Tag Archives: divine vs. human perspective

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 74

74. Following God’s Path

Oyasama vigorously urged the performance of the Service in the autumn of 1880. When people were hesitating to comply with Her words because it was a period of strict vigilance and interference by the police, Oyasama sternly urged them to comply through this Timely Direction:

“Crushing God’s path by excessive concern for man’s obligations is not the path at all. The true path consists in standing up for the path of God, not for the path of man. Sah, will you crush the principle of God and stand up for the principle of man? Will you not stand up for the principle of God rather than the principle of man? Now answer one of these.”

After discussing the matter, everyone decided to make a firm resolution to perform the Service. However, there was no definite assignment as to who was to perform the Kagura Service, although they had been practicing the dance movements individually. They decided to ask Oyasama about this matter.

Oyasama already had chosen the performers for the women’s musical instruments. They were Yoshie Iburi for the shamisen, Naraito Ueda for the kokyu and Tomegiku Tsuji for the koto. However, the men’s musical instruments had not been practiced either individually or as a group. Since it was so sudden, they discussed what should be done. It was clear that they would not be able to choose the performers themselves, so they decided to ask Oyasama about this matter also. They received the following words from Oyasama:

“Sah, sah, musical instruments, musical instruments. For the present, even if you play ‘two’ in the place of ‘one,’ or ‘three’ in the place of ‘two,’ God will forgive. God will accept the harmony of the hearts of the performers. Understand this well.”

Everyone was relieved to hear this, and they all performed joyously. Tamezo Yamazawa danced all twelve chapters.1 It took place in the eight matted room just south of the north raised room in the building called the Place for the Service.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 64–65

Continue reading Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 74

  1. “Twelve chapters” refers to the Twelve Songs (Juni kudari). The composition of the Twelve Songs is the main theme of Anecdotes 18 and 19

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 31

31. The Measure of Heaven

One day Oyasama said to Izo Iburi:

“Izo, will you cut down a tree in the mountains and make a straight post from it?”

Izo promptly did so. Afterward, Oyasama said:

“Izo, try to place a ruler against the post,”

and She continued:

“Isn’t there a gap between the two?”

When Izo placed the ruler against the post there was in fact a gap. So he replied, “There is a little gap.” Then, Oyasama taught:

“Exactly! Even the things that are considered to be straight by all the people of the world are warped when they are placed against the measure of heaven.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 24–25

Continue reading Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 31