Tenrikyo Pearl Church Serving the community in spirited Hinokishin.

One Man's Spiritual Journey

Thank you all for joining your hearts and minds in performing the August Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl church. I believe that when we perform the Service spiritedly and in unity, as we have today, God the Parent and Oyasama are truly satisfied with our efforts.

How One Man’s Spiritual Journey Led Him to Find Meaning in the Service

This Service, the Tenrikyo Service is long. You might think, “why is it so long?” I thought the same too. In the Doctrine of Tenrikyo, Chapter Two, it says, “…moving hands in unison to the song and in harmony with the music of the nine instruments. Through this we can sever the root of illness and purify our minds; then the world will be restored to joyousness.

Our monthly service is only once a month. We can thank God the Parent for all the good health and being safe in peace. Through this service one’s life can be renewed.

Today, we would like to explore the significance of the Service as the fundamental way to salvation by sharing a minister’s spiritual journey that led him to become a head minister of a church in California.

Rev. Marlon Okazaki hated it when people told him that he was the next successor to his dad’s church since childhood. However, in his college years, he came to respect his dad’s work as a minister working for society and the world.

After graduating from college, he worked for Sony Headquarters in Tokyo for four years and left to pursue a spiritual life entering the three-month Spiritual Development Course, the Minister Qualification Course and did hinokishin at the Translation Section of the Overseas Department and published the Service Hand Dance Guidebook in English which is still in use today. He also served as young volunteer at his upper church, Honjima Grand Church and did missionary work in Japan.

It was during his time at the Overseas Department that was a turning point in his quest to find meaning in the Tenrikyo service. I shall quote from his sermon given at his grand church:

I was attending a post-reception party of a friend from the Overseas Department, and began to talk with a good-looking young man seated next to me.

He was a church minister, and I was still confused about whether I should become a church minister. I said arrogantly, "I don't know if I should become a church minister. Besides, I really don't know why we perform the Service, or what positive effect it has? For example, when the Service is performed at the Church Headquarters, there are people who worship within the main sanctuary, in the inner courtyard, or talk throughout the service as they worship, worship from the followers dormitory, or worship from America. Is there really a difference in the effect? Is there more effect if we sing in harmony? If we don't, is it decreased? Is there a difference if you understand the Mikagura-Uta or not? I don't understand it at all." It was really an arrogant diatribe (criticism). And embarrassingly enough, I had just completed the Spiritual Development Course and the Head Ministers' Qualification Course.

This young minister, I have since forgotten his name—to my dismay—told me something that, more than anything else I have learned about the Service, helps me as a church minister.

He said, "Please look at my face.” As I did, I saw, as I have stated before, a handsome face. He said again, "Please look at my face carefully." So, as I looked at him, I saw scars from his nose to around his eyes to his forehead. Then, he explained to me.

"Seven years ago, I was in an accident."

He had received a call from one of his church members who had a family shrine. "Reverend, my son has been drinking all day and he's drunk and yelling that he is going to throw away the shrine. Can you please come and help?"

He had to travel a long distance to his follower's home. In the dead of winter, he hurried and caught a train and spent many hours to get to there.

When he arrived, the son was still drunk and nothing was coming of it. His parents said, "Reverend, Reverend," and to that, the son yelled, "Who are you? Great Reverend? Who are you to tell me anything?!"

Although he tried talking, nothing came of it, nothing was resolved and he decided to return home.

The church minister thought, "I don't know why I even came here," and was disappointed for coming such a long way.

When he was about to walk to the station, the son said, "I will take you to the station." Seeing that he was still drunk, the minister turned him down thinking it was dangerous. But the son became angry saying, "You can't accept my offer to drive you to the station?!" He thought that he had no choice but to accept and the mother rode with them to the station.

On their way, the son began to speed along the narrow street and crashed into a telephone pole.

In that instant, the mother, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the car and died instantly. The son was badly injured. And the church minister was thrown from the car, and the right side of his head collapsed from the impact. His hands, legs, neck, spine and head suffered numerous injuries and broken bones. He had internal bleeding. He was taken to the hospital and it was a miracle for him to be even breathing.

Days later, he regained consciousness and the doctor told him, "You're going to be okay. Your life was saved. But you suffered many broken bones and I cannot guarantee that you will walk. And it looks like your right eye flew out at the accident site. The firefighters searched for it, but they couldn't find it, so we were unable to perform surgery for your eye."

This young minister's spirits fell suddenly. "I only tried to help them and now look at me. How could this have happened?" he thought. Without saying anything further, I think you can all understand what he was feeling.

He might not be able to work. He might be invalid all his life. He was only thirty years old. He had lost his right eye. He might never get married. All these thoughts ran through his head. He had hit rock bottom―He could sink no lower.

He received administration of the Sazuke from his grand church minister, family and friends, hundreds of times, but not once did he feel joy or any emotion.

Many weeks passed and his face slowly began to heal. His eye socket began to swell up. A few days later, the eye that was supposedly lost, emerged from the back of his head--A true miracle, indeed. Actually, at the time of the collision, due to the impact, the eyeball was pushed back and hidden somewhere in his head.

The minister could now see out of the eye that he had thought was gone and was now filled with gratitude to God the Parent and his spirits were lifted again. One year later, he was able to walk on his own. Many years later, he was able to walk normally. His face, which was disfigured before, became handsome once more. He married and welcomed a cute child, and lived a happy life as a church minister.

Lastly, he said to me, "Marlon, this is the blessing of the Service (Pointing to his face). The blessings of ‘Big problem, small problem; Small problem, no problem.’ This is why we perform the Service."

I could not stop my tears upon hearing this. Despite my arrogant attitude, I was able to hear this precious story from this great man. Before God the Parent, before this man, I was embarrassed. From then on, my attitude toward the Service forever changed.

I would like to share an excerpt from Mrs. Nakao’s sermon given at the mission headquarters in 2001, she said:

A few months ago (May 2001) in the Island Life section of the Sunday, Honolulu Advertiser, there was an article about UH professor Mitsuo Aoki. He is long time religion professor Aoki who taught for 40 years at UH Manoa campus.

What interested me in the article was the sentence: “The ‘cosmic dancer,’ he calls himself, and University of Hawaii students in religion classes over the years have been astonished as he leapt on top of his desk and danced.”

The philosopher, “Nietzsche (NEE’ che), said, ‘until you have learned to dance, you have not understood God,’” says Professor Aoki, “So dancing is a form of transcending limits.”

His words are quietly intense. It’s the same intensity with which he has lived life.

“Dancing is a form of transcending limits,” says Professor Aoki, which is beyond human power and we can receive God’s omnipotent workings.

This sounds something very familiar to our “teodori,” which we have just performed.

In our faith, Oyasama taught us the teodori (or Hand Dance). For three full years following 1867, Oyasama devoted Her time to adapting melodies and dance movements to the songs and teaching them.

She said, “These are the songs of truth. So you must dance to the truth. You should not just dance. You must dance the truth.”

Further, She gave instruction in the Truth of the performance of the Service.

“Hands that are limp in the performance of the service betray a mind that is undisciplined. Also, it will not do to make even a single mistake in the manner of moving your hands. Through this Service, one’s life can be renewed. So important is this Service.”

