The Life of Pi

Posted on August 31, 2013 by heaventruth

In the story the Life of Pi,  Pi gets alarmingly close to a tiger when his father pulls him away from the cage. Pi argues that on staring at the creature’s eye, he saw the soul. But his father angrily replies that Pi only saw a reflection of his own soul.

What do we actually see in the world? Is there any meaning in the daily occurrences? In the Tip of the Writing Brush, it is said that the world is a reflection of our minds. What occurs daily is a reflection of the world’s mind.

The innermost heart of everyone in the world is all reflected to God. 8-12

I shall teach you step by step that this world is the body of God. Ponder, and look at it. 3-40

If we believe that the daily occurrences are a result of our thoughts and actions, then if we were to remove evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our minds, then we will only have joy in the future. On the other hand, if we continue to treat others poorly, then the sufferings in the world will continue.

In summary, the health of the world is dependent on our minds. The body of God is the world. Remove evils from your hearts to make God whole and spirited. When this happens, there will be only joy in the world with everyone helping each other.

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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Are we still animals?

Posted on August 30, 2013 by heaventruth

What separates human beings from other animals? We have a complex neural system that gives us the ability to think. That does not mean that we still do not have the primal instincts of other animals. The primal instincts of survival, dominance, sex, and protection of our territory and family are still ingrained in our genes. For example, the road rages on our highways, and the gang violence are activities that were initially instincts. These instincts are then processed in our neural system and justified by these animals.

Once these instincts helped our survival as human beings, but with the development of our neural system, we have become less dependent for our daily survival. Unfortunately there are regions in the world and even in our country where these primal instincts still dominate over rational human thoughts.

There are religions that unfortunately embellish these primal instincts in promising salvation. Examples are the homicides, the rapes, and the destruction of properties that are occurring in the name of God.

In the Tip of the Writing Brush, it is stated that mankind must have understanding. It is this complex neural system that mankind must utilize to understand God’s purpose for the creation of mankind. It is this thought process that separates us from all other species. The answer to all of the mysteries of life is provided daily by God. It is this complex neural system that we must use to understand the occurrences in our daily lives.

In summary, our primal instincts still continue to help us survive, but it is our capacity to think that separates us from other species. It is this capacity to think that gives us an opportunity to understand God’s purpose for the creation of mankind. It is said that God created mankind to live a joyous life by helping each other.  It is this understanding that will eventually create a world of joy.

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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Pray for the future

Posted on August 29, 2013 by heaventruth

How appropriate are our prayers. I remember when I was in school, I prayed after my tests. I would think that God would not be able to change the past. Thinking about it now, it would have probably been more appropriate to pray before my test, or even during the test. I think many of our prayers fall into this category. We pray after the event.

How many of us pray that God keeps us healthy? It is mostly when we get gravely sick that we turn to God to pray. Would it be easier for God to keep us healthy, than help us recover from a serious illness?

What causes joy, and what causes sufferings? If one believes in causality, good thoughts and actions brings forth joy, and evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and actions causes suffering in the future. Praying about the present condition is usually futile, because the past cannot be altered. What one sows, he or she reaps. The law of cause and effect is absolute. God cannot change what you have done in the past. But God can influence what you do now or in the future.

If we pray for the future, what do we pray for? We pray that God helps us eliminate greed, arrogance and self-love from our minds. When we eliminate evil from our minds, the future will be joyous. Pray for God’s guidance. Pray for the future.

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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Causality

Posted on August 27, 2013 by heaventruth

How do we explain suffering? Why do some people live an apparent happy life, while others suffer? Some call this fate. Something that is unexplainable. Others believe that suffering is God’s punishment for the sins committed. This seems to be a plausible explanation, but highly controversial and finger pointing. Why do the good suffer?

The law of causality explains many of the mysteries in life if one were to also believe in reincarnation. The law states that good thoughts and actions bring forth joy, and evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and actions bring forth suffering. This law is absolute, and the effects of any actions cannot be cancelled. To some, it may appear to be a fatalistic explanation of the future. But in essence, the law of causality is opportunistic. I will explain further.

Does the appearance of suffering mean that one is a bad person? Of course not, we as human beings do make mistakes. These inconveniences give us an opportunity to reflect our weaknesses. If we go through life accepting these inconveniences with grace and humility, they will eventually run its course. But more important, we can plant our seeds for the future by eliminating evil from our thoughts. When this happens, our effects will only be joy in the future.

This is why I believe that the understanding of causality is important for peace on earth and joy for the world. We cannot go on blaming others for our sufferings.  Causality gives us the instrument to evaluate from within to have a joyous future.

In the Tip of the Writing Brush, it is stated that God will essentially shorten the time lapse between cause and effect, making it easier to see the relationship between our thoughts and the future. When this happens, it will be apparent that we have control of our future. That illness or disease that may come upon your body may be God’s guidance. God may be reflecting your mind on your body. Ponder and eliminate greed, arrogance and self-love from your mind      

.Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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True Joy

Posted on August 26, 2013 by heaventruth


In the Tip of the Writing Brush, it is emphasized that true joy is accomplished only when we can share the joy with others.  This is the joy that God accepts.

