Divine Model (1)

The Meaning of the Divine Model

To explain the Divine Model of Oyasama in simple terms, I should say that it is the path of single-hearted salvation that frees us from all worldly desires and concerns that arise in our lives and thereby enables us to enjoy the Joyous Life, which is the original purpose of the creation of humankind by God the Parent.

139 (1976): 52nd Young Men's Association Convention

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What is the Divine Model of Oyasama? I should say that it is to live day after day in single-heartedness with God and in joy. What is the Divine Model of Oyasama? I should say that it is the parental heart intent on saving others; it is the love of the Parent who cares about us children, that is, the love of the Parent who is single-heartedly intent on saving us.

146 (1983): 17th Meeting for Newly Appointed Head Ministers

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All of us go through a long journey in our lives--a journey during which we can hardly expect every day to be fine and clear. Surely, some days will be clear, but there will also be days when it is rainy or windy. We must remember, however, that the path Oyasama taught enables us to go through our journey with a "mind like clear skies" even on a rainy day or a windy day or a stormy day, depending solely on the way we use our mind. I should like all of you to consider this to be the most powerful tool available to us Tenrikyo followers.

132 (1969): Honsugi Branch Church

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Oyasama always had the best interests of people at heart and was only interested in bringing joy to others and saving others. She taught us by Her example that by exerting sincerity in serving others, forgetting greed and paying no heed to our own interests, which is to say by sincerely devoting ourselves to saving others, we can savor the genuine joy as a human being.

139 (1976): Radio broadcast

The Model for All People

Had people believed in all of Oyasama's teachings and had some immediately started following the path in accordance with Her instructions soon after She was settled as the Shrine of Tsukihi, then those of us who are far from being mature would probably feel uneasy or back away before making the resolve to follow the path. But the fact is that Her journey began with being ridiculed and jeered at by people and this continued for about twenty years--nearly half the fifty years She spent in demonstrating the Divine Model. Careful thought on this fact will enable us to see the implication of the instruction that Oyasama's Divine Model is meant to be followed by all people.

132 (1969): Honsugi Branch Church

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The Divine Model of Oyasama is the model way of attaining the Joyous Life which Oyasama demonstrated to us. OyasamaÕs journey along the path is the model process of creating the world of the Joyous Life, which we refer to as the path of the Divine Model. Therefore, we followers of the path must study Oyasama's Divine Model to find a way to discover joy amid pains and sufferings, and we must study Her teachings to look for a way of thinking that enables us to discover joy. I feel that Oyasama's teachings comprise something like a handbook on life and that Her Divine Model represents the way in which the Parent put its content into actual practice.

139 (1976): 52nd Young Men's Association Convention

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Not only did Oyasama teach us many methods that enable us to live the Joyous Life, but She showed us how to live the Joyous Life by Her own example. It is our beloved Oyasama who taught through specific examples the spirit of living the Joyous Life in the face of various events that may occur in our lives and who demonstrated by Her own example how to live in that spirit. Thus, it is the Divine Model of Oyasama alone that we can totally depend upon.

143 (1980): 16th Students Association Convention

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The time when Oyasama, as the Parent of the Divine Model, demonstrated the model path to happiness was a time of social upheaval, which culminated in the Meiji Restoration. Thus, it may not be too much to say that Her Divine Model can be applied to every situation of our lives, however turbulent.

148 (1985): Spring Grand Service

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I believe, or rather I am convinced, that the path of Oyasama's Divine Model is the only model that is meant for all people to follow for the attainment of the Joyous Life. Oyasama first went through the path that enables all of us--whether we are well or not well, whatever life situation we may be in--to live joyously and in high spirits under any circumstances depending solely on our mind. To me, that Oyasama showed us how to follow this path by going through it Herself seems to explain that Her Divine Model is meant for all people to follow for the attainment of the Joyous Life.

148 (1985): 22nd Meeting for Newly Appointed Head Ministers

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Oyasama did not teach us to go through our lives in expectation of attaining the Joyous Life in our next lives. Nor did She teach us to escape from reality for its attainment. I believe Oyasama's teachings to be the one and only path that enables every one of us in the world to attain the Joyous Life while interacting with one another and living as a human being. I do not think it to be an exaggeration to say, therefore, that unless we each value and respect life, we shall never be able to savor the world of the Joyous Life.

149 (1986): 29th Tenrikyo Teachers Convention

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