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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 65

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65. Drawn Here to Be Used

The following incident happened around June 1879. Oyasama used to say every night:

“I need a personal attendant. I need one.”

The intermediaries, Gisaburo Nakata, Chusaku Tsuji and Rihachi Yamamoto, after discussing the matter, consulted Shuji. Whereupon he suggested, “Rin should be a suitable person.”

So promptly the next morning at ten o’clock, Shuji and Nakata, followed by Rin Masui, went to see Oyasama to receive her approval. Shuji explained. Oyasama immediately gave these words:

“At once, at once, at once, at once. Drawn here to be used. At once, at once, at once. Quickly, quickly. You are overdue. You are overdue. Sah, sah, be joyful, be joyful. Whatever you do, do it with the thought that you are serving God. Whatever you do God will accept ten thousandfold. Sah, sah, quickly, quickly, quickly. At once, at once, at once.”

In this way Rin served Oyasama as Her personal attendant from that night until Oyasama withdrew Her physical being1 in 1887.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 57

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  1. This is an old gloss for “on-mi (more frequently utsushimi) o kakusareru,” a phrase that is only used to refer to Oyasama’s passing. This phrase is currently translated as “withdrew from physical life” in most cases. “Hid her physical being” is an even older English gloss. ↩

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 30

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30. Ten Thousandfold

Once Oyasama took a grain of unhulled rice in Her hand, and showed it to Izo Iburi, saying:

“The same is true with a human being. You sow a grain of sincerity, and it multiplies to two or three hundred grains in a year, ten thousand in the second year. Ten thousandfold, as we call it. It will be enough for sowing all over the province of Yamato in the third year.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 24

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 15

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15. These Seeds

Late at night on February 7, 1866, Oyasama, already in bed, suddenly said:

“Take out the crockery pot stored under the altar.”

When the pot was presented to Her, Oyasama called in Chushichi Yamanaka, and said to him:

“I have granted you various privileges until now. However, you might not be able to understand fully if I just tell you. You may worry about falling short of needs when you go along the divine path. You need not worry about anything. You will not be in want even if you wish to be. I will give you positive, positive, positive proof.”

Then Oyasama gave the crockery pot to him. She further instructed:

“Here are seeds which will multiply ten thousandfold. Sow these at your residence, Chushichi of Mamekoshi Village.”

On the following day, when Chushichi went to thank Her, Oyasama was pleased to see him and said:

“This grant is the treasure of your family and of the path. You must be very happy!”

He had been granted a list and four seeds. The list read: wheat — six kilograms, rice — about seventeen kilograms, personal allowance — sixty kan* and sake — about eleven liters. These were granted as eternal seeds. Each of the four seeds was a six centimeter square, white paper packet which was bound on four sides with white string. On the face of each packet respectively was written: “seed of wheat,” “seed of rice,” “money for medicine,” and “money for wine and seed of oil.” Oyasama Herself wrote these words with a writing brush. She also bound the packets with string, chanting:

“Namu, Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto, Namu, Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto.”

It was witnessed that the string did not go through if She stopped chanting. Thus, She gave him the proof that he would never be hard-pressed for the needs of life as long as he followed the path.

(Note)

* Sixty kan = about 320 U. S. dollars.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 10–11

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 7

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7. Offering with a Sincere Heart

The following occurred at a time when the Nakayama family was living in the depths of poverty. One day at the end of the year, a follower brought some small, beautifully made rice cakes in the finest of boxes and said, “Please, offer this to Oyasama.” Kokan, Oyasama’s youngest daughter, promptly took it to Her. Oddly, Oyasama only said:

“Oh, is that so?”

and did not seem to be particularly pleased.

About two or three days later another follower came. She brought out a package in a plain kerchief and said, “Please, will you offer this to Oyasama?” In it were only a few sweetened rice cakes in a bamboo wrapping. Kokan as usual took it to Oyasama. Thereupon, Oyasama said:

“Please, offer it to God the Parent at once,”

and seemed very pleased.

The following fact became known later. The follower who had brought the finely made cakes was well to do. She had made some rice cakes for New Year’s, and as there were some left over, she took them to the Residence as an afterthought. The follower who had brought the plain cakes was poor, and barely able to make enough rice cakes for New Year’s. However, her family said, “This is also the blessing of God the Parent. First of all, let us make an offering.” They took the first freshly made rice cakes to the Residence.

Oyasama had known what was in the heart of each of these two persons.

There were many such incidents. Later, many followers began to bring the rare seasonal foods grown in their localities to Oyasama when they visited Her. Oyasama always appreciated the sincere heart with which the followers brought these offerings more than the offerings themselves.

Further, when things were presented to Her with arrogance, She often gave them to those nearby. When, on occasion, She did eat them, She said:

“It has no taste at all. It tastes as though we are forcing ourselves to eat when we do not want to eat.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 3–4

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 4 and 5

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4. I Will Return Ten Thousandfold

“Fall to the depths of poverty. Unless you fall to the depths of poverty, you cannot understand what sufferers feel. Even water, once fallen to the bottom, will rise again. I will return ten thousandfold.”

5. The Same as Flowing Water

Among the words that Oyasama told Shirobei Umetani were these:

“When I was in a trance, the divine voice said within me, ‘It is the same as flowing water. Fall to a low place. Fall to the bottom. You cannot save others if you live in a mansion with a stately gate. Live in poverty. Live in poverty.'”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 2 Continue reading Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 4 and 5 →

Anecdotes of the Honseki Izo Iburi 26

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26. “I Returned Your Contribution Ten-Thousandfold”

In August 1886, a Nobu Nakai from Kobe returned to Jiba and was staying at the Tofuya Inn, owned by Chobei Murata. Izo, who at the time was managing the Nakayamas’ household matters, came by and mentioned to Chobei: “Without 5 yen, we won’t be able to make ends meet this season. But no matter who I go see, no one of them is willing to lend us the money.”

Nobu, who remembered how she had been miraculously saved from a rare case of stomach spasms and a toothache in 1883, overheard this and thought to herself it was an honor to have such an opportunity to help out the Residence. She took out 5 yen (about 47,000 yen in 1995 currency) and said to Izo, “Though this isn’t much, I happened to have it on me.”

Izo was overjoyed, and replied, “I’ll return it to you later.”

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