This is the second edition of the English translation of The Anecdotes of Oyasama. Building on nearly half a century of progress in the translation of Tenrikyo’s teachings since the first edition published in 1977, the fully revised translation aims to give expression to Oyasama’s parental heart in a way that feels natural to contemporary English speakers. This project, which began in 2018, was developed primarily by the translation committee members in the U.S. mainland and Hawaii and, following several years of proofreading at Jiba, has now led to the first new translation in 49 years. All lunar and Gregorian calendar references have been rendered in accordance with the original text, and the chronological index at the end of the volume has also been newly translated and reedited.
The original work was compiled so as to “vividly portray Oyasama as the Parent of the Divine Model—revealing Her as the One who embraces all humanity with overflowing parental love, thereby allowing us to feel Her living presence as if She were right before our eyes.” We hope that this new edition will be widely embraced, enabling readers to feel Oyasama close to their hearts and be touched by Her parental love.