Tenrin-Ō Meisei Kyōdan

Tenrin-Ō Meisei Kyōdan (天輪王明誠教団) is a Shinto-based Shinshūkyō (Japanese new religion) founded in 1881. It was founded by Oku Rokubē (奥六兵衛) as a confraternity (講, ko) of Tenrikyo in Kyoto.^[1] Oku's affiliated organization called Shidōkai (斯道会) is not related to today's Tenrikyo-based new religion of the same name that is based in Ibaraki Prefecture.

It is currently based in 616 Arai-chō, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama in the Kanagawa Prefecture.^[2]

History

Early Tenrikyo missionaries in the Kyoto region and its vicinities such as Tatekawa Wasuke (立川和助) and Yamanoto Genshichi (山本源七) were active^[3] due to the relative proximity from the founding place of Tenrikyo to the particular missionary areas in the early Meiji era. Oku Rokubē later became involved in Tenrikyo and became acquainted with one of the two, Tatekawa Wasuke.^[4] Oku had a different view on how the Terikyo doctrine, particularly in the name of the deity. Oku believed the name of God is Tenrin-Ō-no-Mikoto (天輪王命), in which it is a much more Buddhist-oriented term, while mainstream Tenrikyo doctrine expresses that the name of God is Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto (天理王命).^{[n 1]} Oku's other influence was his additional background in Onmyōdō.^[5]

Oku received the name of his confraternity in Kyoto from the Tenrikyo foundress, Nakayama Miki, as Meisei (明聖).^[6] The name coined by the foundress symbolized the core Tenrikyo theology of the underlying natural causality as shown via the moon and the sun (月日, Tsukihi). There were disputes with the Tenrikyo headquarters during his tenure as a head of the confraternity. However, despite the uncomfortable relationship, he managed to preserve the legacies of the Tenrikyo's foundress.^[7]

Notes

^ See the difference between Tenrin and Tenri.

