The myths contained in the texts Kojiki and Nihan Shoki are the inspiration behind the practices of what belief system?
"Kojiki Uragaki The Kojiki Uragaki (古事記裏書) is a one-volume commentary on the ""Kojiki"" of unknown authorship and date. It survives in a single manuscript held by the Ise Grand Shrine and produced by a medieval high priest of the shrine. It may show some influence of syncretisticnShingon Buddhism, and is considered an important work in the history of commentary upon the ""Kojiki"". The ""Kojiki Uragaki"" is a commentary on the ""Kojiki"", an eighth-century work of Shinto historiography and mythology. The ""Kojiki Uragaki"" is of unknown date and authorship. Several theories as to the author have been proposed, such as Urabe"
"to Empress Genmei on the 28th of the 1st month of 712. As evidenced in the preface of the Kojiki, which states the purpose of its creation as ""to erase falsehoods and establish truth"", the Kojiki, as well as the Nihon Shoki, were works created with the primary purpose of furthering the imperial agenda. Created not long after the conclusion of the tumultuous Jinshin Rebellion, the Kojiki establishes a pro-Yamato narrative of history which combined with what would become the officially accepted imperial narrative, the Nihon Shoki, would help secure both a historical as well as a divine legitimacy and"
"Japanese creation myth In Japanese mythology, the , is the story that describes the legendary birth of the celestial and earthly world, the birth of the first gods and the birth of the Japanese archipelago. This story is described first-hand at the beginning of the Kojiki, the first book written in Japan (712), and in the Nihon Shoki (720). Both form the literary basis of Japanese mythology and Shinto; however, the story differs in some aspects between these works, with the most accepted for the Japanese being the one of the Kojiki. At the beginning the universe was immersed in"
"the East. ""Much earlier Mahikari mythology is attributed to the Kojiki, Records of Ancient Matters, which was written circa 712 CE. Though the Kojiki is a depository of Shinto myths, it is well known to scholars as a “late compilation in which political considerations and specifically Chinese conceptions intrude themselves almost everywhere.” Mahikari utilizes many of the mythological deities found in the Kojiki but focuses on the Su God who personally chose Okada as his savior."" The following organizations (listed in order of establishment date) are ""Shinshūkyō"" that were influenced by the world-view and practices of Yoshikazu Okada: Sekai Mahikari"
"not taking place but elements of possession such as losing control and high jumps are applied in the dance. There is no core sacred text in Shinto, as the Bible is in Christianity or Quran is in Islam. Instead there are books of lore and history which provide stories and background to many Shinto beliefs. Shinto has very ancient roots in the Japanese islands. The recorded history dates to the Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (720), but archeological records date back significantly further. Both are compilations of prior oral traditions. The Kojiki establishes the Japanese imperial family as the foundation"
"non-existent works of which numerous contradictory editions were said to have circulated. The ""Kojiki"" and ""Nihon Shoki"" were compiled by functionaries of the imperial administration and centred on the reigns and deeds of past emperors, seeking to legitimize their actions. The emergence of this type of publication became possible through the strengthening of centralized authority within a strong state. The authors of the ""Kojiki"" of 712 trace the first work of this type to 620, when Prince Shōtoku is said to have written the first historical books, the ""Tennōki"" and ""Kokki"". The existence of these works is debated, though modern"
"the world and the first seven generations of divine beings (starting with Kuninotokotachi), and goes on with a number of myths as does the ""Kojiki"", but continues its account through to events of the 8th century. It is believed to record accurately the latter reigns of Emperor Tenji, Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō. The ""Nihon Shoki"" focuses on the merits of the virtuous rulers as well as the errors of the bad rulers. It describes episodes from mythological eras and diplomatic contacts with other countries. The ""Nihon Shoki"" was written in classical Chinese, as was common for official documents at"
"a fairly new tradition. While Shinto has no founder, no overarching doctrine, and no religious texts, the ""Kojiki"" (the Ancient Chronicles of Japan), written in 712 CE, and the ""Nihonshoki ""(Chronicles of Japan), written in 720 CE, contain the earliest record of Japanese creation myths. The ""Kojiki"" also includes descriptions of various kami. In the ancient traditions there were five defining characteristics of kami: Kami are an ever-changing concept, but their presence in Japanese life has remained constant. The kami’s earliest roles were as earth-based spirits, assisting the early hunter-gatherer groups in their daily lives. They were worshipped as gods"
