Sweep the dust from the heart, and live the Joyous Life.
The largest of Japan's new religions: in 1838 a farm wife, Nakayama Miki, began speaking as God the Parent, teaching that human bodies are borrowed things, minds alone are ours, and the purpose of existence is the Joyous Life swept clean of the eight mental dusts.
DeitiesTenri-Ō-no-Mikoto — God the Parent
Founded1838 CE · Tenri, Japan
FounderNakayama Miki
AfterlifeRebirth (denaoshi — "starting anew"); the soul returns to be reborn
TextsOfudesaki — the Tip of the Writing Brush
The map
Tenrikyo’s corner of it — solid lines are descent; dotted lines are resemblance only, ideas held in common across unrelated faiths. Click a node to recenter; ✕ returns here. All 171 faiths →
The body is a thing lent.
Kashimono-karimono: bodies are borrowed from God the Parent; only the mind is one's own — and therefore one's responsibility.
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Eight dusts settle on the heart.
Miserliness, covetousness, hatred, self-love and their kin — not sins to be punished but dust to be swept, daily.
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The Joyous Life is the purpose.
God the Parent created humanity to see it live joyously — gloom is not piety here; it is the problem.
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G
God the Parent.
Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto, who lent humanity its bodies and waits for the children to sweep their hearts and live joyously.
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The seated service.
The Mikagura-uta sung with hand dance — the story of creation swept through in gesture, ending in the joyous sweeping of dust.
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