NEWPATH TENRIKYO - BRIEFLY PONDERING RECOLLECTIONS OF THE TEACHING

           From "Lectures on the Doctrine of Tenrikyo" by Shozen Nakayama the 2nd Shinbashira of Tenrikyo

"It cannot be denied that we have borrowed ornamental elements from Sect Shinto through our relationship to it. With the publishing of the new Doctrine, however, I should like you to renew your thinking about how to share true joy with others, about how to join efforts with one another, and about how to view your churches, whose significance lies in providing us with a path by which we can progress toward the Joyous Life in unity of mind. In this way, I hope you will become thorough in aligning yourselves with the spirit of the 'restoration'. The Showa Doctrine is the 'restoration' Doctrine.

As an expression of the spirit of restoration it is perhaps a good time to review the ways in which the path of single-hearted salvation is easily compromised by ordinary human thinking and worldly common truths of the world. (Ofudesaki IV:75),(I:18),(XII:166) These Poems are just a sampling, there are many more Ofudesaki Poems that clearly define and express this problem. It is up to us to honestly and sincerely make the necessary corrective measures in our own mind, as we go about trying to find ways to maintain the current narrow path; while at the same time trying to open future paths of single-hearted salvation that are appropriate for our own time, place and level of spiritual maturity.