Anecdotes of Oyasama 36
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Anecdotes of Oyasama 36 presents the contents of "Firm Resolution," a selection from Anecdotes of Oyasama, published by Tenrikyo Church Headquarters in 1976. The content below appears between page 29 and 32 of the print edition.
Text: English translation and original Japanese
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36. Firm Resolution On the morning of December 4, 1874, as Rin Masui tried to get up, she strangely felt pain. Both of her eyes had become badly swollen. They grew worse each day. When the consulting doctor diagnosed it as glaucoma, she became frightened. She received medical treatment, but finally lost her eyesight. This happened two years after her husband passed away. The whole family was overcome with grief. During the year-end and New Year's season, twelve-year-old Ikutaro, the elder child, heard the news of a god from a fellow traveler at Tatsuta. The traveler said, "The god 'Tenryu-san' at Shoyashiki in Yamato will save anyone from any sickness. One has only to offer prayers for three days and three nights." Upon Ikutaro's return, the parent and child promptly began praying for three days and three nights, facing toward Yamato, but there was no sign of improvement. So they sent a man-servant, Tamehachi, to Shoyashiki to pray for the family. He left Ogata early in the morning, and arrived at the Residence before noon. Tamehachi saw Oyasama, who was wearing the red garments, and he prayed to Her. He listened to the teachings from the intermediaries and asked to have the main points of the teachings written down on paper to take home. As Ikutaro read aloud to Rin the notes that Tamehachi had brought home, Rin said, "Since we have thus received God's teachings, I don't care what happens to my physical body. For the sake of eliminating the family innen I will engage in the work of single-hearted salvation, not minding the severe cold and heat, and even if I have to walk with the aid of two canes. We three, mother and children, will follow the path with joy, even through fire and water." This was the firm resolution of the whole family. Not only Rin, but Ikutaro as well as eight-year-old Tomie poured cold water over themselves as a form of ascetic ritual. The whole family joined in a three-day and three-night prayer. Facing Jiba, they chanted, "Namu, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto," over and over, and prayed earnestly. The dawn of the third day came. Rin had been sitting before the brazier throughout the prayer, and Tomie, who was sitting beside her mother, noticed a ray of light through a slight opening in the door. She said, without thinking, "Mother, it's daybreak." Hearing her daughter's voice, Rin turned toward the front door. She saw a gleam of light through a slight opening in the door. Thinking that it might be a dream, she quickly stood up, rushed to the front entrance and rolled open the sliding door. Outside it was glittering with morning sunlight, just as it had been years before. She had received a wonderful blessing and had recovered her eyesight completely. Rin returned at once to Jiba to offer her thanks. She thanked Oyasama through the intermediary, Gisaburo Nakata. Oyasama said:
Rin stayed over that night. The next day she heard the teachings from Nakata. While she was learning the hand movements for the morning and evening service, she received Oyasama's words:
Rin stayed over again that night. The next morning, she asked Nakata to tell Oyasama that she was returning to Kawachi, and she again received Oyasama's words:
Rin was speechless and was moved to tears. Rin Masui was then thirty-two years of age.
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三六 定めた心 明治七年十二月四日（陰暦十月二十六日）朝、増井りんは、起き上がろうとすると、不思議や両眼が腫れ上がって、非常な痛みを感じた。日に日に悪化し、医者に診てもらうと、ソコヒとのことである。そこで、驚いて、医薬の手を尽したが、とうとう失明してしまった。夫になくなられてから二年後のことである。 こうして、一家の者が非歎の涙にくれている時、年末年始の頃、（陰暦十一月下旬）当時十二才の長男幾太郎が、竜田へ行って、道連れになった人から、「大和庄屋敷の天竜さんは、何んでもよく救けて下さる。三日三夜の祈祷で救かる。」 という話を聞いてもどった。それで早速、親子が、大和の方を向いて、三日三夜お願いしたが、一向に効能はあらわれない。そこで、男衆の為八を庄屋敷へ代参させることになった。朝暗いうちに大県を出発して、昼前にお屋敷へ着いた為八は、赤衣を召された教祖を拝み、取次の方々から教の理を承わり、その上、角目角目を書いてもらって、もどって来た。 これを幾太郎が読み、りんが聞き、「こうして、教の理を聞かせて頂いた上からは、自分の身上はどうなっても結構でございます。我が家のいんねん果たしのためには、暑さ寒さをいとわず、二本の杖にすがってでも、たすけ一条のため通らせて頂きます。今後、親子三人は、たとい火の中水の中でも、道ならば喜んで通らせて頂きます。」 と、家族一同、堅い心定めをした。 りんは言うに及ばず、幾太郎と八才のとみゑも水行して、一家揃う て三日三夜のお願いに取りかかった。おぢばの方を向いて、
と、繰り返し繰り返して、お願いしたのである。 やがて、まる三日目の夜明けが来た。火鉢の前で、お願い中端座しつづけていたりんの横にいたとみゑが、戸の隙間から差して来る光を見て、思わず、「あ、お母さん、夜が明けました。」 と、言った。 その声に、りんが、表玄関の方を見ると、戸の隙間から、一条の光がもれている。夢かと思いながら、つと立って玄関まで走り、雨戸をくると、外は、昔と変わらぬ朝の光を受けて輝いていた。不思議な全快の御守護を頂いたのである。 りんは、早速、おぢばへお礼詣りをした。取次の仲田儀三郎を通してお礼を申し上げると、お言葉があった。
と、仰せ下された。その晩は泊めて頂いて、翌日は、仲田から教の理を聞かせてもらい、朝夕のお勤めの手振りを習いなどしていると、又、教祖からお言葉があった。
と、仰せ下された。 その日もまた泊めて頂き、その翌朝、河内へもどらせて頂こうと、仲田を通して申し上げてもらうと、教祖は、
と、お言葉を下された。りんは、ものも言えず、ただ感激の涙にくれた。時に、増井りん、三十二才であった。
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Additional Materials
- Blogging Anecdotes of Oyasama, no. 36 Tenrikyology
- This Month’s Message: All up to Your Mind Tenrikyo Online