References

^ 天理教要覽 [Tenrikyo Guidebook] (in Japanese). Tenri, Nara: Tenrikyo Doyusha. 1956. p. 148. 明治十四年、奥六兵衛は明誠社という講を作った。 [In Meiji 14 (1881), Oku Rokubē established the confraternity (講, ko) called Meiseisha (明誠社).]
^ 宗敎年鑑: 令和5年版 [Religion Almanac: 2023 Ver.] (PDF) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Agency for Cultural Affairs. 2023. p. 107.
^ Nakamura, Hajime; Kazuo, Kasahara [in Japanese]; Kanaoka, Shūyū [in Japanese], eds. (1972). 近代仏教: 政治と宗教と民衆 (「アジア仏教史」の第19巻) [Late Modern Buddhism: Politics, Religions, and the Masses (19th Vol. of 'History of Asian Buddhism' Series)] (in Japanese). Suginami: Kōsei Shuppansha (佼成出版社). p. 51. ISBN 978-4333001279. 京都の町には、その一、二年前から天理教の布教が開始され、すでに、立川和助・山本源七などの草分け的信者が活動していものしいた。 [In a town in Kyoto, the propagation of Tenrikyo was commenced 1-2 years ago, thus followers like Tatekawa Wasuke, Yamanoto Genshichi, etc, were already working as missionary activists.]
^ Junko, Oguri [in Japanese] (1976). 日本の近代社会と天理敎 [Modern Time Japanese Society and Tenrikyo] (in Japanese). 評論社 (Hyoronsha). p. 93. 立川和助は奥六兵衛の義父にあたる人であった。息子の和三郎が神経痛で苦しんでいたところを六兵衛に救けられて入信した。 [Tatekawa Wasuke was a much older individual in contrast to Oku Rokubē. He joined the faith as Rokubē saved his son, Wasaburō, who suffered from neuralgia.]
^ 日本宗教史講座: 宗教の改革 [History of Japanese Religion Lectures: Reforming of Religions] (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: San-ichi Publishing Co., Ltd. (三一書房). 1959. p. 268. また京都では陰陽道の影響をうけた西陣の奥六兵衛を中心とする明誠社があったが、これと対立して分れた深谷源治郎らは同年斯道会を結成し、ここから近江、越前、若狭、丹波、丹後に教線が及んだ。 [As well as in Kyoto, there was Meiseisha (誠講社) that centered around the Onmyōdō-influenced and Nishijin-based figure, Oku Rokubē, and Fukaya Genjirō (深谷源治郎) (also written as Fukaya Genjirō (深谷源次郎)) who created the schism against Oku with his organization, Shidōkai; both of them reached their influences in Ōmi, Echizen, Wakasa, Tanba, and Tango Provinces.]
^ Aoyama (青山), Nakaba (央) (1996). だれもが気になる新宗教分派勢力地図 [Map of Distribution of Influences among (Japanese) New Religions that Everyone Wants to Know about] (in Japanese). Tokyo: べストブック (Besuto Bukku). p. 171. ISBN 978-4831492562. 天理教の教祖・中山みきから、「この講社は親神より明誠と講名をいただいた。明誠とは月日の言葉なり」と賜り「明誠講社」を開莚しました。関東、大阪、京都にと布教を広めていきますが、中山みきが亡くなり、政府の圧力が強くなると、本教は「神習教」に所属する形で明治21年「神習教天輪王明誠講社」(後に明誠講社分教会と改称)として活動を続けることになりました。昭和 16 年に神習教から独立し、昭和 30 年「明誠教団」として宗教法人の認可を受けました。 [According to the foundress of Tenrikyo, Nakayama Miki, she said "This congregation (講社, kosha) shall receive the name, Meisei (明聖), by the God the Parent (親神, Oyagami) and Meisei means a phrase that denotes the moon and the sun" and therefore Meisei Confraternal Shrine (明聖講社, Meiseikosha) became operational by greeting with an opening ceremony in public. It spread the faith in Kantō region, Osaka, and Kyoto, but as Nakayama Miki passed away as well as the growing pressure from the government became immense, the religious group became a part of Shinshu-kyo, it survived as Shinshūkyō Tenrin-Ō-Meisei Kosha (神習教天輪王明誠講社) in 1888 (Meiji 21), then later as Meisei Kosha Bunkyōkai (明誠講社分教会). It became independent from Shinshu-kyo in 1941 (Shōwa 16); later received the religious corporation permit in 1955 (Shōwa 30) as Meisei Kyōdan (明誠教団).]
^ 宗敎年鑑 [Religion Almanac] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Ministry of the Treasury Printing Office (大蔵省印刷局). 1995. p. 31. 天輪王命の教義を以て、京都を中心に宣教を開始した「明誠講社」が草分で,教祖没後事情あって天理教と別れたが,明治,大義,慣行を変えず,教祖の立教精神を守り続けたものである。 [Under the doctrine (教義, kyōki) of Tenrin-Ō-no-Mikoto and being centered in Kyoto; despite the aftermath of the foundress' death, the Meisei Confraternal Shrine (明聖講社, Meiseikosha) departed from Tenrikyo during its very early pioneering stage, but nevertheless preserved the good goverance, principles, and customs while preserved the foundress' philosophy of her founding of the religion.]

[5] See the difference between Tenrin and Tenri.

[1] 天理教要覽 [Tenrikyo Guidebook] (in Japanese). Tenri, Nara: Tenrikyo Doyusha. 1956. p. 148. 明治十四年、奥六兵衛は明誠社という講を作った。 [In Meiji 14 (1881), Oku Rokubē established the confraternity (講, ko) called Meiseisha (明誠社).]

[2] 宗敎年鑑: 令和5年版 [Religion Almanac: 2023 Ver.] (PDF) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Agency for Cultural Affairs. 2023. p. 107.

[3] Nakamura, Hajime; Kazuo, Kasahara [in Japanese]; Kanaoka, Shūyū [in Japanese], eds. (1972). 近代仏教: 政治と宗教と民衆 (「アジア仏教史」の第19巻) [Late Modern Buddhism: Politics, Religions, and the Masses (19th Vol. of 'History of Asian Buddhism' Series)] (in Japanese). Suginami: Kōsei Shuppansha (佼成出版社). p. 51. ISBN 978-4333001279. 京都の町には、その一、二年前から天理教の布教が開始され、すでに、立川和助・山本源七などの草分け的信者が活動していものしいた。 [In a town in Kyoto, the propagation of Tenrikyo was commenced 1-2 years ago, thus followers like Tatekawa Wasuke, Yamanoto Genshichi, etc, were already working as missionary activists.]

