General characteristics of Shintoism. Shintoism is the Japanese national religion of Shintoism, founder
Japan is the land of the rising sun. Many tourists are very surprised by the behavior, customs and mentality of the Japanese. They seem strange, not like other people in other countries. Religion plays a big role in all this.
Religion of Japan
Since ancient times, the people of Japan believed in the existence of spirits, gods, worship and the like. All this gave rise to the religion of Shintoism. In the seventh century, this religion was officially adopted in Japan.
The Japanese don't have sacrifices or anything like that. Absolutely everything is based on mutual understanding and friendly relations. They say that the spirit can be summoned simply by clapping your hands twice while standing near the temple. The worship of souls and the subordination of the lower to the higher had no effect on self-knowledge.
Shintoism is the purely national religion of Japan, so you probably won’t find a country in the world in which it flourishes so well.
Shinto teachings
- The Japanese worship spirits, gods, and various entities.
In Japan they believe that any object is alive. Be it wood, stone or grass.
There is a soul in all objects; the Japanese also call it kami.
There is one belief among the indigenous people that after death, the soul of the deceased begins its existence in stone. Because of this, stones play a big role in Japan and represent family and eternity.
For the Japanese, the main principle is to unite with nature. They are trying to merge with her.
The most important thing about Shintoism is that there is no good and evil. It's like there are no completely evil or good people. They do not blame the wolf for killing its prey due to hunger.
In Japan, there are priests who “possess” certain abilities and are able to perform rituals to expel a spirit or tame it.
A large number of talismans and amulets are present in this religion. Japanese mythology plays a large role in their creation.
In Japan, various masks are created that are made based on images of spirits. Totems are also present in this religion, and all followers believe in magic and supernatural abilities, their development in man.
A person will “save” himself only when he accepts the truth of the inevitable future and finds peace with himself and those around him.
Due to the existence of kami in Japanese religion, they also have a main goddess - Amaterasu. It was she, the sun goddess, who created ancient Japan. The Japanese even “know” how the goddess was born. They say that the goddess was born from the right eye of her father, because the girl glowed and warmth emanated from her, her father sent her to rule. There is also a belief that the imperial family has family ties with this goddess, because of the son she sent to Earth.
“The Way of the Gods” - this is the translation of the word Shintoism, the traditional religion of the Land of the Rising Sun or Japan - let us walk along the Way of the Gods, briefly examining the ideas, essence, principles and philosophy of Shintoism.
This is an ancient Japanese belief system in which many deities and spirits of deceased ancestors became objects of veneration and worship. The teachings of Buddhism significantly influenced the development of Shintoism, which is based on the worship of something external.
History of the development of Shintoism
There are several views regarding the origin Shinto (Paths of the Gods). According to some, it came at the beginning of our era from Korea or China. According to another version, the history of Shintoism begins in Japan itself.Why does the Japanese flag have a rising sun?
Actually, Shintoism became a systematized or traditional religion in the 7th-8th centuries AD. And as many people know, the symbol of Japan is the sun, and the name there is a corresponding Land of the Rising Sun - this is in honor of the main sun goddess Amaterasu. According to the Shinto tradition, the pedigree of the imperial family begins with it.
The essence of Shintoism
According to Shintoism and its essence, many natural phenomena or forces of nature can have their own spiritual basis or essence. And that which has a spiritual essence, according to Shintoism, is god or Kami(from Japanese).
In other words, this is the deification of something that can evoke any emotions, say a mountain or stone, sky, earth, bird and others. And here we even find amazing things, because in Shintoism it is believed that people are born precisely by gods, and not created, as for example in Christianity.
And there is even one also amazing story, when a Catholic asked a Shintoist what God looks like, he simply answered “and we dance.” This is a beautiful answer, isn’t it, even more so than the one we already wrote separately.
Basic Ideas of Shintoism
One of the most important and basic ideas of Shintoism is achieving harmony with the deities through purification and elimination of all unnecessary things that interfered with the comprehension of the world around us and being in harmony with it.
Needless to say, the influence of Buddhism, which had already begun to influence Japanese culture even before the emergence of Shinto, had an impact. For some time, Buddhism even became the state religion. And even the deities of Shintoism began to be considered the patrons of Buddhism. And Buddhist sutras began to be read in Shinto temples.It should also be noted that the ideas of Shinto also served the interests of the entire country, because if a person becomes pure in heart, then he lives in harmony with nature and the Gods, and therefore the country as a whole becomes prosperous.
Here we also see the idea that a person who is peaceful and treats others with respect and compassion receives protection from the gods and from the Buddha, and the whole country also receives divine protection.
Although from the 18th century Shintoism began to separate from Buddhism and develop separately, Buddhism remained the state religion until 1886.
Just as Confucius played a role in unifying China, so Shintoism, with its ideas of the divinity of the imperial family, played a role in unifying the Japanese state.
