Tenrikyo Dynamic Mission TRUE SATISFACTION (Manzoku)
THE JOYOUS LIFE (Yoki Gurashi), JOYOUS PLAY (Yoki Yusan)
We
all have an idea of what satisfaction or contentment means to us. In my own case
satisfaction or contentment is related to three common states that cycle through
my mind. The first is a temporary state that flows from a single occurrence such
as the acquisition of a new toy, an entertaining movie, a martini, a good meal
or the ever popular sexual satisfaction. The second state is broader and more
lasting such as my daily walks at the ocean provide and the third state follows
from having an expectation met or exceeded. All three of those states of
satisfaction I believe deserve to be called worldly common as all we all pass
through similar states of mind in one form or
another.
There is however yet another satisfied state of mind, that state of mind flows from single heartedness with the mind of God, the knowledge and understanding of the truth of origin. It is from that original state of mind that true satisfaction flows as the joyous life.
When we ponder the poems of the Tip of the Writing Brush "Ofudesaki" and the Timely Directions that expand upon the teachings that promote and lead to single-hearted salvation and the joyous life it becomes apparent that the among the children of the parent of origin the kind of satisfaction that is sought is the kind that seeks to have worldly common expectations fulfilled. That makes the conversation that has to take place in the "dusty" or "muddy water" of our mind awkward and difficult to understand in any but a shallow, worldly common way. To quickly get at the truth and the promised joyous life requires, in most cases, some work "tsutome" to sweep out the dust and purify the water.
If I say "joyous play," you imagine going somewhere for enjoyment or to see some sights. What I call joyous play is completely and utterly different from what is seen by the eyes.
It is often the case that our misunderstanding and confusion is further complicated by efforts to judge, condemn and forbid enjoyment and satisfaction that is "seen by the eyes" as being evil in and of itself and a great deal of worldly common effort has gone into trying to realize a world that conforms to those worldly common expectations. That is not the case with the teaching of our parent of origin as the only judgment that is made is that worldly common thinking is in the way of exposing the core of our mind and our realization of single heartedness with the mind of God. After the completion of any service that completely and consciously exposes the original core of our mind, it is expected that we will use the exposed core of our mind ( the heart of our being) as the foundation for any and all future thinking and imagining in a free and unlimited manner.