Dick Dusek's Dosage
Monday, November 30, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo There is a folk song which says: Congratulations! Congratulations! Oh, young pine tree! You are the symbol of happiness. You will grow spreading your branches with lush pine needles. Konko Daijin teaches the way for the prosperity of your family and your descendants. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #100] This is evidence of a person of the Konko religion. It's the result of Konko faith. However, if you have Konko faith but you haven't got such blessings, then this is where you need to reflect seriously. It is announcing that the way is taught for your family to prosper and your descendants, too. Unless you follow the teachings you shall never reach the objectives. Even when following the teachings, if what you're aiming for is wrong, then again the objectives shall never be reached. With this in mind, the absolute way called "Airaku ideal" has now become clearly evident. Isn't this really something to celebrate. 7/29/83 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo] *** Airaku ideal: Any living human being by just trying can joyfully and gratefully follow the way that is called the Airaku ideal. First receiving the book's end matter, Rev. Eishiro spoke of it as meaning that tomorrow begins the last month of the year. Kami is indicating for us to review our year in the light of the teachings. Our pastor yesterday stated that there are many who are conscientious in living their lives, but only the founder was conscientious in faith to raise the spirit in human work. May our endeavors be strong and persevering to pierce the fires of difficuty and sustain the waters of blessings. May our faith fulfill the process of divine work.
Sunday, November 29, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo Though people call me (Konko Daijin) "kami," I am not the only one. All people who come here are the children of Kami. To be a living-kami is to have Kami born within you. I was the first to receive such divine blessings. You can all receive divine blessings in the same way. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #18] The wild butterbur Silent and intent on by the water spout giving up alcohol -- while washing the feet. growing chrysanthemums. - The butterbur bears no fruit. Even by receiving blessings, it has to reach virtue for enlightenment. - After realizing this is what takes away the life of faith, really renew oneself intent on cultivating a joyous heart (faith). 7/9/81 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Today is the grand ceremony celebrating the fourth year since the Reverend Soichiro Otsubo passed away. It is he who first received the blessings of the founder. Everyone of us can receive the same blessings. However, look at our faith position, pose, behavior. We still haven't the faith enough to manifest the blessings even when Kami wants us to. We have only reached the first three requests; we need to extend our faith practice to the latter two requests. The butterbur verse is talking of washing away our faith-pose which aims only for blessings. We wish to reach true faith. Yesterday's dreams were not explained well. But the pose of the two ministers in America now shows they haven't changed much; their devotion to duties are more in the way of true works, than helping to open the way. We all need to see ourselves in the real light of our inabilities to truly manifest what Kami is requesting. Rev. Tetsumi Nakamura had a daughter born yesterday afternoon. The name is Satoko, the character is the same as in Rev. Soichiro Otsubo's name. May we manifest the blessings of today's Grand Ceremony.
