Shinto

What religions to people claim to follow?

I. Religious Data  10 million Japanese participate in the rituals of Shinto  One third of the population considers itself Shinto  Adherents feel a strong bond or connection with nature

II. Background  Shinto was formed around 550 BC in Japan  Shinto is practiced exclusively in Japan or with people of Japanese heritage  The religion has not spread dramatically to other nations  Today, Shinto is mainly within the borders of Japan or Japanese immigrants

III. Beliefs  There is no all-powerful God in Shinto  They worship Kami  Kami are Gods and spirits that rule over nature and human life  They are believed to animate the world through geographical sites (Mt. Fuji) and are natural phenomenon  The individual is less important than the group

 Wa (benign harmony) is ingrained in nature and human relationships  Anything that disturbs this condition is bad. To keep the balance of harmony, there are rules to keep society and the natural world from turning into chaos  Wa is reflected in everyday actions. For example, the removal of one’s shoes before entering a home and taking daily baths

 Renewal and Purification  Man is kami’s child. Life was given to people by kami and has sacred nature  Purification is necessary to keep nature divine  A shrine dedicated to Kami has a trough of pure water used for cleansing the hands and mouth

 Shinto is not concerned with death and the afterlife  Shinto is considered a “life religion”  They believe that the soul of the dead continues to have influence on the living  Many shintoists are also Buddhist to deal with the question of the afterlife

IV. Culture  Shinto religion is tied to the traditions, customs, and values of the Japanese  Japanese society stresses the importance of respect and character  The removal of shoes before entering a home is a Shinto practice that is part of Japanese culture

 Flower arranging, Japanese architecture, and garden design all have roots in Shinto practice  In sumo wrestling, salt is used to purify the wrestling ring as part of Shinto practice

V. Ecology  Shinto teaches people to be gentle to nature  Everything given to humans from nature must be returned to its original place  Pollution is an act of evil or sin  Nature is holy and divine and superior to humans

 Natural landscapes are sacred places  Shrines are placed in sacred natural places  Shrines are always guarded by lion statues  A Torii gate is a symbol of Shintoism and is placed at the entrance to a shrine  Shrines contain a symbol that represents a kami  Shrines in homes are protected with white paper to keep impure spirits away

Torii Gates mark the entrance to a Shinto shrine

Komainu (Guardian dogs) at the entrance to the shrine  At Inari shrines, the guardians are foxes

Purification trough at entrance

Fushimi Inari Shrine: hiking trails covered with Torii gates

Yakusumi Shrine: commemorating Japan’s war dead

Zen Buddhism Brought from China in the 1200’s Focus on meditation and enlightenment, all people are capable of enlightenment

Zazen Zazen is meditation that includes body position, hand position, and breathing The focus is on letting go through non- thinking

Zen appears in culture through gardening, ink painting, calligraphy and even military service

What is a Koan? Aid to meditation Question or puzzle that can’t solve with reason Out of frustration comes another kind of awareness Only used by some sects of Zen