Besseki Lectures
The Besseki Lectures are lectures delivered at the Jiba for the purpose of receiving the grant of the Sazuke. For people to receive the Sazuke, they must first pledge, attend the lecture 9 times, and, by the 9th time of attendance, this person must be of the age of 17 or older to then be bestowed the Sazuke by the Shinbashira. For Japanese residents, they are only allowed to attend one lecture, once a month. However, for people of overseas there is an exception which may allow, possibly 1 or more per day. Though it is encouraged to attend the lecture as less often as possible, given the attendant's situation.
The Besseki Pledge
The purpose of the pledge is for the person intending to receive the grant for the Sazuke to have the right mindset. The pledge goes as follows.
- We call God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto.
- God the Parent is God of Origin, God in Truth, who created human beings and the world where there was no form.
- God the Parent revealed the divine will to humankind through Oyasama as Shrine. It is due to Oyasama that we learned of the will of God the Parent for the first time.
- Oyasama is Miki Nakayama.
- God the Parent created human beings to see their Joyous Life and share in it. Thus the Joyous Life is the goal of our existence.
- I have come to know of God the Parent through the guidance of __________* and have learned of the divine will. And because I desire to understand it more clearly and to fix it in my mind, I have returned to Jiba at this time.
- We are taught that the Jiba is the place where God the Parent resides and where the Service for universal salvation is performed.
- I desire to learn the teachings of God the Parent thoroughly at Jiba, to follow the Divine Model of Oyasama with adoration, and to bring satisfaction to God the Parent and happiness to others.
- (*) Here, people reciting the pledge state the reason they came to know of the teachings. Examples: (1) name of the person who guided them to the teachings or invited them to the Besseki lectures, (2) "my parents' faith," (3) "illness," or (4) "personal problems."
See also
References
- The Besseki Lectures from the Yoboku's Guide to Tenrikyo
