修行目標「ご恩返しを」　＝伝統精神を尊ぶ大事＝
(Training Goal: “Repay the Blessings” — Honoring the Spirit of Tradition)

平成18年1月号掲載(Published January 2006)

謹賀新年
　かねてお伝え申し上げていることですが、ここ十二、三年、神道山でとり進められてきた緑化献木運動において植樹された三万本を超える木々は、実にたくましく成長を続けています。それは、皆様が真ごころ込めて祈りつつ植えて下さっていることはもとよりのことながら、樹木の生命線ともいえる深根（直根）の切られていないいわゆるポット苗を植えていただいているからです。私たちはこの植樹運動を通じて、一本の木における「根」の大事をしみじみと考えさせられ、また教えられてきました。

New Year’s Greeting
As I have often conveyed, over the past twelve or thirteen years the greening and tree‑donation movement at Shintōzan has seen more than thirty thousand saplings planted, and they continue to grow vigorously. This is not only because each of you has planted them with heartfelt prayer, but also because they were planted as so‑called “pot seedlings, whose deep taproots—the lifeline of the tree—had not been cut.
Through this tree‑planting movement, we have been deeply reminded and taught of the importance of the “root in the life of a single tree.

　さらに昨秋は、大元・宗忠神社ご鎮座百二十年記念祝祭を皆様とともに盛大に斎行できましたこと、まことに有り難い極みでありました。改めて「祈りの誠」「奉仕の誠」を捧（ささ）げられた皆様に心からの敬意を表することです。おかげで教祖記念館と旧の大教殿である武道館の耐震補強改修工事がなされ、建物の土台がしっかりしたものに成されたことは格別有り難いことでした。さらに尊いことは、宗忠神社本体はほとんど耐震補強工事をする必要のないほど基礎工事が堅牢（けんろう）なもので、改めて明治時代の先輩方の信仰心の強さそして思いの深さに感服しました。旧の大教殿は、宗忠神社がご鎮座なってほどなく着工された建築でしたので、その竣工の時、当時の管長（教主）四代様が「本格的な大教殿は他日を期す」と言われたと伝えられていますが、やはり基礎部分が軟弱でありました。そのため、昭和二十一年暮れの南海大地震で大きな被害を受けることになり、この度の工事まで支え柱に支えられたままの建物でした。教祖記念館も、宗忠神社ご鎮座に際して、今の場所に移築されたため、土台は決して強固なものではありませんでした。

Furthermore, last autumn we were able to celebrate together the grand festival commemorating the 120th anniversary of the enshrinement of Ōmoto Munetada Shrine 大元・宗忠神社. This was truly a blessing beyond measure. Once again, I wish to express my heartfelt respect to all of you who offered the sincerity of prayer and the sincerity of service.
Thanks to your devotion, seismic reinforcement and renovation work was carried out on the Founder’s Memorial Hall and on Budōkan (the Martial Arts Hall), which had served as the former Daikyōden 大教殿 (the Main Shrine), and their foundations were made firm—an especially precious blessing. Even more remarkable was the discovery that the main structure of Munetada Shrine itself required almost no reinforcement, for its foundation work was so solid. This renewed our admiration for the strength of faith and depth of thought of our predecessors in the Meiji era.
The former Daikyōden had been constructed soon after the enshrinement of Munetada Shrine, and at its completion the Fourth Chief Patriarch is said to have remarked, “A true Daikyōden will be built in days to come. Indeed, its foundation was weak, and so it suffered great damage in the Nankai Earthquake at the end of 1946, remaining supported by auxiliary pillars until the present renovation. The Founder’s Memorial Hall too, having been relocated to its present site at the time of the Shrine’s enshrinement, did not rest upon a strong foundation.

　樹木の根も、建物の土台、基礎部分も目には見えませんが最も大事なところで、樹木が健全に成長するために欠くことのできない働きをするのが根であり、建築に際して最も留意しなくてはならないのが土台、基礎工事だという当然のことを教えられた私たちでした。

The roots of trees, and the foundations of buildings, though unseen, are the most important parts. Roots are indispensable for the healthy growth of a tree, and in construction the foundation work is what must be most carefully attended to. Through this, we have been taught anew the obvious truth of the importance of what lies beneath.

　今年、平成十八年五月二十八日、私たちは二十年前の昭和六十一年に続いて、伊勢神宮の式年遷宮の主要な神事のひとつである「お木曳（きひき）行事」に参列奉仕の場をいただくことになりました。

This year, on May 28, 2006, we have been granted the opportunity, for the first time in twenty years since 1986, to participate and serve in the Okihiki ceremony*—one of the major rites of the Shikinen Sengū 式年遷宮 of Ise Jingu 伊勢神宮.

