Ofudesaki Part 01

Ofudesaki
Author: Miki Nakayama Date Published: 1998 Pages: 486 (English ed.) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 unnumbered set

Ofudesaki Part 01 presents the cover page inscription, an outline, and summary of the 1st part of the Ofudesaki. Ofudesaki Part 1 was written in the first lunar month of 1869.

Cover inscription

Part 1	dai ichi gō	第壹号
From the 1st month in the 2nd year of Meiji, the year of the Serpent	Meiji ni mi no toshi shōgatsu yori	明治貳巳年正月従
An old woman of 72 years	nanajū ni sai rōjo	七十貳才老女

Thoughts on a Thematic Outline of the Ofudesaki

This outline is based on what appears in Thoughts on a Thematic Outline of the Ofudesaki by the second Shinbashira Shozen Nakayama.

Part 1: Introduction

1. Definition of the Ofudesaki 21, 22, 23
2. Introduction (compare with the “Eight Verses of the Yorozuyo” of the Mikagura-uta, The Songs for the Service) 1–8, 9, 55, 56, 57
3. The Service; the blessings that it calls forth 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19–20
4. Illness, dust, and replacing the mind (taught through the analogy of “matters within”) 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41–4, 51, 52, 53, 54
5. The process of seeking the path (using “path” as a metaphor) 45, 46, 47–9, 50
6. Arrangements for settling matters within 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74

Part summary by Yoshitaro Ueda (2008)

From Michi no dai: Foundation of the Path 32:37 (Delivered on January 28, 2008 at Seminar for Chairwomen of Directly Supervised Chapters and Diocese Chapters)

At the outset, the Ofudesaki speaks of God’s intention in founding the Teaching and thus tells us the reason why the Teaching was founded. The Ofudesaki declares that God will teach the original cause of all things, make the minds of all people spirited, and hasten the salvation of all humankind. As the fundamental means of salvation, God will teach the Service. When all performers assemble and spiritedly perform the Service, God will also be spirited. When God is spirited, ever greater blessings will appear. In this way, the Scripture tells us the significance of the Service.

The Ofudesaki goes on to say that this world is one that is constructed on reason and that God will enlighten us with the tip of the writing brush, i.e., with the reason in verse. Using Shuji’s leg ailment and marriage as topics, the Ofudesaki then urges that the Residence be swept clean. Included in this portion of the Scripture are instructions on how to ponder over illness, as well as teachings that use metaphors such as the path and dust.