Religion And Culture In East Asia

Front 1

1. What classical Daoism associated with?

Back 1

Two men and texts
-Laozi (Laozi or Daodejing)
-Zhuangzi

Front 2

2. What are the dates of classical and religious Daoism?

Back 2

Classical: 4th century B.C.E

Religious: 2nd century C.E.

Front 3

3. According to classical Daoism, what are human beings?

What causes societal problems?

Back 3

-Humans are natural beings
-Society is a corrupting influence
-Humans relationship with nature causes problems not relationship with each other

Front 4

4. What are the two meanings of Dao in the Laozi?

Back 4

1. Dao as the Way of nature

2. Dao as a Way of life

Front 5

5. Why is it better to live a life of non-action (wuwei) according to classical Daoism?

Back 5

-More natural and without resistance
-Harmony with nature leads to a good life
-Ambition is anti-classical Daoism because have a struggle

Front 6

6. How can a river be analogous to wuwei?

Back 6

If you resist current (i.e. go against it) you will not get where you want to go, but if your in harmony with nature, then current will help you

"Go with the flow"

Front 7

7. What causes suffering according to classical Daoism?

Back 7

-Lack of harmony with nature
-Resisting change inherent in nature (i.e. getting older)

Suffering = resistance to natural way

Front 8

8. How is the Dao described by Laozi?

Back 8

-Unnameable "thing" which precedes the universe

Front 9

9. What are the two interdependent goals of classical Daoism?

Back 9

1. For society, to live in peaceful, small communities ruled by sages who practice "non-action"

2. For individual, live the longest possible natural life by being in harmony with nature and minimizing conflict

Front 10

10. How does Zhuangzi see the Dao?

Back 10

The beginningless and endless process of transformation, not the ultimate origin of Heaven and Earth

Front 11

11. What is the key concept in Zhuangzi's view of the natural world?

Back 11

Transformation

-The Dao is the sum total of all natural processes
-The principle of movement or change is inherent within them

Front 12

12. How should we be when things change according to Zhuangzi?

Back 12

Should not sorrow over the transience of things but rather delight in the their participation in the universal process of transformation

Front 13

13. What is the perfected person or sage like in classical Daoism?

Back 13

-Neither projects his mental categories onto the world

-Mind is like mirror in that it reflects just what is present at the moment

Front 14

14. What is "fasting of the mind" in classical Daoism?

Back 14

-Emptying the mind of preconceived categories and attending to what is actually present

-"sit and forget"

Front 15

15. When is religious Daoism?

Back 15

2nd century C.E.

Front 16

16. How did religious Daoism come about?

Back 16

-Predictions of Laozi returning to reign over an era of "Great Peace"
-Laozi transformed from revered sage to deity
-Laozi appeared in revelations to a man who later became the first Celestial Master

Front 17

17. What became the core of Daoist religious practice?

Back 17

-Meditation and ritual in order to enhance spiritual and physical health

-Symbols of this goal are immortal and perfected person

Front 18

18. How were drugs used in religious Daoism?

Back 18

-Internal alchemy and external alchemy
-Certain drugs could "detoxify" the body or purify the qi to enhance longevity

Front 19

19. What is the difference between internal and external alchemy?

Back 19

Internal alchemy is meditation and visualizations involving the enhancement of one's qi

External alchemy is the use of certain drugs and elixirs to purify or "detox" one's body which is conduces longevity

Front 20

20. What are some differences between classical and religious Daoism?

Back 20

Classical:
-Laozi is revered sage

Religious:
-Laozi is divinized by Celestial Masters
-Idea of immortality
-Body is essential to spiritual fulfillment (alchemy)

*Both imply that humans are fully "at home" in the natural world

Front 21

21. How is sex a part of religious Daoism?

Back 21

-Enhances qi
-In sexual fluids (esp semen) there is vital essence
-When aroused, qi increases in body which helps longevity

Front 22

22. What are the two types of gods in Chinese religion?

Back 22

1. Fu: spirits of charismatic people
-have temples or alter devoted to them

2. Shi: "officials" or bureaucratic gods
-usually temporary occupants of a position (local earth gods, city gods)

Front 23

23. What are ghosts?

Back 23

Spirit of a deceased person who has no family to conduct ancestor worship or whose death was irregular in some way

*spirits of unmarried women are typically prone to becoming ghosts ("spirit marriage")

Front 24

24. Are ghosts happy?

Back 24

-They are discontented souls or the neglected dead
-Both dangerous and pitiful

Front 25

25. What is done for ghosts?

Back 25

"Ghost-feeding Festival"

