JIC: Japan Infomation Communication

A variety of Buddhism

Introduction

Buddhism was imported to Japan via China and Korea in form of a present from the friendly Korean kingdom of Kudara (Paikche) in the 6th century.

During the early Heian period, two new Buddhist sects were introduced from China: the Tendai sect in 805 by Saicho and the Shingon sect in 806 by Kukai. More sects later branched off the Tendai sect. Among these, the most important ones are mentioned below:

In 1175, the Jodo sect (Pure Land sect) was founded by Honen. It found followers among all different social classes since its theories were simple and based on the principle that everybody can achieve salvation by strongly believing in the Buddha Amida. In 1224, the Jodo-Shinshu (True Pure Land sect) was founded by Honen's successor Shinran. The Jodo sects continue to have millions of followers today.

In 1191, the Zen sect was introduced from China. Its complicated theories were popular particularly among the members of the military class. According to Zen teachings, one can achieve self enlightenment through meditation and discipline. At present, Zen seems to enjoy a greater popularity overseas than within Japan.

The Lotus Hokke or Nichiren sect, was founded by Nichiren in 1253. The sect was exceptional due to its intolerant stance towards other Buddhist sects. Nichiren Buddhism still has many millions of followers today, and several "new religions" are based on Nichiren's teachings.

(1) Nichiren
Based on the belief that the essence of true Buddhism is found only in the Lotus Sutra, it teaches to chant formulary statement called 'Odaimoku' {o-dye-moh-koo} or 'Nam myo hoh ren gek'kyo', a simpler version of paternoster, meaning adoration to the Lotus Sutra for the true law, by which one receives the morality embraced in the Sutra and his soul becomes identified with the cosmic soul of the eternal Buddha. The main objects of worship are usually the tablet inscribed with the formula 'Nam-myo-ho-ren-gek'kyo' called Odaimoku, a statue of Priest Nichiren and a set of Buddha-related statues. The seven-letter Odaimoku denotes adoration to the Lotus Sutra. It is often placed in the center of the alter flanked by a statue of Shaka Nyorai (Sakyamuni in Skt.) to the left and Taho Nyorai (Prabhutaratna in Skt.) to the right. The set is called Sanbo Honzon.

There are 32 Nichiren sect temples in Kamakura including Ankokuronji, Choshoji, Daigyoji, Hongakuji, Jissoji, Jo- eiji, Jogyoji, Kosokuji at Hase, Myohonji, Myohoji, Myoryuji, Ryukoji, etc.

(2) Zen    
It asserts that enlightenment can be attained through the practice of sitting meditation, self-reliance and intuition rather than through scriptures. For samurai, who were always exposed to death, sitting meditation with which they trained themselves in moral asceticism helped calm down themselves, and was a good path to realization of the Buddhahood. In Zen temples, catechetical questions called ko-an {koh-an} are raised and must be answered to the satisfaction of the masters. As it stresses the importance of master-disciple relationship, plenty of statues and portraits of famed priests were carved and painted. Also, when Zen was introduced into Japan by Chinese priests, a great deal of Chinese culture such as sculpture, gardening, painting, calligraphy, cuisine, interior decoration, etc. were brought in.

There are 17 Zen sect temples in Kamakura. Included among them are: Chojuji, Engakuji, En-noji, Hokokuji, Jochiji, Jomyoji, Jufukuji, Kaizoji, Kenchoji, Meigetsu-in, Tokeiji, Zuisenji, etc.

(3) Shingon
The sect founded by Priest Kukai takes the stand that the eternal wisdom of the Lord Buddha is developed and realized through elaborate and secret ritual practices such as mantras and mudras. Hence, it is called esoteric Buddhism. The Great Sun Sutra (Maha-vairocana sutra in Skt.) is the ultimate reality, and Dainichi Nyorai {dye-nee-che nyo-rye} (Mahavairocana in Skt.) is believed to be the cosmic Buddha. Mandala represents the universe pictorially with geometric designs serving as the object of meditation and worship. The head temple of this sect is Kongobuji located in Mt. Koya {koh-yah}, Wakayama Prefecture. Shinshoji situated near the Narita International Airport is also a full-fledged Shingon sect temple.

In Kamakura, there are 15 including Fudarakuji, Joju-in, Jokomyoji, Kakuonji, Manpukuji, Myo-o-in, etc.

