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Twelve Songs Commentary: Table of Contents

Twelve Songs Commentary

Song Eleven, verses 1–4

Twelve Songs Commentary

The main theme of this is Song is hinokishin toward the construction of the Kami’s “abode” (yakata). An example of such hinokishin is presented in the tangible form of carrying earth.

It may be noted it is quite appropriate that a Song with such a theme happens to be the “busiest” of the Twelve Songs. That is, there is a lot of arm swinging and hauling dirt that’s going on.1

Verse 1

一ツ      ひのもとしよやしきの　かみのやかたのぢばさだめ

一つ　日の本（火の元）庄屋敷の　神の館の地場定め

Hitotsu / Hinomoto / Shoyashiki no / Kami no yakata no / Jiba sadame

One / origin of the Sun / in Shoyashiki / Kami’s abode

Continue reading Song Eleven, verses 1–4 →

  1. Song Eleven contains more dynamic motions (11x) than any other Song in the Teodori. The Song that comes closest is Song Seven (7x). To be specific, these dynamic motions include:
    1. “Activity” motion: 5x (Hinokishin verses 2, 3 (*preceded by ninōte), 4, washi mo yuko 5, kishin to naru naraba 7, similar to 3)
    2. “Carry basket” motion, which only appears in this Song: 2x (Tsuchimochi verses 5, 7)
    3. Ichiretsu type spin (“Turn around”) motion: 3x (Yashiki no (on heel) bakariya de (back step turn) verse 8, ichiretsuni verse 9.) Only Song Seven has more spins (4x) than Song Eleven. As of comparison, in Song Eleven, these three spins take place within two verses (8 & 9) whereas they occur in verses 4, 5, 8 & 10 of Song Seven
    4. Dancing while back toward altar: 3x (verses 3, 5, 7. Motions of hands and feet happen to be opposite from one another for 3 & 7)
    5. Motions for tsuchi o hori torite in verse 8. ↩

Song Nine

Twelve Songs Commentary

Song Nine is about missionary work. It begins with the phrase go around once and twice in this wide world to engage in salvation work.

Verse 1

一ツ      ひろいせかいをうちまわり　一せん二せんでたすけゆく

一つ　広い世界を打ち回り      一洗二洗で救け行く

Hitotsu / Hiroi sekai o / uchi mawari / issen nisen de / tasuke yuku

One / [This] wide world / clap and go around / wash once, wash twice / go to save

Continue reading Song Nine →

Song Eight

Twelve Songs Commentary

Song Eight’s themes are “construction” and using construction as a metaphor for engaging in salvation work. It is a Song that concerns the gathering of human resources used to reconstruct the world into that of the Joyous Life as well as the way we are to handle the mind in order to have this construction proceed.

Verse 1

一ツ      ひろいせかいやくになかに　いしもたちきもないかいな

一つ　広い世界や国中に　石も立木もないかいな

Hitotsu / Hiroi sekai ya kuni naka ni / ishi mo tachiki mo nai kai na

One / [This] wide world and countries within / are there not any rocks or trees?

Continue reading Song Eight →