Dick Dusek's Dosage
Saturday, October 10, 1998 Rev. Mitsuaki Otsubo As you know, there is a saying that one seed becomes ten thousand. When one person receives divine blessings, a thousand, even ten thousand people will be able to receive divine blessings. You should practice faith and become a good example for others. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #63] Faith that is an example for others is like: No matter how difficult things are, when thinking it's divine love tears of gracious joy are shed; in any situation whatsoever, it is faith that expresses gratitude. When that is possible you can receive the blessings of one seed becoming ten thousand. Puckery persimmons are peeled and hung up. Drying powdery white they turn sweet. The problem is when you are being peeled and hung up to remove the bitterness. It is at this time you shall find the depths of the Divine Heart. 7/15/77 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Today is Konko Daijin's celebration. It was started while he was alive. He is worshiping his own spirit. And in Japan its a national holiday, sports day. I feel that Kami has provided this arrangement. I wish my faith to be such that I am able to say, "Come and take a look at me", view me from the front or even from the back. However, are we not just taking the bad side?? That is, the bad side of the real showcase display of Airaku type of faith. What is Airaku ideal's showcase display of faith? It was discussed and many ideas were brought up, but all of them did not reach the mark. Then the late master explained what he received: the eye of a 'saba' fish. It's interpreted as Airaku-style 'meguri', that a real living human can be truly awakened in spirit by being ordinary. Thus it has been taken as almost anything is okay. This we are calling the bad side of the showcase point. The usual image of spiritual awakening is of something nearly unattainable by the ordinary person. It would include many restrictions -- you can't do this, or that type of thing is prohibited. However, Airaku faith doesn't set any restrictions. Seemingly easy, anybody can do anything is commonly felt. But the meaning of the display is true spiritual awakening, the ordinary human person is spiritually saved through living an ordinary life. Nothing special, but it's very deep. How sweet have we become through our practice of faith? It's not the training of the spirit so much, but actually where we find the depths of the divine heart. Have we actually become sweeter? Your nails grow and must be cut, it's natural and necessary. You must cut them for the natural blessings to grow sweet. Where and when is an important matter. Are you only following the bad side? Or are you able to say, "Look at me?"
Friday, October 9, 1998 Rev. Mitsuaki Otsubo You do not need anyone else to practice faith. You should practice faith on your own. If you need someone else to practice faith, you will also need someone to die with you. However, no one is willing to die with you. To practice faith is to live day to day. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #26] Just before the prayers began there were these mediations from two people. One dreamed of being killed; the other dreamed that she died. I responded, "Without another recooking, you can't really reform." (To die means that the traits of fate die along with you.) "To practice faith is to live day to day" means to die day after day. In other words, to kill your selfish intent. After that, a faith is born in which "each day is new." Your faith becomes original, without needing anyone else and not permitting anyone to imitate it. 7/9/76 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Kami has let go of me. I'm at a lost. Why has Kami left me? The person who said this couldn't hear nor see anything of what Kami was doing. Seemingly left alone is like the parent letting go of a child just beginning to learn to walk. It's the parent's great prayer for the child to become independent. However, seemingly left alone one feels lost unless they can realize it's a stage leading into the next greater truth. Kami doesn't work to our expectations. Also, wondering why blessings are not forthcoming, you need to realize if blessings are given you at this point, then all is finished. It results in nothing. You need to develop the faith to be able to receive the blessings. If your object is getting the 'thing' called blessings, you'll never reach it. It requires a change of direction. You need faith. Faith to stand up; faith to walk alone; faith to get closer to Kami. From one truth Kami wishes us to gain the strength to reach the next truth, and then the next truth. Kami has to let go of us so that we can start to walk on our own. When we still feel left alone and lost, we are still leaning on something other than Kami. We really aren't working on faith. To take our last stand means that there is nothing other than Kami. Work on your faith spirit and blessings will come into it.
