Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-3
| 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 8-3 presents a portion of the contents of Chapter Eight from The Life of Oyasama as published by Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. The title of the chapter is "Parental Love."
Unlike earlier chapters, Chapter Eight offers little information on Oyasama's life. It mainly functions as a summary of the Ofudesaki.
The content below is equivalent to pages 131 to 137 of the print edition.
Note: The print edition of has been split into seven sections on this wiki due to length of text. The chapter is split as follows:
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-1 (pp. 121–124)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-2 (pp. 124–131)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-3 (pp. 132–137)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-4 (pp. 137–146)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-5 (pp. 146–157)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-6 (pp. 157–165)
- Life of Oyasama Chapter 8-7 (pp. 165–169)
Contents
Text
Part three
In part three of the Ofudesaki:
Truly, the hastening in the mind of God is to put in the central pillar quickly.
Though I desire to put in the pillar quickly, I cannot find where to put it because of the muddy water.
Arrange to clear this water quickly. Purify it by using a filter and sand.
Do not wonder where this filter can be found. Your heart and mouth are the sand and filter.
If you quickly understand this talk, I shall put in the central pillar at once.
If only the pillar is firmly established, the whole world will truly settle.
Thus, in connection with the urgency for the completion of the Service, God the Parent hastens preparations for the Kanrodai, which is to be the center of its performance.
Sweeping the innermost heart of everyone in the world, God is hastening to show the central pillar.
Throughout the world, God is the broom for the sweeping of the innermost heart. Watch carefully.
While hastening preparations for the Kanrodai, God the Parent reveals here that, at the same time, it is desired that the Shinbashira, who is to be the center of the faith, be installed. In order that this may be accomplished, human beings are urged to replace their minds, using God the Parent as the broom to sweep away their dusts. Thus, God urges us to introspect and to bring our minds into accord with the will of God the Parent.
On the eleventh, the nine will be gone and hardship forgotten. I await the twenty-sixth of the first month.
By that time, the core will be settled and greed forgotten. Let all performers assemble and prepare for the Service.
Here, God the Parent strongly urges people toward spiritual growth, foretelling the day when Oyasama will open the portals of the Shrine and step out into the world to effect salvation. Therefore, all performers of the Service must come together and prepare for the Service quickly before that day comes.
Day after day, the mind of God hastens to show you free and unlimited workings quickly.
From now on, the performers will assemble and do the Service. This will truly settle Nihon.
Since My aim is truly single-hearted salvation, there is nothing at all for you to fear.
Since God the Parent desires that the free and unlimited workings appear as soon as possible, performers of the Service, make ready to commence. Peace will assuredly come to the world by the performance of the Service. Since salvation is the true purpose of the Service, do not fear any persecution or interference whatsoever, God encourages.
Part four
In part four of the Ofudesaki:
How delightful it will be! So many people will assemble, coming to ask for the gifts of heaven.
Day by day, disorders will befall you, and you will come again. But no one knows how impatiently God waits.
Step by step, the performers of the Service will all assemble. Taking this as a sign, I shall begin all My workings.
God the Parent expresses the joy that, soon, a great number of people will come, seeking the gifts of heaven, and that, as soon as the performers of the Service have assembled, God will begin the Service.
If the hand movements of the Joyous Service are learned day by day, how delighted God will be.
I impatiently await the performers of the Service to gather quickly. What are you close to Me thinking?
God the Parent looks forward to that day with such great hope, so those close to God must become one with the parental heart and quickly prepare for the performance of the Service.
Again, I impatiently await the coming Joyous Service. What it is, is the Kagura Service.
The Kagura Service is indeed the Joyous Service for which God the Parent eagerly waits.
Truly be spirited and ponder. Then lean on God and do the Joyous Service.
God teaches us to trust single-heartedly in God the Parent and strive to perform the Joyous Service spiritedly.
From now on, step by step, I shall teach you the Service unknown since this world began and train you in its hand movements.
This Service is the path of salvation for the entire world. I shall enable even a mute to speak.
Be firm day after day, you performers of the Service! Calm your minds and learn the hand movements quickly!
What do you think this Service is about? It is solely to bring peace to the world and salvation to all.
When this path is clearly seen, the root of illness will be cut off entirely.
This Service has never existed since the beginning of this world. It is the fundamental means to world salvation. Service performers should quickly learn the hand movements, for when the Service comes to be performed correctly, peace will come to this world and the root of illness will be severed.
Part five
In part five:
This time, by all means, I shall sweep clean your innermost heart. Be forewarned!
The reason for this sweeping of your innermost heart is that the intent of God is deep.
Unless the sweeping is thoroughly accomplished, you will not understand the truth of My heart.
When you have truly come to understand My mind, I shall teach you the hand movements of the beginning of this world.
God hastens to sweep the hearts of all humankind. When the sweeping is completed and God ascertains our minds' sincerity, then the hand movements which lead to the coming of a joyous world will be taught.
Part six
In the beginning of part six:
What do you think this path is? It is the true path that will settle this world.
When the distinction between fire and water in the high places is made, joyousness will settle of its own accord.
Know that the distinction between fire and water will be made by the performance of the Joyous Service at this place.
I shall do marvelous things, the same as My beginning of this world.
I shall begin a Service which has never existed since I began this world, and assuredly settle the world.
This path is the only path that will bring about a true settling of this world. When the providences of fire and water operate in harmony, each in its respective field, a peaceful world brimming with joy will come into being. Desiring to realize such peace, God the Parent will carry out the Joyous Service at this place, the Jiba of Origin, and will manifest the Joyous Life by divine workings just as in the creation of human beings and the world.