Principles of Shintoism
One of the basic principles of Shintoism is living in harmony with nature and among people. Respect was shown for the imperial family as if it were a divine bloodline.Moreover, it is believed that gods, people and the spirits of the dead simply coexist with each other, since everyone is in a cycle of reincarnation.
The principles of Shinto are also based on the fact that if a person lives with a pure and sincere heart and sees the world as it is, then for this reason he is already virtuous and in his place.
In Shintoism, evil is a lack of harmony, hatred and selfishness, a violation of the general order that exists in nature.
Religious customs and rituals of Shintoism
The Shinto religion is built on rituals, customs and temple services. It is believed that everything in this world is initially harmonious, just like man himself. However, evil spirits take advantage of a person’s weaknesses and base thoughts. This is why deities are needed in Shintoism - they are a support for a person, to maintain a pure heart and provide him with protection.
There are entire collections of books on how to correctly perform the rituals of the gods, both in ordinary temples and in the temples of the imperial court. Shintoism served to unite the Japanese people, because it is believed that it was the gods who first existed, and they gave birth to both Japan and the dynasty of Chinese emperors.
Shintoism is the state religion of Japan
In 1868, Shintoism in Japan became the state religion, until 1947, when a new constitution was adopted and for some reason the emperor ceased to be considered a living god.
As for modern Shintoism, even today in Japan there are tens of thousands of temples where rituals of deities or ancestral spirits are held. Temples are usually built in nature, in beautiful places.
The central place in the temple is the altar, on which some object is placed, in which the spirit of the deity is located. This item can be a stone, a piece of wood, or even a sign with an inscription.
And in a Shinto shrine there may be separate places for preparing sacred food, for spells and dancing.
Shinto philosophy
At its core, the Shinto tradition and its philosophy are based on the deification and worship of natural forces. The living gods who created the people of Japan are embodied in the spirits of nature, for example, in the spirit of a mountain, stone, or river.
The sun is a completely different matter. So Sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami - is the main deity of Japanese Shintoism, and simply all of Japan, as the founder of the imperial family.
And therefore, according to Shinto philosophy, people should worship these deities as respect for their bloodline and for protection, as well as for patronage from these deities and nature spirits.
Shinto philosophy also includes the concept of virtue, compassion for others, and strong respect for elders. The original sinlessness and virtue of the soul is recognized.
Places to worship where you are
As we have already said, Shintoism was greatly influenced by Buddhism, which was the state religion for a long time. A characteristic feature of Shintoism is that believers are not required to visit temples frequently; it is enough to come on holidays. You can also perform prayers to ancestors and spirits at home.
Homes usually have small altars or kamidan- a place of prayer to the gods or spirits of ancestors, with offerings of sake and rice cakes. Before the kamidan, bows and clapping of palms are made to attract deities.Conclusion
It is quite obvious that Japanese Shintoism had its The goal is to unite the people, develop harmony between people and nature, as well as develop the spirit of unity. In addition, Shintoism finds virtually no contradictions with other major world religions, because the same ancestors are revered almost everywhere.
So a person can be, for example, both a Shintoist and a Buddhist at the same time. And as the experience of Shintoism shows, the main thing is harmony.
Perhaps someday, all religions will even come to one religion, or better yet, to one faith, faith in harmony, love, and similar things that are uniquely valuable and necessary for every reasonable and successful person.
Well, that’s why we wish everyone harmony and prosperity, and don’t forget to visit our portal, where you can learn a lot of interesting things about the spiritual world. And in one of the following articles we will try to bring a common denominator to all the main world religions and beliefs of society and, of course, don’t forget, which has so greatly influenced the history, philosophy and essence of Shintoism.
The national religion of Japan is Shintoism. The term "Shinto" means the way of the gods. Son or kami - These are gods, spirits that inhabit the entire world around humans. Any object can be the embodiment of a kami. The origins of Shinto go back to ancient times and include all forms of belief and cults inherent in peoples: totemism, animism, magic, fetishism, etc.
Development of syntonism
The first mythological monuments of Japan dating back to the 7th-8th centuries. AD, - Kojiki, Fudoki, Nihongi - reflected the complex path of formation of the system of Shinto cults. A significant place in this system is occupied by the cult of dead ancestors, the main of which was the clan ancestor ujigami, symbolizing the unity and cohesion of the members of the clan. The objects of veneration were the deities of the earth and fields, rain and wind, forests and mountains, etc.
