Shintoism: Origins, History, and Beliefs PDF

ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail:...

ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Chapter 10: Shintoism “To be fully alive is to have an aesthetic perception of life because a major part of the world's goodness lies in its often unspeakable beauty.” Yukitaka Yamamoto Origins of Shintoism The essence of Shinto is the Japanese devotion to invisible spiritual beings and powers called kami, to shrines, and to various rituals. Shinto is not a way of explaining the world, what matters are rituals that enable human beings to communicate with kami. Kami are not God or gods. They are spirits that are concerned with human beings – they appreciate our interest in them and want us to be happy - and if they are treated properly they will intervene in our lives to bring benefits like health, business success, and good exam results. Shinto is a very local religion, in which devotees are likely to be concerned with their local shrine rather than the religion as a whole. Many Japanese will have a tiny shrine-altar in their homes. However, it is also an unofficial national religion with shrines that draw visitors from across the country. Because ritual rather than belief is at the heart of Shinto, Japanese people don't usually think of Shinto specifically as a religion - it's simply an aspect of Japanese life. This has enabled Shinto to coexist happily with Buddhism for centuries.  The name Shinto comes from Chinese characters for Shen ('divine being'), and Tao ('way') and means 'Way of the Spirits'.  Shrine visiting and taking part in festivals play a great part in binding local communities together.  Shrine visiting at New Year is the most popular shared national event in Japan.  Because Shinto is focused on the land of Japan it is clearly an ethnic religion. Therefore Shinto is little interested in missionary work and rarely practiced  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY outside its country of origin.  Shinto sees human beings as basically good and has no concept of original sin, or of humanity as 'fallen'.  Everything, including the spiritual, is experienced as part of this world. Shinto has no place for any transcendental other world.  Shinto has no canonical scriptures.  Shinto teaches important ethical principles but has no commandments.  Shinto has no founder.  Shinto has no God.  Shinto does not require adherents to follow it as their only religion.  Shinto spirits include Izanami (female who invites) and Izanagi (male who invites)—both are considered the cosmic parent who gave birth to many nature deities; Amaterazu (spirit of the sun); Tsukiyomi (spirit of the moon); Susanowo (spirit of the wind); to the human emperor Jimmu. Important: gods are into family relationship The Historical Development of Shinto  When Mahayana Buddhism came to Japan, Buddhist monks considered Shinto kami as different forms of Mahayana Buddha’s, bodhisattvas, preaching that Buddhist deities were already worshipped in Japan but under Shinto names; at first there was resistance but later both religions’ practices blended;  Contact with China introduced a system of writing in Japan which the Japanese adapted for their own use; this also included Chinese architecture, poetry, ceramics, and art and all sorts of new ideas in philosophy, cuisine, clothing design to city planning.  Despite the enthusiasm for Buddhism as well the aspects of Chinese culture,  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Shinto did not disappear; instead, both religions were mutually accommodating to each other, e.g. Shinto was often associated with agriculture, fertility, and birth, while Buddhism was called on for philosophy, help with serious illnesses funerals, and the afterlife;  Accommodations manifested: 1) Shinto shrines usually had a Buddhist place of worship or had some Buddhist rites for the kami; Buddhist temples often had Shinto shrines on their grounds; 2) Shinto adopted Buddhist practices of preaching sermons, venerating statues, and using incense; 3) Shinto shrines featured Chinese architectural details e.g. tile roofs and red paint;  In the late 9th century, the two religions were forced to separate; the Meiji government propagated the belief that the emperor was a descendant of the founding deities; Shintoism was used to instill patriotism; today however the remnants of the mutual accommodation still are visible;  Confucian values like respect for the emperor, reverence for ancestors and elders, care for juniors, loyalty, discipline, and love of learning which entered Japan were also reinforced by Shinto. Shinto and Japanese National Identity: In the 9th century, Mutsuhito came to the throne and became Emperor Meiji; he modernize Japan, importing European and American experts to create military, governmental, and educational systems modeled on the West; this period was called Meiji Restoration; this time, Shinto was forced to separate from Buddhism; Buddhism suffered persecution as Japan’s leaders stressed the divine origins of the emperor and to tie Shinto to a growing spirit of nationalism; 1882 State Shinto was established comprising of Shinto Shrines funded by the government; those without government support were called Sect Shinto; eventually Shinto was exploited especially during the militaristic expansion of Japan in 1905 after the Russo-Japanese War, to the 1930s in the preparation for WW II; as well as in the educational system; with Japan’s defeat in WWII, Japan was forced to become a secular country, so that the government abolished  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY State Shinto, the emperor renounced his divine status, Shinto shrines turned to a private religion; all religions were considered equal; even then Shinto retains a special place in Japan. Essentials of Shinto Belief  Heart/core belief: sensitivity to mysterious powers of nature; kami of nature are with us in this world; they are the energies that animate nature in trees, waterfalls, mountains, storms, or ocean;  Kami are persons with given names; major kami include Izanagi, Izanami, Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, Susanowo; lesser kami e.g. spirit of fire, the deity of grain, ocean, mountain, spirits of great trees, rivers, and waterfalls; animal spirits especially those animals with mysterious cunning like the badger, fox, snake.  Ancestors also become kami; they live close by and ready to see how their descendants are faring; as such Shinto is a way of maintaining a connection with family and clan members;  Ancient Shinto rituals and prayers were recorded in the 10th century through the Kojiki (chronicle of ancient events, 712 CE) and the Nihongi (chronicle of Japan, 720 CE);  Shinto has no defined code of ethics but it has a type of value system and life outlook: no notion of guilt, no moralistic God, no original sin or basic sinful tendency; humans are believed to be fundamentally good, the body is good, and this earth life is good; Shinto worships fertility and new life, and sex is viewed positively without guilt; sexual imagery like phallic rocks and wood carvings visible in many shrines.  Unlike many religions, Shinto does not focus so much on death, which is opposite to life and growth; because it worships life forces, it seeks to counteract whatever brings sickness or death; for Shinto, our bodies, houses, and clothes must be kept clean and bright; when they become dirty, get rid of the dirt by washing, sweeping, cleaning, etc.; so does one’s character, it has to be unblemished too, and human relations must be kept healthy; moreover, the  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY human character must have sincerity (Makoto)—it must be pure, without egotism, committed; purity is conserved and restored by fulfilling all obligations, repaying debts, and apologizing for misdeeds;  Reverence for the kami by visiting shrines, and respecting nature.  