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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 128

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128. Oyasama’s Room (Japanese title: Oyasama no o-ima)

Until 1883, Oyasama lived in the ten matted room on the west side of the Nakaminami-Gatehouse, which was on the left as one faced the building. By the window of that room was a large storage chest on which Oyasama always seated Herself. The chest was about three tatami mats in size with a height of eighty centimeters, containing various drawers and storage places. When someone visited Her with children, Oyasama would take sweets out from within the chest and give them to the children.

In 1883, Oyasama moved to the Resting House. The building consisted of two parts separated by paper sliding-doors: an eight matted room, and a four matted raised chamber in which Oyasama stayed. It is said that when this separate building was completed, the followers were pleased because they could now offer Oyasama a larger and more suitable residence than before.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 105

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 127

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127. Tokyo, Tokyo and Nagasaki (Japanese title: Tōkyō-Tōkyō, Nagasaki)

In the autumn of 1883, Sasuke Uehara returned to Jiba and was granted an audience with Oyasama. Unexpectedly, Oyasama said to him:

“Tokyo, Tokyo and Nagasaki.”

He was then presented with a red garment. Deep emotion on that occasion led him to firmly resolve his mind. Later, he closed up his house and went alone to Tokyo to spread the teachings, taking the red garment with him.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 105

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 126

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126. As the Symbol of Worship for the Fraternity (Japanese title: Kōsha no medo ni)

In November 1883, the Resting House was completed. Oyasama moved in at midnight on November 25th (October 26th, lunar calendar). On the night of the twenty-sixth, Shirobei Umetani retired to a room in the building called Konikai after he put all the tools away. He was going to go back to Osaka on the twenty-seventh.

In a short while, Gisaburo Nakata came carrying a short scarlet crepe kimono-undergarment on a small offering stand and said, “Thank you very much for your recent contribution of labor. Oyasama said, ‘This shall be the symbol of worship for the Meishin-gumi Fraternity,’ so receive it gratefully.”

Soon afterward, Risaburo Yamamoto came, holding a red garment reverently, saying, “Oyasama said, ‘Though this is one of My used garments, please make it over for your children.”‘ Yamamoto then gave the unlined silk-crepe garment to Shirobei. Shirobei, so delighted and thankful for the two presents, reached for them, only to find himself awakening from a dream.

After this, he was unable to fall back to sleep. When daybreak came, he began to get ready for the journey and after finishing breakfast, he took a rest. Then Nakata came to him, holding a red kimono-undergarment reverently, and saying, “Oyasama said, ‘This shall be the symbol of worship of the Meishin-gumi Fraternity.”‘ This message was exactly the same as that of the one in his dream. He thankfully received it, wondering whether it was still a dream. Shortly later, Yamamoto came into the room and repeated the other message in Shirobei’s dream of the night before: “Oyasama said, ‘This is My used garment, but give it to your children.’ “And Yamamoto placed the unlined red silk-crepe garment before Shirobei, who received it gratefully. Again, soon afterward, Hisa Kajimoto brought to him a set of two big rice cakes, each made of seven kilograms of rice, with a red rice cake placed on top of a white one. She said, “Oyasama said, ‘Give these to your children.’ “

Oyasama’s repeated expressions of warm parental love were imprinted in the deepest reaches of Shirobei’s heart. Furthermore, when he recalled his dream of the night before, he was strongly moved by the marvelous workings of God the Parent.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 103-104

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 125

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125. Cannot See Ahead (Japanese title: Saki ga mien no ya)

Koyoshi Nakayama resolved to return to her parents’ home because she thought her husband, Jyukichi, was too easygoing and undependable. Just at that moment, she lost her eyesight. Then, she had Sato Iburi ask Oyasama for instructions. Oyasama gave these words:

“Koyoshi cannot see ahead. Please give her that advice.”

Upon hearing this, Koyoshi realized her error, and cried until her eyes were dry. The very moment she apologized, she was able to see just as clearly as before.

Note: Koyoshi was married on August 27, 1883. The above incident is said to have occurred soon thereafter.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 103

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 124

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124. A Drawstring Made of Wood Shavings (Japanese title: Kanna kuzu no himo)

In 1883, during the time of the construction of the Resting House, Hisa Kajimoto would take a sewing lesson every night from Oyasama.

One night, Hisa learned how to make a bag by sewing pieces of material one inch square together. But she could not find any cord to use as a drawstring. Just as she was wondering, “What shall I do?” Oyasama said:

“Dear Ohisa, will you go and get those wood shavings?”

When Hisa brought the wood shavings, Oyasama skillfully braided them into a cord which She then threaded through the opening of the bag.

Oyasama often carried a purse similar to this when She now and then visited the Kajimoto family of Ichinomoto. On each occasion, She would take some sweets in the purse so She could give them to the children of the family and also to the children of the neighborhood. The purses were of patches of various colors, such as red and yellow. And for their drawstrings, wood shavings were sometimes braided into a cord, and other times, paper-thin wood shavings were twisted into string.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 102-103

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 123

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123. Is Man the Object? (Japanese title: Hito ga medo ka)

Oyasama told Shirobei Umetani soon after he became a believer in the faith:

“Become a person with a gentle heart. Save other people. Change your habits and temperament.”

He was hot-tempered by nature.

