Instruction One and Instruction Two

Instruction One, which was announced by the Shinbashira when he was inaugurated, indicated the direction in which we ought to move from that point on. That Instruction helped us reaffirm the purpose for which our teachings exist. All of us, who were created and enabled to be alive by God the Parent, ought to live in an attitude of hinokishin--that is, selfless and thankful action through which we make repayment for the blessings we receive. That Instruction also clearly indicated that the objective toward which we should be aspiring--and this indeed is what God the Parent and Oyasama desire--is "world salvation," whereby we are to work toward the Joyous Life of all humankind while turning our thoughts back to the day of origin of creation and pondering the origin of the blessings we receive each day.

Instruction Two, which draws on this spirit of Instruction One, showed where we should center our mind and how we should walk the path as we prepare for the 120th Anniversary of Oyasama. While embodying the spirit of Instruction One, which sets its sights on world salvation through a broad perspective, Instruction Two invites us to implement world salvation in our daily life, starting right where we are by doing whatever we can do.

Instruction Two thus encourages us to awaken our "mind of saving others"--the mind that wishes for the salvation of all those whose paths cross ours--and implement salvation work while tirelessly sowing seeds of sincerity and putting hinokishin into practice in the course of our daily life. There is, indeed, a oneness in the two Instructions--Instruction One and Instruction Two. Taking this to heart and actually implementing their messages is the way for us to become genuine Yoboku and to progress in our spiritual growth.

Mutual Encouragement Among Followers

These visits will be followed by the District Lectures, which are scheduled to take place between March and June in a large number of communities. I would like to encourage all of you who are Yoboku to take a proactive approach to this event--rather than merely waiting for it to happen--and to see it as a launch pad for demonstrating your "mind of saving others."

Why is it that this event will be held in various communities, rather than at the Home of the Parent alone or at directly supervised churches alone? The reason is that we would like to ensure that the message of the season reaches each and every Yoboku. In other words, we would like all of us Yoboku to rise up spiritedly and advance in a unity of mind during this golden season of spiritual growth, the wonderful season of salvation.

I would like to suggest that you begin by inviting those Yoboku who are not very well connected with the path--whether they are your spouses, parents, children, brothers, sisters, friends, or acquaintances--to the District Lectures by visiting them, writing to them, or calling them. I hope that you will share with them your sense of high-spiritedness over the approaching 120th Anniversary of Oyasama.

I sincerely hope that we will be blessed with the District Lectures drawing as many Yoboku as possible--or, rather, each and every Yoboku without exception--inasmuch as Yoboku are the ones who have received the precious truth of the Sazuke, the Divine Grant, from the everliving Oyasama.

Let's Examine Our Daily Life

On the occasion of the "Tenrikyo-Christian Dialogue II," which took place last autumn, representatives from the Catholic Church discussed the idea that the "family is a small church." Those from Tenrikyo spoke about the importance of installing in one's house a kanzane (symbol of worship of God in a family), as well as the effectiveness of household services in furthering the "vertical mission" (referring to handing down the teachings to the next generation).

I hope that those of you who have yet to enshrine a kanzane will take advantage of the present season to do so. We can use it to help us express our gratitude when we wake up in the morning, pay our respects to God before going out, and report our safe return home and express our thanks when we come home. At the end of each day, we can thank God the Parent once again. Such a God-centered way of living will naturally lead to a clear awareness that our relationships with our spouses and with our parents and children were, indeed, arranged by God--an awareness which brings with it an insight into how to settle our minds.

Moreover, as we live a life that revolves around the worship of God, performed in the morning and evening, we will come to give more thought to such practices as hinokishin, salvation work, contribution and dedication. Above all, our children who join us in worship will be able to grow into the sort of people who can feel indebted to God the Parent as the sense of gratitude for a "thing lent, a thing borrowed" (referring to the human body being part of God's body) becomes naturally instilled in them.

Isn't it that sort of family that can convince their community of what a difference faith can make? I believe that living in such a way will serve to sprinkle the fragrance of the teachings on people around us as well as attract back followers who have tended to drift away from the path.

Another simple way of sprinkling the fragrance of the teachings would be to mail the Tenrikyo associations' magazines to our children and grandchildren who do not live with us or who do not live in churches. We can also send them the Tenri Jiho newspaper if they are Yoboku. I feel sure that such newsletters and magazines being sent to them each month will serve to impart the warmth of Jiba and help them perceive the blessings as the blessings they are.