Introduction 1

(Note. The following is a preliminary draft of a series of articles on Shinto that the authors hope to revise and bring out in booklet form at a later date. They would apreciate any comments and corrections that should be included in any later editions)

During the three thousand years of their history the Japanese have lived on an island arc off the easternmost coast of the Asian continent. With agriculture as their main way of life and a common language, they have also developed a common religion and way of thinking. This religion, which has the shrine as it central institution, is "Shinto" (the Way of the Gods).

But as Japan is also at the 'End of the Silk Road', from ancient times it has been the recipient of a variety of other cultures and religions coming across the straits from China and Korea. These cultures have never been rejected, rather assimi- lated and digested, and then adapted to our own culture. Among the religions that have entered Japan Buddhism is the one that has adapted best to Japanese culture and had the most influence on Shinto. Buddhist statues, known to the people as "Imaki no kami" (modern deities), or as "Tonariguni no kami" (Dieties of a neighbouring country), which were brought over from Korea in the sixth century were worshipped in the same way as the familiar local deities.

In the 8th century a centralized state, with the Emperor (tenno) as it central figure, was established and all shrines were brought together under the administration of the "Department of Shintoism" (Jingikan). Buddhism was adopted as the state religion and The Great Statue of the Buddha was erected at Nara. Outstanding priests such as Saicho of the Tendai sect, and Kukai of the Shingon sect, made Buddhism superior to Shinto. In the Heian Period (794-1192) the idea of a synthesis of the Shinto deities and Buddha, that stressed the identity of both was developed. So called "Tendai Shinto" (also called Sanno Ichjitsu Shinto), which grew up on Mt. Hiei, the stronghold of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, and "Shingon Shinto" (also called Ryobu Shugo Shinto), of the Shingon sect on Mt. Koya are good examples of this development. All were accompanied by very mystical ceremonies which permeated down even to the common people.

When the 'Honji suijakusetsu' (the theory of Shinto combined with Buddhism) was first introduced it was felt that Buddhism was the true religion and the Shinto dieties were subordinate but in the Kamakura Period (1192-1333) a re-consideration emerged in Shinto circles which had as its centre a movement that wanted to establish an independant Shinto theology. An opposing theory to the 'Honji suijakusetsu' called Watarai-Shinto, was taught first by a man named Watarai, a member of the priestly family of the Outer Shrine at Ise. This theory maintains that Shinto is the true Japanese religion and Buddhism an Indian affair. The fun damental deities of Watarai Shinto were enshrined in the Inner

and Outer Shrines of Ise, the first ceremony to be performed on approaching the shrines was the cleansing and purification of mind and body. The scriptures were the Shinto Gobusho or 'Five books'.

In the Muromachi Period (1334-1592) Yoshida Shinto came into being. Its founder, a priest named Yoshida Kanetomo (or Urabe) (1435-1511) of the Yoshida Shrine of Kyoto, was greatly influenced by Watarai Shinto. On top of Mt Yoshida he built the 'Main or Head shrine' (Daigenkyu) where he worshipped the 'Head Deity' (daigensonjin), the fundamental deity of the universe. According to Yoshida the "Daigensonjin" is a deity in the heavens, a spirit in all inanimate things, and in man his heart. Furthermore, this fundamental, divine character is the origin of everything existing in the world and the derivation of the laws and moral code, the only basis for the origin of religion (Ganponsogen). For this reason Yoshida Shinto is also called 'Ganponsogen Shinto'.

Many brilliant scholars succeeded Kanetomo and helped the school of Yoshida Shinto maintain a leading role in Shinto until the latter half of the Edo Period (1603-1867).

During the Edo Period a relationship grew up between Shinto and Confucianism. Elements of this relationship can be found in Watarai Shinto but it was given impetus when Neo-Confucianism became the official teaching of the Tokugawa Government (ie. the government in power in the Edo Period.) Government scholars started to interpret Shinto from a Confucianist viewpoint and called their researh Confucianist Shinto. Yoshikawa Shinto and Suika Shinto were representative results of this research.

Yoshikawa Shinto was established by Yoshikawa Koretari (1616-1694). Yoshikawa made an exhaustive study of Yoshida Shinto and by adding a Confucianist interpretation started a new school. His school emphasized the two features of ritual (Gyoho Shinto), and religious etiquette (Rigaku Shinto), which pursues the Confucian principles of government, the Emperor, morals and the martial arts.

