TENRIKYO - The Path to the Joyous Life
INTRODUCTION - 8/28/01
WHAT IS TENRIKYO?
- What are Tenrikyo's basic teachings? by Roy Forbes
- Tenrikyo [Wikipedia]
- Tenrikyo Search Engine
I would like to share with you an amazing, but true story:
"I am the Creator, God of Origin, God in Truth. There is causality in this Residence. At this time I have descended here to save all humankind. I wish to have Miki as the Shrine of God."
It was October 23, 1838, in a small farming village in central Japan. A 40-year-old woman named Miki Nakayama spoke these strange words. Miki's husband Zenbei and family were greatly startled by this unexpected revelation and using every possible argument refused God's request, but God remained steadfast. Finally, after three days, with Miki neither eating nor sleeping the family replied that they would comply with God's request. That day, October 26, 1838, marks the beginning of Tenrikyo.
From that time on for fifty years, Oyasama (Divine Parent), taught us the Path that will lead us to the Joyous Life, by the spoken and written word and by example, showing us the Hinagata, the Divine Model, the way of life for all human beings to follow.
She hastened to obey the divine command, "fall to the depths of poverty." First, she gave to the needy Her personal effects, food, clothes, money, and so forth, one after another. But Zenbei as well as the rest of the family and relatives, seeing that Her words and deeds had become quite different from those of ordinary people, became anxious, wondering if She had become insane or possessed by some evil spirits. They tried everything in their power to restore Her to normal. The village people's derision toward Oyasama grew more and more intense. On the other hand quite a number of poor people from the surrounding country came to Her house, yearning to bask in Her mercy.
Zenbei's relatives and friends tried to tell him again and again that he was sure to lose respect and fall in public status.
