In the beginning there was God. God said let there be joy. So from the muddy ocean of the ancient world, God selected a fish and a serpent as the first parents of human beings. From the muddy ocean, God selected the good qualities of the other sea creatures, and placed them in the first parents. From heaven, God’s pure mind was placed in each of the first parents. This was the beginning of human beings, a process that took million of years to create. God’s intention was to create a perfect body, combined with a pure mind that would only bring upon joy to the world. But unfortunately dusts or evil thoughts have contaminated our minds, which is incompatible with a healthy body. This is why there is illness or suffering in the world. How do we live the joyous life, which God envisioned in the beginning? The instructions are in the Ofudesaki, and reinforced in the Mikagura-uta.  I will leave you with the 2^nd part of the Joyous Service, which most people in Tenrikyo are familiar with:

Just a word to you, what God is saying, listen please.

False things, spoken not.

These workings, earth and heaven representing,

Wife/husband created and brought forth.

This is the world’s beginning.