Thursday, October 8, 1998 Rev. Mitsuaki Otsubo To kill others within your heart is a grave offense. Kami cannot bear such offenses. When one physically kills, the government will punish the person. Kami knows when one kills within one's heart. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #75] Since it is taught "to kill others within your heart is a grave offense," in your faith you should do things which are the opposite of that. Then what is supremely important is that you first pray for the health of one's own heart and acquire the strength so as not to be hurt or killed whatever might happen. Such exceeding strength, indeed, is what will activate one's heart-soul. Though there are cries such as to propagate the faith, unless it is done with strength exceeding just the way I've spoken of today, it will end senselessly. 7/26/71 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Praying for the world and all the people living on it this is a very important teaching to practice. Look carefully at the mini-teaching. What is the opposite of killing? Giving life, right? No! That's the common human conception, of course, but today I've been shown that the opposite actually is being killed by others. Thus to really request and pray for a healthy heart- spirit is requesting the strength so as your spirit-faith will not be injuried or killed. Before learning the ways and techniques such strength, such health must first be gained. The heart of great acceptance is for attaining such healthy strength. To actually get down to training the spirit is essential. Yesterday I spoke of those of no faith having so much more power than the faithful. Anyone prays for health, family and success, but training for it is the point to always keep in mind. When you sit down to eat you can train your spirit to be more in control by not overeating your favorite dishes. Instead of putting blame on others, pray. I notice I've become able not to accuse members of my family, but I still look accusingly on other ministers-in-training. To not place any blame on others takes a bigger heart of prayer, otherwise you'll find yourself injuring yourself. Training throughout the day, a 24 hour task, gives power to the soul. Let's have powerful faith that won't be killed or overpowered. Rev. Dick Dusek summarizes it using the three natures of the universe: 1) Heaven-like manifesting spirit should be like prayer; definitely not placing blame. 2) Earth-like accepting should reach the control so that one doesn't injure oneself; like not overeating. 3) Order comes about by always training; a 24 hour job.
Wednesday, October 7, 1998 Rev. Mitsuaki 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] The difference between the good person and a person of faith needs to be made clear. [The sound of rain falling begins as these words were spoken.] So realize that our divine Parent has added emphasis (the natural BGM of rain) here for us to pursue this very difference. Faith comes alive as we come to grips with something to renew it. Without practical endeavors to strengthen our faith, the power of our joy is barely perceivable; aspecially compared against the vivid power of those energetic workers without faith. The power of those aiming for wealth, status and recognition is more vivid than our poor attempts to practice faith. Do you know the backside of the first three requests we pray for daily? Are you just reciting the words of a prayer? Or are you really trying to attain each one of the requests? The backside to each request is some practical approach which helps the prayer come to life. Do you know the backside approaches the late master used to renew his own faith concerning each of the three requests? Praying for health, he caught himself eating midnight snacks. Talking late after night prayers had lead to a habit of snacking before going to bed. He decided for the request of health, he would stop having midnight snacks. For a peaceful home, he would not blame his wife or put pressure on her with any accusing looks. And to pray for success and prosperity, he would not do anything wasteful. There are stores open 24 hours a day. Road construction is sometimes done at night even. Am I tackling my faith with such energy? Faith loses its glow if you don't practice at renewing it. Noticing that he eats to much of his favorite foods, Rev. Mitsuaki is trying to cut out second or third helpings. Faith can be practiced anywhere. Coming to bouts with real situations needing renewal will strengthen your faith and make it shine in joy. What's something you can try?
