Japanese Religion

Brent Roberts Adapted and enhanced by Lisa KemmererFor RLST 170 online

Religions of Japan.

I. Shinto II. BuddhismIII. ConfucianismIV. Christianity

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Difficult for Westerners to understand. Japanese idea of religiosity is different than

ours. ◦ Don’t go to temple or church regularly. ◦ Mostly based on festivals. ◦ Maintain festivals for multiple religions.

New religions are common, often a mix of contemporary practices: a bit of Buddhism, a bit of Shinto, some Christianity...

Japanese Religions Overview

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Shinto handles “life” events Buddhism handles death events

Generally speaking

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Ancient myths and deities Types of Shinto

◦ Shrine◦ Imperial Household Shinto◦ Folk Shinto◦ Koshinto

I. SHINTO

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Shinto is the only indigenous religion of Japan

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Picture of the creation myth of Izanagi and Izanami

Myths held in two volumes: • Kojiki (Record of ancient matters)

• Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan from 720)

They stand on the floating bridge of heaven and thrust a Heavenly Jeweled Spear into the brine below

The spear’s dripping forms Japan. They build a pillar (phallus—Axis

Mundi) to walk around. Izanami speaks, and they can’t

mate because the woman isn’t supposed to speak first

They walk back around the pillar and Izanagi speaks first

Then they mate, beginning the Japanese people.

Izanagi and Izanami Myth

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Sun Goddess, Amaterasu

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• Child of Izanagi and Izanami• “Born” from a drip when Izanagi

used water to purify his left eye after a visit to the polluted netherworld (where he had gone to collect his wife, Izanami)

• Rules the High Celestial Plain of Heaven

• Her grandson, Ninigi no Mikoto, is the grandfather of the Japanese people

• His great-grandson, Jimmu, became first emperor, 711 BC

She squabbles with her younger brother, Susanoo no Mikoto, who is obnoxious.

As a result, she hides herself in a cave.

She is the sun goddess, so the world falls into chaos and darkness.

Amaterasu myth

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Other divinities gathered and danced to draw her out, using mirror and jewels as enticements. She emerges, bringing back light.

These 2 items (mirror and jewels), along with her brother’s sword, constitute the Imperial Regalia of Japan.

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Officially: 119 million Shinto adherents

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Shinto stresses harmony with nature. Gods are believed to be everywhere: mountains, trees, rivers, as well as in people.

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1. Shrine2. Imperial Household3. Folk4. Koshinto

Types of Shinto

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Elaborate, beautiful shrines (Heian Jingu in Kyoto), as well as much smaller shrines.

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temple, torii , and roadside shrine

1. Shrine Shinto: Most common form

Entering into a shrine is entering sacred space—the dwelling place of kami

Like most religions, Shinto emphasizes purity Must purify self to enter shrine You should not visit a shrine if one of your

relatives has died recently

Shrine Shinto

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The most well-recognized symbol of Shinto The torii marks off sacred space Enter through Toriis to reach sacred space

Torii

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Kamidana – household altar. Purity: Wash hands, then make an offering (bowl of rice or an orange) to gods

purification pool

Shrine Shinto

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Visitors wash out their mouths before they enter

Ise Shrine is the focal point of Shrine Shinto

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• Ise built about 600 ad• Amaterasu is worshiped at

Ise• Sacred mirror kept at Ise• Presided over by high

priest/priestess of the imperial family

• Prime vacation destination

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Ise rebuilt every 20 years:transitory nature of life

Impermanence of all things

Ise Shrine

Shimenawa – braided rice straw rope that wards off evil spirits.

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Omikuji: prayers printed on small papers that are tied near the shrine

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Visitors ring a bell (and offer money) to awaken the god at the temple, who resides in the back.

Note the fox, guardian and messenger of the powerful rice kami (spirit/god)

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Omikoshi, portable platform that transports a deity during festivals and holidays

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New Years: A big event, with breaking point right after midnight. People toss in 5 yen for good luck.

Practiced only by the emperor and his posse

2. Imperial Household Shinto

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Omamori Himari –protective charms.Pieces of wood where people write prayers. What are common prayers in Japan? Entrance into college! Hopeful students write the name of the college they hope to enter on the wood.