(4) Jodo
Pure Land Buddhism focusing on Amida. It offers easy salvation through belief in Amida. Everyone who say a prayer to Amida declaiming the 'Nenbutsu' {nen-boo-tsu} or 'Nam-ahmy-dab-t' (namo' mitayusebddhaya or namo' mitabhayabuddhaya in Skt.) the sect's paternoster, with genuine reverence is believed to be guaranteed to enter into the bliss of Heaven immediately after one's death, and to be ensured rebirth in the Pure Land (Sukhavati in Skt.). Back at the time, Buddhists believed that the world would come to an apocalyptic end, and therefore, this Pure Land concept was well accepted. The main object of worship are the statues of Amida trinity, or Amida with Kan'non Bosatsu {bo-sah-tsu} (Avalokitesvara in Skt.) on his left and Seishi {-say-she} Bosatsu (Mahasthamaprapta in Skt.) on his right. Later, Jodo Shin sect, an offshoot of the Jodo, was developed by Priest Shinran, which was even easier than Jodo to exercise. Whereas Jodo has to rely on self-effort, Jodo Shin assures salvation from the moment faith is first expressed. With East and West Honganji in Kyoto as their mother temples, the Jodo Shin is now among the most popular Buddhist sects in Japan. It was once so powerful that governments had difficulties controlling their revolts.

There are 13 Jodo and 1 Jodo Shin sect temples in Kamakura: An-yo-in, Eishoji, Kotoku-in (the Great Buddha), Hasedera, Komyoji, Kuhonji, etc.

(5) Ji {gee}
Founded by Priest Ippen {(h)it-pen} (1239-1289), it is another offshoot of the Jodo sect. Its head temple Yugyoji {you-gyo-gee} is located in Fujisawa, a neighboring city of Kamakura. Priest Ippen was commonly referred to as a holy priest of abandonment as he held belief in abandoning the self by trusting the Lord Buddha. Through ecstatic incantation of the holy name and folk dance, they believed Amida would assure them of salvation. His teachings required no faith at all. The devout needed just to chant Nenbutsu with the notion that salvation had been given to believers many eons ago. The Ji sect gained its position as one of the most popular ones as it was the easiest of all religions to practice.

Kamakura has 7 Ji sect temples including Betsuganji, Kosokuji at Juniso, etc. For further details on the Ji Sect and Priest Ippen, see Yugyoji.

(6) Tendai
Introduced in the early 9th century by Priest Saicho, it includes the basic Mahayana teachings, which are abstract and abstruse. At the Tendai's head temple Enryakuji, a number of pioneer Buddhists including Nichiren studied. Like Shingon sect, Tendai has mystic practice of esoteric Buddhism.

There are two Tendai sect temples in Kamakura, which are Hokaiji and Sugimoto-dera.

This information was found here.

                                                                                                  posted by Yu Tsukuda

A variety of Shinto

1. Koshitsu Shinto (Imperial Household Shinto)

Koshitsu Shinto is a general term for conclave rites performed by the emperor (who is now 'the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people' under the Japanese Constitution) in order to pray myriad deities centering Amaterasu Ohmikami (a goddess who is the ancestral deity of the emperor according to the Japanese myth) and the imperial ancestral deities for a long continuation of the state, for happiness of the people and for world peace, and it has an independent system. Daijosai, or Great Festival of Thanksgiving, is the first Niinamesai (a rite of Thanksgiving) performed by the newly crowned emperor of Japan in a palace called Daijokyu which is temporarily built inside the Imperial Palace. Besides this rite, rites performed at the Grand Shrine of Ise are to be included in this category, since Amaterasu Ohmikami is enshrined in there.

2.Shuha Shinto (Sectarian Shinto)

 

   Shuha Shinto (Sectarian Shinto) can be classified into two categories: the Sect Shinto and New Sect Shinto. The Sect Shinto is the groups of the Shinto believers that started individual religious activities before 1868 and after 1882 when Shinto Shrines were secluded from other religious institutions as the place for rites and festivals conducted by the State (the beginning of so-called State Shinto); they are Kurozumikyo, Shinto Shuseiha, Izumo Oyashirokyo, Fusokyo, Jikkokyo, Shinshukyo, Shinto Taiseikyo, Ontakekyo, Shintotaikyo, Misogikyo, Shinrikyo, Konkokyo, and Tenrikyo(*) according to the date of establishment. Each group has a founder and its own doctrines. Although they worship traditional deities of heaven and earth, following traditional forms of rites and festivals of Shinto, they often have the central figure of divinity to revere. In the case of the New Sect Shinto, they have a notable tendency to make a compromise among Buddhism, Confucianism, and folk faiths such as Yin Yang school. There are some groups which even show characteristics of monotheism as the extreme case.

3.Minzoku Shinto (Folk Shinto)

 

   Folk Shinto is a Shinto faith which was customarily practiced by common people without being systematized. Thus it is inseparable from the Shrine Shinto. However, in the time of the 40th Emperor Temmu (673-686), it was segregated from the Shrine Shinto when the government of the time set up a certain system relating to the Japanese traditional rituals and festivals, which had been long practiced in parallel with rituals of Buddhism, the state religion of Japan at that time. After that, Folk Shinto gradually developed by itself forming an complex form of rituals and festivals which sometimes amalgamated even with Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Among them, those which have not lost traditional forms of Shinto are considered now to be Folk Shinto.

4. Jinja Shinto (Shrine Shinto)

 

   This is a general term for all the rites and other activities performed by a local community or a kin community mainly in a building called Jinja (or a shrine). Together with the Koshitsu Shinto (Shinto of the Imperial House), this is considered to form the core of the Shinto tradition.

