We call out the name Tenri-O-no-Mikoto in praise and worship of God the Parent. God the Parent is God of Origin, God in Truth, who created humankind and the world where there was no form and who gives life, time, and place to all things throughout eternity.

I am God of Origin, who began the human beings of this world. Yet there may be no one who knows Me.

I began to teach My providence in the muddy ocean, and you have come to prosper step by step.

Ofudesaki III : 15-16

God the Parent is the origin of humankind and this world. Not only was the world created by God the Parent, but there is nothing in this world whose existence does not depend on divine providence. The unlimited workings of divine providence can be distinctly seen by our eyes, felt by our bodies, and sensed by our minds. Indeed, God the Parent is God of Origin, God in Truth.

God the Parent manifests in the heavens as the moon and the sun and sheds benevolent light all over the world.

The earth and heaven of this world is your real Parent. Out of this, human beings were born.

Ofudesaki X : 54

We are given life between heaven and earth and exist in the exquisite harmony of nature. Just as all of us without exception receive the light of the moon and the sun, so do we all bask in the blessings of heaven and earth without discrimination. Heaven and earth are manifestations of God the Parent as are the moon and the sun. Thus, we live in the embrace of heaven and earth, in the very bosom of God the Parent, gently caressed by God's benevolence, which knows no bounds.

The true Parent of this universe is Tsukihi. It is I who protect you in everything.

Ofudesaki VI : 102

At the time of creation, God the Parent entered the instruments and the models of man and woman and, by the complete providence, created humankind. Thereafter, God has lent us our bodies, constantly providing them with freedom of function and bestowing food and all other things necessary for life.

God gave a sacred name to each aspect of the complete providence and explained its workings:

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.

Thus, humankind and all things in this world exist and develop by the complete providence of Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, God the Parent.

This universe is the body of God. Ponder this in all matters.

Ofudesaki III : 40 and 135

This universe is the body of God the Parent and is filled with divine providence. Manifested as fire, water, and wind, divine providence can be seen, but at the same time it governs the entire universe with majestic authority, invisibly, as the truth of heaven. It is the source of life for all that is--the origin of all phenomena.

Truly, the truth of heaven pervades the universe; there are no gaps or omissions. From the natural laws which govern the universe to the order in the society of humankind, everything is maintained by the exquisite providence of God the Parent.

To Tsukihi, who can see everything in this world, nothing is unknown.

Watching each and everyone of you, Tsukihi will discern the good and evil.

Ofudesaki VIII : 51-52

God the Parent sees not only into the minds of all people but also into and through everything, discerning good from bad, and bestows providence according to the divine intent.

Just as you humans worry about your children, I worry over your dreadful and dangerous path.

Unaware of this, all of you everywhere are living your lives without heed.

Know that Tsukihi rules over everything in this world without exception.

Ofudesaki VII : 9-11

Indeed, God is in every way our loving Parent, whose love and concern for us is without limit. But we conduct our lives unaware of this parental love. We disregard the truth of heaven and are overconfident of our own strength. We are selfish in our thinking and in our actions. In the all-seeing eyes of God the Parent, who rules over everything, we are like toddlers wandering off on their own. Nothing could be more dangerous than this.

Whatever I say to you in My tedious appeals, it is solely from My single desire to save you.

If only all of you understand Me quickly, truly from your innermost heart,

Then Tsukihi will rule over everything and bring forth a myriad of saving graces.

Ofudesaki VII : 26-28

God the Parent, moved to pity over our condition, spares no effort in teaching us of the boundless parental concern to save all of us and, after revealing the truth of all things, manifests the marvelous, free and unlimited blessings.

To Tsukihi, all of you in the world are My children. Love for you fills Me: this is My single heart.

Ofudesaki XVII : 16

God the Parent is the true Parent of humankind. God's sole desire is the Joyous Life for all the children. Therefore, God appeared in this world through Oyasama as the Shrine to open the path of single-hearted salvation at the Jiba, the place of origin.

(This article was excerpted from The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, 29-34.)