# Japanese Basic Course, Lesson 135

Narration and the written language

Source: https://1732studios.com/courses/ja/133. Data: https://1732studios.com/courses/ja/133.json.

## Nature worship and early religion · Narration 1 of 2

### From nature worship to Shinto

*日本も 遠い 昔は 原始的な 宗教で、太陽や 月、山や川、木や石、その外 動物や 作物を 対象とした 自然崇拝、精霊崇拝などが 行なわれた* describes early worship of nature and spirits. Its objects included the sun, moon, mountains, rivers, trees, stones, animals, and crops.

*しかし、部落の共同生活が 進むにつれて、共同の 祖先を 神として 祭る 祖先崇拝が 行なわれる様になった* means "As village life developed, people came to honor their common ancestors as gods."

The passage then describes common deities, shrines, and rituals. *神道* is the name given to this organized religion.

### The deities called KAMI

*これが天照大神である* means "This was the Sun Goddess Amaterasu." The passage identifies her as the deity common to the Japanese people.

The character *神* represents *KAMI*, usually translated as "god" or "deity". In compounds, *神* can be pronounced *SHIN* or *JIN*.

*SHINTOO*, written *神道*, means the *KAMI* Way. Amaterasu was commonly regarded as the supreme *KAMI*. Shinto had no absolute creator and ruler.

### Kanji: 共 to 治

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

**1** 日本も 遠い 昔は 原始的な 宗教で、太陽や 月、山や川、木や石、その外 動物や 作物を 対象とした 自然崇拝、精霊崇拝などが 行なわれた。  
にほんもとおいむかしはげんしてきなしゅうきょうで、たいようやつき、やまやかわ、きやいし、そのほかどうぶつやさくもつをたいしょうとしたしぜんすうはい、せいれいすうはいなどがおこなわれた。  
In the distant past, Japan too had primitive religions, including nature worship and spirit worship, directed toward the sun and moon, mountains and rivers, trees and stones, as well as animals and crops.

**2** しかし、部落の共同生活が 進むにつれて、共同の 祖先を 神として 祭る 祖先崇拝が 行なわれる様になった。  
しかし、ぶらくのきょうどうせいかつがすすむにつれて、きょうどうのそせんをかみとしてまつるそせんすうはいがおこなわれるようになった。  
However, as communal life in the villages developed, people came to practice ancestor worship, honoring their common ancestors as gods.

**3** 祭は 部落のかしらが つかさどる事になり、神を祭る事が 部落民を 治める 政治の役目をしていた。  
まつりはぶらくのかしらがつかさどることになり、かみをまつることがぶらくみんをおさめるせいじのやくめをしていた。  
The village head came to preside over the festivals, and worshiping the gods served the political function of governing the villagers.

**4** 各部落が 国家として 統一されてくると、各部隊の 多くの 神々も 統一されて、日本民族の 共通の 神様も 生れた。  
かくぶらくがこっかとしてとういつされてくると、かくぶたいのおおくのかみがみもとういつされて、にほんみんぞくのきょうつうのかみさまもうまれた。  
As the various villages were unified into a nation, their many gods were also unified, and a god common to the Japanese people arose.

**5** これが天照大神である。  
これがあまてらすおおみかみである。  
This was the Sun Goddess Amaterasu.

**6** この様な発展とともに、次第に神社や儀式も整えられて、「神道」と名づけられる様な宗教になっていった。  
このようなはってんとともに、しだいにじんじゃやぎしきもととのえられて、「しんとう」となづけられるようなしゅうきょうになっていった。  
Along with this development, shrines and rituals were gradually established, and it became a religion known as Shinto.

