Shintoism. Main Ideas, Essence, Principles and Philosophy. §1 Origin of Shintoism Shinto time and place of origin

The national religion of Japan is Shintoism. The term Shinto means the way of the gods. Son or kami - these are gods, spirits that inhabit the whole world around man. Any object can be the embodiment of kami. The origins of Shinto go back to ancient times and include all forms of beliefs and cults inherent in peoples: totemism, animism, magic, fetishism, etc.

Development of syntonism

The first mythological monuments of Japan related to the 7th-8th centuries. AD, - Kojiki, Fudoki, Nihongi - reflected the complex path of the formation of the system of Shinto cults. A significant place in this system is occupied by the cult of dead ancestors, the main of which was the clan ancestor ujigami, symbolizing the unity and cohesion of the members of the genus. The objects of worship were the deities of the earth and fields, rain and wind, forests and mountains, etc.

In the early stages of development, Shinto did not have an ordered system of beliefs. The development of Shinto followed the path of forming a complex unity of religious, mythological ideas of various tribes, both local and those who came from the mainland. As a result, a clear religious system was never created. However, with the development of the state and the rise of the emperor, the Japanese version of the origin of the world, the place of Japan, its sovereigns in this world is being formed. Japanese mythology claims that at first Heaven and Earth existed, then the first gods appeared, among which was a married couple. Izanagi And Izanami which played a major role in the creation of the world. They disturbed the ocean with a huge spear tipped with a precious stone, the sea water dripping from the tip formed the first of the Japanese islands. Then they began to run around the celestial pillar and gave birth to other Japanese islands. After Izanami's death, her husband Izanagi visited the realm of the dead, hoping to save her, but was unable to. Returning, he performed a rite of purification, during which he produced from his left eye the goddess of the Sun - Amaterasu - from the right - the god of the moon, from the nose - the god of rain, who devastated the country with a flood. During the flood, Amaterasu went into a cave and deprived the land of light. All the gods, having gathered, persuaded her to go out and return the Sun, but they succeeded with great difficulty. In Shintoism, this event is, as it were, reproduced in holidays and rituals dedicated to the arrival of spring.

According to mythology, Amaterasu sent her grandson Ninigi down to earth to rule the people. Japanese emperors, who are called tenno(heavenly sovereign) or mikado. Amaterasu gave him the "divine" regalia: a mirror - a symbol of honesty, jasper pendants - a symbol of compassion, a sword - a symbol of wisdom. In the highest degree, these qualities are attributed to the personality of the emperor. The main temple complex in Shinto was the shrine in Ise - Ise jingu. In Japan, there is a myth according to which the spirit of Amaterasu, who lives in the Ise jingu, helped the Japanese in the fight against the Mongol conquerors in 1261 and 1281, when the divine wind " kamikaze"twice destroyed the Mongol fleet, which was going to the shores of Japan. Shinto shrines are rebuilt every 20 years. It is believed that the gods are pleased to be in one place for such a long time.

Syntonism levels

In Shinto, several levels are distinguished, which are determined by the objects and subjects of the cult.

Dynastic Shinto is the property of the imperial family. There are gods that only family members can call upon, and rituals that can only be performed by family members.

emperor cult(tennoism) - Mandatory for all Japanese.

Temple Shinto - worship of common and local gods that exist in every locality and protect people living under their protection.

Home Shinto - worship of family gods.

At the beginning of the VI century. in Japan become known and. Gradually, Buddhism begins to play a significant role in the life of Japan, there is an interpenetration of Buddhism and Shintoism, their complementarity. The deities of Buddhism are accepted in Shinto, and vice versa. Shinto, with its collectivist nature, caters to the needs of the community, while Buddhism, which is personal in nature, focuses on the individual. There is a situation called rebusinto(double path of the gods). Buddhism and Shintoism have coexisted peacefully for several centuries.

Shinto, or "the path of the gods" - this is how they began to call the ancient Shinto religion to distinguish from Buddhism that reached Japan.
Shinto deities are present in natural objects such as mountains, trees, oddly shaped rocks, even in sounds. But Shinto is more than the deification of nature; it is a fusion of behavior, thoughts and ways of doing things, which for more than 2000 years has become an integral part of the existence of the Japanese. Shinto is a personal belief in the kami, an accepted way of life in accordance with the thinking of the kami, and a spiritual life that has passed through the belief in and association with the kami. The Japanese believe that they are the children of their parents and kami and therefore owe their lives to society and nature. In return for the love and care they receive, they are obliged to show loyalty and respect to both society and nature and to continue their lineage, honoring their ancestors.

For most of Japanese history, Shinto did not play any prominent role in public policy. Everything changed after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when in order to restore the cult of the emperor, Shintoism was declared main religion and Buddhism is relegated to the background. This decision marked the beginning of the most sinister episode in the religious and political life of Japan - the time of state Shinto.

State Shinto meant the arrival of extreme nationalism, which dominated from 1890 to 1945. Myths about the origin of Japan were elevated to the rank of historical facts, and the postulate of the origin of the Japanese from the divine emperor was promoted in every possible way. At the same time, such traditional values as loyalty, inner composure, self-sacrifice, declared in bushido (the way of the warrior), were encouraged as the best human qualities. Such sentiments were used by the militaristic regime of the 1930s to reinforce the Japanese sense of national superiority. All this led to the formation of an exceptionally united and loyal nation to the emperor on the eve of World War II. After the war, Emperor Hirohito was forced to renounce his divine lineage; he became just a head of state (purely nominal), and Shinto ceased to be the state religion.

