Shinto

1
Shinto

• The Traditional Religion of Japan
• the way of the gods
• The indigenous faith of Japan, since ancient
  times
• The term shinto was coined in the sixth century
• (Chinese character)
• Shen unfathomable spiritual power superhuman or
  godlike nature or being
• Tao way, path
• Confucian influence in the fifth century
• Buddhist influence in the sixth-seventh century
• Shinto, the way of the gods, was coined to
  distinguish the Japanese way from others
• Shinto is a symbol of Japanese identity, and
  expresses a religious faith about Japan and its
  past
• The central symbol of shinto is the torii gate
  (2 uprights and a cross beam)
• Many varieties (large, small, tunnel-like, etc.)

2

• A very loosely-organized religion
• No founder
• No official sacred scripture
• No fixed system of ethics or doctrines
• No belief in original sin or original ignorance
• No savior
• No eschatology
• No real sense of history
• Shinto is shrine-centered and ritual-centered
  not book-centered
• Shinto may be regarded as an ensemble of
  peculiarly Japanese types of religious beliefs,
  sentiments, and approaches, which have been
  shaped and conditioned by the historical
  experience of the Japanese people from the
  prehistoric period to the present
• Shinto is caught, not taught (transmitted from
  heart to heart through daily life)
• Ono, pp. ix, x, xi,
• An amalgam of attitudes, ideas, and ways of doing
  things that, over time, have become an integral
  part of the way of the Japanese people
• A religion of joy, beauty of nature, wonder of
  life, peace and harmony with nature, and among
  people

3

• The oral myths and traditions of Shinto were
  preserved in primary documents
• Kojiki (includes the shinto creation myth)
• Nihon Shoki
• The Shinto creation myth (from the Kojiki)
• A cosmic egg gave rise to heaven and earth
• There were 3 self-created deities
• Then there were 7 generations of deities
• Seventh generation included Izanagi (male who
  invites) Izanami (female who invites)
• Like Adam and Eve, or brother and sister
• Heavenly floating bridge and a jeweled spear
• The silt which dripped down became the Japanese
  islands
• They descended from the High Plane of Heaven to
  the island Onogoro) WS 118
• They married and gave birth to many deities
• Izanami died, burned to death by the kami of fire
• Izanagi was unclean and washed himself (WS
  520-21)
• Mouth ear eyeAmaterasu (ancestor of emperor)
• Amaterasus divine grandson Ninigi
• 3 gifts a mirror, a sword, and a string of
  jewels
• Ninigis grandson---? Jimmu Tenno (660 BC) the
  first human emperor of Japan

4

• This creation myth simply mentions the process of
  creation of the world (Japan)
• There is no notion of good or evil in this myth
• The Japanese love Japan and find it hard to
  conceive of anything else
• Shinto emphasizes a worshipful attitude toward
  nature, and toward the beauty of nature
• The natural beauty of Japan is miniaturized and
  brought down to human scale in the formal garden
  (Japanese garden)

5

• The Shinto View of God
• Polytheism/animism
• Japanese myths mention the existence of eight
  hundred myriads of kami beings
• This is a metaphor to express belief in the
  sacredness of the entire universe
• Basic concept is that of the kami
• Not really a god in the Western, Christian
  sense
• Fundamentally, an honorific for noble, sacred
  spirits
• Above, superior, numinous or sacred nature
• More broadly, the sacred quality of human
  existence and the universe
• There is a kami power which is a-moral
• Dangerous, rather than malicious
• Associated with practically everything (WS 204)
• Mt. Fuji is a sacred mountain home of a goddess
  has kami power
• Important deities Amaterasu-o-mi-kami (sun
  goddess) and Susa-no-wo
• There are also natural deities, anthropomorphic
  deities, conceptual deities, etc.

