Tenrikyo /What is Fate

Posted on June 22, 2016 by heaventruth

Fate is what awaits us around the corner. Will it be joy or suffering? By the definition of fate, we cannot change it. No matter how much we pray, we are destined to our fate. Some will say that God cannot even alter the course of our fate. But what determines our fate? Is it written in our intangible souls when we are born, like the genes that determines our physical characteristics?

In the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo), we believe that we determine our own fate. Our actions and thoughts of today determine our future. What we plant, we sow. Some may call this the natural law of causality (karma, innen). Like the law of gravity, there is no deviation from this law. Even God will let this path go unencumbered. But there is hope for those who suffer.

Causality is often given a negative view, because it is often associated with suffering. But causality also explains why we also have joy in our lives. No matter how much we suffer, by our good actions of today, we create our fate of joy.

The law of causality is also difficult to accept because, by acknowledging it, we have to accept that we have all sinned. It is difficult to accept that a precious child has sinned; not in this present life, but in his or her previous life. Yes, to accept the law of causality, one also has to accept the belief in reincarnation.

In this world, we see evil, and we see suffering. Causality tells us that there is a relationship of cause and effect. But most of the world would explain suffering as fate that has no explanation. Some will say it is God’s will; while others will say everything that occurs is by chance or randomness.

We believe that God descended from Heaven to teach us about causality; and to teach us how to remove greed, arrogance and self-love (sins) from our hearts. By this purification of mind, we all have the ability to create a joyous future with everyone helping each other. The fate of this world depends on those who know God’s truth to spread it throughout the world.

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Tenrikyo /Is Wealth and Power Compatible with God/revised

Posted on June 22, 2016 by heaventruth

Someone once told me that we couldn’t be like the prophets, and give all our possessions away to be saved. Possession and wealth are not important to God, but are important to the selfish person. It is joy and happiness that man seeks for; yet he or she thinks that material wealth and power can bring upon this joy. Man then becomes selfish, and seeks the joys of the flesh; but finds out that he or she is still unhappy. But God tells us it is the unselfish person that will receive God’s blessing of joy and happiness.   It is these  unselfishness acts that God brings upon wealth and power to us, that results in joy and happiness. It is the mind without greed, arrogance, and self love, that will receive God’s blessing (wealth) that will last for eternity. Conversely, it is the mind of greed that will bring upon wealth and power that will be short lived and miserable. What type of wealth and power have you brought upon yourself?

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Tenrikyo /Is Wealth and Power Compatible With God?

Posted on June 21, 2016 by heaventruth

Someone once told me that we couldn’t be like the prophets, and give all our possessions away to be saved. Possession and wealth are not important to God, but are important to the selfish person. It is joy and happiness that man seeks for; yet he or she thinks that material wealth and power can bring upon this joy. Man then becomes selfish, and seeks the joys of the flesh; but finds out that he or she is still unhappy. But God tells us it is the unselfish person that will receive God’s blessing of joy and happiness.   It is these  unselfishness acts that God brings upon wealth and power to us, that results in joy and happiness. It is the mind without greed, arrogance, and self love, that will receive God’s blessing (wealth) that will last for eternity. Conversely, it is the mind of greed that will bring upon wealth and power that will be short lived and miserable. What type of wealth and power have you brought upon yourself?

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Tenrikyo /Who Put the Fertilizer in the Church?

Posted on June 19, 2016 by heaventruth

God descended from Heaven, and gave us the ingredient to live a joyous life; be good, and one will have joy and be bad and one will suffer. This is a simple concept. But God also said that true joy is shared joy. We cannot have true joy while others suffer. But how do we share our joy? We can attempt to reason with others; but sometimes due to past knowledge, people will not understand this simple ingredient for a joyous life. We need God’s assistance. God has given us a simple prayer to bring people to our churches or places of worship to share this simple formula for joy. This prayer is called the Joyous Service, which is referred to as the fertilizer or koe in Japanese. Why is it referred to as a fertilizer? The following is the explanation.

God descended from Heaven at a particular time and location as predestined at the time of the origin of mankind. He descended upon a rural farming community heavily dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. God attempted to make it easy for the early followers to spread the teachings, by comparing the harvesting of crops with the number of people coming to our churches to be saved.

In farming, to harvest a crop, one needs a field. If one wants a large harvest, one needs to acquire a large field. It is the same with one’s desire to spread God’s truth. One can build a large church to bring in many people, or a smaller fellowship for a smaller congregation.

