2025 October Grand Service Sermon

by Simon Patterson (Head of Tenrikyo UK Centre)

I am God of Origin, God in Truth. There is causality in this Residence. At this time I have descended here to save all humankind. I wish to receive Miki as the Shrine of God.

These were the first words declared by God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, through the mouth of Oyasama, Miki Nakayama.

At the beginning of the Ofudesaki, The Tip of the Writing Brush, which was written by Oyasama herself, we read:

Looking all over the world and through all ages,
I find no one who has understood My Heart.

So Should it be, for I have never taught it to you.
It is natural that you know nothing.

At this time, I, God, reveal myself
and teach the truth of all things in detail.Ofudesaki I; 1-3

These are also almost exactly the same words that Oyasama used at the beginning of the Yorozuyo, which we have just sung in this October Grand Service.

Oyasama had become the Living Shrine of God the Parent.

In the Ofudesaki, at first, Oyasama used the term kami, or God. Later she used the term Tsukihi, or Moon-Sun. This helps us to understand that we human beings, living on this Earth, are held in the warm embrace of God. Finally, Oyasama used the term Oya, or Parent. This evolution in terminology was part of her spiritual guidance for us human beings, encouraging our spiritual growth and our understanding that the Universe is the Body of God.

In the Ofudesaki we read:

These thoughts of Tsukihi are spoken through her mouth
The mouth is human; the mind is that of Tsukihi.

Listen! I, Tsukihi, am borrowing Her mouth wholly,
and I, Tsukihi, am lending My mind wholly.Ofudesaki XII; 67-68

And:

The true Parent of this Universe is TsukihiOfudesaki VI:102

I was asked recently by Rev Yasui, Chairman of Seinenkai, what I thought was the most outstanding Teaching in Tenrikyo. Without hesitation, I said “The Universe is the Body of God”.

I then thought about why I said that and, for me, everything about Tenrikyo and Oyasama’s Teachings are deeply significant in the way we human beings should live our lives. If we accept that the Universe is the Body of God, then we can appreciate that everything is connected. In other words everything we do has a consequence on everything else. We live in, and are surrounded by, God the Parent. We are all part of the Body of God. Everything we see, touch, eat, drink, and smell are all part of God the Parent.

In the Ofudesaki we read:

The whole Universe is the body of the ParentOfudesaki XV:37

God the Parent gives us life. God the Parent created us to lead a Joyous Life, in harmony with the Universe, Earth and each other.

We should have a mind of Gratitude, Moderation and Mutual Help. We should keep the mind of Tanno (Complete Satisfaction), Hinokishin (Daily Contribution), and helping and saving others.

Oyasama taught that:

Through Saving others, you will be Saved.

We read these words in Instruction Four. To me this teaching is one of the most important of Oyasama’s Teachings. If we think deeply about what this means we realise that we should think of others before we think of ourselves. This can be interpreted as the basic principle of a peaceful society. The population of the world is growing all the time. We can all see this in our own neighbourhoods. On the roads and public transport, for example, there are more and more people. If we don’t consider other people, how they feel, and how they might suffer from our selfish actions, society and the world will become chaotic and full of disharmony between people.

In the world at the moment, I fear that more and more people are thinking only of themselves or their groups. This is resulting in more and more wars and conflict. If we look at the Teachings of Tenrikyo, Oyasama taught us through her Divine Model that we should live a simple life, caring for and helping others. Being grateful for even the simplest thing.

When we drink water, it tastes of water

In Instruction Four, the Shimbashira encourages us to “...actively move forward on the path of single-hearted salvation by implementing the teachings with our sights set on the Divine Model”.

Oyasama’s 50 years as the Living Shrine of God the Parent is what we call the Divine Model. During this time Oyasama experienced great hardship, was mocked and ridiculed, until she introduced the Grant of Safe Childbirth. From this moment on people started to listen to her, and more and more followers returned to the Residence to seek her advise and blessings. During these 50 years Oyasama also revealed what we now know as the Teachings of Tenrikyo. She taught us the Service which we have just performed.

In the Ofudesaki we read:

What do you think this Service is about? It is solely to
bring peace to the world and salvation to all.Ofudesaki IV:93

The other Grand Service is the Spring Grand Service held every year at Jiba, Tenri, Japan on 26th January. This commemorates the day in 1887 that Oyasama, at the age of 90, gave up her physical being 25 years early in order to hasten our spiritual growth and the construction of the Joyous Life world. Oyasama taught that the life expectancy of human beings is 115 years old. At that time that seemed impossible for ordinary people, and yet today we see people living to such an age.

In three months’ time at the Spring Grand Service, on 26th January 2026 the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama will be held.

In Instruction Four the Shimbashira writes:

The significance of observing an anniversary of Oyasama, therefore, is to respond to her parental love by making decisive progress in Spiritual growth, with each and every Yoboku raising his or her awareness of being Oyasama’s instrument.

At the Tenrikyo UK Centre in London, which I am currently the head of, everyone is a volunteer and has been doing their best to use this period of three years, one thousand days leading up to the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama to make such progress. When Instruction Four was announced in October 26 2022, we were all still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic which had affected all of our lives, and were inspired by the Shinbashira’s words of encouragement.

No one has been living at the UK Centre since April 2021, however many of the local followers have made a resolution to make sure that someone visits the UK Centre and performs the service everyday, in order to show our appreciation and gratitude to God the Parent and Oyasama, as well as the Tenrikyo Overseas Department, and Tenrikyo Europe Centre for their continued support.

Activities we have done during this period of three years, one thousand days, include publishing our 21st Anniversary book entitled ‘Coming of Age’. We have held 2 Garage Sales, 3 Family Fundays each year, a Garden Party BBQ each summer where we also invite non-followers, and several other activities, including Hinokishin day at the local park in Hendon.

Most recently we had renovation work done on a new driveway, side footpath and back steps and wheelchair ramp which many followers contributed to through generous offerings.

We have also had many people stay at the UK Centre, including followers from Paris, and we look forward to welcoming many more in the future including Rev and Mrs Hasegawa for our January Grand Service.

All these activities have been in the spirit of the seasonable time leading up to the 140th Anniversary.  We now have a new management committee, and we all intend to keep progressing beyond the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama using this occasion as an inspiration to move forward along the path of world salvation in unity of mind, and continuing to build the path in the UK.

We look forward to your visit and thank you for your continued support.

Thank you very much for listening.