6

• View of Reality/Cosmos
• In ancient shinto mythology there is a 3-tiered
  (layered) universe
• Plane of the high heaven (world of the gods)
• The middle land (the manifested world where men
  and animals live)
• The underworld (the land of the dead unclean and
  evil spirits reside here)
• Modern shrine shinto does not present such
  traditional explanations WS 146
• To look upon the spirits of the other world is
  like a taboo
• Instead of developing theoretical explanations of
  the invisible world, shrines
• were established as sacred places to which the
  kami could be invited, and
• where human beings could experience their
  presence
• The kami are invited to come down to our plane,
  to share in our life here and now
• The world we live in is progressing from chaos to
  order, from the confusion of contradictions to a
  state of harmony and unity.
• The world gives promise of an unlimited
  development of life-power

7

• The world of shinto is not an isolated, but an
  all-inclusive world, including all things organic
  and inorganic.
• All things come into existence by virtue of the
  kami
• The world is not against people
• The world is filled with the blessings of the
  kami and is developing through the power of
  harmony and cooperation
• Shinto is not pessimistic, but optimistic
• The world is inherently good
• That which interferes with human happiness should
  be expelled. It belongs to another world

8

• View of the Human Being
• Body kami nature
• We should nourish and keep our kami nature pure
  (WS 139)
• Kami nature includes
• Personality
• Family tradition
• Contributions from others
• All living beings are possessed of kami nature
• No clear line of distinction between a human
  being and kami (WS 142)
• Man is conceived of as divine or spirit possessed
  (man more than woman)
• Man is of a higher level than animals because of
  greater kami force
• There are different degrees of kami possession
• Human beings are the children of kami and
  ancestors we are inherently good
• We have received our life from kami and ancestors
• We are loved and protected by them
• Our daily life work is made possible through the
  blessings of kami ancestors
• We are social beings there is no place for
  egotism

9

• We are born with a purpose in life
• hopes love
• Ancestors ------? Myself ---------------?
  Descendants
• ideals care
• We are lineally one
• Reverence for ancestors is important
• Man owes gratitude to the kami and his ancestors
  for his life, and for their all-encompassing
  love. He also owes much to his present family,
  his community, and the nation. His life is full
  of blessings and so he must accept his
  obligations to society and contribute to the
  development of all things entrusted to him
• Rites of passage
• one month after birth, the child is presented to
  the kami
• Weddings funerals

10

• The human problem
• There is no sense of original sin in shinto (as
  something inherited)
• There is a sense of moral evil (as opposed to
  natural evil)
• Evil is an intruder from outside it does not
  belong here
• The human problem is defilement or pollution
  (impurities)
• The sacredness which we have received from the
  kami has become clouded over
• Some causes of trouble
• Thoughts/motivations/actions which may release
  dangerous kami potency
• Pride (WS 291a)
• Careless speech (WS 353a)
• The displeasure of the gods/ancestors/kami (dont
  neglect, be loyal, keep them informed and make
  offerings) (WS 550a)
• A failure to measure up to our greatest capacity
  in relation to our ancestors, family, nation, and
  descendants (Confucian filial piety) (WS 504b)
• Defilement or pollution calls for ritual
  purification (based on the creation myth)
• Ceremonial purification is of utmost importance
• Water, sacred sakaki tree, haraigushi (wooden
  pole with strips of white paper)

11

• Purification is for the purpose of removing all
  pollution, unrighteousness, and evil which may
  hinder life according to the kami way and the
  efficacy of worship
• Ordinarily purification is accomplished by the
  individual worshipper, layman, or priest,
  symbolically rinsing the mouth and pouring clear
  water over the finger tips

12

• Salvation or liberation in Shinto
• Observe all taboos and avoid pollution
• The most important law of salvation calls for
  obedience to the emperor as a kami being
• The world of kami does not transcend the world of
  human beings WS 682
• We do not need to seek to enter a divine,
  transcendental world to attain salvation
• We bring kami into this world, into the daily
  life of home, society, and cooperation of people
• We experience kami here and now, and salvation is
  attained in the harmonious and progressive
  development of this world
• In worship, the spirits and kami are invited to
  the shrine and evil spirits are expelled
• Purification before worship is important
• Salvation is a worldly salvation

13

• In Shinto life is good and death is evil
• Shinto regards death as evil or a curse
• Death is not pollution, but it is an abnormality
  or misfortune

