Tenrikyo - Principal Beliefs

Principal Beliefs

The most basic teaching of Tenrikyo is kashimono-karimono, officially translated as "a thing lent, a thing borrowed". The thing that is lent and borrowed in this teaching is the human body. Tenrikyo followers think of their minds as something under their own control, but their bodies not completely under their control.

The Joyous Life in Tenrikyo is defined as charity and abstention from greed, selfishness, hatred, anger and arrogance. Negative tendencies are not known as sins in Tenrikyo, but rather "dust," as a metaphor, that can be swept away from the mind through hinokishin and ritual. Hinokishin, voluntary effort, is performed not out of a desire to appear selfless, but out of gratitude for kashimono-karimono and shugo (providence).

Adherents believe in a single god, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, who is defined as the creator and caring parent of all mankind. It is also taught that the universe is the body of God. The ultimate spiritual aim of Tenrikyo as a religion is the construction of the Kanrodai, a divinely ordained pillar in an axis mundi called the Jiba, and the correct performance of the Kagura ritual around the Kanrodai, which requires the salvation of all humanity. The idea of the Jiba as the origin of earthly creation is called moto-no-ri, or the principle of origin. A pilgrimage to the Jiba is called a return; the greeting okaeri nasai (welcome home) is seen on many inns in Tenri City.

Reincarnation is part of the religion in the form of denaoshi, translated in English as "passing away for rebirth."

Other key teachings include:

• Tanno (Joyous Acceptance) – a constructive attitude towards troubles, illness and difficulties without placing judgment 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
• 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.

Tenrikyo uses metaphors from construction, carpentry, and farming to help understand the teachings within the scriptures. It visualizes the construction of a better world as a step-by-step process, in which people can make small steps towards progress by working together. Spiritual growth in Tenrikyo is also viewed as a step-by-step process by which you can walk your own path at your own pace.