3. Folk Shinto

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Spring, new year’s festival Throw soybeans to drive away demons of

disease Bring good luck to new year

Folk Shinto—Setsubun festival

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II. Japanese Buddhism

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Karma Reincarnation Four Noble Truths

◦ Life is suffering◦ Suffering is caused by ignorance/desire◦ Suffering ends by ending desire (Liberation)◦ Liberation comes through following the Buddha’s

Eightfold Path

Buddhism Refresher: Basic Beliefs

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The Eightfold Path◦ Right view◦ Right intention◦ Right speech◦ Right action◦ Right livelihood◦ Right effort◦ Right mindfulness◦ Right concentration

Buddhism: Basic Beliefs

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Buddhism

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Huge impact on Japanese literature and art

Buddhism came to Japan from China, 552 AD. Today about 91 million followers in Japan As with Christianity, did not spread until

adopted by ruling class

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Medieval period: 1200s to 1500s. Rise of two important Japanese Buddhist

branches: Pure Land (Jodo Shu) and Rinzai (Zen).

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Founded by Nichiren—buddhist monk in the 1200s.

Focus on the Lotus Sutra (buddhist text). Amitabha (Buddha of Infinite Light) as

savior Chant to be saved: “Namu-myo-horen-

genkyo.” Evangelical and radical

Pure Land Buddhism

38Pure Land temple

Built 1252 by Pure Land branch One of Japan’s most famous

images Image of Amitabha In Kamakura Bronze 44 feet high

Kamakura Buddha

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Founded by Nichiren One of 3 branches of Zen Buddhism Philosophical Goal is to see one’s true nature Koan’s (puzzles) central (Requires thinking

outside the box)

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Rinzai Zen

Rinzai became extremely powerful. Warring States period (1450-1600), the most

beautiful city, Kyoto, burned. Nobunaga and Hideyoshi took power. Nobunaga hated Buddhist monks because of

their power. He burned many temples to the ground, breaking the power of Rinzai.

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Buddhism Today

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Household shrines:Butsudan

Icon of the Buddha Pictures of patriarchs Memorial tablets Offerings of flowers or

fruit.

Buddhism Today

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Funeral rights generally performed by a Buddhist priest. Sutras chanted at intervals after a death, noting the passage of a deceased loved one to the next level of the afterlife.

Buddhism Today

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Still have large, ornate temples, but more often, much smaller neighborhood temples. Almost everyone is registered with their local temple..

Ringing of the bell. Important on New Year’s Day – ringing it 108 times for the 108 sins of mankind

Buddhism Today

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Obon: Festival of the Dead (August) Spirits of ancestors come home for a visit Family reunions, businesses close. Festival carnivals, dancing, then spirits go home At the close of the festival, Lights represent

spirits returning to the land of the dead.

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Obon

Shinto and Buddhism closely linked Most people practice both (as well as other

religions) Sometimes Shinto shrines are inside the

grounds of Buddhist temples. From Meiji period on (1850s on), the state

supported Shinto and sought to separate Buddhism and Shinto

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Meiji Emperor

Not a Japanese religion, but has much influenced Japan

Confucian ideology has dominated Japan since the late first century

Confucian ideals shaped the social hierarchy and daily life

Created a Meritocracy

III. Confucianism

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Appointments and responsibilities are assigned based on an individual’s "merits," namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or examinations.

Meritocracy

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SPAM=Samurai, Peasants, Artisans, Merchants.

Confucian class system

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Samurai armorpeasants

Not important in Japan: Less than 1% of Japanese people are Christian.

Portuguese shipwrecked in Japan in 1549.

Missionary Frances Xavier arrived 1549.

Christians brought technology and goods from the west, including guns

There was soon an economic advantage to becoming Christian

IV. Christianity

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Xaviar

Toyotomi Hideyoshi disliked Christianity Suspicious that Christians were eyeing

Japan for invasion Great Christian persecution, including many

crucifixions 1590s –26 Christians were crucified in

Nagasaki Christianity went underground

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Tokugawa Leyasu closed Japan to foreigners◦ drove out missionaries

limited foreign presence to one small island off the coast of Nagasaki

In Japan, people had to renounce Christianity or risk execution.

Kakure Christians (hidden Christians) Continued to practice.

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Japanese borders reopened in1853 State Shinto maintained control, forcing rigid

adherence to Emperor as supreme head of state Christianity suppressed until after WWII.

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Christmas is merely a commercial event in Japan

New Years is the big holiday, celebrated in Shinto style as described above

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Valentines Day: Women give men chocolate. White Day (March 14): Men give women

chocolate.

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Japanese weddings often in Western style.

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Rich and varied history Nonexclusive: Overlap of four traditions Eclectic: an assortment of beliefs and practices Flexible: have accommodated modernization

and imported religions Adapting but holding a traditional core Shinto and Buddhism as core of Japanese

religions

Conclusion: Japanese religions

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Japanese Religion

Brent Roberts Adapted and enhanced by Lisa KemmererFor RLST 170 online