The Religious Significance Of Buddhism In Kumano Kodo In Japan

The Nyoirin Kannon is ranked by the Japanese among the greatest assets of the country due to its religious origins. It helped open up the door to Esoteric Buddhism in Japan during a transition era and exemplifies Esoteric teachings and characteristics. One of the earliest of its kind, the sculpture shows an extraordinary composition of the style from the preceding periods and the most recognized expressions of Esoteric Art. Although there has been some quite different interpretations of Kannon throughout history, they can all most likely be linked by the mixture of preceding styles and newer Esoteric iconographies, as well as religious significance.

The Shikoku Henro is a Buddhist Pilgrimage visiting eighty eight Buddhist Temples in Shikoku to commemorate one of the most famous Japanese Buddhist Monks - Kūkai as known as Kōbō-Daishi. This pilgrimage is a training bringing both physical and spiritual benefits to pilgrims through its intensive process. Nevertheless, due to the consequences of rapid modernization in Japan, cultural practices like Shikoku Henro are at threats of erosion because of the increasing concentration of Japanese people on fulfilling material life rather than enriching spiritual experience. Facing challenges of being eternally forgotten, Shikoku Pilgrimage needs a greater dynamic to continue preserving its quintessence. One of the possible solutions that were already implemented is giving birth to the “Omairingu” manga, anime and cosplay pilgrimage in attempts to reintroduce this holy practice in a more pop-cultural approach. However, the “Omairingu” concept is quite controversial among traditional pilgrims and pop-culture fans on how much is too much to deliver sacred images. For this controversy, this research will examine the cultural and economic impacts of “Omairingu” on the

Firstly, the traditions within Shintoism were important to help the Japanese people to connect with their ancestors and the nature around them. The word ‘Shinto’ itself means way of the gods. It is as old as the Japanese culture and was the only religion in Japan until the 6th century. According to the Shinto religion, there exists a basic life force called kami. Kami are close to human beings and respond to human prayers. They can influence the course of natural forces, and human events. Shinto tradition says that there are eight million kami in Japan. Due to their deep respect and love for nature and Japan itself, many shrines were set up in places of natural beauty. Followers went to pray here to receive good fortune and samurai would often go to the shrines to pray for victory before and after battle. Shinto’s traditions involved having a clean lifestyle. They washed and bathed everyday which made most of japan a fresh

First, let’s talk about Ise Jingu situated in Japan. It is the largest Shinto shrine located in the city of Ise. Millions of people make their pilgrimage to this shrine for either tourism or religious purposes. It holds a lot of both spiritual and historical value of Japan. Spiritually as the shrine was made in light of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Omikami, and the traditional progenitor of the imperial Japanese family, later another God Toyaku Okami being another sacred being, being worshipped. (Pletcher) The architectural design of the shrine consists of many rows of buildings but the most distinct are two large huts, being the inner (Naiku) and outer shrine (Geku). (Pletcher) Naiku was first constructed, which had the Goddess of Amaterasu, later Geku with the intention of worshipping Toyaku Okami, the god of food and benevolence. (Pletcher) The shrine is surrounded by a thick forest, which the buildings were made from. Using the essence of nature, or “ke”, the priests and priestesses used the surrounding trees as the buildings blocks of the shrine, as the trees had much devotion and spirituality of the Japanese people.

In the Shinto religion or way of life-life of the gods/kami, they too have a concept of heaven and earth. Heaven is symbolic to that which is powerful, high and open, signifying male-right-or yang= Izanagi. Coincidently, the Earth signifies humility and is covered (3/4th water) with gentleness-women-left, or yin= Izanami. The Samurai respected these principles highly and ritually, dedicated with his life and sword, the Koto/Katana and scabbard Saya. This practice was developing along with the life style of Shinto and the Buddhist religion and traditional Confucianism and from this created the practice of Iai-do-Jitsu, the way of the samurai and later the practice of “Kendo-Jitsu, the way of the Black Sword.” (Ready to die, being born with sword in hand and knowledge in

A pilgrimage is both an inward and outward journey, both spiritual and physical, people who set on these journeys seek to strengthen and renew their faith. God calls on a person inviting them to come on this journey in order to know God more fully and to follow in the footsteps of Christ by forming a strong relationship with god which offers a person true freedom, a Christian pilgrimage can be seen as life long journey.

Shintoism is an ancient religion that originated in Japanese culture. Shinto is a general term for the activities of the people of Japanese descent to worship all the deities of heaven and earth, and at the end of the 6th century the Japanese were conscious of these activities and called them the "Way of Kami" (the deity or the deities)'. The practice of Shintoism finally recognized when Yomei, the 31st Emperor of Japan, prayed before an image of Buddha for the first time as an emperor for recovery of his illness. Then Yomei accepted Buddhism, a foreign religion, the Japanese realized existence of a tradition of their own faith.

