Some info I found researching the meaning.
It (conceptually) translates as :
May the Light in our heart bring the awareness of harmony perceived by spiritual awakening, and bring sincerity, loyalty and faithfulness in what we are achieving.
This roughly translates to “May our next act bring us enlightenment or the great light of wisdom”, so to simplify it you could say, “Every experience has the potential to be that one thing that brings you closer to enlightenment.
We have all heard “Every experience is a learning experience”. It originates from the Bhuddist Mantra, Shiken Haramitsu Daikomyo. To them the traditional meaning is
“The Wisdom of the Four Hearts leads us to Enlightenment”
The ‘Four Hearts’ ( literally: Four Perspectives) are:
The Merciful Heart
- expresses love for everything
The Sincere Heart
- follows what is right
The Attuned Heart
- follows the natural order of things
The Dedicated Heart
- holds to the chosen pursuit.
Shiken (four perspectives): is the sensation and the harmony perceived by the sense of hearing and heart.
Haramitsu (-in Sanskrit: Paramita): is Buddha’s Satori or a permanent state of spiritual awaking that transcends the limitations of life and death.
Daikomyo: is the ‘Great Komyo’ – the ‘big bright light’ of illumination – the light of your heart – the Radiance of a Deity (Buddha, Bodhisattva, ‘Vidyaraja’, etc) – the manifest expression of the Light of Wisdom: the means by which illumination “dawns on us.”
***The original interview with Hatsumi Sensei occurred in June 1998 between Hatsumi, Masaaki 34th Soke of the Togakure – ryu and Mr. Bernard Bordas, 10th Dan (Shihan), the author of the original text which was in French.
Bernard Bordas: Sensei, do you have any piece of advice to give to the BUDOKA?
Hatsumi sensei: Trying to reproduce a form is being its prisoner; the form kills the KI, the creativity as well as the spontaneity. Practicing a martial art is becoming more and more flexible (JU) and so, becoming better able to adapt to any situation. In these days and age, people are being prisoners of forms, comfort and fashion in an increasing way. One must not put too much emphasis on these things (keeping your distance, breaking free). In the opposite case, both the body and the mind become stiff and rigid, which is very dangerous as it is not natural. Stiff people become obtuse, strong headed and end their life in loneliness.
Bernard Bordas: They become too YANG i.e. rejects all opinions that differ from their own, and thus they lose all their relationships, right?
Hatsumi sensei: Yes, that’s right. Becoming flexible is working in the same way as nature, animals are flexible, they don’t overburden their lives, and they accept it as it is. That’s very interesting; it reflects the idea of « SHIKIN HARAMITSU DAIKOMYO ».
Bernard Bordas: Can you tell us more on this subject?
Hatsumi sensei: SHIKIN means existence, life (what IS)…
HARAMITSU is calling us to the global idea of protection (knowing how to protect oneself), for that, finding a sincere way (MAKOTO NO MICHI) is very important. However, thinking that your chosen way is a just one, it must be a naturally just one, that is the MAKOTO NO MICHI. As important is to know how to give. Nature gives without thought and expecting nothing in return. We must live naturally. TAKAMATSU sensei tried to the best of his abilities to live in a simple and natural way (food, hygiene, and exercise). Nowadays, a lot of people practice the budo while following the wrong path (they force themselves to be stiff and rigid, which gives them a feeling of « power »). You must respect nature, live in harmony with it and stay in touch with it, this is the right way: being in harmony with life. Accepting what is as being an integral part of life, this is the definition of « living naturally ».
DAIKOMYO means that we must always keep a bright light in the darkness (keeping the faith true the worse challenges). When I’m making videos, that’s all I’m trying to pass on. That is what I’m teaching, but many people don’t understand. If somebody tries to teach you otherwise under my name, then it is not really my teachings. Some people use the name BUJINKAN without knowing me or all of this; it’s a great shame because they are deceiving their students. More than that, knowing nothing of the real (salutary) practice of the BUDO, those people are dangerous to all those who give them their thrust.