Formal worship and blessings by priests at shrines; blessings by priest away from the shrine; observances of holidays, the seasons, and nature; everyday practice by individuals in their homes; and the ceremonial practice of Shinto by the Emperor and other authorities; Active shrines have a priest—a job that is frequently hereditary. The Mythic Origins of Shinto Although Shinto does not have a sacred scripture like the Bible or the Quran, it does have two highly revered texts whose origins date back to the 8th century CE. At that time Emperor Temmu was concerned that the already ancient stories of the celestial origins of the imperial line and the Japanese people were being forgotten and might be lost. Temmu ordered the ancient stories committed to memory. The job fell to one his servants, Hiyeda no Are. She learned two by heart: “The Successions of Emperors” and “The Ancient Traditions of the Past Ages.” Temmu’s successor, Empress Gemmyo, ordered that the oral histories be written down. The first volume, the Kojiki, or “Record of Ancient Matters,” was begun under her reign, in 712 CE , to trace the succession of emperors. The Nihongi, or Nihon Shoki (“Chronicles of Japan), completed around 720, tells the story of the divine origins of Japan. These two books contain the foundation of all Shinto beliefs and customs. Other books, detailing the actions of the many Shinto kami (deities), appeared later. The first 10 books of the Engishiki, a compilation of Shinto ceremonies dated to 927, are devoted to the kami and their stories. The versions of the Shinto tales in the different books vary slightly, in much the same way that a story may differ in each Gospel of the Bible. Yet the essential messages about good and evil, life and death are the same. Shinto’s rich mythology tells the story of the heavenly and earthly kami and the creation of the Japanese islands and all creatures and beings on them. It also explains such natural phenomena as night and day  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY and answers questions traditionally answered by religions, such as why there is death and suffering in the world. Significantly for the Japanese, it establishes the divine origin of the line of emperors, tracing their ancestry to the sun goddess Amaterasu O Mikami herself. Shinto Creation Story a) The Creation of Japan’s Islands According to Shinto belief, the universe was not created but simply always existed. In its earliest stage, it was an unformed, oily, reedy sea. Eventually, the sea was divided into three parts: the sky, or heaven; a middle level, still covered by the sea, which would become the earth; and Yomitsu-Kuni, the land of darkness. As the universe divided, three invisible kami beings arose from the sea and found their way to the high plains of heaven, the broad expanses of the sky above the earth. There they remained, giving birth to other invisible deities. After several generations, of being born one by one, the heavenly kami were born in pairs, always a male and a female. The fifth pair of kami to be born were Izanagi and Izanami, a heavenly brother and sister who had more or less human form. This pair had a special destiny. The other heavenly kami sent Izanagi and Izanami down from the heavens to bring order to the unformed world below. They became the creators of Japan. Izanagi and Izanami descended by way of the Rainbow Bridge of Heaven to a point just above the waters of the sea. Standing on the Rainbow Bridge, Izanagi drew his sword and dipped it into the sea. As he pulled it out, the briny water that dipped from it solidified and formed the island of Onokoro. Izanagi and Izanami stepped off the Rainbow Bridge onto the first island of Japan. Izanagi and Izanami wed. Their fertile union produced the eight principal islands of Japan --- Awaji, Shikoku, Oki, Kyushu, Iki, Tsu, and Oyamato. Izanami also gave birth to many major kami—the god of sea, Ohowata-tsumi; the god of the wind, Shima- Tsu-Hiko; the god of the trees, Kuku-no-shi; the god of the mountains, Ohoyama-tsumi; and many others. Izanagi and Izanami were the parents of all the geography of Japan—  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY its mountains, trees, waterfalls, flowers, wind, and rain. At his birth Shima-Tsu-Hiko, the wind god, blew away the mists that covered the islands, and Izanagi and Izanami saw their handiwork for the first time. b) The Death of Izanami The couple’s last-born child, Homu-subi, was the fire god, and Izanami died giving birth to him. Crazed with grief, Izanagi cut up the young god with his sword, and from each piece arose a new deity. The grieving Izanagi followed his wife into Yomi-tsu-kuni, the land of darkness. Knowing that she was hideous in death, Izanami hid herself from Izanagi, calling to him from the darkness that she had already eaten the food of the underworld and could not return with him. Izanagi begged her to return with him, and Izanagi agreed to petition the spirits of Yomi to make an exception for her. However, she made Izanagi promise to wait and not to try to see her. Izanagi became impatient with waiting and tried to find Izanami. Instead of his beloved wife, he found her rotting body, guarded by the Eight Thunders and the Ugly Hags of the underworld. Furious that Izanagi had broken his promise to wait, Izanami cried out that she had been betrayed and humiliated, and the guardians of the underworld jumped to attack. Izanagi fled, barely eluding capture. He flung his stick at them, slowing them down enough that he could escape. Finally, he reached the gateway back to earth and blocked it with a huge rock. Thus, the dead are eternally separated from the living. Izanami screamed after him that in revenge for his betrayal she would destroy the earth’s inhabitants each day. Izanagi replied that he would create 1,500 new inhabitants each day, thereby peopling the islands. Life would always outpace death, and Japan would flourish. c) The Birth of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess Feeling unclean after his encounter with death, Izanagi plunged into the river Woto to purify himself. From his discarded clothes sprang 12 new deities. As he bathed, more deities appeared. As Izanagi washed his nose he gave birth to the storm god, Susanowo, to whom he gave the kingdom of the ocean. As he cleaned his right eye, out came Tsuki-yomi, the god of the moon. As he washed his left eye, he gave birth to  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY supreme heavenly kami Amaterasu O-Mikami, the sun goddess. The Nihongi tells another version of the creation story. In the Nihonni Izanagi and Izanami, having given birth to the islands of Japan, the rivers, the trees, and the mountains, bring about the birth of Amaterasu and place her in the sky to rule the lands. Izanami next gives birth to Tsukiyomi, the moon goddess, and lastly to Susanowo, the storm god. Many tales refer to Izanami as the mother of the heavenly trio, although others credit Izanagi with their creation. Ruled by Amaterasu, the heavenly kami lived on the high plains of heaven, a vast area of the sky through which ran a wide river that is recognized today as the Milky Way. The kami held a council on the riverbanks and decided the fate of the people below. Although Amaterasu herself never descended to earth, other gods and their messengers visited at will. A heavenly bridge connected the heavens and the earth, enabling the deities to go back and forth. One day it collapsed, forming the isthmus, or narrow strip of land, west of Kyoto, Japan. d) The Conflict between Sun and Storm Amaterasu’s brother, the storm god Susanowo, was a troublemaker. He wept and blustered, bringing destruction to the fields and mountains of the earth until everything was in turmoil and ruin. Finally, Izanagi decided to banish him to the underworld to be with his mother if he did not mend his ways. The crafty Susannowo played for a time. He begged to be allowed to visit his sister, Amaterasu before he left, and his wish was granted. Knowing her brother’s reputation for mischief, Amaterasu asked him in a sign of good faith. As supreme heavenly kami, Amaterasu knew could create deities at will. Could Susanowo? They agreed on a test. Each would create new deities. If Susanowo could create male deities, Amaterasu would accept his word and let him into her kingdom. IF he failed he would have to return to earth. First Amaterasu broke Susanowo’s sword into pieces and ate them. She spat out a mist that became three new female deities. Then she gave Susanowo a string of her jewels, which he ate, spitting out five new male kami. Amaterasu took the creation of these deities as proof of Susanowo’s good intent. She presented him with three deities  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY of her own making and admitted him to her realm. No sooner was Susanowo there than he began to bedevil Amaterasu and her kingdom. He tore down trees. He broke the heavenly dikes and flooded the divine rice fields. He destroyed palace rooms. Finally, he seized a celestial horse and skinned it alive, dropping