Both the Ofudesaki and the Mikagura-uta use metaphors and analogies.  God compares a tree to a person that does not know God’s teaching, or a potential convert.  Like a tree to find for its fine timber, we want to find a person who we can help save.  This is the problem we face today. How can we save the world? God tells us that this depends on our own hearts.  What is the heart, and what does it do?

It is interesting that God tells us in the first verse of both the Ofudesaki and the Yorozuyo, that we do not understand the heart. No, it is not God’s heart, but it is our own hearts that we do not understand.

The translation of Song 8:8 in the Mikagura-uta differs completely from Tenrikyo Headquarters’ translation.   Again they incorrectly translate mune as God’s heart.  The following is headquarters’ translation:

Whether to cut down this tree or to take that stone;

It entirely depends upon the heart of God.

The accurate translation is:

This tree to cut, that rock to pick,

Mainly is dependent on your heart.

Definitions:

kono: this

ki: tree

ano: that

ishi: rock

omoedo kami: mainly

shidai: dependent

mune: heart, chest, soul, spirit

God is telling us that whether we are successful in gathering members to our places of worship is dependent on our own hearts. What is the heart and what does it do? All these answers are in both the Ofudesaki and Mikagura-uta.