In farming, the next step will require the manual labor of planting the seeds, and toiling the soil. This would be the most strenuous and time-consuming stage of harvesting a crop. In attaining new members to our churches, this stage of planting the seeds is when we actually take part in spreading the teachings to others. The process of spreading the truth to others is called hinokishin and requires a tremendous commitment. In the future, advertising on radio, television, Internet, newspaper, and billboards may supplant the door-to-door technique used most often today. This would be like the machines that have replaced manual labor in the planting of the seed stage today.

The farmers need plenty of pure water for the seeds to germinate and the plant to grow in order to produce a large harvest. In the harvesting of new members, the pure water can be compared to a mind that is pure, and without greed, arrogance and self-love. This is a mind that will bring new members to our churches.

After the seeds germinate and the plants erupt, the farmer will need to weed the field, so that the plants grow unencumbered. The weeds tend to compete for the precious water, and nutrients vital for the plants to grow. In the harvesting of new members, these weeds can be compared to the evils of arrogance, greed, and self-love in our minds. We must weed these dusts from our minds so that our minds can be pure like water.

Most farmers know that the secret formula for an abundance of crop is the fertilizer. In the harvesting of new members, God has given us the Joyous Service, which is referred to as the fertilizer. This is a special prayer, which God has given us to bring new members to our churches and fellowships.

In conclusion, to bring new members to our churches, we must:

  1. build a church or fellowship
  2. spread God’s truths/hinokishin
  3. have a pure mind like water by removing greed, arrogance and self love.
  4. Pray by using the Joyous Service
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Tenrikyo /A Religion that will Save All Mankind

Posted on June 18, 2016 by heaventruth

Looking at the violence and suffering in the world, I believe that the major religions of today will not provide peace and prosperity for the world. The only religion that will eventually bring joy to all mankind is the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo). This is a religion that will bring together all mankind. The following is from the Heaven’s Truth home web page. Please let me know if you disagree and why you feel that your religion will bring peace to the world.

WELCOME

Welcome to the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo). We believe that removing greed, arrogance, miserliness, covetousness, and self-love from our minds will result in joy. The accumulation of these evils or dusts will result in future sufferings for the individual. We believe that true joy is shared joy. We cannot experience true joy while others suffer. For this reason, God has given us a special prayer to share God’s truth with others. This is a website created to introduce the teachings of the Heaven’s Truth Religion; and hopefully to spread the teachings that will save all mankind.

What causes suffering in this world? What causes illness? What causes tragedies? What causes natural disasters?  All these answers are in the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki).  The solution to these problems are also contained in the Book of Prophecy.

INTRODUCTION:

God descended from Heaven to save all mankind and has given us the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki), which contains the instructions to save all mankind.

God asks us to understand causality and reincarnation; and understand how they affect our lives today and tomorrow. We create our future by our thoughts and actions of today.

God encourages us to remove evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our thoughts and behaviors. This will make our minds spirited, and by the principle of causality bring forth joy to ourselves. But God tells us that true joy is shared joy. How do we share joy with others?

God has given us a special prayer to share our religion with others. This prayer is called the Joyous Service, sometimes referred to as the fertilizer (koe).

OUR BELIEFS:

We believe in the law of causality and reincarnation. Good thoughts and actions result in joy.  Evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and actions result in suffering and inconveniences in the future. Cause and effect have no time limitations. The effects of our actions may not develop until the next life.

With the acceptance of our special prayer (Joyous Service), God will begin to shorten the time lapse between the cause and effect, making the relationship easier to understand. That illness or suffering may be God informing you of the misuse of your mind. God gives you a glimpse of the future by this guidance. By pondering the illness and responding positively, one has the ability to create a joyous future. This special prayer brings people to our churches, so we can introduce them to Gods’ truths on how to live a joyous life.

OUR PATH:

To Spread God’s truth to others (hinokishin or planting the seeds)

To eliminate greed, arrogance, and self-love from our own minds, thus making our special prayer receptive to God. This is referred to as weeding.

To pray daily with our special prayer (Joyous Service), asking God to help spread the truth of causality to the world. This special prayer referred to as the fertilizer (koe)

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

GOD’S PROMISE:

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

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Tenrikyo /The Path of Joy

Posted on June 14, 2016 by heaventruth

Some one once asked me what makes my religion so different from other religions. At that time I could not come up with an answer. Today upon reflection, I can say confidently that our religion teaches that an individual has control of his or her future. What does this mean? It means that our thoughts and actions of today will eventually come back to affect our future. It means that good thoughts and behaviors will bring upon joy, while evil thoughts and behaviors will bring upon suffering. This is the principle of causality.

