Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-3
| The Life of Oyasama |
|---|
| Preface |
| Chapter One |
| The Shrine of Tsukihi (1837–1838) |
| Chapter Two |
| The Early History of Oyasama (1798–1837) |
| Chapter Three |
| On the Way (1838–1852), (1853–1854), (1862–1864) |
| Chapter Four |
| The Place for the Service (1864), (1865–1866) |
| Chapter Five |
| The Salvation Service (1866–1882) |
| Chapter Six |
| The Identification of the Jiba (1869–1873), (Jan–Nov 1874), (Dec 1874), (1875), (1876–1877) |
| Chapter Seven |
| Buds Sprout from Knots (1878–1880), (1881) |
| Chapter Eight |
| Parental Love (pp. 121–124), (pp. 124–131), (pp. 132–137), (pp. 137–146), (pp. 146–157), (pp. 157–165), (pp. 165–168) |
| Chapter Nine |
| The Hardships of Oyasama (Jan–Sep 1882), (Oct–Dec 1882), (Jan–Jun 1883), (Jul–Dec 1883), (1884), (1885), (Jan–Apr 1886),(May–Dec 1886) |
| Chapter Ten |
| The Portals Opened (Jan 1–11, 1887), (Jan 12–13, 1887), (Jan 18–Feb 18, 1887) |
Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-3 presents a portion of the contents of Chapter Six of The Life of Oyasama as published by Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. The title of the chapter is "The Identification of the Jiba." The content below is equivalent to pages 88 to 95 of the print edition.
The “Note” below is a footnote from the print edition.
Note: The print edition of Chapter Six has been split into five sections on this wiki due to length of text. The chapter is split as follows:
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-1 (1869–1873)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-2 (January to November 1874)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-3 (December 1874)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-4 (1875)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 6-5 (1876–1877)
Contents
Text
Yamamura Palace incident
Some days after the discussion between Oyasama and the priests of the Isonokami Shrine, the Nara Prefectural Office served a summons upon Gisaburo Nakata, Ichibei Matsuo, and Chusaku Tsuji. When they presented themselves, they were questioned separately by the staff in charge of temples and shrines. They were also interrogated about how they had come to follow Oyasama. Then they were ordered by one of the staff named Inao to bring Oyasama to the Yamamura Palace with them on December 23, since he would proceed there himself.
The Yamamura Palace was the popular name for the Ensho Temple, for the temple was located in the Yamamura district of Obitoke Village, Soekami County, Nara Prefecture. In those days, Princess Bunshu, daughter of Prince Fushimi, lived there. The reason for selecting it as the place for the summons seems to have been their anticipation that if Oyasama were actually possessed by an evil spirit, that spirit would flee, awestruck, from such an august place and, consequently, from Oyasama.
Oyasama responded to the summons and, on the appointed day, left for the Yamamura Palace with a light heart. She was attended by Tsuji, Nakata, Matsuo, a person named Sato of Yanagimoto Village, and Jubei Ohigashi of Hata Village. On the way, at Kurumagaeshi in Tabe Village, it so happened that Oyasama stumbled and fell, hurting Her lower lip. Caring nothing about it, She said to Her worried attendants:
The lower grounds are gradually pressing upward.
At the Ensho Temple, the interrogations started at about two o'clock in the afternoon in a hall called Entsuden, which contained a statue of the Buddha. Inao sat in the center of the hall with the chief priest of the Isonokami Shrine and one other, who were to participate in the examination. Inao led the interrogation. He asked what sort of deity She could be. But even before he had finished his question, the majestic voice of God came ringing from Her, declaring:
To Me, God the Parent, all human beings are My children. I wish to save them all without exception.
Then Inao said, "Well, if you are a true god, try and bring down punishment on me while I am making my rounds elsewhere during the next four or five days."
At that instant, a solemn voice came from Oyasama:
Be aware that fire, water, and wind will all withdraw!
Then Inao said: "Ah! this must be some kind of nervous disorder. Take good care of Her." A doctor was then called in to take Her pulse. But the doctor pronounced in great wonder that the pulse was as strong as that of a youth of seventeen or eighteen, although the body was that of an old person.
After that, Inao proposed that the party display what light accomplishments they had. At this Nakata borrowed a pair of folding fans from the temple and began to dance the Teodori joyfully to the accompaniment of Tsuji's singing of the Mikagura-uta. When they performed the Teodori to the end of the fourth song, Inao said that was enough. They tried to continue, saying that there were eight more songs, but they were made to stop. Then they were treated to tea and cakes, after which they departed. After that, the Prefectural Office kept a more vigilant watch on the Residence to hinder the worshipers from entering.
