The basic principle of nature farming is to give full play to the great powers inherent in the soil itself. Hitherto, people have not known – or perhaps it is better to say have not been told about – the true nature of soil. This gave rise to the idea that fertilizer is essential, and to an almost superstitious reliance on it. In its early stages, no matter how vigorously I advocated nature farming, people either would not listen at all or laughed at me. But gradually my efforts were repaid. In recent years, the number of farmers engaging in nature farming and reaping successful harvests has increased annually.
At present, such farmers are mostly members of our organization. However, judging from the way nonmembers in various regions are beginning to see our point of view, publicizing this system is serving to reduce belief in the
efficacy of fertilizers.
The system is called natural because, rejecting all artificial or animal fertilizers, it employs only natural compost. The leaves and grasses in natural compost grow
out of the soil itself. Though provided by nature, chemical fertilizers, animal manure, fish meal, and wood ash neither fall from the sky nor arise from the soil; and since they must be introduced by human hands, they run counter to nature
when used as fertilizer.
Fundamentally, all things are blessed by nature; that is, all things are composed of and caused to grow by the three elements: fire, water and soil. All agricultural products partake of these three elements, which in scientific terms are the oxygen of fire, the hydrogen of water, and the nitrogen of soil. Reflection on this principle makes clear that God has created things in this way so that the earth will produce the grains and many vegetables required for food in just the right amounts, with no scarcity and no excess. It is inconceivable that God should allow human beings to be born and then fail to provide the food they must have to live.
If my system of nature farming, based on the principle I have just outlined, is put into practice, the poor harvests and food shortages currently causing both the farmers and consumers of Japan such distress and suffering can more easily be eliminated. Out of great compassion and love, God, perceiving humanity’s error and being unwilling to stand by without helping, has caused me to spread knowledge of the principles of this natural agricultural method. The farming population will be saved if only they awaken to their mistake as quickly as possible and adopt the
nature farming system.
As I have said, the three elements of fire, water and soil are the energy sources in the growth of agricultural products. There is no doubt that if plants are given plenty of sunlight and water, and allowed to grow in clean soil, harvests will be greater than ever have been experienced before. I do not know when it happened, but at some point in its history humanity made an immense and foolish error in using fertilizers, thus revealing its total lack of understanding of the true nature of soil.
Meishu-Sama - May 5, 1953