Comments on: What is Japanese religion? http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug 陀愚 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5686 Doug 陀愚 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:39:43 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5686 Agreed, when I am in Japan, I get the same feeling! :) I too learned to appreciate nature and seasons after visiting there. Agreed, when I am in Japan, I get the same feeling! :) I too learned to appreciate nature and seasons after visiting there.

]]> By: Philippe http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5682 Philippe Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:12:22 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5682 Hello Doug, “It is good to have more variety of objects to worship.” What delighted me in Japan, where I spent a year in 2008, is the omnipresence of spirituality, a light and sweet breeze which invites both my body and my mind to dilate, and takes my old clothes off. I had to go to Japan to remember how much I loved trees when a child. Hello Doug,
“It is good to have more variety of objects to worship.”
What delighted me in Japan, where I spent a year in 2008, is the omnipresence of spirituality, a light and sweet breeze which invites both my body and my mind to dilate, and takes my old clothes off.
I had to go to Japan to remember how much I loved trees when a child.

]]> By: Doug 陀愚 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5291 Doug 陀愚 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:38:23 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5291 Hi Johnl, quite so! That period was marked by an especially strong synthesis of Shinto and Buddhism, as a way of reconciling the two religions, and this influenced later sects in varying degrees (Jodo Shinshu is a notable exception). Indeed, the Meiji Period is when this was forcefully separated, for better or for worse. Hi Johnl, quite so! That period was marked by an especially strong synthesis of Shinto and Buddhism, as a way of reconciling the two religions, and this influenced later sects in varying degrees (Jodo Shinshu is a notable exception). Indeed, the Meiji Period is when this was forcefully separated, for better or for worse.

]]> By: johnl http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5282 johnl Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:17:30 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5282 I just read (the English translation) of the Heike Monogatari, the story of the epic civil war in medieval Japan. In the story, there seems to be almost *no* distinction between shrines for kami-sama and temples for Hotoke-sama. For example, noble families would sponsor copies of sutras that were then donated to shrines. When I mentioned this, my 'informant' reminded me that it was during the Meiji period (late 19th cent.) that the government officially split Buddhism and Shintoism. I think this was part of the movement by the government to weaken Buddhism--eliminating celibacy for Buddhist clergy was another step in this effort. I just read (the English translation) of the Heike Monogatari, the story of the epic civil war in medieval Japan. In the story, there seems to be almost *no* distinction between shrines for kami-sama and temples for Hotoke-sama. For example, noble families would sponsor copies of sutras that were then donated to shrines. When I mentioned this, my ‘informant’ reminded me that it was during the Meiji period (late 19th cent.) that the government officially split Buddhism and Shintoism. I think this was part of the movement by the government to weaken Buddhism–eliminating celibacy for Buddhist clergy was another step in this effort.

]]> By: Doug 陀愚 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5279 Doug 陀愚 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:41:35 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5279 Hello, gentlemen! @hfinity: "We just have to teach them, sometimes more than just one or two posts on a blog." Indeed. People are stubborn, but this blog is a tiny effort to help provide another (hopefully healthier) viewpoint. :) @cocomino: Very true. Religion is often based on 'need'. :) For me though, I like the sense of structure too, which is why I take it more seriously. It helped me change in (hopefully) better ways. Hello, gentlemen!

@hfinity: “We just have to teach them, sometimes more than just one or two posts on a blog.” Indeed. People are stubborn, but this blog is a tiny effort to help provide another (hopefully healthier) viewpoint. :)

@cocomino: Very true. Religion is often based on ‘need’. :) For me though, I like the sense of structure too, which is why I take it more seriously. It helped me change in (hopefully) better ways.

]]> By: cocomino http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5274 cocomino Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:42:50 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5274 It is a very nice problem presentation.I agree that you said " Of course, a lot of people may not take religion seriously, or only with passing interest when they need something, but isn’t that true with our own cultures as well? " . Most Japanese and I feel that we are not out of the way. For example we hold both Christian marriage ceremony and Buddhist a funeral gathering. It is a very nice problem presentation.I agree that you said ” Of course, a lot of people may not take religion seriously, or only with passing interest when they need something, but isn’t that true with our own cultures as well? ” . Most Japanese and I feel that we are not out of the way. For example we hold both Christian marriage ceremony and Buddhist a funeral gathering.

]]> By: hfinity http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/01/19/what-is-japanese-religion/#comment-5273 hfinity Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:34:41 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7596#comment-5273 We can see people everywhere who don't understand differences in religion and spirituality. It is just their ignorance against our knowledge. We just have to teach them, sometimes more than just one or two posts on a blog. I can handle the ignorant and hypocrits when they think they know something about Atheism but I am also a bit spiritual and their brains start to smoke because they don't understand. This is a good post and I think it can help 'alot' in educating people more about Japanese spirituality. We can see people everywhere who don’t understand differences in religion and spirituality. It is just their ignorance against our knowledge. We just have to teach them, sometimes more than just one or two posts on a blog.

I can handle the ignorant and hypocrits when they think they know something about Atheism but I am also a bit spiritual and their brains start to smoke because they don’t understand.

This is a good post and I think it can help ‘alot’ in educating people more about Japanese spirituality.

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