Date: 2/23/00 11:23:27 PM Pacific Standard Time

From: kuni@tenrikyo.or.jp (kuniharu shimizu)

As John pointed out, these verses can be interpreted in number of ways.

I want to comment on one of them, the most apparent one.

These verses are about the making of a holy place. The Residence means the

Jiba, the one and only holy place in Tenrikyo. Jiba is the Residence of God

the Parent. Oyasama, the God the Parent on earth, is ever-living so she

resides in a house (the Foundress' Sanctuary adjacent to Jiba.)

Like some precious stone, which needs to be cut and polished, the Residence

needs cleaning.

The cleaning implies two meanings.

1. cleaning of physical place; convert the Nakayama residence to a suitable

place to perform the Kagura Service.

2. cleaning of the mind of the people at the Nakayama residence; converting

ordinary mind to a mind that is single-hearted to God the Parent.

The verses state that Shuji is a key person in these cleanings, especially

in the No. 2 cleaning. Specifically, the verse 39 refers to Shuji's common

law wife, Ochie. Oyasama requested Ochie and the son to move out of the

Nakayama residence.

To an ordinary mind, Oyasama seemed too harsh on Shuji, Ochie and the son. I

can only say that in the eyes of Oyasama, te presence of the wife and the

son was really in the way of the conversion, or the construction. I am sure

it was not out of ordinary motherly concern. I honestly cannot see the

reason why. I am probably one of "You close to Me may question what I do.

verse 40".

It must have been pretty tough for Shuji to comply with Oyasama's request.

But, it seems that to Oyasama, Shuji's complying to the request was a

necessary step for him to become single-hearted with God the Parent. There

is perhaps the matter of causation of the souls, too.

I think the reason why Oyasama left this family matter recorded in words is

because Oyasama wants us to keep in mind that to become single-hearted with

God requires sometimes cutting off some human concerns, however painful it

may be.

By the way, I am going to go on the road again from Feb. 28 through March 7.

I may not be able to read e-mails along the way. I will try, though.

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Kuniharu Shimizu

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wishing Joyous Life for all

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