The mind like clear skies

Posted on June 29, 2014 by heaventruth

What is the purpose of life? Is it to have money, power, and possessions? Is it to drive in the luxuries cars, and have money to do anything you want? Many of us spend all our lives trying to attain possessions. But do the attainment of these possessions make one happy? Some will say it cannot hurt to have money.

The religious institutions will say that attaining spiritual maturity and being closer to God is the purpose of life. But many of these religions rely on the lucrative donation of the rich, and also the large amount of money from the poor. Many appear to promise salvation in exchange for their donations.

For me, it is the feeling of happiness that sometimes permeates my mind. I sometimes think it comes from a strong cup of good coffee. I believe that it is this feeling that people try to attain. Many think that it is from possessions that they can attain this feeling. Others try drugs that are stronger than coffee to attain this happiness. But as we see in our daily news, these people sometimes succumb to the drugs. Others continue to pursue happiness in spite of the dangers.

In the Osashizu is the following:

There are cloudy days and sunny days. There are also days when the mind like clear skies is present. January 4, 1890

Cloudy days are when things that we do not want to happen occurs, and sunny days are when things are going our way. One would think that the sunny days would bring upon happiness. But in both circumstances, we may not be happy because we do not have a mind like clear skies. How do we have a mind like clear skies?

It is said that we must have true sincerity. This is a mind that is free from greed, arrogance, and self-love. When we have true sincerity, we can be happy with both sunny and cloudy days. This is the purpose of life. The purpose of life is to live joyously with everyone helping each other.

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God gift to mankind of Doctors and medicine

Posted on June 27, 2014 by heaventruth

Though there should be nothing called illness in human beings,

There is no one who knows about the beginning of this world. 9-11

Because of my desire to have you know this,

I began doctors and medicine for weeding and fertilizing. 9-12

Interpretation:

God saw the suffering in the world, opposite to the joyous life that was intended in the beginning of the world. The evils of greed, arrogance, and self-love have pervaded our minds. These dusts are what cause suffering in the world. Suffering and illness should not exist in the perfect world of God. Therefore, God created physicians and medicine to begin the purification of the mind.

The term weeding and fertilizer is used metaphorically to understand the path of the joyous life. Weeding refers to the elimination of greed, arrogance, and self-love from the mind of the prayer. The fertilizer refers to our prayer. When we pray with a pure mind, our prayers our answered by God.

The beginning of healers and medicine has given mankind the impetus to be closer with God. Our prayers to God become more relevant. For example, the acceptance of our prayers for recovery has been increased ten fold with the discovery of antibiotics. Medicine has indeed given mankind hope of a loving God.

Sometimes even with the best efforts of modern medicine, illness and disease will overcome the sick. It is these times, that we must purify our minds of greed, arrogance and self-love for our prayers for their recovery to be successful. It is said that we must pray for those who doctors have given up on. We must not let them suffer.

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We see, but we do not understand

Posted on June 26, 2014 by heaventruth

Some religions proclaim that accepting their dogmas will guarantee you salvation, without relevance to what one has done in the past. In our sacred book, it states that the path to a joyous life is difficult to follow. I thought if we knew heaven’s truth, it would be easy to lead a joyous life or to attain salvation. In the Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki) is the following

This path of true sincerity is a difficult path.

Everyone must ponder. 10-35

This path may be difficult, but it is marvelous

path. Certainly watch it. 4-101

But why is the joyous life so difficult to attain for even the people that believe in the truth of causality? Causality does not forget. What we sow, we always reap. We continue to be confronted with what we have done. That is why repentance does not cancel the effects of our actions. When faced with negative causality, we can create positive causality by our good actions, or we can continue to bring upon suffering or inconveniences by our poor responses. Causality gives us an opportunity to purify our minds of greed, arrogance and self love.

It is said that husband and wife is brought together by causality. We believe that we choose our mates, but in reality we are brought together by causality. This is why divorce does not usually bring upon resolve to both parties. Many times one faces the same problems in the following marriages. It is appropriate the verse from the Bible:

“What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” Matthew 19:6

The world continues to suffer because we continue to ignore the truth of causality. We see, but we do not understand.

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The Universe is the Body of God

Posted on June 25, 2014 by heaventruth

The liberals are saying that pollution is causing global warming leading to climate changes, which will affect us in many adverse ways. This may eventually lead to another ice age, destroying our planet and its inhabitants including us. In the Tip of the Writing Brush, it is stated that the minds of the world are reflected back to itself. But how is it reflected to the world? The following is from the Tip of the Writing Brush:

Thunder, earthquakes, great winds, and floods,

these are regret and anger of God. 8-59

These negative energies of the mind (like greed, arrogance, and self love) are released into the environment. Some will say that the Universe is the body of God. So one can say we are releasing our negative energy to God. The universe (God) has to release this negative energy that has built up. It is released in the way of energy that affects our climates and geography. Some will question how much negative energy can be produced from one mind. But one must remember that there are 7 billion people on this earth. I am confident that the negative energies produced from the minds of the world can easily move mountains.

If we believe that the minds of the world are reflected back to us, should we not be more concerned about helping our fellow man, than worrying about a species of fishes that are insignificant in relationship to the universe. Yes pollution may cause inclement weather changes, but can man’s evils also cause these weather and geological changes? Something to ponder about.

