Anecdotes of Oyasama 24
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Anecdotes of Oyasama 24 presents the contents of "I Am Glad You Have Come Home," a selection from Anecdotes of Oyasama, published by Tenrikyo Church Headquarters in 1976. The content below appears between page 17 and 18 of the print edition.
Text: English translation and original Japanese
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24. I Am Glad You Have Come Home Hikotaro Matoba of Nigo Village, Yamato Province, had a fine voice and was good at leading a chorus. During the bon festival season, he sang on festival towers in Nagataki, Chishawara, Kasa and other neighboring villages. In 1871, when he was nineteen years old, Hikotaro was told that he needed to expand the volume of his voice in order to produce truly wonderful sounds. So he practiced by a waterfall in Yokkawa, singing, "Ko-o-rya! korya! korya!" at the top of his lungs. As it was after the day's hard work in the fields, he invigorated himself by licking a paste made of charred vipers, soybeans and dried sesame. On the third night of the practice, he suddenly lost his sight. He had developed an eye disease, probably amaurosis. Guided by his mother, Hikotaro went to Hase, barefoot, to pray for the aid of the goddess Kannon. But his prayers were not answered at all. His mother, Shika, grieved at seeing his condition, said, "You cannot see even the white chicken at your feet, can you?" His condition remained unchanged for over three months. Then, he was told, "There is a new god in Shoyashiki who is able to cure any illness. That god will save you in an instant." Before long, he returned to Jiba. When he was received by Oyasama, She gave him three packets of the sacred powder of roasted grain and said:
Hikotaro answered, "I cannot go on living like this. I will do anything if God will save me." Whereupon, Oyasama said:
No sooner had he replied, "I will do so," than his sight was slightly restored. Within a few days, he had completely recovered. From then on, with great joy he devoted himself day and night to spreading the fragrance of the words of God and saving others. He was so wondrously saved that even at the age of eighty-seven he needed no glasses for close reading. |
二四 よう帰って来たなあ 大和国仁興村の的場彦太郎は、声よしで、音頭取りが得意であった。盆踊りの頃ともなれば、長滝、苣原、笠などと、近在の村々までも出かけて行って、音頭櫓の上に立った。 明治四年、十九才の時、声の壁を破らなければ本当の声は出ない、と聞き、夜、横川の滝で、「コーリャ コリャ コリャ」と、大声を張り上げた。 昼は田で働いた上のことであったので、マムシの黒焼と黒豆と胡麻を、すって練ったものをなめて、精をつけながら頑張った。すると、三晩目のこと、突然目が見えなくなってしまった。ソコヒになったのである。 長谷の観音へも跣足詣りの願をかけたが、一向利やくはなかった。それで、付添いの母親しかが、「足許へ来た白い鶏さえ見えぬのか。」と、歎き悲しんだ。こうして三ヵ月余も経った時、にをいがかかった。「庄屋敷に、どんな病気でも救けて下さる神さんが出来たそうな。そんなぐらい直ぐに救けて下さるわ。」という事である。 それで、早速おぢばへ帰って、教祖にお目通りさせて頂いたところ、教祖は、ハッタイ粉の御供を三服下され、
と、仰せになった。彦太郎は、「このままで越すことかないません。治して下さるのでしたら、どんな事でもさしてもらいます。」とお答えした。すると。教祖は、
と、仰せられた。「そんなら、そうさしてもらいます。」と彦太郎の答が、口から出るか出ないかのうちに、目が開き、日ならずして全快した。その喜びに、彦太郎は、日夜熱心に、にをいがけ・おたすけに励んだ。それから八十七才の晩年に到るまで、眼鏡なしで細かい字が読めるよう、お救け頂いたのである。 |
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