Japanese Religion Anthony Ortega Introduction Japanese Religion consists

Japanese Religion Anthony Ortega

Introduction � Japanese Religion consists of a unique combination and a variety of religious traditions within Japan. � Early Japan was ruled by powerful clans in mostly farming villages. � The chief held political and religious power – Japanese believed clan chiefs were descended from nature spirits – kami. � The ancient indigenous folk religion, later formalized as Shinto, was based on feelings of awe toward the sacred powers (kami) that brought life to the earth and human community.

Shintoism �Shinto ("the way of the gods") is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and as old as Japan itself. �It remains Japan's major religion alongside Buddhism �Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the Bible. �Propaganda and preaching are not common, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions. �In the Meiji Period, Shinto was made Japan's state religion.

Shinto Shrine

Shintoism �In contrast to many monotheistic religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. �There is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. �Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. �Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami.

What is Kami? � The best English translation of kami is 'spirits’, it can be elements of the landscape or forces of nature. � Kami are close to human beings and respond to human prayers. They can influence the course of natural forces, and human events. � Shinto tradition says that there are eight million kami in Japan. � In ancient times, Japan was heavily influenced by Chinese and Korean culture. � As a result, the ideas of Buddha, deities, and heaven that existed in Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism strongly influenced the Japanese idea of kami.

Kami �The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami.

Buddhism � Buddhism is a religion that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“The Buddha”) more than 2, 500 years ago in India. � The introduction of Buddhism in the 6 th century was followed by a few initial conflicts, however, the two religions were soon able to co-exist and even complement each other. � Many Buddhists viewed the kami as manifestations of Buddha. � Some scholars don’t recognize Buddhism as an organized religion, but rather, a “way of life” or a “spiritual tradition.

Siddhartha Gautama

Buddhism �All Buddhists live by five moral precepts, which prohibit: Killing living things, Stealing, Sexual misconduct, Lying, Using drugs/alcohol. �Four Noble Truths: 1) 2) 3) 4) The truth of suffering The truth of the cause of suffering The truth of the end of suffering The truth of the path that frees us from suffering

Buddhism �Followers of Buddhism don’t acknowledge a supreme god or deity. They instead focus on achieving enlightenment—a state of inner peace and wisdom �The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing morality, meditation and wisdom. Buddhists often meditate because they believe it helps awaken truth.

Shinto/Buddhism �Most Japanese consider themselves Shinto/Buddhist. �A large number of wedding ceremonies are held in Shinto style. �Death, however, is considered a source of impurity, and is left to Buddhism to deal with. �Consequently, there are virtually no Shinto cemeteries, and most funerals are held in Buddhist style.

Christianity �In the 16 th and 17 th centuries and again in the second half of the 19 th century, Japan was also influenced by the Christian idea of God. �After a more than 200 year government imposed ban on Christianity, many Protestant and Catholic missionaries, mostly from the USA, again came to Japan. �Japanese began to deal with the newly introduced idea of God and tried to find a way of spiritually understanding it. �Christianity never caught on with the masses

Confucianism �Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who lived in China from 551 to 479 BC. His teachings, known as Confucianism, have had a deep impact not only on China but also many neighboring countries, including Japan. �The Japanese regard Confucianism as code of moral precepts rather than a religion. �Confucianism teaches that people should live in harmony with the “Way of Heaven” – each individual must act with virtue and serve as a living example to others �People are naturally good. Evil is learned

Confucianism �Aside from its important ethical principles, Confucianism does not prescribe any specific rituals or practices. �Introduced to Japan in the beginning of the sixth century, Confucianism had a great impact on Japanese thought and behavior, but its influence has declined since World War II.

Conclusion �Even though many Japanese have Buddhist and Shinto altars in their house, get married in a shrine or church and purchase graves at Buddhist temples few would consider themselves religious. �Religion in Japan is often viewed in terms of culture, tradition and duty rather than in terms of faith, personal salvation and deep-rooted beliefs. �Visiting temples and shrines is viewed as a recreation activity for holidays or something that one does for good luck.

�Japan doesn't have a particular association with any one religion because during the Meiji Period, religion was tolerated as long as it did not disrupt political reforms �Shinto was disestablished in 1946, when the Emperor lost his divine status as part of the Allied reformation of Japan. �Despite the loss of official status Shinto still remains a very significant player in Japanese spirituality and everyday life.

Works Cited �http: //www. patheos. com/library/ japanese-religion. com/library/japanese-religion �http: //factsanddetails. com/japan/cat 16/sub 182/item 59 2. html#chapter-2 �http: //www 2. kokugakuin. ac. jp/ijcc/wp/cpjr/kami/intr o. html �https: //www. japan-guide. com/e/e 2056. html