In the Ofudesaki (Divine Revelations) we read:

What do you think this Service is about? It is solely

to bring peace to the world and salvation to all. IV: 93

Day by day, hasten to begin the Service. You will

escape any danger whatever. X: 19

Announcements

1. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer. Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals. Proceeds will help pay for paint equipment and supplies for our church painting. We have tentatively set our church exterior painting from September 22-October 2. If you happen to be available during that time, please join us in this important church hinokishin.

2. We would like to encourage people to attend monthly service practice held on the Thursday night prior to the monthly service at 7pm. Next month it will be on July 8 at 7pm. Please join us so that we may give our best effort in performing the monthly service.

3. This month is the month for the annual Tenrikyo Bazaar to be held on Sunday, August 29^th from 8:30 – 2:30. We would like to again ask for everyone’s support in purchasing bazaar scrips and BBQ chicken and in Bazaar hinokishin.

4. Also on Labor Day, Monday, September 6, the mission headquarters will be conducting the annual All Tenrikyo Nioigake Day from 9am – 11am at Stadium Park.



The Gulf Spill

Thank you all for joining your hearts and minds in performing the July Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl church. I believe that when we perform the Service spiritedly and in unity, as we have today, God the Parent and Oyasama are truly satisfied with our efforts.

What is the Message Behind the Gulf Oil Spill?

As all of you know we are experiencing an ongoing oil well leak in the Gulf of Mexico that is turning into a giant ecological disaster. We hear it in the news every day, how wildlife such as birds, turtles and fish are killed by this massive pollution. Also how peoples livelihoods are being affected, by jobs that have been discontinued and companies going out of business, such as in fishing and tourism. There are also reports of underwater oil plumes that are depleting the oxygen in the water killing fish and other deep sea animals.

The news agencies also report that people are very angry. They are angry at the oil company British Petroleum for not taking safety precaution, they are angry at the government for not enforcing or making stricter safety regulations and they are angry that BP and the government is not doing enough to stop the oil leak and not doing enough to clean up the oil mess or to prevent the oil from reaching the shores. So everybody ends up playing the blame game.

While the investigation into the cause of the disaster, the final capping of the leak and cleanup will take months if not years, the fact remains that this is a big problem and it could happen again, if we don’t take steps to prevent it.

Here in Hawaii, we don’t feel the effects of the gulf oil spill at least not yet, perhaps the long term effect might be felt in increased gas prices and higher electricity costs. The tendency might be to think that it doesn’t concern us, but we all live on the same planet and we all must take steps to help solve this problem.

In the Ofudesaki we read:

The thought that all is well if the present is well for the self

alone, is entirely mistaken. III: 33

In the case of illness and personal problems, we as Tenrikyo followers must reflect on the way we use our mind on a daily basis, realize God’s message, and to take steps that will be in accord with the intentions of God the Parent.

What is God’s message in this Gulf Oil Spill?

On the internet, I found a several websites which addressed this question: One website http://www.prayerforce.org/prayerblog/2010/06/04/spiritual-approach-to-bp-oil-spill-part-3/ instructed its readers to “envision all that oil spewing out as love,” that the oil represents “God’s love,” and that “everything is God.”

It continues: “Affirm it is love. See it as love. Make it beautiful. What you are telling God is that you want God to transform that oil, and this situation into something beautiful. Two or five or ten or twenty years from now the repercussions from this spill may have transformed how we produce energy.

The Gulf could be a paradise without oil wells, Energy companies and environmentalists may be working together for the highest good. We may all be more engaged and empowered.

Another website (http://indianinthemachine.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/what-is-the-spiritual-meaning-of-the-oil-spill-that-is-occurring-in-may-2010-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/) said that this is “wake up call”… that we should wake up and realize that we should stop damaging the environment.

Another website called ezinearticles.com gave an answer I thought is in more line with the Tenrikyo teachings. It says:

One cannot hold just the owners or managers of the rig to blame. One must hold the entire human race and culture to blame in which the Earths' needs have not been given the highest priority. Such an imbalance has set man's greed as the highest priority, and the needs of the Earth as a much lower level priority.

Out of the pain that this tragedy is causing to the Earth, a steadier movement shall grow toward balance and respect for the Earth that has not yet taken place.

When the Earth becomes part of one's self, then, and only then, will the correct balance be achieved, and not with the present idea of 'having' and 'getting' being uppermost in people's minds.

All these are interesting and good to consider. In the Tenri (Jiho) weekly newspaper there is an article about the oil spill that I would like to share:

It says that the all things including the oil are blessings of God. The oil provides us with gasoline for our cars, energy to produce electricity and oil byproducts help to make many useful things.

However with many useful things when received in excess, causes problems. It causes us to waste things. It tells us to use things in moderation.

Just seeing the oil spewing out from the well thousands of feet on the ocean floor, with no end in sight… it seems so wasteful not to mention being harmful to the environment. And I cannot help but feel that it’s a reflection of how I’ve have been wasteful in the use of this resource and being wasteful in general, in our daily lives… whether it be using the car instead of walking a short distance or leaving the light on in a room that I’ve already left. The constant oil gushing out is a reflection of my excess and the wasteful way I’ve been using my time like watching TV for a long time. I would like to take this opportunity to “wake up” from my unawareness and take positive steps toward living in moderation and protect the earth. I’m more conscious of how I use my time, more conscious of my use of electricity and try to turn off things while not in use. Try to walk or bike instead of using the car.

As one person, we cannot do big things like end wars and we cannot stop the oil leak. But we can start with ourselves. We can start by changing the way we think about how we use our resources, reduce our greed; reduce the amount of energy we use and reduce the things we buy. And as a church we’ve started using the reusable eco bags for our shopping to reduce the amount of plastic being produced and we recycle our newspaper, cardboard and containers. Please take this opportunity to reflect and join us in taking active steps to curb our excess and make good use of things, cut our energy waste and protect the environment.

In the Osashizu, we read:

I have all sorts of things reflected in the world. There, everything is reflected in the world. The world is a mirror. With each of you, everything is reflected on the body according to your own state of mind. February 4, 1889 (Meiji 22)

Announcements

1. I would like to thank all who helped at the recent Tenrikyo picnic and for joining us in fun and fellowship.

2. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer. Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals. Proceeds will help pay for paint equipment and supplies for our church painting. We have tentatively set our church exterior painting from September 22-October 3. If you happen to be available during that time, please join us in this important church hinokishin.

3. We would like to encourage people to attend monthly service practice held on the Thursday night prior to the monthly service at 7pm. Next month it will be on July 8 at 7pm. Please join us so that we may give our best effort in performing the monthly service.

4. This month is the month of the BGA annual Children’s Pilgrimage so as chairman I will be accompanying a group to Jiba from July 19 through the 30^th.

5. Next month is the annual Tenrikyo Bazaar, we would like to again ask for everyone’s support in purchasing bazaar scrips and BBQ chicken and in Bazaar hinokishin.

6. Please welcome…

The BGA Camp & General Meeting

Thank you all for joining your hearts and minds in performing the June Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl church. I believe that when we perform the Service spiritedly and in unity, as we have today, God the Parent and Oyasama are truly satisfied with our efforts.

This month we celebrate Father’s Day so I would like to wish all the fathers a Happy Father’s Day. Thank you for your love and nurturing.

The BGA Camp & General Meeting is an Important Event for Everyone!

