“It has been some twenty years since I entered the path of Truth, and I am still stunned by the mysteriousness of the existence of devils. I had heard of their existence from old stories, fairy tales, mythology and legends, but it was a real shock to me to come to know that they truly exist.” — Master Ryuho Okawa, From “On Faith and the Devil”

Twenty years ago, Master Ryuho Okawa shared how he too was bewildered at discovering that devils are real beings. It is indeed disturbing to think that human beings can become an entity that embodies evil. It also makes one wonder why God would allow such evil to arise. But it is very humbling to realize that simple things such as arrogance, conceit, a lack of self-reflection, a lack of humility, an unwillingness to undertake further discipline, or laziness, can be all it takes to trigger a downward spiral and then behaviors that bring about others’ downfall.

Evil spirits are human beings who, after falling to hell from creating misery for others, and instead of self-reflecting and correcting themselves in order to return to heaven, turned rebellious against God. Devils are hardened evil spirits that have continued to do evil for 500-1,000 years or more.

Why doesn’t God prevent human beings from turning evil in the first place? Master Okawa says,

“The human mind is made to be free, without any restriction, so people can harbor bad thoughts as well as good ones. However, while people can have both good and bad thoughts, spiritual training lies in choosing good thoughts, while abandoning the bad. In doing so, a person can attain enlightenment, which is the purpose of spiritual training.”

Evil, devils and hell is the result of our misuse of our God-given freedom. To make sure human beings have the wisdom necessary to choose good and abandon evil, God sends Himself, saviors, and many others over and over again to this earth. It would seem that it would be easier for God to erase Hell, so why doesn’t He?

“Buddha or God does not make it disappear in an instant but encourages people to dissolve it themselves, through their long-term efforts and spiritual training.”

Furthermore, each being suffering in Hell is a child of God. Erasing Hell will mean erasing their existence. Only when the last person reflects and leaves the hell of their own making will Hell disappear. God merciful holds the depths of Hell in His hands, waiting for that day.

Watch Master Ryuho Okawa’s lecture “On Faith and the Devil” to understand how evil arises, in order to prevent it. The catalysts are within the process of our own self-growth, so how do we grow in the right way without falling for the typical traps? And why is faith, which is so pivotal in preventing evil from bringing us down, also teamwork?