the bloody horse skin onto his heavenly sister and her ladies-in-waiting as they sat peacefully weaving. Then he stood back and laughed at the havoc he had caused. Furious, Amaterasu retreated to a heavenly cave and refused to come out. Her action plunged the whole earth into darkness, and evil spirits took over the world. e) Light Returns to the World No amount of coaxing could persuade Amaterasu to return. Finally the heavenly kami assembled outside the cave to discuss what to do. There they came up with a plan. First they brought roosters to crow, to give the illusion of the coming of day. Then they brought a great tree to the mouth of the cave, and from it they hung the soft white cloth of the gods and glorious jewels. Finally they positioned a mirror at the mouth of the cave and stationed Tajikara-wo, the god of strength, beside it. The mirth goddess, Uzume, began to dance. Uzume was not beautiful, but here good humor and merrymaking were contagious. Soon everyone was laughing. The merriment of the gods partying outside her cave made Amaterasu curious. Finally she could stand it no longer and approached the opening of the cave. “Come out and see,” the kami called. “There is someone out here more beautiful than you.” Amaterasu peeked out and she was met by her own dazzling reflection in the mirror. Astonished, she stepped outside and Tajikara-wo caught her. Quickly the kami placed a rice-straw rope across the cave opening so she could not return to her hiding place, and light came into the world again. The jewels and the mirror that brought Amaterasu from her cave became symbols of her power and part of her heavenly regalia. f) The Creation of the Ancestors The heavenly kami punished Susanowo for his outrageous behavior. First they required him to bring to the council table the objects that symbolized his misdeeds. These were thrown into the sea, carrying with them the evil the contained. Although Susanowo retained a capacity to bring flood and storm, he could never again make the  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY kind of trouble he had caused in Amaterasu’s realm. The kami then sent him back to earth, banishing him from heaven. Susanowo took with him to earth the eight deities he and his sister had created. The deities descended to the province of Izumo. There Susanowo wandered the earth. Truly sorry for his misdeeds, he set out to redeem himself in the eyes of his sister and father. One day Susanowo met an elderly couple and their beautiful young daughter, all weeping. He asked the couple why there were crying, and they told him that they once had eight beautiful daughters, but a monstrous, eight-headed serpent had come every year and seized a daughter. It had already killed seven daughters, and the couple feared that the time was coming when it would appear and devour this one, they’re last. Susanowo offered to kill the serpent in exchange for the hand of the daughter, Kushinada-hime, in marriage. The clever Susanowo filled eight cups with strong rice wine and left them for the serpent. It soon appeared, its eight mouths spitting fire, and quickly lapped up the wine with its eight tongues. When it fell down drunken Susanowo leaped from his hiding place and cut off its eight heads, killing it. Susanowo cut open the serpent’s belly. Inside he found a glorious, jewel encrusted sword. Susanowo presented the sword to Amaterasu as a token of apology for all the trouble he had caused in heaven. The sword became part of Amaterasu’s heavenly regalia. Susanowo wed Kushinada-hime and together they had many children, who grew up and married local kami and became the ancestors of all the people of Japan. Eventually Susanowo’s descendants spread over all of Izumo province. One, Oho- kuninushi, became the powerful lord of Izumo. g) The Establishment of the Imperial Line As told in the Nihongi, most of the activities of the kami took place in the heavens, where Amaterasu reigned supreme. Other deities visited earth for short periods of time, but local kami, some beneficial and others troublesome, along with the many descendants of Susanowo and his children, managed on earth as best they could. Amaterasu, looking down from on high, noticed that the earth was in continual disorder.  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Most of Susanowo’s descendants behaved decently, but others fought among themselves, and evil spirits ran loose. The world was a noisy place where even the rocks and the trees clamored for their say in how things should go. Amaterasu decided to take the world in hand. At first she turned to her son Amano-Oshihomini, asking him to go to earth to rule her earthly kingdom. As he stood on the Rainbow Bridge and looked down, he saw so much clamor and dissent in the world that he declined. Amaterasu then convened a council of the kami. They sent a messenger, Amano- Hohi, to earth to look around and report back. When three years had passed with no word from him, the heavenly kami sent another messenger, this one armed with bow and arrows. The new messenger, Ame-waka-hiko, had sooner arrived on earth than he met a maiden whose charms persuaded him to marry her. Eight more years passed with not a single word from earth. Growing impatient, the heavenly kami sent yet another messenger, this time a bird, to search the earth. Ame-waka-hiko mistakenly shot the bird, which barely made it back to heaven. But the kami recognized the arrow and realized that their messenger, Ame-waka-hiko, had gone astray. Now Amaterasu sent two of the heavenly kami, Takemika-zuchi, the god of thunder, and Futus-nushi, the god of fire, to earth. Following Amaterasu’s orders, the two heavenly kami went directly to Izumo, where they met with Oho-kuni-nushi, lord of Izumo and Susanowo’s descendant, and asked him to submit to the rule of Amaterasu. While Oho-kuni-nushi pondered their request, his son tried to resist and attempted to take on the heavenly kami in battle. In a one-sided fight, the kami defeated him. His sorrowful father withdrew to Yomi, the land of darkness, to rule over the evil spirits and keep them from harming the living, ceding control of the earth to the kami. The two kami returned to the high plains of heaven, where they reported their success to Amaterasu. Once again she turned to her son Amano-Oshihomimi and asked him to go to earth and govern it. Once again he declined, proposing that his son go in his place. h) Ninigi, Ancestor for the Imperial Line Ninigi, Amaterasu’s grandson, agreed to go to earth to rule. Amaterasu gave him  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY the symbols of her power—the mirror made by the heavenly kami to lure her from the cave, her jewels, and the sword taken by Susanowo from the belly of the serpent. “Consider this mirror as you would my soul, and honor it as myself,” she told him. The mirror thus became Amaterasu’s shintai, the object in which her kami-spirit lived. Her final words to her grandson were, “May prosperity attend your dynasty and may it, like heaven and earth, endure forever.” With three kami and five exalted beings who served the heavenly kami, Ninigi descended to earth. He went first to the island of Kyushu, proceeding to the province of Satsuma. To the five chiefs who accompanied him he gave the responsibility of religious tasks. These exalted beings became the legendary ancestors of the families who formed the Shinto priesthood. Each had a special duty. One guarded the chants and prayers, another cared for shrines and ritual objects, a third was in charge of religious dances, the fourth was to make mirrors, and the fifth the jeweled swords. Ninigi fell in love with a young woman of the Satsuma province and asked for her hand in marriage. The young woman’s father offered him instead his elder daughter, who, he said, was stronger. But Ninigi chose the younger daughter because, although she was weaker, she was more beautiful. Ninigi’s choice, says the Kojiki, is the reason that many emperors of Japan do not live long lives. i) The Children of Ninigi Living in Satsuma, Kyushu, Ninigi and his new bride had three sons. The eldest, Ho-deri, grew to be a strong man with a violent temper. He had a magical fishhook that enabled him to catch great numbers of fish. One day his little brother Hoho-demi borrowed the fishhook and lost it. Fearing his brother’s anger, Hono-demi sat weeping on the seashore. The sea deity Shihotsuchi found him there and asked what the problem was. He advised Hoho-demi to go to the land of the ruler