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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 39

39. Much Better

In 1874, two-year-old Narazo, the eldest son of Yahei Nishiura, contracted diphtheria and was given up by the doctor as hopeless. Yahei was convinced of the teachings through the devoted efforts of Koyo, mother of Koshiro Murata of the same village. Help from the Residence was requested. Gisaburo Nakata came from the Residence at once to save the child and Narazo was marvelously saved. Father and son then visited the Residence immediately to express their gratitude. From that time on, Yahei was a fervent believer.

One day, after coming home from the Residence, Yahei went to bed late. Around midnight, he heard a noise under the floor. Thinking, “This is strange!” he quietly got up and looked around the house. With an exclamation of surprise, a man ran away into the dark. He left behind a large bundle of various precious items taken from Yahei’s home.

Yahei was very happy. The next morning he promptly visited the Residence and thanked Oyasama from the bottom of his heart, saying, “Because of your blessing, it turned out very well for me. Thank you.”

“Would it not be much better to let the people who need them have them?”

It is said that these words made a deep impression on Yahei’s mind.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 33–34

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 38

38. From the Hills in the East

Around 1874, Oyasama used to sing this song to Herself:

The moon rising from the hills in the east,

Like pushing a cart, or like a water wheel,

Rumbling, rumbling, rumbling.

Its melody was said to be the same as that of “Takaiyama kara” (From a high mountain).

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 33

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 37

37. You Are Faithful in Your Work

One day in 1874, Naragiku Nishio returned to the Residence and was sitting in front of Oyasama with other people. When they were preparing to leave, Oyasama called the name of Kokan, Her daughter, and asked:

“Dear daughter, isn’t there anything to do? These people will not leave if they are asked to do something. There is something, isn’t there?”

To this question, Kokan answered, “Yes, there are many things to do, but I was hesitating to ask them.” Then Oyasama said:

“Why not ask them?”

Kokan asked them to spin yarn. They worked hard at spinning and winding yarn on the spindle. Soon Naragiku, who was then eighteen, completed one spindle. Oyasama went to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She raised the spindle to Her head three times and said:

“Dear Naragiku, girls of your age yearn for many things. You are so young, yet faithful in your work, I admire you. There are a lot of things to do in this Residence if you are of the mind to work. While working in this Residence, you will not be able to leave, even if you want to. I recommend that you work as hard as possible when you can. Then, in the future you will be quite free from hardship, even if you want it. So work hard now.”

Note: Naragiku Nishio’s name was changed to Osame in accord with Oyasama’s words when she married Masui in 1876.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 32–33

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 36

36. Firm Resolution

On the morning of December 4, 1874, as Rin Masui tried to get up, she strangely felt pain. Both of her eyes had become badly swollen. They grew worse each day. When the consulting doctor diagnosed it as glaucoma, she became frightened. She received medical treatment, but finally lost her eyesight. This happened two years after her husband passed away.

The whole family was overcome with grief. During the year-end and New Year’s season, twelve-year-old Ikutaro, the elder child, heard the news of a god from a fellow traveler at Tatsuta. The traveler said, “The god ‘Tenryu-san’ at Shoyashiki in Yamato will save anyone from any sickness. One has only to offer prayers for three days and three nights.” Upon Ikutaro’s return, the parent and child promptly began praying for three days and three nights, facing toward Yamato, but there was no sign of improvement. So they sent a man-servant, Tamehachi, to Shoyashiki to pray for the family. He left Ogata early in the morning, and arrived at the Residence before noon. Tamehachi saw Oyasama, who was wearing the red garments, and he prayed to Her. He listened to the teachings from the intermediaries and asked to have the main points of the teachings written down on paper to take home.

As Ikutaro read aloud to Rin the notes that Tamehachi had brought home, Rin said, “Since we have thus received God’s teachings, I don’t care what happens to my physical body. For the sake of eliminating the family innen I will engage in the work of single-hearted salvation, not minding the severe cold and heat, and even if I have to walk with the aid of two canes. We three, mother and children, will follow the path with joy, even through fire and water.” This was the firm resolution of the whole family.