In the early stages of development, Shinto did not have an orderly system of beliefs. The development of Shinto followed the path of forming a complex unity of religious and mythological ideas of various tribes - both local and those who came from the mainland. As a result, a clear religious system was never created. However, with the development of the state and the rise of the emperor, the Japanese version of the origin of the world, the place of Japan and its sovereigns in this world is formed. Japanese mythology claims that in the beginning there were Heaven and Earth, then the first gods appeared, among whom was a married couple Izanagi And Izanami, which played a major role in the creation of the world. They disturbed the ocean with a huge spear tipped with a precious stone, and seawater dripping from the tip formed the first of the Japanese islands. Then they began to run around the sky pillar and gave birth to other Japanese islands. After Izanami's death, her husband Izanagi visited the kingdom of the dead, hoping to save her, but was unable to. Returning, he performed a rite of purification, during which he produced the Sun Goddess from his left eye - Amaterasu - from the right - the god of the Moon, from the nose - the god of rain, who devastated the country with a flood. During the flood, Amaterasu went into a cave and deprived the earth of light. All the gods, having gathered, persuaded her to go out and return the Sun, but they succeeded with great difficulty. In Shintoism, this event is, as it were, reproduced in holidays and rituals dedicated to the arrival of spring.
According to mythology, Amaterasu sent her grandson Ninigi to earth so that he could control people. The Japanese emperors, who are called tenno(heavenly sovereign) or Mikado. Amaterasu gave him “divine” regalia: a mirror - a symbol of honesty, jasper pendants - a symbol of compassion, a sword - a symbol of wisdom. These qualities are attributed to the highest degree to the personality of the emperor. The main temple complex in Shintoism was the shrine in Ise - Ise jingu. In Japan, there is a myth according to which the spirit of Amaterasu, who lives in Ise Jingu, helped the Japanese in the fight against the Mongol conquerors in 1261 and 1281, when the divine wind " kamikaze"Twice destroyed the Mongolian fleet heading to the shores of Japan. Shinto shrines are rebuilt every 20 years. It is believed that the gods enjoy being in one place for just that long.
Levels of syntonism
In Shinto, there are several levels, which are determined by the objects and subjects of the cult.
Dynasty Shinto is the property of the imperial family. There are gods that only family members can invoke and rituals that can only be performed by family members.
Emperor cult(tennoism) - obligatory for all Japanese.
Temple Shinto - worship of general and local gods, which exist in every locality and protect people living under their protection.
Homemade Shinto - worship of tribal gods.
At the beginning of the 6th century. in Japan and become known. Gradually, Buddhism begins to play a significant role in the life of Japan; Buddhism and Shinto interpenetrate and complement each other. The deities of Buddhism are accepted in Shintoism, and vice versa. Shintoism, with its collectivistic nature, serves the needs of the community, while Buddhism, which is personal in nature, focuses on the individual. A situation arises that is called rebusinto(double path of the gods). Buddhism and Shintoism have coexisted peacefully for several centuries.
Name: Shintoism (“way of the gods”)
Occurrence time: VI century
Shintoism is a traditional religion in Japan. Based on the animistic beliefs of the ancient Japanese, the objects of worship are numerous deities and spirits of the dead. She experienced significant influence in her development.
The basis of Shinto is the deification and worship of natural forces and phenomena. It is believed that many things have their own spiritual essence - kami. Kami can exist on Earth in a material object, and not necessarily in one that is considered alive in the standard sense, such as a tree, stone, sacred place or natural phenomenon, and under certain conditions can appear in divine dignity. Some kami are spirits of an area or of certain natural objects (for example, the spirit of a particular mountain), others personify global natural phenomena, such as Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess. Kami are revered - the patrons of families and clans, as well as the spirits of deceased ancestors, who are considered patrons and protectors of their descendants. Shinto includes magic, totemism, and belief in the effectiveness of various talismans and amulets. It is considered possible to protect against hostile kami or subdue them with the help of special rituals.
The main spiritual principle of Shinto is living in harmony with nature and people. According to Shinto beliefs, the world is a single natural environment where kami, people and the souls of the dead live side by side. Kami are immortal and included in the cycle of birth and death, through which everything in the world is constantly renewed. However, the cycle in its current form is not endless, but exists only until the destruction of the earth, after which it will take on other forms. In Shinto there is no concept of salvation; instead, everyone determines their natural place in the world through their feelings, motivations and actions.
Shinto cannot be considered a dualistic religion; it does not have the general strict law inherent in the Abrahamic religions. The Shinto concepts of good and evil differ significantly from European ones (), first of all, in their relativity and specificity. Thus, enmity between those who are naturally antagonistic or who harbor personal grievances is considered natural and does not make one of the opponents unconditionally “good” or the other – unconditionally “bad.” In ancient Shintoism, good and evil were denoted by the terms yoshi (good) and ashi (bad), the meaning of which is not a spiritual absolute, as in European morality, but the presence or absence of practical value and suitability for use in life. In this sense, Shinto understands good and evil to this day - both the first and the second are relative, the assessment of a specific act depends entirely on the circumstances and goals that the person committing it set for himself.
