Tag Archives: Kami Hyoshiro

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 182

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

182. The Residence of Origin (Moto no yashiki)

Naka, wife of Denshichi Oura of Kasama Village in Yamato Province, suddenly felt an acute pain in her forefinger which would not abate. She asked their neighbor, Hyoshiro Kami, to pray for her. When Hyoshiro prayed for her, the pain stopped. But a short while later, her finger became painful again. Again, she had Hyoshiro pray, and then again the pain stopped. After this happened three or four times, Hyoshiro said, “Let’s return to Jiba and ask Oyasama.”

So Naka, accompanied by Hyoshiro, returned to the Residence and was received by Oyasama. At their request, Oyasama breathed three times upon Naka’s forefinger. At that moment, the acute pain stopped instantly. Naka was deeply moved by this instantaneous blessing and thought, “What a truly marvelous God!” On this occasion, Oyasama said:

“This is the Residence of Origin where human beings were first created. In the future, people will come here from all over the world and say, ‘This is indeed the place of man’s origin, the parental home.’ This village will be a busy town where you can buy anything by just taking a step outside the Residence.”

Note: The incident related in this anecdote is said to have taken place in 1885 or 1886.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 143-144

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 167

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama,

167. Through Saving Others (hito tasuke tara)

On September 1, 1885, Hyoshiro Kami’s eldest daughter, thirteen-year-old Kimi, suddenly lost the sight of both eyes. Hyoshiro, too, on October 7th of the same year, went blind. This was divine guidance. On November 1st, Hyoshiro asked his wife Tsune to return to Jiba in his place. Oyasama said:

“This eye condition is not serious. It is just that God’s fingers are keeping them closed. Keeping them closed means God is testing him and guiding him.”

She continued:

“A message sent through people is just a message. A favor asked of people is just a favor. Words pass through one person, then there is one more person. Words pass through two persons, then there are two more persons. The more people words pass through, the more the words become distorted. If distorted words are imparted, error will be committed in the world. If an error is committed, then it is too late. It is best for the person to return himself. Thereupon, I shall teach him well.”

Tsune returned home and related these words to Hyoshiro. He was deeply impressed and said, “Indeed, that is right.” On the morning of November 3rd, he traveled the distance of sixteen kilometers from Kasama and returned to the Residence, cane in one hand and his wife guiding him by the other. Oyasama began by saying:

“Sah, sah,”

and for two hours thereafter She taught him the story of the creation.

Oyasama’s voice at that time was so forceful that it made the household fixtures tremble. As soon as Oyasama had finished speaking, Hyoshiro suddenly realized that his sight had returned without his knowing when or how. When he came home, he found that the eldest daughter Kimi’s eyes had also been marvelously cured. However, thereafter for some reason until about eight o’clock every morning, he could not see very far, and everything was a blur to him. No matter how much he reflected, he did not receive God’s blessing. Therefore, in January of the following year, 1886, he returned to Jiba again, and asked for guidance. Oyasama instructed to him:

“God has finished guiding you, but has not finished testing you. Testing means that through saving others you yourself shall be saved. You must not think of yourself. If you single-heartedly turn yourself to the thought, ‘I must at any cost save others and have others be saved,’ then your illness will be completely cured.”

Accordingly, thereafter, he ardently strived to save others and before long he had completely recovered from his illness.

Anecdotes of Oyasama pp. 134–135

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 34

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama, , , , ,

34. Tsukihi Has Granted It

In the spring of 1873, Hyoshiro Kami married Tsune. Later, when she became pregnant, Hyoshiro returned to Jiba to receive the Grant of Safe Childbirth. Oyasama said to him:

“Take home as much of the washed rice as you want.”

And She Herself instructed him:

“Sah, sah, divide the washed rice into three portions. Have your wife take one portion after you get home, another when her labor begins, and the third one right after delivery.

If you do as I tell you, your wife will not need a leaning post, special dietary restrictions or an obstetrical binder. Let her use a pillow, and do as usual. Do not worry even a little. You must not worry. Never doubt. This place is the Residence where human beings were first created. This is the parental home. Be sure never to doubt. Once Tsukihi has said, ‘I grant it,’ you are surely granted it.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 28 Continue reading Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 34 →

Saved By the Truth of Saving Others

Tenrikyo Fundamentals, Translations, ,

The following is an excerpt from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 39–43) by Koji Sato (佐藤浩司), assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is tentative and may require further revision.

