The word shinjitsu and shin appear in the Ofudesaki 173 times.  The English translation of shinjitsu are, the truth, truly, real, and sincerity. The traditional Tenrikyo Headquarters’ translation uses all of these 4 words in translating shinjitsu and shin in the Ofudesaki.

If we were to take the translation on face value, there are verses that God tells us that God will finally tell us the truth. Initially when I read the Ofudesaki, I was optimistic that God would reveal the truth, or maybe the purpose of life, in the verses that followed. But to my dismay, I could not find any revelations of God’s truths.  This had bothered me for a long time. Why would God continue to tell us that the truth would be revealed? Some will say that there are many truths in the Ofudesaki, and they are correct; but in these specific passages where God says the truth will be revealed, the following verses do not confirm it.

Could we be translating shinjitsu and shin incorrectly? By using the word shinjitsu, could God be telling us that the secret or purpose of life is? It would be ironic, that God is telling us the purpose of life, even as we search for it in the Ofudesaki. This is where I have been until now.

Instead of the traditional translation of shinjitsu, what word, placed in the 173 verses where shinjitsu appears, would make sense in all 173 verses? I believe it is the “Original mind”.  The Original mind is the mind without the dusts. These dusts are the evil thoughts of regret, covetousness, self-love, greed, and arrogance. This is the mind given to the Original parents (Izanagi and Izanami ) that began human beings.

By replacing shinjitsu with the Original mind, God is telling us to return to this mind.  When we attain the Original mind, God tells us we will be spirited. I believe that the spirited mind is what we are all seeking. But most people do not know how to attain this. They believe that wealth, power, education, drugs, sex, and alcohol will make them spirited. But like a strong cup of coffee, it is only temporary.  To be spirited permanently, and have the joyous life, we need to attain the Original mind or shinjitsu.  I believe this is the secret of life, to attain the Original mind!  How do we attain the Original mind? The ingredients are all in the Ofudesaki.

For your information, if you go to heaventruth.com , and go to the menu above to read each chapter. I have highlighted in green, where shinjitsu and shin are used in each of the chapters of the Ofudesaki.