Japanese mythology
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Shintoshu
The Shintōshū ( 神道集 ? ) is a Japanese story book in ten volumes believed to date from the Nanboku-chō period (1336–1392). [ 1 ] It illustrates with tales about various shrines the Buddhist honji suijaku theory, according to which Japanese kami were simply local manifestations of the Indian gods of Buddhism . This theory, created and developed mostly by Tendai monks, was never systematized, but was nonetheless very pervasive and very influential. [ 2 ] The book had thereafter great influence over literature and the arts. [ 1 ] [ edit ] History The book is believed to have been written during the late Nanboku-chō period, either during the Bunna or the Enbun era. [ 3 ] It carries the note Agui-saku ( 安居院作 ? , made by Agui) but who exactly wrote it is unclear.
The Nihon Shoki ( 日本書紀 ? ) , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan , is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history . The book is also called the Nihongi ( 日本紀 , lit. Japanese Chronicles ? ) . It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki , the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical record of ancient Japan.
Nihon Shoki
Kojiki
Kojiki ( 古事記 ? , "Record of Ancient Matters") is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan , dating from the early 8th century (711-712) and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei . [ 1 ] The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami . Along with the Nihon Shoki , the myths contained in the Kojiki are part of the inspiration behind Shinto practices and myths, including the misogi purification ritual. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ]Kami
Amaterasu , one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Kami ( 神 ? ) is the Japanese word for the divinity ; the supreme being . [ 1 ] [ need quotation to verify ] It is also for the spirits , natural forces, and essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or " deity ," some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term. [ 2 ] The wide variety of usage of the word can be compared to the Sanskrit Deva and the Hebrew Elohim , which also refer to God , gods , angels or spirits.
Buddhism is a religion indigenous to the Indian subcontinent that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama , who is commonly known as the Buddha (meaning "the awakened one" in Sanskrit and Pāli ).
Buddhism
List of Japanese deities
This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions. Many of these are from Shinto , while others were imported via Buddhism or Taoism and "integrated" into Japanese mythology and folklore . [ edit ] Shinto
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion . The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami ( Japanese for " gods " or " spirits "). This article will discuss only the typical elements present in Asian mythology , such as cosmogony , important deities, and the best known Japanese stories. Japanese myths, as generally recognized in the mainstream today, are based on the Kojiki , the Nihon Shoki , and some complementary books.