Just a couple weeks ago during the Memorial Day weekend we finished the annual Boy’s and Girl’s Association Spring Camp and 35th General Meeting with over 100 participants including counselors, adult leaders and volunteers. Nineteen were from Pearl Church.

One might think that camping for kids it’s just to have fun. But it’s much more than that. First there’s a lot of detailed planning involved, from making fliers and application to let everyone know about the camp, then we need to gather the equipment and necessary volunteers to help at the camp.

From one week prior, we clean the facility and the YMA setup the canopy tents. From two & one day prior volunteers set up the camping tents. Taeko was in charge of the meals, so she had to make the menu, shop or get food donations. Then she had to schedule volunteers to help prepare the meals and also prepare the kitchen and cooking utensils. So, just the meals preparation alone was a big project.

What’s so special and what’s so different about the BGA Spring Camp from other camps. I believe it’s the teachings and values that we impart on the children. The camp schedule has been refined over the years to include activities, which would foster the teachings and values in the children like the morning and evening services, the Service Performance by the children during the General Meeting at Mission Headquarters, cleaning Hinokishin, reciting the Boy’s and Girl’s Association pledge and sing the BGA Song. The Service and Hinokishin are basic to our faith and they are the first things that are explained to the children. Hinokishin of course is to express our gratitude for being kept alive, by doing something for others, expecting nothing in return.

And throughout the camp they are able to internalize what is being taught by hearing the words and putting it into action. They clean the bathrooms, showers, wipe tables, sweep and vacuum the premises and wash the dishes for the KP Duty. Not only spiritual activities, but we also include fun activities that would instill leadership, teamwork and cooperation in accomplishing the group objective such as the Team Olympics, Adventure Trails, and the campfire program.

Of course it’s not only the schedule and program, but we need capable people involved in running the camp from the camp conductor to adult leaders to counselors to group leaders to group assistant leaders and members of the Young Men’s Association, the Young Women’s Club and the night patrol staff. It’s these people we rely on to set the example to be followed by the children. One of the advantages of having it every year is that the veteran kids and junior leaders know what is expected of them and they become natural teachers and leaders by explaining the different aspects of the camp to the new kids.

This one particular group leader is only thirteen years old, but he had two of the most difficult kids in his group. One displayed unique and “different” behavior, did not hang out with the group and at times displayed irrational behavior. We shall call him child “A” and the other was always teasing other kids and doing things out of the group activity. We’ll call him child “B”. Both child A and B didn’t listen to this group leader on many occasions. Child A lost track of his group during the Adventure Trails game, which probably cost them either a first place finish or higher placing. But I believe it was due to his leader’s many years of coming to the camp, his sense of responsibility, his enthusiasm and assistance from the group counselor, he didn’t lose his patience and he kept focused on what he had to do to keep his group together and cooperating. His group ended up winning “best overall” for their skit during the campfire program. The skits are all based on the theme or a teaching where the kids are able to act out the teachings and put it into some tangible form. It was because of the leader’s persistence and focus, that child A and B in his group were basically compelled to follow the group in the skit and remaining activities; otherwise they would be left out of the fun. Normally the group leader would probably approach me and say that so and so is too difficult to handle or they would become so frustrated they would give up and not have anything to do with the problem member of their group.

The theme of the camp was “Let’s all go to Oyasato (or Parental Home) as One Family.” Since we all can’t go to Oyasato, we focused on helping and cooperating as a family.

I believe that this camping activity and General Meeting is such a big and important salvation work because it has such a big impact on the kids and the future of our community. The kids come from different backgrounds not knowing each other, but by the end of camp, they feel like they are one family! You can see it in their happy faces and how they help out in doing hinokishin.

In my message at the General Meeting, I mentioned about violence in the community, about violent gangs and drug gangs. I said the Boy’s and Girl’s Association is a gang too, but we are the good gang. Instead of drugs and violence, we bring peace and hope to the community! I asked the kids, which gang you want to join … the good gang or the bad gang? Of course, they all yelled out, “the good gang!”

But if we don’t continue this type of activity, the kids have no place to go and nothing to do except possibly and in some cases probably go to the bad gang. So we must be proactive in our work. We cannot be passive and we cannot be inactive. For those of us not involved, I would like to encourage you to join us and support the Boy’s and Girl’s Association activities!

“This Way must be transmitted to children while young. Transmit it then and at that time. It will be ineffective to do so when they are grownup.”

Osashizu, November 16, 1900 (Meiji 33)

Thank you for your kind attention.

Announcements

1. I would like to thank all who helped at the recent BGA Spring Camp and General Meeting held on May 29-31.

2. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer. Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals.

3. We would like to encourage people to attend monthly service practice held on the Thursday night prior to the monthly service at 7pm. Next month it will be on July 8 at 7pm. Please join us so that we may give our best effort in performing the monthly service.

4. We would like to welcome back Chieko and Sadie who returned on June 5. The Women’s Association has set a goal of 300 returnees throughout this year of the 100^th Anniversary so for those of you who have not returned to Jiba this year, I would like to encourage you to return anytime this year or join me in the pilgrimages in July or October.

5. The one-month Hawaii Spiritual Development Course starts on Sunday, June 20 and ends on Friday, July 16, 2010. The deadline is today so please let me know after the service if you plan to attend.

WA 100th Anniversary Jiba Pilgrimage

Thank you all for joining your hearts and minds in performing the May Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl church. I believe that when we perform the Service spiritedly and in unity, as we have today, God the Parent and Oyasama are truly satisfied with our efforts.

Today is Mother’s Day so I would like to wish all the mothers a Happy Mother’s Day and also to Oyasama who has the soul of the first mother of all human beings. Thank you for your love and nurturing. For those of you who, for some reason, never had a mother or never had a mother’s love and nurturing, please read the Life of Oyasama so that you may feel and come to know of Oyasama’s love for you.

Women’s Association 100^th Anniversary Jiba Pilgrimage

On April 19^th, the Women’s Association conducted their General Meeting and commemorated their 100^th Anniversary in Jiba. 170 people from the Hawaii congregation attended the event. From Pearl Church, 7 members, including two infants returned to Jiba plus 7 members who live in Japan for a total of 14 members attended the Oyasama Birthday Service on April 18 and the Women’s Association General Meeting.

To prepare for this day, we asked all Women’s Association members to make a small daily donation to give ours thanks to God the Parent for our daily blessings. It is not that God will bless us big if we make a big donation or grant us a small blessing if we make a small donation. But rather God looks at the sincerity of our mind.

I would like to share an Anecdote of Oyasama #7 “Offering with a Sincere Heart”:

At the end of the year, a follower brought some small, beautifully made rice cakes in the finest of boxes and said, “Please, offer this to Oyasama.” When given to Oyasama, She only said, “Oh, is that so?”

About two or three days later another follower came and brought some rice cakes on a plain kerchief. When brought to Oyasama, She said, “Please offer it to God the Parent at once,” and seemed very pleased.

Later it became known that the follower who had brought the finely made cakes were well to do and as there was some left over, they took them to the Residence as an afterthought. The follower, who came later, was from a poor family and wanted to offer the first freshly made rice cakes to God. Oyasama was able to perceive the minds of the two followers and accepted their offerings accordingly.

In our daily offering of gratitude, it is not the size of the offering, but the sincerity of your mind that God accepts.

