The following is a translation of an excerpt from Ikiru kotoba (“Living words”), p. 17.
This path cannot be followed by human thinking. It is the path that is being formed by the law of nature (tennen shizen).
Anecdotes of Oyasama 17, “The Law of Nature”
We human beings tend to rush for results, relying on our fallible wisdom and power. Tennen shizen—which also refers to what is natural and spontaneous—describes the process of sowing seeds at the seasonable time, applying fertilizer when buds sprout, and finally reaping a harvest after we have given our attentive care in raising a crop. It is a process that demands time and effort.
It is the same when it comes to faith. Just as plants go through a many different stages in their development, our faith becomes genuine when we overcome difficult situations (knots).
Further reading
- Buds Sprout from Knots by Yoshikazu Fukaya
- Tennen Shizen no michi by Yoshikazu Fukaya
- Tennen shizen no michi from A Glossary of Tenrikyo Terms (Tenrikyo jiten)
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