In February 1946, responding to the issuance of so called the Shinto Directive by the occupation authorities in the previous year (1945), the world of Shinto Shrines formed an organization known as the Association of Shinto Shrines with an aim to uphold the Japanese cultural tradition. Presently it includes about eighty thousand shrines throughout Japan.

A long tradition worshipping Kami (the deities), however, it is not, by itself, a religious institution which is organized by followers under a particular spiritual leader. Each shrine has an individual historical background for its establishment. So, it has no fixed doctrine nor holy scriptures. Although the Association of Shinto Shrines formed as a unifying body of these shrines putting its base on reverence for the Grand Shrine of Ise, it has no standardized fixed doctrine but just the constitution for the organization which describes its aim and spirit and the 'General Characteristics of a Life lived in Reverence of Kami (the deities)' which describes the guidance for Shinto followers. The main points of the latter is as follows:

(1) To be grateful for the blessings of Kami and the benefits of the ancestors, and to be diligent in the observance of the Shinto rites, applying oneself to them with sincerity. brightness, and purity of heart.

(2) To be helpful to others and in the world at large through deeds of service without thought of rewards, and to seek the advancement of the world as one whose life mediates the will of Kami.

(3) To bind oneself with others in harmonious acknowledgment of the will of the emperor, praying that the country may flourish and that other peoples too may live in peace and prosperity.

The expression, "uprightness, righteousness and purity of heart", was originally used in the Imperial Edict of Senmyo in the Nara period (724-780). It describes the royal mind of people towards the emperor and the state." The will of Kami" expressed in (2)is understood as a divine mission for the Japanese to realize what Amaterasu Ohmikami commanded to her grandchild. According to the Japanese myth, she sent her grandchild to the land of Japan and blessed him saying "Do thou, my grandchild, proceed thithe and accept it. Go! and may prosperity attend thy dynasty, and may it, with Heaven and Earth, endure for ever."

This information was found here.

                                                                           posted by  Yu Tsukuda

The Founder of Buddhism

The Founder of Buddhism

Buddha Shakyamuni is the founder of Buddhism

Posted by Koji Iwata

The Buddha who is the founder of the Buddhist religion is called Buddha Shakyamuni. "Shakya" is the name of the royal family into which he was born, and "Muni" means "Able One." Buddha Skakyamuni was born as a royal prince in 624 BC in a place called Lumbini, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal.

His mother's name was Queen Mayadevi and his father's name was King Shuddhodana.

Queen Mayadevi: https://www.fpmt.org/shop/product1.aspx?Product_ID=835&SID

Before Siddartha Gautama's birth, his mother dreamed of a white elephant presenting her with a lotus flower.

The young ascetic practiced extreme self-mortification for six years in the hopes of discovering Truth. It is said he ate little more than a single sesame seed or grain of rice each day. After these six years he determined to continue his quest in a new manner. He practiced a Middle Way between self-mortification and self- indulgence.

He sat under the shade of a pippala tree (now called a Bodhi tree) determined not to rise until fully enlightened. He accepted a bowl of milk from a maid Sugata. He ate and gradually recovered his strength. Soon he realized the 4 Noble Truths and the secret to true peace and happiness.

The Buddha gained many followers. On one occasion 1,250 monks gathered (This day is commemorated as a holiday in Buddhist countries.)

After 45 years of teaching the Dharma, the Buddha passed into Parinirvana.  In his last sermon, he encouraged his disciples to diligently seek the truth and not to hold on to that which is impermanent.

This information was provided by: http://www.crystalinks.com/buddha.html

About Buddha: http://www.aboutbuddha.org/english/index.htm

Buddha net: http://www.buddhanet.net/

The photo was downloaded from: http://www.tharpa.com/us/art-Buddha.Shakyamuni-629.html

The founder of Japanese Buddism is unknown.  It is assumed to be 538 years  to have introduced the Buddhism to Japan. It is because of the record that the buddhist image and the sutra were sent to Nihonshoki(the oldest historical book in Japan) from Kudara(ancient Korea). 

History of Buddhism

BUDDHISM

Having a tradition that is almost 2500 years old, Buddhism took several forms until today, depending on the region it evolved in. Today, Buddhism has over 300 million followers, from which 200 million are found in India (in the forms of pure Buddhism or through combinations of the Buddhist and Hindu religions). Although many people look at it as being one of the major religions, Buddhism, in its purest form is essentially more of a philosophy. The highest authority is man himself, there is no supreme entity, as Christians have God and Muslims have Allah. The doctrine is highly malleable and resourceful which stops the forming of fundamentalists. The 2500 year old religion / philosophy still changes and groups around 3 major schools of thought. The Mahayana Buddhists are the most liberal and "modern" of the three branches although they have more scripture than the other two. The Vajarayana Buddhists, which has common roots as the Mahayana school, is the most popular type of Buddhism in Tibet. And the least popular, the Theravada Buddhists are the most traditional and conservative branch, their ways being harder to learn as they have less scripture to rely on.

