In the Tenrikyo

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

, the Jiba (ぢば) is the ''

axis mundi In astronomy, axis mundi is the Latin term for the axis of Earth between the celestial poles. In a geocentric coordinate system, this is the axis of rotation of the celestial sphere. Consequently, in ancient Greco-Roman astronomy, the '' ...

'' where adherents believe that God created

humankind Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

. The spot is located in the center of the main sanctuary at

Tenrikyo Church Headquarters Tenrikyo Church Headquarters (''Tenrikyo Kyokai Honbu'' 天理教教会本部) is the main headquarters of the Tenrikyo religion, located in Tenri, Nara, Japan. This establishment is significant to followers because it is built around the '' ...

, located in Tenri, Nara,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. It is marked by a wooden pillar called the ''Kanrodai'' (かんろだい).

Significance

The significance of ''Jiba'' is described in all three Tenrikyo scriptures – the '' Ofudesaki'', the '' Mikagura-uta'', and the '' Osashizu''. Phrases in the scriptures define ''Jiba'' as simply "the origin," and more specifically "the origin where God began human beings," "the origin of this world," and "the origin of all things." In the context of Tenrikyo's creation narrative, the ''Jiba'' is said to be the spot where ''Izanagi-no-Mikoto'' and ''Izanami-no-Mikoto,'' the models of husband and wife, conceived the first children. The scriptures also assert that ''Jiba'' is the place where God the Parent and the everliving Oyasama reside. The ''Jiba'' is closely associated with Tenrikyo's understanding of

salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

. The core ritual of Tenrikyo's

liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

, the Kagura Service, is performed around ''Jiba''. The ''Osashizu'' and stories from '' Anecdotes of Oyasama'' refer to Jiba as the place where one can request one's own salvation or the salvation of others, and accordingly an important religious practice for adherents is to make

pilgrimages A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

there.

Kanrodai

The ''Kanrodai'' (かんろだい) is a

hexagonal In geometry, a hexagon (from Greek , , meaning "six", and , , meaning "corner, angle") is a six-sided polygon. The total of the internal angles of any simple (non-self-intersecting) hexagon is 720°. Regular hexagon A '' regular hexagon'' has ...

stand that marks the ''Jiba.'' Adherents believe that when the hearts of human beings have been adequately purified through the

Service Service may refer to: Activities * Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a pu ...

, a sweet dew would fall from the heavens onto a vessel placed on top of the stand.

Significance

Kanrodai

References

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading