Dick Dusek's Dosage
Thursday, September 17, 1998 Rev. Mikisaburo Otsubo Faith is to polish the gem in your heart. [How To Develop Faith #21] The aim of faith is to live in the world of brilliance. Where there is brilliance, fear and apprehension disappear. Unless they're polished, diamonds will not shine. Also your heart will shine for the first time upon being polished. Then relations within your family will brighten and you'll be able to brighten up the world. It's Kami's wish that man live in the world of brilliance. 7/14/74 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] It's said that fishing starts and finishes with carp. Tea ceremony starts in a four-and-a-half mat room and finishes there, too. For faith, it's today's teaching. Faith starts and finishes with polishing the gem of the heart. Diamonds are polished by diamonds; our faith, a micro-universe, is polished by the work of the great universe, called the process of life. The value of diamonds is classified through the 4C's: carat, cut, clarity, and color. What's the classifying categories for the value of the human's spirit- heart? Big and enriched and beautiful; ever more enriched, ever more beautiful. I feel the 3K's are the categories: thankfulness, preciousness, awesomeness. The divine wish of Kami is that the human being live in the world of brilliance. It is a joy that is ever absorbing more and more joyous rhythms. Complaints and dissatisfaction dull, ever darken, the beauty of joy, the brilliance of the 3K's.
Wednesday, September 16, 1998 Rev. Mikisaburo Otsubo People have often wondered why a man who is honest and like a kami or buddha is often afflicted with many misfortunes. There is a difference between a good, honest person who does not do wrong and a person who has received divine blessings through faith. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #27] Just because a person studies religion or lives a very moral life does not mean that they understand or experience the blessings given by Kami. The divine blessings we are talking about are characterized by a feeling of gratitude which underlies the sense of "ease" we experience. In other words, it is possible to live with a sense of heavenly paradise in both your body and your soul. Believers who achieve this state, taste life without poverty, strife or sickness and live in a world of truth, goodness, and beauty. An excellent plot of Japanese ginger Has butterburs sprouting with it. (Exquisite joyfulness / Sprouts with riches.) 7/10/76 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] What is this difference? This different sense of blessings through faith? It is to live with blessings beyond any expectations you may have. It is receiving blessings beyond what you have prayed for. Yes, it is a life without poverty, strife or sickness; a world of truth, goodness, and beauty. It is where you aim for the Wagakokoro, the divine request. There is ease of mind and a depth of gratitude which is thankful, precious and awesome. The worldly prosperity is different. The body and the soul are at ease in grateful blessings.
Tuesday, September 15, 1998 Rev. Mitsuaki Otsubo People say, "Do not trample the grain. If you stomp on it, you will become blind." The grain bows lower as it grows. When people amass a fortune or are called "Reverend," they tend to forget to bow their heads. Those who practice faith should become more humble as they receive more virtue. The nail that juts out is apt to be driven in. So it is often said don't get hit on the head. Being hit on the head by heaven is the worst thing. You may think that heaven is high above and it is impossible to hit your head. But be careful. Kami may not scold with a raised voice or extended hand. However, if you are arrogant, divine blessings are surely withdrawn. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #45] Realize that faith is to polish the gem in your heart. You'll also come to develop graciousness. Sincerity will also appear. And your pride will disappear. You'll get more blessings then you ever wanted. 7/5/82 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] It's the measure of one's faith. First you must know that faith is to polish the gem in your heart. Then 1) You'll develop graciousness. 2) Sincerity will appear. 3) Your pride will disappear. And 4) You will get blessings more then you ever desired. Since receiving teaching #87 last month on the fifteenth, I've tryed to develop my heart's gem more than ever. The valuable gem of the soul is NOT borrowed; it comes from Kami for YOU. As I examine myself at times of losing my temper, or times of pain, I realize the impure and dirty parts of my heart-soul which account for it. The torn paper doors of others that had bothered me are no longer a concern after I repaper my own torn doors. The word used in the teaching meaning grain can be broken down into three parts. We can call them the three valuables: the deceased, the teachings and the ministers. Out late master and teacher once spoke of four valuable things. He added the heart-spirit as the fourth, which he said was the most important. Thus: In order to get virtue, we wish to live really taking the process of life importantly, without neglecting the produce (what's important for the world; the very workings of Kami) and watching our step. 7/27/70 I didn't treat the spirit importantly. It was like tearing a ten-dollar bill in half. It isn't worth the five dollars one may expect. You must taken up faith and polish the gem of the heart and then the four points will follow, as in the mini-teaching for today. We talked about being monsters of faith yesterday, but what is a monster? What does it mean? Praying on this point I felt Kami answer that it is the suppositions of the true thing, the suppositions of faith. So if you still are not receiving a reply from Kami, you must check the letter you're sending. Is it addressed to Kami? Is the pencil lead sharpened for legible writing? The heart is where you practice you beliefs, but be sure to check for the divine response which is certain to come. If not, double check the monsters of faith. With a little more polish the shine will come. Practice and check the image. The measure of faith is as taught. Polish the gem of the heart and all comes from there.
