Reflection of the Divine Model following Oyasama’s Birthday Celebration (May 2016 Sermon)

Good morning.  I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the May Monthly Service here at 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!  Today we celebrate Mother’s Day and I would like to wish all mothers, especially Oyasama, a Happy Mother’s Day.  Oyasama, as most of you may know, has the soul of the first mother of all humankind.

God the Parent Tenri O no Mikoto was revealed through a rice farmer’s wife, Miki Nakayama, who we refer to as Oyasama (or beloved Parent), as shrine on October 26, 1838.

From that time on for fifty years, Oyasama taught the Path that will lead us to the Joyous Life.

These thoughts of Tsukihi (God) are spoken through Her:
the mouth is human, the mind is that of Tsukihi. (Ofudesaki   XII: 67)

Listen! I, Tsukihi, am borrowing Her mouth wholly,
and I, Tsukihi, am lending My mind wholly. (XII: 68)

She taught not only by the spoken word and the writing brush, but by Her life example which we call “The Divine Model.”

In spite of Her traditional wife’s duty to protect the family wealth and objections from Her husband and family, She hastened to obey the divine command, “fall to the depths of poverty.” First She gave away Her personal items, then food, clothes, money and even to the point of taking down the main house and selling the rice fields.

Seeing that Her words and actions had become quite different from those of ordinary people, the family became anxious, wondering if She had become bereft of reason or possessed by some evil spirit.  Accordingly friends and relatives went together to the Nakayama’s and facing Oyasama, repeatedly pressed the supposed evil spirit to ascend, however, to no avail.  In addition, the people’s derision toward Oyasama grew more and more intense.

Out of Her intense love for Her children, She went on giving to the needy ever more generously, until at last every storehouse on Her premises was completely emptied.

In the Osashizu (Divine Directions)

In teaching the path, I gave you delight in the future. I have brought you through a long journey. We had nothing to burn to warm ourselves in the cold of winter for thirty years. We lived through those years gathering withered branches from here and fallen leaves from there. (March 31, 1896)

At times when they had nothing to eat or drink but water, She encouraged Her children by saying:

“In this world, there are many people who are suffering, unable to eat or even to swallow water despite food pile high at their bedsides. If we think of them, how blessed we are, for when we drink water, it tastes of water. God the Parent has blessed us with exquisite gifts.”

In this way She taught that the origin of illness and suffering lies in the mind and that there is a path to live the Joyous Life, despite the most dire circumstances. She taught that the human body is a thing lent, a thing borrowed from God the Parent, only our mind belong to us. We should strive to get rid of our self-centered thinking and dedicate ourselves to helping others with true sincerity.  She taught the prayer service as a fundamental way to salvation through which God the Parent can accept our true sincerity and manifest free and unlimited workings.

On January 26, 1887, Oyasama withdrew from physical life to hasten our spiritual growth.  She is now ever-living working day and night from world salvation.

Some of us have the proof amulet which is proof that we have returned to Jiba. It is a piece of red cloth cut from Oyasama’s kimono.  It is to remind us of the divine model and the everliving Oyasama.

In the Osashizu, March 17, 1890

The kimono of Oyasama, which had been used for the amulets, was nearly depleted. On the request for directions concerning this situation:

Sah, sah, on your request. The granting of the amulet must continue on and on. Since My red kimono will not last forever, your thought is that it would suffice to purchase so many feet and so many inches of cloth which need not be made into kimono, and use that for the amulets. However, I direct that red kimono be made and offered. And you will request that I wear them. This is what you will use for the grant which will never change.

A request for further directions was made as to whether the red kimono should be offered at the shrine of Oyasama or the mater requested through the Honseki.

Sah, sah, I am still living here. I have not gone anywhere, not gone anywhere. You must look at the path of daily life and ponder.

Further, an affirmation was requested as to whether to offer the red kimono at the shrine of Oyasama and request that they be worn:

Sah, sah, you will have them completed and then request that I change into them. For summer, they are to be unlined. In cold weather, they are to be lined. You are to make them for each season. I shall wear them and do My work. It is only My figure which cannot be seen. All is the same. It is only My figure which does not exist.