of the sea, Ohowata-tsumi. Hoho-demi took the boat Shiho-tsuchi built for him and steered it to the sea god’s palace. At the palace gate, he climbed a tree so he could see inside, and he was noticed by ToyoTamabimim, one of the sea god’s daughters. She reported the youth’s presence to her father, who invited the young prince inside. They soon married. Hoh-demi became homesick living in the palace in the land of the sea, and the  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY fishhook was still lost. The sea god Ohowata-tsumi called all the fish of the ocean together. Finally a fish appeared with a sore mouth, and the hook was found. Ohowata- tsumi returned the fishhook to his son-in-law, warning him that his bad-tempered brother might still try to harm him. But Ohowata-tsumi promised that he would help the young man by making water flow wherever he planted rice. He gave Hoho-demi the two magical jewels with which the sea gods ruled the waters: One jewel caused water to rise up, and the other caused it to subside. These jewels gave Hoho-demi great power. Hoho-demi and Toyo-Tama-bimi went to Hoho-demi’s home in Kyushu. Ho-deri was indeed still angry, but Hoho-demi used his magic jewels to make Ho-deri submit to him, and he became the lord of all the nearby lands. When Toyo-Tama-bimi was about to bear the couple’s first child, she asked Hoho-demi to build her private hut where she could be alone. He did as she asked, but while she was giving birth, he peeked into the hut and there he saw that his wife had turned into a sharklike sea monster. Hoho-demi fled and Toyo-Tama-bimi, disgraced, abandoned the child and returned to her home beneath the sea. j) Jimmu Tenno, First Emperor of Japan Toyo-Tama-bimi sent her younger sister to Kyushu to care for the young boy she had left behind. When he was grown the two were joined in marriage and had four sons. The youngest of these sons was named Toyo-mike-nu. He left Kyushu and went to the province of Yamato. There he became the first emperor of Japan, taking the name of Jimmu Tenno. Later he wed a great-granddaughter of Oho-kuni-nushi, one of Susanowo’s descendants, so the two powerful heavenly families of Amaterasu and Susanowo were joined in marriage. Jimmu Tenno became the legendary founder of the imperial family. The imperial family has occupied the throne since 660 BCE and continues to do so this day. Today’s imperial family traces its ancestry directly to Jimmu Tenno, said to be the great- grandson of Ninigi, the grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu.  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY References Carmody, Denise L. & John T. Carmody. 1993. Ways to the Center: An Introduction to World Religions 4th edition. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Ellwood, Robert. 2016. Introducing Japanese Religion. 2nd edition. New York/London: Routledge. Hartz, Paula R. 2009. Shinto. 3rd edition. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. Hopfe, Lewis M. & Mark R. Woodward. 2009. Religions of the World. New York: Vango Books. Molly, Michael. 2013. Experiencing the World’s Religions: Tradition, Challenge and Change. New York: McGraw-Hill. Glossary of terms and acronyms Aku Lit. “Evil”; The term's meaning is not limited to moral evil, and includes misfortune, inferiority, and unhappiness. Ama Lit. “Heaven(ly)”; The divine/deva realm of incarnation, the highest realm on the Wheel of Reincarnation. Chi Lit. "Wisdom, knowledge, intelligence"; One of the virtues of bushido. Kami Lit. "Spirit, God, Deity, Divinity"; A term broadly meaning spirit or deity, but has several separate meanings Kon Lit. "soul") – Stemming from Taoism, kon is the part of the soul that goes to heaven and is able to leave the body, carrying with it an appearance of physical form; the subliminal self Kojiki Lit. "Records of Ancient Matters" or "An Account of Ancient Matters") – An early Japanese written chronicle of myths, legends, songs, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 711–712 AD. Similar to the Nihon Shoki. Yaku Lit. "Misfortune") – The bad luck that one accumulates every day. Yomi Lit. "Underworld") – The land of the dead; the afterworld, the underworld: according to Shinto mythology, as related in Kojiki, it is where the dead go in the afterlife.  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Chapter 9: Confucianism “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucious The Life of Confucius “Although Confucius was born in the 6th century BCE, the biographical material about him is extensive and fairly reliable because of the influence that he and his disciples had on the Chinese people. This is in marked contrast to the life of Lao-Tzu, who also lived in the 6th century BCE but about whom we know almost nothing. The earliest and most authentic material about Confucius is contained in the Analects of Confucius, a collection of his teachings compiled about 70 years after his death. In addition to the biographical material in Confucian literature, Confucius is mentioned in the writings of contemporary Taoists and Mohists. No one seriously doubts the historicity of Confucius.” He was born about 551 BCE. China, then, was not a single empire but a group of small warring kingdoms. His name was Kong Qui *K’ung Ch’iu), and was later named Kong Fuzi (K’ung Fu Tzu) or Master Kong. He came from a once-noble family that fled to the state of Lu (presently Beijing) during a political turmoil. His aristocratic family had lost its wealth and position in the decline of the feudal states of China during that chaotic period. His father, who was said to have been a famous warrior of gigantic size and who was 70 years old when Confucius was conceived, died shortly after his birth. Despite their poverty, his mother raised him as an educated gentleman. He was allowed to study with the village tutor. He studied subjects that were the traditional fare of Chinese students of his time: poetry, Chinese history, music, hunting, fishing, and archery. He enjoyed chariot riding, archery, and playing the lute. During his teenage years, he became interested in pursuing scholarships. Even in his youth, he seems to have been extremely interested in the interworking of  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY society, particularly in what constituted good government. This was to be his main theme for the rest of his life. In his late teens, he held a minor government post as a tax collector in order to support his mother his studies. Later, he married and had a son and daughter. The marriage ended in divorce and little is known about his wife and family beyond these scanty facts. However, there are still Chinese today who claim to be the physical descendants of Confucius. While in his mid-20s, his mother died. Being a devoted son, he mourned her for 3 years. After the state of mourning, he worked as a teacher, his true career. His reputation as a man of learning allowed him to establish himself as a teacher of young people. In the following years, his reputation spread widely, and he attracted many students. They lived in his home and followed him on his journeys. He taught them history, the principles of good governance, and divination. Legend has it that at the age of 50, Confucius was finally able to put into practice some of his principles of good government when he was asked to join the government of the Duke of Lu as its prime minister. According to these Confucian legends, Confucius’ government was ideal. During his leadership, the state was so well-governed that the crime rate dropped to almost nothing. People stopped locking their doors, and a wallet that was dropped on the street was left untouched for days. However, the enemies of Confucius became jealous of his success and conspired against him. Consequently, he was forced to retire from government at the age of 55. All these took place between 500-496 BCE. During the next 12 years of his life, Confucius held no position. He wandered from place to place with a few of his faithful disciples. Sometimes he was accepted by the populace and treated hospitably. At other times he and his friends were jeered and even jailed. Finally, when he was 60 years of age, a position was found for him as an adviser to the Duke of Ai. Although this was not as important as the position he had formerly held, it at least gave Confucius a home for himself and his disciples. During the next 5 years, he taught and compiled some of the Classical Chinese texts. Confucius died in 479 BCE and was widely mourned by his disciples. According to one tradition, his most faithful disciple built a hut beside the grave and stayed to mourn Confucius for 3 years.  