[4] Junko, Oguri [in Japanese] (1976). 日本の近代社会と天理敎 [Modern Time Japanese Society and Tenrikyo] (in Japanese). 評論社 (Hyoronsha). p. 93. 立川和助は奥六兵衛の義父にあたる人であった。息子の和三郎が神経痛で苦しんでいたところを六兵衛に救けられて入信した。 [Tatekawa Wasuke was a much older individual in contrast to Oku Rokubē. He joined the faith as Rokubē saved his son, Wasaburō, who suffered from neuralgia.]

[HoJRL-6] 日本宗教史講座: 宗教の改革 [History of Japanese Religion Lectures: Reforming of Religions] (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: San-ichi Publishing Co., Ltd. (三一書房). 1959. p. 268. また京都では陰陽道の影響をうけた西陣の奥六兵衛を中心とする明誠社があったが、これと対立して分れた深谷源治郎らは同年斯道会を結成し、ここから近江、越前、若狭、丹波、丹後に教線が及んだ。 [As well as in Kyoto, there was Meiseisha (誠講社) that centered around the Onmyōdō-influenced and Nishijin-based figure, Oku Rokubē, and Fukaya Genjirō (深谷源治郎) (also written as Fukaya Genjirō (深谷源次郎)) who created the schism against Oku with his organization, Shidōkai; both of them reached their influences in Ōmi, Echizen, Wakasa, Tanba, and Tango Provinces.]

[MoDoIaJNR-7] Aoyama (青山), Nakaba (央) (1996). だれもが気になる新宗教分派勢力地図 [Map of Distribution of Influences among (Japanese) New Religions that Everyone Wants to Know about] (in Japanese). Tokyo: べストブック (Besuto Bukku). p. 171. ISBN 978-4831492562. 天理教の教祖・中山みきから、「この講社は親神より明誠と講名をいただいた。明誠とは月日の言葉なり」と賜り「明誠講社」を開莚しました。関東、大阪、京都にと布教を広めていきますが、中山みきが亡くなり、政府の圧力が強くなると、本教は「神習教」に所属する形で明治21年「神習教天輪王明誠講社」(後に明誠講社分教会と改称)として活動を続けることになりました。昭和 16 年に神習教から独立し、昭和 30 年「明誠教団」として宗教法人の認可を受けました。 [According to the foundress of Tenrikyo, Nakayama Miki, she said "This congregation (講社, kosha) shall receive the name, Meisei (明聖), by the God the Parent (親神, Oyagami) and Meisei means a phrase that denotes the moon and the sun" and therefore Meisei Confraternal Shrine (明聖講社, Meiseikosha) became operational by greeting with an opening ceremony in public. It spread the faith in Kantō region, Osaka, and Kyoto, but as Nakayama Miki passed away as well as the growing pressure from the government became immense, the religious group became a part of Shinshu-kyo, it survived as Shinshūkyō Tenrin-Ō-Meisei Kosha (神習教天輪王明誠講社) in 1888 (Meiji 21), then later as Meisei Kosha Bunkyōkai (明誠講社分教会). It became independent from Shinshu-kyo in 1941 (Shōwa 16); later received the religious corporation permit in 1955 (Shōwa 30) as Meisei Kyōdan (明誠教団).]

[8] 宗敎年鑑 [Religion Almanac] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Ministry of the Treasury Printing Office (大蔵省印刷局). 1995. p. 31. 天輪王命の教義を以て、京都を中心に宣教を開始した「明誠講社」が草分で,教祖没後事情あって天理教と別れたが,明治,大義,慣行を変えず,教祖の立教精神を守り続けたものである。 [Under the doctrine (教義, kyōki) of Tenrin-Ō-no-Mikoto and being centered in Kyoto; despite the aftermath of the foundress' death, the Meisei Confraternal Shrine (明聖講社, Meiseikosha) departed from Tenrikyo during its very early pioneering stage, but nevertheless preserved the good goverance, principles, and customs while preserved the foundress' philosophy of her founding of the religion.]

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