Tenrikyo /Changing From Within

Posted on August 6, 2018 by heaventruth

I once thoughts that I could change the behavior of other people, or at the least prevent them from doing what I thought was not normal or proper. To my chagrin, all my efforts to accomplish this usually resulted in negative feelings and actions against me. How often do you feel compelled to take action against others who you feel has wronged you? The road rages on our highways and streets are prime examples of people trying to teach lessons to their fellow drivers. Honking, reckless driving, and finger gestures are negative ways to show disapproval to complete and sometimes innocent strangers. As most of us experienced drivers know, this is not a good technique to show disapproval or change behavior; it only brings upon anger and sometimes violence.

My work history contains plethora of examples of where I attempted to show disapproval of my coworkers. Techniques included avoidance, confrontation, and reporting to supervisors. But to my dismay and much energy expended, my actions resulted in no change to the behavior of the person. One instance where the individual was so reckless in his performance of his job, my criticism to supervisors resulted in my resignation, and promotion to this rogue individual. Attempting to change someone’s behavior most often does not work! I also noticed that more often then not, these negative responses on my part brought upon more of these same types of people who I disapproved. What can we do?

Somewhere in the past, I had read that change comes from within. I had until recently disregarded this idea as baloney, and was confident that it was other people that needed to change to fit my idea of what was right or wrong. My religion that I was born into also confirmed my views on what I thought was right and wrong; and I felt that it gave me the ammunition to show my disapproval. But was I wrong in interpreting and trying to understand my religion. Upon thousands of hours of reading our sacred book, I found out that change does come from within; I will explain.

Everything that happens in the world is supposed to happen; and yet we control our own destiny. In every occurrence we have choices or paths that we can take. I will give you a few examples. The driver who you feel has wronged you by suddenly coming into your lane, you can honk and give him the hand gesture, or you can calm your mind, and thank God that you were able to stop in time. The fellow worker that you feel is taking advantage of others, you can show animosity towards him or you can work with him to become a better worker. My religion says it is our past actions and thoughts that create our own inconveniences in our lives. For example the coworker who makes you angry is only a messenger of what actions you have taken in the past. That unruly driver who tailgates and honks at you is only a messenger of what you have done to others in the past. These incidences give you an opportunity to calm your own mind, and not take action on your anger or other evil thoughts in your mind. By this process, we all have an opportunity to purify our minds. God promises us that when we purify our minds, he will put us on a path where inconveniences in our lives will become less frequent. One can infer that God places us with people that are on the same path. This can be a path of joy if we change ourselves by purifying our minds.

One may wonder what is the process where God collects and stores our actions, to eventually redirect our actions back to us. Do we have a storage unit in our bodies like the DNA in everyone of our cells? Many would agree that there is something that is special in each individual. Some would call this the spirit or soul that will exist for eternity. In our religion, God calls this the heart. It is this soul/heart that is composed of positive energy that collects and stores our negative actions as negative energy; and it is this negative energy that eventually is redirected back to us as inconveniences, temptations or sufferings. We reap what we sow. But because there is reincarnation, the effect and cause are not often associated by the individual unless he or she understands the workings of the soul/heart.

It is this individual that understands the working of the soul that can understand the apparent injustice that may be inflicted on him or her. He or she will understand that the messengers of our inconveniences are not to be blamed or changed; but it is our soul/heart that brings upon these inconveniences in order to purify our minds. If we calm our minds, and not act upon our evil thoughts when our soul brings upon these inconveniences, we can eventually purify our minds. When we purify our minds, the positive soul will bring upon joy only. It is this information about the soul/heart that God informs us to share with others, so we can all be on the path of joy.

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Tenrikyo /Just Thinking about Religion

Posted on July 25, 2018 by heaventruth

In our religion, God tells us that all mankind, or personkind will eventually be saved. But I find it difficult to believe because of so much hate in the world. How can peoplekind begin to get along with each other?

I have been studying our sacred book, the Ofudesaki. It gives the family recipe to live the “Joyous Life”.  Our religion grew like wild fire in the 19 century, but has been stagnant since. The reasons given are that the elder people are dying out, and the younger generation lacks conviction, the religion is too Japanese, there is too much to memorize in participation (dancing), and so on………

What motivates people to believe in God, or a religion?  Heaven or eternal life may be one of the reasons. Cause and effect (causality, karma, Innen) is what I believe in. But until I studied the Ofudesaki, I had a difficult time conceptualizing how this process works. How can people believe that there is cause and effect, or “What we sow, we reap”.

The following is my summary of cause and effect.

