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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 22

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22. Writing the Ofudesaki

Concerning the Ofudesaki, Oyasama said:

“You know there is the Fudesaki. What do you think of it? The seventeen parts of the Fudesaki were not completed in a short while. God spoke into my ears, saying, ‘Do not look at any writings, even the charge book from a bean curd shop.’ I wondered why. Then God said, ‘Brush, brush, take up the brush.’ I took the brush up for the first time at New Year’s when I became seventy-two years old. And when I took the brush up, My hand moved by itself. From heaven, God did it. After what was to be done was finished, My hand became numb and it could not be moved. God said, ‘Calm Your mind, and read this. If You find something You cannot understand, ask Me.’ I added brush strokes when I found something I could not understand. That is the Fudesaki.”

These were the words Oyasama told to Shirobei Umetani in Her later years.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 16

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Second Installment of “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” Lecture Series, part 2

Twelve Songs Commentary

The second installment of part two of the “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” lecture series, sponsored by the Oyasato Institute for the Study of Religion, was held at 13:00 on May 25. The lecturer was Masakazu Tsujii sensei and he was assigned to discuss Song Six (Mutsu Kudari-me) of the Mikagura-uta. The title of the lecture was “Kokoro-e chigai wa denaoshi ya” (“If you entertain wrong thoughts, you are to start anew”).

Continue reading Second Installment of “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” Lecture Series, part 2 →

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 21

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21. That’s All to the Good, That’s All to the Good

Around the middle of May 1868, five years from the time Chushichi Yamanaka had embraced the faith, a heavy rain had fallen continuously for many days. The river overflowed here and there, rice fields were washed out and houses were carried away. Chushichi suffered heavy losses. A landslide on his mountain property buried many large trees. Also, his rice fields of approximately ninety ares* were washed out.

People in his village had been deriding Chushichi’s faith and immediately seized the opportunity to heap all sorts of abuses on him, saying, “Look at him! What a fool he is! Stupid one!” Feeling chagrined at what the villagers said, Chushichi visited Oyasama in the Residence and explained the situation to Her. Oyasama told him:

“Sah, sah, that’s all to the good. That’s all to the good. Now that your goods have been carried away to the bottom of the sea, it will come to good in the future. You may wonder why your fields and hills were washed out in spite of your faith, but you must accept the situation with a heart of gratitude. You must do so. That will come to good in the future.”

Chushichi heartily thanked God that he suffered only a small misfortune instead of a calamity.

 (Note)

*Are [pronounced air]: Metric system, a surface measure equal to 100 square meters.)

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 15–16 Continue reading Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 21 →

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 20

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20. Birth of a Girl

Early in March 1868, Chushichi Yamanaka stayed overnight at the Residence. The next morning, when he went to extend his morning greetings to Oyasama, She said:

“Chushichi, a girl was born at your home last night. They are all waiting for your return. Hurry home to them.”

Chushichi had not expected the baby to be born that soon, so he had stayed overnight at the Residence. Therefore, when Oyasama informed him of the birth he was half in doubt, but he acknowledged Her words, saying, “Oh, I see, thank you.” However, when he met his son, Hikoshichi, on the way and was told the news of the birth, he realized fully the truth of Oyasama’s words. When he further learned that it was indeed a girl, he was filled with awe.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 14–15

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 18 and 19

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18. The Songs of Truth

When the sacred songs of twelve chapters were completed, Oyasama told Her attendants:

“These are the songs for the Service. Try singing them to the best tune you can find.”

Each of them sang to his own tune. After listening to it, Oyasama said:

“Thank you for your singing, but none of them will do. You should sing them this way.”

She sang loudly Herself. Then She told the attendants:

“These are the songs of truth. So you must dance to the truth. Try dancing the best way you can.”

Each of them arranged the dance and showed it to Oyasama. Afterward, She said:

“Thank you for your dancing, but no one danced to the truth. You should dance in this way. You should not just dance. You should dance the truth.”

So saying, She stood up and performed the dance movements Herself in order to teach the attendants.

In this way, Oyasama Herself taught the singing and dancing after having all the attendants try on their own.

This is the story told by Haru, wife of Ichibei Matsuo.

Note: Haru Matsuo was born on September 15, 1835, and entered the faith in 1866. She passed away on May 1, 1923, when she was eighty-nine years old.

 

19. Children Playing Shuttlecock

The songs for the teodori, part of the Mikagura-uta, were written by Oyasama at fixed times during the eight months from January to August of 1867. This was how the songs were taught to the world for the first time. It took three years to teach the dance.

Oyasama taught six persons how to dance, making the movements Herself with Her hands and arms, and repeating them three times. Three persons learned while the other three watched. Oyasama said nothing even if someone made a mistake.

“I would not put him to shame,”

is said to be Oyasama’s comment. She taught every movement three times and completed the teaching in three years. While teaching, Oyasama would say:

“It is like children playing shuttlecock during the New Year’s season, singing ‘One, Two.'”*

This is the story that Shirobei Umetani heard from a senior in the faith.

(Note)

* Refers to the counting of the songs in the Mikagura-uta

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 13–14.

