Classic Shinto (Shinto) how national religion Japan is a collection of local traditions of veneration of certain deities.

The problem of the ethnogenesis of the Japanese is still not fully clarified. It is believed that many nationalities took part in this process, which in general terms ended by the beginning of a new era. East Asia. In line with the formation of a special culture of the Japanese people, the formation of a complex of religious ideas that had the features of animism, fetishism and totemism took place. Magic and shamanism also played a significant role in this complex. For a long time, these religious beliefs and practices did not have a common name. The need for it appears as the expansion and consolidation of the Japanese state. At the beginning of the 8th century By order of Empress Genmei, the first pseudo-historical chronicles were compiled, which were of a mythological nature - Kojiki (Records of the Acts of Antiquity, 712) and Nihon Shoki (Annals of Japan, 720). It is in "Nihon shoki" that the term "shinto" (finished, the way of the gods) is first used. Besides these two writings, a valuable source for understanding ancient beliefs the Japanese are "Fudoki" (VIII century), or "Descriptions of manners and lands."

The peculiarities of Shintoism include the non-isolation of the actual religious components from the daily life of its followers. Only in 1868, after the restoration of the power of the monarch in the country, was an attempt made to turn this blurred multitude of cults into a state religion. State Shinto has become a source of growing nationalist sentiment in the country. This period ended with the defeat of Japan in World War II. In addition to the national and state Shinto, scientists also distinguish sectarian Shinto, separate streams of which have appeared since the 19th century. This type of Shinto is characterized high degree syncretism; actually Shinto ideas are combined in it with ideas taken from other religions. Finally, there is also shrine Shinto, or the system of rituals performed at shrines by Shinto priests (kannushi).

Shinto is a polytheistic religion. The main objects of veneration in it are numerous Komi. There is no canonical definition of kami in Shinto texts. In religious studies, kami are usually understood as deities. However, due to its vagueness, the word "kami" can also mean various spirits, including the spirits of deceased ancestors, and in a broad sense - in general, everything that seems very unusual, wonderful. Initially, kami were revered as faceless and nameless spirits of certain natural objects - fields, mountains, rivers, etc. Over time, some of them become more famous, go beyond the local communities where they are revered, receive special names and mythological stories. Kami are very closely connected with the objects for which they are "responsible", which is typical even for deities of the highest status (for example, Amaterasu). Such an idea of ​​the specificity and functionality of deities, associated with the peculiarities of the Japanese mentality, prevented the emergence of the idea of ​​a supreme and unique deity. "Official" mythology divided the kami into earthly, celestial and "countless", establishing ranks of different denominations for them.

The ideological tolerance, as well as the pragmatism of the Japanese, allowed them to painlessly include supernatural characters from other religions in the pantheon of kami, who at the same time sometimes changed their functions. Among these "foreigner" kami, one can single out, for example, the Buddhist bodhisattva Kshitigarbha (Jap. Jizo), who became the patron saint of dead children in Japan. The popular group of seven gods of happiness also includes kami foreign origin: Hotei, who had the prototype of the Chinese Buddhist monk Tsitsa (jap. Kangxi); Daikokuten (Skt. Mahakala, an epithet of Shiva), guarding home; Benzaiten (Skt. Saraswati), the deity of water, etc.

The dominant position in the Shinto pantheon is occupied by the sun goddess Amaterasu. Cult of this goddess for a long time was the prerogative of the imperial family and therefore was not widely used. Popularization of Amaterasu begins in the 17th century. In addition to her, the god of war Hachiman, the couple of progenitor gods Izanagi and Izanami, the god of the wind Susanoo, the main deity of the province of Izumo - Okuninushi, the god of thunder Tenjin and many others are also widely known. Most of the shrines (32 thousand) belong to the agricultural god Inari.

Shinto is a theanthropic type of religion characterized by blurred boundaries between deities and humans. The deities did not create people, but gave birth to them; hence the attitude of people to kami as to their ancestors. This or that clan called its divine ancestor ujigami (kami of the clan), and themselves - udjiko (children of the clan). Therefore, the cult of ancestors is of great importance in Shinto. The number of kami is continuously replenished by the dead people. When a person dies, his soul is in a state of “violence” (arama) for some time, then it calms down, and 33 years after death, the deceased ancestor himself becomes a kami. But in some cases, people are revered as kami while still alive. This is most characteristic of the person of the emperor (mikado), a "living god" of high rank. The imperial family is traditionally traced back to Amaterasu. According to legend, the goddess of the sun ordered her grandson Ninigi to descend to the earth (i.e., to the Japanese islands) and rule it. The grandson of Ninigi himself was the first earthly emperor, Jimmu, from whom all subsequent generations of emperors descend. In addition to the political administration of the country, the emperor also performed the duties of the high priest, performing the prescribed rites and offering prayers-norito to the deities. Three important regalia are considered symbols of the sacred imperial power: magatama beads, a mirror and a sword. The most important symbol is the mirror, which since the 19th century. symbolizes Shinto as such. During the XII-XIX centuries. The Mikados were deprived of direct political power, while at the same time retaining priestly power. In 1868, direct imperial rule was restored, which continued until August 1945, when, in an address to the nation, Emperor Hirohito announced his surrender, and also that the imperial family did not go back to Amaterasu, thereby actually abandoning the status of a "living god".

