Anecdotes of Oyasama 178 presents the contents of "Our Body is of Prime Importance," a selection from Anecdotes of Oyasama, published by Tenrikyo Church Headquarters in 1976. The content below appears between page 141 and 142 of the print edition.
Text: English translation and original Japanese
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178. Our Body is of Prime Importance
Oyasama said:
- "Where there is life, there is hope, it is said. The body is the foundation. Money is secondary. In the case of fire, one would take out as many valuables as possible, but one would not do so at the risk of burning one's body. In the case of flood, it is the same. In the case of robbery, because life is important, one lets the robber have the money, even though one does so reluctantly.
- The same thing is true in the case of illness. One should give quickly to charity the things that are of secondary importance, and have one's illness cured. But when the dust of miserliness is strong, it is like removing money from a fire even though one is in danger of death from burns. One saves the money and treasures but throws away one's life. This is in accord with one's mind. If by giving to charity what is of secondary importance one's illness is cured, this is the principle of a disaster turning into a smaller misfortune. Understand well."
This instruction has been handed down by word of mouth from Jirokichi Kita.
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一七八 身上がもとや
教祖の仰せに、
- 「命あっての物種と言うてある。身上がもとや。金銭は二の切りや。今、火事やと言うたら、出せるだけは出しもしようが、身上の焼けるのも構わず出す人は、ありゃせん。大水やと言うても、その通り。盗人が入っても、命が大事やから、惜しいと思う金でも、皆出してやりますやろ。
- 悩むところも、同じ事や。早く、二の切りを惜しまずに施しして、身上を救からにゃならん。それに、惜しい心が強いというは、ちょうど、焼け死ぬのもいとわず、金を出しているようなものや。惜しいと思う金銭・宝残りて、身を捨てる。これ、心通りやろ。そこで、二の切りを以て身の難救かったら、これが、大難小難という理やで。よう聞き分けよ。」
と。これは、喜多治郎吉によって語り伝えられた、お諭しである。
註 二の切り 切りとは、義太夫などに於て、真打が勤める最も格式の高い部分を言う。したがって、二の切りとは、一番にではなくて、二番目に大切なもの、という意。（新村出「広辞苑」平凡社「世界大百科辞典」）
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