Before Izo arrived, Oyasama had uttered the following prediction,
“A carpenter will appear, will appear.”
Also, upon seeing Izo, Oyasama proclaimed:
“Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, the God of the eight directions, has been waiting. God is overjoyed that the greatest carpenter of Japan has arrived.”1
Continue reading The Life of the Honseki Izo Iburi, Part Two
Izo had a playful side to him. One of the stories that prove this is “Izo’s Sandal Stew.” One night he gathered with his young colleagues for a night of fun. They played a traditional game known as yamijiru, or night stew. In this game, each person adds an ingredient to a simmering stew pot in the dark. Because each person is unaware of what the others have brought, there is no knowing what is in the stew when a lamp or candle is lit and everyone begins eating.
The following is a translation of Part 2 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the February 2003 (No. 410) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35.
In 1882, Tokichi Izumita established the Fourth Ten’e Confraternity in Minami Ward of Karahori. After converting to the faith in 1877, he spent some time engaging in missionary work in the Hokuriku region of Japan. After building his confidence after spending many snowy days there, he returned concentrate his missionary efforts in Osaka.
From a young age Izo proved to be different from others. When he was at work and saw that the people of the household who had hired him were very busy, he would stop to help draw water from the well or watch the fire at the stove. He never once complained about the meals he was served.
Continue reading Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 2
A mysterious incident happened before Izo moved to Ichinomoto. The following is an anecdote from a carpenter named Tozo, who often worked with Izo when he still lived in his home village of Mukoji.
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“When Izo was about 20 years old, a mysterious incident occurred when we went to dig a new water reservoir for the village above Izo’s home. When I think about it, it may have been a sign from God that he would gain such distinction later in life. Continue reading Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 1
The following is a translation of Part 1 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (The Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the January 2003 (No. 409) issue of Taimo, pp. 20–21.
After Risaburo Yamamoto experienced firsthand an instance of miraculous salvation in the summer of 1873, he is said to have spread the fragrance of the teachings among his acquaintances and relatives. He undoubtedly did so around his hometown of Kashiwara Village (currently Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture). Continue reading The Footsteps of Our Predecessors 1
Izo Iburi was born the fourth son of Bunyemon and Rei Iburi on 12/28/1833 (lunar calendar). In all, Izo’s mother Rei gave birth to seven children: eldest brother Shobei, elder sister Iye, elder brother Juhei, younger sister Ina, and younger brother Kumejiro. (The Iburis’ had a third son who died in infancy.) Izo grew up in the mountain village of Mukoji in Yamato (present day Nara Prefecture), some 20 kilometers southeast of Jiba. The surname “Iburi” (literally, “falling rice”) is thought to have come from the Iburi stone located in the mountains of Mukoji Village. Its name comes from a legend that claims when Emperor Shomu (reigned 724–749 A.D.) visited the area, rice fell from the heavens upon this stone.
Continue reading The Life of the Honseki Izo Iburi, Part One
*The following is a translation of an excerpt from Omichi no joshiki (Tenrikyo fundamentals) by Koji Sato, assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary.
In the path, the act of serving with sincerity without seeking any tangible results is held in high esteem and described with the verb fusekomu or the noun fusekomi.