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

1. 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.

04Oct

What is Shintoism (Shinto)

Shintoism is an ancient historical religion of Japan that is based on the belief in the existence of many gods and spirits living locally at specific shrines or throughout the world, such as the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. Shintoism has aspects, that is, the belief that spirits reside in natural inanimate objects, in fact, in all things. For Shintoism, the primary goal is that man lives in harmony with nature. , Shintoism or “Shinto” can be translated as – The Way of the Gods.

Shintoism is the essence of religion - briefly.

In simple words, Shintoism is not quite a religion in the classical sense of the term, but rather a philosophy, idea and culture based on religious beliefs. There are no specific canonical rules in Shintoism. sacred texts, there are no formal prayers or obligatory rituals. Instead, worship options vary greatly depending on the shrine and deity. Very often in Shinto it is customary to worship the spirits of ancestors, who, according to beliefs, constantly surround us. From the above we can conclude that Shintoism is a very liberal religion aimed at creating the common good and harmony with nature.

Origin of religion. Where did Shintoism originate?

Unlike many other religions, Shintoism does not have a founder or a specific point of origin in time. The peoples of ancient Japan long practiced animistic beliefs, worshiping divine ancestors and communicating with the spirit world through shamans. Many of these practices migrated to the so-called first recognized religion - Shinto (Shintoism). This happened during the Yayoi culture from about 300 BC to 300 AD. It was during this period that certain natural phenomena and geographical features were given the names of various deities.

In Shinto beliefs, supernatural powers and entities are known as Kami. They control nature in all its forms and live in places of great natural beauty. In addition to the conditionally benevolent spirits "Kami", Shintoism contains evil entities– demons or “They” who are mostly invisible and can inhabit different places. Some of them are represented as giants with horns and three eyes. The power of "They" is usually temporary, and they do not represent an inherent force of evil. As a rule, in order to calm them down, it is necessary to perform a certain ritual.

Basic concepts and principles in Shintoism.

• Purity. Physical purity, spiritual purity and avoidance of destruction;
• Physical well-being;
• Harmony must be present in all things. It must be maintained to prevent imbalance;
• Food and Fertility;
• Family and clan solidarity;
• Subordination of the individual to the group;
• Respect for nature;
• Everything in the world has the potential for both good and bad;
• The soul (Tama) of the dead can influence life before it joins the collective Kami of its ancestors.

Shinto gods.

As in many other ancient religions, Shinto deities represent important astrological, geographical and meteorological phenomena that have ever occurred and are believed to influence daily life.

The creator gods are considered to be: Goddess of creation and death - Izanami and her husband Izanagi. They are considered to be the creators of the islands of Japan. Further down the hierarchy, the sun goddess is considered to be the supreme deity - Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo-god of the sea and storms.

Other significant deities in Shintoism include the god-goddess Inari, who is considered the patroness of rice, fertility, trade and handicrafts. The messenger of Inari is a fox and a popular figure in temple art.

Also in Shintoism, the so-called “Seven Gods of Happiness” are especially revered:

• Ebisu– the god of luck and hard work, who is considered the patron of fishermen and traders;
• Daikoku- god of wealth and patron of all peasants;
• Bishamonten- god of warrior-protector, god of wealth and prosperity. Very revered among the military, doctors and servants of the law;
• Benzaiten– goddess of sea luck, love, knowledge, wisdom and art;
• Fukurokuju– god of longevity and wisdom in actions;
• Hotei- god of kindness, compassion and good nature;
• Jurojin- god of longevity and health.

In general, the pantheon of Shinto gods is very large and includes various deities responsible for almost all aspects of human life.

Shrines and altars in Shintoism.

In Shintoism, a sacred place can belong to several “Kami” at once, and despite this, there are more than 80 thousand different shrines in Japan. Some natural sites and mountains can also be considered shrines. Early shrines were simply mountain altars on which offerings were laid out. Then, decorated buildings were erected around such altars. Shrines are easily identified by the presence of sacred gates. The simplest ones are just two vertical pillars with two longer crossbars, which symbolically separate the sacred space of the shrine from the outside world. Such shrines are usually managed and cared for by a chief priest or elder, and the local community funds the work. In addition to public shrines, many Japanese have small altars in their homes dedicated to ancestors.