For Pearl Church during these three years, we brought your sincere contributions to God, two or three times, and all of it was donated to our upper church: Tengen Church: a total of $360 was collected. Thank you very much for your sincere offerings to God the Parent.

The Tenrikyo WA was established 100 years ago, at the same time the 1^st Shinbashira established Yotokuin Orphanage for children who had no parents or had parents who would not take care of them. He wanted to bring up the children in a warm family environment. His policy was, “To followers of this Path, please raise children of other families as well as your own.

In the ten providences of God, for women, Izanami-no-Mikoto has the role of the seed plot. The seed plot is the place where the seed is sowed, raised and protected. When it grows bigger, it is then transplanted in the field and eventually it will grow to bear fruit and be harvested. In the same way for human beings, when the new life starts in a mother’s womb, where it is nurtured and protected with warmth and nutrition, it’s just like a seed plot. The woman has the role to raise and nurture a newly born baby with a warm mind to care about others with love and gentleness. Each and everyone’s peaceful mind will bring about a warm family and peaceful world. However, it is not always easy to maintain a calm mind. Even in our family and with our neighbor, there are conflicts; between family members, with our neighbors and co workers. Sometimes we feel that we’re not doing anything wrong, and we may think we’re doing something good. But later we find out that people are against what we are doing.

Everyone knows the Dalai Lama who is a Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader who is being persecuted by the Chinese government is presently exiled in India. However, he says that when those people torture and oppress the people I reflect and remind myself to be patient and to forgive. It’s time for me to practice forgiveness, tolerance and open-mindedness. It is my time for training. Whoever criticizes me, is my master and it’s a really gracious moment and I’ve come to appreciate that they are my masters and I accept it as a thankful human being.

Most of you know that the late Pope John Paul the XVI was shot and later recovered. He forgave the shooter and practiced the Christian teaching, “Love thy enemy.” These two religious leaders practiced their conviction to accept those people who criticize and attack them.

In the life of the Foundress of Tenrikyo, around 1883, Tenrikyo was rapidly growing. During this time, the police arrested Oyasama 17 or 18 times. Oyasama was a gentle person and offered breakfast once to the police who would came to arrest Her. She always set out cheerfully when taken to the police station. And she was always kind and talked to the authorities in a gentle manner even though the police was rough and strict to Her. During the coldest winter in 30 years, the cold wind blew into the jail with Oyasama sitting Japanese style with Her back straight on the cold wooden floor. During the 12 days detention, She took only luke warm water.

When She was released from prison or police station, many of those who were save by Oyasama, came to greet Her and pay their respects. The people followed Her in rickshaws, several hundred, lining up the road from Nara to Jiba, based on historical records.

The first Women’s Association General Meeting was held in 1910 and attended by 8,000 people.
The 50^th Anniversary in 1960 was attended by 28,000 people.
The 70^th Anniversary, 1980, 60,000 people attended.
The 80^th Anniversary, about 100,000 people attended.
In 2000, just over 100,000 people attended the 90^th Anniversary.
This year for the 100^th Anniversary, 120,000 people returned to Jiba.

Thank you all for returning to Jiba. The Hawaii chapter chairperson, Mrs. Hamada, wanted to say thank you to all the people at Pearl Church who returned to Jiba. On behalf of Mrs. Hamada, I wish to give her thanks. Let’s continue to cleanse our minds and sweep away our mental dust. Let us become persons who can find joy in whatever our circumstances.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Announcements

1. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer. Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals.

2. We would like to encourage people to attend monthly service practice held on the Thursday night prior to the monthly service at 7pm. Next month it will be on June 10 at 7pm. Please join us so that we may give our best effort in performing the monthly service.

3. We would like to welcome back those who returned to Jiba during this past Women’s Association 100^th Anniversary General Meeting. A total of 14 people from Pearl Church returned to Jiba. I would like to thank everyone for your support in making our participation a success. The Women’s Association has set a goal of 300 returnees throughout this year of the 100^th Anniversary so for those of you who have not returned to Jiba this year, I would like to encourage you to return anytime this year or join me in the pilgrimages in July or October.

4. The BGA Oyasama birthday activity was held with 8 participants from Pearl Church on Oyasama’s birthday, Sunday, April 18, at MHQ.

5. The All Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day was held on Saturday, May 1^st at Honolulu Zoo with 49 participants from Pearl Church which was 6 less than last year but still the most from one church.

6. Just a reminder that this year’s BGA camp will be held in May, the Memorial Day weekend, instead of in March due to schedule conflict with MHQ activities. The deadline for the early registration discount is next Sunday, May 16, so please submit your applications asap.

Sermon by Moses Nakao

Sermon by Moses Nakao

Thank you all for joining your hearts and minds in performing the April Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl church.  I believe that when we perform the Service spiritedly and in unity, as we have today, God the Parent and Oyasama are truly satisfied with our efforts.  

I was asked by Rev. Owen to give a speech for our monthly service this month, and I wish to thank him for this opportunity to reflect on my faith at this present time.  If I may, I would like to share my experiences on how my faith in Tenrikyo has helped me to overcome situations in life.   

Just last year, my wife and I completed our 2-year term of service at the Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters of Hawaii.  During our time there we had our share of high points, as well as, some low points as well.   

I worked in the Mission Headquarters Office, while Chieko assisted with household duties in the kitchen.  We were part of the live-in staff, in other words, we lived and worked at the same place.  There was a strict daily schedule that we needed to follow, as well as many rules which restricted our freedom to do things which we may consider minor now, but a big deal then.   

During our time there, the staff members from Japan were coming to an end in their term and a new set of staff members were schedule to arrive.  Within the new groups of staff, there was one particular young man, who acted like he didn’t want to be there.  Perhaps he felt he had made a mistake in coming to Hawaii and it showed in his actions.   

He would purposely do things the wrong way, not show any initiative, and would not wake up in time for the start of the day.  This frustrated me very much, as I was the one to train him, and his actions affected everyone in the staff.   

Each day, I would wonder why he was being uncooperative and my anger toward him grew each day.  I would consult the other staff members, but no one had a solution, or suggestion as to how to make him change.  Many times, I was so frustrated and angry, that I wanted to take a bat and beat this guy up.  I often visualized in my mind how I would beat him up and constantly replayed it in my mind.   

Every time I thought about beating him up, I could see myself being arrested by the police while my wife and daughter looked on.  I could not bear to think of being taken away from my family, and my “psycho” thoughts would soon disappear.  However, I still needed to deal with the delinquent staff member, as we live and work together everyday!   

I would often complain to my wife that I was frustrated and angry and didn’t know how to deal with this guy anymore.  All we could conclude from our conversations was that we couldn’t change him and that he would have to change on his own.  It came to the point when I thought, “Why is this guy bothering me so much?  Why is it that I am getting so angry?”  

I prayed.  I prayed for him during our morning and evening services.  I found myself praying every time I started to get angry again.  However, it was to no avail.   

One day, as I was doing the service, a thought popped into my mind.  Before I began my term at Mission Headquarters, I asked a friend of mine for some advice, and he said, “Never worry about what others are doing, but focus on what YOU are doing for God and for the church, that is what’s most important.”

I began to think about what he said and then thought about my purpose of being there and having to deal with this “problem”.  I soon realized that this was a lesson from God.   