-large community feast is prepared for wandering ghosts and living beggars

Front 26

26. How does one become an ancestor?

Back 26

-Through ancestor ritual process consisting of:
1. Funeral rites
2. Mourning
3. Contrived rites

Front 27

27. How are ancestors worshiped?

Back 27

-Have alter table holding images and name plagues for both ancestors and gods
-Make ritual offerings

Front 28

28. How are ancestors and gods similar?

Back 28

-A family alter table holds both ancestors and gods
-Little distinction is made between them in the worship ritual
-Both are appealed to for protection
-Neither groups is omnipotent or totally benevolent

Front 29

29. How are ancestors and gods different?

Back 29

-Gods have more numinous power than ancestors and can influence a community wider than just a single family

-Ancestors are only worshiped by a single family, while gods are worshiped by a community

Front 30

30. How are gods, ancestors, and ghosts different in terms of yang and ying?

Back 30

Gods and ancestors are both yang

Ghosts are yin and always cause trouble

Front 31

31. What three factors affect local religion in China?

Back 31

1. Stability of population

2. Government policy

3. Money

Front 32

32. How does stability of population affect local religion in China?

Back 32

-More local religion in rural area than urban area
-Many ritual events require the mobilization of the entire community to a degree
-This is only possible if the population is well defined and not nomadic
-Also in urban area have continious flow of people in and out as well as the destruction of many temples

Front 33

33. How does government policy affect local religion in China?

Back 33

-The government believes local religion is backward superstition
-They allow religion as long as it does not disrupt public order or interfere with the state
-Religious Affairs Bureaus can issue local regulations on the control of religion
-Repress activities that challenge political orthodoxy

Front 34

34. What are some examples of government policy affecting local religion.

Back 34

1. Festivals are permitted as long as they don't become too expensive (i.e. can't pay taxes)
-limit money allowed on festivals

2. Shamans are allowed as long as they don't make too much money and become powerful

Front 35

35. How does money affect local religion in China?

Back 35

In poor villages it is hard to throw festivals because they can be expensive (may not occur or at very low level)

Also in regards to funeral rites, more money is spent by wealthy families and thus can buy relatives way out of Hell (show status by $ spent)

Front 36

36. How should we live according to Confucianism?

Back 36

Live in social harmony

-achieve through ren (humaness), li (ritual), and junzi (superior person)
-also need a good leader

Front 37

37. How should we live according to Daoism?

Back 37

Live in harmony with nature

Front 38

38. How should we live according the Buddhism?

Back 38

Middle Path

-have enough to sustain but don't over indulge

Front 39

39. What doctrines are associated with Pure Land Buddhism?

Back 39

-Based on three sutras that focus on Buddha Amitabha

Front 40

40. Who's Mitabha?

Back 40

-A Buddha
-Presides over a heavenly paradise call the Pure Land
-Will reborn people into this land (it's not nirvana-life w/o suffering)

Front 41

41. What do Pure Land Buddhists believe?

Back 41

-Present cycles will go through three cycles
1. The period of the Correct Buddha
2. Period of pseudo Dharma
3. Period of the End of Dharma

Front 42

42. What is the basic practice of Pure Land Buddhists?

Back 42

-Chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha
-This chanting is called nianfo
-In Chinese, Nanwu Amituofo

Front 43

43. What is another name for Chan Buddhism?

Back 43

-"Meditation School"

-Zen (Chinese pronunciation for Chan)

Front 44

44. What is the use of texts in Chan Buddhism?

Back 44

-Enlightenment cannot be achieved solely by studying texts b/c it is an intuitive (not intellectual) experience

-"Mind-to-mind transmission" that cannot be captured by words

Front 45

45. How is Chan Buddhism practiced?

Back 45

-Overcome thoughts about your self and get rid of the thoughts keeping you in samsara

-"Just sitting": let thoughts float away so mind is clear

Front 46

46. What is a koan? Who uses it?

Back 46

-A riddle that cannot be solved through analytical/rational though

Front 47

47. What are five key themes in Chinese religion?

Back 47

1. Constant Change and transformations
2. Harmony in Family
3. Unity of Heaven and Earth
4. Non-exclusive
5. Powers exist in the Universe

Front 48

48. What is an example of constant change?

Back 48

Yin-Yang
-no pure, ideal category
-categories flow between one another
-They flow into one another

