Tenrikyo - The Reason of Heaven

     

This universe is the body of God.

Ponder this in all matters.


 

To recap: We know that God is hastening mankind to return to the origin, know the heart of God and live a joyous life free of illness and trouble. We have been taught that this single-heartedness with God will come about when we remove the ignorance, misunderstanding, doubt and denial that stands between us (as the self centered imagination) and single-heartedness with God. To quickly achieve this end we have been given the Service for the purification of our mind so that we can truly understand that the state of our mind becomes the state of God's mind, becomes the state of the world.

[our self centered imagination] -- [reflected in God's mind] -- [reflected as the state of our world]

Through the perfection of the Service:

[our purified mind]--[reflected in God's radiance and joy] --[reflected as the joyous life]

 To accomplish this universal single-heartedness God needs to find a way to spread this Service to the whole world.

Book II, 13_19

Though I desire to go forth into the open quickly,
I cannot do so because there is no path.

Though I desire to open this path quickly,
there is no place to open it.

These two verses are very interesting. They deserve careful consideration as they tell us a great deal about the nature and intention of God's mind. First, we are informed of God's intended timing for universal salvation. God wishes to go forth into the open quickly, God is in a hurry to be revealed and for us to be saved. Next we are in told that God cannot be revealed quickly because there is no path or way to do so. There are two very important points here. First, I cannot shows us that there are limitations on what God can do. Second that there is no place to open it, reinforces God's regret that there is no one who understands God's heart. That is there is no one who has a purified mind that God can be revealed in or through.

When we think of a path we think of a beginning, a way and a destination. The beginning that God needs and is hastening for is purified human minds that are single-hearted with God. The way is the purification of the world's minds through the Service and the destination is universal single-heartedness and the joyous life.

If you are sincere in desiring this path to be,
ponder over everything from your innermost heart.

What is it that we are asked to ponder? We can ponder why we understand or do not understand God's heart. We can ponder and be sure that we understand the true meaning and origin of words that we use. We can ponder and be sure that we understand the true relationship between the state of our mind, the state of God's mind and the state of the world. We can ponder God's limitations and needs in order to open a path of single-heartedness for everyone in the world. Indeed we can ponder what God means by our innermost heart. We could even go all out and ponder over everything from our innermost heart. Which I assume would involve looking at each and every one of our thoughts from God's point of view.

What do you think this talk is about?
I am hastening for the places where God's truth is conveyed.

Again God asks a question which gives us an indication that God's intention is not understood. What are the places where God's truth is conveyed? They are the human minds of us all are they not? Though, unless we make our minds suitable for the task, it will not be realized.

 When this path can be seen, even a little,
all minds in the world will become spirited.

Though there are many ways to view this verse I think that it refers to the ability to really and truly distinguish between the self centered imagination and God's original mind. If this distinction is "seen" even for a few seconds it is enough to change the course of one's entire existence.

Listen to whatever God says!
If only the cleaning of the Residence is completed,

It will soon be seen. Without a moment to look aside,
the dust will disappear as if you were dreaming.

It is clear that God's intention was to purify the minds of those close at hand and in that way begin a path that would spread to all people of the world. Recall in Book one that the phrase "residence of God in Yamato" was indicated as being possibly misunderstood. Here in book two we can see the extended meaning of the term Residence. It is to be the place where God appears. Each of us is intended to be just such a residence.

Finally for this installment we close with a very real description of what is involved in removing the obstacle to our single-heartedness. It is not the long arduous big deal that we might imagine. It is just like waking up from a dream. That is what is tricky about it. It all falls away when we awaken. Just like waking from a dream. It is just that simple and that fast. Let's make sure that we fulfill our role as a place where God's truth is conveyed in this Book if we haven't already done so.

 When it speaks of "sweeping the Residence, " you should think of it as speaking of "sweeping within your churches."

Address at the Tenrikyo 150th Anniversary doctrinal Seminar, October 28, 1987 - The 3rd Shinbashira