The bearer of the classical Shinto religion is not an individual, but the entire community. On behalf of the community, the kannusp priests (literally, the owners of the kami) come into contact with the kami. The ceremonial side prevails in Shinto over the ideological side, the observance of commandments and prescriptions is of great importance. Everything that is pure and light is considered good, everything impure and dark is considered evil. Physical pollution can be equated with ethical impurity. First of all, death has a polluting effect on a person, as well as what is associated with it - for example, blood. Impurity is removed by performing cleansing rituals using white substances, observing fasts of varying degrees of severity. For the community, the cleansing of filth is performed by the community priest, while on a national scale, the purification ceremony is performed by the emperor as the supreme high priest.

Initially, Shinto did not have shrines in the form of separate buildings. In order to distinguish one or another object from the environment as sacred, it was fenced with a special rope - shimenawa. Such an object was most often a tree, on which, as it was believed, deities descended from above. Later, the trees as places for descending kami were replaced by pillars, which became the central parts of the sanctuaries. This is the so-called "body of God" ( xingtai). The "body of the kami" can be an entire mountain or a grove.

The first places of worship in their form resembled barns. It is believed that permanent buildings began to be built relatively late, not earlier than the 7th century. The oldest and most important Shinto shrine is located in the town of Ise (Central Japan). Until the end of the XII century. the princesses of the imperial became the servants in Ise

blood, who took a vow of celibacy and, if necessary, performed the functions of oracles in important political issues. Some important Shinto shrines during the Heian era (8th-12th centuries) were under the control of the emperor and local authorities, supported by public funds and divided into ranks. However, from the end of the XII century. due to a change in political course caused by the coming to power of shoguns who sympathized with Buddhism, and a lack of funding, the importance of such shrines began to decrease. In the period 1868-1945. the practice of state provision of Shinto shrines was restored. After 1945, most of the shrines became part of the General Directorate of Shinto shrines (Jinja honcho), which is of a public nature.

Shinto shrines ( jinja) differ from each other in size, elements of buildings, significance, order of services and their number. A Shinto shrine usually consists of several rooms: a kami pavilion (where the "kami body" is kept), a worship pavilion, and an offering pavilion. A characteristic element of a Shinto shrine is the sacred torii gate. The temple complex in Ise is surrounded by the sacred Temple River (Miyagawa), which separates the sacred space of the complex from the secular world.

The veneration of deities consists in their praise, treats, giving various gifts and entertainment. Before the service, the priests perform purification rites, prepare vegetarian food and prayerfully call on God to come down and taste it. Food offered to the deities is then eaten by humans; it is believed that it is filled with various perfections. At the end of the veneration ceremonies, the ritual of raising the kami is performed. Worship of deities can be carried out not only in temples, but also at home, on special kamidana altars. Entertainment includes various mass holidays on a religious basis. Ritual dances are arranged, competitions of sumo wrestlers, archers and swordsmen are held, No dramas are performed, etc.

Having gone through various metamorphoses, Shinto still retains its vitality, being an important factor in the unity of the Japanese nation. However, many of the current Shintoists (more than 100 million people) perceive Shinto not as a religion, but as a form of culture that links the past and present of Japan. Shinto rites in their origin are considered in this sense as elements of Japanese national customs.

The plasticity of Shinto allowed it to easily adapt to other religious traditions. Thus, for many centuries it coexisted with Buddhism and experienced its significant influence.

Review questions

• 1. Who are kami?
• 2. Which goddess occupies a dominant position in the Shinto pantheon?

Kojiki. Records of the deeds of antiquity. SPb., 1994.

Konrad N.I. Essays on the history of culture of medieval Japan. M., 1980. Meshcheryakov A. N. Ancient Japan. Buddhism and Shinto. M., 1987. Nakorchevsky A. A. Shinto. SPb., 2000.

Svetlov G. E. The path of the gods. M., 1985.

Sansom J.B. Japan. Short story culture. SPb., 1999.

Ideological, cult features of religion. Shinto (the religion of Shinto) is limited to Japan, where it is closely intertwined with Buddhism. This religion has centuries of its existence. Japan has developed sacred Shinto sites and pilgrimage traditions.