Front 49

49. What is Yin-Yang?

Back 49

Yin: feminine, dark, winter season

Yang: masculine, bright/warm, summer

Front 50

50. What is an example powers in the universe?

Back 50

-Gods, souls (ancestors/ghosts)

Front 51

51. How is harmony in the family seen?

Back 51

-Especially in Confucianism and popular religion

-Ritual rite/ancestor worship

Front 52

52. How is there unity of Heaven and Earth?

Back 52

-Linkage maintained by rulers between the divine and human realms in Conf./Daoism

-Offer sacrifices
-Bilateral influence

Front 53

53. How is non-exclusive?

Back 53

-Not purely Daoist or Confucian

-Can combine elements, seen during funeral rites

Front 54

54. How have death and afterlife been understood in China?

Back 54

-Soul goes to hell where is judged by a bureaucracy
-Soul can be saved by living relatives (i.e. burn spirit money and "bribe" gods)
-Soul wants to go to "Western Paradise" (Pure Land)

Front 55

55. Who's souls are most in danger?

Back 55

-Women have a harder time passing through to Pure Land
-They go to a pool of blood b/c they gave birth (pollution)
-Children can relieve mother by drinking some of the blood

*unmarried women will have spirit wedding so someone can take on ancestral rites

Front 56

56. What are three events in twentieth-century China?

Back 56

1949: Communist party takes over

1966-1976: Cultural Revolution

1979: China opens doors to West; restrictions on religion were relaxed and temples were rehabilitated

Front 57

57. Describe religion during the Communist party and cultural revolution?

Back 57

Communist party: saw religion as backwards/something of past and suppressed it

Cultural Revolution: destruction of all religion (progress is too slow)
-temples burned
-kids should take over was new idea
-Confucianism was attacked the most b/c it was assoc w/ "old china"

Front 58

58. What is the history of Christianity in China?

Back 58

-7th century enters China
-stays until 845 when got rid of all foreign religions
-845-13th century little to no Christianity
-Matter Rici (1582)
-Rites Controversy (1643-1724)
-Hong Xuguan (mid 19th century)

Front 59

59. What was Matte Rici's role?

Back 59

-Studied Confucian classics and tried to explain Christianity
-Showed Christianity was harmony with Confucianism
-Translated Christian terms
-Said ancestral veneration wasn't in conflict w/ Christianity b/c not religious

Front 60

60. Describe the Tai Ping Rebellion?

Back 60

-Militant group that took on Christianity and was powerful for a while
-Believe in mediaism and that trinity is not separate
-Leader is part of divine family

Front 61

61. Who is Hong Xuguan?

Back 61

-Became leader of vast majority of China
-Lineage of Jesus Christ (younger bro of Jesus)
-Lost support eventually due to bad trade relations and letting court have too many perks

Front 62

62. What is Falun Gong?

Back 62

-Presents self as form of exercise (not religion)
-Open body to external energy
-Stretch to open your energy channels
-Form of exercise that's based on supernatural/cosmo elements

*rapid growth b/c free participation

Front 63

63. What does Falun Gong emphasize? What are the 3 values?

Back 63

-Emphasizes not just use of qi energy to promote health but also spiritual meditation
-3 values emphasized
1. truthfulness
2. compassion
3. forbearance (patience)

Front 64

64. Why has Falun Gong been suppressed in China?

Back 64

-Government view as superstitious, evil cult
-It was the only group that resorted to surrounding media offices with protesters
-Transformed from healing sect to political organization challenging state legitimacy

Front 65

65. What direct act really caused the government to dislike Falun Gong?

Back 65

April 1999, 10,000 protesters staged a silent protest at the official state compound where leaders resided

Front 66

66. What really worried the officials? What was their response?

Back 66

-Disconcerted by ability to amass such a large group and that middle-aged/elderly were protesters

-Anti-FLG campaign were arrested key figures, banned all practices (publicly), and destroyed all FLG propaganda

Front 67

67. What is qiqong?

Back 67

-Deep breathing exercises, meditation, and healing practices
-Use and transmit qi in a way that is conducive to health

Front 68

68. What was the initial take on it?

Back 68

-Promoted by state and medical pracitioners (less costly)
-Promoted as a form of science in 50's
-qi was seen as a materialistic entity that was a source of energy

Front 69

69. How did this view change?

Back 69

In late 1980's scientists could not replicate the existence of qi nor that qi masters could heal