Tuesday, October 6, 1998 Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor If you carelessly forget what you have learned, your teacher will gain nothing. If you succeed in life and say that your success is owned to your teacher, the teacher will be happy. Kami will not be happy if your lose your divine blessings. When you receive divine blessings, Kami is happy, Konko Daijin is happy, and you are happy. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #59] Developing faith and having our faith developed should both serve to fulfill the divine will, so that human beings and Kami are happy and fulfilled. However, if that is not the case, then somewhere we have made a mistake. Thus Kami will not be happy, Konko Daijin will not be happy and neither will human beings. It is then, that those who develop the faith of believers must first be developed themselves. This is where the mediator must reflect inwardly most deeply. It is when believers can always receive blessings, that both the mediator and the believers will develop in faith. The Five Requests will be fulfilled when the desires of Kami and the desires of humans are achieved. 7/11/77 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] T H E F I V E R E Q U E S T S 1 To be physically healthy 2 To have a peaceful home 3 For a thriving and prosperous family 4 To work toward furthering the truth 5 To help fulfill the divine will and create the Wagakokoro Era Kami has asked Airaku believers to pray for the well-being of all people and for true peace throughout the world. This we have undertaken and are continuing. Oct.1st was the teaching to become a living spirit; people need to be saved, but first it begins with me. The 2nd was to pray quietly, persistently. Next the 3rd & 4th be without a care, leave the disobedent child alone and practice faith. Yesterday was teaching about the spirit to do everyday work. And today don't forget to keep the blessings without loss. You might notice that Kami always has us look and check ourselves again. Also a major point is there is no mistake in following this Airaku faith. What I realize is I still haven't the strength. First one needs to strengthen one's own faith. Then the ideal of Airaku (being together at ease) can be fulfilled. Which means the 5 Requests are fulfilled and that brings us to realize that it fulfills the divine will. Examples of changes brought about by faith practice: 1) The minister who used to be so demanding and short-tempered is now putting out his wife's shoes when they are to go out together. His wife speaks with happy surprise on her face of how he has really changed. 2) For divine virtue and for human virtue, it is much easier to lower yourself, instead of going higher for high socially accepted ideals. 3) Get rid of manly pride. With that purpose, anyone can. When you decide to change, to go deeper inside oneself, and accept more instead of demanding , then it is easy. Which is simpler to reach for high status or to put out the wife's shoes for her to wear? Which is easier, long periods of meditation or not to complain about the food you are served? If you have the intent to try, it is simple and easy to change yourself through such practices. The intent to do it is itself like drawing a line of no return, you don't want to return to your selfish ways. Anyone can do it. The purpose to try is where faith's ideals are fulfilled, the 5 Requests, and even the divine will are achieved. Anyone with intent to practice can easily do it.
Monday, October 5, 1998 Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor The religious training of this faith does not involve traditional physical austerities. Doing your everyday work is religious training. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #39] When you do your daily work as a form of faith training, it becomes a way to receive divine virtue through your everyday job. Of course, this means that it is important to do our tasks in a way that fulfills Kami's will. It has been seven years since we've received the blessing at Airaku of abolishing all physical austerities. Since then, as we have focused on spiritual training, by trying to keep Kami in mind all day long, offering prayers on a regular daily schedule, and trying to do Kami's will during everyday work, our church has doubled. By the way, trying to receive blessings through physical austerity is just like trying to raise money at a pawn shop. By keeping Kami's will for us in mind all day long, at work as well as at home and in between, everything is arranged for us through natural blessings. 7/30/81 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] How can we receive virtue, divine virtue? Most of the people don't know. In the founder's days, Rev. Kondo Fujimura tells the founder of his desire to train his faith in the mountains. A seminary colleaque of the pastor, a Rev. Nishimura, is still not married at age 60, but so intent on pursuing better faith but not making it. They don't know how to get the virtue of faith. The founder taught Rev. Kondo he need not go into the mountains, but form such a mountain in his spirit-heart. Then in his own home, practice within his heart with the very happenings of daily life. You find virtue right at home, on the job, but no one believes it. No one can even imagine that divine virtue can be attained through the heart you pursue your everyday work. Though the truth is now being taught, how many are actually displaying it? You should be changing if such is your faith practice. Is your dissatisfaction lessening? Are you less likely to place blame on others? Is your ease increasing? Are you becoming more conscientious? Looking at the actual state of your faith-heart, being shocked at your poor standing would be what to expect now. Male pride can be changed. It depends on if you put on the obi-sash of faith practice. Fate can be changed, the possiblities are limitless. The pastor's course on Airaku faith is nearly complete. Presently he is discussing the deceased spirits. Today he mentioned that the founder has left us nothing concerning the dead; our late master really has very little to say about the deceased. On another area, Konko faith gives no creation story. Thus the Konko religion has little to say on the past or the future. Konko faith is really teaching the great importance of the present, right now. Everything depends on the faith your practice now. Your heart opens to a world of faith depending on how you nurture it. It's the approach to the process that is so very important. What do you believe? Rev. Dick Dusek