Understand the soul/heart to understand why Causality works.

  1. The soul bring upon joy or suffering.
  2. The soul is an eternal positive energy source from God.
  3. But the soul has accumulated negative energy around it.
  4. These negative energies originate from the actions of our evil thoughts in our minds.
  5. The soul enters our bodies at birth or shortly after.
  6. It activates and provides information to our nervous system, restoring our previous minds, excluding our memories from past lives.
  7. The soul collects and stores the negative energies that are produced when we act on evil thoughts that are in our minds.
  8. These negative energies interact with our bodies and universe, causing delayed inconveniences to us.
  9. The soul leaves our bodies at death with the negative energies created on earth and returns to heaven.
  10. When we understand the soul, we understand that our inconveniences arise from within. The source of suffering comes from our own minds.
  11. When we calm our minds, and not take action on our evil thoughts, the mind gradually becomes purified of evil thoughts; and our souls become detached of negative energy. The positive energy of the soul brings upon only joy in the future.

God wants others to understand the soul/heart so we can have the joyous life.

We must begin to tell people about the soul, and tell them that God will help them understand the soul. This is hinokishin!

When our minds are purified, God has given us a special prayer (Joyous Service) to bring people to our places of worship so they can have the joyous life.

When God has accepted our sincere prayer, God will help others understand the soul by giving them temporary illness, dependent on any evil thoughts in their minds. God is giving them a preview of their future if they do not eliminate their evil thoughts. Any illness can be cured!

These evil thoughts are greed, arrogance, miserliness, covetousness, and self-love. These are the thoughts that we must control and not act on when temptation or inconveniences come forth from the negative energies surrounding our soul.

When one understands the soul, the temporary illness will subside, especially when we perform our special service called the sazuke on them.

But just because we understand the soul and our bodies have been healed, it cannot be assumed that the purification of the mind will occur. It is a process that takes determination and persistence. It is not easy to calm our minds when we believed we have been wronged. It is not easy to not act on our evil thoughts when suffering or inconveniences are brought forth by the soul. It is so easy to blame others, then us.

But if we are able to dig the truth (original pure mind) by determination and persistence no matter what the soul manifest, God guarantees a life full of joy for eternity.

Posted in causality, Cause and Effect, Christian, Christianity, Heaven's Truth Church, Hindu, Hinduism, Jjehoval Witness, Muslims, Ofudesaki, Scientology, Shinto, Sokai Gakkai, Tenrikyo, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tenrikyo

Posted on July 12, 2018 by heaventruth

Looking all over the world and through all ages,

I find no one who understands the Soul (heart).

 

THE TRUTHS OF HEAVEN

God wants us to understand the soul*.

Looking all over the world and through all ages, I find no one who

understands the heart (soul).  (Ofudesaki 1-1)

Why does God want us to understand the soul? It is because our souls determine our future. We suffer or have joy depending on what surrounds our eternal soul.

Many of us believe that it is the physical body that distinguishes and separates one individual from another. We mistakenly believe that the physical body defines who we are; but it is the soul that distinguishes each individual from another. Our physical bodies return to the earth when we die, while our souls evolve for eternity. It is our physical bodies including our complex neural systems that our souls utilizes to advance or regress as individuals. The body and its instruments are lent to us from God. The soul is who we are!  Let us further attempt to describe the soul.

The soul is an amalgam of positive energies that interacts with the world including our bodies and minds; by itself it brings upon joy to us because of these positive energies (see figure 1-1).  We are taught that there is good in everyone because of our original pure soul from God. But our souls have accumulated negative energies around them.

Among all mankind, there is no one who is evil.

It is only a bit of dust stuck on. Ofudesaki 1-53

These negative energies or dusts around the soul is why we suffer (see figure 1-2).  Where do these negative energies that surround the soul come from, and how do we remove them? Let us further explore the soul/heart.

1-1

1-2

The soul is an individualized ethereal energy source that enters our borrowed bodies at conception or shortly after; and it leaves our lifeless bodies at death to return to Heaven (see figure 1-3).

1-3

During our earthly stays, our souls take control of our minds, placing our former positive or negative thoughts in our minds (see figure 1-4). Our mental disposition(evil or good thoughts) originate from our souls.  But the main action of our souls appear to be the collection of negative energies that are produced by our negative acts (sins) (see figure 1-5).

Our souls eventually release the negative energies and redirects it back to us (see figure 1-6). What do these negative energies manifest into?

