Tenka Nishida

Religious leader. His real name was Ichitaro. He was born to a paper wholesaler in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. In 1891 (Meiji 24), he moved to Hokkaido to avoid military service and became a supervisor of a land reclamation project, but he was caught between the conflict between tenant farmers and capitalists and after three years he began a wandering life in search of the truth. In 1903 (Meiji 36), he was inspired by Tolstoy's "My Religion" and began a religious life of abstinence, service, and introspection. In 1905, while fasting, he heard a baby crying and realized that the ideal life was to be as empty of thought as a baby, so he opened Ittoen in Shishigatani, Kyoto, and later moved to Yamashina. At Ittoen, they lived a communal life of begging, service, and repentance, and founded the Kosenrin Foundation (now the General Incorporated Foundation Kosenrin Confession and Service), the Suwaraji Theater, and other institutions. Nishida advocated a new life based on prayer for enlightenment, and was an active voice in politics, diplomacy, and social movements, supporting national policies. After the Second World War, he became a member of the House of Councillors in 1947 (Showa 22), and sympathized with Gandhi's non-violence and ideas of world federation.

[Shigeyoshi Murakami June 19, 2018]

"The Selected Works of Nishida Tenka, 5 volumes (1967-1971, Shunjusha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宗教家。本名市太郎。滋賀県長浜の紙問屋に生まれる。1891年（明治24）兵役を逃れるため北海道に移住し、開墾事業の監督となったが、小作農民と資本家の対立に挟まれて行き詰まり、3年余で求道(ぐどう)の放浪生活を始めた。1903年（明治36）トルストイの『わが宗教』に啓発され、禁欲・奉仕・内省の信仰生活に入った。1905年、断食中に乳児の泣き声を耳にして、人生の理想は赤子のように無心になることと悟り、京都鹿(しし)ヶ谷(たに)に一燈園(いっとうえん)を開き、のち山科(やましな)に移った。一燈園では托鉢(たくはつ)・奉仕・懺悔(ざんげ)の共同生活を営み、財団法人光泉林(こうせんりん)（現、一般財団法人懺悔奉仕光泉林）、すわらじ劇園などを設立した。西田は光明祈願による新生活を提唱し、政治・外交・社会運動についても活発に発言して、国策を支持した。第二次世界大戦後の1947年（昭和22）参議院議員となり、ガンジーの非暴力主義と世界連邦思想に共感を示した。

［村上重良　2018年6月19日］

『『西田天香選集』全5巻（1967～1971・春秋社）』

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