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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 147

147. True Salvation (hontō no tasukari)

In 1882, Isa, wife of Yohei Yamamoto of Kurahashi Village in Yamato Province, who was then forty years old, received such marvelous salvation that she was completely healed of a leg ailment of long duration. At the moment of her healing, as she rose to her feet, her leg and hip joints gave out cracking sounds from the long disease.

Yet the trembling of her hands did not cease. She worried about it very much, even though it did not seem serious. She returned to Jiba in the summer of 1884. When she was received by Oyasama, she begged, holding out her trembling hands, “May I ask you to breathe upon these?” Then Oyasama instructed Isa:

“It would be very easy to breathe upon them. But your trembling hands seem of little inconvenience since you have already been saved from your serious leg ailment. Rather than being cured completely, it is better that you have some trouble left to be healed; then you will understand the innen of your previous lives and be continually reminded of it. This will lead to your true salvation. People tend to wish nothing but to be completely cured. But what is most important is to gain virtue that will lead to true salvation. So I lend you this book instead of breathing upon your hands. Have this book copied and read it every day.”

Oyasama lent her a complete set of the seventeen parts of the Ofudesaki. From that time on her trembling hands no longer bothered her. For the rest of her life, she read the Ofudesaki which had been copied for her by her own father, and she spread the teachings to whomever she met. She was so blessed that she lived to be eighty-nine.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 119-120

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 90

90. Deeper in the Second Generation than in the First

When Tamezo Yamazawa began to serve Oyasama in 1881, Oyasama instructed him in the following manner:

“God says, ‘Showing innen to parents, God waits for children to appear.’ Do you understand? Therefore, virtue is more deeply planted in the second generation than in the first one, and deeper still in the third than in the second. By becoming ever deeper, it will become virtue which lasts forever. It depends on the mind of a man whether it lasts for one generation only, or for two or three generations, or forever. By the continuation of this virtue even a bad innen becomes a good one.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 76.

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 79

79. Children Who Return

Oyasama once told Jirokichi Kita the following:

“Among the many children who return to Jiba some people pack things and take them in carts; some put things in a wrapping cloth and carry them on their backs; some put as many things as possible in a torn wrapping cloth and carry them in their arms; and some lose everything before they reach home.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 67

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 11

11. God Has Drawn You to this Residence

It was about the middle of January 1864 when Chushichi Yamanaka was thirty-eight years of age. Chushichi’s wife, Sono, had been suffering from severe hemorrhoids for over two years. Her condition became so critical that for several days she could not even drink any liquids. Two doctors had given up hope of recovery. Just about this time, Chushichi learned about the teachings of God from Seibei of Shiba Village. He immediately returned to the Residence* and was granted an audience with Oyasama. She said:

“You have an innen** with God and God has drawn you to this Residence. You need not worry about your wife’s condition. I will save her in an instant, but in return, you must be willing to serve God.”

(Notes)

* In Tenrikyo, Jiba, or the Residence, is the place of Creation. Therefore, it is said that a person ‘returns’ to Jiba even if it is the first time that he goes there in his life.

** Innen: literally “destiny” or “cause and effect.” Man’s original innen is to live a joyous life. Being allow free will, man has used his mind to pursue selfish goals, incurring dust which results in bad innen. In order to change his bad innen into a good one, man must gain merit by using his mind in accord with God’s will.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 6–7.

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