The most important Shinto shrine is the Ise Great Shrine (Ise Shrine), dedicated to Amaterasu with a secondary shrine to the harvest goddess Toyouke.

Shintoism and Buddhism.

Buddhism arrived in Japan in the 6th century BC as part of the Chinese colonization process. There was virtually no opposition to these belief systems. Both Buddhism and Shintoism found mutual space to flourish side by side for many centuries in ancient Japan. During the period 794-1185 AD, certain Shinto "kami" and Buddhist bodhisattvas were formally combined to create a single deity, thus creating Ryōbu Shinto or "Double Shinto". As a result, images of Buddhist figures were included in Shinto shrines, and some Shinto shrines were administered Buddhist monks. The official separation of religions occurred already in the 19th century.

Categories: , // from

Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!

We have known for a long time that Buddhism is one of the world religions, the oldest and incredibly interesting. For several thousand years it has been slowly wandering around the world: in some countries it is “passing through”, and in others it lingers for many centuries, friendly neighbors with other religions, and sometimes even merges with them.

Something similar happened in Japan - Buddhism entered a place where its own religion, Shinto, dominated, mixed with it and became a full-fledged religion. Our article today will tell you about the differences between Buddhism and Shintoism.

Shintoism

To begin with, it would be useful to remember what Shintoism is. This is a Japanese religion that can be called a national treasure. For more than two millennia, people collected ideas, observations, views about life, spiritual traditions, and only in the 8th century did they acquire a name that was first used in writings called the “Annals of Japan.”

This religion developed with the penetration of the ubiquitous Buddhism, Chinese Confucianism and Taoism, but at the same time it stood apart from them. The keyword "Shinto" consists of two characters: "shin" - kami, "to" - path. Literally this can be translated as “the path of the gods.”

In Japanese culture, the term “kami” is very important for perception; it denotes the deity, the spirit that every thing has. Kami is a truly Japanese concept, a national one; it gave birth not to all people on Earth, but only to the Japanese.

The main feature of Shintoism is the deification of phenomena and objects, endowing them with a soul. Even seemingly inanimate objects, such as stone, have a spirit in Shintoism. This is "kami".

There are kami - deities of a certain territory, and there are also nature spirits or patrons of the clan. These ideas were mixed with ancient rituals of worship of the phenomena and forces of nature, animals, the souls of the dead, with the cult of ancestors, and shamanism. The family of the emperor is especially exalted and deified.

It is believed that spiritual harmony is achieved precisely in this world and precisely through unity with the kami, fusion. Belief in it has given rise to several types of Shintoism, which are characterized by where traditional ceremonies are held and on what scale:

• folk - faith is rooted in the minds of most of the nation and influences the social way of life;
• home - rituals are held at home, at the altar;
• sectarian – religion at the level of individual independent organizations;
• temple - special temples are created;
• imperial - rituals performed in the temples of the imperial palace;
• state - a synthesis of temple and imperial Shintoism.

Buddhism

How much we have already learned about Buddhism together! Its founder was Siddhartha Gautama, Indian prince, who later became - awakened from the world of luxury, excess and achieved nirvana. This is what all the Buddhists of the world want.

Nirvana is a state of complete peace and tranquility. It is achieved through long practices, meditation, conscious calming of the mind, renunciation of worldly amusements, earthly empty joys and attachments.

The goal of every Buddhist is to follow the advice of the Awakened One and find that “middle path” - a balance between two extremes: empty earthly pleasures and complete self-denial.

The teachings of the Buddha reached the borders of Japan through Tibet, incorporating the features of the Tibetan movement. Here it was divided into several traditional schools, which are predominantly Mahayana.

What’s interesting is that they were not implanted here by force, so in Japan Buddhism took root as harmoniously as possible, peacefully adapted in art , culture and religious views.