Front 70

70. What also made the government nervous about qiqonq?

Back 70

-Qi masters were charismatic and had gained great attention/respect/money

-Government accused them of corruption and supersition

Front 71

71. Why did the government support it when it was view scientific?

Back 71

-It validated Chinese religious culture

-Made Chinese scientists ground breakers of something important to both science and health

Front 72

72. Why do Japanese say they are not religious?

Back 72

-Japanese are hesitant to "committing" to belief
-They associated "belief" and "religion" with Christianity
-They say they are not religious b/c they are not in the Christian sense and that is how they view religion

Front 73

73. How do they see what they do?

Back 73

-These are customs, not religion
-They find truths through practice not belief and it is belief that constitutes religion in the view

Front 74

74. If it is all custom and not religion how come it falls under religious study?

Back 74

-These customs take place within a context about which supernatural forces come into play

Front 75

75. What are three rites of passages in Japan and what do they tell us about religion in Japan?

Back 75

1. Birth (born Shinto)

2. Marriage (Christian b/c aesthetically pleasing)

3. Death (Buddhist)

Front 76

76. When are people in Japan religious?

Back 76

-Annual Festivals
-Rites of passages
-Times of stress
-New ventures (before ground breaking of building or long trip)
-Dates of deaths (memoralization)

Front 77

77. What are major themes in Japanese religion?

Back 77

-Focus on this world, this life
-Unseen forces both good and bad

Front 78

78. What are matsuri?

Back 78

Festivals
3 Parts
1. Welcome spirit
2. Entertain it
3. Send it aways

Front 79

79. What are the functions of matsuri?

Back 79

1. Social cohesion: everyone participates, social norms are relaxed
2. Social protest: all injustices can come out (take retribution)--can be dangerous
time
3. Renewal: positive maintainance of relationship with kami that will benefit the community

Front 80

80. Why can matsuri be dangerous?

Back 80

Have drunken behavior and idea that matsuri is only for two days (time limitation) making social protest very possible

Front 81

81. What are the unseen forces that Japanese believe in?

Back 81

1. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (good)
2. Kami (good and bad)
3. Ancestors (mostly good)
4. Unsettled spirits (bad)
5. Pollution (bad)
6. Karma (good and bad)
7. Unlucky days/years
8. Words

Front 82

82. What are five different sources of power in Japanese religion?

Back 82

-Buddhist icons
-Natural objects
-Words (text themselves)
-Location of miracles
-Times

Front 83

83. How can you access good powers?

Back 83

-Memorial rites (honor good powers/appease bad ones)
-Individual prayers
-Amulets

Front 84

84. How can you avoid dangerous forces?

Back 84

-Purification (exorcism): purify car to avoid someone from crashing into you
-Ritual sending away of spirits

Front 85

85. How can kami be good and bad?

Back 85

-Treat kindly -> good
-Treat unkindly -> bad
-Seen to live natural environment so have to appease kami before disturbing them
-People can become kami (powerful people)

Front 86

86. How are ancestors mostly good?

Back 86

-Protect you like parents

-Don't want to be forgotten

Front 87

87. Why are unsettled spirits dangerous?

Back 87

-No one can perform ancestral rites for them

-Unsettled spirits would be suicide victims, aborted fetus, and someone who dies before their time

Front 88

88. What is pollution bad?

Back 88

-Ritual pollution caused by death

-Going to funeral (throw salt over shoulder)

Front 89

89. What are the four noble truths?

Back 89

1. Life necessarily involves suffering (all life is inevitable sorrowful)
2. Cause of suffering is craving or desire
3. To eliminate suffering we must eliminate craving
4. Eliminate craving by following 8 fold path

Front 90

90. Who is Amituo (Amida)?

Back 90

The Buddha Amitabha whose vows are the basis for Pure Land Buddhism

-Chant name in Pure Land Buddhism

Front 91

91. Who is Bodhidharma?

Back 91

-First Chinese patriarch
-Brought the teaching of Chan Buddhism from India to China in 520

Front 92

92. What is Chan?

Back 92

One of the new schools of Chinese Buddhism

Front 93

93. What is Dharma?

Back 93

The teachings, truth, or law of the Buddha

-the earliest are the four noble truths
-doctrine of "no-self" (anatman)

Front 94

94. What is another meaning of dharma?

Back 94

-momentary states or elements of existence

-a person is a temporary collection of constantly changing dharmas

Front 95

95. What is gongan (koan)?

Back 95

A brief anecdote or statement by a former Chan master used as a focus of meditation