14

• Conduct in shinto
• All of life is lived in communion and in accord
  with the mind of the kami, which affords the
  devout believer constant protection.
• Daily life is regarded as service to the kami
• Conduct is extremely important
• Right conduct has three motives
• Prudence (self)
• Altruism (others)
• Love of God (kami)
• Shinto is opposed to excesses in food or drink,
  theft, murder, adultery, blasphemy, lying,
  disrespect to parents, etc.
• Good conduct involves
• Proper worship
• Moral and ethical conduct in society
• Maintenance of ceremonial purity

15

• For proper worship, it is assumed
• Profession of faith in the kami
• Offerings good and beautiful have been presented
• Mind and body have been purified
• Sincerity has been fulfilled
• Conduct has been courteous and proper
• The evil heart, selfish desire, strife, dispute,
  hatred, etc. have been dissolved
• Conciliation has been practiced
• A feeling of good will, cooperation, and
  affection has been realized among the people
• It is a distinctive feature of Shinto that kami
  worship is expressed not only
• from the depth of ones heart, but in a concrete
  act of religious worship
• Good conduct in Shinto requires one to fit into
  the group pattern and to
• express ones kami nature
• Key virtues in Shinto are Makoto and
  Magokoro
• WS 514, 515, 516
• Sincerity, faithfulness, a true heart a pure and
  sincere heart and mind
• WS 514a, 515a, 516a, 519b, 520a, 614a

16

• The Confucian ethic of the 5 great relationships
  was adapted into Shinto
• Relationship are very carefully regulated
• Mercy WS 684a
• Honesty WS 718b
• Learning WS 571a/b
• Compassion WS 685a/b
• The function of reverence is to honor the Deity
  in all things
• The function of purity is to sustain the
  manifestation of Deity in oneself

17

• Destiny of the human being
• Ones kami nature will survive death
• A man wants to be worthy of being remembered by
  his descendants

18
Shrines and the Priesthood

• Shrines are served by priests, who are primarily
  ritualists
• Being primarily a ritualist, a priest must know
  how to conduct the rites,
• ceremonies, and festivals, including the
  preparation and intoning of the
• appropriate liturgy
• The priests ceremonial dress is modeled after
  the costume of court officials of the Heian
  period
• It apparently has no significant symbolic meaning

19
The Importance of the Shrine and Priesthood

• The primary purpose of a shrine is to provide a
  dwelling place for one or more kami and a place
  where the kami can be served (worshipped in
  accordance with shinto beliefs and practices) WS
  592
• The shintai or god-body is contained within the
  innermost chamber of the shrine sanctuary
• The presence of this shintai is what makes a
  building a sanctuary
• 3 main buildings
• Chief sanctuary (honden holds the god-body)
• Hall of offerings (heiden) clergy officiate
  here
• Hall of worship (haiden) open to the public for
  alms giving
• Primary shrine in Japan is the Shrine of Ise
• Dedicated to Amaterasu (highest deity in shinto
  pantheon)
• Her shintai are a mirror, sword, and jeweled
  necklace
• Pass through the torii gate (winding road one
  never approaches the shrine directly)
• Stop for purification by rinsing with water
• After alerting the god (kami), usually by
  clapping, one makes an offering
• The minimum ritual requirement for the kami is a
  periodic presentation of offerings

20

• Festivals
• Very festive occasions
• Gion festival (Kyoto)
• Aoi festival (Kyoto)
• Kamigano Horse Race
• Inari rice-planting festival
• Festival for boys
• Childrens Day
• Colorful, exciting, dynamic
• Often the shintai will be removed from its abode
  in the shrine and carried around the
  neighborhood, conveying blessings and receiving
  donations

21

• Varieties of Shinto
• Originally there was no shrine
• Rites and rituals were conducted at sacred places
  (foot of a beautiful mountain, next to a
  waterfall, etc.)
• There were at one time nearly 200,000 shrines
• There was also state Shinto, prior to its
  termination
• Today, shrine Shinto is the dominant mode
• Ryobu Shinto
• Shinto and Buddhist combination
• Suiga Shinto
• Shinto and Confucianist combination
• Yuiitsu Shinto
• Shinto apologetics based on the principle of unity