Monday, September 14, 1998 Rev. Mitsuaki Otsubo The believers who come to worship The Principle Parent regard the mediator as a representative of the deity. If the representative is absent, believers will say that The Principle Parent is absent too. Do not leave the worship hall unattended. Dedicate yourself to faith. Continue to always hold the proper attitude. There are people from all walks of life, but The Principle Parent regards all people as equals. Since all people are children of The Principle Parent, treat them all with the same regard and consider no one as unworthy. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #93] As the samurai have samurai speech, tradesmen have trade language and in the red-light district suitable jargon, ministers should be like ministers and believers like believers in the content and manner of their faith. Though it's the content more than the structure, structure is also important. When you wear the crested kimono with formal skirt for faith, then the heart is born which wears the crested kimono with formal skirt. In a light cotton kimono faith is only in a light cotton kimono. It is my wish to develop a proper faith while wearing the formal skirt and even holding a white folding fan. 7/13/72 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Training that has to be done is hard and tiring. Training that can't but be done is grateful and delightful. [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] 1977 What it means to "continue to always hold the proper attitude" is the glory of receiving life in this world as 'I'm a child of Kami,' and always being conscious of one's worst self as 'I'm a child of scrap.' If it's when one has this spirit of the upper and the lower, wheresoever you might be, you would answer with gratitude. It is where you get by without having to look up to or down on other people. It is when you are worried, desiring selfish satisfactions, arrogant with pride, accusing other people, and so on that Kami is absent from your heart. 7/22/83 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Note that the first mini-teaching was the one read for today, and the second one was included during the sermon. The third mini-teaching is included extra; isn't it full of meaning for a balanced faith? As a living human being, we need both the form of faith and the content of faith. The part felt most today was: "Though it's the content more than the structure, structure is also important." We aim for conscientious faith in Kami. Along the way, there are such monsters as the 'faith-in-Kami monster, which is lacking the content of faith. But, there also is the conscientious monster which lacks the form of faith. We need a stance that does not go for the easy way. Such a stance of faith builds content, and then form comes but needs practice. "With a single heart all comes into being."
Sunday, September 13, 1998 WAGAKOKORO DAY SERVICE Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor Faith begins with a fortunate encounter and a twist of fate. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #49] It's unbelievable the people who quit midway through an encounter without any feeling of exquisiteness (the joy of faith). They would even be able to get blessings which would sprout into prospering riches. It's pitiful. It's sad. An excellent plot of Japanese ginger Has butterburs sprouting with it. [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] 7/9/82 Those who have an relation have gathered today at the church. They come from Shikoku, Hiroshima, Kagoshima, Saga, etc. and etc. Can't you feel the dynamic energy, the divine work in that??! Reading again the book, _On The Theory of All Is Divine Love_, our pastor was most impressed with the beginning part that respecting the very process of life is what is called taking the Divine Heart as the heart of your training, as the heart of your faith-life. Without practice it is completely impossible to attain. You must get a grasp on what is it that has lead you to such a relationship with this ideal of Airaku, or together-at-ease. Get a grasp on your true self, your true character. And then, ask: Is exquisiteness being raised?? Are you able to arrange the flowers of your life's events to display and manifest the divine joy of such a life??? Our late master, Rev. Soichiro Otsubo, has said: Searching, seeking a better way to live, a way to be saved. Running astray. Continuing to suffer. Finally with confidence and joy I can speak about the way of faith, the way of life. It's simple, clear-cut and blessings do follow.(Back) < Back to the HomePage > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Rev. Richard Lee Dusek