1-4

1-5

IMG_06941-6

These negative energies that surround our souls manifest into sufferings, temptations and inconveniences that come back to us as fate on this earth (see figure 1-7). The biblical proverb, “We reap what we sow” would appear to be true; and in the Ofudesaki, the phrase “Mune no uchi yori” (from what comes forth from the innermost heart) is repeated throughout scripture. One of the many functions of the soul appears to be retribution. But before we become discouraged from what appears as ominous fates, let us further explain these inconveniences delivered by our souls.

1-7

By these inconveniences that the soul delivers, they give us opportunities to eliminate the production of evil thoughts from our minds.These evil thoughts are greed, arrogance, miserliness, hate, anger, revenge, covetousness and self-love. If we calm our minds and ponder the existence of evil thoughts in our minds; and do not act on them when faced with what the soul metes out (sufferings, inconveniences and temptations), these thoughts from our minds  gradually subside. We do not produce more evil thoughts, and also do not produce the negative energies associated with these thoughts (see figure 1-8). Our minds  becomes pure of negative thoughts, and the evil surrounding our souls are eliminated. This results in a pure soul void of negative energy, which brings upon a joyous life for the individual (see figure 1-9).

1-8

1-9

For many people, the purification of the mind will be a long process, dependent on the amount of negative energy they have accumulated around their soul (Ofudesaki 1-47), which is also equivalent to the amount of evil thoughts in their mind. These sufferings that the negative energies manifest will test their resolve of not taking action on their evil thoughts. But if they continue to control their evil thoughts by not acting on them, the production of evil thoughts and negative energies will be eliminated. There is a saying that from  knots (sufferings),  buds (opportunities to remove evil thoughts) will sprout if we understand the soul.

But suppose we do not understand what the soul does? If we act on our evil thoughts when the soul distributes its negative energies or even if we act on them without the soul’s message, others will suffer and our minds will continue to produce more negative thoughts and negative energies. This increases the negative energies surrounding our pure soul, causing the soul to bring upon more sufferings upon ourselves (see figure 1-10). From knots, knots will continue to sprout if we do not understand the soul. Do not ignore the manifestations of the soul. This is why we must not blame others for any inconveniences or sufferings; these setbacks are manifestations of our own souls. We must calm our minds, and not act upon the evils in our minds.

1-10

What happens to these negative energies surrounding the soul when we die? Death does not sweep away these negative energies. The soul ascends to heaven with these deficiencies, and returns when an appropriate environment and housing are chosen for each unique soul. On returning from heaven, the soul enters our developing bodies; some of the negative energies around the soul converts back into our former negative thoughts, and settles in our minds (see figure 1-11). The process of death erases our past memories; but it does not erase our evil thoughts. This will explain the appearance of anger and other undesirable traits in our innocent children.

1-11

It is this  soul/heart that will continue for eternity, inhabiting sometimes imperfect bodies, and  sometimes producing unimaginable sufferings; but it is the soul that brings upon these conditions by releasing these negative energies surrounding it. God wants us to return to the pure soul, which will bring upon true joy. The following verse summarizes the path of the soul/heart.

“In the world’s path, you can do whatever you want and get away with it, so long as no one sees you do it. But in the path of the heart/soul, it all comes to bear on yourself”  (Osashizu pg 181).

So when suffering or inconveniences occur, it is not God that has caused it. Do not blame God or anyone else. It is your soul that manifest these sufferings. Calm your minds and ponder over any circumstances that the soul delivers. When one does not act on one’s evil thoughts, then the mind becomes pure of these thoughts.

 

OUR BELIEFS FROM A RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE:

God descended from heaven to teach us about the soul.  God through Oyasama (Miki Nakayama) and Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki) encouraged the early followers to remove evil thoughts from their minds, often placing temporary illness on their bodies to help them understand the relationship between the mind, body and soul/heart.

God told his/her followers that shared joy is true joy. We can not have true joy while others suffer. We must share these teachings with others. God gave them special instructions to bring others to our places of worship. God told his/her followers that he/she would begin to place illness on others in relationship with the evil thoughts in their minds to help them understand the soul. God gives them a preview of what sufferings they may endure if they continue to harbor evil thoughts. This special guidance is what makes this religion so unique. We pray for the salvation of others! This is why our prayer is so important in our faith.

This guidance as illness is only initiated with our spreading God’s truth about the soul/heart (hinokishin), and performing the special prayer (Joyous Service) with true sincerity. When people we have introduced the soul come to us to be healed, we further explain the soul and God’s teachings.  They are then healed and are able to understand the soul; and begin to purify their minds. This process of (1) purifying our own mind, (2) spreading the truth (hinokishin), and (3) praying continues until all mankind is purified of evil in their minds. God hastens for the day that all minds of the world are pure. When this occurs, there will be heaven on earth for all of God’s children.

