Mr. Inamori talks about the attitude of leaders to grow and develop a company.
There are three points
- Remain always humble and don’t exploit your talent for your own sake
- Thoughts make your karma (keep humanity attitudes)
- Follow two forces governing in the universe (growth & harmony)
This time, I would like to talk about the second, “Karma.”
Even a good person like Mr. Inamori had a very hard time being criticized and harassed by the media and other social bodies.
I would like to share my interpretation on the reasons why such a good guy should experience that harsh time. I think the reasons why people should have extremely hard times are as follows.
- Because of the rules governing in the universe (what you release will be returned to you)
2, the ultimate negative should be turned into something positive
3, to interact with nature (to realize the God’s will )
4, to learn leaving everything to the lord (in Japanese “Akirame-enlightened-” )
When Mr. Inamori was suffering as the CEO of Kyocera group, he talked with an old master, Nishikata, of Myoshinji sect of Buddhism temple.
“When I asked about my worries, the old master smiled gently and said,-Mr. Inamori, that’s proof that you’re alive.- That must be true, but as I was suffering so much that I could say heavily struggling, it didn’t help that my suffer was the sign of my existence. To be honest, I was even upset. However, I started understanding what the old master exactly wanted to tell me. Nishikata maser continued, ‘You said you were in a disaster, live or die, but you are still alive, aren’t you? Was it good to have such a disaster, wasn’t it.
A disaster occurs when the root cause you have created in the past has been disappearing. Shouldn’t you be rather pleased if the root cause you made in the past disappears with such a disaster? You have a life and at least you are physically in a good condition. If that kind of disaster is enough to erase your past sins, it would be good because the root causes that you had accumulated in the past all get paid off. In other words, your thoughts will surely come true. If you think something negative and behaves badly, negative results come to you. If you can find your bad karma to be a disaster, it’s rather gratifying because it erased the karma you made in the past. ”
Finally, I was relieved when the old master said, “Mr. Inamori, you could celebrate this hard time as this is exactly the moment you can relieve your karmas. ” I think this was the best message I had in my hard times”
3, To interact with nature (to realize the God’s will )
I’m reading a book written by Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, who was a medical volunteer in Afghanistan.
Even if the medical team led by Nakamura saved lives, people became more and more vulnerable to drought and hunger. From there, Dr. Nakamura started an irrigation master plan to create irrigation canals. However, the completed irrigation canal was in danger of collapse due to the large scale of flood. At that time, Nakamura realized that people should not do anything against nature. We should follow the energy stream and flow created by nature.
Inamori also said that the Japanese people who were fascinated with the bubble in 80’ had paid only attention to humans, never thoughts about nature/ Gods, who governs universal rules above human society. This, in order for us, humans to realize God’s will, we eventually encounter disasters.
4, To learn leaving everything to the lord (in Japanese “Akirame-enlightened-” )
“No matter what kind of disaster we experience, when it happens, the karmas we made in the past are about to disappear. So, from now on, as long as my behaviors are along with God’s will and bring positive outcomes to others, my future is sure to be brilliant. The old master, Nishikata, advised me to do so. ” told Mr.Inamori.
In Aikido, we can learn that both my counterpart and I are the two sides of one thing. One leaf floating on the river naturally turns to the front and back while running through the water. Similarly, fortune and misfortune are intertwined.
I think Mr. Inamori finally realized this fact, as if he got enlightened.
“ We should not get overwhelmed by misfortunes, as they ,in a way, are modified fortunes. ”
Therefore, since then, Mr. Inamori had never got obsessed with the fear of difficulties and disasters.
I feel such an experience has allowed Mr. Inamori to develop Kyocera philosophies.
“The bottom of your slum is the best moment to re-start your job.”
“ Never give up till you succeed.”
Those phrases are somehow linked with Mr. Inamori’s words.
Further queries or doubts, please email to ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com
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