1) Necessity of the Proper Conception of Freedom

You speak about peace, happiness and freedom, but what is that freedom? What is the freedom that ordinary people nowadays call freedom? Freedom is to do whatever I wish. But how far does whatever I wish go? There is a limit. A human being cannot live much longer than one hundred years. Is it freedom if I spend that one hundred years going my own way? If there were no law but freedom to do everything one wished, what kind of freedom is that? Today, the world of civilized culture has expanded greatly, so is it easy or difficult to do research and study? Is it freedom, or restriction, to be stuck in a study room? Tell me? How should we interpret it? Is studying freedom, or is it confinement, when one doesn't like to study? (It's confinement.) Even though it involves restrictions, why do we have the desire to do it? That is the question. It therefore becomes the problem of how to comprehend the concept of freedom. Freedom doesn't mean doing everything one desires.

Then, what does freedom mean to a woman? What does freedom mean to a man? What is freedom for a person? What is freedom for a family? For a society? For a nation? That is the issue. Can we, as individuals, do whatever we wish? If that is freedom, say, "I won't eat, and then don't eat. If you do that, you will die without doubt. If you think that not looking is your freedom, then don't look. That way you will just make a fool of yourself. That's a problem? That is the reason Western society is perishing. They do not know the definition of freedom. (182-111)

Does freedom lie in happiness, or happiness in freedom? Where would you wish happiness to be? (Freedom in happiness) Until now, we have not been aware of this. When that question is asked, you might think that happiness is in freedom, but that is not the case. Freedom, too, desires to go into happiness and dwell there. Happiness does not want to dwell within freedom. It is freedom that wishes to dwell within happiness. Therefore, freedom is only one factor toward happiness. It cannot be the only factor. That is why it is secondary, rather than primary. Do you understand? (182-116)