Origins No. 323 July 2018 TSA Camp at Malaekahana Beach Campground of North Shore (6/7 - 6/9) Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters of Hawaii 1 This Month’s Message: "Not Gone Anywhere" by Rev. Tomozo Hirano After the passing of Her son, Oyasama not need to worry about our death because, spoke in his place, saying: after all, everything is in the loving hands “My soul is embraced by the Parent. I of God, the Parent of all humankind. have simply cast off an old garment.” There are people who are desperately The Life of Oyasama, p. 113 looking for a way to avoid dying. On the other hand, there are those who wish they Clickety-clack. Clickety-clack. The were dead. Yet everyone will die sooner passengers on the train are enjoying or later. Humans can only live for so long. the changing landscape outside their Why not enjoy the “now” when we are windows—the sun rising over the sea, alive? We can enjoy the gifts of nature shining hills and fields in bright daylight, such as the cold winds of winter, the skyscrapers at sunset, and so forth. The only warm weather of spring, the bright sun of thing is that they do not know how much summer, and a stunning array of autumn further their tickets entitle them to travel. colors. Rather than worry about how much Will the journey still continue for a long further we will be able to travel on the time or will it come to an end soon? train, we would do well to enjoy the ride Such, in fact, is our life journey. From while it lasts. time to time, some of us may wonder what Besides, it is not as if the railroad tracks will happen to us when we die and, perhaps, would suddenly come to an end at the edge become apprehensive. Yet what about of a cliff. When the time comes for us to before we were born? What were we doing? get off the train, we can do so with peace And where? After all, it has been hundreds of mind. Also, we can put on new clothes of millions of years since the beginning of and get on another train to embark on a humankind. new journey. Life’s railway continues on. We have no recollection of worrying It is thanks to God’s providence that about whether we would be able to be born children grow up. It is also thanks to God’s smoothly. When we first became aware of providence that our bodies weaken as we our surroundings, we were already living in age. We can delight in growing old—and this world. This should assure us that, just in passing away for rebirth. as we did not worry about our birth, we do Isn’t it wonderful to partake of life? RELIEF DONATION FOR KILAUEA VOLCANO ERUPTION Hawaii Dendocho sent $2,000 to the Hawaii State Chapter of American Red Cross to assist the relief efforts for the ongoing volcanic eruptions on Hawaii Island. Dendocho is humbly asking for your donation. Mahalo for your cooperation. 2 3 June Monthly Service Prayer Appearing before You, God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, I (Shugo Yamanaka) Bishop of the Mission Headquarters of Hawaii speak with reverence on behalf of the Hawaii congregation. God the Parent, You revealed Yourself to this world by receiving Oyasama as the Shrine, taught us the truth of origin of all things and the Service as the path of single-hearted salvation, thus laying the very path to guide us toward the Joyous Life. We are living in joy and high spirits as we feel Your blessings each and every day. At the same time, we are putting forth our efforts to grow spiritually to accord with Your intention. Today is the day we are granted to conduct the June Monthly Service at this mission headquarters. We the service performers will unite our hearts as one to perform the Seated Service and the Dance with Hand Movements joyously in high spirits, while earnestly praying for world salvation. We will be joined by our brothers and sisters of the Path in Hawaii who have gathered here today, in singing the Songs for the Service in unison and high spirits. As You watch us, we hope You will be spirited as well. On the 27th of this month, one person from Hawaii will be completing her 3-month-long Shuyoka life in Jiba and returning to Hawaii with a renewed awareness as an instrument of Oyasama. From today, the 45th Hawaii Spiritual Development Course will be held at Dendocho. The 4 participants, along with the instructors and Dendocho staff, are determined to make utmost efforts for their spiritual growth. The annual Tenrikyo Picnic will be held on July 4, through which we hope to strengthen the bonds and unity of our congregation. Also the Oyasato Seminar will be