Shinto shrines (shrines)

Shinto shrines are called jinja (place of kami), although the names may also contain the endings -jingu or -gu. These names and torii gates are the surest differences between Shinto shrines and Buddhist shrines. The shrine is home to kami who prefer to live in the natural environment and is a place where they are served and worshipped.
There are various styles of temple architecture, but traditional Shinto shrines are constructed from unpainted cypress wood and thatched. Draw attention to tigi - crossed protruding beams at the ends of the roof and katsuogi - short bars laid horizontally on the roof ridge. The best examples of such traditional architecture are the Ise Grand Shrine, Izumo Taisha (near Matsue), and Tokyo's Meiji Jingu. More recent structures betray a Chinese or Korean influence, as they use red and white paint or other finishes.

Perhaps the most characteristic distinguishing element of the sanctuary are torii gate, which symbolize the entrance from the earthly world to the spiritual. Usually it is a simple wooden structure of two pillars with two crossbars crossing them. There are 20 main types of torii, many of them are colored red. Today they are also made of stone, metal, reinforced concrete, in these cases the gates are not painted. The word torii means "bird's perch" and was a common form of common gate until 1884; later they began to be placed only for sanctuaries.

Somewhere in a shrine, there is often a sacred tree, marked with a twisted rope (shimenawa) with strips of white paper around it. In the old days, it was believed that this was a special dwelling of some kami. Now the trees only symbolize the divine power, which, like other parts surrounding nature, helps the human mind to renounce the mortal world and get closer to the world of kami.

On the territory of the sanctuary, closer to the building, you can often find sculptures of animals and people; stern dignitaries in ancient court costumes with weapons are traditional Japanese guards. True, you can also find dogs with lion heads (koma inu) or ferocious-looking Nio, clearly taken from a Buddhist temple. Other figurines may belong to messengers of the kami; foxes, for example, in the shrines of Inari, the god of rich harvests.

Finally you enter the sanctuary building itself. At the entrance there is a box for donations, at the top there is a rope with a bell or a gong. Some say that the sound of the bell drives away evil spirits, others that it attracts the attention of the kami. Another shimenawa marks the sacred dwelling place of the kami.
Inside each shrine there is an inner chamber (honden) where the shintai (shrine) is kept. It is a sacred object indicating the presence of the kami, and therefore it is always kept under lock and key; if he is seen, he will lose his miraculous power. In some shrines, mirrors play the role of such objects. In front of the honden there is a table for donations, on which lies a gohei, a symbolic offering of sticks wrapped in white paper in a zigzag pattern, and cleansing sacrificial sticks (haraigushi). Sometimes here, between the table and the shrine, a mirror is placed. It performs an important mythological and religious mission, as it symbolizes not only the pure consciousness of the kami, but also the sincerity of believers, reflecting everything as it really is. In some cases, the mirror itself may be a sacred object; for example, the mirror given by the goddess Amaterasu to her grandson Ninigi is believed to be kept in the honden of Ise Jingu Shrine, Japan's main Shinto shrine.

Large shrines are usually a whole complex of buildings, including small shrines, a prayer hall (haiden), a pavilion for ablution, a donation hall, an office and a gift shop; housing for priests, a treasury, and sometimes even a platform for ritual dances, Noh theater performances, or a sumo arena. True, in some cases, the sanctuary is just a torii and a twisted rope around a tree or stone to mark the sacred habitat of the Komi. It happens that a whole mountain is declared sacred, but this is already a rarity.
Until the end of the last century, access to such mountains (and there are enough of them in Japan) was forbidden to women. Today, only two sacred mountains - Usiro-yama in Okayama Prefecture and the top of the Sanjo-ga-Take ridge near Nara - are allowed to be climbed by women; both peaks are shrines of the Shugendo sect.

Shinto rituals and holidays

The Japanese pray on a variety of occasions and choose a shrine that matches the purpose of the prayer. They come to thank their local or tribal Komi for his patronage and good deeds, or to pray for the fulfillment of an important desire, for example, for a safe birth. Komi sometimes "specialize" in certain types of beneficence; therefore, there is no point in going to the Komi in charge of health if you are going to pray for the success of the exam.

When visiting a sanctuary, try to complete at least three of the four elements of a Shinto ritual. Among them, perhaps the most important is cleansing- an indicator of respect for the Komi. People who are sick, suffering from open wounds, are considered unclean, and it is implied that they will not come to the sanctuary.
In the gazebo or just under the ablution shed (a bowl of water near the entrance) wet your fingertips, then scoop some water in your palms and lightly rinse your mouth; spit into the special chute at the bottom.

Now, after being cleansed, you can go directly to the sanctuary and donate anything. You can just toss a coin into the box, a 5 yen coin is considered the luckiest, although if you are asking for something big, more solid donations are required, wrapped in special paper. Depending on the circumstances, komi can be gratified with food, wine, various items, and even ritual dances (kagura performed by female maids of the shrine) and sumo wrestling fights.

The third element of the ritual is prayer. Ring the bell by pulling the rope; bow first one light bow, then two deep bows, pray, bow deeply more than twice, clap your hands twice at chest level and finish with two bows - low and light. The final stage of the bowing ritual is a sacred meal, which usually follows a special service or feast. Sometimes it takes the form of consuming food and drink brought for the Komi; a symbolic share is left for him. The feast begins with the obligatory cup of sake and often ends with wild fun and karaoke.