When Buddhism was introduced into Japan in the sixth century, it started to have an effect on the Shinto beliefs, and vise versa.   An interesting example of this interaction is honji suijaku, in which shinto kami were seen as the incarnations of Buddhist deities.                                                                

Sometime around the 5th century BC, Buddhism was started in India and spread throughout China in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.  It was introduced to Japan after the king of Paekche in Korea sent a Buddha statue and copies of sutras to the Japanese emperor during the 6th century.  It spread rapidly through the upper class after anti-Buddhist factions were defeated by the pro-Buddhist Soga family. Prince Shotoku (574-622) is considered to be the true founder of Buddhism though.                                                                                                                                             

Emperor Shomu (701-756) made Buddhism the official state religion and built the temple Todaiji at Nara along with its huge statue of Buddha.  Six Nara sects, which were predominate in Buddhism at this time, were responsible for carrying out rituals to promote national welfare.  They were basically academic by nature and didn't have any great influence on the general population.  Priest Saicho (767-822) introduced the Tendai sect to Japan in the Heian period (794-1185), while the Shingon sect was introduced by Kukai (774-835), who is also known as Kobo Daishi.  These last two esoteric sects became the most important Buddhist sects at the imperial court.                                                                                                                                             

Japanese Buddhism during the Kamakura period (1185-1333).  Eisai (1141-1215), who was the founder of the Rinzai sect, established the Zen school.  Dogen (1200-1253), the founder of the Soto sect, later modified it.  The warrior elite were receptive to this because it emphasized self-discipline and meditation, as well as its directness.  To reach enlightenment (satori), meditation (zazen) and irrational riddles (koan) are used. A difference between the two groups is that in the Rinzai Zen, there is much more emphasis placed on the riddles than in the Soto Zen.                                                                                                                                          

The Tokugawa shogunate, in the Edo period (1600-1868), wanted to wipe out Christianity and control the population, so he requested that everyone join or become a part of a Buddhist temple.  Although there was a large number of members, the vitality of Buddhism as a living religion was not greatly increased.  As a result of anti-Buddhism, encourage by the governments wishes to eradicate Buddhism and uplift Shinto as the state religion, the previous system was destroyed.  With the social environment changing and as a result of the uprising against it, Buddhism has been working to improve its stand in modern Japan.

                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                         

The information was provided by: http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/japan/religion.htm

The photo was downloaded from:  http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0861068.html                                                             

Yutaro Hayashi

History of Shinto

SHINTO

Japan's religious history has been a long process of mutual influence between religions.  Shinto has been a big part of Japanese life ever since the beginning of Japan's history and continues today.

Shinto cannot be traced to its beginnings, because until the 5th cent. (when Chinese writing was introduced into Japan) the myths and rituals were transmitted orally. The written record of the ancient beliefs and customs first appeared in the Kojiki [records of ancient matters], prepared under imperial order and completed in A.D. 712. From those first Japanese accounts of the religion of times then already far past, it can be seen that a worship of the forces and forms of nature had grown into a certain stage of polytheism in which spiritual conceptions had only a small place. Nor was there any clear realization of a personal character in the beings held to be divine, and there were practically no images of the deities.

There was no one deity supreme over all, but some gods were raised to higher ranks, and the one who held the most exalted position was the sun goddess, known as the Ruler of Heaven. The emperors of Japan are said to be descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu-o-mi-kami, in unbroken line beginning with the first, Jimmu, who ascended his throne in 660 B.C. Thus the emperor was looked upon as divine, even while living; by divine right he was the chief priest, and as such he presided over ceremonies of foremost importance. Aside from this his religious responsibilities were delegated to others.

A Shinto shrine, unaffected by other religious influences, is a simple unpainted wooden building, having some object within it that is believed to be the dwelling place of the kami. After Buddhism entered Japan in the 6th cent. A.D., it had some influence on Shinto. In many shrines Buddhist priests serve, and worship under their direction is more elaborate than pure Shinto.

Beginning in the 17th cent. a vigorous effort was made to revive the old ways and ideas. After the Meiji restoration in 1868, the ancient department of Shinto rites was reestablished, giving Shinto much of its structure and identity as a religion. In 1882 all Shinto organizations were divided into two groups, state shrines (supervised and partially supported by the government) and sectarian churches. The ancient mythology was used to glorify the emperor and the state, and state Shinto became a powerful instrument in the hands of the militarists, who used it to glorify their policy of aggression.

                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                             

This information was provided by: http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/japan/religion.htm

The photo was downloaded from: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0861068.html

Yutaro Hayashi

Mysterious Cults

1) Aum Shinrikyo

Aum Shinrikyo (also spelled Om Shin Rikyo) was a religious group which mixed Buddhist and Hindu beliefs and was based in Japan. It gained international notoriety in 1995, when a group of followers carried out a poison gas attack on the Tokyo subways on the orders of its founder,Shoko Asahara. Since 2000, it has been called Aleph.

