Sunny and cloudy days

Posted on November 28, 2013 by heaventruth

What makes going through the path of causality so difficult, and at the same time so special. There are two paths in the world, the world’s path, and the path of causality. In the world’s path you can seem to  get away with anything as long as no one sees you; but in the path of causality, everything is reflected back to you.  In the world’s path, one is at lost when sufferings or difficulties arise. In the path of causality, one understands why suffering and joy occur. But understanding causality by itself may not get you through the path. What does this mean?

The world is a reflection of our minds. Causality operates in a manner to purify our minds. Events occur that may go against our wishes. Understanding causality may help us understand these occurrences. Yet sometime despite our understanding of causality, we become angry, or worry about these events.  We tend to revert to our old thoughts and actions.  We continue to plants bad seeds that will bring upon more suffering.  We must not only understand causality, we must resolve to remove the existing evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) in our minds when confronted with sufferings. Causality becomes a self-cleansing process of the mind.

In the world, there are sunny days, and cloudy days. Every type of day is manifested by our minds. With each manifested day, if we go through with a purity of mind, then every day will eventually become a sunny day.

* selections were taken from the Osashizu

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Don’t Kill the Messenger/revised

Posted on November 25, 2013 by heaventruth

What if the world is a reflection of our minds?  The problems at work, the unexpected sufferings are all the results of our minds.  The delivery of these sufferings may be from people familiar to us, or may even be strangers in the night.  But like a common saying, we don’t kill the messenger that conveys the message.  If we can direct our response not to the messenger, but direct it within ourselves.

If we can direct the response inwards, then anger or worry will not arise when inconveniences occur. What is this response? It is not a feeling of hopelessness in facing an unchangeable fate. But it is the optimism even in suffering, that our good thoughts and actions today will plant a good seed for tomorrow. It is this action that will bring forth messengers that will delivers us blessings in the future.

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The Two Paths of Mankind

Posted on November 25, 2013 by heaventruth

There are two paths of mankind. One is a good path and the other is the bad path. The good path leads to joy, and the bad path leads to suffering.  Everyone if given the choice would select the good path. But both paths intersect in the middle, and the paths become difficult to distinguish.

It is said that God is on the sidelines except at the beginning when he created the universe and mankind. It is also been mentioned in many of the sacred books that God is sad to see all the sufferings in the world.  In the Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki), it is written that God will begin to help mankind. God will help us distinguish these separate paths of good and bad. When mankind is able to distinguish these two separate paths, there will only be only one logical path, a path of joy.

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The Two Paths of Mankind

Posted on November 24, 2013 by heaventruth

There are two paths of mankind. One is a good path and the other is the bad path. The good path leads to joy, and the bad path leads to suffering.  Everyone if given the choice would select the good path. But both paths intersect in the middle, and the paths become difficult to distinguish. Both suffering and joy would appear to have no relationship to our behavior or thoughts.

It is said that God is on the sidelines except at the beginning when he created the universe and mankind. It is also been mentioned in many of the sacred books that God is sad to see all the sufferings in the world.  In the Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki), it is written that God will begin to help mankind. God will help us distinguish these separate paths of good and bad. When mankind sees this relationship of cause and effect, there will only be one path, a path of joy.

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Heaven’s Truth

Posted on November 20, 2013 by heaventruth

Almost everyone knows about the 10 commandments, or the sins we should avoid. In the Heaven’s Truth Church (Tenrikyo), the evils of greed, arrogance, covetousness, miserliness, anger, hatred, enmity and self-love is advised to sweep from our minds. The following is from the Osashizu:

Day after day, you teach the eight dusts (evils). Merely teaching the eight dusts is like a picture painted on a sliding screen. No matter how many times people may look at it, that will serve no purpose if they do no more than merely admire how beautifully it is painted. Everyone must understand and settle its truth in the mind.                        Osashizu  July 23,1899