If a person acts with a sincere, open heart, perceives the world as it is, if his behavior is respectful and impeccable, then he is most likely to do good, at least in relation to himself and his social group. Virtue recognizes compassion for others, respect for elders in age and position, the ability to “live among people” - to maintain sincere and friendly relationships with everyone who surrounds a person and makes up his society. Anger, selfishness, rivalry for the sake of rivalry, and intolerance are condemned. Everything that disrupts social order, destroys the harmony of the world and interferes with the service of the kami is considered evil.
Thus, evil, in the Shinto view, is a kind of disease of the world or a person. Creating evil (that is, causing harm) is unnatural for a person; a person does evil when he is deceived or has been subjected to self-deception, when he cannot or does not know how to feel happy living among people, when his life is bad and wrong.
Since there is no absolute good and evil, only the person himself can distinguish one from the other, and for correct judgment he needs an adequate perception of reality (“a heart like a mirror”) and a union with the deity. A person can achieve such a state by living correctly and naturally, purifying his body and consciousness and approaching the kami through worship.
Already the initial unification of Shinto into a single national religion took place under the strong influence of the religion that penetrated Japan in the 6th-7th centuries. Because the
Shintoism(from the Japanese Shinto - way of the gods) is the national religion of Japan. It refers to polytheism and is based on the worship of numerous deities and spirits of the dead. From 1868 to 1945 it was the state religion. After defeat in World War II, the Emperor of Japan renounced his divine origin, but since 1967, the holiday of the founding of the empire began to be celebrated again.
Shintoism little known compared to other religions, but many people know torii- gates in Shinto shrines, some even have an idea of the unique decorations that decorate the roofs of Japanese temples. However, for everyone, with rare exceptions, both the temples into which the torii gates lead and the religion they symbolize remain a mystery.
This religious teaching is based on an animalistic representation of the world. Animalism means the animation of everything that exists, from man to stone. According to the doctrine, there are patron spirits - gods ( kami), which dominate some area: forest, mountain, river, lake. It is also believed that they can patronize a certain family, clan or just a person, and be embodied in various objects. In total there are about 8 million. kami.
Temple worship began after the arrival in Japan Buddhism in the 6th century, which had a strong influence on this religion, and also eliminated the monopoly position Shintoism. During the heyday of Japanese feudalism (10th-16th centuries) Buddhism played a predominant role in the religious life of the country, many Japanese began to profess two religions (for example, marriages, the birth of a child, local holidays were usually celebrated in a Shinto shrine, and the funeral cult was performed mainly according to the rules of Buddhism).
There are now approximately 80,000 Shito shrines in Japan.
The main sources of Shinto mythology are collections of " Kojiki"(Records of Ancient Affairs) and " Nihongi"(Annals of Japan), created, respectively, in 712 and 720 AD. They included combined and revised tales that had previously been passed down orally from generation to generation..
Shinto states that at first there was a chaos containing all the elements that were mixed and blurred into an indeterminate formless mass, but then the chaos divided and Takama-nohara (High Sky Plain) and the Akitsushima Islands were formed. Then the first 5 gods appeared, who gave birth to all the other gods, living beings and created this world.
The Sun Goddess holds a special place in worship Amaterasu, who is considered the Supreme Deity, and her descendant Jimmu. Jimmu considered the ancestor of the Japanese emperors. February 11, 660 BC Jimmu, according to myths, ascended the throne.
The philosophy of Shintoism states that in every emperor there live gods who guide all their activities. That's why there are imperial dynasties in Japan. The philosophical schools of Shinto form another part of the ideology - kokutai (body of the state), according to which deities live in every Japanese person, exercising their will through him. The special divine spirit of the Japanese people and its superiority over all others are openly proclaimed. Therefore, Japan is given a special place and its superiority over all other states is proclaimed.
The main principle Shinto is living in harmony with nature and people. According to views Shinto, the world is a single natural environment where kami, people, the souls of the dead live nearby.
Purification rites are of great importance in Shintoism ( harai), which appeared under the influence Buddhism. The main concept of these rituals is to eliminate everything unnecessary, superficial, everything that prevents a person from perceiving the world around him as it really is. The heart of a person who has purified himself is like a mirror; it reflects the world in all its manifestations and becomes the heart kami. A person who has a divine heart lives in harmony with the world and the gods, and the country where people strive for purification prospers. At the same time, with traditional Shinto attitude towards rituals, real action is put in first place, and not ostentatious religious zeal and prayers. That is why there is almost no furniture in Japanese homes and every house, if possible, is decorated with a small garden or pond.
In a broad sense, Shintoism there is more than just religion. This is a fusion of views, ideas and spiritual methods that over more than two millennia have become an integral part of the path of the Japanese people. Shintoism formed over many centuries under the influence of various merging ethnic and cultural traditions, both indigenous and foreign, and thanks to it the country achieved unity under the rule of the imperial family.