In 1995, following a Tokyo subway sarin gas attack in which 12 commuters died and thousands were injured, Shoko Asahara and a number of senior Aum Shinrikyo officials were arrested and accused of planning the attack.

The trial, called "the trial of the century" by the Japanese press, ruled Asahara guilty of masterminding the attack and sentenced him to death. The indictment is currently in the process of appeal at the High Court. Some senior members accused of participation, such as Masami Tsuchiya, also received death sentences.

2) Soka Gakkai

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is the umbrella organization for affiliate lay organizations in over 190 countries practicing a form of the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. It is closely affiliated with the New Clean Government Party (also known as the New Komeito), a major political party in Japan (though formal ties have been lessened to combat charges of violation of the separation of church and state). More controversially, Soka Gakkai has been accused by some critics of being a cult or cult-like group.

Soka Gakkai was founded as the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai on November 18, 1930 by

Japanese educators Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda. After World War II, the Soka Gakkai experienced a period of rapid growth in Japan. The organization was formally organized in the United States on October 13, 1960. SGI was created in 1975 to act as the international leadership of national Soka Gakkai organizations.

The international body of SGI has been guided since its inception by its president, Daisaku Ikeda.

A disciple of Second Soka Gakkai President Toda, Ikeda succeeded him in 1960 as Soka Gakkai President and became SGI President upon its creation in 1975. Founder of Soka University and the Soka School System, Mr. Ikeda is the author of numerous books and has held dialogues toward peace, education and culture with numerous scholars and world leaders.

photo by here and here.

3) Pana wave Laboratory

Pana wave Laboratory was formed in about 1977 and claims around 3,000 members, although the real number is believed to be 1,200 at the most.

On 25 April. 2003,  about 40 members of a Japanese cult called Pana Wave  Laboratory took over a 200-meter (660ft) stretch of mountain road in Gifu prefecture, some 185 miles (300km) west of Tokyo, covering up crash barriers and roadside trees with huge white cloths.

After three days, local officials ordered the caravan of 13 white vehicles to move on, but the cultists – who dress all in white and wear surgical masks as protection against electromagnetic radiation – refused, explaining that Yuko Chino, their 69-year-old guru, had terminal cancer after communist guerrillas had attacked her with microwaves.

Members claim that electromagnetic waves are causing catastrophic environmental destruction, including a rise in temperature, and have been touring Japan since 1994 in search of a place free of power lines and electromagnetic pollution.

photo by here.

4) Unification Church

The Unification Church (officially named the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) is a new religious movement founded by Reverend Sun Myung Moon in Korea in 1954.

The Unification Church is a unique interpretation of Christianity that regards Rev. Moon as the Messiah and believes world peace can be attained through the creation of "true families." It is especially known for its mass weddings and seeking of converts.

Shinto Architecture

  By the 7th century, the Japanese court had aggressively accepted Buddhism, not only as a religious vehicle promising salvation for the upper classes, but also as an instrument to consolidate state power.Around the 8th century, Shinto traditions begin to imitate and blend with Buddhist influences.

The Shinto-Buddhist syncretism of the period was actually formalized and pursued based on a theory called honji suijaku.

The process of blending Buddhism with Shinto progressed uninterrupted, and by the Heian Period (794-1185), Shinto deities came, among some Shinto sects, to be recognized as incarnations of Buddha deities. One notable example is a syncretic movement that combined Shinto with the teachings of Shingon (Esoteric) Buddhism. This school believed that Shinto deities were manifestations of Buddha divinities. The Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu, for example, was identified with Mahavairocana (Dainichi Nyorai), the Great Sun Buddha.

Another great center of Shinto/Buddhist merging was the syncretic Tendai shrine-temple multiplex located at Mt. Hiei (Shiga Prefecture, near Kyoto), which came to prominence around the same time as Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.

By the 9th century, Buddhist temples were constructed alongside Shinto shrines on many sacred mountains, epitomized by the powerful Tendai multiplex on Mt. Hiei and by the holy places throughout the Kumano mountain range. The native Shinto kami (deities) residing on these peaks were considered manifestations of Buddhist divinities, and pilgrimages to these sites were believed to bring double favor from both their Shinto and Buddhist counterparts.

Another major center of syncretism was the Kasuga shrine in Nara. The number of deities proliferated. Despite earlier resistance, syncretism was relatively smooth and marked by religious tolerance .

This information was found here and here.

★Examples of Shintoist architecture

1) Ise Shrine

Ise Shrine actually consists of two shrines: Geku and Naiku.

Geku, which dates from the 5th century enshrines the Shinto goddess of clothing, food and housing - Toyouke Omikami. Naiku, which is two hundred years older, enshrines Amaterasu-Omikami, the sun goddess, the guardian of the nation and the protector of the Imperial family.

Also, the main shrine has the elevated floor in the Shinmei zukuri style, which is the oldest shrine architecture style.

photo by  here and here.