-riddle that can't be solved through analytical/rational though

Front 96

96. Who is Guanyin (Kannon)?

Back 96

The Bodhisattva of compassion in Mahayana Buddhism
-spend in part due to popularity of Lotus Sutra which has a chapter devoted to her

Front 97

97. What is karma?

Back 97

Buddhist theory of moral causality

-"action" or "deed"
-every intentional action or deed has a natural effect that will be experience by the doer of the deed at some later point and that the effect is determined by the moral character of the deed
-new person we become is conditioned by our unresolved karma

Front 98

98. What is the Lotus sutra?

Back 98

Central text of Tiantai Buddhism

Front 99

99. What is Mahayana?

Back 99

"Greater Vehicle"
The branch of Buddhism that spread throughout East Asia

Front 100

100. Why was the branch called Mahayana?

Back 100

Accommodated more people: didn't have to be a monk or nun to have a reasonable expectation of achieving nirvana

Front 101

101. How does Mahayana differ from other Buddhisms?

Back 101

-Based on new scriptures
-Chief model for enlightenment is the bodhisattva
-A theistic tradition (Buddhas are objects of worship)
-Developed new philosophical positions (emptiness, all beings have "inherent enlightenment")

Front 102

102. What are bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism?

Back 102

A being who has achieved enlightenment, but who vows to remain in samsara until all other sentient beings are enlightenment

Front 103

103. What is nirvana?

Back 103

The extinguishing of the karmic causation leading to rebirth in Buddhism

-freedom from rebirth
-ridding ourselves of karma so we can achieve liberation from samsara

Front 104

104. What is nianfo (nenbutsu)?

Back 104

The act of chanting the Buddha's name

-basic practice of Pure Land Buddhism

Front 105

105. What is Pure Land Buddhism?

Back 105

The celestial paradise into which followers of Pure Land Buddhism hope to be reborn

Front 106

106. What is samsara?

Back 106

The cycle of rebirth, death, and rebirth in Buddhism

Front 107

107. Who is Sakyamuni?

Back 107

Siddhartha Gautama, a spiritual teacher from ancient India and the historical founder of Buddhism

-born in 551 B.C.E in Napal

Front 108

108. How did Buddha come to see suffering?

Back 108

Saw a dead man, sick man, and holy man at marketplace and decided to be religious man

Front 109

109. What is a sutra

Back 109

Buddhist sacred text containing the discourse of the Buddha

Front 110

110. What is Theravada?

Back 110

"Way of the Elder"

The sole surviving school of several that flourished before the development of Mahayana
-it is the only "Hinayana" school that still survives

Front 111

111. What is filial piety?

Back 111

Respectful to parents and elders
-filial (xiao)
-a humane person is loving to others and filial
-in a humane government, ruler’s first responsibility is to ensure that his people can feed, clothe, and house themselves (“act as father and mother to the people”)

Front 112

112. What are the two relationships that Confucius described?

Back 112

Father/Son
Ruler/Minister (bureaucrat)

-son and minister should respect those above
-ruler and father should treat subordinate with love and kindness

Front 113

113. What is a junzi?

Back 113

"superior person"

-dedicated to becoming a humane person
-have a love of learning
-a ruler should strive to be a junzi

Front 114

114. What are the three concepts Confucian talks about?

Back 114

1. Ren (humaneness): to be fully human
2. Li (ritual): ritual in sense of practices and broader meaning in any situation
3. Junzi (superior person)

Front 115

115. Who is Kongzi?

Back 115

-Confucius
-born in 551 B.C.E
-in love with learning
-believed society could be transformed from top-down
-died thinking he was a failure but had good disciples who wrote down his sayings

Front 116

116. What is the Lunyu?

Back 116

Analects
-discussions and sayings -collections of Confucius’ sayings and conversations
-one of the four books of Confucianism

Front 117

117. What is li?

Back 117

-Ritual Property
-Attitude of reverence and respect and proper behavior while doing ritual practices
-Confucius extended to proper behavior in every situation
-Ritual has a moral basis (“ethical revolution”)
-Not just actions or motions

Front 118

118. What is the mandate of heaven?

Back 118

-Heaven decides who gets to rule
-Heaven has a moral will
-Fundamental principle of Confucian tradition (moral values at least in potential form are inherent in natural world)

Front 119

119. Who is Mengzi?

Back 119

Mencius
-One of the four books in Confucianism
-More reliable than the Analects
-Two major interconnected themes
1. humane government (ren zheng)
2. human nature (ren xing)