At the shrine shop, you can buy talismans (omamori) for all diseases, fortune-telling papers (omikuji) that are then tied around tree branches, and wooden wish-fulfilling tablets (this one) - write your wish and put the tablet in a row with others .

Perhaps the most attractive to the Japanese and visitors to the country are cheerful and colorful Shinto holidays (matsuri). Each shrine has at least one annual festival worth visiting. During the festivities, the Komi symbolically move from the inner chambers of the sanctuary to decorated palanquins or small portable temples (mikosi). Crowds of young people, pushing and pushing against each other, carry temporary Komi dwellings through the streets of cities, shouting "vassei, vassei"; Shinto festivals in small towns are especially spectacular. All this enchanting action should, as they say, bring happiness to the Komi, and long after the return of the palanquin to the sanctuary, the fun continues, fueled by alcohol and karaoke songs.

In Japan, traditional places of worship can be classified into two categories − Shinto shrines (jinja) And Buddhist temples. Let's talk in detail today about the first.

In Shinto, shrines are places of worship. kami, or "gods". The sacred objects of worship themselves are in the inner chamber of the sanctuary and are hidden from anyone's eyes.

People visit shrines to pay their respects to the kami and also to pray for good luck.

Sanctuaries become objects of pilgrimage during holidays and festivals, such as, setsubun, etc. Traditionally, babies are brought to the sanctuary at the age of several weeks. In the same place, many couples hold wedding ceremonies.

Consider what the traditional attractions of Shinto shrines are:

Torii

The great torii or o-torii of Itsukushima Shrine, built in 1168 at a distance of 200 meters from the shore. View of them is traditionally considered one of the three most beautiful views of Japan.

One or more torii gates are located at the entrance to the shrine. They come in a variety of colors and are made from a variety of materials. Most, however, are made of wood and are orange and black in color. Torii symbolize the transition between the world of people and the world of spirits.

Torii at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto

Comainu

A komainu is a pair of guardian dog or lion statues that are often found erected on either side of the entrance to the shrine. However, if we are talking about sanctuaries Inari, then instead of dogs, and even more so lions, foxes act.

Source of cleansing water

It is located near the entrance to the sanctuary. Before entering the main hall, one must cleanse oneself by washing one's hands and rinsing out one's mouth.

Main hall and offering hall

Depending on the architectural style of the sanctuary, the main hall ( honden) and an offering hall ( haiden) are either two separate buildings, or one combined. The inner chamber of the main hall houses the sanctuary's shrine, while in the offering hall, visitors offer their prayers and make offerings.

Scene

Some Shinto shrines have a stage for performances theater but or dancing bugaku.

Visitors to the sanctuary write their wishes on these wooden tablets and leave them in the sanctuary in the hope that their wishes will be granted. Most wish good health, success in business, good luck in entrance exams, love and wealth.

Omikuji

Omikuji are leaflets with predictions written on them, they can be found in many shrines and temples. The leaflets contain randomly written predictions, the meanings of which vary from daikichi("big luck") to daikyō("great misfortune"). By tying such a leaf around a branch of a sacred tree or a special rice rope (see photo), you can make a “good” prediction come true and prevent the execution of a “bad” one.

Shimenawa

Shimenawa is a straw rope with zigzag strips of paper tied to it ( side).

It marks the border of something sacred, for example, it can be seen on torii, tied around sacred trees, stones, etc.

A similar rope is worn yokozuna, sumo wrestlers of the highest rank, during ritual ceremonies.

Some shrines may have additional buildings, such as a priest's house, an office, a warehouse for mikoshi and other ancillary buildings.

Mikoshi, this is exactly what is on the stretcher - the repository of a sacred object (shintai), in which the kami lives

On the other hand, something that is almost impossible to find in the territory of a Shinto shrine is a cemetery. For the reason that death in Shinto is opposed to purity and belongs to the competence of Buddhism.

Over the centuries there has been a mixture of architectural styles of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples Japan. Most of the styles reflect the influence of mainland Asian Buddhist temple architecture. Only a few shrines that have survived to this day can be considered built in a purely Japanese style, the most striking example being the Shinto shrines of Ise province.

There are tens of thousands of Shinto shrines in Japan, they can be conditionally divided into the following groups:

Imperial shrines

These are shrines that were built and run directly by the Japanese government. The most notable are the Ise Province Shrines, Izumo Shrine, and Atsuta Shrine, as well as several new shrines built during the Meiji era, such as Tokyo Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine in Tokyo

And Heian Shrine in Kyoto. Imperial shrines are easily distinguished by the presence of coat of arms of the imperial family - chrysanthemums
Moreover, they are often called jingu than jinja.

Shrines of Inari

At the entrance to Fushimi Inari Shrine

They are dedicated kami (deity) of rice Inari. They can be easily recognized by the statues of foxes, because. these animals are considered messengers of Inari. There are thousands of Inari shrines in Japan, one of the most famous is Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto.

Shrines of Hachiman

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

dedicated Hachimanu, kami of war, which was especially popular with warrior clans in the past. In fact, Hachiman is the patron saint of warriors, a Shinto deity, during his lifetime he was an emperor named Ojin (390-415).

There are thousands of Hachiman shrines in Japan, but perhaps the most famous is the shrine Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura.

Shrines of Tenjin

Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine

dedicated Kami Sugawara-Michizane(who is a man and a steamer deity), scientist and politician of the Heian era.

Sugawara Michizane by Master Hidetoshi Terada (1880)

These shrines are especially popular with students preparing for entrance exams. They are easily recognizable by their bull statues and plum trees (Chichizane's favorite tree).

