About Founding Spirit

According to the teachings of Tenrikyo, God the Parent created human beings and the
world in order to see us lead the “Joyous Life” and thus share in that joy. The Foundress
(Oyasama) revealed the existence of our original Parent, God the Parent (Oyagami), and
the truth that we are all brothers and sisters, demonstrating a way of life of mutually
helping one another through the path of the “Divine Model.”
The mission of Tenri University is to nurture human resources who will contribute to the
construction of the “Joyous Life” world based on the teachings of Oyasama.

Tenrikyo is a religion that sets the “Joyous Life” as its goal and aims for world salvation. In
order to realize the “Joyous Life,” we must realize that all human beings are brothers and
sisters as children of God, and that we must live by helping one another. The Foundress
Miki Nakayama demonstrated this truth Herself. This is the “Divine Model,” the code of
human conduct. The “Joyous Life” world is a completely new global civilization in which all
humankind can live in peace. Tenri University recognizes the unique characteristics of
various cultures and civilizations, and while respecting their differences, seeks ways to
complement and help each other in both theory and practice, while emphasizing the “spirit
of selfless service.”

The University, located within the embrace of a religious environment known as the original home of humankind and called the “Jiba,” aims at imparting specialized knowledge and an enriched education through close personal ties between faculty, staff, and students with a life of prayer and devotion as its basis. To this end, the University has established the Faculty of Human Studies, the Faculty of International Studies, the Faculty of Physical Education, the Faculty of Health Care, as well as the Graduate Schools of Religion and Culture, Clinical Human Studies, and Physical Education Studies provide a place for interdisciplinary research with the objective of identifying and developing the natural potential of each individual.