What is the religion in Japan?

Scientists cannot clearly understand what role Shinto played in the formation of the state, and what significance Buddhism had in this matter. At one time, a noisy controversy erupted around this issue. Therefore, at present, Japan is ruled by the so-called religious syncretism- a union of different faiths.

The majority of the population considers themselves either Buddhists or Shintoists, or both. At the birth of a child, they can perform rituals in a Shinto shrine, a wedding ceremony in a Buddhist one, and read “ Tibetan book dead."

Over time, the boundaries of religions are erased so much that Shinto-Buddhist teachings appear, for example, Shingon-shu, Shugendo, the difference between which may seem simply illusory to ordinary people.

What are the differences?

The rituals that are carried out in temples, the worship of numerous deities, merging with nature - this is what Shintoists and Buddhists have in common. What is the difference between one faith and another?

In Buddhism they say special prayers- mantras that are addressed to a specific saint. Shintoism in this regard contains remnants of shamanism, when people use spells to call upon the forces for rain or an end to the storm.

Siddhartha's teaching is flexible, can adapt to any mentality and is able to travel around the world, flowing into different forms. The Shinto faith is something national, close and dear only to the Japanese.

In general, it is something more than religion in the usual sense; it is a whole complex of knowledge that does not lend itself to strict structuring or listing unambiguous dogmas. What is needed here is not orthodoxy, but continuous practice, ritualism with a pretense of magic and animalism. The main thing in Shinto is not blind adherence to the canons, but simplicity, not formal rituals, but sincerity.

What is especially striking when delving into Shintoism is the absence of a founder, such as Gautama, Jesus, Muhammad. Here the preacher is not a single holy person, but the whole nation, from generation to generation.

And most importantly: the meaning of a Buddhist’s life is to break out of a series of rebirths and finally achieve nirvana, complete liberation of the soul. Shintoists do not seek salvation in the next life, in the afterlife or in an intermediate state - they reach agreement, merging with the “kami” in real life.

Conclusion

Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! May your path be easy and bright. Recommend us on social networks, and we will search for the truth together.

Shintoism, Shinto (Japanese 神道, Shinto: “way of the gods”) - traditional religion Japan. Based on the animistic beliefs of the ancient Japanese, the objects of worship are numerous deities and spirits of the dead. In its development it experienced a significant influence of Buddhism. There is another form of Shinto called the "thirteen sects". In the period before the end of World War II, this type of Shintoism had distinctive features from the state in its legal status, organization, property, rituals. Sectarian Shintoism is heterogeneous. This type of Shintoism was characterized by moral purification, Confucian ethics, the deification of mountains, the practice of miraculous healings, and the revival of ancient Shinto rites.

Shinto philosophy.
The basis of Shinto is the deification and worship of natural forces and phenomena. It is believed that everything that exists on Earth is, to one degree or another, animate, deified, even those things that we are accustomed to consider inanimate - for example, a stone or a tree. Each thing has its own spirit, a deity - kami. Some kami are spirits of the area, others represent natural phenomena, are patrons of families and childbirth. Other kami represent global natural phenomena, such as Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess. Shinto includes magic, totemism, and belief in the effectiveness of various talismans and amulets. The main principle of Shinto is to live 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. Life is a natural and eternal cycle of birth and death, through which everything in the world is constantly renewed. Therefore, people do not need to seek salvation in another world; they should achieve harmony with the kami in this life.
Goddess Amaterasu.

History of Shintoism.
Origin.
Shinto like religious philosophy, is a development of the animistic beliefs of the ancient inhabitants of the Japanese islands. There are several versions of the origin of Shinto: the export of this religion at the dawn of our era from continental states (ancient China and Korea), the emergence of Shinto directly on the Japanese Islands since the time of Jomon, etc. It can be noted that animist beliefs are typical of all known cultures at a certain stage of development , but of all any large and civilized states, only in Japan were they not forgotten over time, but became, only partially modified, the basis state religion.
Association.
The formation of Shinto as the national and state religion of the Japanese dates back to the period of the 7th-8th centuries AD. e., when the country was united under the rule of the rulers of the central Yamato region. In the process of unifying Shinto, a system of mythology was canonized, in which the sun goddess Amaterasu, declared the ancestor of the ruling imperial dynasty, was at the top of the hierarchy, and local and clan gods took a subordinate position. The Taihoryo code of laws, which appeared in 701, approved this provision and established the jingikan - the main administrative body, which was in charge of all issues related to religious beliefs and ceremonies. An official list of state religious holidays was established.
Empress Genmei ordered the compilation of a collection of myths of all the peoples living on the Japanese Islands. According to this order, in 712 the chronicle “Records of the Deeds of Antiquity” (Japanese: 古事記, Kojiki) was created, and in 720, “Annals of Japan” (Japanese: 日本書紀, Nihon Shoki or Nihongi). These mythological codes became the main texts in Shinto, some semblance scripture. When compiling them, the mythology was somewhat corrected in the spirit of the national unification of all Japanese and the justification of the power of the ruling dynasty. In 947, the code “Engisiki” (“Code of Rituals of the Engi Period”) appeared, containing a detailed presentation of the ritual part of state Shinto - the order of rituals, the necessary accessories for them, lists of gods for each temple, texts of prayers. Finally, in 1087, an official list of state temples supported by the imperial house was approved. State temples were divided into three groups: the first included seven sanctuaries directly associated with the gods of the imperial dynasty, the second included seven temples of greatest importance from the point of view of history and mythology, and the third included eight temples of the most influential clan and local gods.

Shintoism and Buddhism.
Already the initial unification of Shinto into a single national religion took place under the strong influence of Buddhism, which penetrated Japan in the 6th-7th centuries. Since Buddhism was very popular among the Japanese aristocracy, everything was done to prevent inter-religious conflicts. At first, the kami were declared the patrons of Buddhism; later, some kami began to be associated with Buddhist saints. Ultimately, the idea developed that kami, like people, may need salvation, which is achieved in accordance with Buddhist canons.
Shinto shrine.

Buddhist temple.

Buddhist temples began to be located on the territory of Shinto temple complexes, where appropriate rituals were held; Buddhist sutras were read directly in Shinto shrines. The influence of Buddhism especially began to manifest itself starting from the 9th century, when Buddhism became the state religion of Japan. At this time, many cult elements from Buddhism were transferred to Shintoism. Images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas began to appear in Shinto shrines, new holidays began to be celebrated, details of rituals, ritual objects, architectural features temples. Mixed Shinto-Buddhist teachings emerged, such as Sanno-Shinto and Ryobu-Shinto, which consider kami as manifestations of the Buddhist Vairocana - “the Buddha who permeates the entire Universe.”
In ideological terms, the influence of Buddhism was manifested in the fact that in Shinto there appeared the concept of achieving harmony with the kami through purification, which meant the elimination of everything unnecessary, superficial, everything that prevents a person from perceiving the world around us the way he 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 of a 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 the traditional Shinto attitude to rituals, real action was put in first place, and not ostentatious religious zeal and prayers:
“It can be said that a person will find harmony with the deities and the Buddha if his heart is straight and calm, if he himself honestly and sincerely respects those above him and shows compassion for those below him, if he considers the existing existing, and non-existent - non-existent and accept things as they are. And then a person will gain the protection and patronage of the deities, even if he does not perform prayers. But if he is not upright and sincere, heaven will leave him even if he prays every day.” - Hojo Nagauji.

Shintoism and the Japanese state.
Despite the fact that Buddhism remained the state religion of Japan until 1868, Shinto not only did not disappear, but all this time continued to play the role of the ideological basis uniting Japanese society. Despite the respect shown Buddhist temples and monks, the majority of the Japanese population continued to practice Shinto. The myth of the straight divine origin the imperial dynasty from the kami continued to be cultivated. In the 14th century, it was further developed in Kitabatake Chikafusa’s treatise “Jino Shotoki” (“Record of the True Genealogy of the Divine Emperors”), which asserted the chosenness of the Japanese nation. Kitabatake Chikafusa argued that the kami continue to live in the emperors, so that the country is governed in accordance with the divine will. After the period of feudal wars, the unification of the country carried out by Tokugawa Ieyasu and the establishment of military rule led to the strengthening of Shinto's position. The myth of the divinity of the imperial house became one of the factors ensuring the integrity of the united state. The fact that the emperor did not actually rule the country did not matter - it was believed that the Japanese emperors entrusted the administration of the country to the rulers of the Tokugawa clan. In the 17th-18th centuries, under the influence of the works of many theorists, including followers of Confucianism, the doctrine of kokutai (literally “body of the state”) emerged. According to this teaching, kami live in all Japanese people and act through them. The Emperor is the living embodiment of the goddess Amaterasu, and should be revered along with the gods. Japan is a family state in which subjects are distinguished by filial piety towards the emperor, and the emperor is distinguished by parental love for his subjects. Thanks to this, the Japanese nation is the chosen one, superior to all others in strength of spirit and has a certain higher purpose.
After the restoration of imperial power in 1868, the emperor was immediately officially proclaimed the living god on Earth, and Shinto received the status of a compulsory state religion. The emperor was also the high priest. All Shinto temples were united into a single system with a clear hierarchy: the highest position was occupied by the imperial temples, first of all the Ise temple, where Amaterasu was revered, then the state, prefectural, district, and village ones. When freedom of religion was established in Japan in 1882, Shinto nevertheless retained its status as the official state religion. Its teaching was compulsory in all educational institutions. Holidays were introduced in honor of the imperial family: the day of the emperor's accession to the throne, the birthday of Emperor Jimmu, the day of remembrance of Emperor Jimmu, the day of remembrance of the father of the reigning emperor, and others. On such days, educational institutions performed a ritual of worshiping the emperor and empress, which took place in front of portraits of rulers with the singing of the national anthem. Shinto lost its state status in 1947, after the adoption of a new constitution for the country, formed under the control of the occupying American authorities. The Emperor ceased to be considered a living god and high priest, remaining only as a symbol of the unity of the Japanese people. State churches lost their support and special position. Shintoism became one of the religions widespread in Japan.

A Japanese samurai prepared to perform the ritual of seppuku (harakiri). This ritual was carried out by ripping open the abdomen with a sharp wakajishi blade.