The very first and most famous shrine of Michizane is Dazaifu Tenmangu near Fukuoka.

Sengen Shrines

dedicated a princess named Konohana Sakuya, who is the deity of Mount Fuji.

Konohana Sakuya by the great master Katsushika Hokusai

There are more than a thousand such shrines in Japan, the main ones are located directly at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Shrines dedicated to the founders of powerful clans

Toshogu Shrine

Kanazawa Oyama Shrine

Some powerful clans that left a significant mark on the history of Japan also managed to build shrines to their founders. The most striking example is the several dozen Toshogu shrines dedicated to the famous daimyo and shogun, including, Toshogu Shrine in Nikko. Another example is the sanctuary Kanazawa Oyama dedicated Maede Toshiie, founder of the powerful local Maeda clan.

local shrines

A huge number of local shrines dedicated to local Shinto deities.

In a material object, and not necessarily in one that is considered to be alive in the standard sense, for example, in a tree, stone, sacred place or natural phenomenon, and under certain conditions can be in divine dignity. Some kami are the spirits of the area or certain natural objects (for example, the spirit of a particular mountain), others personify global natural phenomena, such as Amaterasu Omikami, the goddess of the Sun. Kami are revered - the patrons of families and clans, as well as the spirits of deceased ancestors, who are considered patrons and protectors of their descendants. Shinto includes magic, totemism, belief in the effectiveness of various talismans and amulets. It is considered possible to protect against hostile kami or subjugate them with the help of special rituals.

The main spiritual principle of Shinto is to live in harmony with nature and people. According to Shinto, the world is a single natural environment where kami, people and the souls of the dead live side by side. Kami are immortal and are included in the cycle of birth and death, through which everything in the world is constantly updated. However, the cycle in its current form is not infinite, but exists only until the destruction of the earth, after which it will take on other forms. There is no concept of salvation in Shinto, instead everyone determines their natural place in the world by their feelings, motivations and actions.

Shinto cannot be considered a dualistic religion, and there is no general strict law inherent in Abrahamic religions. The Shinto concepts of good and evil differ significantly from European (Christian) ones, first of all, in their relativity and concreteness. Thus, enmity between kami who are antagonistic in their nature or keep personal grievances is considered natural and does not make one of the opponents unconditionally “good”, the other - unconditionally “bad”. In ancient Shinto, good and evil were denoted by the terms yoshi. (jap. 良し, good) and asi (jap. 悪し, bad), the meaning of which is not a spiritual absolute, as in European morality, but only what should be avoided and what should be strived for in order to avoid tsumi (jap. 罪)- socially reprehensible, harmful to people, distorting the nature of human action.

If a person acts with a sincere, open heart, perceives the world as it is, if his behavior is respectful and impeccable, then he is most likely doing good, at least in relation to himself and his social group. Virtue is recognized as sympathy for others, respect for elders in age and position, the ability to "live among people" - to maintain sincere and friendly relations with everyone who surrounds a person and makes up his society. Anger, selfishness, rivalry for the sake of rivalry, intolerance are condemned. Everything that violates the social order, destroys the harmony of the world and interferes with the service of the kami is considered evil.

The human soul is initially good and sinless, the world is initially good (that is, correct, although not necessarily benign), but evil (jap. 禍 magician) that invades from outside is brought by evil spirits (jap. 禍津日 magatsuhi) , taking advantage of the weaknesses of man, his temptations and unworthy thoughts. Thus, evil, in the view of Shinto, is a kind of disease of the world or a person. The creation of evil (that is, causing harm) is unnatural for a person, a person does evil when he is deceived or subjected to self-deception, when he cannot or does not know how to feel happy living among people, when his life is bad and wrong.

Since there is no absolute good and evil, only the person himself can distinguish one from the other, and for a correct judgment, he needs an adequate perception of reality (“a heart like a mirror”) and union with a deity. Such a state a person can achieve by living correctly and not committing "tsumi".

History of Shinto

Origin

Shinto cult

temples

A shrine or Shinto shrine is a place where rituals are performed in honor of the gods. There are temples dedicated to several gods, temples that honor the spirits of the dead of a particular clan, and Yasukuni Shrine honors the Japanese military who died for Japan and the emperor. But most shrines are dedicated to one specific kami.

Unlike most of the world's religions, in which they try to keep the old ritual structures unchanged as much as possible and build new ones in accordance with the old canons, in Shinto, in accordance with the principle of universal renewal, which is life, there is a tradition of constant renovation of temples. The shrines of the Shinto gods are regularly updated and rebuilt, and changes are made to their architecture. So, Ise temples, formerly imperial, are reconstructed every 20 years. Therefore, it is now difficult to say what exactly the Shinto shrines of antiquity were, it is only known that the tradition of building such shrines appeared no later than the 6th century.

Typically, a temple complex consists of two or more buildings located in a picturesque area, "inscribed" in the natural landscape. Main building - honden, - meant for the deity. It contains an altar where xingtai- “kami body”, - an object that is believed to be infused with a spirit kami. Xingtai there can be different objects: a wooden tablet with the name of a deity, a stone, a tree branch. Xingtai is not shown to the believer, it is always hidden. Since the soul kami inexhaustible, its simultaneous presence in xingtai many temples are not considered something strange or illogical. Images of gods inside the temple are usually not done, but there may be images of animals associated with one or another deity. If the temple is dedicated to the deity of the area where it is built ( kami mountains, groves), then honden may not be built, because kami and so is present in the place where the temple is built.

