Reverend Jun’ichi Watanabe, the head minister of Konko church of Habikino gave a lecture in the 1st Konko International Celebration held in 2015.

 

 

 

“Rikkyo Seijo” as a spiritual ground

Jun’ichi Watanabe

 

Sacred Place for Konko Daijin (“my own property”)

Although Konko Daijin taught to the worshipers, “Tenchi is the same everywhere”, he valued his house and property (“my own property”) as a special sacred place. Let us take building Konjin Shrine for example. Around 1877, the village leaders rallied to build a postponed shrine. Then in 1880 to 1881, the plan materialized. The location was discussed among them. At the final stage, villagers tried to build the shrine on the Yuzaki hill. However, Konko Daijin disagreed with their plan and wanted to have the shrine on his “own property”. The plan was on hiatus once again.

In January, 1878, Konko Daijin received the following revelation: “Build the shrine on your property. The villagers may want to build it somewhere else. But without you, that shrine will just be an empty building.” Following this revelation, the Founder claimed that the shrine should be built where Konko Daijin will enter as “shrine of Ikigami.” He then insisted to build it on “my own property.”

 

A Birth Story of “Ikigami” (View Point from “Oboegaki”)

Konko Daijin thought that the “shrine of Ikigami” should be built on “my own property.” But, why? He received the following revelation for writing “Oboegaki”, his autobiographical record.

“Write the memoirs of Konko Daijin (the Oboegaki), who has established a hiromae here. Write about the time you were born, what your parents told you, the events after you joined this family, and other recollections. Write about the fears you had regarding Konjin and the Directions, the apologies you made for your irreverences, and your practicing of faith in various kamis.”(October, 1874)

“Established a hiromae” means that he first started performing Mediation at this place. Based on that fact, Kami asked Konko Daijin to write his memoir from his birth to events of his “property” after joining to the Kawate family. Therefore, “established a hiromae” is his point of view.

At this particular place, Konko Daijin encountered Tenchi Kane No Kami and opened the “way” for people to receive the blessings for the first time. From the view point that he received blessings, he looked back to the first half of his life. He then wrote about a series of misfortunes that he experienced such as having a fear from Konjin’s direction, apologizing irreverence, practicing faith, yet could not find salvation.

 

The Origin of the Sufferings 

In his memoir titled Oboegaki, “my own property” was described as the place viewed not only from his own life history, but also from over 400 years of Kawate family’s history.

Kami-Sama told me about my ancestors. “The Kawate family, who lived in the Tarōzaemon house in front of your present house, failed to continue.

Originally, this family built and lived in a humble cottage by the sea. This was four hundred thirty-one or four hundred thirty-two years ago. Later, the family gradually prospered. (However, the family ultimately became poor and was without descendants.)

Another family (Akazawa) took over the Kawate family’s ancestral tablet. But this family also, did not prosper, and there were no direct descendants to continue the family. Both families had committed irreverences to Konjin. When this area was close to the sea, the families built their homesteads on land where buried animals lay. This was irreverent.”

I could not help thinking, “My adoptive father and younger brother died on successive months, and three of my children died in death anniversary years. My cow also fell in on July 16 (August 23). A doctor gave acupuncture treatment and drugs, but the cow died on the eighteenth. Also, in the following year, another cow fell in and died on the same month and day.

In every case, I had a doctor give treatment, and I gave fervent requests and prayers to various kamis and did all I could. Even after I prayed to the kamis and buddhas, the victims were not saved. I stood by helpless. I lived with this constant frustration and futility.

I suffered without being aware of my irreverences toward Tenchi Kane No Kami-Sama. And now, Tenchi Kane No Kami-Sama was giving me this thankful revelation.”

Kami-Sama revealed, “Think about what happened in the past. During the past seventeen years, you made seven graves. Each death in a death anniversary year was an indication from Kami for your irreverence.”

Due to your sincere and caring faith in the kamis, you and your wife were spared.

It is said, ‘If an irreverence is done knowingly, the head of the household will be taken. But if an irreverence is done unknowingly, seven graves, including those of farm animals, will have to be dug.’ This is what has happened to you.” (December, 1858)

Konko Daijin looked back and wrote these past events after 1874. Let us summarize this 1858′s event as 1) Sufferings experienced by Konko Daijin, 2) History of irreverence of Kawate family, and 3) Awareness of the blessings in 1858.

1)  Konko Daijin became a head of the family after his adoptive father passed away in 1836. He was 23. He then encountered a series of misfortunes. He suffered from a cycle of death in his family due to the irreverence toward Konjin. After Konko Daijin succeeded the household, he built a bath and a toilet (when he was 24), built warehouse (when he was 30), and built the main house (when he was 37). In this way, he progressively enlarge his house. However, he experienced misfortunes in his family as he expanded his house. A year before warehouse construction, his eldest son (who was 4 years old) passed away. Two years before the main house construction, his eldest daughter (who was 2 years old) passed away. During the main house construction, his second son (who was 9 years old) and his cow died. The following year, another cow died. In addition, these series of deaths were related to each other. The first son’s death was the 7th memorial year of the adoptive father and his brother who passed away in 1836. The eldest daughter died in the year, which marked the 13th memorial year of the adoptive father and his brother, and 7th memorial year of the first son. Two cows died on the same month with two years between their deaths. It seemed like fate was manipulating him by invisible strings. How could he escape from this ill fate of Konjin? This was the main issue and suffering while he practiced faith. Konko Daijin had to continuously face deaths in his family and feared the direction where Konjin dwelled.