The truth I believe that one should settle in the mind is the consequences of these evils.  Even the criminal knows what is good or bad, but they do not know what the consequences of utilizing these evils will be.  It is heaven’s truth that one must believe in in order to sweep these evils from one’s minds.  Some believe that heaven’s truth is the existence of a heaven or hell; others believe this truth is about causality. But no matter the belief, the consequences of the evils (sins) must be acknowledged. To change the behavior of others, we must teach them the sins that they must avoid; but we must also teach the consequences of these sins

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Blind Faith in Religion

Posted on November 17, 2013 by heaventruth

Just recently I received a couple of messages from a blogger that I was a hypocrite, and an irate message that I did not know what I was talking about. He or she quoted a few verses from the Bible on why God had destroyed the world in Genesis.

I would like to reply. Most people on the religious blogs are good people trying to improve the world. Some people want to share their religions because it has helped them.  On the other hand, there are people who believe that their religion is like a club, and will defend themselves to the death if their beliefs are infringed on.  It is this type of behavior that I would like to address.

Many of the sacred books were written when people considered the world flat. Parts of the sacred books may be considered rated X with brothers killing each other, and fornication here and there. But there are also common themes of goodness in all the sacred books.

I truly believe that faith without any relationship to the real world is dangerous.  Faith without reasoning is blind faith.  It is this blind faith that caused the Jonestown suicides. It is this blind faith that caused the 9-11 massacre of innocent people. These were supposedly religious people that caused these atrocities. They truly believed that they were acting in behalf of God.

I truly respect those that believe that their sacred book of ancient times is the word of God, and are willing to share their beliefs to the world. But I am also wary of those that believe in their sacred books and are willing to force their religion on others.  It is this blind faith that may turn someone with good intentions into someone who goes against God.

With this, I implore people not to vilify and criticize those with different views of religion. We must work together to make this world better.

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God Does not Punish

Posted on November 17, 2013 by heaventruth

One of my churches elder once told me that I should come back to attending church. She advised me that it was dangerous for my future if I did not. Was she implying that God would punish me for not attending church? 

Throughout the history of mankind, there are verses supposedly from God stating that we do not understand. Even Jesus, told his disciples that they did not understand when they could not cure someone who was ill. In the Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki), throughout the book, God is telling us that we do not understand. What is it that we do not understand?

God does not punish. We are all God’s children.  What parent would want their children to suffer?   Whether we attend church or not, it does not matter to God. For most part, God is said to be on the sidelines. Burglaries, unscrupulous acts, and crimes against humanity continue to occur throughout the world. Sufferings also continue throughout the world. On the other hand, altruistic acts, charity, and benevolence are prevalent in the world. Joy also continues throughout the world. Is there a relationship between our behavior and what happens to us in the future?

Does God punish us for our evils? Does punishment actually work?  In the prison system, it is often noted that punishment by incarceration does not work. The incorrigible criminal continues his crime spree after serving sentence. God wants us to find out the truth for ourselves. Forcing someone to learn or comply does not stick. Like the prisoner, when the shackles are removed, the crime continues. One must find the truth by oneself.

What is this truth that one must understand. It is the truth of causality. Causality states that good thoughts and behavior brings forth joy, and evil thoughts and behavior brings forth sufferings. These are the two main paths of human beings. We have control of our own destiny.  The world suffers because the manifested evils are reflected back to us. God does not punish us for our sins like many television evangelist would like us to believe. We inflict suffering on ourselves. God for the most part is on the sideline, hoping his children will learn the truth of causality.

In our religion, we believe in a special prayer.  This special prayer was created when monks from another religion threatened and caused destruction to a church. Instead of a prayer to cause harm or destruction to the perpetrators, a prayer to help them was created. This joyous service prayer is performed daily asking God to sweep evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from the hearts of mankind. It is this prayer that will help mankind understand causality.  With the understanding of causality, it will be easier for them to remove the evils from their minds.  When this happen, only joy will appear in the future.