What do you think this path is to be? It is solely mutual help among all people in all matters. 13-37

If all the world comes to help one another, God will accept all your minds. 13-38

In our lives, we can find examples of true joy and examples where there was no joy. For example, I remember when my son was playing basketball. For a parent, it is great when a child stands out, even at the expense of other children. I could see the support from the other parents, but I could also see their disappointment. This of course is not true joy.  On the other hand, there was one coach who adamantly accepted only teamwork from all the players. This resulted in the cohesion of the team, and also the full exuberant support of the parents.

Even in professional sports, the accumulation of super stars does not guarantee a championship. There must be cooperation and help among all the teammates. When one player demands all of the attention, the team usually does not perform. It is the coach that can bring all the players together that usually wins.

In this world, most of us want happiness. But many of us do not know what happiness is.  Is it eating at a good restaurant? Is it having a large house? Is it having a good job? Is it having money? There are some that have these, but are not happy. There are many life stories of celebrities and their children not finding happiness, and seeking it in drugs and alcohol. Like the cooperation and teamwork involved in creating a cohesive team, true joy in life comes to fruition only when we help others.

In summary, we are blessed to borrow our bodies from God. With our bodies, we are able to pursue our goals. Yet in pursuit of our goals, we must share and help others attain their goals. This results in true joy that God wants.

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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God’s Love

Posted on August 25, 2013 by heaventruth

Does God favor a special people, religion or government? In the Tip of the Writing Brush is the following:

All children in the world are equally dear to me.

Though there is no discrimination whatsoever. 15-69

It is with the principle that causality is never cancelled or forgiven by God. Even those that understand the truth of causality and eliminate evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) still suffer consequences of their past actions and thoughts in the future. God’s law of causality runs its course.

But those who understand causality realize that their actions and thoughts now open a path to a joyous future; and that eventually the sufferings from our past evils will run its course and be eliminated.  It is this principle of causality that will eventually settle and bring peace and joy to the world.

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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The Path to World Salvation

Posted on August 23, 2013 by heaventruth

PATH TO WORLD SALVATION

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1. Spreading the message that God will start to decrease the time lapse between the “cause and effect”, making it easier to understand  the relationship between our thoughts and our future. Understand causality. Good thoughts bring forth joy, and evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and actions bring forth suffering in the future.

2. Praying to God (service) to decrease the time lapse between the “cause and effect”, making it easier to understand the relationship between our thoughts and the future (causality).

3. God accepting our sincere prayer begins to bring people to us.

4. God distinguishes their minds (good or evil), and places illness or disease.  This is the process of decreasing the time lapse between cause and effect.

5. Pondering of the illness or disease.

6. After pondering over the illness, one begins to remove evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from the mind.

7. God’s teachings of the sacred book, the prayer (service) and the origin are given.

8. The mind understands the origin of why mankind was created. Mankind was created by God to live the joyous life.  

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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The Power of Money

Posted on August 22, 2013 by heaventruth

There are many people who worship money or power in our society. But money or power cannot guarantee a happy life. Money can’t help you when you become sick. Money can’t prevent sufferings. Money or power cannot guarantee you a happy life. What is it that we need to know to have a joyous life? In the Osashizu is the following:

You might not understand easily if I speak of causality. Listen and understand the truth well. If things happen the way you wish, that is because of causality. If things do not happen the way you wish, that is also because of causality. If you pass through life with no awareness of causality, with no awareness of causality at all, then there is no knowing what sort of causality will manifest itself. However hard you try to cause something to happen, it might not happen, such is causality. Were it possible for the power of money to make anything happen, it would be as though the one truth did not exist. Causality means that the power of money cannot cause things to happen.August 26, 1890

In summary power and money do not guarantee us our happiness. It is the awareness of causality that will help us acquire a joyous life in the future. When we remove evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our minds and help others, we guarantee ourselves of a joyous future. This is causality. This is God’s guarantee.

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Riding on God’s mind

Posted on August 21, 2013 by heaventruth

Today, sometimes it feels like we are going against the common trend of thinking. When extravagant life styles, and sexual promiscuous are encouraged on television and movies. When greed and power are looked as good traits. Where people don’t return calls or messages. What does one do? In the Osashizu is a quote:

I shall let you work by the truth of your mind. One person can face myriads solely by virtue of the mind. God rides on the mind and works. As long as the mind is firm. God will ride the mind and work freely and unlimited. October 2, 1898

In summary:  In a stream of opposition, one can challenge the evil, and spread God’s teachings. By removing greed, arrogance, and self love from your minds, God will help and protect you, even when faced with enormous opposition. God will help you spread the truth. Ride on God’s mind.

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The Omnipresent God

Posted on August 20, 2013 by heaventruth

The following verse may pertain to all religions. This is from the Osashizu.

As long as you are concerned only about your own interests, you cannot be called brothers and sisters. There is not a single thing you should fear. There is someone who always accompanies you. Who is it that accompanies you? From Heaven, I am always there for you.  August 10, 1902

Heaven’s Truth Church/Tenrikyo Church

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