[Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems 2nd Half Notes / Handouts / Drafts] Hinduism - The Oldest religion in the world dates back 4000 years. - The term ‘Hinduism’ was coined in the first decades of the 19th century - The 3rd Largest Religion in the world with about 900 million followers where about 95 percent of them live in India - No specific founder - A compilation of various traditions and philosophies. Sacred Text: Vedas - ‘Knowledge’ in sanskrit. - Hinduism is also referred as Vaidika Dharma or “Religion of the Vedas” The two types of scriptures in Hindu Tradition: 1. Shruti / Sruti - “That which is heard” - Consists of: - Vedas - Rigveda (Wisdom of the Verses) - Yajurveda (Wisdom of the Sacrificial Formulas) - Samaveda (Wisdom of the Chants) - Atharvaveda (Wisdom of the Atharvan Priests) - Upanishads 2. Smiriti - “That which is remembered” Secondary Scriptures Considered to be of human origin Gives ordinary people access to the teachings of the vedas Consists of: - Mahabharata - Ramayana - Sharma shastras - Bhagavad Gita - Puranas Beliefs - They believe in the Trinity or Trimurthi: - Brahma - The creator - Vishnu - preserver - Shiva - Destroyer - Each of these deities has their own goddess consorts Brahman - The divine principle - The Absolute - The eternal, uncreated, and all-pervasive Reality that has no form and keeps the universe in existence. Doctrine of Atman (Atman): - Claims that there is a soul in each and every living creature - It is the Atman that transfers from body to body thru reincarnation - It is also the life principle or the essence of life itself - It is also connected to Brahman via the Brahman-Atman (Absolute Self) where it is believed that everything is connected to one another (since everything has a soul) and this is the reason why they are practicing Ahimsa or Non - Violence Karma - This means “Action”, specifically the consequences of one’s actions - The person’s actions will have consequences and thus will shape one’s future, either in this life or in the next. Samsara - The cycle of reincarnation/birth - death - rebirth - Also referred to as a wheel - A person who does good things will be reborn in the higher class of caste or vice versa. - The goal of the spiritual practice is to end the wheel of samsara. Basically, to stop being reincarnated. - Moksha: The liberation from the never-ending cycle of birth, death, and rebirth - Once you achieved Moksha, it unites with the Brahman Atman, the principle of all life in the universe. Caste System: 1. Bhramins - The highest in the hierarchy and are perceived to be the purest among all the castes. - Serves as ritual experts - Handles the Vedas and the ones who study extensively about them 2. Kshatriyas - Consists of Political rulers and warriors - The ones who administer justice and defend the territories 3. Vaishyas - Consists of economic specialists and merchants - Responsible for producing food and other goods 4. Shudras - Commonly labeled as “Untouchables” - Consists of manual laborers, including collecting trash and other stuff. Religious Practices and Rites Puja - The most common way of expressing worship for the followers of Hinduism Can be made in home altars or in the temples Suttee - Means “Good Woman” or “Chaste Wife” in sanskrit - the Indian custom of a wife immolating herself either on the funeral pyre of her dead husband or in some other fashion soon after his death. - The last known occurrence of this tradition was in September 4, 1987, by Roop Kanwar. Yoga - an important practice that helps them to be close to Brahman. The idea is that, through yoga, Hindus can reach God either as a personal god (called Vaikuntha) or as the God within humans (called antaryami). - it is something that Hindus have to work at over many years to be able to - do it successfully. There are four different types of yoga, and each one needs different qualities or skills. Hindus choose the type of yoga they want to practise depending on the stage they are at in their life, as they will require different things at different times. Types of Yoga: - Jnana yoga - A disciplined type of yoga that is done by Hindus who have given up worldly possessions and want to focus on trying to be in unity with God. They try to connect themselves and the world with Brahman. They study the Hindu holy books to understand Brahman in more depth. - Raja yoga - This is focused on antaryami, which means Brahman within humans. It is a meditation yoga that is mainly used by Hindu holy men, who complete mantras to focus on Brahman. - Karma yoga - This type of yoga is about focusing on doing good things around you and helping others. The idea is to try not to focus on the material objects in life and instead focus on the spiritual. Doing good things will gain a person good karma and therefore help towards achieving moksha. - Bhakti yoga - This type of yoga is about worship and showing God love and devotion. This might be done through prayer to an image of a deity in the shrine at home. Hindus want to make it clear to Brahman that the most important being is Brahman. Bhakti yoga is about showing this through worship. ================================================================== Buddhism - It is founded by Siddharta Gautama (563 - 483 BCE) - According to the legend, he was a prince who renounced his position and wealth and position to live a life of a spiritual