Shinto Religion
The central aspect to Shinto tradition is the concept of purity, this principal concept evident within ritual practices. The impression of purity remains not only unique to Shinto religion, but rather recurrent within both Zen and Pure Land doctrines as well. By examining the idea of purity as it is seen within Zen Buddhism within the mind, and Pure Land within the soul, we will be able to see the through comparison the relations that the two religions have with Shinto tradition.
Before making a comparison, it is important to analyze the Shinto ideal of purity as well as the social and religious influences that it has created. Shinto tradition within Japanese society follows strict and diligent practices, in order to establish a link between …show more content…
both contemporary Japan and its ancient past. A central aspect of current Shinto religion is the concept of purification in order to uphold purity, and how this is conveyed within purifying rituals within the society. The idea of cleansing within Shinto terms is to gain a closer connection to the harmonious balance of nature and the physical world. The main belief within Shinto is that all beings are born free of both spiritual and physical contaminants and it is only afterwards, when a person reaches maturity that sins and other forms of impurities can defile their soul. To restore the natural state of the soul within the tradition, it is common to cleanse through participating in purifying rituals. It is within the culture that the act of purification is highly important in keeping one’s body free of Kegare, which is the becoming tainted through natural conditions such as childbirth, menstruation, and disease. In addition, purifying against Tsumi was also common, the term discussing impurities affecting individuals on both a spiritual and moral sense. Because these afflictions have to be dealt with through purification rituals, this makes it clear that the entire concept of purity is highly important within the Shinto culture. Various aspects within these particular rituals are crucial in cleansing both the body and the mind, and the most common to of them all is the use water.
The most popular form of purification within a Shinto ritual is the act of rinsing both the hands and face in the water when visiting a shrine, as a result of making the individual pure enough to enter the sacred area. These shrines are considered to be gateways between the physical and spiritual world, which makes the act of cleansing before entering the shrines crucial. An example of the importance of these ceremonies is mentioned when the author Oxtoby expresses, “When the harmonious balance of the relationship between humans and spirits was disturbed by plague, famine, earthquake, typhoons, war, death-efforts to restore it via rituals were renewed,” (Oxtoby, 2014, p. 343). Based on this remark, the significance of the relationship that individuals have with the spiritual world is vital in understanding why these kinds of rituals have come into being practiced and enforced.
The gathering of early systematic beliefs and mythology is crucial in understanding current practices and techniques of the Shinto religion. A myth that possesses the origin of contemporary Shinto Practices is the myth of the deity Izanagi who resorted to bathing himself to be free of pollution after witnessing corpse of his wife Izanami. The significance of Izanagi cleansing himself is as depicted when the author writes, “Izanagi then bathes in a river to purify himself after this ghastly encounter with death and its defilements,” (Oxtoby, 2014, p. 351). The specific concept that is explained is that Izanagi subjects himself to this ceremony of thorough cleansing because he has witnessed death and decay. Him having witnessed death, exposes his body to moral pollution, and as a result births the idea that even these deities made distinctions between the pure and impure. The social influence that Purification rituals have on Shinto religion, demonstrates not only its significance, but also asserts how sacred and deeply rooted these ceremonies are within the religion itself. Additionally, it can be stated that like Zen and Pure land Buddhism, Shinto beliefs and practices are mean to uphold inert goodness and overall well being of both the individual and the society.
Contemporary Zen Buddhist religion stems from china within the Tang dynasty and it is during this spreading of the Zen ideology, that it obtained major influences from Shinto tradition. Zen Buddhism emphasizes much like the Shinto tradition the act of cleansing, accept that it focuses on meditation as a way to purify the mind. This interpretation of purification as seen within the Buddhist teachings, is the attempt to clear the mind of contaminated beliefs, concepts, and materials, which can be harmful to someone seeking enlightenment. This can be understood by Dogen, who wrote within the Bendowa that, “The person seated in zazen without fail casts off body and mind, severs all the heretofore disordered and defiled thoughts and views emanating from his discriminating consciousness, conforms totally with the genuine Buddha Dharma,” (Dogen 2002, p. 12). Within this section of the text, Dogen uses a metaphysical approach to summarize that by attaining this state of purity, one must immerse themselves fully within their own mind, while committing fully to the act of zazen. The zazen term is used within the text as a way that describes the complex technique used to reach enlightenment. The actual definition of the term is that it is the activity of seated meditation, making the participant reach a state of pure mind while expelling external influences. The Zen concept of cleansing is further emphasized through Dogen’s emphasizing the importance of alleviating the soul of potent impurities. The negativity of being attached to materialistic objects and desires are the two most prominent possessions that Dogen explains must be destroyed in order to achieve absolute awareness. This belief is evident when Dogen states that, “Leaving no perceptions in any sphere or directions; all living beings use it unceasingly, with no sphere or direction appearing in their perceptions,” (Dogen 2002, p. 8). This describes Dogen’s thought that by being restricted or limited to think in a certain way can be a leading influence where pollutants of the mind can grow and fester. The historical context of the following passage was that Dogen gave the distinction that zazen was the more superior technique. This was asserted in order to gain a better understanding of the prominent technique that was utilized by the Buddha during his pilgrimage to Japan and China. It remains evident that, much like Shinto tradition, Zen Buddhism attempts to clarify within its own interpretation the causes of these types of mental toxins, and ways in which they can be cured. Although Shinto focuses primarily on physical impurities, Zen Buddhism describes them on a spiritual level and so it is through this where we can see the clear relations that the two respective religions have with each other. Pure land Buddhism implements the concept of purification through meditative practices.