OUR PATH:

To continue to purify our minds of negative thoughts ( sin/evil ) when confronted with temptation and sufferings manifested by the soul.

To spread and share God’s truth; telling people that illness and suffering may be God’s guidance to help one understand the soul/heart. This conveyance of God’s truth is called hinokishin .

To pray daily with our special prayer (Joyous Service), asking God to help people understand the soul/heart and to sweep evil from their minds.

kanrodai

Prayer directed toward the Kanrodai at Ojiba

“Evil sweeping. Save them please, Universal Saving God “.

To heal the people whose minds have been revealed when God guides them to us; and teach them about the soul (heart), causality and true sincerity. True sincerity is a mind that ponders over suffering and obstacles that the soul delivers, and accepts these inconveniences in a joyous manner. This will make our minds pure and spirited; and by the principle of causality will bring forth joy in the future due to the pure soul (heart).

GOD’S PROMISE:

All mankind will live a joyous life with everyone helping each other.

WHAT WE ASK YOU TO DO:

Please share this website with others and tell them about the soul/heart.

 * the location of the soul is unknown

Reference: Ofudesaki (Tip of the Writing Brush) 6th edition, Oyasama, Miki Nakayama, Tenrikyo Church Headquarter.

An Anthology of Osashizu Tranlation, Tenrikyo Overseas Department @71 Mishima, Tenri, Nara.

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Tenrikyo /Understanding the Soul to Understand God

Posted on June 22, 2018 by heaventruth

God wants us to understand the soul.

Looking all over the world and through all ages, I find no one who

understands the soul (heart/spirit).  (Ofudesaki 1-1)

Why does God want us to understand the soul? It is because our souls determine our future. We suffer or have joy depending on what surrounds our eternal soul.

Many of us believe that it is the physical body that distinguishes and separates one individual from another; we mistakenly believe that the physical body defines who we are. But it is the soul that distinguishes each individual from another. Our physical bodies return to the earth when we die, while our souls evolve for eternity. It is our physical bodies including our complex neural systems that our souls utilizes to advance or regress as individuals. To have true joy, there is no doubt that the purification of the soul is of primary importance than the adornment of the body. Let us further attempt to describe the soul.

The soul is an amalgam of positive energies that interacts with the world including our bodies and minds; by itself it brings upon joy to us because of these positive energies (see figure 1-1).  We are taught that there is good in everyone because of our original pure soul from God. But our souls have accumulated negative energies around them.

Among all mankind, there is no one who is evil.

It is only a bit of dust stuck on. Ofudesaki 1-53

These negative energies or dusts around the soul is why we suffer (see figure 1-2).  Where do these negative energies that surround the soul come from, and how do we remove them? Let us further explore the soul/heart.

1-1

1-2

The soul is an individualized ethereal positive energy source from God that enters our borrowed bodies at conception or shortly after; and it leaves our lifeless bodies at death to return to Heaven (see figure 1-3).

1-3

During our earthly stays, the soul helps remove the negative energies that are produced by our evil actions; and stores them as negative energies (see figure 1-4).

The soul (heart/spirit) and the mouth are the sand and filter. 3-11 Ofudesaki

The soul eventually releases the negative energies and redirects it back to us (see figure 1-5). What do these negative energies manifest into?

1-4

IMG_06941-5

These negative energies that surround the soul manifests into sufferings, temptations and inconveniences that come back to us as fate on this earth (see figure 1-6). The biblical proverb, “We reap what we sow” would appear to be true; and in the Ofudesaki, the phrase “Mune no uchi yori” (from what comes forth from the innermost heart) is repeated throughout scripture. One of the many functions of the soul appears to be retribution. But before we become discouraged from what appears as an ominous fate, let us further explain these inconveniences delivered by the soul.

1-6

By these inconveniences that the soul delivers, they give us opportunities to eliminate the production of evil thoughts from our minds.These evil thoughts are greed, arrogance, miserliness, hate, anger, revenge, covetousness and self-love. If we calm our minds and ponder the existence of evil thoughts in our minds; and do not act on them when faced with what the soul metes out (sufferings, inconveniences and temptations), these thoughts from our minds  gradually subside. We do not produce more evil thoughts, and also do not produce the negative energies associated with these thoughts (see figure 1-7). Our minds  becomes pure of negative thoughts, and the evil surrounding our souls are eliminated. This results in a pure soul void of negative energy, which brings upon a joyous life for the individual (see figure 1-8).