Most Japanese practice Shintoism and Buddhism at the same time. AT recent times many specialists dealing with religious issues, including confessional statistics, began to use the term japanese National Religion, referring to the close coexistence of Shinto and Buddhism. The "effective" side of religions in Japan prevails over the spiritual and doctrinal. In this regard, pilgrimages are of great importance.

The word "Shinto" means "the way of the gods". The Shinto religion is also called kami no michi.

The Shinto religion claims that nature is inhabited by countless gods (deities) - Komi, including ancestral spirits. Kami inhabit all things and natural phenomena, including groves, rivers, lakes, mountains, rocks, stones, etc. Human nature is the highest because man has the most kami nature. The connection of a person with the deities is indissoluble, and the strongest connection is with the spirits of ancestors.

The Shinto religion considers the universe to be divine and states that man should live in harmony with its holiness. By observing truthfulness and purification, a person can discover the divine nature inherent in him and receive protection and support, help, blessing and guidance from the kami.

The main goal of Shinto followers is to achieve immortality among the spirits of their ancestors. There is no supreme god, but there are many deities in the world. The nature of kami in a person is immortal, and he wants to be remembered with kind words, so the fulfillment of duty is essential element Shinto.

The religious ethics of Shinto is interesting. The state is considered a divine institution whose laws cannot be violated. For its sake, individuals must sacrifice their interests. Shinto deifies imperial power, considering Japanese emperors to be descendants of the sun goddess Amaterasu. To this day, the devotion of the Japanese to their state remains, there is a bright collective-corporatist orientation of Japanese society.

The Shinto religion does not have its own founder, scriptures and well-defined religious doctrine. Books related to the 8th century are considered authoritative. AD, created under the strong influence of the Chinese spiritual heritage. First of all, these are Kojiki (“Records of the Affairs of Antiquity”, 712) and Nihongi (“Annals of Japan”, 720).

Shinto is represented by two levels. State Shinto sought to strengthen the power of the emperor and maintain the authority of state institutions. It was the state religion of Japan after the Meiji Revolution in 1868 and until Japan's defeat in World War II in 1945. "Temple Shinto" aims to express gratitude to the kami for their help and support. He also ordered to help people, to be loyal, to strive for peace and prosperity of the country.

In modern Japan, there are about 100 thousand shrines. Shinto is a religion of love for nature. This is reflected in the fact that many Shinto shrines are in natural natural environment. A mountain or forest can also be considered a sanctuary or temple, even if there is no temple building there. Food and water are brought to the altars, incense is burned on them. There are no images of deities, it is believed that kami already live in shrines.

Religious holidays are of great importance in the cult and ritual practice of the Japanese. matsuri. The Japanese believe that kami reside permanently in shrines, but they come to life on holidays. Different shrines are dedicated to different kami, and the ceremonies in them differ from each other. There is usually a gate in front of the entrance to the sanctuary - torii, symbolizing the transition from the ordinary world to the sacred world. In those sanctuaries in which there are temple buildings, the main room - honden, where the deity dwells is open only to the servants of the temple. Visitors pray before haiden - prayer hall. The prayer process includes donating money to a special donation box, two deep bows, two handclaps and one deep bow. Before haiden, notes are submitted with requests addressed to the kami. Only on special occasions can worshipers enter haiden to receive ritual cleansing from a temple attendant.

History, features, pilgrimage centers. Pilgrimage traditions in Japan are rooted in the past. The Edo period (1600-1868) saw an increase in the number of pilgrims. The pilgrims followed the Tokaido Road from Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto. Along the way, stations and entire cities arose to serve the needs of pilgrims. The main pilgrimage destinations were Ise, Mount Fujisan, Shikoku Island, etc. locals shared their food with the pilgrims - it was believed that thanks to this they would be able to arouse the gratitude of the deities, the worship of which the pilgrims followed. As in other religions, pilgrims walked long distances. Travelers took with them only the most necessary - a staff (tsue) and a small knot furoshiki).

The purpose of the pilgrimage was to receive the mercy of the deities and gain earthly material goods - health, good harvest. For many, including peasants, the pilgrimage was an opportunity to get a break from the daily hardships of a monotonous life.

Today, pilgrims also continue to visit numerous Shinto shrines. One of the most revered is the sanctuary Itsukushima, emerged in the 12th century. Itsukushima is located on Miyajima Island in the Inland Sea of ​​Japan, southwest of Hiroshima. A special sign of the sanctuary is that part of the complex of buildings, including the gate - torii, stands on stilts right in the water of the bay.