(*お木曳行事 A ceremony in which people ceremonially haul sacred timber for the shrine’s reconstruction and renewal which takes place every twenty years: Translator’s note).

　すでにご承知のように、伊勢神宮では千三百年を超える昔から、二十年ごとに、内宮、外宮をはじめ数多くの末社のすべてを建て替えることによって、天照大御神をはじめ神々により清々しくお鎮まりいただき、もってご神威の弥栄を祈る式年遷宮が連綿と続けられています。

As you already know, at Ise Jingu, for more than 1,300 years the Shikinen Sengū has been carried out every twenty years. By rebuilding the Inner Shrine, the Outer Shrine, and all of the many subsidiary shrines, the gods—including Amaterasu Ōmikami—are enshrined anew in purity, and prayers are offered for the ever‑increasing divine majesty.

　教祖神ご在世中の江戸時代、六回も参宮されたみてぶりにならい、二代様の時の「千人参り」、明治時代になって三代様四代様と引き継いで行われた五回の「萬人参り」は、毎年の「伊勢団参」として、本教にたえることなく継承されて今日に至っています。

During the lifetime of the Divine Founder in the Edo period, he himself made pilgrimage to Ise six times. Following his example, the “Thousand‑Person Pilgrimage in the time of the Second Chief Patriarch, and later in the Meiji era the “Ten‑Thousand‑Person Pilgrimages continued under the Third and Fourth Chief Patriarchs. These traditions have been faithfully inherited, and today they live on as the annual “Ise Group Pilgrimage of our faith.

　特に三十二年前の昭和四十九年、神道山に新しく大教殿が建築されての霊地大元からのご遷座に際し、その前年に斎行された第五十九回式年遷宮で古殿となった内宮御正宮のご用材が大量に下賜（かし）され、大教殿の御神殿の主要な所をすべてこの御神木によって造営することができました。このことは、私たちの思いもかけないことで、驚きとともに、教祖神以来のお伊勢様との格別のご神縁あればこそと感動し感銘を深くしたことでした。

Especially memorable was thirty‑two years ago, in 1974 (Shōwa 49), when the new Daikyōden was built at Shintōzan and the sacred transfer was made from the spiritual center at Ōmoto. In the preceding year, during the 59th Shikinen Sengū, a great quantity of sacred timber from the former Inner Shrine Main Sanctuary was bestowed upon us. With this divine wood, we were able to construct all the principal parts of Daikyōden’s sanctuary. This was wholly beyond our expectation, and with astonishment we felt deeply moved, convinced that it was due to the special divine bond with Ise since the time of the Divine Founder.

　このことに心からの神恩報謝の誠を尽くすべく、昭和五十五年の教祖神ご降誕二百年大祝祭の年、昭和の伊勢萬人参りのおかげをいただき、一万人を超えるお道づれは心はればれと大御前に頭を垂れました。続いて神道山ご遷座十年を機に、さらにご神恩に報いようと「ありがとうございます運動」の主要な奉仕として、伊勢神宮式年遷宮ご奉賛につとめ、平成五年の第六十一回式年遷宮に向かって足掛け十年、浄財を献納させていただいたことでした。平成六年の新春、清々しくまばゆいばかりの新宮（にいみや）に平成の伊勢萬人参りを果たした喜びと感激は私たちの記憶に今も鮮やかです。

To offer heartfelt gratitude for this divine favor, in 1980 (Shōwa 55), the year of the Grand Festival commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Divine Founder’s birth, we received the blessing of the Shōwa “Ten‑Thousand‑Person Pilgrimage to Ise. More than ten thousand companions bowed their heads joyfully before the Great Presence.
Then, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the transfer to Shintōzan, we sought further to repay divine grace by making the “Arigatō (Thank You) Movement a principal form of service, dedicating ourselves to support the Shikinen Sengū of Ise. Toward the 61st Sengū in 1993 (Heisei 5), we offered contributions over ten years.
In the New Year of 1994 (Heisei 6), we fulfilled the Heisei “Ten‑Thousand‑Person Pilgrimage to the newly rebuilt shrine, radiant and dazzling in purity. The joy and inspiration of that pilgrimage remain vivid in our memory even today.

　このような本教の歴史と伝統にのっとって、平成二十五年の第六十二回式年遷宮に前回と同じように教団を挙げて奉賛の誠を捧げようと、昨年末の冬至大祭において御神前にご奉告、皆様に発表した次第であります。そして、式年遷宮ご奉賛の最初の身をもって奉仕する場が、来る五月二十八日のお木曳行事奉仕となるわけです。

In accordance with the history and tradition of Kurozumikyō, we resolved to dedicate, as an entire organization, the sincerity of support for the 62nd Shikinen Sengū in 2013, just as we did previously. At the Winter Solstice Grand Festival at the end of last year, this was reported before the divine presence and announced to all of you. The first opportunity for bodily service in support of the Sengū will be participation in the Okihiki ceremony on May 28.