Shirobei was working at the Residence, plastering the wall of Oyasama’s Resting House which was under construction in 1883. When he heard people maliciously gossiping that “the mason from Osaka, who cannot get work there, has had to come as far as Yamato for work,” he became very indignant. In the middle of the night, he quietly gathered his belongings and started to return to Osaka.

Walking on tiptoes, he was about to leave through the main gate when he heard Oyasama cough from her room in the Nakaminami-Gatehouse.

“Ah! Oyasama!” he thought; his feet stopped and his anger disappeared.

Next morning, while he was having breakfast with the rest of the people at the Residence, Oyasama appeared and said:

“Shirobei, is man the object? Or is God the object? Remember that God is the object.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 101-102

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 122

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122. As Long as There Is Virtue (Japanese title: Ri sae aru nara)

A great drought struck all of Yamato in the summer of 1883. At that time, Isaburo Masui, who was still farming in Izushichijo Village, was staying at the Residence every day to help with the farm work. By and by, a messenger from his own home came to ask Isaburo to return home, saying, “At the village people are busy drawing water into the rice fields. They are complaining that all the villagers are out doing the work except Isaburo. Can’t you come home just for a while to show your face?”

Isaburo had already resolved, “I do not care what happens to my own field,” so he flatly refused, saying, “It was very kind of you to come but I cannot leave,” and sent the messenger back home. However, later, Isaburo thought, “I am contented because I feel that it is the best thing for me to be able to put even a bucket-full of water into the field of the Residence during this drought. But if my neighbors are discontented on account of this, it will not do.” So he reconsidered, thinking, “I already said ‘no,’ but I will go back and at least show my face,” and he went to tell Oyasama his decision. Thereupon, Isaburo received these words from Oyasama:

“Even if it does not rain from above, as long as there is virtue, I shall make water rise as vapor from the ground below.”

When he went back, the whole village was in great commotion day and night with everyone busily drawing water from the wells in the fields. Isaburo and his wife, Osame, went out together to the fields and drew water until late into the night. However, no water was drawn into Isaburo’s own field; it was all drawn into the fields of others.

Osame mixed the water she had received from the water hole near the Kanrodai with the water from her house, and day and night, twice a day, she sprinkled it around her family rice field with a dried rice stalk. A few days later, Osame, wondering how her family rice field was faring, made the rounds before dawn and to her surprise found the field which she had not watered filled with water rising from the ground. Osame remembered afresh the words of Oyasama and was deeply moved with the realization that Oyasama’s words were indeed always true.

That year, the crop of the entire village was bad but the Masui family was blessed with a good harvest of about twenty-two kilograms per are.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 100-101

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 121

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121. New Kimono for Your Daughter (Japanese title: Ito ni kimono o)

In early June 1883, Ihachiro Yamada and his wife, Koiso, returned to the Residence with their first daughter, Ikue, in order to offer their thanks for Ikue’s first birthday. Oyasama was very pleased and said:

“Please make a new kimono for your daughter.”

And saying this, She gave them one of Her red garments.

Koiso took it home and used the material of its two sleeves to make the shoulders, sleeves and strings of Ikue’s new kimono. In late June they returned again to the Residence to offer thanks for the first wearing of the new kimono.

It was only three days after Chobei Murata started out as a bean curd maker in a newly built house with a straw-thatched roof. Oyasama said:

“I wanted to see the water well of the bean curd maker, but I did not want to go alone. I hoped that someone like the little girl from Kurahashi Village would come. And just as I expected, you came.”

Then She went out to see the well, carrying Ikue on Her back. Oyasama always talked in such a polite manner not only to adults but to children as well. Returning from the well, She said:

“Thanks to you, I was able to see it.”

The rest of Oyasama’s red garment was placed in the Yamada family shrine as a symbol of worship.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 99-100

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 120

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120. One in One Thousand (Japanese title: Sen ni hitotsu mo)

When Tamezo Yamazawa’s left ear became badly swollen around the spring of 1883, Oyasama told him:

“I say, live in, live in. You are wondering when the time will come. It will soon come. Understand this well.”

Moreover, Oyasama said to him:

“In whatever God has once said, there is no mistake, not even one in one thousand. The path shall become exactly as God has said.”

Tamezo recalled the words given to his father by Oyasama at the time of his father’s illness. As a result, he made a firm resolution to carry on his father’s faith. In the meantime, his mother and elder brother were urging him to settle down. So he asked Oyasama about this and received these words:

“Obey your elder brother as you would God and work for him for three full years. I shall accept it as if you had returned and worked here.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 99

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 119

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119. Children Returning from Afar (Japanese title: Enpō kara kodomo ga)

One day in April or May 1883, a follower came to offer rice cakes. When an attendant presented them before Oyasama, She said:

“Today some children are returning from afar, so leave some rice cakes for them.”

Those who were there followed Her directions but were in suspense, wondering who would be returning. Then that same evening, Takai, Miyamori, Izutsu, and Tachibana, who had been in Enshu doing missionary work, returned. Moreover, the four said that they had arrived at Igaueno at about lunch time and had thought of taking lunch there, but because they wanted to reach Jiba as early as possible, they had gone without lunch. Not only were their legs tired but they were very hungry indeed. Feeling the warmth of Oyasama’s parental love even in the rice cakes which they ate, they shed tears of gratitude.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 98

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