Sunday, October 4, 1998 Wagakokoro Day Service at 10 a.m. Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor When your child is sick, do not become too emotional. Leave the child alone as you would a disobedient child. Practice faith, without a care to what might happen. Your child will be able to receive divine blessings. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #48] The teaching "don't become emotional when your child is sick" means this is a situation where you must set aside your own feelings and trust the Principle Parent's perfect design for your child's essential healthiness, which allows plenty of room to receive the blessings. Moreover, when you practice faith without worrying about "what might happen" your faith grows. I feel the number 48 says that there is always a chance for blessings. If you always live with this feeling, you'll receive the divine virtue of the Principle Parent without obstruction. 7/31/76 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] Receiving the same teachings as yesterday, the pastor added later on in his sermon that both today's and yesterday's points should be understood. So take a look at yesterday's again. You'll find it included below this one for today. There is so very much that we are not expecting. Actually is seems there is more of the unexpected in our lives than what we expect. The wife's group all went together to see a movie yesterday called, "Chance." Very timely, isn't it? The teaching includes the feeling of always having a chance for blessings. The opposite of a chance is a pinch. How do you accept what is happening at the moment? Which do you select? Do you take it as a chance? Or as if you're in a pinch? For such a choice to be made we need a spirit that is healthy. A believer said she was able to accept up to this point, but is asking if and how to continue from here. It's like our late master as a believer after the war trying to sell towels. There was nothing else to sell and he walked all day around many parts of Fukuoka city, but couldn't sell even one. Returning home he prays in tears of joy for the hard training in maintaining his healthy spirit. The story of ice candy is similar. The pastor and his sister as young children were given 10 yen to buy a 5 yen candy for them to share. The 5 yen change was needed for grocery shopping. You must realize in those days 5 yen was quiet a lot of money. The children used the whole 10 yen for a larger ice candy and their mother was scolding them as the late master, their father, came home. What did he feel? What did he do? He realized he himself wasn't enough of a provider to buy each child ice candy. He had the children go outside to play and went in to pray and offer heartfelt thanks for such deep training even to the point of including his children. You realize that your own request is not being answered, but what is happening is that the greater blessings of the divine request are being lead to fulfillment. The example of losing at pachinko was given. An invitation card from the pachinko pallor has come each time that Rev. Kitamura visits. Therefore you feel it's the thing to do;it's what the process (divine work) is providing. But each time he goes, he losses. What is this lose? How does he accept it? The lose is itself a divine arrangment. In other words, it indicates you need to renew your spirit, right? Yesterday we talked of the dip, reaching down deeper for richer faith. Everything is for our renewal. Quiet and accepting take this happening now as the chance to renew.
Saturday, October 3, 1998 Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor When your child is sick, do not become too emotional. Leave the child alone as you would a disobedient child. Practice faith, without a care to what might happen. Your child will be able to receive divine blessings. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #48] The teaching "don't become emotional when your child is sick" means this is a situation where you must set aside your own feelings and trust the Principle Parent's perfect design for your child's essential healthiness, which allows plenty of room to receive the blessings. Moreover, when you practice faith without worrying about "what might happen" your faith grows. I feel the number 48 says that there is always a chance for blessings. If you always live with this feeling, you'll receive the divine virtue of the Principle Parent without obstruction. 7/31/76 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] It's teaching to get beyond the ordinary, to reach the extraordinary; it's beyond common standards. You dig deeper into yourself. It's not for others to do; it's not anyone else for you to look to. Only I, myself, can get to it. I'm the one who hasn't yet gotten renewed; I must take up these happenings; I need to use them as ingredients for deepening my faith. I still haven't got enough faith. The founder has drawn the picture of a dip, or trench. Water naturally will flow into it. It was a revelation about how to live one's life. Taking in everything for self-development is naturally enriching. The revelation of the dip is demonstrating the simple ease of blessings of all types just flowing into one's trench. It is all enriching for you when you take each happening for spiritual training. However, an American example was given of someone sueing a drink company because it was too hot -- they where driving and spilt it, burning themself. Here is examplifying the way of building up to higher peaks. This way of life believes happiness is found on high peaks. But the mountains built, crumble and fall. Blessings cannot be collected on such heights. Blessings gather in the dips. It appears substandard, below all norms, and not really a natural way to live. However, the way of the 'dip' is a winner. You may be quietly accepting and building your heart-spirit, but also you must apply faith, renew your faith, and develop it further deeper and deeper (the dip). Just quietly accepting is like wearing a kimono without the obi-sash. Wrap your spiritual training in the sash of faith renewal. Let's bring the standards of Airaku to the world. The way of the dip is for the ordinary person, and to do it easily, too. The ingredients for such faith are limitless.