**7** 奈良時代になると、日本固有の神道と仏教とを習合する神仏習合宗教思想が起り、明治初年まで続いた。  
ならじだいになると、にほんこゆうのしんとうとぶっきょうとをしゅうごうするしんぶつしゅうごうしゅうきょうしそうがおこり、めいじしょねんまでつづいた。  
In the Nara period, a religious belief arose that combined Japan's native Shinto with Buddhism, and it continued until the early Meiji era.

```
1 Shintoo; Shintoo developed from the native worship of nature and natural phenomena. Objects of worship were referred to as ’’Kami,” which means ’’above” or ’’superior.” Chief among them were the sun, moon, mountain peaks, and various unusual natural objects. The ’’Kami” concept passed through three stages—from a pre-animistic worship of an object for its own sake, to typical animism wherein certain objects or phenomena are regarded as controlled by indwelling spirits, to a higher level on which innumerable nature spirits are regarded increasingly as having the characteristics of man. On this level there appeared the early deification of legendary or historical heroes and the related ancestor worship. It is not definitely established that the latter was attributable to Chinese influence although it is common to both peoples.

1 The worship of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Oomikami, in the early historical period, was converted to worship of her direct descendants—the members of the Imperial Family, The several clans or tribes also had their local and

particular deities who were worshipped as the fore-fathers of their respective clan chieftains. The Jinja which belonged to the state Shintoo were maintained at the expense of the central or prefectural governments, city, town or village authorities, or other public bodies. With the promulgation of the Religion Corporation Ordinance in December 1945, however, official support of these shrines was abolished, and all the shrines are now maintained chiefly by their respective believers. As of December 1949, there were 87,802 jinja belonging to the non-sectarian Shintoo, with 14,874 priests. The Sectarian Shintoo consists of about 160 sects. Some of the oldest of these are Fusookyoo, Izumo-taishakyoo, Konkookyoo, Tenrikyoo, etc. Worship in Shintoo consists of obeisances, offerings, and prayers. Obeisance takes the form of a humble bow which lasts for a minute or two. The offerings presented before the altar are primarily food and drink. Formerly cloth was added to these, but eventually a symbolic offering known as gohei came into use, consisting of strips

of paper. These symbolic offerings are attached to a wand or twig of the evergreen sakaki tree and placed before the altar.
```

```
KAMI The word KAMI is an indigenous Japanese term which is written with the Chinese character 神. In combination with other characters, this is pronounced SHIN or JIN. Thus we have the word SHINTOO (神道) that is KAMI Way and JINJA (神社) that is KAMI Dwelling. It is generally customary to translate the ideograph with the words GOD or DEITY in the singular or plural form. However, at times such translation as "divine" or "sacred" is more appropriate. Among the objects or phenomena designated as KAMI are the qualities of growth, fertility, and production; natural phenomena such as wind, thunder; natural objects such as the sun, mountains, rivers, trees and rocks; some animals; and ancestral spirits of the land, occupations, skills; the spirit of national heroes, men of outstanding deeds or virtues and those who have contributed to

civilization, culture, and human welfare, those who have died for the state or the community, and the pitiable dead. Not only spirits superior to man, but even some that are regarded as pitiable and weak have, nonetheless, been considered to be KAMI in some instances, in modern Shintoo, however, all KAMI are conceived in a refined sense to be spirits with nobility and authority, it includes the idea of justice, order, and divine favor (blessing) and implies the basic principle that the KAMI function harmoniously in cooperation with one another and rejoice in the evidence of harmony and cooperation in this world. In Shintoo there is no absolute deity that is the creator and ruler of all. The creative function of the world is realized through the harmonious cooperation of the KAMI in the performance of their respective missions. Even the progenitor of the imperial Family, the Sun Goddess, who brightens the world with the virtue of the sun and is commonly regarded as the supreme KAMI of Shintoo, consults the opinion of the other KAMI, calls upon them for help,

and at times makes concessions to them. There are many points about the KAMI concept that cannot be fully understood, and there is some disagreement even among modern scholars on this subject. The Japanese people themselves do not have a clear concept of KAMI. They are aware of KAMI intuitively at the depth of their consciousness and communicate with the KAMI directly without having formed more definite KAMI-idea conceptually or theologically. The Japanese Shintoo has no founder and has no scripture for the people to read and follow.
```

