Scriptures & Sacred Texts (Detailed Introduction to Ofudesaki, Mikagura-Uta, Osashizu)
The scriptures of Tenrikyo are more than historical documents. They are living writings that reveal the heart of the Parent’s intention, guiding people toward a joyous life. Each text was written, sung, or spoken in a specific moment but continues to shape the faith and daily lives of Tenrikyo followers worldwide. Together, these three scriptures —the Ofudesaki, Mikagura-uta, and Osashizu —form the foundation of the Tenrikyo tradition and express the teachings of God the Parent as conveyed through Oyasama, the Founder.
The Three Scriptures: Foundation of Tenrikyo Teachings
In Tenrikyo, the three scriptures (called sankyōten) are held in reverence:
- The Ofudesaki (“Tip of the Writing Brush”)
- The Mikagura-uta (“The Songs for the Service”)
- The Osashizu (“Divine Directions”)
Each carries a different form of expression: written verses, sacred songs, and spoken words. But together, they present a complete message about the path to human salvation. They reveal the parents’ intention that all human beings live joyfully, helping one another, with gratitude for the physical life that is a gift, a thing lent, a thing borrowed from God, the Parent.
The Tenrikyo Church Headquarters in Tenri, Japan, preserves and studies these writings. Scholars and ministers, including those in the Tenrikyo Overseas Department, continue to translate, teach, and share them so the message can reach people across cultures and languages. Through these efforts, the words that God spoke more than a century ago continue to accompany people’s lives today.
The Ofudesaki: The Writing Brush that Revealed the Path
The Ofudesaki stands as the earliest and most poetic of Tenrikyo’s scriptures. Written between 1869 and 1882, it contains seventeen parts and 1,711 verses written in the Japanese syllabary by Oyasama herself. The title means “from the tip of the writing brush,” symbolizing how God the Parent’s intention flowed directly through her hand.
Each verse was written in a simple rhythm, allowing ordinary people to read, recite, and reflect upon its meaning. Oyasama wrote with deep compassion, using the writing brush to convey the truth about the origin, the purpose of life, and the path that leads to the Joyous Life. The verses speak with warmth and urgency, addressing readers personally, as if God the Parent were speaking directly to their hearts.
Form and Nature of the Text
The Ofudesaki is not a continuous narrative but a sequence of short verses. Each verse invites reflection and dialogue. The brush strokes carry not only words but also an unmistakable sense of parental love. The writing’s simplicity hides its depth. Through these verses, Oyasama teaches that all people are children of God the Parent, born from the exact origin, sharing the same divine intention.
Central Themes
- The Parental Heart: God the Parent created human beings to live joyfully and to share in mutual help.
- Thing Lent, Thing Borrowed: The human body is borrowed from God the Parent. Only the mind belongs to each person.
- Causality: Every experience has meaning, leading people toward understanding and maturity.
- The Joyous Life: The goal of faith is a world where all live with gratitude, harmony, and mutual care.
The Ofudesaki’s Role Today
At the Church Headquarters and throughout local churches, followers read and study the Ofudesaki on a daily basis. Ministers often quote its verses in sermons, connecting them to daily challenges. The Ofudesaki remains a mirror for self-reflection, encouraging every follower to look within, purify the mind, and live in accord with the divine model demonstrated by Oyasama.
Translations, including English versions compiled by the Overseas Department, continue to make these teachings accessible. Each translation attempts to preserve not only the meaning but also the spirit of the original brushstrokes.
The Mikagura-uta: Songs for the Service
The Mikagura-uta, or “The Songs for the Service,” is the second of the Tenrikyo scriptures. Composed by Oyasama, it serves as the scriptural foundation for the Service, the core form of worship in Tenrikyo. These songs were gradually taught, beginning in the 1860s, as Oyasama guided early followers in performing the Kagura Service (a dance with hand movements symbolizing creation, harmony, and gratitude).
Structure and Form
The Mikagura-uta consists of twelve songs (sometimes called the “twelve chapters”) that are sung with rhythmic instruments and specific gestures. Each song corresponds to stages in human growth and divine protection. The words are repetitive and straightforward, allowing participants to internalize the teachings through movement and sound.
These songs are sung daily during morning and evening services at the Tenrikyo Church Headquarters and at local churches worldwide. The rhythm of the songs, the coordinated hand movements, and the shared voices of the congregation create a living expression of unity between people and God, the Parent.
Purpose and Meaning
The Mikagura-uta teaches that through sincere performance of the Service, the world can be purified and people can receive blessings for a peaceful life. Each song is an act of gratitude, a reminder of the Parent’s intention to see humanity live joyfully. The songs for the Service also embody the belief that God the Parent’s protection fills every moment of daily life, from health and work to relationships and community harmony.