Before working for Mission Headquarters, I was working for the Tenrikyo Overseas Department, which is located in Tenri, Japan.  I worked for the North America & Oceania Section while commuting from our parent church, Tengen Branch Church.  It was during this time in my life that I planted a few “bad” seeds.  I looked forward to working for the Overseas Department, but did not want to live at Tengen Church. I was persuaded otherwise, and ended up living there for the two years I lived in Japan.   

At first, I would wake up for the morning services and attended the evening services, and assisted with hinokishin throughout the church.  Soon, I grew distant from church activities and was rarely there.  I woke up late, just barely making it to work on time, and returning late. At times, I would not see anyone at Tengen for months.  I did attend the monthly service each month, so I guess you could say that I saw them once a month.  And each month, the head minister would ask me, “How are you doing?!”   

It didn’t faze me at all that I was rarely at Tengen, because I really didn’t want to be there.  However, I was really causing worry and resent with the head minister and other members of the church.   

I soon, realized that just a few years ago, I was just like this young man who had just come from Japan to work at the Mission Headquarters in Hawaii, and that God has brought this person into my life for me to experience the hardships that I caused during my time in Japan.   

I had to face it.  I had to deal with it and I had to accept this situation as my own.  Again, I prayed, asking God for guidance.  During prayer, I was able to realize that I cannot make someone change, but the only thing I can do, is to make myself change.  I resolved to focus on my friend’s advice, “Never worry about what others are doing, but focus on what YOU are doing for God and for the church, that is what’s most important.”

By doing this, I was able to overcome my negative feelings for this person.  I realized that this was truly a lesson from God the Parent and was very grateful to God the Parent.  In Tenrikyo, we called this our “innen” or causality.  “In the Doctrine of Tenrikyo, it explains, ‘When our deeds are good, the truth of good will appear.  Conversely, when our deeds are bad, the truth of bad will appear.’  Causality is not confine only to this life.  It will be attached to each soul, which is eternal, and will be carried forward into our future lives.  The teaching of causality is not to be interpreted as a tool to cast blame.  We must not forget that it is taught out of the deep parental love that seeks to lead all of us, God’s children, to the Joyous Life.”  (Quote taken from Yoboku’s Guide to Tenrikyo, pg 66)

Let us continue to utilize the service, which Oyasama has taught us as a means to salvation, for yourself as well as for others.   

Thank you.

Announcements

1. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer.  Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals.
2. We would like to encourage people to attend monthly service practice held on the Thursday night prior to the monthly service at 7pm.  Next month it will be on May 6 at 7pm.  Please join us so that we may give our best effort in performing the monthly service.
3. The Women’s Association 100^th Anniversary Pilgrimage Hawaii group will be departing this Friday with 4 + 1inf attending from Pearl Church.  Including people from Italy and people living there, a total of 12 will be participating.  We wish them a fun and meaningful pilgrimage and a safe return.
4. The BGA Oyasama birthday activity will be exact on Oyasama’s birthday, Sunday, April 18, at MHQ from 9:30a.m.
5. The all Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day will be on Saturday, May 1^st at Honolulu Zoo and again we will be chartering a bus from Palolo pool.  Since 55 people went last year, our goal this year will be 75.
6. Just a reminder that this year’s BGA camp will be held in May, the Memorial Day weekend, instead of in March due to schedule conflict with MHQ activities.
7. Lewis is enrolled at the Tenri Language Institute to learn Japanese for one year and Lucas has returned to Jiba to attend the one-year Oyasato Fusekomi Course.
8. Please welcome Vasana’s friend “Rhonda”.

Importance of the Service by Carl Nakao

Good morning. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the March Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings. I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits!

Importance of the Service by Carl Nakao – Revised 3/11/10

As you all know, I was diagnosed with colon cancer a few years ago. It's already been three years this month since the surgery. The date is easy for me to remember because that was the year Karen turned 50 and it was during March Madness. There was college basketball everyday on TV while I was in the hospital.

The cancer and experience was such a blessing. We hear all the time, how everything works out of for the best. In Tenrikyo we've learned that, "fushi kara me ga deru - from a knot bud sprouts." It's funny how everything does work out. How something new will come out of a hardship. I guess that's why in Tenrikyo they always say in time of illness or hardship, "goshugo o moraimashita - I received a blessing." It's a chance to grow.

The support I received from the start has been incredible. Although I did have a lot a vacation time to use, my office instead placed me on medical leave with full pay. My boss even went to some of my meetings and he didn't even know what to do!

At the hospital, there was a floor supervisor who I became acquainted with through my job many years ago. Although we hadn't talked in years, she recognized my name and upgraded me to a large room, which turned out great when family came to visit. Pastor Owen would visit everyday to administer the sazuke.

In the years prior to the diagnosis, I've strayed a little from the path. Coming to the monthly service maybe once or twice a year. But at least I would mail in my monthly offering. Since God The Parent's blessing, I think I've might've missed only one or maybe not even one monthly service. Karen and I had planned on going to Vegas that year for her 50th Birthday class reunion, but she sacrificed her trip as I was going through Chemo therapy at the time. Instead, because of God's blessing, I was able to return to the Jiba that year after about 15 years since my previous trip to Jiba.

God the Parent has lead me back to the path, I believe to live a happier life through religion. I've known about the otsume - the morning and evening services as being one of the most important or if not the most important teaching in Tenrikyo. My Dad would always yell at me to do the evening service - "ostutome shinasai!" instead of watching the "shomonai bangumi" or stupid show - Gilligan's Island. So I knew that it was important but I really didn't understand until recently.

"Ashiki o harote tasuke tamae Tenri-O-No-Mikoto. Sweeping away negativity, please save us, Tenri-O-No-Mikoto." I thought I knew the meaning and translation of this but again really I didn't. If I recall correctly, the original Honbu headquarters' translation was "sweep away all evils." Like a ghost or the devil or something right? Of course not, it's more like bad energy or thoughts in our minds. "Ashiki" is our mental dust. None of us are perfect. We'll accumulate mental dust daily - some us more than others. We're taught that we must sweep away our mental dust daily before it becomes too cloudy, otherwise we'll be sure to receive a blessing or a sign to lead us back to the path. We wouldn't want to receive a blessing or sign would we? Now, when I do the service, instead of just singing the words, keeping count and daydreaming, I'll literally ask god to sweep away my mental dust and bad thoughts. Believe me, I sure have a lot of them. As they say, hokoridarake - very dusty.

Among all humankind, there is no one who is evil.

It is only a bit of dust stuck on.

Ofudesaki I: 53

If only the dust are cleanly swept away,

Then I shall work marvelous salvation.

Ofudesaki III: 98

"Just a word, listen to what God says. I never tell you anything wrong. Representing heaven and earth, I have created husband and wife. This is the beginning of the world." This is a much condensed version of the truth of origin, one of the cornerstones of the teachings.

"Sweeping away negativity, hasten to save us. All humankind equally purified. The Kanrodai."

Again, we’re asking God to sweep away our mental dust and bad thoughts, but this time with the goal of world salvation and a reference to the birthplace of humankind.

