reference

Drinking Gourdfs Reminiscences: Waka Poetry

By Drinking Gourd
(Motokichi Inoue, Meishu-sama's personal secretary)


     This reminiscence is of one of the events that occurred while Meisu-sama was receiving his own revelations through divine possession. At that time, Oomoto published a journal titled Godfs Nation (Kami no Kuni) and the opening pages of each issue carried waka poems composed by its spiritual leader, Onisaburo Deguchi. Directly following the period that Meishu-samafs dictations ceased, in the February or March 1928, issue of this magazine, Meishu-sama was surprised as he read Deguchifs thirty-odd poems. To look at them, they appeared to be just typical poems not especially distinctive in any way, but Meishu-sama realized that secreted within them was a mystery clearly revealed by God to Meishu-sama. Only Meishu-sama could understand what was contained in these poems. Even for Deguchi, the poet, these were only poems inspired by God that he had composed, and even he probably did not understand the mysterious essence that Meishu-sama perceived. Meishu-sama was aware of the significance because until then no one who had appeared in this world except Meishu-sama could distinguish the essence of the spirit of the language that was imparted in these poems. Needless to say, the message in these poems unmistakably was for Meishu-sama and was a mysterious part of the divine task that underlined the divine matters that Meishu-sama had just received through divine possession. Waka poetry truly has a mysterious significance.
     In our church services we recite poems composed by Meishu-sama. They raise the spiritual levels of those reciting the poems and offer an aspect of paradise. Divine beings especially enjoy waka poetry, and I understand they compose them themselves. Waka is an art form that is appropriate to divine will to bestow upon us divine wisdom and give peace to our souls through the rhythm of a heartfelt expression of the spirit of the language. The art of the spirit of language is widely practiced in the upper realms of heaven and is known to be an art form of the highest level. That waka poetry is unique to Japan shows the high spiritual level of the Yamato people and speaks to Japanfs mission in the world. The spirit of language of truly peaceful, pure, elegant waka poetry is of God, a builder of peace. The combative destroyers that are the forces of evil have a low level of intelligence and are unable to understand the significance of waka.
     Meishu-sama taught us in waka poetry numerous mysteries and other matters of import to the divine task. There seem to be profound aspects of divine will that are expressed most readily in waka poetry. Perhaps it is in consideration of the harm that can be caused by ignorant evil forces that effects and relationships of timing are best entrusted to waka.
     Throughout the years, I have seen those who had a weak understanding or who had no understanding at all of matters taught through waka poetry, turning away from salvation and leaving the church, without understanding the depths of the teachings or else without receiving substantial blessings, but for those of us who remain, we try to keep Meishu-samafs poetry, in our hearts, reading it over and over again trying to understand Godfs will as much as possible. The teachings that Meishu-sama has given us are a treasure that cannot be exchanged for billions, there is no sustenace more precious for soul or body. The highest level of beauty and fragrance that we receive in Meishu-samafs poetry should especially bless us.
     Waka is an art that expresses in a mere thirty-one syllables immeasurable sentiment and profound significance firmly, gently, beautifully on an elevated level, that cannot fit into even a million words. Our understanding of poetry deepens as our level of awareness is polished.
     It has been known that the higher the level of a divine being, the clearer the language becomes. Everything in the world is understandable to Meishu-sama and he is able to express all, great and profound. He explains simply and succinctly the most complex issues, clarifying the truth.
     Ancient wisdom holds that only the student who is able to comprehend ten by hearing only one can be useful to God. Even now, Meishu-sama, suffering with our dull-wittedness, still bestows upon us incisive teachings, but for us who hear ten and still find it difficult to understand ten, we probably seem to others as insects squirming around.
     The key to polishing soul and body is nourishing the strength of wisdom. Meishu-sama is wielding divine wisdom of the highest level, cutting through the world of superstition and creating a new civilization, and we who serve him would like to be able to grasp the reality of things through clear words and small events and also be able to express these truths. This is, in other words, the mental state of a poem, calm and self-possessing, that is able to reflect truth. Thus, we should purify through Johrei the toxins in our brains and continually read the divinely-inspired poems to the extent that we always remember them. If we are able to improve ourselves to a certain level, it is believed that we will be able to exchange our thoughts and communicate, not only in matters of love, even more than through language. Becoming a dweller of the daylight world, a civilization of a greatly advanced spiritual civilization, will not be unusual for anyone who has improved themselves to a certain level. In such a world, just as in the world of science where the material has been developed to the extreme limits we see today, so will be possible the exchange of ideas both near and far simply by visualization, something I once heard from Meishu-sama.

Chijôtengoku, Issue 58, March 25, 1954, page 21.
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