Behind the gate on the edge of the bay is the building of the sanctuary. Just like in many other Japanese shrines, Itsukushima has halls for worship, sacrifices, purification, many of which are available only to the clergy. On the hill stands the main temple with the Hall of a Thousand Mats. The main temple is dedicated to the daughters of the storm god Susanoo - the goddesses of the three elements.

An integral part of the liturgical ceremonies at Itsukushima are ritual dances. For them, a stage was built here, which is framed by two musical pavilions. In the theater building, performances were held in the style of the traditional theatrical art of Japan - No.

In an old Japanese city Nikko There is a temple complex Tosegu, which is visited by more than 1 million pilgrims a year. It is interesting for sightseeing tourists, because it allows you to get acquainted with the traditional art of Japan. Tosegu was dedicated to the deified shogun Ieyasu (1542-1616) of the Tokugawa house, the founder of the last dynasty of shoguns in Japan.

The Heian Jingu Shrine is located in Kyoto. The shrine temple, built in 1895, is dedicated to Emperor Kammu (781-806). In October, the Jidai Matsuri festival is held here. During the holiday, colorful processions are organized, the participants of which are dressed in costumes from different eras. The shrine of Yoshida-jinja is quite large, and services are held here in several chapels at once. The main room (honden), in which the main deity lives, is open only to the servants of the temple. In Ise, there is a temple complex dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu.

China with a focus on Westernized modernization, but while maintaining a Confucian (rather than a Marxist-Maoist-Communist!) foundation.

Chapter 22 Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan

Indian and Chinese civilizations have had a significant impact on neighboring countries and peoples over the centuries. And although this influence was multifaceted, and on the periphery of the two powerful cultural centers mentioned there was an acquaintance with Hinduism, Confucianism, and even Taoism, nevertheless essential component The religious tradition that spread most widely was Buddhism. In particular, this can be seen in the example of Japan.

Japan is unique and amazing in many ways. Innate politeness, more sincere and less ceremonial than in China, and next to it the sharp sword of the samurai, whose courage, courage and readiness for self-sacrifice can only be placed next to the blind fanaticism of the warriors of Islam. Rare hard work combined with a heightened sense of honor and deep, to death, devotion to the patron, whether it be an emperor, overlord, teacher or head of a prosperous company. Unusual, even for the refined East, a sense of beauty: modesty and simplicity, laconicism and extraordinary elegance of clothing, decoration, and interior. The ability to get away from the bustle of everyday life and find peace of mind in the contemplation of calm and majestic nature, presented in miniature in a small, deafly fenced courtyard with stones, moss, a stream and dwarf pines ... Finally, an amazing ability to borrow and assimilate, adopt and develop the achievements of other peoples and cultures, while maintaining their own, national, original, Japanese.

Although archeology testifies to the rather deep antiquity of human habitation on the Japanese islands, the emergence of a developed agricultural Neolithic there, and even more so the first steps of an urban-type civilization, date back to a relatively late time, already within our era. The first emperor, the legendary founder of the Japanese state, is the great Jimmu, the "descendant" of the sun goddess Amaterasu, who lived somewhere at the turn of the 3rd-4th centuries. and from which the emperors of Japan are descended - tenno (heavenly sovereign), or mikado.

Shintoism

The complex process of cultural synthesis of local tribes with newcomers laid the foundations of Japanese culture proper, the religious and cult aspect of which was called Shintoism. Shinto (“way of spirits”) is the designation of the supernatural world, gods and spirits (kami), which have been revered by the Japanese since ancient times. The origins of Shinto go back to ancient times and include all the forms of beliefs and cults inherent in primitive peoples - totemism, animism, magic, the cult of the dead, the cult of leaders, etc. The ancient Japanese, like other peoples, inspired the natural phenomena that surrounded them, plants and animals, deceased ancestors, treated with reverence the intermediaries who communicated with the world of spirits - magicians, sorcerers, shamans. Later, having already experienced the influence of Buddhism and having adopted a lot from it, the primitive Shinto shamans turned into priests who performed rituals in honor of various deities and spirits in temples built specially for this.

Ancient Japanese sources of the 7th–8th centuries. - Kojiki, Fudoki, Nihongi - allow us to present a picture of the beliefs and cults of early, pre-Buddhist Shinto. A prominent role in it was played by the cult of dead ancestors - spirits led by the clan ancestor ud-zigami, who symbolized the unity and cohesion of the members of the clan. The objects of worship were

deities of the earth and fields, rain and wind, forests and mountains. Like other ancient peoples, the farmers of Japan solemnly, with rituals and sacrifices, celebrated the autumn harvest festival and the spring festival - the awakening of nature. They treated their dying compatriots as if they were leaving for some other world, where the people and objects around them had to follow to accompany the dead.

Both were made of clay and buried in abundance in the place with the dead (these ceramic products are called khaniva).