Saved By the Truth of Saving Others

We have the following expression in Tenrikyo, “Through saving others, you yourself shall be saved.”

Yet I must note that this does not mean, “Through saving others, you become saved in exchange” or “If you want to be saved, you must first save others.” These words contain a more profound meaning.

There are two stories in the Anecdotes of Oyasama where this teaching of “saving others” appears.

*         *         *

In April 1875, Eijiro Enomoto of Sugahama, Sandoson, in Fukui Prefecture visited the Residence to ask that his daughter Kiyo be saved from a psychological illness. Oyasama said to him:

You need not worry, you need not worry. Go home quickly, as a great misfortune has happened in your home. Visit houses in your village one by one and save 42 persons. Pray to God earnestly at each house, chanting, ‘Namu Tenri-O-no-Mikoto,’ while pressing your hands together in prayer. By saving others, you yourself shall be saved.

Anecdotes of Oyasama 42 “By Saving Others”

Eijiro thereby returned home. He found that his daughter was severely ill and that his village was in a terrible situation. There were people sick from various illnesses everywhere. He visited each house and after helping 42 people recover through his prayers, his daughter also experienced a complete recovery. The other story is as follows:

In 1885, Hyoshiro Kami and his daughter Kimi suddenly lost their eyesight. When Hyoshiro’s wife Tsune visited the Residence on their behalf, Oyasama said:

God is testing him and guiding him. It is best for your husband to return himself. He will then be thoroughly instructed in the Teaching.

Hyoshiro then returned to the Residence, traveling 16 kilometers while being guided by his wife. Oyasama directly instructed him in the “Story of Creation.”

After Oyasama’s instruction ended, Hyoshiro found that his vision had returned without him realizing when or how it exactly happened. When he returned home, his daughter also was blessed with her vision.

Yet after that, Hyoshiro’s vision was blurry and he was unable to see distant objects until 8 a.m. every morning. He did not know what to make of this. So when he returned in the first month of 1886, he asked Oyasama and She said:

God has finished guiding you, but not has finished testing you. Testing means that you yourself shall be saved through saving others. You must not think of yourself. If you single-heartedly turn yourself to the thought, ‘I must at any cost save others and have others be saved,’ then your illness will be completely cured.

Anecdotes of Oyasama 167 “Through Saving Others”

It is crucial that Oyasama said, “You must not think of yourself.” Oyasama is instructing us that in order for us or someone dear to us to be saved from illness or misfortune, we must forget all about everything that has to do with ourselves. We must instead direct our attention outward, praying and working for the sake of others.

In the first story, although Eijiro Enomoto went to ask for his daughter to be saved, he was instructed to save others. In reality, it is by no means an easy matter to pray to have 42 people be saved.

If we were to set about in accomplishing this, we will find that we have no time to think about our own situation. This story teaches us the importance of becoming of the mind that wishes for others to be saved.

In the second story Oyasama tells Hyoshiro Kami:

God has finished guiding you, but not has finished testing you. Testing means that you yourself shall be saved through saving others.

A person who is confronted by a misfortune or trouble finds that it is more important than anything else to be saved from this situation. Yet the misfortune or trouble is but a catalyst for a person to be guided to the teachings. I feel that Oyasama is teaching us that we are not to stop at that step but to place ourselves at “the locus of mutual salvation” where we find the key to having faith in this path.

To place ourselves on this stage of mutual salvation is to perceive the troubles, misfortunes, difficulties, and privation of others as our own responsibility and thus refuse to cast them aside. By praying for the salvation of others, we are able to purify our minds and advance on the path of “spiritual growth” that God the Parent so ardently desires.

Hyoshiro did as he was taught and single-heartedly dedicated himself to saving others and received the blessings that allowed him to completely recover from his disability.

*Note: This post has been revised since its original publication.

Comment

I have taken the liberties here of revising and making what I see as small improvements to the some of the quotes from Anecdotes.

A Thing Lent, A Thing Borrowed

Tenrikyo Fundamentals, Translations,

The following is an exerpt from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 27–32) by Koji Sato (佐藤浩司), assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is tentative and may require further revision.

A Thing Lent, A Thing Borrowed

We often live our lives without thinking twice about our senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and ability to speak. Our blood transports the oxygen we breathe to the cells that make up our bones, tendons, and muscles. Our bodies are sustained because our cells are filled with moisture and work to join and support one another. Although we are unconscious and therefore not at all responsible for this process, we nevertheless believe that our bodies belong to us.
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