The purpose of our religion

The following is from the Mikagura-uta, Song 11.

Human being’s Origin, of the beginning grounds,

God’s Residence’s locality determine it. 1.

Wife and husband gathered, spreading God’s truth.

This is most important, fundamental element. 2.

If seen the world, little by little,

Mokko (carrying heavy loads) bearing, spreading God’s teachings. 3.

Greed forgetting, spreading God’s truths,

this is most important, for the fertilizer (Youki-tsutome) to be effective. 4.

Forever, the carrying of the earth (God’s truth).

Still to exist if so, I also to go. 5.

Unreasonably to stop, nonexistent because,

the mind to exist if so, who resulting in. 6.

Something remarkable, carrying of the earth.

This is your contribution, to result in if so. 7.

The Residence’s earth, one digs up.

The locations to change, only. 8.

This time until now, to everyone,

the soul was not understood. What regret! 9.

This year, the fertilizer (Youki-tsutome) accompanied,

sufficient people, reaped (cultivated) harvested.

How delightful, how grateful. 10.

This translation is different from Church Headquarter’s translation. Please compare.

Most peope in the Tenrikyo religion believes that the Yorozuyo and the 12 Songs are most important for the salvation of the world. But are these dances is what God wants? Does God want the world to dance in Japanese attire, and sing in Japanese? Will this save the World?

Song 11 of the Mikagura appears to express God’s desire. First God wants us to understand the Origin of human beings. Why is the Origin of human beings important? God created human beings from the sea creatures in the muddy ancient ocean, and from heaven added the pure mind from God into the first couple. But unfortunately negative thoughts have attached to our minds, resulting in negative fates that our own soul collects, and eventually distributes back to us as suffering. God wants us to attain the pure mind that was given to the first couple. When the mind is pure, one is saved. Only health and happiness as intended at the Origin will appear from one’s own soul.

God wants us to spread God’s truths to save others. This is called hinokishin, or a person’s contribution. What do we spread from the Jiba, or place of God’s Residence? We spread the truth of the pure mind, the soul, and God’s guidance. This is the purpose of our religion.When the world understands these truth, there will be peace and prosperity. This is why the spreading of God’s truth is so important.

What happens next? With the performance of the Youki-tsutome (fertilizer) with a pure mind, God helps us bring a harvest of new members to our places of worship to save. How does this happen? To the people we have spread God’s teachings, God places illness as guidance, depending on the amount and type of negative thoughts in their minds. It is these thoughts that they will act upon in the future, resulting in negative fate that their own soul collects, and distributes back to them. God with the placement of illness as guidance is showing them their future. If they understand God’s guidance, these people will come to our places of worship asking to be healed of God’s guidance. We then perform the Osazuke to heal them, and further give them instructions on how to purify their minds. Remember when the mind is pure, only health and happines will appear from the soul.