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Confucian Literature and Sources: The Five Classics: These are the basic texts of Confucianism. They are revered because they are China’s oldest literature and, according to tradition, because Confucius edited them. He referred to some of them in his teaching. Modern scholars think that the duke of Zhou (1043-1036 BCE), a great figure of the early Zhou dynasty and Confucius’s ideal ruler, may have written some parts of them. Certainly parts of the Five Classics come from very ancient times, although the texts as they exist today have been added to and modified though the centuries since Confucius lived. 1. The Book of History (Shujing) – is an anthology of supposedly historical material about kings from the earliest times up until the early Zhou period (c. 1100-256 BCE); this is the oldest source of Chinese mythology and history, beginning with the legendary emperors who brought the tools of civilization to the Chinese. The text continues through the Xia, Shang, and early Zhou dynasties (2070 to 256 BCE). It was one of the books that Qin Shi Huangdi destroyed in 213 BCE when legalists persuaded him that the Confucians were his enemies. By tradition scholars of his time preserved it in memory, and it was rewritten during the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). The book is sometimes called the Book of Documents, and Confucius himself referred to it that way. This is a more accurate description of its contents, which include decrees, speeches, advice from counselors, and similar reports on government affairs. The Chinese regarded history as the mirror of the present and important in Chinese education and thought; by studying the past one could learn lessons useful for the present. 2. The Book of Poetry (Shijing) – contains the oldest Chinese poetry. It is a collection of more than 300 poems—sometimes called songs because early Chinese poetry was sung—of the Zhou period, once believed to have been selected by Confucius. Over half the poems describe experiences common to all people—love, work, and war. The rest are court poems, including praise of the founders of the Zhou dynasty and hymns used in sacrificial rites. Confucius, who loved to sing, is reputed to have selected the poems for the book. He urged his students to memorize them and he used them in his teaching. 3. The Book of Changes (Yijing) – the book of divination, speaks of the basic  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY patterns of the universe; used to understand future events and to work with them properly; it is an important Confucian document because it tells how the noble person will act in the face of life’s events. The book consists of 64 hexagrams (each being a combination of six broken or unbroken lines) with accompanying interpretations. Later writers added a series of appendices that give further interpretations. Confucius is said to have written some of this material, but this is doubtful. Only once in the Analects does he refer to the Yijing: “Give me a few years and by 50 I shall have studied the book of divination called Changes. Though it I may become free of large faults.” By throwing coins or by manipulating sticks of the yarrow (a plan with magical properties) a petitioner selects any one of two of the hexagrams, and the accompanying text opens up the questioner’s prospects or gives guidance. The 64 hexagrams are formed by a combination of any two of the eight “trigrams” (figures made with three horizontal lines, broken or unbroken) representing Heaven, Thunder, Water, Mountain, Earth, Wind, Fire, and Lake. Through the ages, the Yijing has escaped destruction during book burnings and has enjoyed wide appeal in China, Japan, and more recently in the West as a fortunetelling manual and an aid to meditation and reflection. The Yijing filled a need in Confucian thought that was not met by the other Classics. Early Confucian scholars were concerned with ethical and political problems. However, the Yijing provided a mystical key to the workings of the universe. 4. The Book of Rites (Liji) – lists ancient ceremonies and their meaning; includes the Book of Music; the longest among the three ritual texts, describing government regulations as well as providing instructions on how to manage a household, cook, behave at a dinner party or a funeral, drive a carriage, name a baby, and conduct oneself in everyday life. The Book of Rites as it exists today is not the one that Confucius himself studied. It contains a varied collection of stories and essays compiled during the Han dynasty from earlier writings, including many stories about Confucius’s life. These stories often describe Confucius’s comments on ancient sacrifices, reinterpreting them for a more enlightened age. For example, before Confucius the ancient Chinese believed that by having a living person ascend to the roof of the house and call for the dead to return, the spirits of the dead could be summoned back to their bodies. Objects  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY buried with the dead were originally intended to be used by them in an afterlife. Confucian scholars of Han times wrote that those object merely symbolized the wishes of the living that the dead person could be called back to life. The Book of Rites today describes Confucius as saying: “To treat the dead as dead would show a lack of love and therefore cannot be done; to treat the dead as living would show a lack of wisdom and likewise cannot be done.” Thus the ritual texts describe ways of paying respect so the departed and regulating the emotions of the living so that grief will be appropriate. Parts of the Book of Rituals deal with proper ceremonial form, and they became a handbook for the emperor’s court. One passage declares that if the emperor wore white instead of red (the summer color) in the last month of summer disasters would follow: “High ground would be flooded, the grain in the fields would not ripen, and there would be many miscarriages among women.” 5. The Spring and Autumn Annals (Chun Qiu) – is a brief chronicle of the events in Confucius’s home state of Lu between the years 722 BCE and 481 BCE. The term spring and autumn is a shortened form of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The officials of the state of Lu compiled it as a season-by-season record of events. Because the end date comes so close to the death of Confucius his followers have often asserted that he was the actual author, using earlier records in the state archives. The text is cryptic and difficult to understand and has been the subject of many commentaries dating back as far as the early Han dynasty. The Four Books: Zhu Xi, the Neo-Confucian thinker of the Song dynasty (960-127 CE) was particularly impressed by two sections of the Book of Rites. He assembled these sections into books now called the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean. To give them added significance Zhu Xi made these two books part of what he called the Four Books. The other two are the Analects and the Meng Zi, or Mencius. Through the influence of the Neo-Confucians, the Four Books became the basis of Chinese education. A student had to memorize them before beginning the study of the Five Classics. From 1313 to 1905 the Four Books were the basis of the examination system that produced officials for China’s government. 1. The Analects – presented as the sayings of Confucius and his followers; mainly his sayings collected by his disciples and followers; written for a period of 200  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY years, being created in layers and subject to regular re-arrangement; 20 sections contain little stories and short sayings; cover a wide variety of topics but often discuss the character of the noble person; 2. The Great Learning – short discussion of the character and influence of the noble person; a chapter from the Book of Rites printed separately since the 13th century CE; the very first book to be memorized and studied by Chinese students; stresses the one must begin with self-cultivation and personal virtue to produce order in the family and the state; The book is said to be written by Confucius’s grandson. Though Confucius’s own son was a disappointment as he did not prove to be a consistent student, his grandson became an important teacher who helped to carry on the sage’s doctrine. The book is more than a guide to self-improvement. It was addressed to the emperor and to the officials who served him (as well as those who aspired to become officials). Thus self- cultivation was carried out for the ultimate goal of good government. It rests on the Confucian idea that before a man can regulate others he must learn to regulate himself. 