held in Jiba next month with 4 students attending Course I and 4 attending Course III from Hawaii. They all shall earnestly and spiritedly learn and implement Oyasama’s teachings. Responding to Your desire to hasten world salvation, we Yoboku vow to further accumulate sincere and earnest efforts so as to advance the construction of the Joyous Life World. Especially, as we have been shown a big knot of the physical disorder in the body of the Shinbashira who is the core and leader of our Path, all of us continue to pray earnestly for his recovery. At the same time, each of us shall ponder deeply over God the Parent’s intention conveyed through this, thus resolving our mind ever more strongly to devote ourselves in our respective roles and positions for the tasks of the Path in Hawaii. May You, God the Parent, accept our sincerity, and we ask that You guide us further toward the advancement of the Path in Hawaii and the reconstruction of the world into a truly peaceful Joyous Life World, even a day sooner, where everyone will come to know of the Parent of Origin thus awakening to the truth of universal brotherhood & sisterhood and live together in harmony helping and caring for one another. Together with all present, I sincerely pray that You bless us so. 2 3 Mission HQ June Monthly Service Sermon Mrs. Shigemi Nakao Spouse of Head Minister of Net Hawaii MS Good morning and Happy Father’s Day! We have just completed the June Monthly Service in high spirits and I believe God the Parent and Oyasama are delighted with our performance. Before I begin, I would like to ask all of you to join me in praying for universal salvation and the speedy recovery of the Shinbashira. writing, I was told it read: “Fire, Water, After being appointed this sermon, I felt a Wind”. Since it was during the ceremony, lot of pressure and could not decide on what I just stared at it rather than think of what to talk about until, suddenly, one day, I had it meant. Nevertheless, I suddenly recalled a flashback from my childhood years. I these words written by Shozen Nakayama remembered going to someone’s ceremony and remembered that it gave me joy and in Jiba and seeing a commemorative excitement, to the point where I felt like writing hanging in the hall. It was similar to dancing. the inspiring handwritten commemorative Although everyone here knows writing with the red borders that are the meaning of fire, water, wind and hanging here at Dendocho written by the understands its importance to God the former Shinbashira, Zenye Nakayama, and Parent’s providence, please allow me to the present Shinbashira, Zenji Nakayama. explain about this again. It seemed like the commemorative banner Regarding Fire, Water, Wind, God I remembered was larger than the ones the Parent’s words are written in the last here but maybe it was because I was child chapter of The Life of Oyasama, “The back then. This commemorative writing Portals Opened”. I will now summarize that I saw was handwritten by the 2nd what occurred prior to event. Shinbashira, Shozen Nakayama. Although Oyasama became ill in early January I wasn’t able to read kanji at the time, it of 1887. Through the affliction of made me feel like a world filled with joy Oyasama’s illness, God the Parent urged and excitement. When I asked my older the performance of the Service. However, if sister or someone that was sitting next to me the Service was performed, followers were what was written on the commemorative subjected to immense police oppression 4 5 and further suffering for Oyasama due to weather suddenly changes and nature the possibility of a prolonged detention. threatens us with disasters that occur from The worried 1st Shinbashira, Shinnosuke storms and typhoons, stormy seas, tsunami Nakayama, frequently asked God the caused by earthquakes in distant places or Parent about how to proceed in this on the sea floor, and earthquakes caused situation. These accounts were written in from volcanic eruptions. the Osashizu for several days. Thunder, earthquakes, great winds In the Osashizu on January 13, 1887 it and floods: these are from the regret states: and anger of Tsukihi. Sah, sah, because Tsukihi exists, the Ofudesaki (VIII-58) world exists. Because the world exists, There have been several tsunamis things exist. Because things exist, your that hit Hawaii in the past and in 1992, bodies exist. Because your bodies Hurricane Iniki ravaged the Island of Kauai. exist, law exists. Although law exists, The tremendous damage caused by this to resolve your minds is primary.