Saturday, November 28, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo People are too self-centered. At birth, even the intelligent and virtuous have no concern about lucky or unlucky days. They die without concern for lucky or unlucky days. They are concerned about such days only after birth and before death. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #66] We are like the flowing waters, flowing in and flowing out. The human reality of being born into this world and dying and perishing is the same for everyone, the intelligent, the virtuous and the mediocre. It is even a set rule of the universe. Consequently, even by just cleverly trying to live one's life, it will be in vain. It is necessary to perceive the importance of this life and while in this world make the way of the universe a part of you and lead a life of faith which is in tune with The Way. This is where one's true purpose for living will come into being. 7/17/71 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Born in divine grace; Live in divine grace; Die in divine grace. As necessity appears without regard to law, through the practice of faith Kami appears without regard to law. Pray to meet divine graces throughout life and into death. [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] 7/18/77 Both mini-teachings were read: 1977 was the one chosen for today; 1971 was read early in the sermon. The Days and Directions are discussed in teaching number three. Our late master speaks of it as including human misunderstanding and misconceptions. It's teaching us to get beyond common sense, standard norms. They are what are irreverent; they disgrace Kami's glory. We are born, live and die within divine love. Our common thoughts, little desires, worries and other ways of straying get us into such disgrace. Dreams received yesterday give light to the view our master has of the church, believers, ministers-in-training, and Otsubo family members. It must be the same view as Kami has. There were many scenes with separate meanings. Here are just a very few points about some of the dreams. 1) In a ceremony, giving a talk, our late master is saying, "I have not spread divine love, it spreads itself between the people." 2) An Otsubo ceremony, Rev. Masanori is a trainee in the orchestra. It's a totally different sound, quite bad. So he changes and Rev. Mrs. Nakahara produces something simple and easy. However, it's strange, she speaking inbetween the long musical sounds. And then the celebrants are on a sofa. One is even laying down. The Otsubo ministers only come in just in time for the ceremony. The most embaressing thing is that Rev. Eishiro was in casual clothes. 3) Need unlimited renewal, continual beautifying the spirit; Kami doesn't need one's dirt. Give your life to Kami's work. 4) There's a minister-in-training who is in debt and the church is paying for it. I haven't got too much of the details and the most important points are probably missing, but they indicate a not very pretty picture of various parts of the church and our faith. It's giving a powerful view of our true selves. May these few notes prepare us for the pre-ceremony tonight
Friday, November 27, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo Tenchi Kane No Kami sees everything in Heaven and Earth in a single glance. Kami bestows blessings equally. However, the blessings will be lost if the receiver is not ready. If you want to receive divine virtue fully, you must have a heart that accepts everything. In other words, you must have a heart that accepts even death. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #22] If your faith isn't always up to snuff, when something urgent comes along your heart won't be able to accept it. The heart which trusts is safe. Trust is born out of the totally accepting heart. Kami trusts those who trust Him. "It's because Divine Virtue is the trust of Kami." (words of Reverend Ishibashi, the founding minister of Kurume Church) [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] 7/5/76 We are not meeting the process. I am praying to fulfill the contents of the process which are provided for Airaku Church. But so much of it is not being taken up. The process is not being fulfilled. It's like, for watching TV the antenna much be adjusted to the channel or else it won't come into view. In other words, believing in the process, will get the process to work for you. We are not yet into the process. We really need to realize the process is the work of divinity. We need to be very persistent. We drop away from the process with our compliants and dissatisfactions. Remove some of your selfishness and pray for the process to be fulfilled. Flow together in rhythm with the process of the universe. The Dusek family had a Mitama service and for the first time everybody arrived. Food was all cooked in the church kitchens. Cookies were also baked. This is the result of a year trying to respect our family mitama. Then my wife decides to cook and bake some more for a 100th day service of my cousin, Jim Roche. The surprising thing is that when shopping, for the first time, she didn't have a thought for buying anything for herself. She even forgot to get detergent that we needed. This type of devotion develops a joy which saves the mitama and Kami and us all together. The service will be tomorrow. May you all join in receiving the blessings of this devotion.
Thursday, November 26, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo A metal cane will bend and a bamboo or wooden cane will break. Use Kami as your cane, and then you will be at ease. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #57] Society is now a world of darkness. There's no better time than now to seek true light. Though the founder has taught to "use Kami as your cane and then you will be at ease," there are few for whom Kami can be a cane. Various kamis and gods flooding the scene will become neither a cane nor a light. Unless religion, as written in Japanese, teaches that which the cosmos (the Parental Kami of the universe) indicates, there truly can be neither light nor a cane. 7/9/77 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] The next mini-teaching: Those who walk there Those who go by bicycle Those who go by car Going by the vehicle of divine virtue is easy 7/17/82 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Riding in the vehicle called the process everything, everyday is amazing. The common events of the day are delicious and beautiful. It's amazing. Really it is truly amazing. My way of prayer has changed from numerating family members and believers to now just praying for myself. Everyone and everything is dependent on this one person, this single heart. My true faith is essential for all those around me. When the heart of your faith enters the vehicle of the process of life, the universe begins to move. The ease is amazing. The process is the vehicle for reaching divine virtuous light. It's dark all around. Mrs. Kita's children called and told her they are going to seek a divorce. She's been praying and mediating intently. She entered a faith gathering at the church single-heartedly set to develop deeper faith. The next time the children called was to inform her that all is okay. Amazing? Yes. But when it's totally dark, you cannot hear Kami's message. The process has not been taken up. Turn and face Kami. Get on the process. Follow with respect the divine process in your everyday life. The whole universe is rotating around this process of divine work. Enter and ride in the vehicle of the process. The ease is amazing. Blessings are born within such amazing ease.