Except honden, the temple is usually located haiden- hall for prayers. In addition to the main buildings, the temple complex may include shinsenjo- room for the preparation of sacred food, haraijo- a place for spells, kaguraden- a stage for dancing, as well as other auxiliary buildings. All buildings of the temple complex are maintained in the same architectural style.

Temple architecture is varied, although there are several traditional styles that are followed in most cases. In all cases, the main buildings are in the form of a rectangle, at the corners of which are vertical pillars that support the roof. In some cases honden And haiden can stand close to each other, while a common roof is being built for both buildings. The floor of the main temple buildings is always raised above the ground, so a staircase leads to the temple. A veranda can be attached to the entrance. Traditionally, temples were built of wood, there are several temples made of natural stone, but this material is used extremely rarely. At present, temples, especially within the city, are usually built from modern building materials, such as brick and reinforced concrete, the roof is made of metal. In many ways, such changes are dictated by the requirements of fire safety rules.

There are sanctuaries without buildings at all, they are a rectangular platform, at the corners of which wooden pillars are installed. The pillars are connected with a straw bundle, and in the center of the sanctuary there is a tree, stone or wooden pillar.

In front of the entrance to the territory of the sanctuary there are at least one torii - structures similar to gates without wings. Torii are considered the gateway to the place owned by the kami, where the gods can manifest and communicate with them. There may be only one torii, but there may be a large number of them. It is believed that a person who has successfully completed some really large-scale business should donate a torii to some temple. A path leads from the torii to the entrance to the honden, next to which are placed stone pools for washing hands and mouth. In front of the entrance to the temple, as well as in other places where it is believed that kami are constantly or may appear, are hung out shimenawa- thick bundles of rice straw. Directly in front of the entrance are komainu - a pair of statues resembling a mixture of a lion and a dog, representing mystical guardians.

parishes

Due to the fact that Shinto worship many gods and spirits, in one area there can be (and usually are) temples dedicated to different kami, and believers can visit several temples. So the concept of a parish as a territory and parishioners “assigned” to a particular temple does not exist in Shintoism. Nevertheless, there is a natural geographical association of believers around local temples. Around the majority of local churches there is a more or less large community, which largely takes over the maintenance of the temple and participates in divine services and holidays in it. It is curious that neither the granting of Shinto state status in 1868 nor the abolition of this status in 1945 had a significant impact on this situation.

There are several temples of all-Japanese significance; in fact, all of Japan is their parish. These are, first of all, the Great Temple in Ise, Meiji and Yasukuni in Tokyo, Heian in Kyoto and Dazaifu Temple in the city of the same name in Fukuoka province. Also, local temples are considered all-Japanese, without a parish, if they are dedicated to any historical figure, celebrity, or soldiers who died in the war.

home altar

For home prayer, a believer, if there is space and desire, can arrange a small personal temple (in the form of a separate building next to the house), but much more often for home worship is arranged kamidana- house altar. Kamidana is a small shelf decorated with branches of a pine tree or the sacred sakaki tree, usually placed in the house above the door of the guest room. If the location allows, a mirror can be placed opposite the kamidan.

On kamidana they put talismans bought in temples, or simply tablets with the names of the deities worshiped by the believer. Usually, a talisman from the Ise shrine should be placed in the center, flanked by talismans of other deities worshiped by the believer. If the shelf is not wide enough, the Ise talisman is placed in front, and the other talismans behind it. If there is enough space for talismans in honor of deceased relatives, a separate shelf can be made, under the shelf for the talismans of deities, if there is no space, the talismans of relatives are placed next to the talismans of the deities.

Basic rituals

At the core of the Shinto cult is the reverence kami to whom the temple is dedicated. To do this, rituals are sent to establish and maintain a connection between believers and kami, entertain the kami, and give him pleasure. It is believed that this allows you to hope for his mercy and protection.

The system of cult rituals is developed quite scrupulously. It includes the rite of a single prayer of a parishioner, his participation in collective temple activities, the order of individual prayer at home. The main four rituals of Shinto - purification ( harai), sacrifice ( shinsen), prayer ( norito) and a symbolic meal ( naorai). In addition, there are more complex rituals of temple holidays. matsuri.