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| も | as much as, as many as (See Grammar Notes |
| 遠い | far |
| は | leaves |
| な | I wish, I hope, huh |
| 宗教 | religion |
| で、 | --is and -- (See Grammar Notes) |
| 太陽 | sun |
| や | and---among others (See Gram. Notes) |
| 月、 | moon, month (See Grammar Notes) |
| 山 | mountain |
| 川、 | river |
| 木 | tree, wood |
| 石、 | rock, stone |
| 作物 | farm products; crops |
| を | particle denoting direct object (See Pattern Drill) |
| 対象 | object; subject |
| と | and (See Gram. Notes) |
| し | city |
| 崇拝、 | worship |
| 精霊 | spirit; soul |
| など | and so forth, etc. |
| が | but (See Gram. Notes) |
| しかし、 | however, but |
| 部落 | village; settlement |
| の | See Grammar Notes |
| に | on (See Gram. Notes) |
| 祖先 | ancestor |
| 神 | god |
| れる | to be able to --
(See Grammar Notes) |
| かしら | chief; leader |
| つかさどる | preside over; take charge of; manage |
| 治める | rule over; govern |
| 政治 | government; adminis-tration; politics |
| い | stomach |
| 国家 | country, nation; a state |
| 統一 | unity; uniformity |
| 多く | many of them |
| 民族 | race, people |
| ある。 | certain, some |
| 神社 | shrine |
| 儀式 | ceremony |
| 「神道」 | Shintoism |
| 奈良 | P.N. |
| 時代 | era, period |
| 仏教 | Buddhism |
| 思想 | thoughts |
| まで | as far as, to (See Gram. Notes) |

## Pilgrimages, prayers and shrine symbols · Narration 2 of 2

### Blended faith and local prayers

*つまり、神の本身は仏であり、その反対に仏の本身は神であると考えられた* means "Gods were thought to be Buddhas in their true form, and conversely, Buddhas were thought to be gods."

*又 農村では、氏神に 家内安全、豊作などを 祈るという様に、村人の生活は 氏神、鎮守の神の 信仰と深く結びついていた* describes village faith in local deities.

People prayed to *氏神* for *家内安全*, "family safety", and *豊作*, "a good harvest".

### Pilgrimage and the shrine gate

*伊勢参宮* is "a pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine". People wished to complete it once during their lives.

*鳥居は 神社の 象徴で、各神社には 一つ又は それ以上の 鳥居がある* means "The torii is the symbol of a Shinto shrine. Each shrine has one or more."

The *JIN* in *神社* is another reading of *神*. The word means a *KAMI* dwelling.

### Kanji: 氏

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

**8** つまり、神の本身は仏であり、その反対に仏の本身は神であると考えられた。  
つまり、かみのほんしんはほとけであり、そのはんたいにほとけのほんしんはかみであるとかんがえられた。  
In other words, gods were thought to be Buddhas in their true form, and conversely, Buddhas were thought to be gods in their true form.

**9** 明治維新の初め頃、神儒仏三教一致の教えである金光教、天理教、大社教などの教派神道が起った。  
めいじいしんのはじめごろ、しんじゅぶつさんきょういっちのおしえであるこんこうきょう、てんりきょう、たいしゃきょうなどのきょうはしんとうがおこった。  
Around the beginning of the Meiji Restoration, sects of Shinto arose, such as Konkokyo, Tenrikyo, and Taishakyo, whose teachings combined the three faiths of Shinto, Confucianism, and Buddhism.

**10** 又有名な社寺への参拝も盛んになり、ことに伊勢参宮は最も盛んで、国民は皆一生のうち一度は  
またゆうめいなしゃじへのさんぱいもさかんになり、ことにいせさんぐうはもっともさかんで、こくみんはみないっしょうのうちいちどは  
Pilgrimages to famous shrines and temples also became popular, especially the pilgrimage to Ise, and everyone hoped that at least once in their lifetime they could

**11** 参宮を 遂げたいと 念願した。  
さんぐうをとげたいとねんがんした。  
make the pilgrimage.

**12** 又 農村では、氏神に 家内安全、豊作などを 祈るという様に、村人の生活は 氏神、鎮守の神の 信仰と深く結びついていた。  
またのうそんでは、うじがみにかないあんぜん、ほうさくなどをいのるというように、むらびとのせいかつはうじがみ、ちんじゅのかみのしんこうとふかくむすびついていた。  
In farming villages, people prayed to their clan deity for such things as the safety of their families and a good harvest, and the villagers' lives were deeply connected with their faith in the clan deity and the guardian deity.