1-7

1-8

For many people, the purification of the mind will be a long process, dependent on the amount of negative energy they have accumulated around their soul (Ofudesaki 1-47), which is also equivalent to the amount of evil thoughts in their mind. These sufferings that the negative energies manifest will test their resolve of not taking action on their evil thoughts. But if they continue to control their evil thoughts by not acting on them, the production of evil thoughts and negative energies will be eliminated. There is a saying that from  knots (sufferings),  buds (opportunities to remove evil thoughts) will sprout if we understand the soul.

But suppose we do not understand what the soul does? If we act on our evil thoughts when the soul distributes its negative energies or even if we act on them without the soul’s message, others will suffer and our minds will continue to produce more negative thoughts and negative energies. This increases the negative energies surrounding our pure soul, causing the soul to bring upon more sufferings upon ourselves (see figure 1-9). From knots, knots will continue to sprout if we do not understand the soul. Do not ignore the manifestations of the soul. This is why we must not blame others for any inconveniences or sufferings; these setbacks are manifestations of our own souls. We must calm our minds, and not act upon the evils in our minds.

1-9

What happens to these negative energies surrounding the soul when we die? Death does not sweep away these negative energies. The soul ascends to heaven with these deficiencies, and returns when an appropriate environment and housing are chosen for each unique soul. On returning from heaven, the soul enters our developing bodies; some of the negative energies around the soul converts back into our former negative thoughts, and settles in our minds (see figure 1-10). The process of death erases our past memories; but it does not erase our evil thoughts. This will explain the appearance of anger and other undesirable traits in our innocent children.

1-10

It is this  soul/heart that will continue for eternity, inhabiting sometimes imperfect bodies, and  sometimes producing unimaginable sufferings; but it is the soul that brings upon these conditions by releasing these negative energies surrounding it. God wants us to return to the pure soul, which will bring upon true joy. The following verse summarizes the path of the soul/heart.

“In the world’s path, you can do whatever you want and get away with it, so long as no one sees you do it. But in the path of the heart/soul, it all comes to bear on yourself”  (Osashizu pg 181.)

So when suffering or inconveniences occur, it is not God that has caused it. Do not blame God or anyone else. It is your soul that manifest these sufferings. Calm your minds and ponder over any circumstances that the soul delivers. When one does not act on one’s evil thoughts, then the mind becomes pure of these thoughts.

 

OUR BELIEFS FROM A RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE:

God descended from heaven to teach us about the soul.  God through Oyasama (Miki Nakayama) and Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki) encouraged the early followers to remove evil thoughts from their minds, often placing temporary illness on their bodies to help them understand the relationship between the mind, body and soul/heart.

God told his/her followers that shared joy is true joy. We can not have true joy while others suffer. We must share these teachings with others. God gave them special instructions to bring others to our places of worship. God told his/her followers that he/she would begin to place illness on others in relationship with the evil thoughts in their minds to help them understand the soul. God gives them a preview of what sufferings they may endure if they continue to harbor evil thoughts. This special guidance is what makes this religion so unique. We pray for the salvation of others! This is why our prayer is so important in our faith.

This guidance as illness is only initiated with our spreading God’s truth about the soul/heart (hinokishin), and performing the special prayer (Joyous Service) with true sincerity. When people we have introduced the soul come to us to be healed, we further explain the soul and God’s teachings.  They are then healed and are able to understand the soul; and begin to purify their minds. This process of (1) purifying our own mind, (2) spreading the truth (hinokishin), and (3) praying continues until all mankind is purified of evil in their minds. God hastens for the day that all minds of the world are pure. When this occurs, there will be heaven on earth for all of God’s children.

OUR PATH:

To continue to purify our minds of negative thoughts ( sin/evil ) when confronted with temptation and sufferings manifested by the soul.

To spread and share God’s truth; telling people that illness and suffering may be God’s guidance to help one understand the soul/heart. This conveyance of God’s truth is called hinokishin .

To pray daily with our special prayer (Joyous Service), asking God to help people understand the soul/heart and to sweep evil from their minds.

kanrodai

Prayer directed toward the Kanrodai at Ojiba

“Evil sweeping. Save them please, Universal Saving God “.

To heal the people whose minds have been revealed when God guides them to us; and teach them about the soul (heart), causality and true sincerity. True sincerity is a mind that ponders over suffering and obstacles that the soul delivers, and accepts these inconveniences in a joyous manner. This will make our minds pure and spirited; and by the principle of causality will bring forth joy in the future due to the pure soul (heart).

