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Religion about Japan

http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/Japan/relig...

clipped by ky1008 Aug 18, 2006

buddhism Japan pureland religion

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Shintoism

Shintoism is a far decsendant of ancient animism, mixed with ancestor worship, sun worship, and Buddhism. Shintoists see everything have its own spirits, which they call kami . Even a man becomes Kami when he died. It is said there are eight millions Kami in the world. ("eight millions" means "many")

There are various kami. Some kami made good harvest, which was called Fuku-no-kami . Some brought disaster. which was called Magatsu-Kami. The basic of ancient animism was to call Fuku-no-Kami and to repel Matatsu-Kami. Songs, dances and festivals were created for such rituals.

Each village had own shinto shrine, in which they deified the most important kami in their village. Some deified water kami (Ryu-jin or a dragon spirit), some did an old tree kami. When a village member died, he was enshrined there. He became a minor Kami. However, alike the western Christianity, rulers used Shintoism for a mean to rule people. They create new sun kami, which is called Amaterasu , and located her atop all other kami. Then they decleared the Emperorwas descendant of Amaterasu . All shrines in the country was absorbed into this system. When Buddhism was brought into the country 1300 years ago, Shintoism was greatly influenced by this new religion, and mixed partly. Some shrine was deifying Buddha and Kami at the same time.

Now Shintoism has changed far different from original animism. Almost Japanese have little faith and believe no miracles of faith. But its spiritual backbone remains. Shito is a way of coexist with the natural world, with all spirits in the world.

Buddhism -- Jodo

Original Buddhism said a man could be saved only by getting spiritual awakening by himself. This meant those who couldn't attain awakening by himself were never to be saved. When Buddha died, his followers branched into two groups. One is Hinayana Buddhism, aiming to save only priests who could awake by himself. Another is Mahayana Buddhism , trying to save all people rather than only priests. The Jodo sect is a far descendant of Mahayanist Buddhism. Jodo priests abandoned the concept of the salvation of deliverance. Such concept was too difficult for people to understand. Instead, they preached "You will be reborn in the paradise if you behave good, and will be in the hell if you behave bad." It was said there were six lives, the life as a human, the life in the paradise, the life as a animal, the life in forever wars, the life in eternal starvation, and the life in the hell. The word "Jodo" means "the paradise." The original Jodo sect was formed in ancient China, and brought into Japan about 1000 years ago. Then this religion was mixed up with Japanese Shinto and other ancestor worships. As a result, the Jodo Buddhism became a religion attaching very importance on funerals and services for the dead.

Shinran is the most famous priest of Jodo Buddhism, and the founder of the Jodo-shin-shu subsect. His famous word akunin shoki -- "even a thief can be saved" is sometimes compared to the preach of Jesus Christ. Jodo-shin-shu can be considered as the only Japanese religion that preached the relief in the afterlife. So fanatic believers of the sect didn't fear death, like as Islam. Once Jodo-shin-shu was known for its very aggressive and violent attitude against the suppression (The sect was suppressed by almost rulers). There were numerous revolts by Jodo-shin-shu farmers against rulers, which are called Ikko-ikki ( Ikki means ``revolt''). The morale of the believers were extremely high, and they fought to die. In the Civil War Era, Jodo-shin-shu was one of the major power among many daimyo in Japan. Lead by the archbishop Kennyo Kosa , the believers opposed Oda Nobunaga.

Jodo-shin-shu is still powerful in Japan today. However, Jodo-shin-shu devided into two sects in 17th century, Honganji sect and Otani sect. The schism was caused by Tokugawa Ieyasu to weaken the major threat to his Edo shogunate. Though the both sects have similar doctrine, they are at odds each other.

Buddhism -- Esoterics

More than a thousand years ago, a new mysterious sect of Buddhism was brought into Japan. Mikkyo , or known as Esoterics. It was said the priests of Esoterics invoke powerful miracles, called horiki . They could cure diseases, kill a person by curse, fly in the air, see into the future, scare monsters such as oni , fight tremendous monsters with the power of Buddha. The religion was loved by the nobles in the Heian Era. There were two major temples of Esoterics once. But Enryakuji temple in Mt.Hiei , Kyoto, was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in the Civil War Era, and only Kongobuji temple in Mt. Kouya remains now.

Kukai , aka Kobo Taishi , was the most famous priest of Esoterics. His subsect is called Singonshu. He is the founder of Kongobuji temple.

Priests of Esoterics often disciplined in mountains. Such priests were called Yamabuse . It was said they were good at both horiki and martial arts.

Horiki can be considered as a Core Earth Magic, which uses faith (Esoteric Buddhism) as the spiritual substitution. The disciplined priests were also magicians, who cast spells such as Kujaku-myoo Hiko-ju (Fly), Shidan (Bullets) etc.

Buddhism -- Zen

Zen is a sect of Buddhism, a far descendatn of Hinayana Buddhism. Zen priests say the spiritual awakening is attained only by meditation. They meditate and put a question each other. The answer is got only by meditation. Throught such meditation and question Zen priests can attain the spiritual awakening.

The questions asked by Zen priests are very difficult and seems meaningless. Such as "When you clapp your hands, which hand make a sound?" "The both hands" is not correct answer of course. No, there is no correct answer. The priests get the truth through thinking such questions.

Taoism

Many people think Taoism origins in a legendary Chinese philosopher Lao Zi. Though, it is not accurate. I can say that the Tao philosophy of Lao Zi is one component of Taoism, but not all. I cannot tell what Taoism is. It is a too vague concept. If I have to say something, I'd say that Taoism is a mixture of native religions of ancient Chinese, divination, Confucian courtesy and ceremony, Buddhism introduced from India, and the Tao philosophy of Lao Zi and Shuang Zi.'' Though Taoism is not popular in Japan, it had influenced over Japanese culture. So I'll explain its outline briefly.: Tao Philosophy : The Tao philosophy is based on the books written by Lao Zi and Shuang Zi. The text of the books are too vague, so that ten readers can make eleven interpretations. So numerous annotations about the books have published ever since (some of them contradict each other of course). I won't say I understand it. But you seems to expect I'll give some information about the philosophy, I'll write some. The Tao philosophy assumes a being beyond human sense, a universal oneness containing everything in itself, called Tao. Tao is translated as ``the way'' traditionally. Anyone cannot get to Tao through shrewd intelligence or deep meditation. The only way to Tao is to live naturally. Oh, yeah, it is debatable what naturally means. Living in the wild? I don't think so. Abandoning all greed? It's important but not enough. Think by yourself!; Tao philosophy is not popular in Japan. I think it was too difficult and idealistic for Japanese mentality. However, it have affected more or less to Japanese culture. Japanese has the concept of Do, which means ``the way.'' I think it a far descendant of Tao in Chinese.; Chinese Divination : Ancient Chinese divined by the cracks on burned bones and turtle carapases. To record the cracks they invented characters, which is said to be the ancestor of Han characters. Since then they had invented numerous method for divination, such as astrology, calender, house plan and direction, physiognomies etc.. Taoism inherited the long tradition of Chinese divination. In Japan it was inherited by Onmyo-Do.; Confucian courtesy and ceremony : Coufucius is the world famous Chinese philosopher ciaca 500 BC. His philosophy is very popular in China, Korea and Japan, so it will be explained on another page (not available now, but soon...). At this point, we should note that he made much of courtesy and traditional ceremony. This part of his teaching was inherited by taoism. Taoism have numerous ceremonies such as ancestor worship etc.; Buddhism legends : Taoism inherited many legends from Buddhism and Hinduism. Many Buddhism/Hinduism deities appeared in Taoism legends. They coexisted with Cerestial Emperor (native Chinese religion) and deified Lao Zi. Taoism itself had little aspect of self-enlightment.; Alchemy : Alchemy was popular among Taoists, though it was much different from Arabian/Europian alchemy. Chinese alchemists aimed at longevity pill rather than gold (pill was the more common form of medicine than liquid potion). Emperors of Chinese dynasties wanted to attain immortality, so alchemists made various pills from quicksilver, arsenic, etc.. It was unfortunate that Chinese alchemy couldn't develop modern chemistry.; Sennin : It was widely believed among Taoists that a man could attain immortality by achieving Tao. Such the immortal were thought to have fantastic abilities such as living without any foods, flying with clouds, etc.. Though Taoism was not popular in Japan, mideival Japanese believed in the immortal taoists. They were called Sennin in Japanese (sorry, I forget what they were called in Chinese). At first, immortality was the prize only for those who had achieved Tao. However, taoists began to want immortality without achieving Tao. So many legends were bore to become Sennin. Some thought there had been a special pill which had made taker into Sennin (how easy idea!). Some other thought to become Sennin by fasting because a Sennin could live without food. Some other thought the way to Sennin is known only by real Sennin, so they had to find Sennin and learn the secret. There were much more other hypothesis how to become Sennin. A Sennin was described as a hermit living in the wild, who lived on mist.

Onmyo-Do

Onmyo-Do was not really a religion. It was a science thousands years ago. Yeah, you can call it magic. It was based on the oriental astrology, almanac, various method of fortune-telling, and the mystical taoism religion. More description will be available on Japanese Magic page (comin' soon).

Christianity

Christianity was brought into the country by Fransisco Xavier in 1549. Christians increased under the protection of a powerful daimyo, Oda Nobunaga . But after his death, his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi prohibited Christianity, because Christians deny the traditional class system.

When Hideyoshi died, his successor Tokugawa Ieyasu became a shogun, and began to clamp down Christians. Many Christians were killed. But brave missionary continued to come from Europe, and christians revolted against shogunate. See also the Revolt on Shimabara. Finally the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu decided to close the country in 1638. When the Edo shogunate falled in 1867, freedom of religion was permitted. But during the Pacific War Christians were considered as American spies and suppressed again. It was in 1945 when Chrisitianity got right finally. Now there are hundred thousands of Christians in Japan.

Kannon Bosatsu - Goddess of Mercy - Japanese Buddhism Photo Dictionary

http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kannon.shtml

clipped by ky1008 May 12, 2006

buddhism Japan kuanyin

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KANNON BOSATSU
Sanskrit = Avalokitesvara, Avalokiteshvara, Lokeshvara
GODDESS OF MERCY, GOD OF COMPASSION
Help For People in Distress in the Earthly Realm
Chinese = Kuan Yin or Guanshiyin; Tibetan = Spyan-ras-gzigs
Less-Known Japanese Spellings = Kanjizai, Kanzeon, Kwannon

Last Update August 9, 2004
Koyasu Kannon (Child Giving) Kannon - Aug. 2004
Batou Kannon (Kannon with Horse Head) - Aug. 2004

11-headed Kannon, Fujiwara Era, Rakuya-ji Temple

Historical Notes
The Goddess of Mercy embodies compassion and is one of the most widely worshiped divinities in Japan and mainland Asia. Kannon literally means "watchful listening," which could be loosely translated as "the one who sees/hears all." This is indeed the task of the compassionate Kannon bodhisattva -- to witness/listen to the prayers of those in difficulty in the earthly realm, and to help them achieve enlightenment. Originally male, Kannon is commonly portrayed as female in China, Japan and elsewhere in Asia. Why this is so is not easily explained or understood.

11-Headed Kannon
Jyuichi Men Kannon

Kannon of the 1000 Hands
Senjyu Kannon

Kannon with the Horse's Head
Batou Kannon
Protector of Animals

Sacred (Pure) Form of Kannon
Sho Kannon

Omnipotent Kannon
Nyo-irin Kannon
Often has six arms
Holds the wish-granting jewel

One Prayer Kannon
Hito Koto Kannon
Will only answer one prayer

Fukukensaku Kannon Bosatsu - Usually 8 arms, holds lasso to catch straying souls
Fukukensaku Kannon
Click here for image
"Unfailing Fishing Line"
or "Never Empty Lasso"
Often has eight arms
Holds lasso (net) to catch
straying souls and lead
them to salvation

子安観音
Koyasu (Child-Giving) Kannon
Protector of Children
Also called Juntei Kannon

The Kannon can appear in many different forms to save people according to their time and place. The Avalokitesvara Sutra mentions 33 specific forms. Says Shaku Soen (deceased), lord abbot of Engakuji Temple: "She will be a philosopher, merchant, man of letters, person of low birth, or anything as required by the occasion, while her sole aim is to deliver all beings without exception from ignorance and suffering."

In traditional Japanese Buddhist art and sculpture, the "Sho Kannon" represents the unchangeable form of the deity -- the "pure and sacred" form -- while her other manifestations are commonly referred to as the 33 keshin (see adjacent table and below photos).

The worship of Kannon Bosatsu probably began in Japan in the 7th century, soon after Buddhism reached Japan by way of China and Korea. In Japan, the Kannon is often depicted with eleven faces (Jyuichi-men Kannon), symbolic of shedding sweetness and mercy in all directions. Since she is one of the principal attendants of Amida Nyorai, the Buddha of the Western Paradise, you will also find a figure of the Amida among her eleven heads (see her topmost central headdress in first photo above).

The Kannon is also often shown with a thousand arms (Senjyu Kannon), symbolic of her ability to embrace earth and alleviate the suffering of all people in the earthly realm. In Japan, the most widely known pilgrimage circuit devoted to Kannon covers 100 sites, and making the circuit to each in proper order is said to save the believer from Hell and to open the gates to everlasting life. The Kannon occupies a major place in the liturgy of the Pure Land Sect in Japan, whose principal deity of worship is Amida Nyorai.

The Male Goddess (huh?)
Originally male in Indian mythology, the Kannon is more often portrayed as female in China, Japan and other Asian countries. Although Kannon is translated as Goddess of Mercy, the "goddess" part is doubtful, for according to Buddhist teachings, a female bodhisattva is impossible -- and unsupported by any canonical text -- and sexually specific depictions of Kannon are always male. If you click the photo at the top this page, moreover, a close look will reveal that the "goddess" has a mustache.

Japanese Mantra for Kannon Bosatsu

Chinese and Japanese Myths
Known as Kuan-yin in China, the Kannon is said to be the spiritual son of Amitabha (Amida), although images of the Kannon always appear as a goddess. The Chinese also say that Kuan-yin (Kwanjin) was born into this world as the daughter of the King of the Chow Dynasty. Sentenced to death by her father for refusing to marry, she was sent to the executioner's block, where it is said the executioner's sword broke without inflicting a wound.

Stone figure of 11-Headed Kannon found at Hase Dera in Kamakura

Other Chinese tales say her spirit went to Hell, but her radiance turned hell into paradise, so the King of the infernal regions sent her back to earth again, transporting her on a lotus flower. In Japan, the Buddhist nun Chujo Hime is said to be an incarnation of the Kannon. Chujo Hime is also regarded as one of the greatest early Japanese embroidery artists. To Tibetans, the current Dalai Lama is an incarnation of Kannon.

The Treasures of Hase Dera, Kamakura
This large 11-headed gilt statue (see photo at right), built sometime in the 8th century, stands over nine meters high, making it the largest wooden statue in Japan. Folklore says this wooden statue was carved from a giant camphor tree by the monk Tokudo in 721 AD, who made two images from the same tree. The first image was enshrined in a temple in Nara Prefecture, while the second (the statue now at Hase Dera in Kamakura) was cast into the sea with prayers that it float to an area where it had greatest karmic connection and thereafter save souls in that area. According to legend, it washed up on shore in 736, at Nagai, in the Miura Peninsula, slightly south of Kamakura, glowing brightly, it is said, and later it was transferred to its present site at Hase Dera in Kamakura.

33 Incarnations
of the Goddess of Mercy
Thirty-three wood-carved figures were presented to Hase Kannon Temple (aka Hase Dera) by shogun Yoshimasa (1449-1471). They represent the keshin, or incarnations, of the Goddess of Mercy, who, it is said, comes in many forms to save the souls of the suffering. To Tibetans, for example, the Dalai Lama is an incarnation of Kannon. Pictured here are some of the 33 keshin. Photo at right scanned from brochure of Hase Dera in Kamakura.

The Number 33
The Avalokitesvara Sutra mentions 33 specific forms of the Kannon. But it is unclear why the number 33 was used. One theory relates to the Buddhist realm called Mt. Shumisen (or Mt. Sumeru, originally from Hindu mythology). In this heavenly palace of the Buddha and all followers, there are 33 deities who guard and protect the realm. They are commanded by Taishakuten, who governs the other 32 gods who live in Zenkenjo (Palace of Correct Views) in the Buddhist heaven (Trayastrimsha) on the peak of Mt. Sumeru; click here for more. In Japan, there are 100 temples nationwide that are sacred to Kannon, and making the circuit to each in proper order is said to save the believer from Hell and to open the gates to everlasting life. .

Below: Photos of some "Keshin" (Incarnations of Kannon)

Kannon With Horse's Head (Batou Kannon, 馬頭観音)
See above photo with horse's head. Farmers pray to this particular manifestation of the Kannon for the safety and preservation of their horses and cattle, and Batou Kannon is not only said to protect dumb animals, particularly those who labor for mankind, but she extends her power to protecting their spirits and bringing them ease and a happier life than they experienced while on earth. (Source: Myths and Legends of Japan, by F. Hadland Davis, 1913)

Says site reader and contributor GABI
"By neighing like a horse, these deities ward off the bad demons. Batoo Kannon has been known in Japan since 7th century. She is especially honored by the horse breeders in Northern Japan. Nowadays you even find bicycles in front of the stone votive statues on waysides. There is also a version with the head of an ox (gotoo Kannon) or a pig (tontoo Kannon). There is also a special mudra for the horse headed deity -- Batoo Myoo-in, Bakoo-in (or makoo-in) -- as quoted from Ashida and Hanayama. " <end quote by GABI>

More about Batou Kannon
Below text courtesy of:
JAANUS: Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System
http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/b/batoukannon.htm

NOTE: Below text uses Japanese characters. You'll need a Japanese font set on your computer to read the Japanese characters.