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Verse of the Week

Posted on June 22, 2014 by heaventruth

Repentence in thought is not enough. To put it into action is truly to repent. Osashizu April 4, 1896

Interpretation. Many times we apologize for our indiscretions, but we continue to repeat our sins when temptations arises. It is only when we resist these temptations that God accepts our repentance. Action is more powerful than words.

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Are we on God’s side?

Posted on June 22, 2014 by heaventruth

Throughout history, we have had many conflicts, wars among countries, religious schisms, gang rivalries, and individual retributions. How do we end these conflicts? In the Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki) is the following:

God sincerely desires only to end the wars

among those on the high mountains. 13-50

By what means can they be ended?

If only you set forth on the Joyous Service. 13-51

The Joyous Service is a prayer asking God to help people realize the truth of causality. When people accept the truth of causality, it would be difficult to treat others so poorly. The proverb by Luke  “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” would become a common occurrence.

But for this prayer to reach heaven, we must purify our hearts, and eliminate greed, arrogance, and self-love from our own minds. When God accepts our prayers, and brings people to us, we have the opportunity to teach them the truth of causality. With this process, this prayer will eventually resonate throughout the world, and the world will be joyous.

For those in our religion, that are adamant on requiring the world to perform the prayer as exactly performed in 19-century Japan, there is a quote referring to the danger from within the religion.

Those who oppose Me are also children dear to My heart. Yet dearer are those who pray to Me. But even with those who pray to Me, if they do not follow My will, they are the same as those who oppose Me. (April 21, 1896 Osashizu)

Are we following God’s will?

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Causality (karma, innen)

Posted on June 21, 2014 by heaventruth

Causality appears to be the mechanism which God cleans our minds. We reap what we sow. The effects of our actions are reflected back to us to test our innermost hearts. Suffering and joy are the result of our past actions. When confronted by suffering or inconveniences, we must believe that we are experiencing the effects of our past actions. One must not blame others for our sufferings, and accept these events with a positive attitude. When this happens, one will be erasing one’s causality or karma, and also planting good seeds for the future.

There are people who will continue to suffer and have inconveniences, because they continue to be angered and act selfishly when negative causality appears. The cycle of suffering, and inappropriate response will continue until one changes behavior. Look at the world today, and you will see the effects of causality. There are wars, conflicts between countries, crime, and suffering of individuals; but there is also joy and prosperity. Could these be the result of causality?

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How to apologize to God

Posted on June 19, 2014 by heaventruth

It is said that God does not want us to apologize for our past indiscretions. He does not accept our apologies for our sins. It is our good behaviors when faced with the same temptations and adversities that God accepts as our apology. Actions speak more than words.

It is easy for us to apologize, and promise to be good. But when temptation arises, how difficult it is to keep our promise. When stress occurs, how easy is it to control one’s anger? Again, action speaks more than words. Good behavior is what God accepts as our apology for our past sins.

Causality appears to be the mechanism which God tests our faith. We reap what we sow. The appearance of adversity and suffering allows us the opportunity to apologize to God. If we confront adversity in a positive attitude, we have the ability to sow good seeds that will blossom into joy in the future. This is what God accepts as our apology for past sins. But we all know it takes hard work for us to eliminate the evils of greed and arrogance that is in our minds. We often fail in our commitment to God to be good. But the law of causality continues to place opportunities in front us daily to change our behavior, and to apologize to God.

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Causality repeats itself

Posted on June 19, 2014 by heaventruth

The truth of heaven is causality. Good thoughts and actions result in joy in the future, while evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and action results in suffering in the future. We reap what we sow. Sometimes what we reap comes in the next life (reincarnation), which makes the relationship between cause and effect difficult to understand.

Until the world understands the concept of causality, we will continue to blame others for our sufferings and inconveniences. The selfish will continue to take advantage of others, the strong will continue to abuse the weak, and the righteous will continue to infringe the rights of others. With these evil thoughts and actions, besides causing suffering to others, we are hurting ourselves.

It is this message of causality that we spread to the world. It is with our special prayer that we ask God to help people realize the truth of heaven. When all mankind understands causality, the world will experience true joy, with everyone help each other.

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The Truth of Heaven

Posted on June 18, 2014 by heaventruth

Tenrikyo translated into English is heaven’s truth. What is heaven’s truth and why is it so important to know? In the Tip of the Writing Brush is the following:

But what path will be seen tomorrow?

The truth of your mind will become revealed. 12-177

So long as you do not know that the body is a thing borrowed,

you cannot understand nothing at all. 3-137

The truth of heaven is causality. Good thoughts and actions result in joy in the future, while evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and action results in suffering in the future. We reap what we sow. With every action, there is a reaction. These are common proverbs associated with causality. Sometimes what we reap comes in the next life (reincarnation), which makes the relationship between cause and effect difficult to see.

Until the world understands the concept of causality, we will continue to blame others for our sufferings and inconveniences. The selfish will continue to take advantage of others, the strong will continue to abuse the weak, and the righteous will continue to infringe the rights of others.

It is this message of causality that we spread to the world. It is with our special prayer that we ask God to help people realize the truth of heaven. When all mankind understands causality, the world will experience true joy, with everyone help each other.

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