Tuesday, November 24, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo Food becomes medicine or poison depending on your heart. [How To Develop Faith #14] First, it is taken gratefully. At the same time, if your physical condition isn't good, no matter how good a medicine it might be, it will become poison. This is not just for food. Whatever it is, depending on your heart of acceptance, it becomes a blessing or it causes you to lose the blessing. Pray for a good digestive tract. It is also necessary to pray for a sound spirit of digestion. - A rotating spirit: It rotates your spirit from wrong, so it can become good. - It is faith which makes poison change to medicine. - By accepting fate gratefully, it becomes divine virtue. 7/31/68 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Praying for the ministers in Brazil and the United States my eyes became sore. We really need to enlarge the spirit of our prayers. Not just Konko Churches, but the whole world of various peoples. It's the spirit which gives birth to joy (a renewed spirit). All of Kami's work are combined in the very happenings of the moment. Receiving them with respect and appreciation brings about blessings. On top that, we need to request a larger spirit of prayer. To save the world requires a large spirit which, of course, must first save oneself. It's a spirit which can accept the situation, whatever it is, as meeting the very goals of the divine request.
Monday, November 23, 1998 Rev. Eishiro Otsubo Faith begins with a fortunate encounter and a twist of fate. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #49] Hardship brings about the fortunate encounter; Blessings give birth to the twist of fate. Inside the saying "even meeting the cold shoulder is karma from a previous existence" is not quite the deep relation of being called the parent and being called the child, however, disrespect between parent and child is what the cold shoulder is to such a deep relationship. Since we expressly have received the bond with the Divine Parent, not to bind the parent-child relationship is nothing more deplorable to Kami than being stranded from Kami. The founder combines and teaches that "faith is just the same as showing respect to your parents." 7/1/77 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] It's speaking of the very depths of our relationship with divinity. The unknowing parts as well as the parts we know. The karma of our previous life is an example of this. Our master spoke of praying for blessings which will lead to more blessings. It's concerned with taking care before, during and after receiving blessings. True spiritual works are not at all troublesome. There should not be any feeling of bother nor uneasiness. A Note from the Dusek family: Yesterday Tina, Aki, Ryo, & Kathy came and will celebrate the Shibata family Mitama Service this afternoon. For the ocassion Miya has baked cookies and will also prepare a full meal today. The girls will help, I sure. Kenny is expected and Alan desires to come, but can't get off work today. This is the first time for the whole family to unite in prayer to celebrate our family deceased. Five-year-old Aki is the one who dug up two large DAIKON to be used today. With so many joys and prayers joined together it will be a great ceremony with blessings for all, including the deceased. The prayer requesting this service has taken root, now the growth of true blessings is to come. What a wonderful gift to look forward to. May it shine bright for divine glory.