2) Inari Shrine

The Fushimi Inari Taisha was founded in the 8th century by the Hata family and is the head shrine of no less than 30,000 Inari Shrines nationwide.

The sancturay is composed of several buildings, including the Sakura-mon Gate (桜門) and Go-Honden Shrine (御本殿), followed by a 4km tunnel made of thousands of red torii gates making their way through the woods.

Statues of menacing kitsune (foxes), said to have the magic power to take possession of human spirits,  alternate with torii gates. The fox is however reverred to as the god of harvest (rice and cereals), and is often seen carrying a key in his mouth, which is for the rice granary. Foxes are said to love rice balls rolled in fried tofu, which are called for that reason "o-inari-san". They can be purchased in about any sushi shops.

photo by here.

3) Hachiman Shrine

The Hachiman shrines are the second most popular set of shrines in Japan after the Inari shrines. Hachiman is a popular deity in Japan and is considered the Shinto God of war and the divine protector of the Japanese people. These set of shrines are patronized by the Minamoto clan of warriors in Japan.

The deity is revered by peasants and fishermen and is supposed to bless them  with a good catch and harvest and also looks after the well being of the general public in general. It is believed that the 15th emperor of Japan Ojin has been elevated to the position of God and is always accompanied by his mother empress Jingo, and the goddess Hime Gami.

photo by here.

by Hitomi Hasegawa

Buddhist Architecture

Architecture in Japan with Buddhist influences came from Korea and China in the 6th century.

Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous,

famous, and important religious buildings in Japan. The Japanese word for

a Buddhist temple is "tera", and the same kanji also has the pronunciation "ji", so

temple names often end with -ji or -dera.

There are a number of other variations such as -in.

Famous temples in Japan including Enryaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Kotoku-in illustrate the naming patterns.

Temples were built for those dedicated to worshipping Buddha, and within each compound there were several buildings for the purpose of housing monks or nuns.

By the eight century, each compound basically consisted of seven buildings:

          

    the pagoda             main hall

                            

 

     lecture hall          bell tower

repository for sutras, dormitory, and dining hall.

Surrounding the compound was a wall made from earth that had gates  on each side.

The main hall in the compound held the most prominent object of worship, with the lecture hall being used by monks for study, instruction or for rituals. 

In early temples, the lecture hall was usually the largest building.

There were two predominate tower styles; one in which canonical writings were stored

and the other that was used to announce the time of religious observance every day.It was common, in Buddhism's early days, for pagodas to be in the middle of the compound.

The pagodas held sacred relics, and these were the main objects of worship.

Buddhist temples in Japan are varied, yet there are certain generalizations that can be made, and general rules or guidelines that are followed.

photo by here and here.

　　　　　　　　　　　　      

                                  ★Expamples of Buddhist architecture

1) Kiyomizudera

Kiyomizudera ("Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temple of Japan. It was founded in 780 and remains associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest sects within Japanese Buddhism. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

Kiyomizudera stands in the wooded hills of eastern Kyoto and offers visitors a nice view over the city from its famous wooden terrace. Below the terrace, you can taste the spring water, which gives the temple its name and which is said to have healing power.

Behind Kiyomizudera's main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love. In front of the shrine are two rocks, placed several meters apart from each other. Successfully walking from one to the other rock with your eyes closed is said to bring luck in your love live.

photo by here.

2) Horyu-ji

Buddhist temple complexes consist of a number of structures arranged according to certain concepts or guidelines.

The Hōryū-ji in Nara, which claims to include the world's oldest wooden buildings, serves as a perfect example of the standard layout of a Buddhist temple/monastery complex. There are three essential buildings in any temple complex: a pagoda, typically three or five stories), a Great Hall (often called kondō) or honden, and a monastic study hall kodo.

The arrangement of the major buildings (garan haichi) changed over time.

An early pattern had a gate, tower, kondo and kodo in a straight line from south to north. Corridors extended east and west from the flanks of the gate, then turned north, and finally joined north of the kodo, forming a cloister around the pagoda and the major halls.

This pattern, typified by Shitennō-ji in Osaka, came from China via Baekje; the Chinese style of Buddhist temples, though altered somewhat by China via Korean peninsula, ultimately was based on that of Chinese palaces, and this is evident in many of the basic design features which remain today in the temples of all three countries.

A Buddhist temple complex in Japan generally follows the pattern of a series of  sacred spaces encircling a courtyard, and entered via a set of gates. These gates will typically have a pair of large guardian statues, called Nio.

(Light:Naraen Kongo, Right:Misshaku Kongo)

Buddhist temples, like any other religious structures, need to be organized in order to best serve their various purposes. The most primary space in any Buddhist temple complex is the sacred space, where images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are kept, and where important rituals are performed.

photo by here and here.

3) Kofukuji

Kofukuji used to be the family temple of the Fujiwara, the most powerful family clan during much of the Nara and Heian Periods.

