In this third step of proper meditation, the focus shifts to deeply confronting our lifelong dependence on external sources—whether gods, religious authorities, supernatural powers, or even more subtle attachments like money, status, or personal charisma. The author argues that regardless of whether one has belonged to a religious organization, all human beings have, without exception, walked the path of "other-power" (tariki) faith.
True reflection on this reliance cannot be approached superficially. It requires a profound internal reckoning, but most importantly, it must be built upon a foundation of having genuinely felt the warmth of the mother. Without this internal anchor of trust and love, the errors of other-power belief cannot truly be grasped. It is through meditating on the mother's warmth that one begins to generate the energy of heartfelt remorse—an energy powerful enough to begin dissolving the roots of dependency.
Yet, the ego and the entrenched habits of relying on others are tenacious. They will attempt to reassert themselves even under the guise of spiritual growth—by suggesting one has a grand mission, by claiming the role of a spiritual savior, or by clinging to the desire to lead or guide others. These thoughts are subtle traps. They divert the practitioner back toward the very energy they seek to transcend.
The act of "saving others," though outwardly noble, becomes misguided when the self remains trapped in darkness. The only heart that must first be saved is one's own. Without that, any attempt to influence others stems from a still-uncleansed source and merely replicates old power structures—like those between guru and disciple—that lead to mutual spiritual stagnation.
The author stresses that truly effective reflection on other-power belief means the collapse of everything one has built their identity upon. It is a journey of total self-deconstruction. And yet, in this radical undoing, a new kind of joy is found—the joy of meeting one's own foolishness and continuing the work of awakening anyway.
For those who feel pulled toward spiritual teachings or this book, it is likely that they were once spiritual leaders or followers in previous lifetimes—those who wielded or followed the energies of dependency. This recognition comes with responsibility: not to repeat the same errors. By embracing the guidance of the true self and grounding the journey in the felt reality of the mother's warmth, one can finally begin the process of liberation from other-power and return to the path of true joy.
他力の反省は、自分の心の奥深くに根を張った神仏信仰や、形あるものに頼る心と真剣に向き合い、その誤りを心で理解していく過程です。今世、宗教団体に所属していたか否かに関わらず、すべての人が何らかの他力信仰に染まってきたと著者は断言します。拝み、祈り、神仏に救いを求めるだけでなく、金銭・能力・名声などを拠り所にする心も他力の表れであり、それらが日常のあらゆる場面に染みついているのです。
このような他力の反省を本当に進めるには、「母の温もり」を心で感じていることが前提となります。温もりを信じる心なしに、他力の間違いは決して分からず、たとえ反省しているつもりでも、その実体には迫れません。母の温もりを土台にしたとき、初めて本当の懺悔のエネルギーが湧き上がり、他力の根を緩ませることができるのです。
しかし、他力の心は深く、巧妙で、何度も反省の芽を引き戻そうとします。自らを持ち上げたり、偉大な使命を与えたり、人を救いたいという思いに変えて他力を正当化したりと、その働きはさまざまです。人を導くことが美徳とされがちですが、まず自分自身の心を救うことが最優先であり、それなくして他者に手を差し伸べることはできません。
他力の反省は、自分という存在を徹底的に崩し、根底から問い直すことです。その道のりは厳しいものですが、それでもなお「愚かだった自分に出会えることが喜びだ」と心から思えるようになったとき、真の意味での他力の反省が成就に向かうのです。