Sunday, November 22, 1998 Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor Wagakokoro Day Services 10 AM When a sick person or a person suffering from hardships generation after generation receives Kami's blessings, it is like cleaning out a well. If you get tired and stop after taking out only eighty or ninety percent of the old water, it will not be clean. Then, of course, the water will still be dirty. It is the same in practicing faith. If you quit midway, you will not be able to eliminate the roots of the sickness or suffering. Take out the dirty water until the well is completely clean. Practice faith wholeheartedly with a cheerful heart for good health and prosperity until the roots of sickness and suffering are cut away completely. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #28] The truth which is evident has been expounded, but there are very few who are up to it. The way of faith is like preparing globefish for eating. It's essential that globefish be washed over and over again with water. If you wish to have the best delicacy ever, you need the nerve and must take the trouble. So to be blessed with a well thoroughly cleaned, willpower and perseverance are important. Don't sit down after just a few blessings. What is desired is that blessings just gush forth. [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] 7/10/70 Our master was always thinking of how to be truly saved, receive true relief. The faith of the founder is for fundamental salvation. There's nothing unnatural, nothing to break the smooth flow of real divine work. There's no rush, no reason to push things faster. It's nature itself that the founder taught us to live with -- the true process of life. The late master asked our pastor in a dream which of the many writings or wordings for "ease" is the true one. The pastor is choosing this one or that one, but none are acceptable. Truly being at ease is to not take it easy. This was the master's answer in the dream. What it is to be at ease requires becoming larger and larger. You really reach for an ease which is unlimited. It's actually being without a care (mamayo). It is to take things just as they are. Rev. Dick felt it as taking the process itself without addition or substraction.
Saturday, November 21, 1998 Rev. Mikisaburo Otsubo Although people live between heaven and earth, they are unaware of Kami's blessings. Shrines, temples, and houses all stand on Kami's land. Without realizing this, people consult the Days & Directions and are disrespectful to Kami. They suffer hardships due to these offenses. Tenchi Kane No Kami has sent Ikigami Konko Daijin to provide blessings and teachings so that mankind may prosper. Kami is Kami because of man, and man is man because of Kami. Both are fulfilled through this mutual relationship. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #3] Proclaiming from the start in a strong loud voice what Tenchi Kane No Kami has to say, it teaches us for the first time the way of prosperity for both Kami and man. These are the points it explains logically: Being unaware of the great blessings of the universe and unaware of the way we are disrepectful toward the universe and of how that leads to the roots of hardships. Namely, that "shrines, temples and houses all stand on Kami's land" and that "people consult the Days and Directions." However, it's not just that. While it indicates human misconceptions and misunder- standings, it is pointing toward a realization of the ideal world for Kami and for man to continuously seek to comprehend Konko Daijin's teachings. 7/15/75 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] This is one of the three main revelations received by the founder from Kami. It is explaining why Konko Daijin faces Kami with faith. Using the wording, between heaven and earth and the blessings of Kami's universe, it is discussing the need to respect the work of the universe. That we don't understand this is where we are irreverent to Kami and to the universe. We need to realize that nothing is really our own; we can't actually say that anything is "mine." It's our misconception. This teaching gets to the origins of the troubles in our lives. Understanding everything as the divine process at work, we can realize just how very much is superstition -- it's NOT the truth; so much is misconceived and misunderstood. When sick we go to doctors and seek medicine for a cure. Someone I know was taking so many kinds of medicine that it caused ill-effects. So this person went to the doctor again and asked for medicine to solve the side effects of the other medicines. When sick, doctors; if an accident, the police and lawyers; for money, a loan company or the bank. Standards of modern living. aren't they? Buddhism teaches problems are fate, so you must sacrifice; Christian teaching explains it with the devil and sin, and calls for love. But sacrifice cannot conquer fate; love cannot defeat the devil. Even in Konko teachings it mentions offenses, but it cannot be explained away with that. So much is put upon us like some social pressure. Instead of facing such pressure, we can face Kami, the work of Kami (the universe). By recognizing our misconceptions, we can face Kami relieved of pressures. We need not revert to using standard excuses that were accepted; we need not get caught in a web looking for indefinite causes. We need not be flung around by misleading concepts or superstitions. The process as Kami's work can be respectfully accepted. By understanding the process of divine work, we can reach for the truly peaceful and joyful heart. Change your course away from misleading concepts, such as offenses, and venture to accept the works of divinity all around you. The process leads you to build a strong peaceful and infinitely joyful spirit -- it's the heart of true faith.(Back) < Back to the HomePage > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Rev. Richard Lee Dusek