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.
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?”
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.
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.
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.
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.
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 111–113) 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.
We human beings can spend our lives joyously and with delight because God the Parent granted us the free use of our minds. On the other hand, we may find ourselves suffering from the misfortune of illness or another difficult situation.
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 97–102) 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.
Japan presently prides at being the nation with the longest average lifespan in the world. The increasing survival rate from tuberculosis after World War II and the decrease in infant mortality are considered contributing factors to this statistic.
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 106–110) 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.
Oyasama taught us how we ought to use our minds with a variety of metaphors. Continue reading A Mind Like Cotton
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 102–105) by Koji Sato 佐藤浩司, assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
Most people are aware of the importance of the balance between production and consumption in economic pursuits. This is also evident when we observe prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies, agrarian societies, and even animal societies.
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 94–97) by Koji Sato 佐藤浩司, assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
In the summer of 1883, rain was scarce throughout Japan and this deeply affected the harvest that year. The absence of a major river in Yamato Province especially made the region susceptible to drought. It was a matter of life-or-death for many farmers.
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 91–93) by Koji Sato 佐藤浩司, assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and will most likely require further revision.
Denjiro Tomita 冨田伝次郎 was a minister among several others who helped build the foundation of Heishin Grand Church 兵神大教会 in Kobe. Denjiro returned to Jiba for the first time to express his appreciation after his eldest son Yonetaro was saved from a life-threatening stomach disease.
The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 88–91) by Koji Sato 佐藤浩司, assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
In Jiba, “Grand Services” are held on January 26 and October 26. The “festivals” falling on 26th of the remaining months of the year are called “Monthly Services.”1