Is the goal of Tenrikyo to perform the Yorozuyo and Twelve Songs perfectly in Japanese, without making a single mistake?
Is it to make frequent pilgrimages to the Ojiba to offer prayers?
Is it to give monthly donations to our upper churches?
Are these things absolutely necessary for salvation?
These are important questions. But perhaps even more important is this: Why is Tenrikyo not growing?
In fact, the number of followers is declining. In 1980, Tenrikyo claimed around 2.5 million members. Today, estimates suggest fewer than 2 million worldwide.
Why is this happening?
It may be because we’ve lost sight of the true purpose of our faith.
The True Purpose of Tenrikyo
The purpose of Tenrikyo is simple: To spread God’s truth as revealed in the Ofudesaki.
How do we do this?
The Ofudesaki gives us step-by-step instructions:
Summary of the Ofudesaki:
- Understand Your Own Soul (Mune):
Your soul observes your behavior and thoughts. It gives out justice—not by judgment, but by returning the effects of your own actions. “You reap what you sow.” - Purify the Mind:
When the mind is pure (shinjitsu no kokoro), one is saved. Only joy will emerge from the soul. - Identify and Remove Negative Thoughts:
God identifies five negative thoughts (“dusts”) that we must remove:- Regret (oshii)
- Covetousness (hoshii)
- Self-love (kawaii)
- Greed (yoku)
- Arrogance (kouman)
These thoughts produce negative emotions like anger, sadness, or anxiety. When such emotions arise, it’s a sign these thoughts are present.
- What Do We Do When Negative Emotions Arise?
God teaches:- Do not act on them.
- Calm the mind.
- Reflect on what negative thought brought about the emotion.
This reflection and restraint is how we purify our minds.
For some, this may be a slow process—especially if we’ve accumulated many “dusts.” But God assures us: when the mind is pure, only joy will come from our own soul.
Sharing God’s Teachings with Others
Once we begin to purify our own minds, we may want to help others do the same. However, it is often difficult to convince people with words alone. That is why God has given us a special prayer: the Youki-Tsutome.
This is not a prayer to save ourselves—we already have the knowledge to do that.
It is a prayer asking God to help save others.
When performed with sincerity and a pure mind, God will place illness or difficulty as guidance on those we have taught. These are not punishments, but messages—revealing the fate their own soul will eventually produce if they do not remove their negative thoughts.
What Happens Next?
Those who understand God’s guidance (the ones God calls nihon) will come to our places of worship. They may ask for healing.
We then perform the Osazuke, and continue to teach them about the soul and the pure mind.
This is the only proper time for the Osazuke to be effective—not to cure just any illness, but to guide and heal those who are already awakening to God’s truth.
Oyasama and the early followers did not go around healing random illnesses. Rather, people came to them after receiving God’s guidance.
This process—purifying our minds, spreading the teachings, performing the Youki-Tsutome, and administering the Osazuke—is the Honmichi, the main path. This is how God’s teachings are meant to spread throughout the world.
Ritual vs. Purpose
If you find spiritual meaning in performing the Yorozuyo, making pilgrimages, or donating—please continue. But do not mistake these rituals for the core purpose of Tenrikyo.
God has already given us the roadmap:
- How to purify our own minds
- How to save others
- How to spread these teachings to the world
It’s all in the Ofudesaki.
We don’t need to look anywhere else.
When the mind is pure, one is saved. Only joy will come from the soul.
This is the message we must carry to the world.
OFUDESAKI-GOD'S TEACHINGS 