Mythology of Shintoism.
The main sources of Shinto mythology are the aforementioned collections “Kojiki” and “Nihongi”, created, respectively, in 712 and 720 AD. They included combined and revised tales that had previously been passed down orally from generation to generation. In records from the Kojiki and Nihongi, experts note the influence Chinese culture, mythology, philosophy. The events described in most myths take place in the so-called “era of the gods” - the period from the emergence of the world to the time immediately preceding the creation of collections. Myths do not determine the duration of the era of the gods. At the end of the era of the gods, the era of the reign of emperors - the descendants of the gods - begins. Stories about events during the reign of ancient emperors complete the collection of myths. Both collections describe the same myths, often in different forms. In Nihongi, in addition, each myth is accompanied by a list of several variants in which it occurs. The first stories tell about the origin of the world. According to them, the world was originally in a state of chaos, containing all the elements in a mixed, formless state. At some point, the primordial chaos was divided and Takama-nohara (High Sky Plain) and the Akitsushima Islands were formed. At the same time, the first gods arose (they are called differently in different collections), and after them divine couples began to appear. In each such pair there was a man and a woman - brother and sister, personifying various natural phenomena. Very indicative for understanding the Shinto worldview is the story of Izanagi and Izanami - the last of the divine couples to appear. They created the island of Onnogoro - Middle Pillar The whole Earth, and entered into marriage, becoming husband and wife. From this marriage came the Japanese islands and many kami who populated this land. Izanami, having given birth to the god of Fire, fell ill and after some time died and went to the Land of Darkness. In desperation, Izanagi cut off the head of the Fire God, and new generations of kami arose from his blood. The grieving Izanagi followed his wife to return her to the world of High Sky, but found Izanami in a terrible state, decomposing, was horrified by what he saw and fled from the Land of Darkness, blocking the entrance to it with a rock. Enraged by his flight, Izanami promised to kill a thousand people a day; in response, Izanagi said that he would build huts every day for one and a half thousand women in labor. This story perfectly conveys the Shinto ideas about life and death: everything is mortal, even the gods, and there is no point in trying to bring back the dead, but life conquers death through the rebirth of all living things. From the time described in the myth of Izanagi and Izanami, myths begin to mention people. Thus, Shinto mythology dates the appearance of people to the time when the Japanese islands first appeared. But the very moment of the appearance of people in myths is not specifically noted; there is no separate myth about the creation of man, since Shinto ideas generally do not make a strict distinction between people and kami.
Returning from the Land of Darkness, Izanagi purified himself by washing in the waters of the river. When he performed ablution, many kami appeared from his clothes, jewelry, and drops of water flowing from him. Among others, from the drops that washed Izanagi’s left eye, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu appeared, to whom Izanagi gave the High Sky Plain. From the drops of water that washed the nose - the god of storm and wind Susanoo, who received the Plain of the Sea under his power. Having received parts of the World under their power, the gods began to quarrel. The first was the conflict between Susanoo and Amaterasu - the brother, having visited his sister in her domain, behaved violently and unrestrainedly, and in the end Amaterasu locked herself in a heavenly grotto, bringing darkness to the world. The gods (according to another version of the myth - people) lured Amaterasu out of the grotto with the help of birdsong, dancing and loud laughter. Susanoo made an atoning sacrifice, but was still expelled from the High Sky Plain and settled in the country of Izumo - the western part of the island of Honshu.
After the story of the return of Amaterasu, the myths cease to be consistent and begin to describe separate, unrelated plots. They all talk about the struggle of kami with each other for dominion over a particular territory. One of the myths tells how Amaterasu's grandson, Ninigi, came to earth to rule the people of Japan. Together with him, five more deities went to earth, giving rise to the five most influential clans of Japan. Another myth says that a descendant of Niniga, Iwarehiko (who bore the name Jimmu during his lifetime), undertook a campaign from the island of Kyushu to Honshu (the central island of Japan) and subjugated all of Japan, thus founding an empire and becoming the first emperor. This myth is one of the few that has a date; it dates the Jimmu campaign to 660 BC. e., although modern researchers believe that the events reflected in it actually took place no earlier than the 3rd century AD. It is on these myths that the thesis about the divine origin of the imperial family is based. They became the basis for public holiday Japan - Kigensetsu, the founding day of the empire, celebrated on February 11th.

Cult of Shintoism.
Temples.
A Shinto temple or shrine is a place where rituals are performed in honor of the gods. There are temples dedicated to several gods, temples that honor the spirits of the dead of a particular clan, and the Yasukuni Shrine honors Japanese military personnel who died for Japan and the emperor. But most shrines are dedicated to one specific kami.
Unlike most world religions, in which they try, if possible, to preserve old ritual buildings unchanged and build new ones in accordance with the old canons, in Shinto, in accordance with the principle of universal renewal, which is life, there is a tradition of constant renovation of temples. The shrines of the Shinto gods are regularly updated and rebuilt, and changes are made to their architecture. Thus, Ise temples, which were previously imperial, are reconstructed every 20 years. Therefore, it is now difficult to say what exactly the Shinto shrines of antiquity were like; we only know that the tradition of constructing such shrines appeared no later than the 6th century.

Part temple complex Toshogu.

Temple complex to Oedipus.

