Category Archives: Oyasama

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 161

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

161. To See Children’s Enjoyment (kodomo no tanoshimu no o)

Kiku Masui made it a rule to visit the Residence every day. However, there were some days when she could not go there for various reasons. On such days, she never failed to abstain from eating salt or cooked food for the whole day. When she returned to the Residence one day after she had abstained from eating salt and cooked food, Oyasama told her tenderly:

“Okiku, you need not do such things. The Parent never wants to give children hardships. This God is never happy to see the beloved children suffer. You need not do such a thing any more. God is pleased only to see children enjoy themselves.”

Oyasama knew everything, even things which She had not seen.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 129–130

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 160

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

160. Selecting a Persimmon (kaki erabi)

It was autumn, the season of persimmons. Osame Masui happened to be in the presence of Oyasama and there was a tray full of persimmons in front of Her. In trying to select a persimmon from the tray, Oyasama looked at them from this angle and that. Observing this, Osame thought, “Even Oyasama chooses the best in selecting a persimmon.” But the persimmon that She selected appeared to be the worst of the lot. She then offered the tray with the other persimmons to Osame and said:

“Now, please take one.”

Observing Oyasama’s actions, Osame thought, “It is true that Oyasama makes Her selection, but what She chooses is different from that which we humans choose. She chooses the worst one for Herself. This is Oyasama’s parental love. She leaves the tastiest ones for Her children, wishing them to have the pleasure. This is truly the parental love of Oyasama.” Osame was impressed by Oyasama’s thoughtfulness and she ate her persimmon as told by Oyasama, while Oyasama ate another.

Osame said that she would never forget for the rest of her life the way Oyasama was on that day.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 129

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 159

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

159. The Residence: The Place for Single-Hearted Devotion to God (Kami-ichijō no yashiki)

One day, Shirobei Umetani, who had been sitting by Oyasama‘s side listening to the teachings of the path, unintentionally began to speak of worldly pleasures. “Right now,” he said, “there is a very popular play being presented at Dotombori and…,” Oyasama interrupted him here and admonished him:

“From the age of forty-one until today I have never spoken of anything worldly. God says there is no need in this Residence for any talk other than the talks of single-hearted devotion to God.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 128-129

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 158

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama

158. Monthly Period Is the Flower (tsuki no mono wa na, hana ya de)

Once when Rihachi Yamamoto was in attendance of Oyasama, he was asked by Her:

“Rihachi, won’t you go and look outside?”

In those days, the Residence was under heavy surveillance by the police; therefore, thinking that Oyasama was concerned, he looked around carefully but saw no one. He returned and reported, “Oyasama, there is no change outside. There are pumpkins in the field yonder and in the field hither there are many eggplants.” At that, Oyasama patted Her knee and taught him:

“That is it. Did you notice those pumpkins and eggplants? They are big, aren’t they? The plants bear fruit because the flowers bloom. Not a single plant bears fruit without its flower. Now ponder deeply. The world says woman is unclean, but there is nothing unclean about woman. Man and woman are equally children of God and there is no discrimination. Woman has a duty, a duty to bear children. Her monthly period is the flower. Without the flower there is no fruit. Understand this well. Take the pumpkin; if its big flower is gone, that is the end of it. In many things, there are flowers that bear no fruit. But to bear fruit without any flower is impossible. Ponder deeply. There is nothing unclean about it.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 127-128

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 157

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

157. These Are Good Hands (ē te ya nā)

Whenever Oyasama was tired, granddaughter Hisa Kajimoto would say, “Please let me massage you.”

“Please give me a massage,”

Oyasama would say. So Hisa would massage Her. When she was finished, Oyasama would take Hisa’s hands and say:

“These are good hands,”

and would gently stroke them. Oyasama also used to say as if She were singing:

“You do not need any money to be devoted to your parents. Just give them a massage to make them happy.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 127

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 156

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

156. The End of a Relationship (en no kiri me ga)

Saki Matsuda was born in Gojyono Village of Yamato Province. She had married once before but had divorced her husband, and later remarried at the age of twenty-three.

In 1883, at the age of thirty, she came to follow the path because of her convulsions. Sometime during the following year, a boil broke out on her right arm. The swelling had become so painful that she returned to the Residence and asked to be saved. She was received by Oyasama who said:

“The end of a relationship is the end of a life. You must not think of wanting to slip away.”

With these words, Saki resolved, “I will never slip away.” Then Oyasama breathed upon the boil three times. At that very moment, the pain in her right arm stopped and the swelling went down. Saki had been blessed with God’s marvelous providence.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 126-127

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 155

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama

155. If You Are Saved (jubun ga tasukatte)

Sometime in 1884, at the age of thirty, Tsurumatsu, the eldest son of Matashiro and Seki Moriguchi of Kaichi Village in Yamato Province, had very painful nodules of anthrax on his back. He went to see a doctor because they had begun to form pus. The doctor, giving up on him, said, “This is the end of this man’s life. Let him eat anything he likes.” Tsurumatsu returned to the Residence where he had come to worship before, and received a blessing directly from Oyasama, who affixed to his sores a piece of sacred paper on which She had breathed.

