1) Necessity of the Proper Conception of Freedom

You speak about peace, happiness and freedom, but what is that freedom? What is the freedom that ordinary people nowadays call freedom? Freedom is to do whatever I wish. But how far does whatever I wish go? There is a limit. A human being cannot live much longer than one hundred years. Is it freedom if I spend that one hundred years going my own way? If there were no law and freedom to do whatever one wished, what kind of freedom is that? Today, the world of civilized culture has expanded greatly, so is it easy or difficult to do research and study? Is it freedom, or restriction, to be stuck in a study room? Tell me! How should we interpret it? Is studying freedom, or is it confinement, when one doesn't like to study? (It's confinement.) Even though it imposes restrictions, why do we have the desire to do it? That is the question. It therefore becomes the problem of how to comprehend the concept of freedom. Freedom is not doing whatever one wishes.

Then, what does freedom mean to a woman? What does freedom mean to a man? What is freedom for a person? What is freedom for a family? For a society? For a nation? That is the issue. Can we, as individuals, do whatever we wish? If that is freedom, say I won't eat and then don't eat! If you do that, you will die without doubt. If you think that not looking is your freedom, then don't look. That way you will just make a fool of yourself. That's a problem! That is the reason Western society is perishing. They do not know the definition of freedom. (182-111)

Does freedom lie in happiness, or happiness in freedom? Where would you wish happiness to be? (Freedom in happiness) Until now, we have not been aware of this. When that question is asked, you might think that happiness is in freedom, but that is not the case. Freedom, too, desires to go into happiness and dwell there. Happiness does not want to dwell within freedom. It is freedom that wishes to dwell within happiness. Therefore, freedom is an action with a directional characteristic. It cannot be a decisive action. That is why it is secondary, rather than primary. Do you understand? (182-116)

2) The Three Great Principles Freedom Must Have

Freedom cannot exist outside the Principle. From that viewpoint, everything has already been analyzed and the rules determined. There is no freedom outside the Principle. Not eating when it is time to eat is not freedom. You'll become hungry. That will produce ill effects, and if you continue, your body will die. So, there is no freedom outside the Principle. Looking at it this way, all the movement and workings of the universe are freedom. The greatest freedom is that the earth revolves on its axis once a day. Also, the moon goes around the earth once a month, and, of course, the earth goes around the sun based on a 360-day cycle. If they were to say, " Oh no! I don't want to do that," it would mean losing the value of the whole. Therefore it is logical and reasonable that there is no freedom apart from the Principle. Do you understand? Everything exists in that way.

Well, then, do I have freedom? It is the same for me. Pursuing freedom in a world that has abandoned its principles is doomed to failure. I am old and there are rules of freedom that I must follow as an elderly person. Would it be suitable for an elderly person such as myself to have an affair with a young girl? Hmm? Everyone would laugh at me and spit on me. Everything has to coincide with the Principle. Also, there is responsibility in freedom. Responsibility! You should certainly not act in a position of responsibility for something bad. You must act from a position of taking responsibility for something good. On seeing how much you have been able to take responsibility for your actions, all creation should be able to respect you on that basis. Also, good results must be left behind where you have acted. Aren't these the three great fundamental rules? You might say, "What kind of freedom is that?" but that is just the way it is! For example, when you go home, you might say, "I am not going to be dominated by my parents. I am going to do whatever I wish" You cannot assert that this is freedom.

Look! Compare it with the branches and twigs on a tree. Can a twig claim that it has nothing to do with the branch? If there is no branch, a twig cannot be protected and its location cannot be determined: we do not know whether it is in the eastern or western part of the universe. Can it manage by itself? Can anything manage alone? The north, south, east and west have to join in four directions. If there is a tree-branch facing the east, then there will inevitably be branches facing west, south and north. There must also be buds and roots. It is in such a case that freedom can be guaranteed. Do you understand? If that is not the case, that tree cannot grow upright, no matter how good the east-facing branches are. The tree will be out of shape. Can we say that the growth of a tree is freedom? It is its purpose. Therefore there cannot be freedom outside the Principle--the fundamental rules of the Principle--and there cannot be freedom without responsibility. When we act, good results must inevitably come about. (182-112)

3) The Devil's Easy-Going Freedom

Look at the behavior of today's students. Those ruffians with their petrol bombs: they break everything and destroy school equipment. We can call such people the devil's dogmatists. Satanic dogmatists. Where else in the world can you find such villains? What self-indulgence! All licentiousness will decline. It cannot increase. One can only increase with the support of everything. Isn't that true? As in the world of nature, you must also absorb nutrients necessary for your growth. You must absorb elements, and when you receive that nourishment, you grow. But if, while denying all this yet intending to act out of freedom, you end up committing ruinous acts, you will go down. Then all is lost. That is a big problem. It is a problem that will become your problem. At your age, I also had to face the same problems. They are painful problems.

You must know this: there is definitely no freedom outside the Principle. When fathers and mothers give birth to sons and daughters, those sons and daughters cannot deny the principle of being born as children of their parents, can they? If it is true that those are their father and mother, they have to accept that reality. In order to do so, they must be in harmony with their father and mother. They have to care for each other. They cannot care only for themselves. To be good to your mother, your father and yourself--that is freedom isn't it? Only what I prefer--this is Satan's easy-going way of freedom. It is a free action based on a lie that will lead to failure. It is outside the Principle. (182-113)

4) Women's Freedom

Is it acceptable for a woman to say that since she has freedom as a woman she will do as men do--even though she was born as a woman and there is a way for women to go? As a woman, she does not even have a beard! What? Freedom to grow a beard! If you say you want to grow a beard, go ahead and try to get one--and see how long it takes. Is that the way of the principle for those born as women? What can we call freedom? A woman has her monthly period, doesn't she? "Oh no! This is so annoying! I will give this up" Let her try to get rid of that. Is it possible? Are you confident to be able to do so? We have to adapt ourselves to the fundamental principles. As a woman, she has to adapt herself to the fundamental principles of womanhood. Then, a woman has to take responsibility as a woman. As her breasts are big, she has the responsibility to raise children. This is freedom. Giving birth and raising children is the highest freedom. A woman who cannot give birth to a child is only half a woman. She is not counted as a woman.

No matter how good and big the chestnut burr is, if it doesn't ripen properly then it will decay. It will not be able to ripen or open and the whole thing will fall off and rot. But, because the chestnut must not decay, the burr is attached incredibly firmly. It's marvelous. Haven't you all experienced picking chestnuts? (Yes.) The burr later splits open into four segments, but while unripe, it is like leather. However much you try to twist it open it will not break, or if it does it will burst open at a point other than the natural point of opening up. However, the chestnut burs bearing chestnuts will come to fruition in the autumn. If the burr is carrying a chestnut, the nut should drop off. Before the chestnuts drop, the burr opens up automatically. No matter how big they are, those that don't have fruit will drop off the tree and decay. When autumn arrives, the ones that are ripe open their mouths and have the responsibility to protect the fruit. It is the Principle. It is Principle-based reasoning. There is no freedom outside of this logic. Do you understand what I said?

So, we have to take responsibility. Why do we have to do this? Let's say that you have given birth to a child. Can you say, "Hey! Grow as you wish" It is collective responsibility. Because my parents have raised me up this way, I must do the same. That is where freedom is. (182-114)