Connection to the Divine Model
Through the Service, followers re-enact the divine model shown by Oyasama. She demonstrated how people should live: joyfully, in service to others, and with a purified heart. The Mikagura-uta brings these values into motion. The gestures and verses remind participants that salvation is not distant. It is experienced through sincere faith and shared intention.
The Osashizu: Divine Directions and Daily Guidance
The Osashizu, or “Divine Directions,” records the spoken revelations given through Oyasama and later through Izo Iburi, the Honseki (the “Main Seat”). After Oyasama’s physical withdrawal in 1887, God the Parent continued to give directions through the Honseki for over twenty years. These words were transcribed by followers, resulting in what are known as the collected transcriptions of the Osashizu.
The Osashizu includes more than 20,000 pages of teachings given between 1887 and 1907. Each revelation was recorded with precision, down to the added brush strokes that clarified meaning. Together, they form a living guide for understanding how to apply Tenrikyo’s doctrine in daily life.
The Nature of the Osashizu
Unlike the poetic verses of the Ofudesaki or the rhythmic songs of the Mikagura-uta, the Osashizu speaks in direct, conversational language. The revelations respond to real questions from followers about illness, family disputes, church matters, and faith practice. Through these directions, God the Parent offered timely instruction, teaching people to see challenges as opportunities for spiritual growth.
Many of these revelations also clarify the organization of the faith, guiding the establishment of church headquarters, local churches, and the roles of ministers. They also emphasize the importance of harmony among followers and sincere administration rooted in compassion.
Core Themes
- Living in Accord with the Parent’s Intention: Each instruction points followers back to the divine intention revealed in the Ofudesaki.
- Purifying the Mind: Followers are urged to sweep away selfish thoughts and to reflect on their own use of the mind.
- Joy through Faith: True joy arises when people trust the Parent’s guidance and practice mutual help.
- Faith in Daily Life: Divine protection is realized through sincere efforts in family, at work, and within the community.
Historical Context
The Osashizu was compiled during a time when the faith was growing rapidly under social pressure. Many of the early churches were forming, and followers sought spiritual direction. The second Shinbashira, Nakayama Shozen, later oversaw the careful preservation and organization of these texts so that future generations could clearly understand the Parents’ intention.
Relationship Between the Three Scriptures
The Ofudesaki, Mikagura-uta, and Osashizu form a continuous flow of revelation: written, sung, and spoken. They express one consistent truth: that God the Parent desires the Joyous Life for all. Each scripture supports the others:
- The Ofudesaki reveals the truth and purpose of creation.
- The Mikagura-uta demonstrates how to attain truth through worship and gratitude.
- The Osashizu explains how to live the teachings in practical ways.
Together, they provide a balanced path: doctrine, expression, and application. This unity mirrors how faith itself blends mind, body, and action.
Connection to Doctrine
The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, compiled later at the Church Headquarters, draws directly from these scriptures. It explains core teachings such as the origin of human beings, the purpose of creation, the nature of physical life, and the goal of human salvation. Every principle in the Doctrine finds its source in these original texts.
For example, the concepts of the thing lent and the thing borrowed are revealed in the Ofudesaki, embodied in the Mikagura-uta, and applied in the Osashizu. The scriptures are not independent works but interlocking expressions of one divine message.
The Divine Model: Oyasama’s Life as Scripture in Motion
Beyond the written words, Oyasama’s seventy-two years of life are regarded as the Divine Model. Her actions demonstrated how the teachings should be lived. She opened her bean curd shop to help others, provided food and shelter to those in need, and wrote by hand to convey the divine will. Her example turned doctrine into daily practice.
Through her, followers learned that faith is not abstract. It is lived in small acts. This includes greeting with kindness, helping a neighbor, and sharing in another’s joy. Oyasama’s teachings demonstrate that salvation originates not in heaven, but in how we treat one another here on earth.
The Continuing Path of the Scriptures
The Ofudesaki, Mikagura-uta, and Osashizu are the voice, rhythm, and heart of the Tenrikyo faith. Each speaks with warmth and clarity, inviting people to look beyond hardship and rediscover gratitude in everyday life.
From the tip of the writing brush to the rhythmic beat of the Service, from the spoken revelations of the Osashizu to the modern study halls of the Church Headquarters, the same parental love flows without interruption. These scriptures continue to shape lives, nurture communities, and reveal the Parent’s intention that all humanity live together in joy.
To read them is to walk the same path that Oyasama opened. A path built on sincerity, faith, and the boundless love of God the Parent.
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