also: てんどう
noun
Only with reading てんとう
Literary or poetic term for the sun, often personified or used in classical contexts. Reading is てんとう.
天道が照りつける夏の日。
A summer day when the sun beats down.
noun
god of heaven and earth
Refers to a divine being ruling the cosmos, found in classical Japanese texts and religious contexts. Both てんとう and てんどう readings possible.
In the Kojiki, there are descriptions of the god of heaven and earth.
noun
laws governing the heavens
Concept from classical Chinese philosophy and early Japanese thought, referring to the natural order or cosmic principles. Rare standalone use; mostly encountered in historical or philosophical texts.
天道に従って生きるという考え方は、東洋思想に根付いている。
The idea of living in accordance with the laws of heaven is rooted in Eastern thought.
noun
celestial path; celestial motion
Only with reading てんどう
Astronomical term for the apparent path or movement of celestial bodies. Reading てんどう is typical in this context.
惑星の天道を観測する。
Observe the celestial path of the planets.
noun
deva realm; svarga
Only with reading てんどう
Buddhist term for the heavenly realm of devas, one of the six realms of existence (六道). Reading てんどう is standard in Buddhist contexts.
See also: 六道
六道の一つとして天道が説かれる。
The deva realm is expounded as one of the six realms.
From Chinese 天道 (tiāndào), originally meaning 'the way of heaven' or 'celestial principle'. In Japanese, it developed additional senses including the sun, a deity, and Buddhist cosmological realm.