**13** 今日でも 氏神の 祭礼は 全国的に 行なわれている。  
こんにちでもうじがみのさいれいはぜんこくてきにおこなわれている。  
Even today, festivals for clan deities are held throughout the country.

**14** 鳥居は 神社の 象徴で、各神社には 一つ又は それ以上の 鳥居がある。  
とりいはじんじゃのしょうちょうで、かくじんじゃにはひとつまたはそれいじょうのとりいがある。  
The torii is the symbol of a Shinto shrine, and every shrine has one or more torii.

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| つまり、 | in short, in another word |
| 本身 | true body |
| 仏 | Buddha |
| で | --is and -- (See Grammar Notes) |
| ある | certain, some |
| 三 | three |
| 神道 | Shintoism |
| 社寺 | shrines and temples |
| へ | to (See Gram. Notes) |
| 参拝 | worship; visit |
| うち | home, house |
| 一 | one |
| 氏神 | tutelary deity |
| 豊作 | good harvest; abundant crop |
| 祈る | to pray |
| 信仰 | faith; belief |
| 今日 | today |
| 祭礼 | festival, rituals |
| 全国 | entire country |
| いる。 | to need (See Gram. Notes) |
| 鳥居 | the gate of a Shinto shrine |
| 象徴 | symbol |

## Worship, ancestors and village leadership · Questions 1 of 2

### From worship to village government

*自然崇拝、精霊崇拝では、どんな物が 対象とされましたか* asks "What things were objects of nature worship and spirit worship?"

An answer names the sun, moon, mountains, rivers, trees, stones, animals, and crops. Other answers identify ancestor worship and the village head.

*神を 祭る事は、どんな 役目をしていましたか* asks for the function of worshiping the gods. It served to govern the villagers.

**15** 宗教（一）——神道  
しゅうきょう（いち）——しんとう  
Religion (1)—Shinto

**16** 日本では 遠い 昔は、どんな 宗教が 行なわれていましたか。  
にほんではとおいむかしは、どんなしゅうきょうがおこなわれていましたか。  
What kind of religion was practiced in Japan in the distant past?

**17** 自然崇拝、精霊崇拝では、どんな物が 対象とされましたか。  
しぜんすうはい、せいれいすうはいでは、どんなものがたいしょうとされましたか。  
What things were objects of worship in nature worship and spirit worship?

**18** 部落の 共同生活が 進むにつれて、どんな事が 行なわれる様に なりましたか。  
ぶらくのきょうどうせいかつがすすむにつれて、どんなことがおこなわれるようになりましたか。  
As communal life in the villages developed, what practice arose?

**19** 祭は だれが つかさどる様に なりましたか。  
まつりはだれがつかさどるようになりましたか。  
Who came to preside over the festivals?

**20** 神を 祭る事は、どんな 役目をしていましたか。  
かみをまつることは、どんなやくめをしていましたか。  
What function did worshiping the gods serve?

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| （一）—— | one |
| どんな | what kind of; what sort of |
| か。 | either--or-- (See Gram. Notes) |
| だれ | who? |

## Deities, blended faiths and prayers · Questions 2 of 2

### Deities, prayers, and symbols

*氏神には どんな 事を 祈りますか* asks "What do people pray to the clan deity for?" An answer gives family safety and a good harvest.

The other answers identify Amaterasu, the blending of Shinto and Buddhism, and sectarian Shinto. *鳥居* is "the gate of a Shinto shrine".

**21** 日本民族の 共通の 祖先神は、だれでしたか。  
にほんみんぞくのきょうつうのそせんしんは、だれでしたか。  
Who was the common ancestral deity of the Japanese people?