"""Kojiki"" (712), a historical record that also chronicles ancient Japanese mythology and folk songs; the ""Nihon Shoki"" (720), a chronicle written in Chinese that is significantly more detailed than the ""Kojiki""; and the ""Man'yōshū"" (759), a poetry anthology. One of the stories they describe is the tale of Urashima Tarō. The Heian period has been referred to as the golden era of art and literature in Japan. During this era, literature became centered on a cultural elite of nobility and monks. The imperial court particularly patronized the poets, most of whom were courtiers or ladies-in-waiting. Reflecting the aristocratic atmosphere, the"
"which to weave Japanese history, and links are also made with Chinese chronology. It also borrows the Chinese idea of the Mandate of Heaven, but differs from it to legitimize the entire Japanese imperial lineage. The ""Kojiki"" and ""Nihon Shoki"" also differ from Chinese models by including a large number of poems. In 718 Yōrō Code commissioned the Ministry of the Centre to compile a national history; the resulting ""Nihon Shoki"" of 720 served as a basis for similar works. Other historical chronicles were published over the following century: the ""Shoku Nihongi"" in 797, the ""Nihon Kōki"" in 840, the"
"The ""Kojiki"" contains a story where Izanagi, one of the mythical founders of Japan, purifies himself in the river after visiting Yomi, the land of the dead. This is the source of the Shinto purification rites known as . In its earliest form, this involved human, animal, property, or food sacrifice, and was punishment for crimes or sin. Archaeological evidence indicates this being done as early as the Kofun period, possibly imported from Shang dynasty China (similar river purification rituals existed in ancient Korea). During the Nara period, sacrifices were seen as barbaric, and the use of pottery, effigies, or"
"Shinto Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the ""Kojiki"" and ""Nihon Shoki"" in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified religion, but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology. Shinto today is the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of ""spirits"", ""essences"" (""kami""), suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress"
"these beliefs were the existence of ""kami"", indigenous gods and goddesses or protective forces, that influenced human and natural occurrences in a holistic universe. Some beliefs ascribed ""kami"" to traces of the Buddha. The belief in ""kami"" was deeply embedded in the episteme of the time. Human agency through prayers and rituals could summon forth ""kami"" who would engage in nation-protection (""chingo kokka""). According to some of his accounts, Nichiren undertook his study of Buddhism to largely understand why the ""kami"" had seemingly abandoned Japan, as witnessed by the decline of the imperial court. Because the court and the people"
"Shinto. Sect Shinto, like Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii and Konkokyo, have unique practices which originated alongside older Shinto practices before the classification and separation of Shinto practices of the Meiji era in 1868. Shinto Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the ""Kojiki"" and ""Nihon Shoki"" in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified religion, but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology. Shinto today is the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of ""spirits"", ""essences"" (""kami""), suited to"
"in its ascendancy, their cultural and philosophical traditions began to influence not only political but also literary developments, and while literature had been previously the exclusive domain of the court this period saw a growth in the literature of other levels of society. Narrative works such as ""The Tale of the Heike"" are an example of this new literature. Buddhism was also in its heyday during this period, with new sects such as Jōdo-shū, Nichiren-shū and Zen-shū being established, and both old and new sects fervently spreading their influence among the populace throughout the country. In addition to Buddhist literature"
"myself (or ""dedicate, commit my life"") to the ""Mystic Law containing the Cause and Effect of the enlightenment of all Buddhas""."" The believer's practice (""gyōriki"": power of practice) and faith (""shinriki"": power of faith) are believed to call forth the power of the Buddha (""butsuriki"") and the power of the Dharma (Law) inherent in the Gohonzon (""hōriki""). This practice and faith are thought to expiate the believer's ""negative karma"", and bring forth a higher life condition. The daily practice of Nichiren Shōshū believers consists of affirming and renewing their faith by performing ""gongyō"" twice daily, once in the morning and"