Harai- symbolic cleansing. For the ceremony, a container or source of clean water and a small ladle on a wooden handle are used. The believer first rinses his hands from the ladle, then pours water from the ladle into his palm and rinses his mouth (spitting water, naturally, to the side), after which he pours water from the ladle into his palm and washes the handle of the ladle to leave it clean for the next believer. In addition, there is a procedure for mass purification, as well as purification of a place or object. During such a ceremony, the priest rotates a special cane near the object or people being cleaned. Sprinkling the believers with salt water and sprinkling them with salt can also be used. Shinsen- an offering. The worshiper should offer gifts to the kami to strengthen the connection with the kami and demonstrate his commitment to him. Various, but always simple items and foodstuffs are used as offerings. During individual prayer at home, offerings are laid out on a kamidana, while praying in a temple, they are laid out on trays or plates on special tables for offerings, from where the clergy take them. Offerings may be edible; in such cases, they usually offer pure water drawn from the source, sake, peeled rice, rice cakes ("mochi"), less often they bring small portions of cooked dishes, such as fish or cooked rice. Non-edible offerings can be made in the form of money (coins are thrown into a wooden box, standing near the altar in the temple, before the offering of prayer, more large sums money, when they are offered to the temple when ordering a ceremony, can be transferred directly to the priest, in this case the money is wrapped in paper), symbolic plants or branches of the sacred sakaki tree. A kami who patronizes certain crafts can donate items from those crafts, such as pottery, textiles, even live horses (although the latter is very rare). As a special donation, a parishioner may, as mentioned, donate to the temple torii. The gifts of the parishioners are collected by the priests and used according to their content. Plants and objects can be used to decorate the temple, money goes to its upkeep, edible offerings can partly be eaten by the families of the priests, and partly become part of a symbolic meal. naorai. If especially many rice cakes are donated to the temple, then they can be distributed to parishioners or simply to everyone. Norito- ritual prayers. Norito are read by a priest who acts as an intermediary between the person and the kami. Such prayers are read on solemn days, holidays, and also in cases when, in honor of an event, a believer makes an offering to the temple and orders a separate ceremony. Ceremonies are ordered in order to honor the kami on a personally important day: before starting a new risky business, in order to ask the deity for help, or, conversely, in honor of an auspicious event or the completion of some big and important business (the birth of the first child, the arrival of the youngest child in school, senior - to university, successful completion of a large project, recovery after a serious and dangerous illness, and so on). In such cases, the customer and the persons accompanying him, having come to the temple, perform the ceremony harai, after which they are invited by the minister to hayden where the ceremony is held: the priest is located in front, facing the altar, the customer of the ceremony and those accompanying him are behind him. The priest reads a ritual prayer aloud. Usually the prayer begins with the praise of the deity to whom it is being offered, contains a list of all or the most important persons present, describes the occasion on which they have gathered, states the request or gratitude of those present, and concludes by expressing hope for the favor of the kami. Naorai- a ritual feast. The rite consists in a joint meal of parishioners who eat and drink part of the edible offerings and thus, as it were, touch the meal with kami.

Home prayer

Shinto does not require the believer to visit temples often, it is enough to participate in large temple holidays, and the rest of the time a person can pray at home or in any other place where he considers it right. Home prayer is held before kamidana. Before praying kamidana it is cleaned and wiped, fresh branches and offerings are placed there: usually sake and mochi. On days associated with the commemoration of deceased relatives, on kamidana items that were important to the deceased can be placed: a university diploma, a monthly salary, an order for a promotion, and so on. Having put himself in order, having washed his face, mouth and hands, the believer stands in front of kamidana, makes one short bow, then two deep ones, then makes several hand claps at chest level to attract the kami, prays mentally or very quietly, folding his palms in front of him, after which he bows again twice deeply, makes another shallow bow and departs from the altar. The described order is an ideal option, but in fact, in many families the procedure is simplified: usually someone from the older generation cleans up the kamidana on the right days, arranges jewelry, talismans and offerings. Those family members who are more serious about religious traditions approach the altar and stand before it in silence for a while, bowing their heads, demonstrating their respect for the kami and ancestral spirits. After the completion of the prayers, the edible gifts are removed from the kamidan and subsequently eaten; it is believed that in this way the faithful join the meal of spirits and kami.

Prayer in the temple

The main way to communicate with the kami for a Shinto is to offer a prayer when visiting a temple. Even before entering the territory of the temple, the believer must bring himself into a proper state: prepare himself inwardly for a meeting with the kami, clear his mind of everything vain and unkind. According to Shinto beliefs, death, disease, and blood destroy the purity required to visit a temple. Therefore, the sick, suffering from bleeding wounds, as well as those who are in grief after the death of their loved ones, cannot visit the temple and participate in religious ceremonies, although they are not forbidden to pray at home or anywhere else.

Entering the territory of the temple, the parishioner passes along the path, on which there must be a place for performing the rite of harai - symbolic purification. If the believer brought some special offerings, then he can lay them out on the tables for offerings or give them to the clergyman.

Then the believer goes to the honden. He throws a coin into a wooden lattice box in front of the altar (in the countryside, a pinch of rice wrapped in paper can be used instead of a coin). If a bell is fixed in front of the altar, the believer can ring it; the meaning of this action is interpreted in different ways: according to some ideas, the ringing of the bell attracts the attention of the kami, according to others it scares away evil spirits, according to others it helps to purify the mind of the parishioner. Then, standing in front of the altar, the believer bows, claps his hands several times (this gesture, according to Shinto ideas, attracts the attention of the deity), and then prays. Individual prayers do not have established forms and texts, a person simply mentally turns to kami with what he wants to say. Sometimes it happens that a parishioner reads a pre-prepared prayer, but usually this is not done. It is characteristic that an ordinary believer pronounces his prayers either very quietly, or mentally at all - only a priest can pray aloud when he performs an “official” ritual prayer. After completing the prayer, the believer bows and moves away from the altar.

On the way back to the exit of the temple, the believer can buy temple talismans (this may be a tablet with the name of the kami, shavings taken from the logs of the old temple building during its last renovation, some other items) to put them on the kamidana at home. It is curious that, although Shinto does not condemn trade and commodity-money relations as such, receiving temple talismans for money by believers is not formally trade. It is believed that the believer receives the talismans as a gift, and the payment for them is his voluntary donation to the temple, which is made as a reciprocal gratitude. Also, for a small fee, a believer can take from a special box a strip of paper on which a prediction of what awaits him in the near future is printed. If the prediction is favorable, you should wrap this strip around a branch of a tree growing on the temple grounds, or around the bars of the temple fence. Unfavorable predictions are left near the figures of mythical guardians.