Ancient Shinto myths have retained their own, actually Japanese version of ideas about the creation of the world. According to him, originally there were two gods, more precisely, a god and a goddess, Id-zanagi and Izanami. However, it was not their union that gave rise to all living things: Izanami died when she tried to give birth to her first child, the deity of fire. The saddened Izanagi wanted to save his wife from the underworld of the dead, but failed. Then he had to make do with one thing: from his left eye, the sun goddess Amaterasu was born, whose descendants were destined to take the place of the emperors of Japan.

The pantheon of Shintoism is huge, and its growth, as it was in Hinduism or Taoism, was not controlled or limited. Over time, the primitive shamans and heads of clans who performed cults and rituals were replaced by special priests, kannushi (“in charge of spirits”, “masters of kami”), whose positions were, as a rule, hereditary. For rituals, prayers and sacrifices, small temples were built, many of which were regularly rebuilt, erected in a new place almost every twenty years (it was believed that such a period was pleasant for spirits to be in a stable position in one place).

A Shinto shrine is divided into two parts: the inner and closed (honden), where the kami symbol (shintai) is usually kept, and the outer prayer hall (haiden). Visitors to the temple enter the haiden, stop in front of the altar, throw a coin into the box in front of it, bow and clap their hands, sometimes say the words of a prayer (this can also be done silently) and leave. Once or twice a year, there is a solemn holiday at the temple with rich sacrifices and magnificent services, processions with palanquins, during which the spirit of the deity moves from the shingtai. These days, the priests of Shinto shrines in their ritual attire look very ceremonial. On the rest of the days, they dedicate a little time to their temples and spirits, go about their everyday affairs, merging with ordinary people.

In intellectual terms, from the point of view of philosophical understanding of the world, theoretical abstract constructions, Shintoism, like religious Taoism in China, was insufficient for a vigorously developing society. It is not surprising, therefore, that Buddhism, which penetrated from the mainland to Japan, quickly took a leading position in the spiritual culture of the country.

Buddhism in Japan

Having penetrated Japan in the middle of the 6th century, the teachings of the Buddha turned out to be a weapon in the acute political struggle of noble families for power. By the end of the VI century. this fight was won by those who staked on Buddhism. Buddhism spread in Japan in the form of the Mahayana and did a lot to establish and consolidate a developed culture and statehood there. Bringing with it not only Indian philosophical thought and Buddhist metaphysics, but also the traditions of Chinese civilization (Buddhism came mainly through China), the teachings of the Buddha contributed to the formation in Japan of the administrative-bureaucratic hierarchy and some of the fundamental foundations of the system of ethics and law. It is noteworthy that in this area there was no emphasis, as was the case in China, on the unconditional authority of the wisdom of the ancients and on the insignificance of the individual in front of the opinion and tradition of the collective as a whole. On the contrary, already in the "Law of 17 Articles", published in 604, the tenth article was contained, from which it was clear that each person can have his own

opinions and beliefs, ideas about what is right and wise, although in this case one should still act in accordance with the will of the majority. In this article, as if in the bud, one can see important differences that predetermined - along with a number of other factors - a different internal structure and different political destinies for Japan in comparison with China, to whose civilization it owes so much.

In other words, within the framework of ancient Japanese civilization, Buddhist norms, even those subjected to Sinicization and Confucianization, turned out to be stronger, and it was they that played a significant role in laying the foundations of Japanese culture. Since the 8th century the influence of Buddhism became decisive in political life country, which was facilitated by the institution of the Inca, according to which the emperor, during his lifetime, was obliged to abdicate in favor of the heir and, having become a monk, rule the country as a regent.

The number of Buddhist temples grew rapidly: in 623, according to the Nihongi chronicle, there were 46 of them. At the end of the 7th century. A special decree was issued on the establishment of altars and images of the Buddhas in all official institutions. In the middle of the VIII century. It was decided to build a gigantic Todaiji temple in the capital Nara, with the central place in the temple occupied by the 16-meter figure of the Buddha Vairocana, gold was collected throughout Japan to cover it. Buddhist temples began to number in the thousands. In Japan, many sects of Buddhism found their second home, including those that did not survive or fell into decay on the mainland.

Buddhism and Shinto

The Kegon sect, which took shape and gained strength in the 8th century, turned the Todaiji temple in the capital, which belonged to it, into a center that claimed to unite all religious movements, including the rapprochement, synthesis of Buddhism with Shintoism. Based on the principle of honji suijaku, the essence of which was that Shinto deities

- these are all the same Buddhas in their next reincarnations, the sect schools of Japanese Buddhism (Shingon, Tendai, etc.) laid the foundation for the so-called "Rebu Shinto" ("double path of spirits"), within which Buddhism and Shintoism, once at enmity, should have merged into one. This movement met with some success. Japanese emperors officially approached the Shinto gods and temples with a request to assist in the construction of Todaiji and the erection of the statue of Vairochana. They also declared that they considered it their duty to support both Buddhism and Shinto. Some revered kami (much like the Taoist deities in China) were awarded the status of a body-sattva. Buddhist monks often took part in Shinto festivals, etc.

