What is Happy Science?

Happy Science is a world religion founded by Master Ryuho Okawa in 1986. Our aim is to help people be happier based on the true view of life.

Human beings are spiritual beings. We are a soul residing in a physical body. The center of it is our mind. We reincarnate many times between this world and the other world, gaining different life experiences, and growing infinitely as an individual soul.

God (Buddha) exists and has continued to lead (guide) Humanity – past, present and future. These are the spiritual Truths that Happy Science works to spread. Our mission and purpose is to explore what is true happiness based on these eternal Truths and make this world a more peaceful and prosperous place.

Our work takes us beyond the traditional realms of religion into the world of politics, education, movies, music, and more. We strive to put the teachings of love, enlightenment, and creation of utopia into practice in every area of life.

Join us! Happy Science is the religion of the future that will propel even modern science to greater heights. Discover the answers you were searching for.

Our Faith, El Cantare

El Cantare is the God of the Earth – the God of gods who sent Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Socrates, Confucius, and countless others to earth.

In order to bring down the walls between religions and bring humankind together by teaching the eternal truths, El Cantare is here on Earth in human form as Master Ryuho Okawa.

Master savior

The Salvation Movement

Why was the universe created? Why is there birth, aging, illness and death? How should each of us live so that everyone can live happily?

To answer these questions and more, Master Okawa continues to give countless teachings on everything from religious truth to politics, economics, business management, education, space, science and the arts.

Many of his lectures are given in English. He has given five lectures in the United States.

NYC lecture
Pictured is his lecture in New York City 2016
El Cantare Graphic
Master Ryuho Okawa Profile

Born July 7th, 1956 in Tokushima, Japan.
After graduating from the University of Tokyo with a law degree, he joined a Tokyo-based trading house and worked at its New York headquarters.

In 1986, he established Happy Science. It now has members in over 140 countries across the world.

He has given over 3,200 lectures (of more than 150 are in English), and over 2,750 books have been published.

Master Okawa’s books are translated into over 31 languages. The number of books published is 2,750 and counting.

happy science foreign books
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Our Faith, El Cantare

At Happy Science, we believe that the Creator has a name, and that name is El Cantare.

The name “El Cantare” means “The Light of the Earth.”

El Cantare is, therefore, the Supreme God of the Earth, who exists beyond gods of all nations and is the very Mercy which has nourished human beings from the beginning of Creation.

To believe in El Cantare means to believe that all people are created equal as children of God and promised to be happier and happier. It is to believe that El Cantare is the improvement of the human race and destination of the people in the world.

"Long before this great universe was created, God existed as Will. This Will embraced all, loved all, nurtured all, and commanded, “All my creations, be great. Be great as I am.” This is how each and every one of your souls was created.”

El cantare lecture
The Laws of Happiness
The Laws of Happiness

Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection and Progress

The teachings

The Spiritual View of Life

Human beings were born into this world from Heaven. We are a soul that has been given eternal life and the opportunity to grow through experiencing many lifetimes. Since we all have to leave this physical world when we die, our pursuit of happiness must be a happiness that carries over from this world to the other.

Exploration of the Right Mind

There are laws for becoming happier, and laws for becoming unhappier. Exploring the right mind means to seek and practice the principles of happiness. The four principles are love, wisdom, self-reflection and progress.

Love

Love is to share what God has given to us with others, rather than just keeping it to ourselves.

Wisdom

Wisdom is about gaining a proper life perspective; an accurate spiritual knowledge of the meaning of life.

Self-reflection

Self-reflection gives us the power to save ourselves. We have the power to realize our mistakes, change who we are, improve ourselves, and turn our future into one of great dreams and ideals.

Progress

Progress is to foster positive and constructive dreams and to take concrete action to create a Utopia on Earth.

Become a member of Happy Science

At Happy Science, you can become a member to receive the basic sutra (prayer book) and explore the teachings, or skip straight to becoming a devotee. A devotee pledges devotion to the Three Treasures – Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

  • Buddha:
  • Master Ryuho Okawa, Living Buddha and Savior, and the only One who can teach the Laws of El Cantare
  • Dharma:
  • The teachings of Master Ryuho Okawa, who is Lord El Cantare
  • Sangha:
  • The group of followers who practices and protects the teachings of El Cantare
Our fundamental sutra

The True Words Spoken by Buddha

The True Words Spoken by Buddha is our basic sutra (prayer book). You could say it is all the teachings of Happy Science in a nutshell.

Members receive The True Words Spoken by Buddha and Prayer to the Lord, Prayer to Guardian and Guiding Spirits.

Devotees receive The True Words Spoken by Buddha and four other prayer books containing a total of 27 sutras and prayers.

The True Words Spoken By Buddha
The True Words Spoken By Buddha
Prayer to the Lord Prayer to Guardian and Guiding Spirit
Prayer to Guardian and Guiding Spirits
The Trilogy
Of the thousands of books Master Okawa has put out, the three especially important Kyoutens (books) spell out the framework of the teachings. “The Laws of the Sun” is especially a textbook for life. It is the sacred text that should be read over and over again by everyone.
History
July 7th 1956 The Day Master Ryuho Okawa was born
March 23rd 1981 The Day Master Ryuho Okawa attained Great Enlightenment
October 6th 1986 The Day Happy Science was Founded
November 23rd 1986 The First Turning of the Dharma Wheel
The Day Master Ryuho Okawa gave his first lecture
December 24th 1987 The Day IRH Press (Happy Science’s Publishing arm) was founded
March 7th 1991 The Day Happy Science was Established as a Religious Organization
September 10th 1994 Release of the movie, “The Terrifying Revelations of Nostradamus”
August 4th 1996 Opening of Head Temple Sohonzan Shoshinkan
May 23rd 2009 The Founding of the Happiness Realization Party (Happy Science’s political party)
April 7th 2010 Opening of the Happy Science Academy Junior and Senior High School Nasu Campus
April 7th 2013 Opening of the Happy Science Kansai Academy Junior and Senior High School
April 4th 2015 Opening of the Happy Science University
October 6th 2021 35 year anniversary since the founding of Happy Science University
Holy Days
Janury New Years Celebration
March 7th Commemorating the Esablishment of Happy Science as a Religion
March 23rd The Day of Great Enlightenment
May 14th The New Resurrection
July 7th Celebrating the Lord's Descent (Goseitansai)
October 6th Celebrating the Founding of Happy Science
November 23rd The First Turning of the Dharma Wheel
December 8th The Day of Quelling the Devil and Attaining Enlightenment
December El Cantare Celebration
Charity

We believe that the religious work of bringing salvation to people’s souls is the most important kind of charity. At the same time, we strive to build a utopia in concrete ways.

HS Nelson Mandela Fund was established as an internal fund of the Happy Science Group following the publication of Nelson Mandela’s Last Message to the World, a spiritual message from the late Nelson Mandela. The fund provides material and spiritual aid to those who suffer from racial discrimination, poverty, political oppression, natural disasters, and other calamities. It also supports children and their opportunities for a better education through building schools and donating books and other materials.

In Japan, Happy Science also runs programs for kids who struggle to go to school regularly, organizations for supporting those with disabilities, fighting against bullying in schools, and a suicide prevention program.

These activities are conducted by using a portion of the happiness planting donated by members.