Friday, October 2, 1998 Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor As time goes by, this faith will become more widely accepted by the world. Practice the faith patiently. [Teachings of Konko Daijin #56] It's said, "Just seventy-five days for a rumor." While patiently persevering you will come to see through yourself and begin to understand your sorry self, your incompetent self. You will realize that to practice faith patiently is the time to taste how heartily you appreciate your beliefs and to acquire the virtues for persevering faith. When you quietly are delighted Blessings quietly are provided 7/7/71 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] To practice faith patiently is actually doing it on one's own. You need not have anyone practicing with you. Why? Why doesn't my faith need other people? One's faith is not for the master, not for the mediating minister, not for the believers. Your faith is for your own awakening and salvation. It's not for your parents, not for the children either, but for oneself. Your faith once awakened, then will also open the hearts of your spouse and your family to the joys of faith. "As you patiently persist in the joy of faith, a fountain of joy will develop deep in your heart." This is what spreads naturally to those around you. Of course, cutting yourself off from Kami will never do. You first must realize that you are really just like the 'naked king' -- though feeling you're in new garments, it actually comes to nothing, or no faith. Doing faith for someone else is a very tiring type of faith practice. You need to change and practice a faith that saves and opens your own heart. It's like the dream that Rev. Aiko Ikejiri (a sister of the pastor) had about changing the 'obi' of one's kimono. To actually make the change to help open your faith you must step through the stage of going nude, taking off the unnecessary and burdensome practices and beliefs. There's but little time left to get started. You also can't make it in a lukewarm state of mind. Also when needing to be quiet, you must keep the silence so that the developing stage goes on until ready and ripe. Don't open it when things are intense. You don't want it to evaporate without maturing. This is similar to making sake. It must be kept closed tight to ripen its taste.
Thursday, October 1, 1998 Rev. Katsuhiko Otsubo, Pastor 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 divine wish is that humans, who are all people of Kami, truly become living spirits. This is the primary wish of Kami. Although we need to pray for all people on earth to unite in the spirit of the Principle Parent, first I myself must become spiritually alive. The first step then, is _my_ spiritual growth. Only then can I receive blessings for the spiritual well-being of those around me. It is taught that someone who awakens the spirit in one person is themself, a living spirit. "To be a living spirit is to have Kami born within you." To awaken each one around me, is, of course, to give birth to a living spirit. If a hundred people are awakened, then you can be the living spirit for one hundred. To complement me, someone once said, "Kami has blessed you with the ability to sing Japanese limericks." I believe that this is the way for the process of life to be taken in and savored. Within my heart is born a truly wonderful feeling. This, of course is what is called the birth of the living spirit. Nurturing this feeling will lead the way to being a living spirit. 8/4/69 [Mini-teaching of Rev. Soichiro Otsubo] We need the diligence to develop a living spirit. The human being is seemly born lazy. We need to pray for becoming a living spirit. From only a lower seat we can just see the worldly world around us. From the vantage point of Kami our desires and wishes are seen as quite foolish. Look at the world from a different angle; see your world from Kami's viewpoint. Faith will advance as the spirit-heart develops. How much have you become more beautiful, more enriched? If you haven't changed, it is proof of little or no development. We need to remove ourself from that lower seat -- it is but like observing our own excretion. You cannot understand until you have changed your vantage point. I remember after the closing prayers at night we would all gather around the late reverend master for tea and such enjoyable talk of faith that we never noticed the time fly by. Once during some conversation a complaint about someone was brought up. The next morning our late master had to pray for that person -- he received the message of a persimmon seed that is split in two. He spoke of humans and the many different sides of their characters. Then years later, again, he received the split persimmon seed, but this time spoke of the seed of a living spirit and the need to escalate our faith development. The same image received, but his faith having developed over that time interval, what he speaks about has developed, too. Anything and everything becomes seen as sacred work. If we classify the problems of human beings, we could speak of the outer and the inner problems. Our late master took up the inner problems of our life and treated them as very sacred works of Kami. When you actually practice respecting the process of life it leads you to become in tune with the nature of the universe, the heart of divinity. Yes, it leads you to develop a living spirit. You spirit takes on and follows the heart of divinity. It was impossible ages ago, impossible for the many other religions of the world. However, the probable has become possible. It depends on one's intent to really get into respecting and worshiping the very process of life, the process of what Kami is doing in this life of yours. It all begins with the intent to really practice and nurture the seed of one's living spirit.(Back) < Back to the HomePage > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Rev. Richard Lee Dusek