　お伊勢様と本教とのご神縁は､教祖神以来の実に強いものがありますが､わが国日本人には、その土台、深い根に、等しくお伊勢様に連なる強いものがあることを忘れてはなりません。特に今日の時代、この国に生きる人々は、自（みずか）らの内なるお伊勢様を呼び起こさなくてはならない時にあることを痛感しています。

The divine bond between Kurozumikyō and Ise Jingu has been strong since the time of the Divine Founder. Yet we must not forget that for the Japanese people as a whole, there is likewise a strong connection to Ise at the very foundation, in the deep roots of our being. Especially in today’s age, we feel keenly that those living in this country must awaken the Ise within themselves.

　ご承知のごとくわが国では、ありとあらゆる地域に氏神様がまつられています。それはその土地の神様である産土（うぶすな）の神様でもあるわけですが、氏神の氏は家、家族を表す呼称で、このことはその地域に住まう人々すべての家族のご先祖の霊（みたま）様がまつられている証（あか）しでもあると思います。それがゆえに、はるかなる昔から、地域を挙げての大仕事であるお米づくりにおいて、まず春の祭りで氏神様に豊作を祈り、秋の祭りで新米を供えて感謝の祈りを捧げ、神々とともに喜び合うという時を積み重ねてきたのです。ここでは、親と子の間柄そのままに先祖と子孫の関係が生きています。人々は亡くなった親、家族はもとより祖父母先祖の神々を思い祈り、誠を捧げ、この神々に見つめられ守られて共に生き続けてきました。

As you know, throughout our country every region has its ujigami 氏神 (guardian god) enshrined. These are also the ubusuna no kami 産土の神 or the god of the land. The term uji 氏 refers to family or household (and gami is an alternate form of kami 神 or a Shintō god: Translator’s note), and thus the ujigami shrine is a testimony that the spirits of the ancestors of all families dwelling in that region are enshrined there.
For this reason, since ancient times, in the great communal work of rice cultivation, people have first prayed to the ujigami in the spring festival for a rich harvest, and then in the autumn festival offered the new rice in gratitude, rejoicing together with the deities. Here the relationship of parent and child is mirrored in the bond between ancestors and descendants. People have remembered and prayed for their departed parents and family, as well as grandparents and forebears, offering sincerity, living together under the gaze and protection of these deities.

　太古の昔、わが国をひとつにまとめ、名実ともに「大和（やまと）の国」となし、大王としてその徳をもって知ろしめされた方が「天皇」と崇（あが）められ、天皇様御自らが代々の天皇魂を御身に体（たい）すべく祈り奉仕された御社（やしろ）が、今日の伊勢神宮の元だと信じます。まさに、わが国日本人の中心をなす皇室の先祖神をまつる伊勢神宮が、日本の総氏神として国民の尊崇の念を集められるのも、わが国の長い歴史の自然な流れでありましょう。

In the distant past, the one who united our land into the country of Yamato, ruling with virtue as the Great King, was revered as Tennō 天皇 (Emperor). The shrine where the Emperor himself prayed and served, embodying within his own person the spirit of successive emperors, is believed to be the origin of today’s Ise Jingu. Truly, it is natural in the long history of our nation that Ise Jingu, enshrining the ancestral deities of the Imperial House—the very center of the Japanese people—should be revered as the nation’s great ujigami.

　伊勢神宮が、全国の神社という神社の総本宮本宗神道の大元であることも当然のことです。

It is only natural that Ise Jingu is the Grand Main Shrine, the original source of Shintō, and the head shrine of all shrines throughout the nation.

　実にお伊勢様は、わが国の深根、直根であり、私たち国民がその上に拠（よ）って立つ大いなる土台であります。

Truly, Ise is the deep root, the taproot of our country, the great foundation upon which we, the people, stand.

　私たちの伊勢式年遷宮ご奉賛は、教団としては教祖神以来の伝統精神の継承であり神恩報謝の場であると同時に、今日の時代に生きる人々へのわが国古来の根本精神の覚醒（かくせい）とその伝承の運動であることをしっかりと腹に据（す）えて、「ご恩返しを」の精神で「祈りの誠」「奉仕の誠」を捧げてまいりたく存じます。
　お道づれ皆様のご賛同ご奉賛を心からお願い申し上げます。

Our support for the Shikinen Sengū of Ise Jingu is, for Kurozumikyō, both the continuation of the traditional spirit since the time of the Divine Founder and an occasion for gratitude to the divine favor. At the same time, it is a movement for the awakening and transmission of the fundamental spirit of our nation to those living in today’s age. With this firmly settled in our hearts, we wish to dedicate the sincerity of prayer and the sincerity of service in the spirit of “Repaying Blessings.