We call God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto. God the Parent created human beings and everything else from where there was no form. God the Parent provided us with the Cosmos, the Earth, and the natural environment that makes life possible. God the Parent oversees the laws of nature and is also its source. God is also our Parent who relieves human beings of our troubles and guides us to the Joyous Life.

In order for us to better understand God the Parent’s providence, each particular working of God was assigned a sacred name and explained. This is the “ten aspects of God’s complete providence.”

We learn this exposition of the providence in order to build genuine faith to the teaching of God the Parent, appreciate the providence by chanting the sacred names, and learn the intention of God the Parent shown through illness and calamities.

Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of the eyes and fluids; in the world, the providence of water/aqueous fluid.

This aspect of the complete providence is represented in the heavens as the Moon; its direction is north. It is a male sacred aspect that started space and place when the universe began. At human creation, its symbolic form in the muddy ocean was a one-headed, one-tailed giant dragon. Its counterparts in the Buddhist tradition are Shakyamuni Buddha, the Thousand-Armed Kannon (goddess of compassion), and Jizo Bodhisattva (Ksitigarbha).

In the human body, in addition to the workings of the eyes, this aspect of the complete providence manages the blood, spinal fluid, lymphatic fluid, digestive juices, tears, sweat, urine, hormones, and nervous system. It nurtures all things in the world with water and moisture.

We human beings use the eyes to distinguish objects, allowing us to take delight in many things. Our vision allows us to see colors, shapes, distances, and sizes. It also allows us to know the difference between right and wrong. Truly, the working of the eyes is important for us to lead the Joyous Life.

To see with the eyes is like the phenomenon of how objects reflect in water. Light allows this reflection to occur and allows us to see. We can see due to the unstinting support of Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto.

Further, water is indispensable for human bodies. We drink water and use it to cook, wash, and clean. Further, everything from the oceans, mountains, and fields can grow because of water.  Also, the power of water delivers energy to the world through steam and electricity.

The quality of the mind that best conforms to the workings of Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto is a mind like water. In other words, just as water always flows downstream, such a mind is modest and humble and causes us to place ourselves below others. Just as water conforms to the shape of the vessel it is poured in, a mind like water does not oppose God’s intention and complies willingly, allowing harmony to prevail between ourselves and others. Just as water soothes and nourishes by providing moisture, a mind like water helps soothe and nourish others spiritually. Such a mind never tramples on the feelings of others but is instead pure, accepting, and calm. Water also shoulders the selfless task of becoming dirty while leaving others clean. The mind like water is a mind of sincerity that dedicates itself behind the scenes, out of the view of others.

Further, the mind that seeks to discern our personal causality, fully accepts that this is a world driven by the divine providence, and devotes ourselves exclusively to this truth conforms to the workings of Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto.

In contrast, when we do nothing but feel discontented about the shortcomings we find in others, envy their happiness, and prioritize our matters over God’s, we are using our mind in a manner that runs contrary to this aspect of the complete providence.

If we forget that everything is reflected to God as in a mirror and repeatedly deceive people of their money and betray the trust and affection of people, we cause God to become disappointed in us.

Any quality of the mind that runs contrary to the providence represented by the Moon will result in afflictions of the eyes, low blood pressure, anemia, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, neurosis, psychological disorders, or water-related accidents. Let us remember to use the mind in a way that conforms to God’s intention, with a mind like water on a daily basis. To do this, it is important to cultivate an attitude that entrusts ourselves to God without worrying over the future, and find joy in all that we see, and savor this splendid workings of Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto in our daily life.

*This exposition was written by Rev. Chuichi Fukaya, the second head minister of Yamatoyoki Branch Church, and translated by Roy Forbes