 

“Tarōzaemon house” and Ancestors of Kawate family

2) Kami instructed Konko Daijin that the irreverence toward Konjin was not initiated by Konko Daijin’s constructions. The irreverence continued from the ancestors of Kawate family for a long period of time. The deaths of the adoptive father and his brother in 1836 were related to a story of “Tarōzaemon house”, which was ruined because of the irreverence toward Konjin over 400 years ago. According to oral traditions, Tarōzaemon, the Kawate’s earliest ancestor was cursed by Konjin, and the successors of the family have been continuously cursed and ruined. This was a tale that received hardships for over 400 years. Konko Daijin heard this tale after he came to Kawate family when he was 13 or 14. He was much more aware than ever before and was afraid of Konjin’s curse when his adoptive father Kumejiro died.

Kumejiro Akazawa changed his family name to Kawate when he succeeded this family, and he rebuilt Kawate family. However, he did not have a child. He adopted Konko Daijin as his son. He worked hard and expanded his property by purchasing lands. In addition, he was blessed with a baby boy in 1831. They named him Tsurutaro. Konko Daijin was 18 years old at that time. Kumejiro might have thought that he cleared away the curse of Konjin. The following year, the land lord prohibited to use the name “jiro.” Then, Kumejiro changed his name to “Tarōzaemon”, which is the same name of the earliest ancestor.

5 years later, in July, 1836, Tsurutaro died at the age of 6. Kumejiro died in August, 1836. While he was dying, he told Konko Daijin to change back the family name from Kawate to Akazawa. This must have been a declaration of defeat to Konjin. He gave up on the Kawate family’s future. By doing so, he tried to spare Konko Daijin from Konjin’s curse.

However, “Tarōzaemon’s house” is located in the Kawate’s property. Konko Daijin wrote Kawate’s property as “my own property.” Konko Daijin built the warehouse on this location. From this reason, even if he changed the family name from Kawate to Akazawa, as long as Konko Daijin’s family lived in “my own property,” the irreverence remained. Therefore, the problem had not been resolved.

 

The Origin of Salvation    

3) Konko Daijin was taught about the irreverence of Kawate ancestors over 400 years in 1858. It was the 23rd memorial year of the adoptive father. Konko Daijin encountered Tenchi Kane No Kami in this year, and he started to realize Kami’s thoughts. He received the divine name of “Bunji Daimyojin.” Ikigami was born as someone who could actualize Kami’s blessings. In the following year, the Kawate house in “my own property” became the place to save people in need. This property became the “shrine of Ikigami.”

“My own property” including the land of “Tarōzaemon’s house” does not belong to human. “My own property” is “Kami’s land” where Tenchi Kane No Kami governed. Without being aware of this, the ancestor of Kawate stepped into this land. Kami’s land was tarnished by human’s greed for existence. This land also contains pains by many ancestors. Konko Daijin and his adoptive parents experienced a lot of deaths and sorrows on this land. They wanted salvation, but they were unable to on this land. However, at the same time, this was the land that Konko Daijin met Tenchi Kane No Kami. Because of that, many people were saved including mitama spirits of Kawate. The way of faith was opened. This land was also the land of hope. Since this place was the land of pain that carried a burden of those who suffered, died and sorrowed without finding the way, this land transformed into a place where people could understand the heart of Kami. A place where Kami tried to save those who had suffered for a long time. This special place enables to encounter our Divine Parent, like finding a light in the darkness. For the people who could relate to the Kawate, “my own property” was the land of origin mixed with pains and salvations. For Konko Daijin, the land where he “established a hiromae” was the original place for saving people who had suffered without understanding kamis and spirits. For these reasons, “my own property” is undeniably a special and sacred place for Konko Daijin.

 

Death as “migawari“

Kondo Fujimori first visited the Hiromae on January 1881. At that time, he described the Konko Daijin’s Hiromae as follows:

Konko Daijin lived in a shoddy house with only 6 tatami mats, and I couldn’t resist to see it. In that 6 tatami mats space, there were three old tatami mats and three straw mats. I could hardly believe that this was the place for the person who was later called the Founder.

It was like a temporally hut for a beggar. Living in such a hut for a long time, the Founder actualized the divine virtue of heaven and earth.

The Founder’s house was covered with straws. The insides were humble. The walls started to decay, and the joint to the ceiling was old. This place appeared miserable. Seeing these living conditions made me feel so sorry for such a virtuous person.

Kondo visited the hiromae in the later period the Founder’s life. The miserable hiromae that Kondo saw was probably related to the decision in stopping the shrine building. Many people including villagers tried to build the Konjin shrine. However, he stopped building shrine after reasoning that the poor and the underprivileged people would suffer.

In those days, many people came to Konko Daijin’s Hiromae because of difficulties from illness or poverty. There were people who faced discrimination. A “Shrine of Ikigami” stood quietly in the bamboo grove was not decorated by gold or beautiful colors, but the shrine was a hut like a tent for the homeless.

On October 10, 1883, Konko Daijin ends his Mediation at the “Shrine of Ikigami.” He became the eternally living Ikigami Konko Daijin and returned to Tenchi Kane No Kami’s place. Kami described the meaning of Konko Daijin’s death as follows: It is “migawari” to save for people of the world who suffer (jin-min, all people), for people who come to visit hiromae seeking to be saved (taigan no ujiko, those who give Me request). “Rikkyo-seijo” is the sacred place for people and seekers where Konko Daijin died as “migawari” at the “Shrine of Ikigami” and reborn as Ikigami Konko Daijin.