Typically, a temple complex consists of two or more buildings located in a picturesque area, “integrated” into the natural landscape. The main building, the honden, is intended for the deity. It contains an altar where the shintai - “the body of the kami” - is kept, an object that is believed to be inhabited by the spirit of the kami. Shintai can be different objects: a wooden tablet with the name of a deity, a stone, a tree branch. Xingtai is not shown to believers; it is always hidden. Since the soul of a kami is inexhaustible, its simultaneous presence in the shintai of many temples is not considered something strange or illogical. There are usually no images of gods inside the temple, but there may be images of animals associated with a particular deity. If the temple is dedicated to the deity of the area where it is built (kami mountains, groves), then the honden may not be built, since the kami is already present in the place where the temple is built. In addition to the honden, the temple usually contains a haiden - a hall for worshipers. In addition to the main buildings, the temple complex may include a shinsenjo - a room for preparing sacred food, a haraijyo - a place for spells, a kaguraden - a stage for dancing, as well as other auxiliary buildings. All buildings of the temple complex are maintained in one architectural style. There are several traditional styles in which temple buildings are built. In all cases, the main buildings have the shape of a rectangle, at the corners of which there are vertical wooden pillars supporting the roof. In some cases, a honden and a haiden may stand close to each other, with a common roof being built for both buildings. The floor of the main temple buildings is always raised above the ground, so a staircase leads into the temple. A veranda can be attached to the entrance. There are sanctuaries without buildings at all; they are a rectangular area with wooden pillars at the corners. The pillars are connected by a rope of straw, and in the center of the sanctuary there is a tree, stone or wooden pillar. In front of the entrance to the territory of the sanctuary there is at least one torii - structures similar to gates without doors. Torii are considered the gateway to a place belonging to the kami, where the gods can manifest and where you can communicate with them. There can be one tori, but there can be a large number of them. It is believed that a person who has successfully completed some truly large-scale undertaking must donate a torii to some temple. A path leads from the torii to the entrance to the honden, next to which there are stone basins for washing hands and mouth. In front of the entrance to the temple, as well as in other places where it is believed that kami are constantly present or may appear, shimenawa - thick ropes of rice straw - are hung.

Rituals.
The basis of the Shinto cult is the veneration of the kami, to whom the temple is dedicated. For this purpose, rituals are performed with the goal of establishing and maintaining a connection between believers and kami, entertaining the kami, and giving him pleasure. It is believed that this allows one to hope for his mercy and protection. The system of cult rituals has been developed quite meticulously. It includes the ritual of a single prayer of a parishioner, his participation in collective temple actions - purification (harai), sacrifice (shinsen), prayer (norito), libation (naorai), as well as complex rituals of matsuri temple festivals. According to Shinto beliefs, death, disease and blood violate the purity that is necessary for visiting the temple. Therefore, patients suffering from bleeding wounds, as well as those in grief after the death of loved ones, cannot visit the temple and participate in religious ceremonies, although they are not prohibited from praying at home or anywhere else.
The prayer ritual that is performed by those who come to churches is very simple. A coin is thrown into a wooden lattice box in front of the altar, then, standing in front of the altar, they “attract the attention” of the deity by clapping their hands several times, after which they pray. Individual prayers do not have established forms and texts; a person simply mentally addresses the kami with what he wants to tell him. Sometimes it happens that a parishioner reads a prepared prayer, but usually this is not done. It is characteristic that an ordinary believer says his prayers either very quietly or even mentally - only a priest can pray out loud when he performs an “official” ritual prayer. Shinto does not require the believer to visit temples frequently; participation in major temple festivals is quite enough, and the rest of the time a person can pray at home or in any other place where he deems it right. To offer prayer at home, a kamidana is arranged - home altar. A kamidana is a small shelf decorated with branches of pine or the sacred sakaki tree, usually placed above the door of the guest room in the house. Talismans bought in temples, or simply tablets with the names of the deities that the believer worships, are placed on the kamidana. Offerings are also placed there: usually sake and rice cakes. Prayer is carried out in the same way as in a temple: the believer stands in front of the kamidan, clapping his hands several times to attract the kami, after which he silently communicates with him. The harai ritual consists of washing the mouth and hands with water. In addition, there is a procedure for mass ablution, which consists of sprinkling the believers with salt water and sprinkling with salt. The shinsen ritual is an offering of rice to the temple, clean water, rice cakes (“mochi”), various gifts. The Naorai ritual usually consists of a communal meal of worshipers who eat and drink part of the edible offerings and thus, as it were, touch the kami's meal. Ritual prayers - norito - are read by the priest, who, as it were, acts as an intermediary between the person and the kami. A special part of the Shinto cult are holidays - matsuri. They are held once or twice a year and usually relate either to the history of the sanctuary or to the mythology surrounding the events that led to its creation. Many people are involved in the preparation and execution of matsuri. In order to organize a magnificent celebration, they collect donations, turn to the support of other temples and widely use the help of young participants. The temple is cleaned and decorated with branches of the sakaki tree. In large temples, a certain part of the time is allocated for the performance of sacred “kagura” dances. The central point of the celebration is the carrying out of the "o-mikoshi", a palanquin representing a small image of a Shinto shrine. A symbolic object is placed in the o-mikoshi, decorated with gilded carvings. It is believed that in the process of moving the palanquin, the kami moves into it and sanctifies all participants in the ceremony and those who come to the celebration.