Matsuri

Holidays are a special part of the Shinto cult - matsuri. They are held once or twice a year and are usually associated either with the history of the sanctuary or with the mythology that sanctifies the events leading up to its creation. In preparing and conducting matsuri many people are involved. In order to organize a magnificent celebration, they collect donations, turn to the support of other temples and make extensive use of the help of young participants. The temple is cleaned and decorated with sakaki tree branches. In large temples, a certain part of the time is set aside for the performance of sacred dances "kagura".

The centerpiece of the celebration is the carrying out of the o-mikoshi, a palanquin representing a miniature image of a Shinto shrine. A symbolic object is placed in the “o-mikoshi”, decorated with gilded carvings. It is believed that in the process of transferring the palanquin, the kami moves into it and sanctifies all the participants in the ceremony and those who came to the celebration.

clergymen

In large temples there are several kannushi, and besides them also musicians, dancers, various employees constantly working at the temples. In small shrines, especially in rural areas, several temples may have as little as one kannushi, moreover, he often combines the occupation of a priest with some ordinary work - a teacher, an employee or an entrepreneur.

Ritual vestments kannushi consists of a white kimono, hakama pants (white or colored) and a black cap eboshi, or, for high-ranking priests, a more refined headdress kammuri. Miko wear white kimono and bright red hakama. White traditional Japanese socks are put on the feet. tabi. For service outside the temple, high-ranking priests put on asa-gutsu (jap. 浅沓)- lacquered shoes made from a single piece of wood. Low-ranking priests and miko wear regular sandals with white straps. The vestments of the clergy are not attributed any symbolic meaning. Basically, its style is copied from the court clothes of the Heian era. Wear it only for religious ceremonies, in ordinary life kannushi wear ordinary clothes. In those cases when a layman has to act as a representative of the temple during worship, he also puts on the clothes of a priest.

In the basics of Shinto, there are no postulates that limit the ability of women to be official servants of the kami, but in fact, in accordance with the patriarchal Japanese traditions, in the past almost exclusively men became temple priests, while women were assigned the role of assistants. The situation changed during the Second World War, when many priests were drafted into the armed forces. Currently [ ] priestesses serve in some temples, their number is gradually growing, although the majority of priests, as before, are men.

Shinto and death

Death, illness, blood, according to Shinto, is a misfortune, but not "filth". However, death, injury, or illness impairs the purity of the body and soul, which are necessary condition for temple worship. As a result, a believer who is ill, suffering from a bleeding wound, or has recently experienced the death of a loved one should not participate in worship in the temple and temple holidays, although, as in all religions, he can pray at home, including asking kami to help speedy recovery or address the spirits of the dead, who, according to Shinto canons, will protect their living relatives. Also, a priest cannot conduct worship or participate in a temple festival if he is sick, injured, or suffered the death of loved ones or a fire the day before.

Due to the attitude towards death as something that is incompatible with active communication with the kami, traditional Shinto priests did not perform funeral ceremonies in temples and, moreover, did not bury the dead on the territory of temples (in contrast to Christianity, where a cemetery on the territory of a church is a common business, and the traditional Okinawan religion, where burials are common in the sacred places of utaki). However, there are examples of the construction of temples in places where the graves of especially revered people are located. In this case, the temple is dedicated to the spirit of the person buried in this place. In addition, Shinto beliefs that the spirits of the dead protect the living and at least periodically reside in the human world have led to the emergence of traditions of building beautiful tombstones on the graves of the dead, as well as traditions of visiting the graves of ancestors and bringing offerings to the graves. These traditions are still observed in Japan to this day, and have long since taken the form of general cultural, rather than religious [ ] .

Shinto includes among the rituals those that are held in connection with the death of a person. In the past, these rituals were performed mainly by the relatives of the deceased themselves. Now the priests conduct ritual ceremonies for the dead, but, as before, such ceremonies are never held in temples and the dead are not buried on the territory of temples.

Shinto in modern Japan

Organization

Before the Meiji Restoration, the conduct of ceremonies and the maintenance of temples were, in fact, a purely public matter, to which the state had nothing to do. Temples dedicated to clan deities were maintained by the respective clans, temples of local kami were maintained by the community of local residents praying in them. The natural migration of the population gradually “eroded” the traditional geographical areas of certain clans; members of the clans moving far from their native places did not always have the opportunity to periodically return to the temples of their clan, which is why they founded new temples of clan deities in the places of their new residence. As a result, "clan" temples appeared throughout Japan and, in fact, turned into an analogue of the temples of local kami. Around these temples, a community of believers also developed, containing the temple, and priests from traditional priestly families served in them. The only exceptions were a few of the most important temples controlled by the family of the Emperor of Japan.

To this day, the traditions of conducting rituals during the construction of a new house are preserved: before the start of construction, a ceremony is held to cleanse the territory of the future house in order to ward off evil spirits and pay respect to the kami of this place, and a priest can be specially invited for the ceremony. At the end of the construction, the joto-sai (ridge beam laying ceremony) ceremony is held: a kami symbol is placed in the middle of the roof ridge beam, after which a celebration is held for the workers who built the house and neighbors.

And in everyday affairs, you can find echoes of Shinto traditions. For example, the general cleaning of the house twice a year, in autumn and spring, reflects the ancient ceremony of the Great Cleansing, the current custom of opening accounts in June and December is associated with Shinto, and in the business world of Japan the manner of ending a successful deal or a settled dispute with a clap of hands is quite common - this traditional Shinto gesture is used to attract the kami to signify an agreement has been reached and the case has been successfully completed.

