shinto

What is ancient Shinto?

Shinto is the oldest religion of Japan. (500BCE)
Shinto is still being practiced today.
Shinto, “the way of the Gods” was practiced by the indigenous people of Japan as there was no founder.
Modern Shinto has been altered by Buddhism.
Shinto is the national religion of Japan.

Shinto is polytheistic.
Tradition and Family- these must be honoured
Love of Nature- Most shrines are built in special places eg: beside a waterfall or in a group of trees
In ancient Japan there were only temporary shrines used.
In them were placed a symbol of the clan’s Kami or Ujigami.
In ancient Shinto there is a strong belief in a creative or unifying power.
All natural objects are inhabited by the spirits. This is known as animism.
The Emperor was the descendant of the gods and destined to rule Japan forever.
Each clan had an Ujigami or deity which protected it and gave it a good harvest.
The Ujigami are honoured in spring and autumn.
Shinto believes in truth and purity of heart and mind which is cultivated through physical and spiritual purification.
Physical Cleanliness- Ablution must be carried out before prayers or when approaching a shrine. Purity is at the heart of the understanding of good and evil
Shinto plays a positive attitude towards life and the nation. In the modern day, there is a need for each person to keep his or her heart pure.
Shinto believers do not believe in a “last day”.
Life exists in a continual cycle.

Kami are spirits associated with particular places, families and communities.
In shinto, there is no sense of the supernatural, or of one supreme transcendent god instead there are Kami.
Kami are spirits, powerful natural objects and Japanese Emperors. There is significance placed on Kami but they are not regarded as all -powerful and each have limitations.
In most cases Kami were peaceful and protected the local community. However, Kami could:

be the spirits of living nature eg waterfall, distinctive rock. Important animal (Tiger)

be the spirits of an ancestor, deceased emperor or prominent military figure.

be working through a gifted person

manifest in evil things.

Hence there is an acknowledgment that nature is both constructive and destructive and contains both sorrow and joy.
Examples
The wind god Susanoo was born out of Izanagi-no-mikoto’s nose and the moon god Tsukiyomi was born from his right eye. If angry, can cause weather events such as Tsunami's as he rules over the sea
The sun goddess Amaterasu was born out of Izanagi-no-mikoto’s left eye and rules over the heavens

Stabilising Force in Society

Shinto has served as a stabilising force within Japanese society for centuries.
This is in a large part due to mythology that established the emperor as a Heavenly Sovereign, who descended directly from Amaterasu after Ninigi founded the Imperial Dynasty.
The first emperor, Jinmu, was given the Three Sacred Treasures that had belonged to Amaterasu, and these were handed on from emperor to emperor as a sign of their divine status.
This status has resulted in an unquestioning allegiance to the emperor of the time and the founding and unification of the nation.
Visiting shrines and taking part in rituals brings the community together
A matsuri is any ritual occasion where the offering of thanks and praise is made to the kami at a shrine. Eg: rites at passage at birth, marriage

Family - Close Knit Social Unit

The first affirmation to embrace tradition and family played an important stabilising role within society by helping to maintain the family as a closely knit social unit.

Creation of a Harmonious Society

The ancient Japanese people believed that they were related to the kami, and they felt very close to them, because they were present in everything.
As a result, Shinto became a way of life that was based on respect for other human beings and all of creation and placed the common good on the centre stage.
Shinto thereby contributed positively to the creation of a harmonious society that was respectful of nature, a society that was based on a system of values, rather than a code of ethics and doctrine.

Physical Cleanliness and Good Health

It was very important for the ancient Japanese people to keep the kami happy, and therefore, following the example of Izanagi, different purification rituals were developed.
It is interesting to note that many of the rituals have survived to this day and form an important part in the religious landscape of Japan.

Art, Drama and Literature

Shinto has left its legacy in modern Japan in many other ways.
Myths and legends form the basis of much Japanese art, drama and literature.
Japan abounds with thousands of Shinto shrines, even though they have been influenced by Buddhism.
Traditional kagura dances are still performed at shrines in honour of the deities.

A Framework

Shinto provided the ancient Japanese people with a framework for understanding the creation of the universe, and in particular human beings.
The creation of humanity was seen as arising out of the desire of the deities.
These deities appeared to be very similar to human beings and had a desire to be close to humanity.
Because human beings were created from the deities, they possess the divine within them.
People were therefore assigned to a special status in the world, where they were treated with dignity and respect.

Acceptance of the Human Condition

Human beings were similar to the deities.
Humans are seen as basically good and has no concept of original sin
They had imperfections and a whole range of emotions, in the same way as the deities did.
Just like the deities, people were mortal beings, who one day, would also die.

Purpose of Life

Shinto emphasised life.
The purpose of living was to strive to reach one's full human potential; to be the best one could possibly become.
Emphasis is placed on right practice, sensibility and attitude
Morally speaking, people must do no harm and their actions should benefit others
In this way human beings were able to cultivate the values that lead to the ultimate goal of Shinto - the attainment of magokoro.

Evil and Suffering

While Shinto did not offer a concept of sin as such, evil and suffering were explained as being caused by impurities that people inflicted upon themselves.
These impurities were seen as obstacles to the attainment of magokoro.
As a result, considerable emphasis was placed on ritual purification, and people were provided with a powerful incentive to live in accordance with Shinto guiding principles, in harmony with humanity and creation.

Connection with the Divine

The ancient Japanese people were deeply spiritual, and Shinto beliefs provided the means by which they could connect with the kami.
Shinto stressed the immanent dimension of the divine, placing less emphasis on the transcendent.
The kami were believed to reside in all objects of nature, including people.
The kami could be invoked through prayer and dance, and they always heard the prayers of the human heart.