The significance of Pure land Buddhism is the concept of rebirth and attaining it through practices. The most common practice within the religion is the use of the Nembutsu, a term meaning that the repeated reciting of the name Amitabha Buddha. By reciting the name of the sacred Buddha, it was believed to be vital in obtaining rebirth within the pure land. Furthermore, It can be argued that reciting the Nembutsu can also be considered as a form of purification like Zen Buddhism as it can appear to be a way to cleanse the soul. Stating the name of the Amitabha Buddha as a result allows the individual to be fully consumed and uplifted by the main Buddhist virtue, which is called Primal Vow. The primal vow that is the highest level of virtue, merit, and enlightenment, allows an individual to redefine their moral conscious. By accepting this vow within the religion, one must like Zen Buddhism, give up all external contaminants in order to have the purest mind. Through immersing yourself in the Vow, you purify yourself from ignorance and it is this notion that is emphasized by Shinran who exclaims, “It is impossible for us, who are possessed of blind passions, to free ourselves from birth-and-death through any practice whatever. Sorrowing at this, Amida made the Vow, the essential intent of which is the evil person’s attainment of Buddhahood.” (Shinran, 1997, p.663). The Main intent of this passage is that Shinran has explained the infliction that prevents beings from being able to experience the Pure Land cycle, as well as how this ailment of the mind was solved once the Buddha created the Primal Vow. The passage allows us to see the importance that the Vow had not only on the religion, but also how it can be seen as an additional form of
cleansing.
Another unique aspect of purity and impurity that is seen within the religion comes in the form of a continuous life cycle known as rebirth into the Pure Land. The meaning behind this term is that it describes the process of being born, dying, and finally rebirthed into the Pure Land. This sequence can be interpreted as an act of being repeatedly contaminated and cleansed, as the being is continuingly being tainted by death and cleansed by birth. By going through this cycle, the being is repeatedly ridding themselves of impurities and so the argument can be made that like Shinto rituals, continuous cleansing can be seen within Pure Land religion as well. In Conclusion, all three religions share the profound link of purification/cleansing rites within their respective interpretations of the concept itself. Both Zen and Pure Land Buddhism although individually unique in regards to their ideology of purity, both encompass the general belief upheld by Shinto tradition, which is that purity holds great significance in not only a theological perspective, but also in a personal and social context as well.
Before making a comparison, it is important to analyze the Shinto ideal of purity as well as the social and religious influences that it has created. Shinto tradition within Japanese society follows strict and diligent practices, in order to establish a link between …show more content…
both contemporary Japan and its ancient past. A central aspect of current Shinto religion is the concept of purification in order to uphold purity, and how this is conveyed within purifying rituals within the society. The idea of cleansing within Shinto terms is to gain a closer connection to the harmonious balance of nature and the physical world. The main belief within Shinto is that all beings are born free of both spiritual and physical contaminants and it is only afterwards, when a person reaches maturity that sins and other forms of impurities can defile their soul. To restore the natural state of the soul within the tradition, it is common to cleanse through participating in purifying rituals. It is within the culture that the act of purification is highly important in keeping one’s body free of Kegare, which is the becoming tainted through natural conditions such as childbirth, menstruation, and disease. In addition, purifying against Tsumi was also common, the term discussing impurities affecting individuals on both a spiritual and moral sense. Because these afflictions have to be dealt with through purification rituals, this makes it clear that the entire concept of purity is highly important within the Shinto culture. Various aspects within these particular rituals are crucial in cleansing both the body and the mind, and the most common to of them all is the use water.
The most popular form of purification within a Shinto ritual is the act of rinsing both the hands and face in the water when visiting a shrine, as a result of making the individual pure enough to enter the sacred area. These shrines are considered to be gateways between the physical and spiritual world, which makes the act of cleansing before entering the shrines crucial. An example of the importance of these ceremonies is mentioned when the author Oxtoby expresses, “When the harmonious balance of the relationship between humans and spirits was disturbed by plague, famine, earthquake, typhoons, war, death-efforts to restore it via rituals were renewed,” (Oxtoby, 2014, p. 343). Based on this remark, the significance of the relationship that individuals have with the spiritual world is vital in understanding why these kinds of rituals have come into being practiced and enforced.