**22** 奈良時代になると、どんな 宗教思想が起りましたか。  
ならじだいになると、どんなしゅうきょうしそうがおこりましたか。  
What religious belief arose in the Nara period?

**23** この 思想によると、神と仏の 関係は どうですか。  
このしそうによると、かみとほとけのかんけいはどうですか。  
According to this belief, what is the relationship between gods and Buddhas?

**24** 教派神道とは、どんな 神道ですか。  
きょうはしんとうとは、どんなしんとうですか。  
What kind of Shinto is Sect Shinto?

**25** 氏神には どんな 事を 祈りますか。  
うじがみにはどんなことをいのりますか。  
What do people pray to the clan deity for?

**26** 鳥居というのは 何ですか。  
とりいというのはなんですか。  
What is a torii?

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| は、 | leaves |
| と、 | and (See Gram. Notes) |
| 関係 | relationship |
| です | to be (See Gram. Notes) |
| ます | trout |

## Religion, spirits and community words · Word list 1 of 5

### Religion and community

This set moves from religion to its objects and its community. *神道* means "Shintoism", while *精霊* means "spirit" or "soul".

*共同生活* means "community life". It names the shared village life in which common forms of worship developed.

**27** 宗教  
しゅうきょう  
religion

**28** 神道  
しんとう  
Shintoism

**29** 原始的な  
げんしてきな  
primitive

**30** 太陽  
たいよう  
sun

**31** 対象  
たいしょう  
object; subject

**32** 崇拝  
すうはい  
worship

**33** 精霊  
せいれい  
spirit; soul

**34** 部落  
ぶらく  
village; settlement

**35** 共同生活  
きょうどうせいかつ  
collective life; community life

**36** 共同の  
きょうどうの  
common; joint

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| 原始的な | primitive |
| 崇拝 | worship |
| 共同生活 | collective life; community life |
| 共同の | common; joint |

## Ancestors, ceremonies and government words · Word list 2 of 5

### Worship and village leadership

This set connects worship with leadership and government. *神を祭る* means "to enshrine God" or "deify", and *つかさどる* means "preside over".

*鳥居* means "the gate of a Shinto shrine".

**37** 祖先  
そせん  
ancestor

**38** 神を祭る  
かみをまつる  
to enshrine God; deify

**39** かしら  
かしら  
chief; leader

**40** つかさどる  
つかさどる  
preside over; take charge of; manage

**41** 治める  
おさめる  
rule over; govern

**42** 役目をする  
やくめをする  
perform a duty; serve for

**43** 政治  
せいじ  
affairs of the state

**44** 鳥居  
とりい  
the gate of a Shinto shrine

**45** 共通の  
きょうつうの  
common

**46** 儀式  
ぎしき  
ceremony

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| 神を祭る | to enshrine God; deify |
| 役目をする | perform a duty; serve for |
| 共通の | common |

## Native and blended religion words · Word list 3 of 5

### Local deities and blended faiths

*氏神* and *鎮守の神* both mean "tutelary deity". These words name deities connected with a local community.

*神仏習合* means "the blending of Buddhism and Shintoism". The set also names *天照大神*, "the Sun Goddess".

**47** 整える  
ととのえる  
put things in order

**48** 部落民  
ぶらくみん  
village people

**49** 儒教  
じゅきょう  
Confucianism

**50** 生じる  
しょうじる  
create; come about

**51** 氏神  
うじがみ  
tutelary deity

**52** 鎮守の神  
ちんじゅのかみ  
tutelary deity

**53** 天照大神  
あまてらすおおみかみ  
the Sun Goddess

**54** 日本固有の  
にほんこゆうの  
native to Japan

**55** 習合する  
しゅうごうする  
to blend and harmonize

**56** 神仏習合  
しんぶつしゅうごう  
blending and harmonizing of the teaching of Buddhism and Shintoism

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| 整える | put things in order |
| 部落民 | village people |
| 儒教 | Confucianism |
| 生じる | create; come about |
| 鎮守の神 | tutelary deity |
| 天照大神 | the Sun Goddess |
| 日本固有の | native to Japan |
| 習合する | to blend and harmonize |
| 神仏習合 | blending and harmonizing of the teaching of Buddhism and Shintoism |

## Religious sects and harvest prayers · Word list 4 of 5

### Sects and prayers

This set joins religious ideas with the aims of prayer. *教派神道* means "sectarian Shinto".

