The first meeting of this group focused on Chapter 1 in the biography, From Farmer to Founder. Believers who were unfamiliar with the Founder’s early life were surprised to learn that so many of his children passed away. There was also discussion as to why so many of them had so many name changes. It was interesting to note that only the males received name changes.
As a child, the Founder was very pious. He had a sincere, thoughtful, and conscientious attitude from a young age. But where did he get that from? Must have been his parents. But then what about his siblings?
There was some speculation that the Founder was found by Kami at an early age. On the other hand, could it be that Kami had been looking for someone like the Founder for a long time? The Founder had been sick a lot as a child and had been reaching out to various deities throughout his life. Despite getting sick so often, he recovered every time. So maybe he felt as though there must have been something else out there. He never gave up.
What about the Days and Directions? If the Founder followed them fastidiously, why did he still suffer? Were his sufferings signs from Kami? Consider the fact that the Days and Directions are man-made tools and therefore human-centered. It’s human nature to find someone or something else to blame for one’s suffering. But the Founder looked within himself to see what he could have done differently. He remained humble and grateful.
The Founder created a home altar to Konjin – was this unusual? It’s not clear. Perhaps the Founder believed that Konjin is a deity and thus deserved to be revered. Or maybe in Okayama, many homes had Konjin altars. It’s also possible that Konjin was revered in the Founder’s birth home, so he grew up with that tradition. Although many homes did have altars to Konjin, most of them were meant to help avoid Konjin’s curse. The Founder, on the other hand, prayed for Konjin’s blessings and gave thanks to Konjin.
Please join us after service and lunch on Sunday, April 10, as we continue to discuss the biography of Konko Daijin. Participants will have an opportunity to ask follow-up questions about Chapter 1, followed by discussion of topics in Chapter 2. Please bring any questions, thoughts or ideas you may have. We look forward to another lively discussion!
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