Tag Archives: Masui Osame

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 160

160. Selecting a Persimmon (kaki erabi)

It was autumn, the season of persimmons. Osame Masui happened to be in the presence of Oyasama and there was a tray full of persimmons in front of Her. In trying to select a persimmon from the tray, Oyasama looked at them from this angle and that. Observing this, Osame thought, “Even Oyasama chooses the best in selecting a persimmon.” But the persimmon that She selected appeared to be the worst of the lot. She then offered the tray with the other persimmons to Osame and said:

“Now, please take one.”

Observing Oyasama’s actions, Osame thought, “It is true that Oyasama makes Her selection, but what She chooses is different from that which we humans choose. She chooses the worst one for Herself. This is Oyasama’s parental love. She leaves the tastiest ones for Her children, wishing them to have the pleasure. This is truly the parental love of Oyasama.” Osame was impressed by Oyasama’s thoughtfulness and she ate her persimmon as told by Oyasama, while Oyasama ate another.

Osame said that she would never forget for the rest of her life the way Oyasama was on that day.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 129

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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 122

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 37

37. You Are Faithful in Your Work

One day in 1874, Naragiku Nishio returned to the Residence and was sitting in front of Oyasama with other people. When they were preparing to leave, Oyasama called the name of Kokan, Her daughter, and asked:

“Dear daughter, isn’t there anything to do? These people will not leave if they are asked to do something. There is something, isn’t there?”

To this question, Kokan answered, “Yes, there are many things to do, but I was hesitating to ask them.” Then Oyasama said:

“Why not ask them?”

Kokan asked them to spin yarn. They worked hard at spinning and winding yarn on the spindle. Soon Naragiku, who was then eighteen, completed one spindle. Oyasama went to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She raised the spindle to Her head three times and said:

“Dear Naragiku, girls of your age yearn for many things. You are so young, yet faithful in your work, I admire you. There are a lot of things to do in this Residence if you are of the mind to work. While working in this Residence, you will not be able to leave, even if you want to. I recommend that you work as hard as possible when you can. Then, in the future you will be quite free from hardship, even if you want it. So work hard now.”

Note: Naragiku Nishio’s name was changed to Osame in accord with Oyasama’s words when she married Masui in 1876.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 32–33

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Mind of Sincerity

The following excerpt is from Omichi no joshiki [Tenrikyo Fundamentals] (pp. 94–97) by Koji Sato 佐藤浩司, assistant professor at Tenri University and instructor at Tenri Seminary. Note: This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.

Mind of Sincerity

In the summer of 1883, rain was scarce throughout Japan and this deeply affected the harvest that year. The absence of a major river in Yamato Province especially made the region susceptible to drought. It was a matter of life-or-death for many farmers.

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