Category Archives: Teachings and Stories of Tenrikyo Forebears

The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 34

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

This is a translation of Part 34 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the October 2005 (No. 442) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 34: The Faith of Yoshi Nakagawa (2 of 3)

The following is an account of the birth of Yakichi and Yoshi Nakagawa’s third child Mitsunosuke. By this time Yoshi had gained the reputation in her area as a miracle worker through her salvation work. Yoshi was so busy that she nearly had no time to sleep as she devoted herself toward saving others up to her expected date of delivery. However, once she gave birth, Yoshi would no longer be able to engage in salvation work. So Yoshi offered the following prayer: “God, while I apologize for making such a selfish request, I ask that you somehow allow me to give birth after I am finished with helping this particular person.”

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 52

Honseki: Anecdotes, Translations,

The following is a translation of an excerpt from the writings of Eitaro Imamura (1894–1969), who held several positions throughout his career as a Honbu-jun’in (Tenrikyo Church Headquarters senior official), such as superintendent of Akita, Aomori, Iwate, and Wakayama dioceses, president of Tenrikyo Doyusha Publishing Co., head of Publications Approval Office, and first head minister of Jibun Branch Church.

52. Scenes from Nighttime Timely Talks

Night fell quietly upon the Residence. There were no longer any signs of worshipers as the night wore on, wrapping the Residence in a veil of peaceful silence.

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Merit That Cannot Be Seen By the Eye

Tenrikyo Fundamentals, Translations,

The following is an excerpt from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 121–122) by Koji Sato, professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Merit That Cannot Be Seen By the Eye

Once, Oyasama asked Koiso Yamanaka:

“Do you wish to have merit that can be seen by the eye? Or do you wish to have merit that cannot be seen by the eye? Which do you wish to have?”

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 33

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations,

The following is a translation of Part 33 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the September 2005 (No. 441) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 33: The Faith of Yoshi Nakagawa (1 of 3)

A woman, obviously from the countryside, walks the streets of Tokyo in shabby clothes. She carries a baby on her back who, weakened from an empty stomach, is only able to occasionally whimper at best. She walks while tightly gripping the handle of a faded umbrella. She walks briskly under the bright sun with the baby’s diapers placed out to dry on top of her umbrella.

Here we see a glimpse of the youthful missionary days of Yoshi Nakagawa, the first head minister of Tohon.

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 51

Honseki: Anecdotes, Translations,

51. Rin Masui Becomes the Honseki’s Personal Attendant

After the passing of Izo’s beloved wife Sato on March 18, 1893, the need for find someone to wait on the Honseki arose. A request for Divine Directions was already posed on March 24, asking, “Is the personal attendant of the Honseki to be a man or a woman?” Yet God the Parent gave no clear answer, only encouraging everyone to put their minds together and come to a collective agreement on the matter.

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All Days Are Lucky Days

Tenrikyo Fundamentals, Translations, ,

The following is an excerpt from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 116–120) by Koji Sato, professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

All Days Are Lucky Days

In Japan today it is customary to plan a wedding on an auspicious day and avoid certain days that are considered unlucky. The same goes for funerals, as certain days are considered inappropriate. Such long-held customs emerged when the Chinese calendar that was brought to Japan took on a life of its own and began to regulate the lives of the Japanese people.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 32

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, ,

The following is a translation of Part 32 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the August 2005 (No. 440) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 32: Vivid Instances of Divine Protection

In 1888, Yone Suzuki began to listen to the teachings of Tenrikyo after her child succumbed to illness. While her faith grew, her child’s condition did not completely improve. She was then encouraged to have faith together with her husband, so her husband Hanjiro also lent his attention to the teachings, six months after the fragrance was transmitted to her.

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The Core of Heaven is Tsukihi

Tenrikyo Fundamentals, Translations,

The following is an excerpt from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 113–115) by Koji Sato 佐藤浩司, professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

The Foundation of This World is Heaven; the Core of Heaven is Tsukihi

It is my assumption that like in the past, many people even today were adherents of other faiths before they were guided to the path. There were even predecessors taught directly by Oyasama who were former followers of Buddhism or Ubusuna-gami. People at that time often visited several reputable places of worship to make prayers to receive blessings and benefits. Among our predecessors were people who, during their visits to such places of worship, heard the reputation of the “living goddess of childbirth,” before deciding to go.

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Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 50

Honseki: Anecdotes, Translations,

50. Remembering Modesty and Refusing to Succumb to Extravagance

Oyasama once told Izo not to worry over the future, that there would come a time when he could not endure hardships even if he wished to. This truly was the case when Izo became the Honseki. This was possibly because God the Parent accepted the sincerity he dedicated to the path. However, it is also possible to say that this was so because followers who did not have the opportunity to meet Oyasama firsthand when She was physically present made sincere efforts to serve and please the Honseki in Her stead.

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The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 31

Footsteps of Our Predecessors, Translations, , , ,

The following is a translation of Part 31 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the July 2005 (No. 439) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Part 31: A Sake Cup with Mirin

Circa 1881, Ito Masuno became afflicted with sokohi,1 an eye disease. She completely lost her sight three years later. She regularly went to a hospital that went by the name of Taylor but showed no signs of a recovery.

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  1. Refer to the endnote from the previous Footsteps (Part 30: “I Accept the Mind You Have Settled”) for my discussion on sokohi. ↩