Suika Shinto was established by Yamazaki Anzai (1618-1682). Anzai spent his childhood in a Buddhist school but became a Neo-Confucianist at the age of 25, and at one time had thousands of followers. From the age of 50 on he studied Shinto under Yoshikawa Koretari and Watarai Nobuyoshi and finally opened his own school. The name of 'Suika' has its origin in a line in one of the five books Shinto, the Shinto Gobusho, where the two characters of "sui" and "ka" are used.

Yamazaki Anzai taught that Shinto was the study of the virtues of Amaterasu Omikami, the God ancestor of the Imperial family. The enthusiastic worship of the Emperor emphasized the claim to legitimacy of his sovereignty and had a strong influence on the feelings of patriotism in the late Edo Period. In the Genroku Period which followed soon after Anzai's death a movement to emancipate the people accustomed to peaceful times created a tendency towards liberal research and the appreciation of classical Japanese literature. The methodology was mainly that of a literary and faithful linguistic study of the old Japanese

language, that tried to re-create the spirit of past times and culture. This scholastic work started with Kada no Azumaro (16669-1736), went on to Kamo no Mabuchi (1697-1769) and finished up with Motoori Norinaga (1730-1801) who completed the circle.

Norinaga, who insisted on strict obedience to the teacher, pursued his studies with a scientifically critical mind. His theory of Shinto was called "Fukko Shinto", (a return to the old tradition), and continues to have a strong influence on Shinto thought. His study of literature was scientific, at the same time he was a dedicated agnostic. His learning and belief were sound and did not contradict one another, and his belief in ancient Japanese, which became evident through his analysis of old scripts, became his philosophy.

Among Motoori's many followers one who went even further than "Fukko Shinto" was Hirata Atsutane (1776-1843) who developed his own theology. It is said that when at the age of 26, he first read Motoori's works he swore to himself to become Motori's posthumous successor. The strict imperialism and Japan centered world of Hirata established the belief that Japan was the true Mecca of the world and that Shinto was the origin of all religions, and that theme became the focus of the religious and political movement of the late Edo Period.

In the Meiji Period (1867-1912), the goverment's policy of separating Shinto and Buddhism put an end to more than a 1000 years of the God-Buddha synthesis. Influential shrines came under the direct control of the state. In January of Meiji 5 (1872) it was forbidden for Shinto priests to carry on missionary work or officiate at funerals. It was the policy of the Meiji government to make shrines formal state institutions, fountains of the virtue and morality of the people, and to legally protect them and make them different from the buildings of other religions. It was forbidden to carry our missionary work or hold funerals in the areas in front of shrines, which hindered the development a Shinto theology and became one reason for the suppression of a rich religiosity. Many Shinto theologians opposed to such a policy founded their own sects and became independant. There are now thirteen so called sects of Shinto.

The law of 1882 remained valid until the order of the Occupation Forces of 13 December 1945, which brought about the strict separation of politics and religion. Based on the new Shinto law post-war religious policy gave a fresh impetus to Shinto.

As guardian or protective deities in rural society Shinto originally had the function of uniting the feelings of the people in hamlets and villlages. The deities of rural societies were the "uji-gami" (tribal gods), and the followers were called "uji-ko" (members of the clan of a certain deity), and this consciousness was important to the people of a community.

Nowadays people have grown out of this belief and are at liberty to visit any shrine in order to pray. The people of Japan look up to the Emperor as a religious king (Divine Being), a direct descendant of the the mythological Amaterasu Omikami, the prime religious being, and to live according the Holy orders given by this deity has always been the greatest pride of the Japanese people.

The Emperor has always occupied the highest rank among the priests of all shrines. In Japan there has never been the idea of the Emperor as a feudal lord, or the head of a dynasty. For this reason there has been no denial of the works or trouble of a former dynasty, as in China. Since the Japanese were an island people and their radius of action limited and for the most part agricultural and narrow they developed a natural sense of respect and honour for literature from foreign countries. The Japanese of all periods have interpreted foreign cultures and religions in their own way and skillfully made them part of their own lives.

Thus it is no exaggeration to say in Japan one can find cultures and religous beliefs from all over the world. But essentially, although Japanese look as though they have changed to suit modern life in essence they haven't. And this essence is Shinto, the original thought and belief of the Japanese people. According to a certain scholar all the accretions of foreign cultures and religions have likened Japanese society to a snowman, the nucleus of which is the Shinto way of thinking.