On December 26, 1995, he sent a message to Samana and his congregation urging them to leave Aum Shinrikyō. In the message, he stated that his body was still bound by the criminal acts he had committed in the name of the "Guru's Will," but that his mind was much freer than before. He also stated that the various notions he had cultivated in the cult were falling apart, that there was no need for a "final liberator" or "savior" if he wanted to attain awakening, that there was no need for a "Venerable Master," a "Righteous Master," a "Samana," or any other such rank, and that there was no need for any cult whatsoever.
