Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 328

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Notices of Japan, No. X.

JUNE,

Since his death and deification, Budha is supposed to have been incarnate in some of his principal disciples, who are, like himself, deified and worshiped, in subordination, however, to the Supreme God, Budha Amida. Budhism is essentially idolatrous; and in other respects, its tenets and precepts differ from those of Sinsyu, chiefly by the doctrine of metempsychosis, whence the prohibi- tion to take animal life, the theory of a future state, placing happiness in absorp tion into the divine essence, and punishment in the prolongation of individuality by revivification in man or the inferior animals; and by making the priesthood a distinct order in the state, bound to celibacy.

The Budhist somewhat hyper-philosophic theory of heaven does not appear to have been taught in Japan; and in the rest, there is evidently nothing very in- compatible with Sinsyu. The Budhist bonze, who, after it had for five hundred years failed to gain a footing, established his faith in Japan A. D. 552, skillfully obviated objections, and enlisted national prejudices on his side. He represented either Ten-sio-dai-zin as having been an avatar or incarnation of Amida, or Bud. ha of Ten-sio-dai-zin-which of the two does not seem certain--and a young boy, the eldest son of the reigning mikado's eldest son, as an avatar of some patron god. This flattering announcement obtained him the training of the boy, who, as a man, refused to accept the dignity of mikado,* although he took an active part in the government of his aunt, raised subsequently to that dignity. He founded several Budhist temples, and died a bonze in the principal of thess temples.

Budhism was now fully established, and soon became blended with, thereby modifying, Sinayu, thus forming the second sect, called Riobu Sinsyu. There are inany other sects in which, on the other hand, Budhism is modified by Sinsyu; and these varieties have probably given rise to the inconsistencies and contradictions that frequently occur in the different accounts of Sinsyu. Fur ther, Budhism itself is, in Japan, said to be divided into a high and pure mystic creed for the learned, and a gross idolatry for the vulgar. The Yama.busi hermits are Budhist monks, although, like the priests of the Ikko-syu, they are allowed to marry and to eat animal food.

The third Japanese religion is called Sintoo, meaning the way of philoso phers; and, although by all writers designated as a religion, far more resem- bles a philosophic creed, compatible with almost any faith, true or false. It consists merely of the moral doctrines taught by the Chinese Kung footsze (Confucius), and of some mystic notions touching the human soul-not very dissimilar to those of high Budhism-totally unconnected with any mythology or any religious rites.

Sintoo is said to have been not only adopted, immediately upon its introduc- tion into Japan, by the wise and learned, but openly professed, accompanied by the rejection of Sinsyu mythology and worship, and by utter scorn for Budhist idolatry. But when the detestation of Christianity arose, some suspicions appear to have been conceived of Sintoo, as tending that way. Budhism was, on the contrary, especially favored, as a sort of bulwark against Christianity; and thence- forward every Japanese was required to have an idol in his house-some say a Budhist idol; others, the image of his patron kami. The last is the more proba ble view, as Dr. Von Siebold distinctly states that, at the present day, the lower * Klaproth.