3. The Doctrine of the Mean – work is taken from the Book of Rites; speaks of the mean or equilibrium; it’s beginning—words “heaven” and “the way”—hints at the mystical side of Confucius; a human being who follows the way of heaven avoids extremes and remains in harmony; this balance unites the individual with the balance of the universe; 4. The Mencius – a long collection of the teachings of Mencius, a Confucian who lived several centuries after Confucius. Confucianism: Basic Outline  Period of social turmoil during time of Confucius due to feudal system disintegration.  Two ideals: 1) produce “excellent” individuals who could be social leaders and 2) create a harmonious society; these two are complementary.  Confucius believed in the natural goodness (refined and great) of individuals,  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY but contra Daoism, did not believe that can be achieved isolated from others; One becomes a full person through others and through the fulfillment of obligations to others including parents, teachers, friends, aunts, uncles, grandparents, ancestors, and even government ministers.  One requirement for people to achieve goodness is good government. Confucius believed that poor government with bad laws cause people to do evil, and that a generation of good rulership could cure most of the moral ills of people. A good example set by the ruling classes will bring out the true morality of people. Because of the natural morality of humanity, Confucius believed that it was unnecessary to offer people rewards or punishments to induce them to good conduct. Good conduct is its own reward. Therefore, whatever Confucius might have believed about the gods, he never spoke of an afterlife in heaven or in hell to reward good deeds or punish evil. Under the proper conditions, people simply grow and develop into what Confucius called the “Superior Man.”  Confucius seems to have believed that, although the gods existed and worship and rituals were of value in bringing people together, these things were of secondary importance to an equitable social order. Praying to the spirits should not interfere with one’s proper social duties. His attitude seems to have been that, ideally, one should respect the spirits but keep them at a distance. Even though Confucius was not an atheist or anti-religious, no evidence suggests that he was interested in starting a religion. Rather, he developed a system of ethics, a theory of government, and a set of personal and social goals that deeply influenced the Chinese for almost 25 centuries.  Personal excellence is needed, more than social interaction. More is from ordinary to excellent human beings, or “superior persons” or noble man (perfect person – junzi or Chun Tzu)  Alfred Bloom: The noble person is “distinguished by his faithfulness, diligence, and modesty. He neither overpowers with his knowledge nor is afraid to admit error. He looks at all sides of any issue, is cautious, and not concerned about personal recognition. Carrying himself with dignity, he  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY appears imperturbable, resolute, and simple. He is exemplary in filial piety and generous with his kin. In his relations with others, he looks for good points, though he is not uncritical. As a leader, he knows how to delegate responsibility and when to pardon or promote. He is sensitive to the feelings and expressions of others.”  Sources of human excellence: Cultivation of virtues and intellect; thus, education is important; education is not simply about the acquisition of intellectual knowledge but also skills in art, poetry, music, manners, religious ritual; education is a transmission of past to present (e.g. great leaders of the past to present); education must lead the way to wisdom and happiness.  Civilization is complicated and fragile; a civilized human being must be full of respect and care; care for the young—the future generation—and the elders, who teach and pass on the traditions; Reverence for everything valuable from the past.  Perfect society: all are cared for and protected; no one feels abandoned The Five-Great Relationships (for Rectification of Names) Confucianism believes that human beings are their relationships; all relationships are not equal determined by personal factors, e.g. friendship or family connection, social factors, e.g. age or social status. Through the Five Great Relationship, social harmony is achieved. 1. Father-Son. Family is the foundation of society, of which the core is the father- son relationship (or parent-child relation). Parents are responsible for the education and moral formation of their children (including choice of a spouse) while children must be respectful and obedient to their parents, and care for them in their old age. Even after death, children must honor their parents’ memory, especially by venerating photos of them at the home altar and by maintaining their graves; parent-child relationship is so fundamental that it is the model for the boss-employee relationship or teacher-student. 2. Elder brother-Younger Brother. The Elder brother must be responsible for  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY raising younger siblings, and the latter must be compliant. Prime example: death of an elderly father. The eldest son assumes parental responsibility. 3. Husband-Wife. Mutual-caring; but relationship is hierarchical. Husband is authoritative protector and wife is protected homemaker and mother; in Confucianism, less romantic expectation that even the wife can become motherly to their husbands. 4. Elder-Younger. Elders have responsibility for the younger; applies to teacher- student, boss-employee, expert-apprentice; version similar to friend-friend relation. 5. Ruler-Subject. Ruler must act like a father, assuming responsibility and care for his subjects like his children. The Five Great Relationships signify that each person must live up to his or her social role and social status. This is called the rectification of names. Social role and title to be consulted to know one’s duty. In Confucian society, the way people see each other is based on their relationships and social roles; good manners therefore, are essential; voice, actions, manner of dress, even posture—that is, etiquette is strictly followed to show respect. Gift-giving is also important in Confucian cultures; gifts soften anxiety but have to be chosen properly: not too personal or too impersonal; not lavish or stingy. Food is a safe choice. Gift wrapping is important. Certificates are given and received carefully, with both hands extended and bowing of head. Bowing varies depending on the occasion. The Confucian Virtues Personal excellence comes from the cultivation of virtues. Note: While Confucianism teaches individuals to develop their unique talents through the love of education and the arts, the most important virtues are largely social virtues. Individual uniqueness is muted, subtle, and considerate of others.  Ren (Jen): To think with the other, as sympathy, empathy, benevolence,  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY humanness, kindness, consideration, thoughtfulness, human-heartedness. (If you want to be kind, be polite—for people who do not know how to be kind.)  Li: Propriety or doing what is appropriate or doing what is proper to the situation: originally related to carrying out rites correctly; use of proper words and actions for social life; Li means good manners; self-control is a sign of strength and practicality.  Shu - Reciprocity: How will my action affect the other person? Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The Confucian version (Silver Rule) is stated negatively: “Do not do unto others what you would not wish others do unto you.”  Xiao (Hsiao) - Filial piety (Xiaojing): devotion of a son/daughter to a parent; devotion all members have to their entire family’s welfare: a remembrance of ancestors, respect for parents and entire extended family (past, present, future)  Wen: culture, including all the arts associated with civilization; love for poetry and literature, calligraphy, painting, and music; educated person has both knowledge and skill in them; appreciation of beauty in many forms. References Carmody, Denise L. & John T. Carmody. 