Two or three days later, Tsurumatsu called out from his bed, “Will someone take a look? The bedding has stuck to my body and will not come off.” The family came and saw that the nodules had opened and the pus had drained all over the bedding. Then, the family replaced the sacred paper with another which Tsurumatsu had received from Oyasama. This was repeated several times and the anthrax healed completely.

When he returned to the Residence to thank Oyasama, She gave him these words:

“So it is. How wonderful to be saved from death. If you are saved and are very grateful, then go out to save others.”

Tsurumatsu was deeply impressed by these words and thereafter devoted himself to spreading the teachings of God and saving others.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 126

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 153 and 154

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

153. The Day of Release (o-demashi no hi)

This incident took place around 1884. When the date of Oyasama‘s release from prison was known, people began gathering in front of the prison gate long before the release was to take place. In spite of the police prohibition against worshiping Oyasama, they clapped their hands in reverence each time they caught a glimpse of Her. Police officers with drawn swords tried to stop them from doing so, saying, “We do not allow worship of a human being as a god.” But they clapped their hands behind the officers’ backs. There was no way of stopping them from worshiping Her. When the officers left, the worshipers said to each other, “We cannot refrain from worshiping Her, as we were saved from death. We will worship even if we are thrown into prison.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 125

154. God Brings Them to the Residence (Kami ga tsureta kaeru no ya)

Some of Oyasama’s words are as follows:

“When police officers come, it is God bringing them home to the Residence. When I go to the police, it is God taking Me there.

“They constantly come boisterously to interfere. This is like coming to dig for a precious jewel buried in the ground.

“It is not that police officers come here to interfere. It is God bringing them to the Residence.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama. p. 125

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 152

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

152. Twice as Strong (bai no chikara)

It was rare to be admitted to an audience with Oyasama around 1884 as the police exerted very strong pressure in those days. On one occasion, Unosuke Tosa returned to Jiba with twenty-five or six followers. An intermediary told Oyasama, “He is here from Awa.” Oyasama appreciated Tosa’s effort and said:

“Welcome back from a distant province.”

Continuing, She said:

“Tosa, you are here from a distant place, but if you do not realize the true strength of God, you will feel uneasy in bringing back many followers. Why don’t you try God’s strength today?”

Oyasama told an attendant to bring a hand towel and, holding its border between Her thumb and index finger, She asked Tosa:

“Now try and pull it.”

After bowing respectfully, Tosa tried to pull it toward himself with all his might, but he could pull it no closer. Oyasama said, smiling:

“Now, pull it harder. Pull with all your might. Do not hesitate.”

Tosa pulled, his face reddening with the effort. However strongly he pulled it, he was unable to draw it close to himself. Tosa was a strong-armed man by nature, and proud of the strength which he had gained as a sailor, yet he could not draw the towel closer to himself. At last he bowed his head and said, “I am overwhelmed.” Then, Oyasama stretched Her right hand toward him and said:

“Try once more. Now hold Me by the wrist this time.”

Tosa said, “Pardon me,” and respectfully gripped Oyasama’s hand. Oyasama said:

“Now more strongly. More strongly.”

The more strongly he grasped, the more painful his hand became. So he admitted his defeat at last, and bowed deeply before Oyasama, saying, “I am overwhelmed.” Then, Oyasama said to him with a pleasant smile:

“This is God’s strength. Twice as strong as yours.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 124-125

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 151

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama

151. Grant for Safe Childbirth (obiya yurushi)

In the autumn of 1884, Kunisaburo Moroi requested the Grant for Safe Childbirth for the sake of his fourth child. Oyasama was going to wrap the small sugar candies in a sheet of paper Herself to prepare the Grant when Naokichi Takai, who happened to be there, said, “Please allow me to do it for you.” He cut the paper and folded it, but it was crooked. As Oyasama watched him fold the paper, She said neither that it was good nor bad. Then, Oyasama took out a sheet of paper quietly and said:

“May I have a pair of scissors?”

One of the attendants handed a pair to Her, and Oyasama cut the paper squarely. Then She brought out about one hundred and fifty grams of small sugar candies. She put three candies on each of the three sheets of paper and wrapped them, saying:

“This is for the Grant for Safe Childbirth. A high pillow or a binder is not necessary. And, as this is the season of persimmons, do not be afraid to eat them.”

Oyasama then granted Moroi the rest of the candies, saying:

“These are also sacred gifts. Wrap them with three pieces each and give them to anyone who wishes to have them.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 123

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