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 16

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16. The Child’s Concern for the Parent

Kiku, mother of Isaburo Masui, became ill. Her condition gradually worsened and reached the critical stage. After waiting impatiently for daybreak, Isaburo left Izushichijo Village early in the morning and, walking about five and a half kilometers, he returned to the Residence. When he was received by Oyasama, he asked, “Please, save my mother from her illness.” Oyasama replied:

“I am sorry, Isaburo, in spite of your request she cannot be saved.”

As this reply came from Oyasama Herself, he excused himself from Her presence, saying, “I see, I understand,” and returned home. However, when he saw his mother suffering from illness, he was overwhelmed with the thought, “Oh, I want her to be saved at any cost.”

Therefore, he again returned to the Residence and asked earnestly, “Please, I beg of you, I wish to have my mother saved however difficult it may be.”Oyasama replied again:

“Isaburo, I am sorry, she cannot be saved.”

When Isaburo was so told by Oyasama, he was convinced for the time being that nothing could be done. However, when he came home and again saw his mother suffering, he could not bear to sit by and do nothing.

So again, he trudged back the five and a half kilometers. When he arrived at the Residence it was already dark. He was told that Oyasama was already in bed, but he implored again, “I understand that my mother cannot be saved but somehow, please, save her.” Then, Oyasama said:

“The child comes for the sake of his parent to ask that the life, which cannot be saved, be saved at whatever cost. This is sincerity itself. If sincere, God will accept.”

With these gracious words, Kiku, Isaburo’s mother, was saved from the life that could not be saved otherwise, and lived to be eighty-eight.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 11–12

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 15

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15. These Seeds

Late at night on February 7, 1866, Oyasama, already in bed, suddenly said:

“Take out the crockery pot stored under the altar.”

When the pot was presented to Her, Oyasama called in Chushichi Yamanaka, and said to him:

“I have granted you various privileges until now. However, you might not be able to understand fully if I just tell you. You may worry about falling short of needs when you go along the divine path. You need not worry about anything. You will not be in want even if you wish to be. I will give you positive, positive, positive proof.”

Then Oyasama gave the crockery pot to him. She further instructed:

“Here are seeds which will multiply ten thousandfold. Sow these at your residence, Chushichi of Mamekoshi Village.”

On the following day, when Chushichi went to thank Her, Oyasama was pleased to see him and said:

“This grant is the treasure of your family and of the path. You must be very happy!”

He had been granted a list and four seeds. The list read: wheat — six kilograms, rice — about seventeen kilograms, personal allowance — sixty kan* and sake — about eleven liters. These were granted as eternal seeds. Each of the four seeds was a six centimeter square, white paper packet which was bound on four sides with white string. On the face of each packet respectively was written: “seed of wheat,” “seed of rice,” “money for medicine,” and “money for wine and seed of oil.” Oyasama Herself wrote these words with a writing brush. She also bound the packets with string, chanting:

“Namu, Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto, Namu, Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto.”

It was witnessed that the string did not go through if She stopped chanting. Thus, She gave him the proof that he would never be hard-pressed for the needs of life as long as he followed the path.

(Note)

* Sixty kan = about 320 U. S. dollars.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 10–11

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 14

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

14. Dyeing

One day Oyasama instructed:

“Do the dyeing tomorrow morning.”

Kokan immediately began to make preparations. Just that evening, Chushichi Yamanaka in Mamekoshi learned of it through the Invocation of the Fan. His wife, Sono, immediately made preparations, woke up early the next morning before daybreak, and returned to the Residence with some earth* and pieces of cloth in a bundle over her back. She greeted Oyasama and told Her the reason for returning.

“Ah! That’s marvelous! Just last night my daughter, Kokan, and I were talking about the same thing,”

Oyasama said, and was delighted. Similar incidents occurred several times.

The dyeing was done with water from the well northeast of the very place which was later determined as the Jiba, where the Kanrodai was to be erected.

“Draw water from the well,”

Oyasama said. So water was drawn from the well. The earth was rubbed on the cloth and the cloth was soaked in water. It was soaked and dried, and dried and soaked two or three times until the dyed material became a beautiful binroji** color. The water from the well had a metallic taste.***

(Notes)

* When Oyasama visited the home of Chushichi Yamanaka in August 1865, She noticed that the earth from the bank of the stream which ran along the east side of the house would be suitable for dyeing. She therefore expressed a desire to have some of it. Thereafter, that earth was brought to the Residence many times. It is said that the earth was from a compost of bamboo leaves in the bamboo forest.

** Binroji refers to the nut of the betel palm tree which grows in India and Malaysia. In Japan, the meat of the nut was dried and used for dyeing, and produced a dark black color which was called ‘the binroji color.’

*** In Yamato Province there were many wells with water that had a metallic taste. However, water from other wells did not produce as beautiful a dye as that from the Residence.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 9–10

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First Installment of “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” Lecture Series, part 2

Twelve Songs Commentary

The first installment of part two of the “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” lecture series, sponsored by the Oyasato Institute for the Study of Religion, was held at 13:00 on April 25. The lecturer was Koji Sato Koji sensei and he was assigned to discuss Song Five (Itsu Kudari-me) of the Mikagura-uta. The title of the lecture was “Yasashiki kokoro ni narite koi” (“Come to Me with a gentle heart!”).

 

Continue reading First Installment of “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” Lecture Series, part 2 →