This is the second edition of An Anthology of Osashizu Translations, published in 2007. This book seeks to present in a single volume the body of work that has accumulated over the years on the translation of the Osashizu, The Divine Directions.
The 722-page volume comprises Osashizu passages quoted in translations not only of a wide range of Tenrikyo publications such as books and periodicals but also of unpublished sermons, lecture notes, etc. As with the first edition, the new edition is presented in a dual-language, parallel-text format—which allows for easy comparison of translations with their originals—and contains copious footnotes indicating where the translations have previously been cited so as to help our readers see the quoted Divine Directions in context. It also features English and Japanese indexes.
The preface explains the aim of the book as follows: “Our intention . . . is not only to make available the translations we believe to be useful to our readers but also to invite suggestions on how to improve upon them. Any feedback, therefore, would be appreciated.”
We hope that this book will be of great use to the readers as a means of deepening their understanding of the teachings and as an aid to spreading the teachings and helping others be saved as they embark on their “three years, one thousand days” journey leading up to Oyasama’s 140th Anniversary.