Miki, Tokuharu

(1871-1938)

   The founder in 1931 of Hito no Michi (The Way of Man), a Buddhist-Shinto religious movement derived from the mountain sect Mitake-kyo and its associated movement Tokumitsu-kyo. Miki's teachings derived from his mystical experiences of the deity Amaterasu, whom he equated with the Shingon Buddhist divinity Dainichi nyorai. Members were taught to transfer their sufferings to the founder, seen as a bosatsu. From the 1930's Hito no Michi took on a 'state Shinto' identity but was persecuted nevertheless, accused of worshipping the sun rather than the sun goddess. After the war the movement under the direction of Miki's son Tokuchika was revived with the American-sounding name of P.L.Kyodan (the religion of Perfect Liberty) which teaches a positive approach to creativity and 'living life as art', asserting that human beings are essentially divine. Tokuharu is venerated by the sect at his tomb under his posthumous kami-name of Amamizu-umihi-arawaru-hiko-no-mikoto.