The temple was established in Nara at the same time as the capital in 710. At the height of Fujiwara power, the temple consisted of over 150 buildings.

Today, a couple of buildings of great historic value including a three and a five  storied pagoda remain. The five storied pagoda is one of Japan's tallest and the                                  symbol of Nara.

                          Kofukuji's Treasure House exhibits part of the temple's great art collection.

This information was found here and here.

Posted by Hitomi Hasegawa

New Buddhism in Kamakura Period

In 1175, the Jodo sect (Pure Land sect) was founded by Honen.

It found followers among all different social classes since its theories were simple and based on the principle that everybody can achieve salvation by strongly believing in the Buddha Amida.

The most important thing is entirely recite the "南無阿弥陀仏(Namuamidabutsu)".

If you do it you can go the Paradise.

"南無" means "I convert".  "阿弥陀仏" means "It is not possible to measure it."

This information was provided by:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2055.html

Jodo Shinshu ("True Pure Land School"), also known as Shin Buddhism, is a Japanese School of Buddhism which grew out of the Pure Land schools (specifically the Jodo school of Honen) that emphasizes entrusting in Amida in regards to attaining enlightenment as opposed to engaging in practices of self-effort (such as meditation) as found in most other Buddhist schools of the time. The school's thought was developed by Shinran in 1224, which was during the Kamakura period in Japan, and was further refined by Rennyo.

Doctrine of Jodo Shinshu is all of people including bad man can go the Paradise by recite "南無阿弥陀仏"

This information was provided by:

                               http://www.jref.com/culture/jodo-shin_sect_buddhism.shtml

The Sōtō-shū (from Chinese 曹洞宗, "Caodong")

is one of the three famous Japanese Zen sects. It is an extension or subbranch of the Chinese Caodong, which was brought to Japan by Dogen Zenji (1200-1253), and which after his death became known as the Soto school. With 14,700 temples and nearly 7 million adherents (in 1989) Soto is the largest Zen sect in Japan, surpassing Rinzai and Obaku.

               

Photo by:http://www.sotozen-net.or.jp/sotosect/kouso.htm

Jishū

A school of Pure Land Buddhism that developed during the Kamakura period in Japan under the leadership of Ippen (1239-89). This school teaches that the sole power to effect an individual's salvation lies with the vows of Amitābha (Japanese, Amida) Buddha, and that all of an individual's own efforts count for nothing. Thus, not even faith is necessary for liberation; all one need do is call upon the Buddha's name once, and liberation is assured. It also teaches that, as a result of this single calling, one is already in the Pure Land, something that other Pure Land schools believed would happen only after death. The Jishū (whose name means ‘the time school’) predominated over other Pure Land schools during the early Kamakura, but was eclipsed by the Jōdo Shinshū in the early 16th century.

This information was provided by: http://www.answers.com/topic/jish-1

Nichiren-shū 

A general designation for the Nichiren school, that is, all of the schools and sects that derive from the original teachings and vision of Nichiren (1222-82), even though it never existed as a unified school. All groups agreed with the main outlines of Nichiren's teachings.

Main doctrine is recite "南無妙法蓮華経(Namumyouhourengekyou)"

This information was provided by:http://www.answers.com/Nichiren-sh%C5%AB?cat=technology

Rinzai

is the Japanese name of the Chinese Linji or Lin-chi sect of Buddhism. The Rinzai school is known for its emphasis on sudden enlightenment and the use of devices like the koan to achieve this end. Founded in Tang China by Linji, it was later brought to Japan by Eisai in 1191. The Rinzai school has historically been closely linked to various martial arts traditions in Japan, China, and Korea. In pre-modern Japan, Rinzai was widely popular among the warrior aristocracy and samurai, in distinction from Soto Zen which was more associated with artists and poets.

This information was provided by: http://www.jref.com/culture/rinzai_sect_zen_buddhism.shtml

Posted by Koji Iwata

Christianity - Outline

I would like to introduce to you “Christianity”.

I  Introduction

Christianity, the most widely distributed of the world religions, having substantial representation in all the populated continents of the globe. In the late 1990s, its total membership exceeded 1.9 billion people.

Like any system of belief and values—be it Platonism, Marxism, Freudianism, or democracy—Christianity is in many ways comprehensible only “from the inside,” to those who share the beliefs and strive to live by the values; and a description that would ignore these “inside” aspects of it would not be historically faithful. To a degree that those on the inside often fail to recognize, however, such a system of beliefs and values can also be described in a way that makes sense as well to an interested observer who does not, or even cannot, share their outlook.

II  Doctrine and Practice

A community, a way of life, a system of belief, a liturgical observance, a tradition—Christianity is all of these, and more. Each of these aspects of Christianity has affinities with other faiths, but each also bears unmistakable marks of its Christian origins. Thus, it is helpful, in fact unavoidable, to examine Christian ideas and institutions comparatively, by relating them to those of other religions, but equally important to look for those features that are uniquely Christian.