The gathering of early systematic beliefs and mythology is crucial in understanding current practices and techniques of the Shinto religion. A myth that possesses the origin of contemporary Shinto Practices is the myth of the deity Izanagi who resorted to bathing himself to be free of pollution after witnessing corpse of his wife Izanami. The significance of Izanagi cleansing himself is as depicted when the author writes, “Izanagi then bathes in a river to purify himself after this ghastly encounter with death and its defilements,” (Oxtoby, 2014, p. 351). The specific concept that is explained is that Izanagi subjects himself to this ceremony of thorough cleansing because he has witnessed death and decay. Him having witnessed death, exposes his body to moral pollution, and as a result births the idea that even these deities made distinctions between the pure and impure. The social influence that Purification rituals have on Shinto religion, demonstrates not only its significance, but also asserts how sacred and deeply rooted these ceremonies are within the religion itself. Additionally, it can be stated that like Zen and Pure land Buddhism, Shinto beliefs and practices are mean to uphold inert goodness and overall well being of both the individual and the society.
Contemporary Zen Buddhist religion stems from china within the Tang dynasty and it is during this spreading of the Zen ideology, that it obtained major influences from Shinto tradition. Zen Buddhism emphasizes much like the Shinto tradition the act of cleansing, accept that it focuses on meditation as a way to purify the mind. This interpretation of purification as seen within the Buddhist teachings, is the attempt to clear the mind of contaminated beliefs, concepts, and materials, which can be harmful to someone seeking enlightenment. This can be understood by Dogen, who wrote within the Bendowa that, “The person seated in zazen without fail casts off body and mind, severs all the heretofore disordered and defiled thoughts and views emanating from his discriminating consciousness, conforms totally with the genuine Buddha Dharma,” (Dogen 2002, p. 12). Within this section of the text, Dogen uses a metaphysical approach to summarize that by attaining this state of purity, one must immerse themselves fully within their own mind, while committing fully to the act of zazen. The zazen term is used within the text as a way that describes the complex technique used to reach enlightenment. The actual definition of the term is that it is the activity of seated meditation, making the participant reach a state of pure mind while expelling external influences. The Zen concept of cleansing is further emphasized through Dogen’s emphasizing the importance of alleviating the soul of potent impurities. The negativity of being attached to materialistic objects and desires are the two most prominent possessions that Dogen explains must be destroyed in order to achieve absolute awareness. This belief is evident when Dogen states that, “Leaving no perceptions in any sphere or directions; all living beings use it unceasingly, with no sphere or direction appearing in their perceptions,” (Dogen 2002, p. 8). This describes Dogen’s thought that by being restricted or limited to think in a certain way can be a leading influence where pollutants of the mind can grow and fester. The historical context of the following passage was that Dogen gave the distinction that zazen was the more superior technique. This was asserted in order to gain a better understanding of the prominent technique that was utilized by the Buddha during his pilgrimage to Japan and China. It remains evident that, much like Shinto tradition, Zen Buddhism attempts to clarify within its own interpretation the causes of these types of mental toxins, and ways in which they can be cured. Although Shinto focuses primarily on physical impurities, Zen Buddhism describes them on a spiritual level and so it is through this where we can see the clear relations that the two respective religions have with each other. Pure land Buddhism implements the concept of purification through meditative practices.
The significance of Pure land Buddhism is the concept of rebirth and attaining it through practices. The most common practice within the religion is the use of the Nembutsu, a term meaning that the repeated reciting of the name Amitabha Buddha. By reciting the name of the sacred Buddha, it was believed to be vital in obtaining rebirth within the pure land. Furthermore, It can be argued that reciting the Nembutsu can also be considered as a form of purification like Zen Buddhism as it can appear to be a way to cleanse the soul. Stating the name of the Amitabha Buddha as a result allows the individual to be fully consumed and uplifted by the main Buddhist virtue, which is called Primal Vow. The primal vow that is the highest level of virtue, merit, and enlightenment, allows an individual to redefine their moral conscious. By accepting this vow within the religion, one must like Zen Buddhism, give up all external contaminants in order to have the purest mind. Through immersing yourself in the Vow, you purify yourself from ignorance and it is this notion that is emphasized by Shinran who exclaims, “It is impossible for us, who are possessed of blind passions, to free ourselves from birth-and-death through any practice whatever. Sorrowing at this, Amida made the Vow, the essential intent of which is the evil person’s attainment of Buddhahood.” (Shinran, 1997, p.663). The Main intent of this passage is that Shinran has explained the infliction that prevents beings from being able to experience the Pure Land cycle, as well as how this ailment of the mind was solved once the Buddha created the Primal Vow. The passage allows us to see the importance that the Vow had not only on the religion, but also how it can be seen as an additional form of
cleansing.
Another unique aspect of purity and impurity that is seen within the religion comes in the form of a continuous life cycle known as rebirth into the Pure Land. The meaning behind this term is that it describes the process of being born, dying, and finally rebirthed into the Pure Land. This sequence can be interpreted as an act of being repeatedly contaminated and cleansed, as the being is continuingly being tainted by death and cleansed by birth. By going through this cycle, the being is repeatedly ridding themselves of impurities and so the argument can be made that like Shinto rituals, continuous cleansing can be seen within Pure Land religion as well. In Conclusion, all three religions share the profound link of purification/cleansing rites within their respective interpretations of the concept itself. Both Zen and Pure Land Buddhism although individually unique in regards to their ideology of purity, both encompass the general belief upheld by Shinto tradition, which is that purity holds great significance in not only a theological perspective, but also in a personal and social context as well.