From "Lectures on the Doctrine of Tenrikyo" by Shozen Nakayama the 2nd Shinbashira of Tenrikyo
Our human story retains memories of human
cultural events through oral transmission or through some kind of written or
other device, knotted cords or markings on other materials for example, to
jog the memory into recollection.
Memory is a critically important feature of the Tenrikyo Teaching and of
this Restoration Doctrine. In his introduction the 2nd Shinbashira references
the Osashizu from August 23, 1904 below:
"Until now, about everything, I taught by word
of mouth. But you forget. Because you forget, I have informed you with the
tip of my writing brush. The tip of the writing brush may seem light but it
is weighty. You must not take it lightly. It is the basis of my teachings.
It will not do to misinterpret it."
Just thinking about what it means in this teaching, to remember and
what it means to forget.
I believe that remembering refers to returning my mind to its original
condition. The way it was at birth before any of the dust and debris
accumulated in it. Ofudesaki II:25
That is who I originally am.
Concerning forgetting, I believe that refers to
the ease in which my mind forgets its origin and slides back into
self-centered thinking. In that state of mind even my sincere thoughts and
beliefs might just be the ponderings of "dust" or "mud".
(Ofudesaki III,65)The only way to tell the
difference is to temporarily totally sweep them , all thoughts, away long
enough to be able to ponder the
stunning and joyous significance of what remains as the "mind like clear water".