Tenrikyo-Ofudesaki - Sure Guides IVb -Whenever You Return-

Our individual minds, our self centered imaginations are all different. Some imaginations are more fertile and creative than others and are able to create some pretty impressive truths of the world. At one time or another all of us have had our imaginations "captured". That is what marketing, propaganda and these Poems are all about.

The Poems below provide an opportunity to clearly distinguish the intention  that is expressed as the three interpretations or points of view that appear in these Poems and indeed in all human communications, interactions and transactions. Whatever approach we employ in trying to understand isn't wrong but accepting change, striving for maturity and completion of the service or work should be kept foremost in mind so that we don't get bogged down or lost.

First: In order for our imagination to be captured something must appeal to it and either instantly or gradually grab hold of its attention. The poems of the "Tip of the Writing Brush" appear to be primarily about the concerns of the Nakayama family and their contemporaries in a particular time, place and level of spiritual or mental maturity. Those deep concerns can be understood as the point of view of a "child". That is a point of view that knows nothing about the true origin of the mind or of the way in which all concerns can be settled by the knowledge and understanding that comes from returning the imagination to its origin, its place of manufacture.

Second: In order to attract and capture all of the imaginations of the world ways must be found to equally engage with those imaginations and concerns by employing means that are appropriate for the time place and level of maturity of each and every human imagination. This willingness to engage with the point of view of the child, the point of view of the self-centered imagination that doesn't know or understand its true origin, is called the interpretation or point of view of the parent. For that reason poems in "the Tip of the Writing Brush" appear to be primarily about the concerns of self-centered imaginations in a particular time and place and a shallow reading of them will easily give the impression that they support "the point of view of a child"; that is that they intend to conform to the expectations of the self-centered imagination.

The work or interpretation of the point of view of the parent is to provide ways to prepare the self-centered imagination to awaken to the truth of its origin. It is necessary to prepare the mind because the freedom of the self-centered imagination requires that in one way or another its return is voluntary, even if it is the result of unintentionally and unconditionally  surrendering. Besides being necessary the work of preparing the imagination to return is also risky. Metaphorically, the work of settling the self-centered imagination can be viewed as "entering into the muddy water to make it clear". The obvious risk is in entering the "muddy water" (the point of view that doesn't know anything about its origin or "clear water") and getting lost by imagining that the "child side" of the parent / child conversation is the truth. This is a very unfortunate and common view.

Third: The sure way to keep from getting lost in the "muddy water", the darkness of the human self-centered imagination that doesn't know the truth of its origin, is called the interpretation of someone who is following path of "single-hearted salvation" ( one with the original conscious mind of God). This is someone who is sincerely working on returning their imagination to its origin, its place of manufacture, the "mind like clear water". As an ideal or a settled truth this point of view is what the poems are actually intended to hasten. Ponder this and if it suits you choose it now, in which case the mind of the original parent, the warm parental heart at the core of our being is waiting to take hold of you and welcome you home.

Sure Guide Table of Contents IVb