a congested highway can only benefit if other drivers are lawful and patiently enduring the traffic jam. If everyone drives on the shoulder first, he loses his benefit. Therefore, he wishes for a world where everyone else is lawful and he is not, that is, a world where no one else behaves like him. This is what it means to be "unethical". This functions as a kind of "curse". After all, he is praying fervently for "people like me to not exist in this world". This "curse" slowly but surely kills his vitality like a weak acid. "Even if you are not murderous when shopping under normal circumstances and do not harass others, anyone can make a mistake in judgment when they become anxious. And maybe you want to be the only one to drive on the shoulder. I feel that it is important to calm your mind, especially at times like these. The Buddhist term "peace of mind" refers to a state of mind without anxiety that can be achieved through prayer. Just chant the Heart Sutra with all your heart. Yes, you are not the only one who is anxious. There is a recommended way to get rid of your anxiety. It is the practice of giving without fear. It is one of the important forms of giving that Buddhism preaches, which can remove the anxiety of others. Smiling. Kind words. Thoughtfulness. As you remove the anxiety of those around you, your own anxiety will also ease. We pray for the elimination of epidemics and the health of everyone every day at the main hall of Suma-dera Temple. ************************************* ■If you would like to listen to this sermon on "Spotify", please click here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh... [What is Spotify] Spotify is a streaming service that allows you to enjoy music and audio libraries on the Internet. It is a distribution service that allows you to enjoy tens of millions of music and audio podcasts by creators around the world for free. "Koike Haruto's Essays" is also available on "Spotify". ***************************************** [I give a sermon at Suma Temple every month] On the 18th of every month there is a goma prayer and sutra copying session starting at 10am, on the 20th and 21st there is a goma prayer and a sermon at 11:30am in the inner sanctuary, and on the 21st there is a goma prayer and a sermon starting at 2pm. [Sumadera Official Site] http://www.sumadera.or.jp [Introduction to Sumadera Fudo Goma Ku] • Introduction to Sumadera Fudo Goma Ku [Sumadera "Suma Fire Festival - Saito Daigoma Ku, Fire-Walking Asceticism"] • [Suma Fire Festival - Saito Daigoma Ku, Fire-Walking Asceticism] Sumadera Head Temple [Sumadera: 46,000-Day Miakari Kannon Light-