"of around 35 years, and his annotations on the ""Tale of Genji"". Using the methods of ""Kokugaku"" and Kaozheng, Norinaga claimed that the ""Kojiki"" was the oldest surviving Japanese text. He used the supposed antiquity of the ""Kojiki"" to develop an idea of indigenous Japanese religion, laws, and religion which were later used in the development of an idea of State Shinto. Norinaga took the view that the heritage of ancient Japan was one of natural spontaneity in feelings and spirit, and that imported Confucianism ran counter to such natural feelings. He criticized Ogyū Sorai for his over-valuing of Chinese"
"the deity of Katori Shrine in Shimōsa Province (modern Chiba Prefecture) worshipped by the Mononobe clan. While in the ""Kojiki"" it is Takemikazuchi among the two messengers who takes center stage, the two versions of the myth found in ""Nihon Shoki"" and other sources imply that the central role was originally occupied by Futsunushi. For instance, both the ""Fudoki"" of Izumo Province and the ""Izumo-no-kuni-no-miyatsuko-no-kanyogoto"" (出雲国造神賀詞 ""Divine Congratulatory Words of the ""Kuni-no-Miyatsuko"" of Izumo""), an address the chieftain or governor (""kuni-no-miyatsuko""/""kokuzō"") of Izumo offered to the Emperor on behalf of Izumo's deities as a sign of his allegiance to the"
"its ancient roots. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the ""Kojiki"" and ""Nihon Shoki"" in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified ""Shinto religion"", but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology. Shinto today is the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods (""kami""), suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style"
"funerary objects of the Kofun period commonly depict people wearing the necklaces and ankle bracelets. Examples of stone magatama from the Kofun period are especially numerous. Archaeologists and historians are unable yet to explain what the origins of magatama forms are, or whether these forms can be traced back to one convergent source. However, these alternative explanations have been provided: The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, completed in the 8th century, have numerous references to magatama. They appear in the first chapter of the Nihon Shoki, which largely describes the mythology of Japan. Susanoo, god of the sea and storms, received"
"time in which legends about the origins of the Yamato dynasty were chronicled in the ""Kojiki"". There are accounts written earlier than either ""Kojiki"" and ""Nihon Shoki"" that present an alternative version of the story. According to these accounts, Jimmu's dynasty was supplanted by that of Ōjin, whose dynasty was supplanted by that of Keitai. The ""Kojiki"" and the ""Nihon Shoki"" then combined these three mythical dynasties into one long and continuous genealogy. The traditional site of Jimmu's grave is near Unebiyama in Kashihara. Veneration of Jimmu was a central component of the imperial cult that formed following the Meiji"
"that the source of the natural disasters Japan faced at that time was due to the weakened spirit of its people, caused by attachments to religions that disavow the primacy of the people themselves. He called for the leaders and people to base their spiritual life on the Lotus Sutra, ""the correct teaching"", which would, in turn, lead to ""the peace of the land"". Ikeda has said, ""Nichiren stressed the need to spread the correct teaching and firmly establish the philosophical principles of Buddhism in the heart of each individual."" Hence, ""establishing the correct teaching"" is the Soka Gakkai's religious"
"Kujiki , or , is a historical Japanese text. It was generally believed to have been one of the earliest Japanese histories until the middle of the Edo period, when scholars such as Tokugawa Mitsukuni successfully contended that it was an imitation based on the ""Nihon Shoki"", the ""Kojiki"" and the ""Kogo Shūi"". Scholarship on the ""Kujiki"" generally considers it to contain some genuine elements, specifically that Book 5 preserves traditions of the Mononobe and Owari clans, and that Book 10 preserves the earlier historical record the ""Kokuzō Hongi"". Ten volumes in length, it covers the history of ancient Japan"
"In the 1820s, large parts of the temple were destroyed by fire, but it was rebuilt in the 1970s. The main hall has a very large, red paper lantern hanging from the ceiling where worshipers can tie small paper notes with wishes to the holding wires. The current temple is home to a large collection of books. It houses about 15,000 classic Japanese and Chinese works. Among these is the oldest hand-written copy of the famous ""Kojiki"", which describes the ancient mythological history of Japan. The library also has many other books designated as national treasures and important cultural properties."