I now truly believe that the service is the most important teaching in Tenrikyo. It refers to mental dusts, the truth of origin and world salvation. All cornerstones of Tenrikyo. Much more important than watching Gilligan's Island.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Announcements

1. I would like to thank everyone for your hinokishin at the All TCC Hinokishin Day at the Tenri Cultural Center on February 15^th, last month.

2. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer. Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals.

3. This past Thursday, we held our first service practice this year with 13 people, and we would like to continue every month on the Thursday night prior to the monthly service at 7pm. Please join us so that we may give our best effort in performing the monthly service.

4. The Women’s Association 100^th Anniversary Pilgrimage will be held next month with 6 + 2inf attending from Pearl Church. If anyone still wants to join this group, please let us know as soon as possible.

5. The BGA Oyasama birthday activity will be exact on Oyasama’s birthday, Sunday, April 18, at MHQ from 9:30a.m.

6. The all Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day will be on Saturday, May 1^st at Honolulu Zoo and again we will be chartering a bus from Palolo pool. Since 55 people went last year, our goal this year will be 75.

7. Just a reminder that this year’s BGA camp will be held in May, the Memorial Day weekend, instead of in March due to schedule conflict with MHQ activities.

8. We would like to welcome Lucas Nakao back from TLI and wish him the best when he goes back for the Oyasato Fusekomi Course and also Lewis Nakao as he departs for the TLI Japanese Language course.

The Importance of Jiba Pilgrimage

The Soul is Eternal

Good morning. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the January Grand Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings. I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits!

THE SOUL IS ETERNAL

As most you know the January Grand Service commemorates Oyasama’s withdrawal from physical life on January 26, 1887. This would be the 124^th Anniversary. For us human beings our souls are reborn into a new body. For Oyasama, we believe that She is “ever-living” working day and night for world salvation. In the Life of Oyasama p. 255 we read:

“Sah, sah, I am still living here. I have not gone anywhere. Ponder over the path of daily life and see My workings.” Osashizu, March 17, 1890

Our bodies are borrowed from God and our mind alone is ours. The place where our soul resides is within our body. When we pass away, the soul is in the bosom of God the Parent. So the soul goes back and forth between God’s bosom and bodily life. So the soul is eternal… it never ceases to exist even though our body passes on. Every soul has a historical record of its past lives. This historical record is our causality. It is linked to what kind of mind we have and how we use our mind in our daily life and also our attitude and actions we have taken.

In the Ofudesaki we read:

Whether you speak good or think evil,

I shall give returns at once as you deserve. V: 54

From now on, whether you do good or evil,

I shall give you a return at once accordingly. VI: 100

So no matter how well we use our mind or how bad we use it, there is no doubt that every thought and action is “inputted” in the soul. In the second line of the above verses it says:

“I shall give returns at once as you deserve,”

“I shall give you a return at once accordingly.”

This means that no matter how good or bad, whatever is recorded on our soul and will come back to you accordingly.

There are some people who think about taking their own life. They suffer and worry about their situation and they want to end their life and want to be relieved of their suffering. I feel very sorry about that. By dying they think they can run away from their suffering, but when we think from the aspect of causality, this is not the case. The joys and sorrows of life, we can only experience when the mind and body exist in this world. We can temporarily run away from the sufferings since our physical body is returned to God and at the same time there is no free use of mind from which we can make decisions. Although our actual mind and body doesn’t exist, our soul exists on a sort of subconscious level. The soul has a history of all our thoughts, actions and human relationships recorded on it. By returning the body, unfortunately the history on the soul will not reset and start on a blank sheet of paper, but rather we will continue in the next life where we left off in this life.

When we meet death our soul goes to the bosom of God the Parent. At the appropriate time, we are reborn into a new body. At that point, the soul which carries its history reopens to resume where we left off from the previous life at the appropriate time. So for those who want to run away from their suffering by taking their life, they are simply brought back to where they left off and they will find themselves in the same situation. This is called carrying on the causality from the previous life. The cause of the suffering, which is called a bad seed, is like a debt which needs to be repaid. In the Ofudesaki we read:

Hereafter, on whatever path you may find yourself,

never bear a grudge against others. Reproach yourself. XIII: 108

Whatever may happen, bear no grudge.

It is what each of you has done to yourself. XVII: 60

These two verses tell us that in the case of misfortunes and calamities, these are not someone else’s fault but it is due to a seed that was planted in the past. So we should never hold grudges against other people. Whatever happens to us, the cause comes from us. Come to think of it, whatever happens is due to the seeds that we planted. Whatever problem we have we can reflect upon ourselves and we can understand why things happen.

Sometimes bad things happen to us which we cannot accept and it’s hard to accept and hard to understand. During these times we must reflect and realize that we have planted a seed and it has come back to us. In Tenrikyo this is called “the self-awareness of one’s causality.” All the good deeds, as well as the bad deeds, how we use our minds and how we use our body, which are lent by God are seeds that are sown and recorded on our soul.

Those good seeds that are sown in our previous life or several previous lives will accumulate virtue. Also bad seeds will build a bad destiny or bad causality.

After realizing or being awakened to one’s destiny, the next step is to switch to doing good deeds. We can switch to doing good deeds, through our daily positive use of mind, performing good deeds such as hinokishin and maintaining a good attitude.

Most of us are diligent in taking a shower to clean our body everyday and wash our clothes… but how about our minds? Are we diligent in cleaning the dust of the mind? When we neglect to clean our mind, our blessings are diminished and God cannot work in our mind.

Ever heard of people with a toxic personality? You want to avoid them because they are always complaining and if you rub them in a wrong way, they want to seek revenge on you. This might be an example of a person who has neglected in cleaning their mind or a person with a bad causality.

So how can we clean our mind and erase our bad causality? In Tenrikyo we are taught to practice Tanno as a way to erase or cut our bad causality. Tanno is translated as joyous acceptance. To accept everything that happens with a joyous mind and grateful mind. As part of this joyous acceptance we are taught to save others. What do we mean by saving others? One might think that we need to save people from drowning by throwing them a life preserver or rescue them from a dangerous place. In Tenrikyo we are taught to save people from their illness and their problems through administering the sazuke and performing the service. But there are other simpler ways. And they are to love and forgive others, to try to understand their feelings and just being there for them. And we can do hinokishin by helping the church, community or friends.

This is the way to clean our mind, build a good destiny and live the Joyous Life!

Announcements

1. I would like to thank everyone for your support in helping with the MHQ and Pearl Church spring cleaning on December 26 and 27, mochi pounding on December 30 and your generous New Year offerings. Thank you very much!

2. As we announced last month Elmer Nakao won third place in the Tenrikyo Essay Contest. His essay is published in the December issue of Origins, so please do take the time to read it.

3. Due to your support I am able take part in the January Pilgrimage to attend the Tengen and Church HQ grand services. If you or anyone you know wish to join me, please see me during the luncheon.

4. Thank you for bringing your deposit cans and bottles for our fundraising drive. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church this summer. Please continue bringing your deposit cans and bottles and any yard work referrals.

5. The BGA Leadership Camp and New Year Park Cleanup and BBQ Picnic. The LC will from 1/30-31, Sat and Sun, for kids 12 and above, while the Park Cleanup and BBQ Picnic will be on Sunday 1/31. This is open to everyone; however, please contact me to let me know who is coming so that we may prepare enough food. Meet at MHQ at 9am or go direct to Moiliili Stadium Park by 10am. If you have them, please bring your own cleaning tools such as rakes and dust pans.