Gardens of the Spirit: Kodaiji Temple.

Clergymen.
Shinto priests are called kannushi. Nowadays, all kannusi are divided into three categories: clergy of the highest rank - the main priests of temples - are called guji, priests of the second and third ranks, respectively, negi and gonegi. In the old days, there were significantly more ranks and titles of priests, in addition, since the knowledge and position of the Kannusi were inherited, there were many clans of clergy. In addition to kannushi, kannushi’s assistants, miko, can take part in Shinto rituals. In large temples there are several kannusi, and in addition to them there are also musicians, dancers, and various employees who constantly work at the temples. In small sanctuaries, especially in rural areas, there may be only one kannusi for several temples, and he often combines the occupation of a priest with some kind of regular work - a teacher, an employee or an entrepreneur. The kannushi ritual attire consists of a white kimono, a pleated skirt (white or colored) and a black cap. It is worn only for religious ceremonies, in ordinary life Kannusi wear ordinary clothes.
Kannusi.

Shintoism in modern Japan.
Shinto is deeply national Japanese religion and in a sense personifies the Japanese nation, its customs, character and culture. The centuries-old cultivation of Shinto as the main ideological system and source of rituals has led to the fact that at present a significant part of the Japanese perceive rituals, holidays, traditions, life attitudes, and the rules of Shinto as non-elements religious cult, but the cultural traditions of their people. This situation gives rise to a paradoxical situation: on the one hand, literally the entire life of Japan, all its traditions are permeated with Shinto, on the other hand, only a few Japanese consider themselves adherents of Shinto. In Japan today there are about 80 thousand Shinto shrines and two Shinto universities where Shinto clergy are trained: Kokugakuin in Tokyo and Kagakkan in Ise. In temples, prescribed rituals are regularly performed and holidays are held. Major Shinto holidays are very colorful and are accompanied, depending on the traditions of a particular province, by torchlight processions, fireworks, costumed military parades, and sports competitions. The Japanese, even those who are not religious or belong to other faiths, take part in these holidays en masse.
Modern Shinto priest.

The Golden Hall of Toshunji Temple is the tomb of representatives of the Fujiwara clan.

Itsukushima Temple complex on Miyajima Island (Hiroshima Prefecture).

Todaiji Monastery. Big Buddha Hall.

Ancient Shinto shrine Izumo Taisha.

Horyuji Temple [Temple of the Prosperity of the Law] in Ikaruga.

An ancient pavilion in the inner garden of a Shinto shrine.

Temple of Hoodo (Phoenix). Buddhist monastery Byodoin (Kyoto Prefecture).

O. Bali, Temple on Lake Bratan.

Kofukuji Temple Pagoda.

Toshodaiji Temple - the main temple of the Ritsu school of Buddhism

Sites worth visiting.

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 antagonistic in their natural essence or keeping personal grievances, kami is considered natural and does not make one of the opponents unconditionally “good”, 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 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. Since

Events