Tenrikyo

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Part of a series of articles on
Tenrikyō
Beliefs and scripture
Tenri-O-no-Mikoto
Ofudesaki
Osashizu
Practices
Yoki yusan
People
Oyasama (Miki Nakayama)
Izo Iburi
Places
Tenri, Japan
Tenri University
Tenri Hospital
Oyasato-yakata
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Tenrikyo Headquarters, Tenri

Tenrikyo (天理教; Tenrikyō, lit. Teaching of Divine Reason), is a panentheist Japanese New Religion. Tenrikyo is estimated to have about 2 million followers world-wide with 1.5 million of those in Japan. It was founded by a woman, Miki Nakayama,[1] who underwent revelatory experiences from 1838 onwards. After this date she is referred to as Oyasama (literally Honoured Parent) by followers.

Contents

[edit] Beliefs & Background

The purpose of Tenrikyo is to show its adherents the way to the Joyous Life (yōki yusan or yōki gurashi) on Earth through charity and abstention from greed, selfishness, hatred, anger and arrogance.

  • Yō (陽) is "positive", the same character as Yang in the Chinese Yin and Yang.
  • Ki (氣) is "spirit" or "energy", the same character as Qi in Chinese.
  • Yusan (遊山) is "an outing to the mountain or fields" (lit. excursion), implying an outgoing life.
  • Gurashi (暮) is "livelihood", implying life in a more day-to-day sense.

Adherents believe in a single god, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, who is defined as the creator and caring parent of all mankind. Continuing reincarnation is part of the religion, but is not a major emphasis. Key teachings include:

  • Moto-no-Ri - the principle of origin
  • Kashimono-Karimono (a thing lent, a thing borrowed) - the natural relationship between the human body and God
  • Hinokishin - voluntary effort as a means of showing gratitude for Kashimono-Karimono relationship (often charitable or public service)
  • Tanno (acceptance) - a constructive attitude towards troubles, illness and difficulties without placing judgement on what has happened in the past
  • Juzen-no-Shugo - ten principles involved in the creation which exist in Futatsu Hitotsu (two-in-one relationships), these principles are considered to be applied continuously throughout the universe
  • Kanrodai - the main pillar that is located at the "place where mankind was first created". The first prototypes of humans are said to have mated at the exact spot in which the Kanrodai is located. The erection of the Kandrodai has sexual symbolism and the buildings of Tenrikyo accordingly parallel this.

In Tenrikyo there are three successive levels of understanding of the nature of God: the first is Kami, which is God as understood in every day terms; the second is Tsukihi (lit. Moon Sun), or God as the creator of nature and natural laws; and lastly Oya (Parent), or God as the parent of human beings.

Many metaphors from building and carpentry are used in Tenrikyo teachings, which view the construction of a better world as a step-by-step process, in which people can make small steps towards progress by working together.

The spiritual center of the religion is in what was formerly Shoyashiki Village, now part of Tenri City in Nara Prefecture. The main shrine complex centers around the Jiba, a site that is tought as the original place of creation.

This teaching was started by Miki Nakayama in 1838, after her son and husband suffered from ailments. The family called a Buddhist monk to exorcise the spirit causing the ailments. During the incantation, God was said to have entered the body of Miki Nakayama, and asked to receive her as God's shrine. Miki's husband gave in to this request three days later.

The senior religious leader is referred to as the Shimbashira (lit. Main Pillar). In the early days of Tenrikyo there was another religious leader in addition to the Shimbashira called the Honseki. The Honseki was originally a man called Izo Iburi, one of Miki's foremost followers, who held a revelatory leadership position in which questions of followers would be answered and "timely talks" be given. The revelatory transmissions of the Honseki were written down and collected in large, multi-volume works called Osashizu. Following Izo's death, a woman called Ueda Naraito partially carried on this role for a while, although she does not appear to have held the actual title "Honseki". Following this, Tenrikyo itself has never had a Honseki, although some Tenrikyo splinter groups believe the revelatory leadership passed from Iburi to their particular founder or foundress.

Tenrikyo teachings, despite emphasising group effort, allow for a significant degree of individuality among different followers - differences are seen as complementary, and the overall organisation is subdivided into many different groups with common goals but differing foci. These range from the establishment of regional Daikyokai (lit. large church), to disaster relief corps, medical staffs and hospitals, universities, museums, libraries, and various schools. Tenri Judo is renowned as a successful competition style of Judo that has produced many champions, while there are also other sporting and arts interest groups within Tenrikyo.

Frame from a Tenrikyo manga. The translation of the text is roughly, "Just being alive makes me happy! What a waste it would be not to show some initiative!"

[edit] History

The history of Tenrikyo is turbulent, having been established during a time of great change within Japan. Some of the modern ties to Shinto can be explained through an understanding of the persecution that early followers underwent. Religiously, Tenrikyo has no ties to Shinto at all, although Tenrikyo as an organisation was forcibly influenced by State Shinto at a date after Tenrikyo's original founding. Tenrikyo was authorised by the Japanese government as one of the official Thirteen Shinto Sects. After 1946 an internal effort was made within Tenrikyo to remove the State Shinto influences from the religion, and asked to be removed from the government classification "Shinto Sect" and transferred to the classification "Other Religion". That this effort was successful in relation to Tenrikyo as a religion is generally agreed, but it is not true to say that all Shinto influence was completely removed from Tenrikyo as an organisation, though much was. For instance, many of the objects used in support of Tenrikyo religious services, such as hassoku and sanpo, derive directly from Shinto, as does the general methodology used in the way that offerings are made to a shrine. It is also true that Miki Nakayama's son, Shuji, sought and obtained approval and protection from the powerful Yoshida branch of Shinto at a relatively early stage in Tenrikyo's development; he did this, however, contrary to his mother's wishes.

