Providence
Providence is a common gloss of the Scriptural term shugo 守護.[1] The term “shugo” is a common umbrella term used to refer to God the Parent’s various workings.[2]
Other common glosses for shugo are “blessing(s),” “protection,” and “workings.” There are even more possible alternatives when it shugo comes in the form of a verb (i.e., shugo-suru): “bestow (providence/protection)”[3], “protect,” “provide”[4], “sustain”[5], and “watch over”[6].
Tenrikyo jiten categorizes shugo into free types:[7]
- The workings of God that were initially responsible for God’s creation of human beings and everything else that had not existed before
- The workings of God/the established natural order that has enabled God to continue to bring things into existence since the initial creation
- The workings of God that help "save" humanity with God as savior made possible through God becoming openly revealed in 1838 and disclosing the details of human creation
Contents
Ten aspects of God's complete providence
Main article: ten aspects of God’s providence
The “ten aspects of God’s providence” (tohashira no kami/juzen no shugo) are a list of ten sacred names to which each has been attributed an aspect of God’s providence/protection.
Specific natural phenomena occurring in the world at large are attributed to and associated with each of the ten aspects. Further, whereas specific functions within the human body are attributed to the first six aspects, the seventh and eight aspects are associated with God’s specific attention (sewa) at childbirth. On top of being the “models” of man and woman, the ninth and tenth aspects also specifically represent the procreative power of male and female gametes.
The following is a list of the ten sacred names and authoritative descriptions of the workings associated with each that comes from “Chapter Four” of The Doctrine of Tenrikyo[8]:
- Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of the eyes and fluids; in the world, the providence of water.
- Omotari-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of warmth; in the world, the providence of fire.
- Kunisazuchi-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of the female organ, of skin and joining; in the world, the providence of joining in general.
- Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of the male organ, of bones and support; in the world, the providence of support in general.
- Kumoyomi-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of eating, drinking, and elimination; in the world, the providence of the rise and fall of moisture.
- Kashikone-no-Mikoto: in the human body, the providence of breathing and speaking; in the world, the providence of wind.
- Taishokuten-no-Mikoto: the providence of cutting off the ties of the child to its mother at birth, and also in cutting off the breath of life when one passes away for rebirth; in the world, the providence of cutting in general.
- Otonobe-no-Mikoto: the providence of pulling out the child from its mother during birth; in the world, the providence of pulling forth in general.
- Izanagi-no-Mikoto: the model of man, the seed.
- Izanami-no-Mikoto: the model of woman, the seedplot.
Appearances/frequency of “shugo” in Scripture
External link
- Tenrikyo jiten: "Providence" (shugo) (This is an online version of the entry in A Glossary of Tenrikyo Terms, pp. 303–5.)
References
- ↑ An important exception is verse five of Song One, where “providence” is a gloss of ri.
- ↑ A Glossary of Tenrikyo Terms, p. 304.
- ↑ For example, see The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, p. 32 and p. 68.
- ↑ Modified into “providing” in The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, p. 30.
- ↑ Modified into “sustaining” in The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, p. 8.
- ↑ Modified into “watched over” in The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, p. 24 and “watches over” on p. 42.
- ↑ Entry for "shugo" in 『改訂天理教辞典』 Kaitei Tenrikyo jiten, p. 417. Refer to “External link” for an online translation of this entry.
- ↑ The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, pp. 30–31.
- ↑ 『おふでさき索引』 Ofudesaki sakuin, p. 158, p. 160. It may be worth mentioning that the term “shugo” is written in the Ofudesaki in five different ways: しうごふ, しゆこ, しゆご, しゆこふ, and しゆごふ.
- ↑ 『おさしづ索引』 Osashizu sakuin, p. 1108 (vol. 2, p. 238).