6. This year’s BGA camp will be held in May, the Memorial Day weekend, instead of in March due to schedule conflict with MHQ activities.

Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto

Good morning.  I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the November Monthly Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings. I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits! 

IZANAGI NO MIKOTO and IZANAMI NO MIKOTO

In the ten aspects of God’s providence they are respectively described as the model of man the seed and the model woman the seed plot.  This explanation doesn’t say much except that the model of man is the seed and that the model of woman is the seed plot.  To get further explanation we need to look at the Truth of Origin.

      In the Truth of Origin, we read:

      “In the beginning, the world was a muddy ocean. Tsukihi, God the Parent, finding this chaos unbearable tasteless, thought of creating human beings in order to see the Joyous Life and thus share in that joy.

      Looking carefully through the muddy ocean, God saw a fish and a serpent amid many loaches.  Planning to make them into husband and wife, God summoned them.  Discerning their single-heartedness, God optained their consent and received them…”

Moving on to the third paragraph, we read:

   “Continuing, God summoned an orc from the northeast and a turtle from the southeast.  Again, after obtaining their consent, God received them and, after consuming them to test the flavor of their minds, determined their natures.  Then God decided to use the orc as the instrument of the male organ, of bones and support; and the turtle as the instrument of the female organ, of skin and joining. Then God put the orc into the fish and the turtle into the serpent and established them as models of man and woman. God gave the sacred names of Izanagi-no-Mikoto to the model of man, the seed and Izanami-no-Mikoto to the model of woman. To the divine principles of these instruments, God gave the names Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto and Kunisazuchi-no-Mikoto, respectively.” 

      The Truth of Creation starts with, “In the beginning, the world was a muddy ocean.” Although it sounds like a myth, it teaches us how to change our minds so that this “muddy world” and be changed to a joyous world.  This story is an important message for us to apply in the present situation. 

      In applying our faith to daily life, we need figure out each person’s characteristic and personality to utilize them in the best way possible that will benefit everyone as a whole.  Conversely, those who are being utilized should take the initiative in understanding, complying and in contributing to the best of their abilities and talents.

      Izanagi-no-Mikoto is the sacred name given to the truth of the model of man, the seed – the fish into which God put the orc.  Izanami-no-Mikoto is the sacred name given to the truth of the model of woman, the seedplot – serpent into which God put the turtle.  Although Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto is also mentioned in Japanese Myth have no relation with Tenrikyo, except that they both mean “husband and wife.”

      The fish and the serpent found by God the Parent did not immediately become Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto.  Only after God the Parent took them up and consumed them to test the flavor of their minds, put into them the orc and turtle, and gave them the truth as the model of man and woman, did they become Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto. In other words, Izanagi and Izanami-no-Mikoto has the characteristics of Tsukiyomi and Kunisazuchi-no-Mikoto.

      Later on in the Truth of Origin we read:

      “Thus, the models and instruments having been determined, the creation of human beings was begun.  First God consumed all the loaches in the muddy ocean, tested the flavors of their nature, and made them the seeds for human beings.  Then God the Parent, as Tsuki-sama (the Moon), entered the body of Izanagi-no-Mikoto and, as Hi-sama (the Sun), entered the body of Izanami-no-Mikoto and taught them the providence of creating human beings. Then nine hundred million, ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine seeds were put into the body of Izanami-no-Mikoto in three days and three nights. Izanami-no-Mikoto remained there for three years and three months and gave birth in seventy-five days to as many children as there were seeds.” 

Continuing:

      “The first children thus born were all half an inch (5 bu) tall. Growing taller gradually, they reached a height of three inches (3 sun) in ninety-nine years. Then they all passed away for rebirth and their father, Izanagi-no-Mikoto, withdrew from physical life. However, Izanami-no-Mikoto again conceived the original number of children by the divine providence already taught her and, after ten months, gave birth to them again. The children, then too, were half an inch tall at birth and, after growing to three and a half inches (3 sun, 5 bu) in ninety-nine years, all passed away for rebirth once more.

      Then the children were conceived for the third time. They again born  half an inch tall and, this time, grew to four inches (4 sun) in ninety-nine years. At that time, their mother, Izanami-no-Mikoto, said, ‘Now that they have grown so tall, in time they will reach the height of human beings five feet tall,’ and with a smile, withdrew from physical life. Then all her children, too, passed away for rebirth, deeply yearning for their mother.” 

As you can see Izanagi and Izanami-no-Mikoto served diligently and willingly in their roles as seed and seed plot. In the same way husband and wife must serve diligently and willingly in fulfilling their respective roles in life.  It is an undeniable fact that we must have a husband and a wife to serve as seed and seed plot in the perpetuation of human life and husband and wife serve as the basis for the joyous life.  In 2^nd verse of the seated service we sing:

            Just a word to you, to what God is saying

            Listen please, Any wrong things to you I will never say

            With this world’s, earth and heaven as a model

            Husband and wife were created and thus came to be,

            This is this world’s beginning.

   The husband takes role of heaven which is to have a heart as large as heaven and as a man take responsibility to protect and support the family. The wife is assigned the role of earth, which is to receive and absorb the waste or trash of human thinking and relations, and use them as fertilizer to nurture the family.

    This is fine for married couples, but what about people who are divorced or people who cannot marry.  What roles do they have?

   God the Parent gathered and used the various instruments to create human beings.  In the same way, we has different human beings can take on different roles to create the joyous life world.  How can we do this?

      By being fully aware of the complete providence of God the Parent, we become aware of the great significance of the teaching of a thing lent, a thing borrowed, which is an essential concept in this faith. 

In the Ofudesaki, we read:

            So long as you remain unknowing that the body is a thing borrowed,

   you can understand nothing at all.      III: 137 

This means that if we do not really understand the true meaning of this teaching, we cannot lead the true Joyous Life, no matter how much knowledge we have.

   Rev. Tadamasa Fukaya writes: Many Yoboku are drawn to Tenrikyo churches, in which each church has received the Truth of the Jiba of Origin, the Residence of Origin.  The churches serve as practice halls of single-hearted salvation.  A church head minister discerns the character and maturity of each Yoboku and assigns a mission for single-hearted salvation. The Yoboku then devotes himself to aiding ordinary people to be spiritually reborn as children of God.

      Everyone who comes to church has causality.  It is natural that there are various personalities: some who like talking, some are straight forward; some take responsibility and so on.  A church encompasses all these people, each person having a different aptitude for playing different roles in the church.  In this respect, it is important to help each other as brothers and sisters, understanding the intention of the church head minister, which for me is to become a model of the joyous life.  In this service we have just performed, each of us are assigned a different instrument or position and in performing as one we call on God’s power and blessing, the same as God’s creation of human beings.  This unity of mind is the great moving force that will bring about miraculous blessings of healing, good health, good fortune and build the joyous world.

      In the eyes of God, we are all equal, but have different roles in attaining the joyous life.  Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto exemplified their respective roles as the model of man, the seed and the model of woman, the seedplot. 
 