GOD’S PROMISE:

All mankind will live a joyous life with everyone helping each other.

WHAT WE ASK YOU TO DO:

Please share this website with others and tell them about the soul/heart.

Reference: Ofudesaki (Tip of the Writing Brush) 6th edition, Oyasama, Miki Nakayama, Tenrikyo Church Headquarter.

An Anthology of Osashizu Tranlation, Tenrikyo Overseas Department @71 Mishima, Tenri, Nara

 

Posted in Catholic, Christian, Christianity, God, Heaven's Truth Church, Hinduism, soul, Tenrikyo | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tenrikyo /WHY WE SUFFER OR HAVE JOY

Posted on June 20, 2018 by heaventruth

THE TRUTHS OF HEAVEN

God wants us to understand the soul.

Looking all over the world and through all ages, I find no one who

understands the heart (soul/spirit).  (Ofudesaki 1-1)

Why does God want us to understand the soul? It is because our souls determine our future. We suffer or have joy depending on what surrounds our eternal soul.

Many of us believe that our physical bodies distinguish us from others; but it is the soul that temporarily resides in our borrowed bodies that distinguishes each individual from another. Our physical bodies return to the earth when we die, while the soul lives forever. It is the physical body that the soul uses to either advance or regress as an individual.

The soul is an amalgam of positive energies; by itself it brings upon joy to us because of these positive energies (see figure 1-1).  We are taught that there is “Good” in everyone because of our original pure soul from God.

Among all mankind, there is no one who is evil.

It is only a bit of dust stuck on. 1-53

But our souls have accumulated negative energies around them (Ofudesaki 1-53). This is why we suffer (see figure 1-2).  Where do these negative energies that surround the soul come from, and how do we remove them? Let us further explore the soul/heart.

1-1

1-2

The soul is an individualized ethereal positive energy source from God that enters our borrowed bodies at conception or shortly after; and it leaves our lifeless bodies at death to return to Heaven (see figure 1-3).

1-3

During our earthly stays, the soul helps remove the negative energies that are produced by our evil actions; and stores them as negative energies (see figure 1-4). The soul eventually releases the negative energies and redirects it back to us (see figure 1-5). What do these negative energies manifest into?

1-4

IMG_06941-5

These negative energies that surround the soul manifests into sufferings, temptations and inconveniences that come back to us as fate on this earth (see figure 1-6). The biblical proverb, “We reap what we sow” would appear to be true; and in the Ofudesaki, the phrase “Mune no uchi yori” (from what comes from the innermost heart) is repeated throughout the book. One of the many functions of the soul appears to be retribution. But before we become discouraged from this ominous fate, let us further explain these inconveniences delivered by the soul.

1-6

By these inconveniences that the soul delivers, they gives us opportunities to eliminate the production of evil thoughts from our minds.These evil thoughts are greed, arrogance, miserliness, hate, anger, revenge, covetousness and self-love. If we calm our minds and ponder the existence of evil thoughts in our minds; and do not act on them when faced with what the soul metes out (sufferings, inconveniences and temptations), these thoughts from our minds  gradually subside. We do not produce more evil thoughts, and also do not produce the negative energies associated with these thoughts (see figure 1-7). Our minds  becomes pure of negative thoughts, and the evil surrounding our souls are eliminated. This results in a pure soul void of negative energy, which brings upon a joyous life for the individual (see figure 1-8).

1-7

1-8

For many people, the purification of the mind will be a long process, dependent on the amount of negative energy they have accumulated around their soul (Ofudesaki 1-47), which is also equivalent to the amount of evil thoughts in their mind. These sufferings that the negative energies manifest will test their resolve of not taking action on their evil thoughts. But if they continue to control their evil thoughts by not acting on them, the production of evil thoughts and negative energies will be eliminated. There is a saying that from  knots (sufferings),  buds (opportunities to remove evil thoughts) will sprout if we understand the soul.

But suppose we do not understand what the soul does? If we act on our evil thoughts when the soul distributes its negative energies or even if we act on them without the soul’s message, others will suffer and our minds will continue to produce more negative thoughts and negative energies. This increases the negative energies surrounding our pure soul, causing the soul to bring upon more sufferings upon ourselves (see figure 1-9). From knots, knots will continue to sprout if we do not understand the soul. Do not ignore the manifestations of the soul. This is why we must not blame others for any inconveniences or sufferings; these setbacks are manifestations of our own souls. We must calm our minds, and not act upon the evils in our minds.