The next morning, the 24th, Oyasama wrote down the following words of God the Parent:
The seeds of your sincere devotion sown day after day, I have certainly accepted.
The seed which God truly accepts will never decay through all eternity.
When these seeds sprout in the course of time, it will be the talk of all ages to come.
On the 25th, the Nara Chukyoin[1] served Tsuji, Nakata, and Matsuo with summonses. When they presented themselves, the officials forbade them from believing in their god, saying that there was no god by the name of Tenri-O and, if they must worship a god, then they had better worship the god of the Grand Shrine, and if they wanted to do any work for the benefit of a religious institution, they should render their services to the Chukyoin. In addition, the officials of the Chukyoin came to the Residence and confiscated the silk cuttings, the mirror, and the bamboo screens.
In part six, written before and after this event:
There may be no one at all who knows the truth of the mind of Tsukihi of this universe.
Here God the Parent is expressed as Tsukihi for the first time.
The true and real God of this universe is Tsukihi. The others are all instruments.
As we see in these verses and also in verse 55 of part six, which was dated the twenty-first day of the twelfth month, God the Parent changed the word Kami (God) to Tsukihi (Moon-Sun) to clarify the truth of God the Parent.
Red clothes
Further, on December 26, Oyasama wore red clothes for the first time. <See also Anecdotes of Oyasama 35> God taught the truth about the red clothes as follows:
Until now, since I kept Myself behind a bamboo screen, nothing was able to be seen.
This time, as I have come out into brightness, everything will be seen quickly.
What do you think of these red clothes? Tsukihi dwells within.
By changing the word Kami (God) to Tsukihi (Moon-Sun) and by having Oyasama wear red clothes, God made the truth of Oyasama being the Shrine of Tsukihi clearer and more visible. These changes sprang solely from the parental love of God which intends to hasten the spiritual maturity of the children.
The Proof Amulet
From that time on, Oyasama always wore red clothes. After She had worn the clothes, they were cut into small pieces and given to many people as the Proof Amulet. The Amulet was given one per person. If the Amulet were kept on the person, God would sweep away any evil and would bless that person with divine providence, reducing a great misfortune to a small misfortune and a small misfortune to no misfortune at all.
Regarding the intervention by the Chukyoin:
They banned the name given by Tsukihi.What do you think of this regret of Mine?
Know that in truth the anger and regret of Tsukihi are not small matters.
Thus, out of the parental love and desire to open the way of single-hearted salvation quickly, God the Parent expresses severe impatience which allows no delay.
Wearing the red clothes to clarify the truth that She was the Shrine of Tsukihi, Oyasama bestowed the Sazuke on four followers.
First, I bestow the Grant of Breath to Nakata. Second, the Grant of Boiled Rice to Matsuo. Third, the Grant of Hand Dance to Tsuji, which is to be performed with an innocent heart like that of a three-year-old child. Fourth, the Grant of the Kanrodai-Teodori to Masui, which is to be performed in one accord, all firmly united.
In the Ofudesaki:
From now on, I shall save you from any pains, sufferings, or tumors by the Breath and the Hand Dance.
Though you have never known such salvation until now, from now on, try it and see!
No matter how serious the illness may be, I shall save you by the truth of Breath.
God the Parent taught that through the Sazuke, God will manifest free and unlimited workings, cut the root of illness at the depth of the mind, and accomplish the marvelous true salvation which has never existed before. This was the beginning of the bestowal of the Sazuke to save those suffering from illness. Further:
Fifth, be careful in your everyday speech. Sixth, never use cruel words. Seventh, help one another in everything. Eighth, maintain strict discipline at the Residence. Ninth, remain here for ever and ever. Tenth, strive in ways that will bring peace.
Thus, using the form of a counting song, Oyasama instructed the people who served at the Residence in the proper way of using their minds.
In that year, 1874, Yahei Nishiura of Sonowara Village, Yamato Province; Tokichi Izumita of Osaka; and Rin Masui of Kawachi Province began to follow the path.
Note
- ↑ The Meiji Government established the Daikyoin in Tokyo as the central organ to control Shinto and Buddhist activities. Chukyoin is its branch organ established in each prefecture.
