Although I have offered timelines before, I have decided to post a simple timeline that covers Oyasama’s or Miki Nakayama’s (physical) life.
(Note: All numerical months indicate lunar calendar dates)
1798
4/18: Oyasama born as Miki Maegawa, eldest daughter of Hanshichi Masanobu and Kinu Maegawa.
1810
9/15: Miki marries to Zenbei Nakayama.
1816
3/15: Miki is “initiated into the mysteries of the Jodo sect,” aka undergoes a Fivefold Transmission Retreat (“goju soden”) at Zenpukuji.
1821
7/24: Miki gives birth to Shuji (originally named Zenyemon).
1825
4/8: Miki gives birth to Masa.
1827
9/9: Miki gives birth to Yasu (passes away in 1830).
1831
9/21: Miki gives birth to Haru (originally named Kimi).
1833
11/7: Miki gives birth to Tsune (passes away in 1835).
1837
10/26: Shuji experiences a sudden pain in his leg. He is eventually treated by the Buddhist healer/ascetic Ichibei Nakano with a yose-kaji ceremony (“incantation“), which are intermittently held nine times over the following year.
12/10: Miki gives birth to Kokan.
10/23: Along with Shuji, Zenbei has pain in his eyes, Miki pain in her back. The healer Ichibei is summoned and a yose-kaji is begun the following morning with Miki substituting Soyo, the usual medium. God the Parent descends and demands, “I wish to receive Miki as the Shrine of God.” Those present ask God to leave but God does not take no for an answer.
10/26: After much negotiations and discussion, Zenbei says to God, “I offer Miki to you,” settling Miki as Oyasama, the Shrine of God. The date is considered the founding date of Tenrikyo.
1842 or 1843
(No specific date indicated): After following God’s command to fall to the depths of poverty by giving away her personal possessions and those belonging to her family, God demanded that the Nakayama family mansion be dismantled, starting with roof tiles.
1852
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama’s daughter Haru marries Sojiro Kajimoto.
1853
2/22: Oyasama’s husband Zenbei (66) passes away.
(No specific dates indicated): The Nakayama family mansion is completely dismantled.
Kokan is sent with two others to Osaka to spread the divine name Tenri-O-no-Mikoto.
Oyasama’s daughter Masa marries Jisuke Fukui.
1854
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama offers the Grant of Safe Childbirth for the first time, to her daughter Haru Kajimoto, marking the beginning of “the path of universal salvation” (Haru gives birth to Kamezo on 11/5).
Spring (No specific date indicated): Oyasama bestows the first series of Sazuke Grants (Sazuke of the Fan, Sazuke of the Gohei, Sazuke of Fertilizer).
Fifth lunar month: Izo Iburi begins to follow the path, which leads to the construction of the Place of the Service (begun on 9/13, completed in the middle of the 12th month).
5/7: Birth of the first Shinbashira, Shinnosuke Nakayama, to Sojiro and Haru Kajimoto.
Autumn: Oyasama teaches the song and hand movements for Ashiki harai tasuke tamae Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto.
First to eight lunar months: Oyasama composes the Twelve Songs. She spends the next three years adding hand movements and teaching them to followers.
First lunar month: Oyasama took up a brush to write the words of God, which end up being the first two parts of the Ofudesaki.
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama’s son Shuji marries Matsue Kohigashi.
1870
(No specific date indicated): Yorozuyo is added as the “dashi” or prelude to the Twelve Songs.
Oyasama teaches the song and hand movements for Choto hanashi.
6/18: Oyasama’s daughter Haru Kajimoto (42) passes away.
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama has Izo Iburi make a wooden model of the Kanrodai.
January: Oyasama resumes writing the Ofudesaki, resulting in Part Three. Part Four (April), Part Five (May) and Part Six (December) were also written in this year.
5/26: The full Kagura Service is performed as it is meant to be for the first time.
Sixth lunar month: Oyasama gives out Proof Amulets (o-mamori) to returning followers for the first time.