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The Truth of Heaven

Posted on November 17, 2013 by heaventruth

What is the difference between Tenrikyo (Heaven’s Truth Chruch) and other religions? I believe that many Tenrikyo followers believe that our church is a unique religion, different from all other religions.  But realistically our religion is not much different than many of the other major religions (Buddhism, Shinto, and Hinduism). The common theme is causality (innen and karma). The law of causality states that good thoughts and behavior results in a joyous future; and evil thoughts and behavior results in suffering.  Causality is an important concept to understand in the salvation of mankind.  In the Tip of the Writing Brush it is often inferred as the “truth of heaven.” Tenrikyo by its name reinforces the concept of causality. Ten is translated as heaven and ri as the truth. The truth is the existence of causality.

But for those who truly believe that our church is unique, there is good news.  Our church believes that God will begin to help (guide) people see this relationship between cause and effect. In essence, God will begin to hasten the relationship between cause and effect. One will be able to see his or her future immediately. That illness or bodily discomfort may be God’s guidance in changing your mind or behavior. When one changes one’s behavior, one plants a seed for joy in the future (causality).

Our religion is unique in that we believe that God is working now to help us see that Causality does exist. But our prayer is also unique, in that we are asking God to help other people understand causality in order for them to sweep evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from their minds. When this happen, one plants good seeds for the future.  We are praying for the salvation of the world. In summary, we must spread the truth of our church. We must tell people about causality. We must pray!

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God does not punish

Posted on November 9, 2013 by heaventruth

 

 

One of my church colleagues once told me that I should come back to attending church. She advised me that it was dangerous for my future if I did not. Was she implying that God would punish me for not attending church? 

 

Throughout the history of mankind, there are verses supposedly from God stating that we do not understand. Even Jesus, told his disciples that they did not understand when they could not cure someone who was ill. In the Tip of the Writing Brush (Ofudesaki), throughout the book, God is telling us that we do not understand. What is it that we do not understand?

 

God is telling us that we are all God’s children.  What parent would want their children to suffer?  With this in mind, God does not have favorites among his children.  Whether we attend church or not, God does not favor any race, religion, or gender. For most part, God is said to be on the sidelines. Genocides, rapes, murders continue to occur throughout the world. Sufferings also continue throughout the world. On the other hand, love, charity, and help is prevalent in the world. Joy also continues throughout the world. Is there a relationship between our behavior and what happens to us in the future?

 

Does God punish us for our evils? Does punishment actually work?  In the prison system, it is often noted that punishment by incarceration does not work. The incorrigible criminal continues his crime spree after serving sentence. God wants us to find out the truth for ourselves. Forcing someone to learn or comply does not stick. Like the prisoner, when the chains are removed, the crime continues. One must find the truth by oneself.

 

What is this truth that one must understand. It is the truth of causality. Causality states that good thoughts and behavior brings forth joy, and evil thoughts and behavior brings forth sufferings. These are the two main paths of human beings. We have control of our own destiny.  The world suffers because the manifested evils are reflected back to us. God does not punish us for our sins like many television evangelist would like us to believe.  God for the most part is on the sideline, hoping his children will learn the truth of causality.

 

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The World is a Mirror

Posted on November 8, 2013 by heaventruth

Sometimes we go through experiences in our lives that is unbearable. We cannot understand why some one we care about suddenly dislikes us.  We cannot understand why a stranger has enmity toward us.  It is said in the Tip of the Writing Brush that “the world is our mirror”.  What we see and experience is a reflection of our mind.  God gives us a mirror of what we have done in the past.

We blame our wives, our bosses, and even God for our problems. Divorces, and job changes do not solve the problems. New marriages and jobs only bring upon new faces and environment. The same problems continue to arise. The solution may be from within. We must however difficult accept these difficult situations, and change our attitude and mind to sweep evil from our minds.  Instead of anger toward others, we must ponder our own minds, and eliminate greed, arrogance, and self love from our minds. When this happen, we are planting seeds of joy in the future. The mirror in the future will only reflect joy.

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