A　Central Teachings

Any phenomenon as complex and as vital as Christianity is easier to describe historically than to define logically, but such a description does yield some insights into its continuing elements and essential characteristics. One such element is the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ. That centrality is, in one way or another, a feature of all the historical varieties of Christian belief and practice. Christians have not agreed in their understanding and definition of what makes Christ distinctive or unique. Certainly they would all affirm that his life and example should be followed and that his teachings about love and fellowship should be the basis of human relations. Large parts of his teachings have their counterparts in the sayings of the rabbis—that is, after all, what he was—or in the wisdom of Socrates and Confucius. In Christian teaching, Jesus cannot be less than the supreme preacher and exemplar of the moral life, but for most Christians that, by itself, does not do full justice to the significance of his life and work.

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What is known of Jesus, historically, is told in the Gospels of the New Testament of the Bible. Other portions of the New Testament summarize the beliefs of the early Christian church. Paul and the other writers of Scripture believed that Jesus was the revealer not only of human life in its perfection but of divine reality itself. See also Christology.

The ultimate mystery of the universe, called by many different names in various religions, was called “Father” in the sayings of Jesus, and Christians therefore call Jesus himself “Son of God.” At the very least, there was in his language and life an intimacy with God and an immediacy of access to God, as well as the promise that, through all that Christ was and did, his followers might share in the life of the Father in heaven and might themselves become children of God. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, to which early Christians referred when they spoke about him as the one who had reconciled humanity to God, made the cross the chief focus of Christian faith and devotion and the principal symbol of the saving love of God the Father.

This love is, in the New Testament and in subsequent Christian doctrine, the most decisive among the attributes of God. Christians teach that God is almighty in dominion over all that is in heaven and on earth, righteous in judgment over good and evil, beyond time and space and change; but above all they teach that “God is love.” The creation of the world out of nothing and the creation of the human race were expressions of that love, and so was the coming of Christ. The classic statement of this trust in the love of God came in the words of Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26). Early Christianity found in such words evidence both of the special standing men and women have as children of such a heavenly Father and of the even more special position occupied by Christ. That special position led the first generations of believers to rank him together with the Father—and eventually “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father [sent] in [Christ’s] name”—in the formula used for the administration of baptism and in the several creeds of the first centuries. After controversy and reflection, that confession took the form of the doctrine of God as Trinity. See also Holy Spirit.

Baptism “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” or sometimes perhaps more simply “in the name of Christ,” has been from the beginning the means of initiation into Christianity. At first it seems to have been administered chiefly to adults after they had professed their faith and promised to amend their lives, but this turned into a more inclusive practice with the baptism of infants. The other universally accepted ritual among Christians is the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, in which Christians share in bread and wine and, through them, express and acknowledge the reality of the presence of Christ as they commemorate him in the communion of believers with one another. In the form it acquired as it developed, the Eucharist became an elaborate ceremony of consecration and adoration, the texts of which have been set to music by numerous composers of masses. The Eucharist has also become one of the chief points of conflict among the various Christian churches, which disagree about the “presence” of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine and about the effect of that presence upon those who receive.

Another fundamental component of Christian faith and practice is the Christian community itself—the church. Some scholars question the assumption that Jesus intended to found a church (the word church appears only twice in the Gospels), but his followers were always convinced that his promise to be with them “always, to the close of the age” found its fulfillment in his “mystical body on earth,” the holy catholic (universal) church. The relation of this holy catholic church to the various ecclesiastical organizations of worldwide Christendom is the source of major divisions among these organizations. Roman Catholicism has tended to equate its own institutional structure with the catholic church, as the common usage of the latter term suggests, and some extreme Protestant groups have been ready to claim that they, and they alone, represent the true visible church. Increasingly, however, Christians of all segments have begun to acknowledge that no one group has an exclusive right to call itself “the” church, and they have begun to work toward the reunion of all Christians.

B  Worship

Whatever its institutional form, the community of faith in the church is the primary setting for Christian worship. Christians of all traditions have placed a strong emphasis on private devotion and individual prayer, as Jesus taught. But he also prescribed a form of praying, universally known as the Lord's Prayer, the opening words of which stress the communal nature of worship: “Our Father, who art in heaven.” Since New Testament times, the stated day for the communal worship of Christians has been the “first day of the week,” Sunday, in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ. Like the Jewish Sabbath, Sunday is traditionally a day of rest. It is also the time when believers gather to hear the reading and preaching of the word of God in the Bible, to participate in the sacraments, and to pray, praise, and give thanks. The needs of corporate worship have been responsible for the composition of thousands of hymns, chorales, and chants, as well as instrumental music, especially for the organ. Since the 4th century, Christian communities have also been constructing special buildings for their worship, thereby helping to shape the history of architecture.

References

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761576315/Christianity.html

http://www.stockscotland.com/view_dm211.shtml

http://brian.hoffert.faculty.noctrl.edu/REL100/07.Christianity.html

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/christianity-christian-jesus-christ.htm

Posted by Akihiro Ishikawa