Batou Kannon wooden statue, courtesy www.butsuzou.com/English/works/bato.html Batou Kannon 　馬頭観音
Sk: Hayagriva. Also called Batou Myouou 馬頭明王､. The "Horse-headed" Kannon. Kannon 観音 in an angry, funnu 忿怒, form. He is also considered to be the angry form of the Buddha Muryouju 無量寿. One of the Six Kannon, Roku Kannon 六観音, who saves those in the realm of animals, and also one of the Hachidai Myouou 八大明王. He is distinguished by the white horse's head that he wears like a crown. The horse is one of the symbols of dominion of the "Ideal king," Kyouryourinjin 教令輪身 (or Kyouryoujouou 教令聖王; Sk: Chakravartin). There are many different forms of Batou having one to three faces and two to eight arms, and he holds different attributes in different images. In the Kannon Section of the Taizoukai Mandala 胎蔵界曼荼羅, he has three faces and two arms, is red in color, and makes the komponin 根本印 gesture in front of his chest. However, in art forms with three faces and eight arms are most common. The cult of Batou appears not to have been as popular as those of the other esoteric Kannon, although it is recorded that an image of Batou was enshrined in Saidaiji 西大寺 in Nara in the late 8c. Batou is sometimes found in sets of the Six Kannon, but independent images dating from the Heian period (794-1185) are rare. Well-known examples dating from the Kamakura and Muromachi (1392-1568) periods include the standing statues in Kanzeonji 観世音寺 of Fukuoka prefecture and Joururiji 浄瑠璃寺 of Kyoto, as well as the painted image of seated Batou in the Boston Museum of Art. In the Edo period (1600-1868), Batou came to be worshipped as a protector of horses due to his iconography and his role as savior of those in the realm of animals. Many remaining stone statues (sekibutsu 石仏) of Batou were once set in place to protect travelers and their horses from injury on dangerous paths. It is also thought that Batou became conflated with a folk horse deity believed to be the vehicle of a deity (kami 神), who rides between this world and the sacred realm. Because of this identification, he became the protector of horses and the Buddhist counterpart (honjibutsu 本地仏) of deities of common Komagata 駒形 (lit. "Horse-shaped") shrines, which are found all over Japan. <end quote from JAANUS>

Also see below link for some interesting notes about Batou Kannon.
www2.gol.com/users/nhavens/htmlfile/bato-e.html
Site of Norman Havens, Fujino Township

1000- Armed Kannon (Senju Kannon)
Although the word Senju Kannon means thousand-armed Kannon, most sculptures show only 42 arms -- two are regular arms, but each of the remaining 40 arms represents the 25 Buddhist worlds (thus, 40 times 25 equals 1000).

1000-arm Kannon (Senju Kannon)
8th century, Fujii-dera (in Osaka)

Above photo courtesy of:

LEARN MORE

Kannon Photo Tour (40+ Photos) - Last Update Sept. 20, 2004
Manjushri Buddhist Directory - Quite Excellent
A wonderful site that combines research with photos, and provides the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan name of the various Buddhas.
www.manjushri.com/BUDDHA/Avalokitesvara.html
Kannon Pilgramages Nationwide. Complete list of 100 Japanese sites sacred to the Kannon Boddhisattva (bosatsu).
Kannon Pilgramage in Kamakura. 33 Sites in Kamakura sacred to the Kannon Bosatsu.
Koyasu (Child-Giving) Kannon, Juntei Kannon
Kannon as the Protector of Children
NEED TO RESEARCH
The Japanese martial art Isshin-Ryu uses Megami-no-Isshinryu as its symbol. Megami is also represented as a water goddess named Ryuzu Kannon. This goddess is often depicted riding a dragon, seated on a dragon, or sometimes standing next to one. See the Kannon Photo Tour (this site) for images of Kannon riding a dragon. Also, this form of the Kannon may have originated from the holy mountain Mt. Hakusan.
- Images (google search results)
- www.msisshinryu.com
  Biographies, pictures and insights on Isshin-Ryu
  Also see Scott Robert's Megami Page at this site
- www.msisshinryu.com/articles/aja/nahanchi_sanchin.html
- www.olemiss.edu/orgs/karate/megami.html
- www.isshin1.com/tatsuo_shimabuku.htm