The Teachings of Tenrikyo

The Service and the Sazuke

When all are assembled and quickly do the Service, as those close to Me become spirited, God, also, will be spirited.

Ofudesaki I:11

 

If only the Service is done without error, the Gift of Heaven, also, will be given without fail.

Ofudesaki X:34

 

Hereafter, however serious an illness there may be, I shall save you all by the Breath and the Hand Dance.

Ofudesaki XII:50

*The Ofudesaki, The Tip of the Writing Brush, was written by Oyasama Herself and contains 1,711 verses in seventeen parts.

What is the Service?

The Service is Tenrikyo’s most important rite, which was taught by Oyasama Herself as a way to achieve the Joyous Life for all human beings in the world. On the 26th of every month, the Kagura Service is performed around Jiba in prayer for the Joyous Life. The Kagura Service involves ten dance performers performing different hand movements that express the workings of God at the time of human creation. The Kagura Service is a reenactment of God’s marvelous creation of humankind and the world. The ten Service performers dance to the accompaniment of the singing of the Mikagura-uta as well as the nine musical instruments in unity of mind. Through the Service, we can pray for not only the settlement of illness or serious troubles but also the salvation of all human beings as well as the reconstruction of this world into the Joyous Life World.

What is the Sazuke?

The Sazuke, the Divine Grant, is a prayer for the recovery of a person who is sick, and it is administered to the person by those who have received the truth of the Sazuke from Oyasama, who discerned the truth of their sincerity. In the current system, one can receive the truth of the Sazuke after listening to the Besseki lecture (which presents the teachings of God the Parent) nine times in Jiba and requesting the Sazuke bestowal with a mind that is truly sincere in wishing to help others be saved.
The Sazuke is not a magic spell. The person who administers the Sazuke must have a sincere heart desiring to see someone saved, and the person who is suffering from illness and receives the Sazuke administration must completely rely on God the Parent. It is in response to their sincere minds that the blessings of God the Parent and the guidance of Oyasama will be bestowed, leading to wondrous salvation.