Honbushin


Honbushin is a Tenrikyo-based shinshūkyō founded on April 26, 1961 by Ōnishi Tama, also known as "Miroku-sama" in the religion. It is headquartered in Okayama, Japan.

History

On April 26, 1961, Honmichi founder Ōnishi Aijirō's daughter Ōnishi Tama , founded Tenri Miroku-kai, which would later be renamed as Honbushin. In 1962, the organization separated from Honmichi. It was incorporated as a religious organization in 1966. Originally, it was headquartered in Takaishi, Osaka near the Honmichi headquarters, but then moved to Shiojiri, Nagano. In 1969, Honbushin moved to Okayama, where it set up its kanrodai on top of Mount Kami, southeast of the Okayama city center. Ōnishi Tama died on September 1, 1969, and religious authority was passed onto her son Takeda Sōshin, who was proclaimed as the new Kanrodai-sama succeeding Ōnishi Aijirō. Takeda was also considered to be the reincarnation of Honseki Iburi Izō.

Beliefs and teachings

The official symbol of Honbushin is called the Peace Mark, which was introduced in November 1981. It consists of a kanrodai inside a circle representing the blessings of God, who is known as Kami-sama or Tsuki-Hi.
One of Honbushin's teachings is "Because Kami exists, I exist". The mantra Namu Kanrodai is chanted to honor the kanrodai.
In Honbushin, the three main elements are fire, water, and wind, which are equated with Jūzen-no-Oshugo or the Ten Aspects of God's Complete Providence. These three kanji characters are also prominently displayed on the exterior of Honbushin's center in Shiojiri, Nagano.
The "Three Heavenly Paths" in Honbushin are:
  • Husband and wife
  • Parents and children
  • Individuals
Honbushin followers believe in reincarnation.

Scriptures

Honbushin's founding doctrinal poem, Tenkei Mikyōsho, was written by its founder Ōnishi Tama in September 1965. Tenkei Mikyōsho contains 100 lines.
As in Honmichi, some of the main scriptures used in Honbushin include the Ofudesaki and Okagura-uta, which also form the basic scriptural canon of Tenrikyo.
The term fushin originates from Ofudesaki passages I:35, I:38, and IV:6. The latter passage is:

Sacred sites

In Honbushin, an outdoor stone kanrodai is located in a shrine on the summit of Mount Kami , located southeast of the city center of Okayama in Higashi-ku. To the east of the Kanrodai is a worship hall called Saiseiden adorned by a large spherical sculpture on top. At Saiseiden, worshippers pay respect to ancestors and pray for reincarnation. An observation deck can also be found to the south of the kanrodai. The Honbushin headquarters is located in a valley to the north of the mountain. The main building at the headquarters is the Fukujuden.
There is also a large outdoor wooden kanrodai at the Honbushin International Center in Mililani, Hawaii, United States.

Locations

Honbushin also has a few major facilities outside Okayama Prefecture.
Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture was formerly the location of Honbushin's headquarters. The former Honbushin main building in Shiojiri, known as the Miroku-den, currently serves a convention center.
In Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Honbushin has a garden called Hōshiga'en. The garden contains a commemorative statue of Ōnishi Tama.
In the United States, the Honbushin International Center is located in Mililani, Oahu, Hawaii. HIC Hawaii serves as a facility for community events such as public cultural festivals and monthly vegetable markets, and is not known to engage in religious proselytization.