gold bell
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
gongen
"Gods of Japan exist to follow buddha."
In the process of establishing this idea、how did the Japanese come to terms with their previous beliefs？
"To tell the truth、Buddhas have existed in Japan since ancient times."
"Yes、the Japanese gods、they were temporary form of the Buddhas."
"They had appeared with provisional form in order to save the Japanese people."
The Japanese at the time called this idea "Gon・gen". 権現。
The literal translation of Gongen is "appeared in the form of provisional".
Well、why did they appear in Japan in a temporary form？
If the Japanese gods are Buddhas、then they can appear as a Buddhas as usual.
There is nothing wrong with them doing so.
Gods in Japan are Clark Kents？
I think so but that's what happened.
※I suddenly thought、will their power (to benefit those who believe) fluctuate due to the difference in appearance(lol)？
Aside from that、temporary measure until Buddhism is brought to Japan from India by human power、such a way of thinking maybe.※
※Perhaps、in reality、at least as time goes on、I would guess that a much more elaborate "forced interpretation" would have been made on this matter (lol). 2023032708:18 (japan time).
※Also、I think that the "ancient Japanese gods" were nature itself and did not have a fixed shape (for example、including sun worship and mountain worship).
Therefore、it is said that when the first Buddha statues were brought to Japan from Baekje, the Japanese were surprised by their glittering appearance.
This is about the middle of the 6th century、but of course、this was an exchange between nations (in case・lol). 2023032708:33 (japan time).
・・・・・・・・・
By the way、in the middle of the 16th century、when the Jesuit Francis Xavier brought Christianity to Japan.
"If your God is omnipotent、why Japanese people have been ignored until now？"
A Japanese person asked a Jesuit (probably Xavier san) that question (I don't know how they answered).
※This is also based on Shiba Ryotaro san's book、but according to my recollection.
"I was confused when I was asked this question."
"I'm glad I studied Aristotelian philosophy at university. Thanks to that、I was able to answer this question."
There should be a letter left by Xavier san with such content.2023032714:16 (japan time).
And it seems that at first Christianity was confused with the Dainichi faith of Buddhism by some Japanese.
※Initially、the Jesuits translated Christianity's "one absolute God'' into Japanese as "Dainichi".
Although the position is reversed from the case of Buddhism、it is the gongenization phenomenon of the absolute God of Christianity (just kidding・lol).
It may be a peculiarity of the Japanese way of thinking (same sentence below・lol).
・・・・・・・・・
To date、the Tokugawa Shogunate is the last samurai government in Japan.
The first king (shogun) of this government、Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Tokyo (called Edo - originally it was just a small (fishing？) village in the Kanto region) became heart of Japan by him.
※This is just my personal problem、but in ancient Chinese thought there is an emperor above the king.
Therefore、even if I describe Tokugawa as a king、it is not disrespectful to Ten'nō (lol). 2023032709:12 (japan time).
Tokugawa Ieyasu、he ended the war that lasted for 100 years.
This peace lasted for 260 years until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
After his death、he was called "Gongen sama".
Of course it is by his descendants (rulers).
But in fact、peace lasted for 260 years.
※The literal translation of "大日 Dai-nichi" in modern Japanese is the big(大) sun(日). 2023032711:59 (japan time).
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Nakamaro
The emperor when the Great Buddha was built was "Sho(u)mu".
His lineage was the "Fujiwara family" of the emerging powerful family.
The Fujiwara clan led a court coup 100 years ago (leader was a prince)、and since its success they have been closely tied to the imperial family.
※"to rid the court of wicked men (※this is the example sentence of weblio as it is. I read the example and rewrote it. - Eliminate the robbery on the side of The Emperor. 2023032712:18)."
This coup d'état was carried out under such a slogan (of course、it's probably the most common "reason" in court coups).
By the way in this age of coup、it is better for me to write "king" than to write it "emperor" yet.
It is a matter of sensation、maybe.※
※I just skimmed the Japanese wiki and it seems that the post-coup political reforms have formalized the national title of "日本" and the title of "天皇". 2023032712:34 (japan time).
※The literal translation of "taika・大化" in modern Japanese is "to change greatly". 2023032712:50 (japan time).
※Furthermore、by the way、when I hear "taika no kaishin"、I think of this Taika reform、but when I hear "taika" alone without context、I often think of "degeneration" (lol).
There may be accent differences、but there are other homonyms for "taika" in Japanese.
In the same style、"kaishin" means "be penitent"(lol). 2023032712:46 (japan time).
・・・・・・・・・
Now、during the reign of Emperor Shomu、a big problem had arisen.
Naturally、there must have been such enormous pressure、Emperor Shomu wanted to hand over the throne to a prince of Fujiwara lineage (mother born in Fujiwara clan).
However、the prince who inherited Fujiwara's blood did not exist at this time because he died young.
A prince from a different clan becomes the emperor、which means that there is a great danger that the power of the Fujiwara clan will be taken away.
"This is temporary measures until the Fujiwara lineage son born."
Emperor Shomu had another son、but he chose a daughter of the Fujiwara line as his successor to the throne.
(It was an exceptional measure at the time.)
・・・・・・・・・
In 737AD、an outbreak of smallpox broke out in Japan.
"Fujiwara-no-Fuhito・藤原不比等"、who held a huge power in the court at that time、his four sons also died one after another from smallpox.
As a result、the man named "Tachibana-no-Moroe・橘諸兄" became "Dainagon・大納言". (Dainagon the position of number four of the court.)
Due to this unexpected situation、the power of the Fujiwara clan、which was still a new power、was forced to retreat in the imperial court.
At that time、the only son of Emperor Shomu、who had gathered the anti-Fujiwara clan's expectations、suddenly died.
Of course、there was also the possibility of assassination.
In 748AD、"Genshou Dajou-ten-nou" died. 元正太上天皇
Dajou-ten-nou is the position name of the emperor abdicated.
And Genshou Dajou-ten-nou was a woman and the most powerful anti-Fujiwara clan.
After all、in the form of sharing the pain between the two、Emperor Shomu abdicated without waiting for the birth of a prince of the Fujiwara clan.
※Genshou is his older sister、and of course it is his child who died.
In 794AD、his daughter was enthroned as "Emperor Kouken・孝謙天皇".
And at this time、"Fuziwara-no-nakamaro・藤原仲麻呂" was appointed as Dainagon by an unconventional selection.
He had not been in the mainstream of the Fujiwara clan until then.
This is thought to be because all four sons of Fujiwara-no-Fuhito died.
At the same time、son of Tachibana-no-Moro became Sangi (参議・the sixth position).
As a natural consequence、Fujiwara clan and anti-Fujiwara clan、conflict between the two had became increasingly fierce.
