558. With God, the source is important.
559. Neglecting the beginning, no one can prosper in the future.
560. It is because there is a root that there are branches and leaves (the future).
561. This Oomoto teaches that the source is the most important.
- (Note: “Oomoto” means the origin of the universe)
562. Man arises from the ancestors, and the ancestors arise from God.
563. That which happens in Oomoto, all arises from the Original God.
564. The original place where the Spirit of Mizu appeared is Miyagaichi in Anao in Sogabe. It is the place where the water of life had its source.
- Note: “Miyagaichi in Anao in Sogabe” is the birthplace of Deguchi Onisaburo, and is now in the city of Kameoka.
565. Oomoto, which reveals the Divine teachings, is the holy place called Ryûgû-yakata (the Ryûgû house) on the grounds of Shingû and Hongû in Ayabe; it is a Divine garden, where gods gather.
566. The spring from which the teaching was born came forth in Anao in Sogabe.
567. That which is and shall be the great origin of the world is the Divine garden in Ayabe.
568. Making my body His abode, God goes with me everywhere I go.
569. The islands Oshima and Meshima in the Sea of Japan in the district of Tango are the central location where many world-saving gods gathered.
- Note: “Oshima and Meshima” are small isolated islands where the God Kunitokotachi secluded himself since ancient times. They are situated in the sea between Japan and the Asian continent, called in Japanese the “Sea of Japan”
570. The mountain Misen in Oyogi (in the district of Tango) is the holy mountain where are honoured the god Konohanasakuya-hime and the god Hikohohodemi. These two gods govern the holy function of mediation between the gods.
571. Let no one defy the original teaching.
572. Immeasurably profound is Divine truth; it cannot be understood with a shallow heart.
573. Leaving one’s self, may you understand the profound heart of God, and make yourselves shine with Divine virtue.
574. Make firm the ground of your heart, sow good seeds and plant good seedlings.
575. Seedlings planted in a shallow place are easily overturned by rain, wind and storm. Take care of the ground of your heart, therefore.
576. Cherry blossoms fall even while one is looking at them, and are immediately trodden underfoot. Shallow faith is like these cherry blossoms.
577. There is nothing more uncertain than the faith of one who is not honest.
578. You who believe in the Divine way, do not open your lips without due consideration. Take care only to convey the direct word of God.
579. This teaching reaches every mountain recess, for it is the true voice of God.
580. Let him who is given the position of conveying the Divine words first consider his own conduct.
581. Act before speaking: otherwise, you will not be able to conform to the Divine heart, and finally you will invite ruin upon yourself. Take care, therefore.
582. Even if a prophecy comes true or if you become healed, do not believe that this is God’s work.
583. Seeing the desire in a man’s heart, a devil can surprise and intimidate him.
584. A devil can bring about temporary relief from a person’s suffering in order to gain his heart; and then it will invite him to join its camp.
585. Evil spirits do not manifest themselves in the form of evil spirits. They appear under a mask of good; they carry out false good and they feign truth.
586. He who lacks prudence and is foolish often defies God, taking a devil for a good god, because he does not possess the eye of the soul.
587. Wide though the earth may be, there is nothing as holy as the true God.
588. You who are born as a human being, be sure to respect God and love Him deeply; respect human beings and love them, too.
589. Because human beings are all God’s children, respecting and loving humans is the same as respecting and loving God.
590. However evil they may be, you should never despise, abhor or revile human beings.
591. No human has the right to revile or despise the children of God. He who dares to do what he has no right to do is a sinner before the Divine realm.
592. He who crosses mountains to be close to the Spirit of Mizu will be favoured with limitless Divine power and glorified as the light of the world.
593. The pure water which can never be exhausted is the authority and the favour of the Divine life.
594. Water changes freely into any shape according to the vessel it fills. Make the infinitely free Spirit of Mizu your friend.
595. Making your pure heart his dwelling place, the Spirit of Mizu will show you marvellous things.
596. God cares for you ceaselessly; you, too, should never forget Him.
597. Everyone feels love for a child who comes to one with longing, however unattractive it may look. To love God is to love oneself. To respect God means to respect oneself.
598. Since you are God’s children, worship God as your true Father.
599. According to the proverb, by the time one feels gratitude to one’s parents, one has already lost them. This proverb applies to me now.
600. Returning to God’s heart, I considered, and decided that I should serve my parents in the limitless spirit world rather than in this fleeting world; then I immediately became serene.
601. I understand that most important is to save my parents’ souls into the Divine realm according to the merit of my deeds, serving God and the people.
602. I decided that I should serve my mother in the spirit world, enjoying the limitless joy of the Divine realm together with her.