*家内安全* names "the well-being of one's family". *豊作* means "a good harvest" or "an abundant crop".

**57** 宗教思想  
しゅうきょうしそう  
religious ideas

**58** 起る  
おこる  
to come about

**59** 明治初年  
めいじしょねん  
early years of Meiji

**60** 本身  
ほんしん  
true body

**61** 民族  
みんぞく  
race, people

**62** 仏  
ほとけ  
Buddha

**63** 神儒仏三教一致の  
しんじゅぶつさんきょういっちの  
conformity of three teachings of Shintoi Confucianism, and Buddhism

**64** 教派神道  
きょうはしんとう  
Kyooha Shinto; sectarian Shinto

**65** 家内安全  
かないあんぜん  
•well being of one’s f amily

**66** 豊作  
ほうさく  
good harvest; abundant crop

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| 宗教思想 | religious ideas |
| 起る | to come about |
| 明治初年 | early years of Meiji |
| 神儒仏三教一致の | conformity of three teachings of Shintoi Confucianism, and Buddhism |
| 教派神道 | Kyooha Shinto; sectarian Shinto |
| 家内安全 | •well being of one’s f amily |

## Faith, festivals and pilgrimage words · Word list 5 of 5

### Faith and pilgrimage

This set covers worship at shrines and temples. *参拝* means "worship" or "visit", while *伊勢参宮* means "pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine".

*参宮を遂げる* means "to make a pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine". *念願する* means "to desire" or "wish for".

**67** 祈る  
いのる  
to pray

**68** 信仰  
しんこう  
faith; belief

**69** 祭礼  
さいれい  
festival, rituals

**70** 全国的に  
ぜんこくてきに  
throughout the land

**71** 社寺  
しゃじ  
shrines and temples

**72** 参拝  
さんぱい  
worship; visit

**73** 伊勢参宮  
いせさんぐう  
pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine

**74** 一生のうち  
いっしょうのうち  
during one’s lifetiir

**75** 参宮を遂げる  
さんぐうをとげる  
to make a pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine

**76** 念願する  
ねんがんする  
to desire; wish for

```
Guide for Free Conversation and Exercise

1 Topics;

a Talk about the following topics in Japanese with your classmates.

(1) Objects of worship in Shintoism.

(2) Different types of shrines.

(3) Different types of Shintoism and their origin.

2 Exercise;

a Interpretation Exercise; Person A (American) asks questions in English, Person B (Interpreter) translates it into Japanese, Person C (Japanese) answers in Japanese, and Person B again translates it back into English.

(1) In the olden days what kind of worship was practiced?

(1) 自然崇拝や 精霊崇拝が 行なわれていました。

(2) What were the objects of worship?

(2) 太陽や月、山や川、木や石、その他、動物や作物を 対象とした 崇拝が 行なわれていました。

(3) What was the common god of the Japanese race?

(3) 天照大神でした。

(4) What is a torii?

(4) 神社の 象徴です。各神社には 一つ または それ以上の 鳥居があります。

(5) What is the most developed Shintoism?

(5) 氏神を 中心とする 神社神道が 最も 発展しています。
```

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Homework

1 Study the Narration thoroughly and memorize the vocabulary.

2 Read the Guide for Free Conversation and do the exercises given,

3 Learn to read and write the new Kanji.

4 Read the Cultural Notes.
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| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| 全国的に | throughout the land |
| 伊勢参宮 | pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine |
| 一生のうち | during one’s lifetiir |
| 参宮を遂げる | to make a pilgrimage to the Ise Shrine |
| 念願する | to desire; wish for |