[edit] Timeline

[edit] Religious services

Instruments used to perform Otsutome

Tenrikyo utilises traditional musical instruments in its otsutome (lit. service or duty), Hyoshigi (wooden clappers), Chanpon (cymbals), Surigane (small gongs), Taiko (large drums), Tsuzumi (shoulder drums), Fue (bamboo flutes), Shamisen, Kokyu, and Koto. These are used to play music from the Mikagura-Uta, a body of music, dances and songs created by Nakayama. Most of the world's foremost authorities on Gagaku music (the ancient classical Shinto music of the imperial court of Japan) are also Tenrikyo followers, and Gagaku music is actively promoted by Tenrikyo, although, strictly speaking, the Mikagura-Uta and Gagaku are separate musical forms.

The Hyoshigi, Chanpon, Surigane, Taiko, and Fue were traditionally the men's instruments but are now acceptable for women to play. The Shamisen, Kokyu, and Koto were traditionally women's instruments and, although not very popular, are now acceptable for men to play as well.

[edit] Daily services

The Otsutome or daily service consists of the performance of the seated service and, optionally, the practise of a chapter or two of the 12 chapters of Teodori(lit. hand dance) or Yorozuyo. The daily service is performed twice a day; once in the morning and then in the evening. The service times are adjusted according to the time of sun rise and sun set but may vary from church to church. Service times at the Jiba in Tenri City go by this time schedule and adjust in the changing of seasons.

Instruments used in the daily service are the Hyoshigi, Chanpon, Surigane, Taiko, and Kazutori (a counter, to count the 21 times the first section is repeated). The Hyoshigi is always played by the head minister of the church or mission station. If the head minister is not present, anyone may take his or her place.

The daily service does not need to be performed at a church. It can be done at any time and anywhere, so long as that one faces the direction of the Jiba, or "home of the parent."

The purpose of the daily service, as taught by Miki Nakayama, is to sweep away the Eight Mental Dusts of the mind.

[edit] Hinokishin

To perform the cleansing of the mind (Hinokishin) is both symbolic and literal. Some members will sweep in front of their temples, homes or other places. The act of cleaning mimics the actions of removing the dusts from one's mind. Other Hinokishin activities that are encouraged include cleaning public bathrooms, cleaning parks and other such acts of community service.

The Young Men's Association and Women's Association are Tenrikyo based groups that perform group activities like cleaning public places and Outreach activities. To participate in such groups may be considered Hinokishin.

[edit] Monthly services

Tenrikyo service performers wearing traditional montsuki after a monthly service.

Tsukinamisai or the monthly service is the performance of the entire Mikagura-Uta, the sacred songs of the service, which is the service for world salvation. Generally, mission headquarters and grand churches (churches with 100 or more under it) have the monthly services performed on the third Sunday of every month; other churches perform on any other Sunday of the month. The monthly service at the Jiba is performed on the 26th of every month, the day of the month in which Tenrikyo was first conceived - October 26, 1838.

Instruments used in the monthly service are all of those aforementioned. Performers also include dancers - three men and three women - and a singer. Performers wear traditional montsuki, which may or may not be required depending on the church.

[edit] Divine Grant of Sazuke

A Yoboku administering the Sazuke on a follower.

The Divine Grant of Sazuke is a healing prayer in which one may attain through attending the nine Besseki lectures. When one receives the Divine Grant of Sazuke, he or she would be considered a Yoboku (lit. useful timber). The Sazuke is to be administered on those who are suffering from illness to request God's blessings of a recovery. Yoboku are limited to administer this healing prayer three times a day per person. It is taught that when God accepts the sincerity of the person administering the Sazuke and the sincerity of the person to whom it is being administered, any wondrous salvation will be bestowed.

[edit] Relations with other religions

While Tenrikyo may be considered a religion, it is considered by some followers as a teaching about the universe and does not necessarily interfere with other religious beliefs. It is not unusual for a Tenrikyo follower to also hold Christian beliefs. The relationship between the Tenrikyo organisation and the Christian church is quite good, and much Christian symbolism can be seen in the English version of Tenrikyo's main instructional text, Ofudesaki (lit. Tip of the Writing Brush). This may have arisen from the work of Christian missionaries, who provided aid in the initial translations to English.

A typical in-house shrine

[edit] Tenrikyo centers outside Japan

Tenrikyo maintains centers in:

[edit] Notable followers

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Tenrikyo Official Home Page". http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/. Retrieved on 2008-04-21. 
  2. ^ Tenrikyo Europe Centre
  3. ^ Tenrikyo UK Centre
  4. ^ Tenrikyo do Brasil
  5. ^ Tenrikyo Buenos Aires
  6. ^ Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters of America
  7. ^ Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters of Hawaii
  8. ^ Tenrikyo New York Cultural Institute
  9. ^ Tenrikyo Melbourne Shinyu Church
  10. ^ Asociación Religiosa Tenrikyo

[edit] External links

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tenrikyo
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