"sect. The Fuju-fuse-ha alleged to be the only subsect to follow ""Fuju-fuse-gi"" to the letter. The other subsects of Nichiren-shu, however, argued that the ""Niike Gosho"" where the term ""Fuju-fuse-gi"" appears was a forgery. Nichiren, regarded as the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, believed in the supremacy of religious doctrine over temporal power and often tried to convert and challenged those in power, thereby attracting persecution over himself and his followers In his view, the only approach to those who didn't follow the Lotus Sutra was the so-called , or ""break and subdue"". After his death, his disciples shared his views"
"a renewed interest in ""Japanese studies"" (""kokugaku""), perhaps as a result of the closed country policy. In the 18th century, various Japanese scholars, in particular Motoori Norinaga (本居 宣長, 1730–1801), tried to tear apart the ""real"" Shinto from various foreign influences. The attempt was largely unsuccessful, since as early as the ""Nihon Shoki"" parts of the mythology were explicitly borrowed from Taoism doctrines. For example, the co-creator deities Izanami and Izanagi are explicitly compared to yin and yang. However, the attempt did set the stage for the arrival of state Shinto, following the Meiji Restoration (c.1868), when Shinto and Buddhism"
"capital at Nara was modeled after Chang'an, the capital city of Tang China. In many other ways, the Japanese upper classes patterned themselves after the Chinese, including adopting Chinese written system, fashion, and the religion of Buddhism. Concentrated efforts by the imperial court to record and document its history produced the first works of Japanese literature during the Nara period. Works such as the ""Kojiki"" and the ""Nihon Shoki"" were political in nature, used to record and therefore justify and establish the supremacy of the rule of the emperors within Japan. With the spread of written language, the writing of"
"had converted to Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren had taught that a period of massive conflict would precede a golden era of human culture in which the truth of Buddhism would prevail. Japan would be the center and main promulgator of the faith, which would encompass the entire world. Ishiwara felt that the period of world conflict was fast approaching, and Japan, relying upon its vision of the ""kokutai"" and its sacred mission to ""liberate"" China, would lead a unified East Asia to defeat the West. Ishiwara was also the leader of a semi-religious and Pan-Asianist organization, the East-Asia League Movement (""Tōarenmei"
"Rissho Koseikai stemming from Nichiren Shu while Kenshokai and Soka Gakkai, once affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu, are more recent examples of lay-inspired movements drawing from Nichiren's teachings and life. Accordingly, Nichiren Buddhism has had a major impact on Japan's literary and cultural life. Japanese literary figure Takayama Chogyū and children's author Kenji Miyazawa praised Nichiren's teachings. Another prominent researcher, Masaharu Anesaki was encouraged to study Nichiren which led to the latter's work ""Nichiren: The Buddhist Prophet"" which introduced Nichiren to the West. Non-Buddhist Japanese individuals such as Uchimura Kanzō listed Nichiren as one of five historical figures who best represented"
"Shinto mythology came to be known as ""Suika Shinto"". ""Suika"" means the act of praying to call the gods down, to receive worldly benefits. Drawing on the secret traditions of both Yoshida and Ise Shinto (as well as classic Shinto myths, such as found in the ""Kojiki"", ""Nihongi"", ""Shoku Nihongi"", ""Fudoki"", etc.), Ansai was able to ""uncover"" numerous Neo-Confucian values within Shinto texts. On November 23, 1672, he created the ""Record of the Fuji no mori Shrine"" (""Fuji no mori yuzuemandokoro no ki""), an essay that generally summarizes Ansai's views on Shinto and its connection to Neo-Confucian metaphysics. From the"
"as Noh theatre and ""emaki"" scrolls added to these written works. Neo-Confucian schools became preeminent at the beginning of the Edo period (1603–1868). They brought a methodology very critical of works such as the ""Kojiki"", but did not contradict the Mandate of Heaven. The most prominent representatives of this are the Hayashi clan and the Mitogaku school. The nativist ""kokugaku"" school, inspired by Shinto, returned in the 18th century, driven by the work of Motoori Norinaga. It opposed the Neo-Confucians by seeking to demonstrate the veracity of Shinto mythology, especially of the Age of the Gods and the early emperors,"
"of society. Traditional Nichiren Buddhist temple groups are commonly associated with Nichiren Shoshu and varying Nichiren Shu schools. There are also modern 21st-century lay groups not affiliated with temples such as Soka Gakkai, Kenshokai, Shoshinkai, Risshō Kōsei Kai, and Honmon Butsuryū-shū. Nichiren's teachings encompass a great many concepts. Briefly, the basic practice of Nichiren Buddhism is chanting the invocation ""Nam-myoho-renge-kyo"" to a mandala inscribed by Nichiren, called the ""Gohonzon"". Embracing ""Nam-myoho-renge-kyo"" entails both chanting and having the mind of faith (""shinjin""). Both the invocation and the Gohonzon, as taught by Nichiren, embody the title and essence of the Lotus Sutra,"
"The Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and Man'yōshū were all studied anew in the search for the Japanese spirit. Some purists in the kokugaku movement, such as Motoori Norinaga, even criticized the Confucian and Buddhist influences—in effect, foreign influences—for contaminating Japan's ancient ways. Japan was the land of the kami and, as such, had a special destiny. The Edo period was characterized by an unprecedented series of economic developments (despite termination of contact with the outside world) and cultural maturation, especially in terms of theater, music, and other entertainment. For example, a poetic meter for music called kinsei kouta-chō was invented during"