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Old 09-13-2005, 12:02 PM   #39
Erick Mead
 
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Re: Omoto-kyo Theology

Apologies, but a stray keystroke posted my last before it was intended. So here is the the latter part as it was was intended

Erick Mead
............................................
And in this same article Nocquet recounts a spiritual crisis of his own, resolved neatly by O-Sensei himself:

"Sensei should I remain a Christian?" He replied,
"Yes, absolutely. You were raised as a Christian in France. Remain a Christian." If he had told me to stop being a Christian and become a Buddhist, I would have been lost. "

From this evidence I can permissibly infer that O-Sensei did intend
that aikdio should function as well in a Christian spiritual mode as it would in Buddhist (or Omoto) circumstances.

As to further evidence for the "stripped down" mode of aikido teaching the following may also be of interest:

Doka 8

Shin no bu wa
fude ya kuchi niwa
subekarazu
kami wa yurusazu

True bu[dō]
cannot be described
by the brush or the mouth
kami will not allow you
to rely upon words!

Doka 7

Aiki towa
fude ya kuchi niwa
tsukusarezu
kotobure sezuni
satori okonae

Aikido (its mysteries)
can never be encompassed
by the brush or by the mouth
Do not rely on words to grasp it
Attain enlightenment through practice


And Doka 9

Bu to wa ie
koe mo sugata mo
kage mo nashi
kami ni karete
kotau subenashi

Bu[dō] --
no voice, no form,
no shadow
Question kami as you like
but there is no reply.


With these two lines of argument corroborating one another as to both directly intended act, and stated intent, I feel comfortable in standing by the validity and support for my position,. You may remain unpersuaded as you wish. But that is an objection to weight, not suficiency.

Cordially,
Erick Mead

Last edited by Erick Mead : 09-13-2005 at 12:09 PM.
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