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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 13

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

13. Sow the Seed

Tosuke Maeda and his wife Tatsu of Anryu Village, Settsu Province, were peddling flower seeds under the name of Taneichi. They had had many children one after another, and they did not want to have more. But in 1865, Tatsu was again expecting a baby. Then Tatsu heard of a god in Yamato Province who would bring about an abortion, and so she went there. However, she did not arrive at the place of that god, but was guided by an unknown force to Shoyashiki Village. There she was granted an audience with Oyasama, who said:

“You are the Taneichi (literally, ‘seed market’), so you will sow seeds.”

What do you mean by sowing seeds? asked Tatsu. Then Oyasama taught:

“It means to go here and there and talk of Tenri-Ō.”*

Referring to the expected baby, Oyasama added:

“It will not do to abort the child. The baby will be a boy, the heir to the Maeda family.”

These words struck home to Tatsu and convinced her of giving up having an abortion. When she returned home, she told her husband Tosuke of Oyasama’s words and he too was convinced. From that time on they often returned to Jiba and received teachings from Oyasama. The baby was born on June 18th of that year and was named Tojiro.

Both husband and wife told people of the divine name of Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto wherever they went to sell their flower seeds. Moreover, when they met a sick person, either the wife or husband would return to Jiba to pray for that person. All the sick people they prayed for were saved.

(Note)

* God the Parent

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 8–9

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 12

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama, , ,

12. The Sazuke (Divine Grant) of Fertilizer

Oyasama said to Chushichi Yamanaka:

“As you are following the path of God, in your farming you must not have enough time to fertilize sufficiently,”

and then She bestowed the Sazuke* of Fertilizer on Chushichi. She continued:

“Concerning the Sazuke of Fertilizer, it is not the substance itself, but the truly sincere mind of each person which is effective.”

Further, She said:

“True or false, try it and see.”

As soon as Chushichi got home, he chose two fields and fertilized one sufficiently with the usual night soil, fertilized the other only with the Sazuke of Fertilizer, and decided to wait for the result.

Soon, August passed and September came to an end. The field fertilized with the night soil became thick with green rice plants which promised a rich harvest in the fall. On the other hand, the field fertilized with the Sazuke of Fertilizer seemed lifeless. The stalks were short and stubby and they had turned a slightly reddish color. Chushichi could not help but doubt, “After all, it seems like the night soil is more effective than the sazuke.”

However, at autumn harvest time, the rice plants from the usually fertilized field were infested with insects and some were even empty. In contrast, none of the rice plants from the field of the sazuke were infested with insects and none were empty, although the stalks were a little shorter. It was discovered that the sazuke field actually yielded more rice at harvest time.

(Note)

*Sazuke: a divine grant for salvation bestowed by God the Parent. When it is administered to any person suffering from a physical or mental illness, the person is saved and given the marvelous blessing of God the Parent.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 7–8.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 75

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

*The above is a translation of Part 75 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the March 2009 (No. 483) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 75: The Tears of a Grand Church Head Minister

Japan’s defeat in World War II forced Keijo Daikyokai to abandon its property and building in Korea in November 1945, but its ministers still had not come to a decision on a place fitting enough to call its new home. Even as Kuraji Kashiwagi spent day and night engaged in o-tasuke, he still had the task of restoring Keijo to its former glory on his mind.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 74

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations,

The following is a translation of Part 74 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the February 2009 (No. 482) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 74: “My Pedestal to Discipline the Live-ins”

In March 1908, the eldest son of Akiyo Shirokihara graduated from primary school and she had finished closing her business. So she began working at as a live-in at Tohon Shikyokai. Her husband Meikichi had already started living at Tohon, and was engaging in missionary work at the time with Kurakichi Nakagawa, the eldest son of Tohon’s head minister.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 73

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 73 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the January 2009 (No. 481) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 73: Making Earnest Efforts Toward O-Tasuke

In 1894, Kano Murofushi departed Shizuoka for Oshu, accompanying her husband Yasubei to engage in missionary work. Whenever they arrived at a fork in the road, they took off their footwear and threw them in the air. They then went in the direction their footwear happened to fall toward.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 72

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, , ,

The following is a translation of Part 72 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the December 2008 (No. 480) issue of Taimō, pp. 34–35. This translation is a preliminary one and thus may require further revision.