1-9

What happens to these negative energies surrounding the soul when we die? Death does not sweep away these negative energies. The soul ascends to heaven with these deficiencies, and returns when an appropriate environment and housing are chosen for each unique soul. On returning from heaven, the soul enters our developing bodies; some of the negative energies around the soul converts back into our former negative thoughts, and settles in our minds (see figure 1-10). The process of death erases our past memories; but it does not erase our evil thoughts. This will explain the appearance of anger and other undesirable traits in our innocent children.

1-10

It is this  soul/heart that will continue for eternity, inhabiting sometimes imperfect bodies, and  sometimes producing unimaginable sufferings; but it is the soul that brings upon these conditions by releasing these negative energies surrounding it. Tenrikyo explains how to remove these negative energies surrounding the soul, so we can uncover the pure heart/soul and live the “Joyous life”. The following verse summarizes the path of the soul/heart.

“In the world’s path, you can do whatever you want and get away with it, so long as no one sees you do it. But in the path of the heart/soul, it all comes to bear on yourself”  (Osashizu pg 181.)

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Tenrikyo /God is a Mother

Posted on June 17, 2018 by heaventruth

Today is father’s day. Happy father’s day for all the dads out there! Most religions will agree that the most important father is God; they believe that man was made out of the image of God. But who is not to say that God is female and therefore a mother. Why should we not begin our prayer with “Mother in heaven”?

I was reading a few books about the clairvoyants hypnotizing their patients in remembering there past lives and after death experiences. Many clients would remember a female figure meeting them shortly after death. The authors would categorize these spirits as angels; but could these figures be a female God meeting her children?

In the Tenrikyo religion (see heaventruth.com for explanation), God is said to have created human beings by selecting a female fish and a male serpent in the ancient muddy oceans. God then proceeded to select other creatures from the sea and added them to the fish and serpent in creating mankind. God then placed her pure mind in the first couple and began the process of creating mankind. Through evolution and reincarnation, we are who we are now. In the Tenrikyo religion, we revere this first female (Oyasama), and believe that her soul with God, continues to help mankind in purifying their minds of greed, arrogance, and self-love.

Initially reading the most sacred book in Tenrikyo (Ofudesaki), I did not understand why God would refer to herself as oba (grandmother). Since my mind was fixated on God as a male, it was difficult for me to understand and put the pieces together. Since Oyasama (Miki Nakayama) was the first mother of mankind, God if she is female would be the first grandmother or oba in Japanese. This makes sense! God is female! Your thoughts?

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Tenrikyo /We Do Not Understand

Posted on June 5, 2018 by heaventruth

Just because we believe in God, God does not favor us with blessings. More important, because we know the teachings, we are able to understand why we have joy or sorrow. Some of us continue to suffer despite our dedication to God; but because we understand the teachings, we are able to comfort ourselves in these trying circumstances. The path to joy sometimes is not an easy path.

These truths give us the opportunity to have joy: having these truths does not guarantee joy. We must utilize these truths sometimes under trying circumstances to have joy. Only thinking about these truths, without any effort will not bring upon joy.

Only when we improve ourselves by understanding and utilizing God’s truths, can we convey these truths to others. God tells us that we do not understand these truths. This is why our religion does not spread to the world. Many of us go through the rituals and ceremonies for salvation of others; but we do not understand our sacred book, the Ofudesaki that contains God’s truths. God tells us that we must first understand the truths and apply it to ourselves first before we can spread our religion to the world.

It is God who helps us bring people to our churches by our special prayers: some would say that our prayers do not work. God tells us that he can help us cure any disease to help us spread the teachings. We pray, why can we not heal? We do not understand God’s truth.

What is the truth that we do not understand? It is the soul/spirit/heart that we do not understand. The effectiveness of our special prayer is dependent on our understanding of the soul. Understanding the soul will help one understand why we have joy or suffer. It will also help us purify our minds of greed, arrogance, and self love.

God hastens the day when we understand the soul to purify our minds. When our minds are pure, God guarantees that when we spread the truths of the soul, our prayer of world salvation will come true. God will bring people to our places of worship to help save all mankind!

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Tenrikyo /God is Sick

Posted on June 3, 2018 by heaventruth

Due to greed, arrogance, and self-love (all evil thoughts), people are hurting each other, and causing suffering. Some of them justify their behavior as justice, or revenge for what was done to them. But unknown to them, they are also causing suffering to God when they act on their evil thoughts. In our sacred book is the following:

This world is God’s body.