1993. Ways to the Center: An Introduction to World Religions 4th edition. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Cleary, Thomas (trans.). 1992. The Essential Confucius. New York: Harper San Francisco. Confucius. 1979. The Analects (Lun yü). Trans. with intro. By D.C. Lau. New York: Dorset Press. Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas. 2009. Confucianism 3rd edition. New York: Chelsea House Publishers  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Hopfe, Lewis M. & Mark R. Woodward. 2009. Religions of the World. New York: Vango Books. Molly, Michael. 2013. Experiencing the World’s Religions: Tradition, Challenge and Change. New York: McGraw-Hill. Glossary of Terms and Acronyms Chih Moral wisdom; the source of this virtue is knowledge of right and wrong. Chih is added to Confucianism by Mencius (muhn shoos) who believed that people are basically born good. Chun-tzu The ideal person; the superior man Hsiao Filial piety, reverence; familial love I Ching Also known as The Book of Changes, it is mentioned at several points in The Analects. Jen Human heartedness; goodness; benevolence, and man-to-man-ness; what makes man distinctively human (that which gives human beings their humanity). Li Principle of gain, benefit; in general "principle," propriety, ritual, social order. Te Virtue; power; power by which people are ruled; power of moral example Yi Righteousness; the moral disposition to do good.  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY Chapter 8: Taoism “Trying to understand is like straining through muddy water. Have the patience to wait! Be still and allow the mud to settle.” -Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching The History of Taoism and the Life of Lao Tzu Timeline of Chinese Religion 11th century BCE Development of belief in Shang Ti 6th century Life of Lao Tzu 4th century Composition of Tao Te Ching 551-479 Life of Confucius 468-390 Life of Mo-tzu 3rd century Buddhism enters China 298-238 Life of Mencius 195 Ritual veneration of Confucius begins 1503 Ritual veneration of Confucius suppressed 1851-64 Tai Ping rebellion 19th century Large-scale Christian missionary activity 1949 Communist revolution founding of the People’s Republic of China 1966 Cultural Revolution; severe repression of religions 1977 Death of Chairman Mao; relaxation on religions Origin and Founder of Taoism Taoism is like a shopping cart: observations about nature, philosophical insights, guidelines for living, exercises for health, rituals of protection, and practices for attaining longevity and inner purity; Daoism and Chinese folk religion are interconnected. Daoism includes ideas and practices from the earliest phases represented in Daodejing and Zhuangzi as well as later developments (including rituals, philosophy, etc.) The origins of Daoism are mysterious; various threads include shamanism, appreciation for the hermit’s life, desire for unity with nature, and a fascination with health, long life, breathing, meditation, and trance; these coalesced to  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY produce the movement. Who is Lao Tzu (Laozi)? He is the founder of Daoism; which means old master or old child; whether he existed or not is unknown; could be a real person or a mythic creation; he was born in 600 BCE; according to legend, his birth was a result of the virginal conception and was born old, hence, the name old child; became a state archivist or librarian in the royal city of Loyang for many years; tired of his job, left his post and traveled to far west of China carried by an ox; there he was recognized as an esteemed scholar and prohibited from crossing until he has written his teachings; the result was the Daodejing, a short book of about 5,000 Chinese characters; when finished, he left China and traveled westward, probably to India, then later returned to China, and ascended into the sky; soon was treated as a deity, the human incarnation of the Dao; he was called Lord Lao; stories of apparitions abound; worshipped as divine by many Daoists. Sacred Texts The Daodejing or Tao Te Ching  seen as one of the world’s greatest books; a great classic of Daoism accepted as their central scripture; translation: the classical book about the Way and its power; sometimes called Lao Tzu who wrote the book; influenced enormously the Chinese culture because of its brevity and succinctness;  linguistically dated to about 350 BCE but various forms have been circulated; 1972, 1993 ancient versions were found; most commonly known and used is the version from 3rd century CE;  composed of 81 chapters; contains shamanistic elements, e.g. reaching trance states and attaining invulnerability (1, 16, 50, 55); repetitive, no clear order, lacks clarity; each chapter is more poetry than prose; this combination suggests is a combination of work of many people gathered over time; oral proverbs and sayings;  purpose of the book: political, a handbook for rulers; a religious guidebook, source of spiritual insight; a practical guide for living in harmony with the universe; part of the book’s genius is its brevity and use of paradox; the meaning depends on the interpreter.  Dao referred to throughout nature, operation, manner of living of people,  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY suggestions for experiencing the Dao; images of describing the Dao. Life of Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi)  Enriched Daoism; active about 300 BCE; personality: playful, independent, and in love with the fantastic; the book of his writings called Chuang Tzu is composed of 7 inner chapters, thought to be by the author himself, and 26 outer chapters whose authorship is uncertain;  Contains many whimsical stories; continues the themes of early Daoist thought like the need for harmony with nature, movement of the Dao in all that happens; and the pleasure to be gained from simplicity; underscores the inevitability of change and the relativity of all human judgments; appreciation for humor Most famous story in the book: the dream of being a butterfly; in the dream, he was flying around and enjoying life but did not know that he was Chuang Tzu; when he woke up, struck by the question: am I that person dreaming that I am a butterfly or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a person? That is, the boundary between reality and the imaginary is not really clear.  Another story: making fun of people’s judgments and arbitrariness of their joy and anger;  Fantastic stories: supernatural powers of a wise man; a person who could tell a person’s past and future; who could ride on the wind; who was invulnerable to heat or pain. Basic Chinese Religious Concepts i. Recognition of multiple gods and spirits (polytheism and animism) “As was the case of many other basic religious groups, the ancient Chinese were apparently polytheistic and animistic in their understanding of the cosmos. The gods of the heavens and the earth received particular attention and sacrifice. In the spring and fall, the emperors of ancient China performed elaborate and expensive sacrifices to the gods of the heavens and the earth. Many of these rituals were intended to ensure the fertility of the soil and bountiful harvests. Lesser rulers and the common people also performed sacrifices to these spirits. In addition to the major deities of the heavens and the earth, the Chinese also  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY recognized several kinds of local deities and spirits. In general, the beneficial spirits were known as Shen. There were to be found in the bright and lighted places of the earth and were associated with dark and gloomy places. Generally, the common people performed sacrifices and rituals to put themselves on good terms with the Shen and protect themselves from the Kuei. Usually, animals or grain were sacrificed but occasional records exist of human sacrifice being the supreme offering to the deities. Archaeological investigations have revealed wealth men’s tombs that contained bodies of hundreds of servants and wives who were presumably buried alive with their masters.” ii. Ying and Yang “In searching for a principle to explain the true nature of the universe, the ancient Chinese philosophers developed the concept of the yin and the yang. What made the universe operate the way it did was