Part 72: A Mark on the Parent

In the summer of 1879, Tamezo Yamazawa was studying at a teacher’s school in Sakai to become a primary school instructor. However, the school was temporarily closed due to an outbreak of cholera in the city. Tamezo had no choice but to go back home. He soon got word from the school to resume his studies since the outbreak had settled. Tamezo’s heart was filled with anticipation as he prepared to go back to school, thinking, “I’ll be able to teach after studying just a little more.”

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 11

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama, , , ,

11. God Has Drawn You to this Residence

It was about the middle of January 1864 when Chushichi Yamanaka was thirty-eight years of age. Chushichi’s wife, Sono, had been suffering from severe hemorrhoids for over two years. Her condition became so critical that for several days she could not even drink any liquids. Two doctors had given up hope of recovery. Just about this time, Chushichi learned about the teachings of God from Seibei of Shiba Village. He immediately returned to the Residence* and was granted an audience with Oyasama. She said:

“You have an innen** with God and God has drawn you to this Residence. You need not worry about your wife’s condition. I will save her in an instant, but in return, you must be willing to serve God.”

(Notes)

* In Tenrikyo, Jiba, or the Residence, is the place of Creation. Therefore, it is said that a person ‘returns’ to Jiba even if it is the first time that he goes there in his life.

** Innen: literally “destiny” or “cause and effect.” Man’s original innen is to live a joyous life. Being allow free will, man has used his mind to pursue selfish goals, incurring dust which results in bad innen. In order to change his bad innen into a good one, man must gain merit by using his mind in accord with God’s will.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 6–7.

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Question no. 6: Explaining the Tenrikyo manner of prayer and the seated service

Ask the Tenrikyologist, ,

Q: I happened to live at a local Tenrikyo kyokai while on a study abroad program in Japan (or what’s called “home stay”). I was always curious about what was going on during the daily services: Why clap four times during prayer? Isn’t four a bad luck number in Japan? What is going on when they are bowing their heads down? What do the words and gestures of the daily services mean? Is there any significance behind why the first song is repeated 21 times, the second one done just once, and the third one is repeated in three sets of three?

submitted by Freshly Made Friends (real name withheld)

A: Hey Freshly, you’re asking at least five different questions there! You only get to ask just one…. Maybe two at most!

I’m kidding. Your questions are somewhat correlated, so I’ll be more than happy to answer them. But I will start by explaining how kyokai sanctuaries are set up for those of you out there who’ve never been in one before.

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 10

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama, , ,

10. The Long Way Around

In 1863, when Kiku Masui was thirty-nine years old, her husband, Isaburo, caught a slight cold. It developed into a stubborn case of asthma. Kiku was so religious by nature that she visited almost all the places of pilgrimage and worship within eight or twelve kilometers of their house in order to pray for her husband’s recovery. Still, he did not get well.

Then, Senkichi Yaoi, a next-door neighbor, advised her, “Kiku, you seem to have been to various places of worship one after another. Now, why don’t you go to the god in Shoyashiki?” Kiku felt as if she were being drawn to God by an invisible string, and she hurried to Jiba* at once. The seasonable time had come for her.

When Kiku was admitted into Oyasama’s room, Oyasama said warmly:

“I have been waiting for you, waiting for you,”

as if welcoming Her own child who had come home from afar. Then Kiku said, “I have been to so many places to pray until now.” Oyasama said:

“You have come the long way around. What a pity! You could have met all those gods if only you had come here,”

and She smiled gently. When Kiku heard these words, she felt that Oyasama was truly the Parent. She was deeply impressed and moved by an inexpressible feeling of adoration which penetrated into her heart.

(Note)

* The Residence

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 5–6. Continue reading Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 10 →

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 9

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

9. According to the Parents’ Minds

Toward the middle of July 1863, when Yoshimatsu, the eldest son of Chusaku Tsuji, was four years old, his face became pale and he was in danger of death. Oryu, Chusaku’s mother, came to pray, carrying her sick grandchild on her back. Oyasama saw them and said:

“His parents should bring him instead.”

So Masu, Chusaku’s wife, carrying the boy on her back, came to pray.

“I will save the child according to the parents’ minds,”

was the teaching of Oyasama. The boy was completely restored to health in four or five days.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 5

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