Anecdotes of Oyasama 126
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Anecdotes of Oyasama 126 presents the contents of "As the Symbol of Worship for the Confraternity," a selection from Anecdotes of Oyasama, published by Tenrikyo Church Headquarters in 1976. The content below appears between page 103 and 104 of the print edition.
Text: English translation and original Japanese
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126. As the Symbol of Worship for the Confraternity In November 1883, the Resting House was completed. Oyasama moved in at midnight on November 25th (10/26, lunar calendar). On the night of the twenty-sixth, Shirobei Umetani retired to a room in the building called Konikai after he put all the tools away. He was going to go back to Osaka on the twenty-seventh. In a short while, Gisaburo Nakata came carrying a short scarlet crepe kimono-undergarment on a small offering stand and said, "Thank you very much for your recent contribution of labor. Oyasama said, 'This shall be the symbol of worship for the Meishin-gumi Confraternity,' so receive it gratefully." Soon afterward, Risaburo Yamamoto came, holding a red garment reverently, saying, "Oyasama said, 'Though this is one of My used garments, please make it over for your children."' Yamamoto then gave the unlined silk-crepe garment to Shirobei. Shirobei, so delighted and thankful for the two presents, reached for them, only to find himself awakening from a dream. After this, he was unable to fall back to sleep. When daybreak came, he began to get ready for the journey and after finishing breakfast, he took a rest. Then Nakata came to him, holding a red kimono-undergarment reverently, and saying, "Oyasama said, 'This shall be the symbol of worship of the Meishin-gumi Confraternity."' This message was exactly the same as that of the one in his dream. He thankfully received it, wondering whether it was still a dream. Shortly later, Yamamoto came into the room and repeated the other message in Shirobei's dream of the night before: "Oyasama said, 'This is My used garment, but give it to your children.' "And Yamamoto placed the unlined red silk-crepe garment before Shirobei, who received it gratefully. Again, soon afterward, Hisa Kajimoto brought to him a set of two big rice cakes, each made of seven kilograms of rice, with a red rice cake placed on top of a white one. She said, "Oyasama said, 'Give these to your children.' " Oyasama's repeated expressions of warm parental love were imprinted in the deepest reaches of Shirobei's heart. Furthermore, when he recalled his dream of the night before, he was strongly moved by the marvelous workings of God the Parent. |
一二六 講社のめどに 明治十六年十一月（陰暦十月）御休息所が落成し、教祖は、十一月二十五日（陰暦十月二十六日）の真夜中にお移り下されたので、梅谷四郎兵衞は、道具も片付け、明日は大阪へかえろうと思って、二十六日夜、小二階で床についた。すると、仲田儀三郎が、緋縮緬の半襦袢を三宝に載せて、「この間中は御苦労であった。教祖は、『これを、明心組の講社のめどに』下さる、とのお言葉であるから、有難く頂戴するように。」とのことである。すると間もなく、山本利三郎が、赤衣を恭々しく捧げて、「『これは着古しやけれど、子供等の着物にでも、仕立て直してやってくれ。』との教祖のお言葉である。」と、唐縮緬の単衣を差し出した。重ね重ねの面目に、「結構な事じゃ、ああ忝ない。」と、手を出して頂戴しようとしたところで、目が覚めた。それは夢であった。 こうなると目が冴えて、再び眠ることが出来ない。とかくするうちに夜も明けた。身仕度をし、朝食も頂いて休憩していると、仲田が赤衣を捧げてやって来た。
と、昨夜の夢をそのままに告げた。はて、不思議な事じゃと思いながら、有難く頂戴した。すると、今度は、山本が入って来た。そして、これも昨夜の夢と符節を合わす如く、
と、赤地唐縮緬の単衣を眼前に置いた。それで、有難く頂戴すると、次は、梶本ひさが、上が赤で下が白の五升の重ね餅を持って来て、
と、伝えた。四郎兵衞は、教祖の重ね重ねの親心を、心の奥底深く感銘すると共に、昨夜の夢と思い合わせて、全く不思議な親神様のお働きに、いつまでも忘れられない強い感激を覚えた。 |
