Fukaya Tadamasa

"It may be said that pantheism and theism in world civilization were derived from the Aryan and Semitic races, respectively. These two still form the backbone of the Western ideas which have been dominating the world since the Industrial Revolution, which ended in favor of a mechanical civilization. And it is natural that the people of the Western sphere of civilization view from no other perspectives than these two. As for us people of the East, we have traditions quite different from those of the West, and view from perspectives unlike those of Westerners."

"It may be that Japan is only a speck on a world map drawn by Europeans, but the country consisting of a chain of islands has played and is still playing an important part because of its situation lying east of the continent in the Pacific Ocean. From a cultural point of view Japan is an eastward limit of penetration, and a treasure-house, so to speak, in the history of world civilization. Another important thing is that Japan stands out as the first country in Asia which adopted modern mechanical civilization and carried it to the Asiatic Continent."

"The Japanese nation is, generally speaking, so generously disposed towards any system of thought that varying contradictions are kept on with no inconvenience whatever; it seems as if the Japanese nation were gifted with special capacity for tolerance. For instance, religions present an apt example of tolerance on the part of the Japanese nation."

"It may safely be said that the Japanese people embrace all of the greatest religions of the world. In Japan there are various stages of belief, from primitive Shamanism to Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism, Mohammedanism and Shintoism originating in Japan. And they co-exist with no bloody strife, each having its own ardent followers. There is nothing like such religious wars as were seen in European history."

"Tenrikyo is a unique faith which is neither theistic nor pantheistic. The Kami (Deity) of Tenrikyo, “Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto,” is, to speak exactly, umgreifend and all the universe lives in His bosom. The Kami of Tenrikyo may be perceived as a crossing of pantheism plus determination of space, and theism plus determination of time. A pantheistic god is immanent, while a theistic god transcendent. But an umgreifend god is both immanent and transcendent. A pantheistic god is rational, while a theistic god irrational. An umgreifend god, is, however, transrational. An intellectual understanding of such a god is possible up to a certain point, but beyond it. In other words, a relative man is able to comprehend only a part of the functions of an absolute god. The mysterious god who is beyond human intellectual understanding is one who gives us light from far beyond the limitation of human thinking. Such being the case, the god is not one which blinds modern scientific people but which lights up their way. Once they lose sight of the light, they will fall into a dark world. Human civilization will be ruined unless supported by such a god."

"As for the revelation of the Semitic race, which comes under the former category, such an address was made solely with divine authority and without any regard to human thinking, seems to be filled with many contradictions. We are, frankly speaking, in blank dismay when we come across such fundamental doctrines of Christianity as the conception of the Virgin Mary and the Resurrection of Christ. Is there no other teaching to persuade us a little further?"

"A transcendent deity will speak what man cannot understand, and man is forced just to obey. A pantheistic deity will never speak to man, but will leave all to human thinking. However, in the case of the umgreifend deity He and man are enabled to talk with each other. The umgreifend deity, appealing to human wisdom, will try to win persuasion. But after all He both negates and transcends human wisdom, and discloses His true intention in a way that man cannot perceive."

"A transcendent deity is not connected with man, while an immanent deity is connected with man. An umgreifend deity is, however, both connected and disconnected with man. To speak in greater detail, the umgreifend deity reveals Himself not only to His believers but to those who wish to know Him. He tries as far as possible to appeal to human wisdom, gives persuasion and satisfaction and waits anxiously in the expectation of human evolution."

"God the Parent “Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto” may be called an “umgreifend Deity” and likened to a circle of infinite diameter."

"The deity who guides us must, and must not, be among us mankind; He must be both immanent and transcendent. In other words, He must be the Deity who renders satisfaction to human wisdom on one hand, and leads us up to things too high to give satisfaction to it on the other. Again, He must be apparent as well as hidden. Such a deity is umgreifend. It may well be said that a pantheistic god is apparent while a transcendent god is hidden."

"“Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto” god is the umgreifend Deity, both pantheistic and theistic, both immanent and transcendent."

"Buddhists try to escape from their life, while Christians attach greater importance to their life in heaven than to that on earth. As for believers of Tenrikyo, however, the greatest emphasis is always put on this life on earth. Neither life nor death can exist independently of God the Parent."