December 26: Oyasama wears red clothes for the first time and bestows the Sazuke of Breath, the Sazuke of Boiled Rice, the Sazuke of the Hand Dance (Teodori), and the Sazuke of the Kanrodai-Teodori to four followers.
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama teaches the song and hand movements for Ichiretsu sumasu Kanrodai.
Izo Iburi is said to have received the Sazuke of Speech this year.
February: Oyasama writes Part Seven of the Ofudesaki. Part Eight (May), Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven (June), and two verses from Part Twelve (December) were also written the same year.
September: Construction of the South Gatehouse begins and is completed by the end of the year. (The building serves as Oyasama’s living quarters until 1883).
June 29 (5/26 lunar): Identification of the Jiba takes place. Izo’s model of the Kanrodai is later set up at Jiba for the first time when a prayer service was performed for Kokan’s recovery from illness.
September 24: Oyasama (with Shuji), is summoned, interrogated, and detained at the Nara Prefectural Office, the first of several other detentions and imprisonments over the next 10+ years.
September 27: Kokan (39) passes away.
Third lunar month: Oyasama resumes writing the remainder of Part Twelve of the Ofudesaki.
January (No specific date indicated): Oyasama teaches the three stringed instruments for the Service.
February 5: Birth of Tamae Nakayama to Shuji and Matsue.
Fourth lunar month: Oyasama writes the majority of Part Thirteen of the Ofudesaki.
February 16: Masa Fukui, Oyasama’s eldest daughter, establishes a branch of the Nakayama family.
June: Oyasama writes Part Fourteen of the Ofudesaki.
January: Oyasama writes Part Fifteen of the Ofudesaki.
(No specific date indicated): Shinnosuke Kajimoto (15) moves into the Residence.
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama urges the construction of the stone Kanrodai.
Oyasama also urges followers to “compile a divine record” (Koki). Ryojiro Yamazawa writes the first of these Koki narratives the same year.
April: Oyasama writes Part Sixteen of the Ofudesaki.
April 8: Shuji (61) passes away.
May: Quarrying for stone for the Kanrodai is begun. The construction comes to a sudden halt in late September after two sections (of 13) are completed.
September: Sato Iburi moves into the Residence with her children (Izo joins them on March 26 the following year).
September 23: Shinnosuke Kajimoto’s name is added to the Nakayama family register (he officially becomes the heir of the main branch of the Nakayama family on September 22 the following year).
(No specific date indicated): Oyasama writes Part Seventeen, the last part of the Ofudesaki.
5/12: The completed two stone sections of the Kanrodai are confiscated by the police. In response, Oyasama alters the wording of the Songs for the Kagura from Ashiki harai to Ashiki o harōte; the phrase Ichiretsu sumasu Kanrodai is changed to Ichiretsu sumashite Kanrodai.
November 10: Matsue Nakayama (32), Shuji’s widow, passes away.
May: Raising of the beam for Oyasama’s Resting House (go-kyusokusho). Construction is completed later the same year. Oyasama moves to the Resting House on the night of 10/26 (lunar).
May 20: Shinnosuke Nakayama and ten others receive appointments as a religious instructors from Shinto Headquarters.
*A number of petitions to establish a church are rejected by prefectural offices this year.
February 18: Oyasama is sentenced to 12 days detention at Ichinomoto Branch Police Station, her last “Hardship.”
January: God the Parent’s urgings to perform the Service come to a climax. The resolve on the part of followers to obey her urgent demands is put to the test.
February 18 (1/26 lunar): Oyasama’s physical condition grew critical at noon. The Service was begun from about 1:00 in the afternoon in hopes she would recover. However, she “withdraws from physical life” at about 2:00 in the afternoon shortly after the Service is completed. Izo Iburi delivers an Osashizu (Divine Direction) comforting followers that Oyasama will remain everliving and gives a promise she will continue to bestow the Sazuke to them.
References
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Tenri Daigaku Oyasato Kenkyūsho, ed. 1981. Tenrikyō gaisetsu. Tenri: Tenri Daigaku Shuppanbu.
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Tenrikyo Overseas Department. 2000. Reference Materials for The Life of Oyasama. Tenri: Tenrikyo Overseas Department.