Scriptures

These Scriptures contain the fundamental descriptions of the Tenrikyo teachings. The following books are referred to as the Three Scriptures (Sangenten 三原典).

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  Ofudesaki (The Tip of the Writing Brush)

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  Mikagura-uta (The Songs for the Service)

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  Osashizu (The Divine Directions)

Characteristics of the Three Scriptures

In a paper entitled "The Various Forms of Verbal Evolution in Tenrikyo Doctrine" that was presented at the 10th Congress of the International Association for the History of Religions held in Marburg in 1960, the second Shinbashira Shozen Nakayama characterized the Three Scriptures as follows:

The Ofudesaki "revealed the most important principles of the faith," the Mikagura-uta“come[s] alive through singing or as the accompaniment" to the service dance, and the Osashizu "gives concrete precepts by which the followers should reflect on their own conduct."

Supplementary texts (jungenten)

Other texts that are not referred to as scripture yet also fundamental in learning the teachings of Tenrikyo are collectively known as supplementary texts (jungenten 準原典).

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  The Doctrine of Tenrikyo (天理教教典)

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  The Life of Oyasama (稿本天理教教祖伝)

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  Anecdotes of Oyasama (稿本天理教教祖逸話篇)

Other published texts

See Book list for a list of Tenrikyo-related texts.

References

A Glossary of Tenrikyo Terms. Tenrikyo Overseas Department, p. 366.

Fukaya, Yoshikazu. Words of the Path: A Guide to Tenrikyo Terms and Expressions. Tenrikyo Overseas Department, pp. 22–23.