A special contribution to the rapprochement of Buddhism and Shintoism was made by the Shingon sect (Sanskrit - mantra), which spread at a relatively late time from India and is almost unknown in China (except for Tibet). The founder of the Kukai sect (774-835) made the main emphasis on the cult of the Buddha Vairochana, who was perceived in the framework of this teaching as a symbol of the cosmic universe. Through participation in the cosmos and the cosmic graphic system of the Universe (mandala) with the image of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on it, a person became attached to Buddhist symbolism and gained hope for enlightenment and salvation. The abundance of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the magical and symbolic connection with them, many mystical rituals of the Shingon sect made it possible to bring Buddhism and Shintoism closer, to identify Shinto deities, personifying the forces of nature, with the cosmic forces and Buddhas of Buddhism.

Having made a major contribution to the rebu of Shinto, the Shingon sect declared the main Japanese kami to be the avatars of various buddhas and bodysattvas, including Amaterasu, the avatar of the Buddha Vairochana. The Shinto deities of the mountains also began to be regarded as incarnations of the Buddhas, and this was taken into account when building large Buddhist monasteries there. Even many Shinto shrines were run by Buddhist monks. Only the two most important, in Ise and Izumo, retained their independence. Over time, this independence began to be actively supported by the Japanese emperors, who saw in Shinto the basis of their influence.

But this was already connected with the general weakening of the role of emperors in the political life of the country.

Buddhism under regents and shoguns

From the 9th century the significance of the political power of emperors is a thing of the past. The functions of the regent-ruler are in the hands of representatives of the aristocratic house of Fujiwara, the women from which emperors were obliged to marry from generation to generation. Under the Fujiwara regents, the importance of Buddhism becomes even greater. It becomes the state religion. Not only emperors, as happened in the past, but also regents, and all their most prominent officials, became monks by the end of their lives, but did not let go of the reins of government. The center of administrative leadership moved to the Buddhist monasteries, so that the Buddhist clergy concentrated enormous power in their hands. There was an active struggle for monastic positions, and the Fujiwara clan jealously ensured that all the highest positions in the monastic sanghas went to its members. Naturally, this led to a sharp increase in the political and economic positions of Buddhist monasteries, especially those belonging to the most influential and active sects, such as Tendai with a central monastery on Mount Hiei (Enryakuji), which sometimes disobeyed the orders of the authorities and demanded more and more privileges for itself. .

The weakening of the Fujiwara clan became noticeable already from the 10th century, and in 1192 a military leader from the Minamoto clan named Yoritomo took power in the country and declared himself a shogun (commander-leader). The warrior warriors of the new ruler of Japan received their share of land and wealth and formed the basis of a new estate that played a significant role in the history of the country - the samurai estate. During the entire period of the shogunate, which lasted for many centuries, Buddhism continued to be the main support of power. However, there have been important changes. The power of the emperor and the centralized administrative rule from the monasteries, characteristic of the period of the regency, are gone. The feudal princes and their samurai vassals came to the fore. The forces of feudal decentralization were hardly contained by the armed might of the shoguns. In the changed situation, Buddhism also changed. The old sects were replaced by new ones, whose influence has been preserved in the country to this day.

Firstly, this is the Jodo sect (Chinese Jingtu - “Pure Land”, i.e. Amidism) with the cult of the Western Paradise and its lord Buddha Ami-taba. Its founder in Japan, Honen (1133-1212), considered it necessary to simplify the teachings of Buddhism, make it more accessible to the common people, and for this he introduced the practice of countless repetition of the word “Amidism” borrowed from Chinese Amidism, which should bring salvation to the believer. A related sect-school, Jodo Shin, founded by Shinran (1174-1268) and propagated the cult of Amitaba, acted in a similar way. The phrase "Namu Amida Butsu" ("Oh Buddha Amitaba!") became magic spell, repeated up to 70 thousand times a day. People believed in such a simple path to salvation, supported by the performance of virtuous deeds - correspondence of sutras, donations to temples, Buddhist sculptures and images, etc. And although over time the cult of Amida took on a calmer character, the number of followers of Amidism in the country did not decrease, rather increased (now, according to some sources, there are almost 20 million).

