Osashizu 1898-10

Translated entries from the Osashizu.

26

October 26, 1898

On the toothache of Yasumatsu Masui:

Sah, sah, regarding the matter you are inquiring about, whatever matter it is, you cannot understand unless you inquire. In the past, at one time or another, I told you that you did well to inquire. When a matter settles, a bodily disorder settles. The truth about old matters allows for delight even for a day. This is one thing, but there is another thing. You may say it is unbearable. This one matter at this time, this latter matter, is to do with a child. It is becoming a matter of concern, and you do not know whether it is a matter within or a matter for the path. You inquire. I teach in a way that you can understand. You can understand the truth about both. Listen carefully and understand. I shall teach you through a long talk. All of you should each think about and ponder over the day-to-day path of order you have followed over the years. Setting out the truth of the Women’s Association, I have begun the matter of the Women’s Association. Concerning this, if you each reflect a little, you will remember worrying at one point about what would happen. What one says is a path of problems can lead to delight. Saying that an illness can lead to great peace of mind, you have followed a long path, enduring long periods of suffering. Over the long years, there were days when you suffered greatly from illness, saying, “I’m still not better and I don’t know what is going to happen.” If you spend each day based on the Directions, you will come to see that you have been enabled to use the body without difficulties. About those who go forth to serve as intermediaries day by day, things may happen to them at one time or another and they may come down with an illness. There is an order in the Directions. Check to see how many among the intermediaries this truth applies to, and settle in your minds the truth of admiration. Remember how the path was begun. I make no discrimination between men and women. I began the path based on the one foundation. You do not understand this truth at all. In the first generation, Oyasama, who began this path, was a woman; subsequently, the Seki is a man. Is there or is there not any discrimination between men and women? This truth of the order of things means that among those who serve as intermediaries day after day, as well, there is no discrimination between men and women. As for those who enter the path today or will enter tomorrow, you cannot tell them to do this or that. In this path, it will not help to fail to settle the truth in oneself. People cannot enter the path by forcing themselves in, nor can you bring them in just because you want to. There is no truth of discrimination. Everything depends on how one takes it or hears it. With the matter at this time, it may be hard to understand. So long as each of you says, “It is so,” it will become so, and no one else will disagree. Listen really carefully and understand. If the one truth still does not settle in your mind, inquire again. If you truly become convinced that this is so and implement things in that way, then everyone else will align their minds with you. If you have followed the path for a long time, you need to discuss things starting with these matters while conveying the teachings day after day. When you discuss things, you need to say this or that. If you each take it upon yourself to do things, no one will say, “That will not do.” Those in a higher position must nurture those in a lower position. Those who entered the path even a day before someone else need to nurture that person; without this truth of nurturing, they will let the teachings go in one ear and out the other. If there is a misunderstanding, nurturing must be done. About misunderstandings, you must from now listen to and grasp the clear order. Those in higher positions need to bring themselves together and listen to and grasp this.