Front 120

120. What did Mencius believe in?

Back 120

-People are naturally good (fundamentally good)
-The four beginnings are the innate source of morality
-They are only “seeds” or merely “feelings” or “dispositions” (qing)
-In cultivating our moral capacities we become fully human
-Mencius’ theory of the goodness of human nature is really a theory of potential goodness

Front 121

121. What are the four beginnings?

Back 121

-rightness (yi)
-humanness (ren)
-propriety (li)
-wisdom (zhi)

Front 122

122. What is ren?

Back 122

Humanity
-“cardinal virtue”

-Confucian golden rule: what you would not want for yourself, do not do to others

Front 123

123. What is the Yi-ching (I-ching)?

Back 123

Book of Changes
-one of the five Confucian classics
-divination text
-was hexagram (look up in book to see what gods were saying)

Front 124

124. What is dao?

Back 124

The Way or Path

-the Way is conceived as the patterns and rhythms of nature

-human fulfillment lay in harmonizing our thinking and behavior with the Way

Front 125

125. What is the Daodejing?

Back 125

Daoist classic attributed to the mythical Laozi

"Classic of the Way and its Power"

Front 126

126. What/Who is Laozi?

Back 126

-Early Daoist Classic
-Named after Lao Tzu (the Old Master)

Front 127

127. What is qi?

Back 127

Psycho-physical-spiritual substance, the stuff of which all existing things are composed

(Daoist)

Front 128

128. What is wuwei?

Back 128

"No Doing"

Absence of no deliberate, goal-directed action

Front 129

129. What is the Zhuangzi?

Back 129

The second major text in classical Daoism, named after its main author Zhuang Zhou (4th century B.C.E.)

Front 130

130. What is hun?

Back 130

the yang-soul

Front 131

131. Who is Mazu?

Back 131

Most popular deity in Taiwan, patron deity of seafaring people

Front 132

132. What are oracle bones? What are they used for?

Back 132

Bones used in divination
-ask gods questions and heat bones so would crack in certain way to read answer of god
-document divination

Front 133

133. What is the po?

Back 133

the yin soul

Front 134

134. What is yin-yang?

Back 134

"Dark-Light", passive-active, contracting-expanding

basic principle in Chinese thought (constant change)

Front 135

135. Who was Hong Xiuquan?

Back 135

Believed he was Jesus' brother
(lineage of Jesus Christ)

Front 136

136. What is Falun gong (Falun dafa)?

Back 136

Dharma Wheel Exercise

the eclectic qiqong practice founded by Li Hongzhi in 1992 and was banned in 1999

Front 137

137. What is qiqong?

Back 137

Manipulation or exercise of qi

*originally to benefit health (cure incurable disease/chronic illnesses)

Front 138

138. What are the kami?

Back 138

Deities (gods) of the Shinto tradition

-they are gods to Japan
-pray to them for benefit
-live in natural elements
-can be connected to powerful individuals

Front 139

139. What is a kamidana?

Back 139

-Altar for kami

-Household Shinto altar to guardian kami

Front 140

140. What is a butsudan?

Back 140

-Buddhist altar for ancestors

-Household altar dedicated to the ancestors who protect and watch over the family

Front 141

141. What is a mikoshi?

Back 141

-Portable shrine

-The kami is transferred into the mikoshi and carried around

Front 142

142. How does the mikoshi a reminder of co-operation?

Back 142

It requires men to pull together and in harmony, reminding the community of the necessity to work together for communal good and cooperate

Front 143

143. Who is Inari

Back 143

-Fox deity who first came into prominence as a protector of a Buddhist temple
-Become a powerful kami with heightened power of riyaku
-Became one of Japan's most widely venerated kami

-God of bussiness

Front 144

144. What is obon?

Back 144

August "festivals" for ancestors
-festival of the dead
-family comes together to venerate souls of its ancestors and visit family temples

Front 145

145. What two times of the year produce religious activity in Japan?

Back 145

New Year Period: visit shrines/temples to pray for good luck and happiness in the coming year

Obon (summer)

*neither one requires prior or fixed religious commitment (not even belief in existence or influence of spiritual beings to whom prayers are directed)

Front 146

146. What is hatsumode?

Back 146

-New Year visit to shrine or temple
-Has strong social and cultural nuances
-Customary to visit shrines at this time of the year

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147. What is the shichigosan?

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7-5-3 festival (in November)
-girls of three and seven and boys of five are taken to the shrine to be further placed under the protective blessings of the kami
-dress formally (overt display)--parents carry expensive cameras to capture