Ponder, and realize it.   3-40

Imagine God as a “Super body” composed of cells, tissues and organs. The cells represent all the people on this earth. The tissues and organs represent the communities and countries that they fabricate. In our own bodies, each cell works together with other cells to create healthy tissues and organs. But suppose the cells begin to fight with each other, like when a cell becomes cancerous. Eventually the tissues and organs become infected and our bodies lose their function. This is what is happening to God. Evil individuals, like the cancer cells in our bodies are hurting God’s body. God is not well.

How do we make God healthy? In medicine we attempt to kill the cancer cells by radiation or chemotherapy, often ignoring what caused the cell to become cancerous. This has resulted in mixed results dependent on the location of the tumor. In our penal system, we have eliminated the evil person by the electric chair and the more humane lethal cocktail. We have also isolated them from society by placing them in prison. In war, we have attempted to annihilate the opposing force. But through all these measures, evil individuals continue to emerge. The removal of evil individuals (God’s property/cells) does not work to alleviate God’s suffering; it may even increase God’s sufferings. How do we make God healthy?

The origin of evil is not from the bodies that God has lent us: destroying it will only bring upon God’s regret. It is from the eternal soul/spirit that evil ethereally resides. And it is this soul that connects with our borrowed nervous system in creating or eliminating evil thoughts in our minds. It is these evil thoughts that spread from individual to individual, causing suffering to the world, and suffering to the body of God. We must suppress and eliminate these evil thoughts that are collected by our souls, and distributed to our loaned bodies as sufferings. Only when this happens, God will become healthy. Understand the soul to help eliminate evil thoughts from our minds.

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Tenrikyo /The Path of the Heart

Posted on June 2, 2018 by heaventruth

Looking at the occurrences of the world, there are two paths that the world follows. There is the world’s path where you can do whatever you want and get away with it, so long as no one sees you do it; and there is the “path of the heart”, where your actions all comes to bear on yourself. The following is an illustration of the path of the heart, which explains why we suffer.

It is the soul/heart/spirit that determine if we suffer or have joy. Our religion explains how we can have only joy. Please visit heaventruth.com.

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Tenrikyo /Pain as God’s Blessings

Posted on May 11, 2018 by heaventruth

Prophets who miraculous healed people founded many of the religions in the world. What is more impressive to convince others that one is working in behalf of God than to cure the incurable? But enter a religion that tells people that God will place illness or pain on them. This is the religion called Tenrikyo. At first one would question why anyone would join a religion that would hurt him or her.

Sometimes pain is good for oneself. Imagine not having sensory perception to feel fire. Imagine having no sensory perception to feel a contaminant in the eye. These are examples of our bodies helping us to prevent further injury. A few generations ago, spanking was accepted as punishment for misbehavior to guide our children. A little pain inflected to possibly avoid future suffering for our children was thought to be good. Would God give us a little pain to have us avoid future sufferings?

Enter the soul. Some will call it the spirit or heart. It is an intangible asset that we cannot measure qualitatively or quantitatively in our bodies. Yet many will agree that it is what survives after our bodies decay; and continues for eternity in heaven or on this earth. In Tenrikyo, we also believe it is the soul that collects the records of our evil deeds in the form of negative energies. It is these negative energies that surround the soul that manifest into our future sufferings. God sees these negative energies around the soul, and wants to warn us how to avoid them.

God tells us that when these negative energies around the soul manifest into sufferings and temptations, we should calm our minds and not act on our evil thoughts. We should ponder the circumstance as a condition that we have brought upon ourselves; and consider it as a message from our soul to help purify our minds. We should not “Kill the messengers”. When we succeed in not acting upon the evil thoughts in our minds when suffering or temptation occurs, these evil thoughts gradually do not develop in our minds. God tells us these evil thoughts are greed, arrogance, self-love, miserliness, covetousness, anger, hate, and enmity. These are the thoughts that are in many of our minds.

Because God saw the impending suffering of mankind by looking at our souls, God descended from heaven to teach us about the soul. What would be the best way to teach us about the soul, and teach us about the relationship between the soul, body and mind? God will begin to enter into us and place temporary illness dependent on what evil thoughts exist in our minds. God is showing us our future now with illness and pain. It is like our example of a little pain to avoid a major calamity in the future.

Imagine a religion asking its members to pray for pain and suffering of others. It appears cruel at first, but compassionate and justified at the end. We must understand the soul to understand why we suffer or have joy!

Posted in cancer, Catholic, Christian, Christianity, faith, God, guidance, Heaven's Truth, Heaven's Truth Church, Hindu, Hinduism, karma, Ofudesaki, prayer, reincarnation, sufferings, Tenrikyo, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment