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Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 96

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama, ,

96. Those Who have an Innen

Oyasama spoke these words to Tamezo Yamazawa in 1881 or 1882:

“God brings people of an innen and protects them. God says ‘Among the people brought here together, those whose hearts ring in harmony are to be united and live in this Residence.'”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 80

Translation of “Sawa’s note”

“Tamezo Yamazawa’s father Ryojiro Yamazawa embraced the faith in Ganji 1 (1864) upon witnessing the miraculous cure of his elder sister Sono, wife of Chushichi Yamanaka. Tamezo married Oyasama’s granddaughter Hisa Kajimoto in April 1887. In 1905, he is appointed as the second minister of Asahi Shikyokai. He served as the chief officiant at the funeral of the first Shinbashira in 1915. He was acting superintendent of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters during the second Shinbashira’s youth and became the first president of the Tenrikyo Young Men’s Association when it was founded in 1918. He passed away on July 20, 1936 at the age of 80.”

Insight from Kazuhiro Hatakama sensei

Kazuhiro Hatakama briefly touches on Anecdotes 96 in the conclusion of his article covering Anecdotes 90. In this article, he suggests there be a third category of innen or causality — causality of (divine) guidance — in addition to the two established categories of the “original causality” and each individual’s “personal causality.” Hatakama sensei writes it is possible to consider the instructions from Anecdotes 90 as applicable to individuals (plus their families) who were guided and drawn to serve and/or live at the Residence and went on to contribute to the nascent period of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. He then suggests this process shows an example of causality of (divine) guidance at work. Regarding Oyasama’s instruction in Anecdotes 96, although it was specifically given to Tamezo Yamazawa, it is similarly applicable to all the people who came to serve at the Residence despite the wide disparity of their respective backgrounds. The instruction “Among the people brought here together, those whose hearts ring in harmony are to be united and live in this Residence” must have been one that sought to have these people who found themselves in the same situation to recognize that it was innen/causality that brought them all together. The following verse also pretty much teaches the same notion,

People come to Me from whatever places. It is because they all are of the original1 causality.

Ofudesaki 4:54

Hatakama sensei discusses a lot more, but I’ll refrain from divulging any more. (Admittedly, his writing has a complexity that makes it a task to summarize accurately with much confidence on my part.)

My take

Given the abysmal spiritual state I happen to be in at the moment, the notion that my heart should ring in harmony with the people around me admittedly rings a little hollow. The longer I’m here, the less I feel I have in common with anyone. Someone get me out of here! (In due time, hopefully….)

Bibliography

  • Hatakama Kazuhiro. 2006. “Tsuzuku ri: 90 ‘Ichi-dai yori ni-dai’.” In Itsuwa-hen ni manabu iki-kata 2. Tenri: Tenri Daigaku Oyasato Kenkyūsho, pp. 31-50.
  • Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. 1976. Anecdotes of Oyasama, the Foundress of Tenrikyo. Tenri: Tenrikyo Church Headquarters.

Further reading

External links 

  • innen (by Kikuo Tanaka)

Note

  1.  A note on the translation of this verse: the original Japanese verse makes no mention of any “original” causality. It is merely “innen” in the Japanese. “It is because they all share causality” may be a translation a little more true to the original. ↩

Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama 41

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41. To Eternity

One day Oyasama visited the home of Gisaburo Nakata in Toyoda Village. Oyasama hummed as She walked around the house:

“Step in firmly. Step down firmly. Step down firmly to eternity.”

After that, Oyasama told Nakata:

“God has entered this residence and hardened the ground. Never let go of this property, no matter how poor you become. Continue your faith to eternity.”

Years later during the time of Gisaburo’s grandson, Kichizo, a portion of the land was to be exchanged at the village’s request. When the final approval was to be made, a boil suddenly appeared on Kichizo’s face and it became swollen. The family members were astonished and they tried to discover the cause through self reflection and consultation. Whereupon, the elders of the family* told them how the ground had been hardened by Oyasama Herself. They immediately apologized to God the Parent and sent a formal notice to the village withdrawing the exchange offer. When this was done the illness was completely cured.

 

*By elders was meant Shiho Nakata and her youngest sister, Katsu Uyeshima. Shiho was the wife of Gisaburo’s eldest son.

Anecdotes of Oyasama, p. 35

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