Secondly, the Nichiren sect, named after its founder (1222–1282), who, like Honen, sought to simplify and purify Buddhism, gained great popularity in Japan. At the center of worship in the Nichiren sect was not Amitaba, but the great Buddha himself. And there was no need to strive for the Western Paradise and the unknown Pure Land: Buddha was around, in everything, including in yourself. Sooner or later, he will manifest himself in anyone, even the most offended and oppressed. Nichiren was intolerant of other sects, accusing them of various sins and promising their adherents a stay in hell, but his teaching

Hello, dear readers - seekers of knowledge and truth!

We have long known that Buddhism is one of the world's religions, the most ancient and incredibly interesting. For several millennia, it has been slowly wandering around the world: in some countries it is a “passage”, and somewhere it lingers for many centuries, benevolently adjacent to other religions, and sometimes completely merges with them.

Something similar happened in Japan - Buddhism entered where its own religion dominated - Shintoism, 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 will not be superfluous to recall what Shinto is. This is a Japanese religion, which can be called a national treasure. For more than two millennia, people have been collecting ideas, observations, views about life, spiritual traditions, and only in the 8th century did they acquire the 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 separated from them. Keyword"Shinto" consists of two characters: "shin" - kami, "to" - the way. Literally, it can be translated as "the path of the gods."

In Japanese culture, the term "kami" is very important for perception, they denote a deity, a spirit that every thing has. Kami is a truly Japanese concept, national, 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 Shinto. This is "kami".

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

It is believed that spiritual harmony is achieved precisely in this world and precisely through unity with kami, merging. Belief in it has given rise to several types of Shinto, 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 affects 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 held in the temples of the imperial palace;
• state - a synthesis of temple and imperial Shinto.

Buddhism

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

Nirvana is a state of complete peace and tranquility. It is achieved through long practices, meditations, 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 very "middle way" - 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 current. Here it is divided into several traditional schools, which are predominantly Mahayana.

Interestingly, they were not planted here by force, so in Japan Buddhism took root as harmoniously as possible, peacefully adapted in art. , culture and religious beliefs.

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, Japan is currently dominated by the so-called religious syncretism- a combination of different faiths.

The majority of the population identifies themselves as either Buddhists or Shintoists, or both at the same time. At the birth of a child, they can conduct rituals in a Shinto shrine, a wedding ceremony in a Buddhist one, and read the Tibetan Book of the Dead over the body of the deceased.

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

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, special prayers are said - mantras that are addressed to a particular saint. Shintoism in this regard contains remnants of shamanism, when people want to call on the forces to rain or stop the storm with spells.

The teachings of Siddhartha are flexible, able to adapt to any mentality and are able to travel around the world, flowing into different forms. The Shinto faith is something national, close, native only to the Japanese.

In general, it is something more than religion in the usual sense, it is a whole complex of knowledge that is not amenable to strict structuring, enumeration of unambiguous dogmas. What is needed here is not orthodoxy, but continuous practice, ritualism with a claim to 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 deepening into Shintoism is the absence of a founder, such as, for example, 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 the life of a Buddhist is to break out of a series of rebirths and finally achieve nirvana, the complete liberation of the soul. Shintoists do not seek salvation in the next life, in the afterlife or in the intermediate state - they reach agreement, merge with the "kami" in the present life.

Conclusion

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Word Shinto(literally "way kami"") is the term for religion today. This term is quite ancient, although it was not widely used in ancient times either among the population or among theologians. For the first time it is found in written sources in Nihon seki - "Annals of Japan", written at the beginning of the VIII century. There it was used to separate the traditional local religion from Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, continental beliefs that had entered Japan in previous centuries.

Word " Shinto» is composed of two hieroglyphs: “sin”, symbolizing the original Japanese kami, and “that,” which means “way.” The corresponding Chinese word "shendao" in a Confucian context was used to describe the mystical laws of nature and the road leading to death. In the Taoist tradition, it meant magical powers. In Chinese Buddhist texts, at one time the word "shendao" refers to the teachings of Gautama, at another time this term implies a mystical concept of the soul. In Japanese Buddhism, the word "shendao" was used much more widely - to refer to local deities (kami) and their realm, and by kami meant ghost beings of a lower order than buddhas (hotoke). Basically, it is in this sense that the word Shinto" was used in Japanese literature for centuries following the Nihon shoki. And finally, starting from about the 13th century, the word Shinto call religion kami to distinguish it from Buddhism and Confucianism, which are widespread in the country. AT given value it is still in use today.
Unlike Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, Shintoism and there is no founder, such as the enlightened Gautama, the messiah Jesus or the prophet Mohammed; there are no sacred texts in it, such as the sutras in Buddhism, the Bible or the Koran.
From a personality point of view, Shinto implies faith in kami, observance of customs in accordance with the mind of the kami and spiritual life achieved through the worship of the kami and in merging with them. For those who worship kami, Shinto- a collective name denoting all beliefs. It is an all-encompassing term covering a wide variety of religions, interpreted according to the idea kami. Therefore, those who profess Shintoism use this term differently than it is customary to use the word "Buddhism" when talking about the teachings of the Buddha and the word "Christianity" about the teachings of Christ.
AT broad sense, Shintoism there is more than just religion. It is a fusion of beliefs, ideas and spiritual practices that have become an integral part of the path of the Japanese people for more than two millennia. In this way, Shintoism- and personal faith in kami, and the corresponding social way of life. Shintoism formed over many centuries under the influence of various merged ethnic and cultural traditions, both indigenous and foreign, and thanks to him the country achieved unity under the rule of the imperial family.