Not only Rin, but Ikutaro as well as eight-year-old Tomie poured cold water over themselves as a form of ascetic ritual. The whole family joined in a three-day and three-night prayer. Facing Jiba, they chanted, “Namu, Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto,” over and over, and prayed earnestly.

The dawn of the third day came. Rin had been sitting before the brazier throughout the prayer, and Tomie, who was sitting beside her mother, noticed a ray of light through a slight opening in the door. She said, without thinking, “Mother, it’s daybreak.”

Hearing her daughter’s voice, Rin turned toward the front door. She saw a gleam of light through a slight opening in the door. Thinking that it might be a dream, she quickly stood up, rushed to the front entrance and rolled open the sliding door. Outside it was glittering with morning sunlight, just as it had been years before. She had received a wonderful blessing and had recovered her eyesight completely.

Rin returned at once to Jiba to offer her thanks. She thanked Oyasama through the intermediary, Gisaburo Nakata. Oyasama said:

“Sah, sah, you lost your eyesight during one night. Sah, sah, it is an innen, innen. God has drawn you to this Residence. Welcome, welcome home. Sayemon,* please explain the teachings in detail to her. Please explain to her.”

Rin stayed over that night. The next day she heard the teachings from Nakata. While she was learning the hand movements for the morning and evening service, she received Oyasama’s words:

“Sah, sah, your soul has an innen. When it is the divine will to use a person in God’s service, God will draw that person to this Residence by any means. Be thankful and follow the path joyfully, no matter what you may encounter. Persons who are destined to be used as instruments in God’s service will be drawn to this Residence even by means of physical pain. Because I must draw you even by means of giving you suffering, what I do is different depending on the person. It is natural that there is difference. Because of My intent, you never got any better. It was only natural that you never got any better because I do things differently. Your eyesight never improved. Sah, sah, it is an innen, innen. Sayemon, please explain in detail. You could not see because it was as if God’s hands were in front of your eyes. Sah, she says she cannot see ahead. When the hands are removed you can see at once. You can see, can’t you? Sah, sah, take heart, take heart. You will not have any hardships, even if you wish to undergo hardships. It is all up to the individual’s mind.”

Rin stayed over again that night. The next morning, she asked Nakata to tell Oyasama that she was returning to Kawachi, and she again received Oyasama’s words:

“You just heard a bit of the teachings and you have returned from a far place, passing through mountain trails and valleys. Sah, sah, I accept your firm resolution. Look ahead with joy, with joy. Sah, sah, I will provide you with clothing, food, and spending money. Remember you are to serve God for a long time. Sah, sah, look ahead, look ahead, look ahead with joy.”

Rin was speechless and was moved to tears. Rin Masui was then thirty-two years of age.

 

* Gisaburo Nakata was the former Sayemon Nakata. In or about 1873, due to the Japanese government’s edict abolishing names ending in “-suke,” and “-yemon,” “Sayemon” was changed to “Gisaburo.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 29–32

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35. The Red Garments

It was on December 26, 1874, that Oyasama wore red garments for the first time. Oyasama had suddenly said:

“I will wear red garments.”

Then Matsue and daughter Kokan set out to Nara in the morning to buy cloth, and came back toward noon. When they returned, Naragiku Nishio (renamed Osame Masui), Masu Masui (renamed Suma Murata), Kaji Nakata and other women were doing chores in the Residence. Since Oyasama had said:

“I will wear them as soon as they are ready,”

they all helped, sewing in haste, and the red garments were completed by evening. Oyasama wore them for the first time that night. It is said that Oyasama, dressed in the red garments, sat on the dais; and the people in attendance enjoyed sweet rice wine in celebration of the occasion.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 28–29.

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