Announcements

1. I would like to thank everyone for your support of Trick or Treat for UNICEF fund drive. As all of you know people are still recovering from disasters in Samoa, Philippines and Indonesia and UNICEF is taking an active part in helping the survivors.  Your donation will help in their recovery efforts.
2. Also, the mission headquarters collecting donations for the disaster relief fund from which a $1,000 donation was made to each of the disaster areas of Samoa, Philippines and Indonesia.  You can make checks out to Tenrikyo Pearl Church with a note indicating disaster relief fund in which case Pearl Church will make a lump sum donation to the MHQ or you can make your donation direct to THD.
3. As we announced last month Sara Saltman won the Tenrikyo Essay Contest, her essay is published in this month’s newsletter, so please do take the time to read it.
4. Due to your support I was able take part in the October Pilgrimage last month to attend the Tengen and Church HQ grand services at the same time; I made the purchase of the new taiko and surigane and brought them back to Hawaii with the help of Tenrikyo members Dan Higaki and Maui church head minister Rev. Mark Hisao.  At this time I would like to thank everyone for their donations and fundraising efforts with the collection of deposit containers and help with yard work.
5. We are still continuing our fundraising efforts with the deposit for our next project which is the repainting of Pearl Church next summer.
6. The BGA Leaders Fun Camp will be held on Friday & Saturday, November 27 & 28 after Thanksgiving Day.  Please encourage your BGA members 12 and above to participate as we have scheduled fun and educational activities.

Otonobe-no-Mikoto

Tenrikyo Pearl Church Monthly Service – 2009 October Grand Service

Good morning.  I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the October Grand Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings.  I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits!

Of course, this month’s “Grand Service” is to commemorate the founding of the Teachings which occurred on October 26, 1838 in which God the Parent was revealed through Oyasama, Miki Nakayama, declaring, “I am God of Origin, the creator the true and real God.” From that time on for fifty years, Oyasama taught us the way to the Joyous Life, going through various hardships in high spirits, with patience, perseverance, courage and deep parental love.

OTONOBE NO MIKOTO

In the human body, it is the providence of pulling out the child from its mother during birth; in the world the providence of pulling forth in general.

It is said that it is the low tide of our life when we pass away and high tide when we are born.  I cannot help but think that there is a great natural force behind the workings of life and death.

A baby is given birth through its mother.  Sometimes it is easy to give birth, but many times it is a difficult process taking many hours.  Earlier this year a Mrs. A had a difficult time to give birth.  It took about 48 hours or about two full days.  After suffering for this long, the doctor decided to do a caesarian section and made preparations.  And we received word of this.  We thought that this is serious, so we quickly did the 12 Songs Teodori prayer service.  At the same time, Mrs. A and her husband also did the prayer service in her hospital room.  After the services were performed, the baby was delivered naturally without having to do the caesarian section.

In the Ofudesaki: VI: 131

The conception of a baby is by Tsukihi.
Giving birth to it, also, is by the work of Tsukihi.

Pulling forth in general also includes the growth of the crops and produce; in addition, our physical growth, including, our height and our hair is due to the providence of pulling forth.  Also, it takes time in bringing up a child, so time also is a providence of pulling forth.

On our providence and mental dust chart, “arrogance” is related to this providence of pulling forth.

Rev. Matataro Sawada, in his book “Satoshi, Satori” wrote that people who experience dwarfism has their growth stunted due to arrogance in a previous life.

In Rabbi Noah Weinberg’s 48 Ways to Wisdom, he says that “arrogance stunts spiritual growth.”

Human beings have a tendency to think that other people are wrong and they are correct.  We tend to criticize others and praise ourselves.  This is from the dust of arrogance.  It is difficult to detect arrogance in ourselves.  Also, it is a very difficult dust to get rid of. 

In the Kakisage we read, “Yet the mind of saving others is the real truth of sincerity alone and, by this truth of saving others, you are saved. (hito wo tasukeru kokoro wa shin no makoto hitotsu no ri de, tasukeru ri ga tasukaru.)” This fulfills God the Parent’s intention.  These good deeds and good attitude gives pleasure to God the Parent.

Again, what is the purpose of our spiritual growth? When I think about this, in general, especially regarding education; the purpose of education is to enter a good school and obtain a good job, make good money and have a successful career in life.  It is important to have these people with good education to go out into the world and do good things, but the most important thing is to nurture people to become persons who want to help others.

When people in this world help each other, it becomes the Joyous Life which God desires.

Sorry to mention about our personal life, but Taeko’s father just passed away last month at age 88.  Her father had a severe case of pneumonia at the age of 72 and received a miraculous blessing and lived till 88 without any doctor’s care or medication.  She felt that he really led a good and blessed life without any medical condition till his passing.  When looking through his papers, she found a small article that he had written for the Tenri newspaper about two years ago titled, “Blessed due to the Seeds of Faith Sown by My Parents”.  She would like to share with you part of his article.  This is how the article reads.

My parents entered the faith about 1930 when Japan was at war with Manchuria, when I was in elementary school.  My mother was suffering from severe headaches.  Through the grant of sazuke by a Tenrikyo missionary, she got a miraculous healing.  My father was very much moved by this faith and entered bekka which is a longer version six month version of the present three-month Spiritual Development Course.  He eventually established a church.  I still remember my parents were very spirited during the dedication ceremony of the new church building and minister installation service.  They were busy doing missionary and salvation work every day, bringing many people who were ill to the church and took care of them. During that time I got many different types of scholarships so that I could enter higher level middle and high school and into the university.  Because of God the Parent’s and Oyasama’s blessings, I could work till the age of 72.  I believe it is due to my parents many years of devotion and dedication to missionary work and saving others that I was able to do this.”

Taeko’s father was always appreciative of everything.  He always said that you shouldn’t think that you did things by your own power.  When people realized that we are not living by our own power, but rather we are kept alive by God’s grace, by his own accord, Taeko’s father could become humble minded, naturally.  His life was mostly dedicated to God’s work through his offerings to church and church construction projects.

In order to receive the providence of pulling forth, of rich harvest and spiritual growth, we need to cast away the mind of arrogance and maintain a humble mind.

Announcements

1. Congratulations to Sara Saltman for winning the Tenrikyo Essay Contest and also to Elmer Nakao for 3^rd place.
2. This Saturday, October 17 is the 6th annual Kaimuki Recycle Day in which we can bring in things like tires and old car batteries which are not picked up by the normal trash pickup and bulky item pick up.  We plan to go through the whole valley to pick up old tires and car batteries and bring them to Kaimuki High School.  Please let me know if you can help in this hinokishin.
3. Due to your support I will be joining the October Pilgrimage this month to attend the Tengen and Church HQ grand services.
4. This month is UNICEF month. As all of you know people are still recovering from disasters in Samoa, Philippines and Indonesia and UNICEF is taking an active part in helping the survivors.  Please make a small donation and take a UNICEF collection box or two home for friends and family and/or join us on Halloween for Trick or Treat for UNICEF, at MHQ on Halloween Day at 7pm.
5. If you remember, it was just one year ago that I proposed the purchase of a new drum and small gong and thanks to everyone’s deposit container donations and the yard service we’ve been doing, we are able to make purchase.  Although we haven’t quite made our goal of $8,000, we will go ahead and make the purchase, so we would like to ask that you continue making the deposit container donations and also if you know of anyone who needs yard service and tree trimming, please let us know.
6. In addition we will be repainting the exterior of this church next year, so we will still need to build up our fund again.  Again thank you for your support.