Ise-jingu at Mie Shrine of Amaterasu

Types of Shinto

Folk Shinto.

There are several types Shintoism a. The most accessible of them is folk Shintoism. belief kami deeply rooted in the minds of the Japanese and leaves an imprint on their daily lives. Many of the ideas and customs inherent in this religion in ancient times have been preserved for centuries and transmitted in the form of folk traditions. The combination of these traditions with borrowings from foreign sources led to the emergence of the so-called "folk Shintoism a" or "folk faith".

Home Shinto.

under home Shintoism Om refers to the performance of religious rites at the home Shinto altar.

sectarian Shinto.

Sectarian Shintoism represented by several heterogeneous religious groups that came under the supervision of a special department in the Meiji government, which nationalized the temples and made Shinto the state religion. Subsequently, the main splinter groups became independent religious organizations and received the official name "sectarian Shintoism". There were thirteen such sects in pre-war Japan.

Imperial Shinto.

This name was given to religious ceremonies that are held in three temples located on the territory of the imperial palace and are open only to members of the imperial family and employees at the court of people. The central temple - Kashiko-dokoro, dedicated to the mythological progenitor of the imperial family, arose thanks to the inheritance of Ninigi-no-mi-koto, the grandson of the Sun Goddess, who was presented with a sacred mirror - Yata-no-kagami. For several centuries, the mirror was kept in the palace, then an exact copy was made, which was placed in the Kashiko-dokoro temple, and the sacred symbol itself was transferred to the inner temple (naiku) Ise. This mirror, symbolizing the spirit of the Goddess of the Sun, is one of the three imperial regalia passed down by emperors from generation to generation. In the western part of the complex is the Sanctuary of the Spirits of the Ancestors - Korei-den, where (as the name of the temple suggests) the sacred spirits of the emperors found peace. In the eastern part of the complex is the Kami shrine - Shin-den, which is the shrine of all kami - both heavenly and earthly.
In ancient times, the Nakatomi and Imbe families were responsible for conducting Shinto ceremonies at the court, and this honorary mission was inherited. Today, this tradition no longer exists, but the ceremonies that are held in the palace temples almost completely comply with the imperial law on ceremonies, adopted in 1908. Sometimes solemn ceremonies are performed by ritual experts - employees of the imperial court, but in most of the most important ceremonies, according to ancient tradition, the ceremony is headed by the Emperor himself. In April 1959, the sanctuaries received national attention during the crown prince's wedding, which was held at the palace. The Shinto tradition of the imperial court retained the custom of sending messengers with offerings to certain temples that had a special relationship with the imperial family.

Shinto priests open the Momote-shiki archery festival at Meiji Shrine

Temple Shinto.

The most ancient and widespread type of belief in kami- it's temple Shintoism. Temples in the country began to be erected from time immemorial, even before the beginning of Japanese statehood. Over the centuries, as the clans expanded their possessions, the number of temples increased and by the beginning of the 20th century there were already about two hundred thousand of them. After the Meiji Restoration, the temples were nationalized and included in the so-called "Temple System", after which their number gradually decreased to one hundred and ten thousand. After the Second World War, the temples lost their state status and became private organizations. Now there are about eighty thousand of them.
Great Temple Ise. Great Temple Ise considered unique and deserves a separate story. Its main deity, the Sun Goddess, was originally kami- family keeper Yamato from which comes the imperial family that has ruled Japan throughout its history. When in the hands of the clan Yamato turned out to be the reins of government for the whole country, the temple, in a sense, became the main national temple. Great Temple Ise, by universal recognition, surpasses all other sanctuaries. Services in it express not only faith in kami, but also mean a manifestation of the deepest respect for the Emperor, for everything that is best in the culture and history of the country, expressing the national identity of the Japanese.

State Shinto.

Based Shintoism but the imperial court and the temple Shintoism and in combination with certain ideas tendentiously interpreting the origin and history of Japan, another type was formed. Shintoism and, until recently known as the "state Shintoism". It existed at a time when temples had state status.