Being human, we tend to forget that Oyasama is everliving and always beside us and guiding us. The amulet provides us with something tangible that reminds us of this fact.

At this year’s Oyasama’s Birthday Celebration on April 18th in front of Oyasama’s Sanctuary, 61,000 followers gathered and sang the Celebration Joyous Chorus to celebrate the everliving Oyasama’s birthday.  On this day, 1620 persons were from overseas countries including three from Pearl Church.   One of the celebration songs was composed and first sung in 1936, this year (2016) marking the 80th anniversary.  The lyrics were selected from the winner of a song writing contest in honor Oyasama’s Birthday from among over 400 entries from the faculty and students enrolled in schools at Tenrikyo Church Headquarters.

The song lyrics selected was written by Ms. Mitsue Kimura who was a student at Tenrikyo Girl’s High School.  In her later years, she said that when she was cleaning the Foundress’ Sanctuary, she noticed a blind woman who came to Jiba for the first time. After praying to the Foundress, his blind woman suddenly shouted, “I can see!” Ms. Kimura witnessed this woman’s miraculous and dramatic event.  Vividly experiencing this with her own eyes, she was inspired to write the winning lyrics to this birthday song.  Please join us in singing along with the CD.

Thank you for your attention.

OYASAMA HOUSHUKUKA

  1. SORA NI GOSAI NO KUMO TANABIKISHI

In the sky, the floating five-colored clouds

KANSEI JUUNEN, KONO TSUKI, KONO HI

10th year of Kansei era, this month, this day

ANA-KASHIKO

Oh, what an honor!

WARE RAGA MIOYA ARE TAMOU

Our beloved Parent has arrived.

IWA EYO TATAEYO

Let us celebrate! Let us rejoice!

KYO (O) KONO YOKIHI

Today, this wonderful day!

  1. NOBORU ASAHI NO HIKARI MOURARA

When the sun rises, the brilliant rays

IMASERU YAKATANO IRAKANI HAYURU

Are reflected on the Yakata building

ANATANOSHI

What a joyful day!

KYO (O) SHIMIOYA ARETAMOU

Our Parent of all humankind

IWA EYO TATAEYO

Let us celebrate! Let us rejoice!

KAGAYAKU KONO HI

What a joy, this day!

  1. DAME NO OSHIE ICHIRETSU TASUKU

With this final teaching the people will be saved

MEGUMI NO MIMUNE HATESHI WA ARAJI

What an endless blessing to receive

ANATOUTO

The Mother’s mind

SEKAI NO MIOYA ARETAMOU

The beloved Parent of the universe has arrived

IWA EYO TATAEYO

Let us celebrate! Let us rejoice!

HAE ARU KONO HI

This wonderful day!

Announcements

  1. The Oyasama Birthday Service in Jiba was held with 4 attendees from Pearl Church 3 from Hawaii and 1 from Osaka.
  2. The BGA Oyasama Birthday Activity was successfully held last month on April 17th with 12 participants from Pearl Church. I would like to thank those who provided hinokishin help. Thank you very much!
  3. I would like to thank those who came out to help at the recent All Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day on April 30th at Honolulu Zoo. About 150 participated with 16 from Pearl Church. Thank you very much!   And thank you to Vasana who invited 2 families.
  4. The Annual Hawaii Spiritual Development Course will be offered from Sunday, June 19 through Thursday, July 146, 2016. The course provides an opportunity to learn and practice the teachings so that we may implement them in our daily lives enabling us to live the joyous life.  Graduates of the course have learned to overcome their personal problems and receive blessings of self-realization, healing and deeper meaning in their lives.  If you know someone who could benefit from this course, please suggest this course to him and contact myself or Mrs. Taeko.
  5. As most of you know, Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan had a devastating earthquake on April 14 & 16 with 48 dead, 2 missing, over 3,000 injured and over 1000 buildings severely damaged. Mission HQ has sent a $5,000 contribution to the Church HQ relief effort and are asking for donations to replenish the disaster relief fund. Please make a contribution to Tenrikyo Hawaii Dendocho and on the envelope indicate “Disaster relief.”  We will be making a contribution of $300 from our latest Mini-Bazaar proceeds.

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