Shinto outside of Japan

Despite the fact that Shinto is a deeply national religion, there are a small number of followers of this religion outside of Japan. They are scattered all over the world, and most of them are from Japan or just ethnic Japanese. At the same time, there are a number of ethnic non-Japanese living outside of Japan who practice Shinto. In recent decades, even a few non-Japanese Shinto priests have appeared, the most famous of which is Koichi Barrish. The main difficulty for Shinto followers outside of Japan is the lack of temples (shrines) and the extremely conservative foundations of the religion itself.

04Oct

What is Shinto (Shinto)

Shinto is the ancient historical religion of Japan, which is based on the belief in the existence of many gods and spirits living locally in certain shrines or throughout the world, for example, the sun goddess Amaterasu. Shinto has aspects, that is, the belief that spirits reside in natural inanimate objects, in fact, in all things. For Shinto, the first priority is that a person lives in harmony with nature. , Shinto or "Shinto" can be translated as - the Way of the Gods.

Shinto is the essence of religion - briefly.

In simple terms, Shinto is not quite a religion in the classical sense of the term, but rather a philosophy, idea and culture based on religious beliefs. In Shintoism, there are no definite canonical sacred texts, no formal prayers and mandatory rituals. Instead, worship options vary greatly depending on the shrine and deity. Very often in Shinto it is customary to worship the spirits of ancestors, who, according to beliefs, constantly surround us. From the above, we can conclude that Shinto is a very liberal religion, aimed at creating the common good and harmony with nature.

Origin of religion. Where did Shinto originate?

Unlike many other religions, Shinto does not have a founder and a specific point of origin in time. The peoples of ancient Japan long practiced animistic beliefs, worshiped divine ancestors, and communicated with the spirit world through shamans. Many of these practices migrated to the so-called first recognized religion - Shinto (Shintoism). This happened during the Yayoi culture from about 300 BC to 300 AD. It was during this period that certain natural phenomena and geographical features were given the names of various deities.

In Shinto beliefs, supernatural powers and entities are known as Kami. They govern nature in all its forms and inhabit places of particular natural beauty. In addition to the conditionally benevolent "Kami" spirits, there are evil entities in Shinto - demons or "Oni" who are mostly invisible and can dwell in different places. Some of them are represented as giants with horns and three eyes. The power of "They" is usually temporary, and they do not represent an inherent force of evil. As a rule, in order to calm them down, a certain ritual is required.

Basic concepts and principles in Shintoism.

Purity. Physical purity, spiritual purity and avoidance of destruction;
physical well-being;
Harmony must be present in all things. It must be maintained to prevent imbalance;
Food and fertility;
Family and tribal solidarity;
The subordination of the individual to the group;
Reverence for nature;
Everything in the world has the potential for both good and bad;
The soul (Tama) of the dead can influence life before it joins the collective Kami of its ancestors.

Shinto gods.

As in many other ancient religions, Shinto deities represent important astrological, geographical and meteorological phenomena that have ever happened and were considered to affect daily life.

The creator gods are: Goddess of creation and death Izanami and her husband Izanagi. It is they who are considered to be the creators of the islands of Japan. Further along the hierarchy, the supreme deities are considered to be the goddess of the sun - Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo-god of the sea and storm.

Other significant deities in Shinto include the god-goddess Inari, who is considered the patroness of rice, fertility, trade and handicrafts. Inari's messenger is a fox, a popular figure in temple art.

Also in Shintoism, the so-called “Seven Gods of Happiness” enjoy special reverence:

Ebisu- the god of luck and diligence, who is considered the patron saint of fishermen and merchants;
Daikoku- the god of wealth and the patron of all peasants;
Bishamonten- the god of the warrior-defender, the god of wealth and prosperity. Very revered among the military, doctors and ministers of the law;
Benzaiten- the goddess of sea luck, love, knowledge, wisdom and art;
Fukurokuju- the god of longevity and wisdom in actions;
Hotei- the god of kindness, compassion and good nature;
Jurojin- the god of longevity and health.

In general, the pantheon of Shinto gods is very large and includes various deities who are responsible for almost all aspects of human life.

Shrines and altars in Shinto.

In Shintoism, a sacred place can belong to several "Kami" at once, and despite this, there are more than 80 thousand various shrines in Japan. Some natural features and mountains can also be considered sacred. Early shrines were simply mountain altars upon which offerings were laid out. Then, decorated buildings were erected around such altars. Shrines are easily identified by the presence of sacred gates. The simplest are just two vertical pillars with two longer crossbars, which symbolically separate the sacred space of the shrine from the outside world. Such shrines are usually run and run by a head priest or elder, with funding from the local community. In addition to public shrines, many Japanese have small altars in their homes dedicated to their ancestors.

The most important Shinto shrine is the Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Shrine), dedicated to Amaterasu with a secondary shrine to the harvest goddess Toyouke.

Shinto and Buddhism.

Buddhism arrived in Japan in the 6th century BC as part of the process of Chinese colonization. These belief systems have hardly been in opposition. Both Buddhism and Shinto found mutual space to flourish side by side for many centuries in ancient Japan. During the period 794-1185 AD, some Shinto "kami" and Buddhist bodhisattvas were formally combined to create a single deity, thus creating Ryobu Shinto or "Double Shinto". As a result, images of Buddhist figures were incorporated into Shinto shrines, and some Shinto shrines were run by Buddhist monks. The official separation of religions occurred already in the 19th century.

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