By this principle, those that suffer today, have the ability to create a future of joy, by having good thoughts, and by helping others. Causality explains why even the most evil person can ultimately have a bright future by his or her actions of today. But the conversion of mind does not erase the affects of one’s previous evil thoughts and actions. One must sow what one has planted. He or she has created a time frame of joy that will blossom after his or her sufferings. By this process of good thoughts and behavior, one has the ability to continue to plant seeds of joy in the future, while confronting, and eventually eliminating one’s sufferings.

One can say there is a path of joy, and there is path of suffering. On each path, we meet people of similar thoughts and behavior. It is not by chance or coincidence that we are born or raised in a particular city or country. It is not also coincidence that we are Muslims or Christians. Is it God, or the law of causality, which determines these factors? Does it matter? What is important is, are you on the path of suffering or on the path of Joy?

I remember, few years back, when I experienced people that were angry and sometime hostile. This occurred at work, after work and also while driving. Many times I would experience people who would flip me off on the road. I thought maybe it was the car I was driving that made people angry; but now I realize that God or causality may have brought me on the same path as these people. My thoughts were similar to these angry people. I was on the path of suffering and inconvenience.

Today, it is rare that people become angry with me. I experience friendship and kindness from co-workers, and family. I hope I am on the path of joy; but more important I hope the whole world can someday be on this path of joy.

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How to Save the World

Posted on June 12, 2016 by heaventruth

In 1838 God descended from Heaven to teach us how to purify our minds so that we can live a joyous life. God gave us the instructions in the Book of Prophecy (Ofudesaki) on how to spread the truth to the world. The twelve songs also reinforce these steps to gain new members to our churches. God used agriculture terms in conveying his message to the early followers.

  1. Purchase a field (Church or fellowship))
  2. Plant the seeds (spread God’s truths/hinokishin)
  3. Fertilizer (Joyous Service/prayer)
  4. Weeding (eliminating evil of the prayer)

By following these 4 simple steps, God guarantees a full harvest of crops, or new members to our churches. But throughout the history of this religion, we have not followed these instructions on how to spread God’s truth to the world. Instead, we place importance on tradition and customs; and these instructions become secondary.

Today, the world suffers because the world does not know God’s truth. We must go back to the basic and study the Book of Prophecy (Ofudesaki).

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Who is on your Path?

Posted on June 12, 2016 by heaventruth

We have choices in our lives. These choices have consequences. These choices that we select are paths of our minds. In the Heaven’s Truth religion (Tenrikyo), there are paths that lead to joy, and paths that lead to sorrow. Some will say that there are paths that lead to Heaven, and paths that lead to Hell.

Our choices in life, whether we choose good or evil determines our future destination (Heaven or heaven on earth). Our past choices determine who or what events are on our path today. It is no coincidence that people with similar thoughts and behavior congregate and interact (good or bad) with each other. Whether it is God or natural law (causality) that brings people together makes no difference. On the path of joy, there is no danger; while on the path of suffering, you do not know who or what is around the corner.

How do we get on this path of joy? In the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo), it is said that there is no one who is essentially evil. It is only because the dusts (evils) of arrogance, greed, and self-love have contaminated their minds. If they remove these “dusts” of the mind, they can by the law of causality bring upon joy in their lives. It is this path of the mind that we should encourage the people in the world to take. When this happens, we will all be on the same broad path of joy.

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Tenrikyo /The Proper Prayer

Posted on June 9, 2016 by heaventruth

Our prayers are usually concerning ourselves, like our friends or family; but in the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo), we have a prayer asking God to help others. It is a prayer asking God to sweep evil from the hearts of all mankind. How would the world be if greed, arrogance, and self love were gone? This would be heaven on earth! The following our scriptures from our sacred books:

Forgetting greed, we spread God’s Truth

This is most important, in making our prayer effective. Song eleven/fourth

This year with our prayer (Joyous Service)

God brought new members to our churches to be saved.

Oh, how delightful we are! How thankful we are! Song eleven/ten

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Why is the Church Wrong?

Posted on June 5, 2016 by heaventruth

heaventruth's avatarOFUDESAKI-GOD'S TEACHINGS

Four years ago, I began my journey to understand a religion that appeared to be genuine and easy to understand. But to my chagrin, this religion is decreasing in membership year after year. This is a religion I grew up with, where my father and mother were and are reverends of the church. I wanted to understand the core of its teachings, so I began with the most sacred doctrine of the church, which is the Ofudesaki. The Ofudesaki is said to be 17 chapters of verses that were written by God through the foundress, Miki Nakayama.

This book (Ofudesaki) explains what the purpose of life is, and why man was created. It gives us the instructions on how we as members of the church can begin to create a joyous life for all mankind. But as I began my translation and interpretation of this book, I found that the…

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