understood to be a balance between these two forces. The yin was the negative force in nature. It was seen in darkness, coolness, females, dampness, the earth itself, the moon, and the shadows. The yang was the positive force in nature. It was seen in lightness, brightness, warmth, maleness, dryness, and the sun. The interaction between yin and yang was understood as one of the factors in the operation of the universe. Except for a few objects, such as the sun or the earth, which were clearly yin and yang, all the rest of nature, humankind, and even events were a combination of both forces. When these two forces were at work in harmony, life was what it should be.” The concepts of yin and yang are central to Chinese religion and philosophy as a whole, including both Taoism and Confucianism. Moreover, the symbol itself is familiar worldwide to many people regardless of their knowledge of the Chinese traditions. These two principles represent the primal interplay of opposites in life and in the world - known here as the Tao. They form the dynamism of the Tao, or the way of all things. Life is lived inside the interplay of opposites: up and down, hot and cold, male and female, dry and wet, outside and inside, high and low, joy and sadness, peace and war, exertion and rest, life and death, and so on. Yin and Yang symbolize this interplay that is at the center of life's dynamism or energy. They are, thus, the energy of the Tao.  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY About the only oppositional pair that would not be included in this symbol would be good and evil, at least not in the ultimate, "capital letter" sense of the words. The Tao and its primal interplay of opposites are all fundamentally good, according to Chinese philosophy and religion. Things may appear good or bad (lower case letters) in the immediate or short-term sense, in that things are experienced as either good or bad for our lives. However, in the grand scheme of things, even "bad" things are good; they are not evil. For example, a volcano may erupt killing many people and animals and burning large amounts of forest. This is certainly "bad" for those who are killed; however, in the larger scheme of things, the volcano's eruption creates new structures and life forms through the expulsion of the earth's energies. The same is true for wildfires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters which are deadly, to be sure, but which also are healthy for the earth in the larger view. Yin and Yang symbolize this primal dynamism and malleability of the Tao or the way of all things. This is the way of the universe - there are good times and bad, a time to live and a time to die, a time to be happy and a time to be sad, and so on. These are inclusive of and complementary to each other. Harmony in life comes when we accept the working and rhythms of these polarities. iii. Filial Piety and Ancestor Worship “A characteristic of the Chinese people throughout history has been their respect for and even veneration of aged members of the family. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of Chinese life for modern Western students to understand is this veneration of old age. “To the Chinese, the terms ‘old’ or ‘aged’ are not the signs of disrespect that they often are in many Western countries; rather they are the ultimate terms of respect. To the Chinese, life may truly be said to begin at sixty, when a person reaches the age when he or she is respected. Historically, it is the aged father, mother, grandfather, or grandmother who dominates the Chinese home. It is the obligation of the children to support the elderly, obey them, and give them proper burial after death. Even after the parents’ death, the child is obligated to maintain the site of their graves to remember them and their deeds, and to offer sacrifices to them. “Western students of Chinese life have often referred to this attitude as ‘ancestor  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY worship.’ Indeed, there is a religious aspect to these practices: Individuals revere their parents while they are alive and after they are dead. While they are alive, the aged represent the wisdom of the family; after their deaths, they may be in a position to help the family further because of their contact with the spirit world. Therefore, support of the dead ancestors with remembrance and sacrifices is essential. The Chinese who forget their ancestors are disgraced and will one day become homeless ghosts. It is also commonly believed that those lacking filial piety will be afflicted by dangerous spirits.” iv. Divination “Like many other basic religious groups, the early Chinese believed that the unity of the universe allowed future events to be predicted by some means. Whereas certain ancient religions sought out the future in the patterns of the flight of birds, in the entrails of sacrificed animals, or in the sayings of various oracles, the ancient Chinese sought the future in the patterns of the shell of the tortoise or in stalks of grain. The shell of the tortoise was thought to be especially in tune with the rhythms of the universe because of the long life of its inhabitant. Frequently, the shell was heated and the future was divined by the cracks that appeared in it. Divination among the ancient Chinese probably reached its peak in the development of a book called I Ching (The Book of Changes), which was edited by Confucius and is still used today.” The Meaning of Tao: It is whatever reality makes nature to be what it is and to act the way it does; it is the way nature expresses itself—the natural way; human beings can unite themselves with the Dao in the way they live; yet the true Tao is impossible to define. Though the Tao is defined as the way, it is most often compared to a stream or a moving body of water as it progresses endlessly and inexorably. As water wears away the hardest stone or metal and carries off buildings in its path, it is useless to struggle against the Tao. Therefore, the ancient Taoist philosophers believed that all humankind’s accomplishments and monuments will sooner or later be destroyed by the Tao. The greatest buildings will fall into decay, hard-won knowledge will be superseded, wealth will fail, and even the sharpest sword will become dull. For this reason, it behooved people not to struggle against the Tao but to seek to blend with it and be guided by it. True Taoists live quiet and simple lives. They avoid  ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Km7 Central ParkBlvd, Talomo, 8016Davao City, Philippines Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608 E-Mail: [email protected] * www.addu.edu.ph In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – PHILOSOPHY any achievement except that of seeking to understand the Tao.  What is the Dao? Beyond description; cannot be put into words although the books use words; it is nameless, cannot be named just like any other object; the Dao can be experienced and followed by every individual thing that has a name; Dao is the origin of everything and all things are manifestations of the Dao;  Although the origin of nature, the Dao is not God since it does not have a personality; neither cares nor dislikes humans, only produces them along with the rest of nature; it is the way or rhythm of nature since it makes nature move the way it does;  Relinquishment of desires for things needed to experience Dao; adrift, formless; separateness from others and from their conventional way of seeing things; Perceived by intuition, like the difference between hearing musical sounds and recognizing a song; Doctrines of Taoism 1. Wu Wei: the ideal of effortlessness: avoidance of unnecessary action or action that is not spontaneous; look at the effortlessness of nature; nature works to accomplish only what is necessary but no more; e.g. birds 2. Simplicity: eliminate what is unnecessary and artificial and appreciate the simple and the apparently ordinary; as such, Daoists tend to distrust any highly formal education owing to its inherent complexity and artificiality (in contrast to Confucianism): “Give up learning and put an end to your troubles.” Believing that all life originated from the TAO, which would ultimately destroy people’s achievements, the early Taoists turned their backs on civilization with all its ills and benefits and sought to live life simply as possible. The Taoist philosophers may have carried this dream to its greatest extreme. They considered education, wealth, power,