There are many aspects of this world such as culture, technology, or art that have been influenced by other things. The way that things influence each other has allowed for new possibilities and ideals to be formed. Religion is no exception; there have been many instances where religions have influenced each other and blossomed due to new ideas being presented. A good example of this the relationship between the two religions: Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism was brought into Japan during the early 6th century from Korea, and was later institutionalized as the state religion in the late 6th century by Prince Shōtoku. The Prince was a great patron of Buddhism and by having made it the state religion, it would help Buddhism spread. However, Japan was not without its own religion—Shinto—which had been there for many years prior to the arrival of Buddhism. With Buddhism gaining traction in Japan with the help of Prince Shōtoku, what then does it mean for the Shinto religion? However, Shinto was not long forgotten, which leads to the question: how did the two religions, Buddhism and Shinto, interact with each other when Buddhism arrived in Japan? In this essay, I will discuss how both Buddhism and Shinto were closely tied to each other in Japan, and how they would influence each other in different ways that allowed them to grow into new directions.

There are many different religions with many different beliefs, traditions, practices, and rituals. These differences are a very important part of understanding and appreciating the culture and history behind the specific religion. However, the practices that certain religions have in common can aid even more in furthering the understanding of specific beliefs of other religions. Since most religions cultivate from the practices and beliefs of other religions, they use those core values and beliefs and transform them into what they believe is a better way practicing. Religions use similarities within each other and twist them into their own. There are certain beliefs within every religion that shape their practices such as their morals or their most essential or absolute value, their position on human beings’ problems and solutions, and their view on life and death within their religion. Pure Land Buddhism (a form of Mahayana Buddhism) and Vaishnavites (a group within Hinduism) are great examples of this very concept.

“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed” ~Buddha. Out of the abounding religions in the world the 6th most practiced of all the religion is Buddhism, or the worship of the god Buddha. Buddhism has had a colossal effect on the Asian culture and it has had an effect on the way that we (as American citizens) view the Asian culture and the beliefs of Asian men and women. This paper is about into how the culture of Asia has been changed because of the Buddhists believes. Also how their temples have shaped the way that we as Americans view Asian architecture or the kind of things that are in Asia that are because of Buddhism. Many different

Shinto and Buddhism are two different traditions that have flourished in Japan for hundreds of years. Generally, followers from one of the traditions tend to follow the guidance of the other as well, which makes the relationship between Shinto and Buddhism very rare in world religions. At first, when these two traditions contacted each other in ancient Japan, there was a lot of confusion, but eventually they were able to coexist. However, even though Buddhism and Shinto share similarities regarding flexibility and independence, there are more differences between them proven by Buddhism’s spread to ancient Japan, their contrasting practices and beliefs and the different outlooks on the afterlife.

To the AIDS or cancer patient, marijuana is the plant that fights nausea and appetite loss. To the nutritionist, its seed is second only to the soybean in nutritional value and is a source of cooking oil and vitamins. To the paper or cloth manufacturer, it is the plant that provided much of our paper and clothing for hundreds of years and produces four times more fiber per acre than trees. To the environmentalist, it is the plant that could greatly slow deforestation, restore robbed nutrients by other crops, and help prevent erosion. According to Lonnelle Aikman, "Preliminary findings show the drug may prove effective against glaucoma and asthma, and control such side nausea in cancer treatment"(158).

When approaching the shrine of a Kami, it is custom to wash the hands and mouth with water from a chozuya, or pavilion for cleansing one’s self (Nakano, para 5). It is then custom to bow at the altar and ring the bell to call the deities attention (Nakano, para 5). Before beginning the prayer, a small offering is made to the Kami (Nakano, para 5). It is then custom bow twice, with the first bow being at 90 degrees to show respect to the deity, and clap twice (Nakano, para 5). Then the hands are placed together and the right hand is shifted down slightly (Nakano, para 5). Then the person claps and is purified by otodama. A small prayer to the Kami may then be made When finished, it is customary to bow at 90 degrees, back up three steps and bow again, making sure that you do not turn your back to the deity of the shrine (Nakano, para 5). This process shows the strength of the Shinto religion by the people of Japan, and the necessary rituals they undergo to pay respect to a Kami or spirit. These ancient customs have been passed down from generation to generation and continue to this day in the same manor that they were conducted hundreds of years ago (Nakano, para 5).

Children are one of the most precious gifts from God that an individual can receive. Since the lives of children are so important, parents do their best to take good care of their children during their youth because they are vulnerable to many diseases due to their weak immunity. Several children suffer from sickness early in their lives, but vaccinations could stop the sicknesses from occurring. The purpose of vaccines is to give an individual immunity to a disease before it has a chance of making him or her sick. Vaccines are composed of the same germs that causes the diseases, but the germs are dead or weakened so they will not cause people to become ill. A person’s immune system reacts to a vaccine in the same

Modern torture, also known as enhanced interrogation techniques have been utilized by the C.I.A. as a means of gathering intel. These tactics have proven to be ineffective, and sometimes produce flawed information. In addition, these methods of interrogation are barbaric, and on several occasions innocent people have fallen victim to these sinister practices. Enhanced interrogation techniques are unconstitutional because of the Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause of the Eighth Amendment.