Ascetic. - Born in Lumbini (Modern-day Nepal) where the most dominant religion during that time is Hinduism. - According to the Buddhist texts, a prophecy was given at Siddhartha’s birth that he can become either a powerful king or a great spiritual leader. - In fear that he might go on the latter route when he was exposed to the sufferings of the world, the king protected him from seeing or experiencing anything unpleasant or upsetting for the first 29 years of his life. - Siddharta sneaked out one time and he saw the four signs: An Aged Man, A Sick Man, A dead man, and A religious Ascetic. - During the next 6 years, he practiced meditation and finally found enlightenment when he meditated for 49 days under the Tree of Awakening, which is the Bodhi Tree. - Once he achieved enlightenment, he spread his teachings for the next 45 years. - He became the “Buddha” or the Enlightened One. Sacred text: - Tripitaka - Means “Three Baskets” in Sanskrit. - Also known as “Pali Canon” which was named after its language of composition. - It falls into 3 general groupings: - Vinaya Pitaka - The code of ethics to be obeyed by the monks and nuns. - Invented on a day-to-day basis as the Buddha encountered various behavior problems with the monks. - This means, “Basket of Discipline” - Sutra Pitaka - Means, “Basket of Threads”. - Consists primarily of accounts of the Buddha’s teachings. - It has numerous subdivisions, which contain more than 10,000 sutras. - Abhidharma Pitaka: - A collection of texts that give a systematic philosophical description of the nature of mind, matter, and time. - This means “Basket of Special Doctrines”. Beliefs: - The Four Noble Truths - In Sanskrit - “Chatvari - arya - satyani” - The term “Four Noble Truths” is a misleading translation of the original term. - A more accurate translation would be “Four truths for the [spiritually] noble” - The truths: - Duhkha (“Suffering” in Sanskrit) - The characteristics of existence in the realm of rebirth called “Samsara”. - - Pleasures, do not represent lasting happiness. They are inevitably tied in with the suffering since we suffer from wanting them, wanting them to continue and wanting pain to go so pleasure can come. - Samudaya (“Desire” or “Craving” in Sanskrit) - It is the cause of suffering. - the causes of suffering are understood as stemming from negative actions (e.g., killing, stealing, and lying) and the negative mental states that motivate negative actions (e.g., desire, hatred, and ignorance). - the mental state of ignorance refers to an active misconception of the nature of things: seeing pleasure where there is pain, beauty where there is ugliness, permanence where there is impermanence, and self where there is no self. - suffering is caused by craving—for sense pleasures and for things to be as they are not. We refuse to accept life as it is. - Cessation of Suffering - Commonly Called as Nirvana - The end of Suffering and the state where the cycle of reincarnation ends. - Marga (“Path” in Sanskrit) - The path to the cessation of Suffering. - A means to ending the cycle of reincarnation and attaining the state of Nirvana via the Eight-fold path. The Eight-fold Path - In Sanskrit, it is called “Astangika Marga” - Accurately translates as “Eightfold Path of the Spiritually Noble” - This is also divided into 3 sections which are called the Threefold Way - Ethics - Right Action - behaving in a skillful way and not harming others - Right speech - speaking truthfully - Right livelihood - earning a living in a way that doesn’t cause suffering or harm to others - Meditation - Right mindfulness - being aware of yourself and the emotions of others - Right effort - putting effort into meditation and positive emotions - Right concentration - developing focus so that you are able to meditate - Wisdom - Right view/understanding - remembering that actions have consequences) - Right intention - being clear about following the Buddhist path Samsara - Also referred to as Wheel of Life - In Buddhism, samsara refers to the process of cycling through one rebirth after another within the six realms of existence, where each realm can be understood as either a physical realm or a psychological state characterized by a particular type of suffering. Samsara arises out of avidya (ignorance) and is characterized by dukkha (suffering, anxiety, dissatisfaction). - Usage of this concept in Pop Culture - The 6 Paths of Pain (from Naruto) - Divided into 6 realms, 3 which are higher and 3 which are lower - God realm (Deva realm) - the gods lead long and enjoyable lives full of pleasure and abundance, but they spend their lives pursuing meaningless distractions and never think to practice the dharma. When death comes to them, they are completely unprepared; without realizing it, they have completely exhausted their good karma (which was the cause for being reborn in the god realm) and they suffer through being reborn in the lower realms. - Demi-god realm (asura realm) - the demi-gods have pleasure and abundance almost as much as the gods, but they spend their time fighting among themselves or making war on the gods. When they make war on the gods, they always lose, since the gods are much more powerful. The demi-gods suffer from constant fighting and - - - - jealousy, and from being killed and wounded in their wars with each other and with the gods. Human realm (manuṣya realm) - humans suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, cold, separation from friends, being attacked by enemies, not getting what they want, and getting what they don't want. They also suffer from the general sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Yet the human realm is considered to be the most suitable realm for practicing the dharma because humans are not completely distracted by pleasure (like the gods or demi-gods) or by pain and suffering (like the beings in the lower realms). Animal realm (tiryak realm) - animals operate on the instinctual level. They are not capable of rational thought or logic; therefore they are unable to reflect on their situation or practice the dharma. Many wild animals suffer from being attacked and eaten by other animals. Many domestic animals suffer from being used as beasts of burden, from being slaughtered for food, and so on. Hungry ghost realm (preta realm) - hungry ghosts suffer from extreme hunger and thirst. They wander constantly in search of food and drink, only to be miserably frustrated any time they come close to actually getting what they want. For example, they see a stream of pure, clear water in the distance, but by the time they get there the stream has dried up. Hungry ghosts have huge bellies and long thin necks. On the rare occasions that they do manage to find something to eat or drink, the food or water burns their neck as it goes down to their belly, causing them intense agony. Hell realm (naraka realm) - hell beings endure unimaginable suffering for eons of time. There are actually eighteen different types of hells, each inflicting a different kind of torment. In the hot hells, beings suffer from unbearable heat and continual torments of various kinds. In the cold hells, beings suffer from unbearable cold and other torments [note to teacher: pls add the actual samsara wheel sa buddhism and also the Naruto References] Mahayana Buddhism - The Largest Buddhist Sect in the world. - They believed that other people can become Buddha too, in the sense that they can also become enlightened beings. - - Some of these buddhas attained “divine status” and currently staying in the heavenly realms. Bodhisattvas - These are enlightened beings who already reached nirvana but chose to stay with other people to help them guide to reach the state of enlightenment. They believed that there are other paths on the way to Attaining Nirvana, aside from meditation, especially by doing good things and doing chants. Theravada Buddhism - Also known as the “Doctrine of the Elders” - They are the ones that strictly follow the original design of Siddharta Gautama’s teachings - The only one that they recognize as the actual enlightened being (or Buddha) is Gautama. - Meditation is the only way to attain enlightenment - Each one has their own way of attaining enlightenment and Buddha only showed the way. Zen Buddhism - One example of Buddhism that is under the banner of Mahayana Buddhism - A mixture of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism - The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought or language. - In Zen Buddhism, all of us are Buddhas, and all we have to do is just “look inside” for answers. - There is no need for outside factors in order to look for these answers. - Thru meditation, we are controlling our minds to let go of any rational thoughts. Practices and rites The Five Moral Precepts: - Refrain from taking life - Not killing any living being Refrain from taking what is not given - Do not steal Refrain from the misuse of the senses - Not having too much sensual pleasure - Refrain from wrong speech - Not lying or gossiping Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind - Not drinking alcohol or taking drugs, as these do not help you to think clearly Buddhist Festivals / Holidays: - Wesak - Wesak is commonly celebrated in May. It is the Buddhist festival that celebrates the birth of the Buddha. Wesak also commemorates the three major events in the Buddha’s life, which were his birth, his enlightenment, and his death. It is also known as Buddha Day. - Wesak is celebrated in several ways, including by releasing paper lanterns. This symbolizes the light to the path of enlightenment through overcoming the darkness of ignorance. - Parinirvana Day - Usually linked to Wesak since it commemorates Buddha’s death. - It is commonly celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists on 15 February and it commemorates when the Buddha achieved final nirvana - Parinirvana Day is a more reflective festival than Wesak as it allows Buddhists the opportunity to think about their own immortality and death. Mahayana Buddhists may go on a pilgrimage to Kushinagar. This is believed by many Buddhists to be the site of the Buddha’s death. When Buddhists go to Kushinagar, they visit the temple and give thanks to the Buddha. ================================================================== Taoism - Also spelled as Daoism - It started as a philosophy as “DaoChia” which was prevalent in 300 BCE while the religious form of it appeared as “DaoChiao” which emerged after 100 CE. - It is said that Taoism is founded by Lao Tzu (spelled as Laozi) whose original name is Li Erh and was born in the Chu Kingdom around 571 BCE. - The very existence of Lao Tzu is being questioned among scholars if Lao Tzu really exists as well as his authorship to Tao Te Ching (spelled as Dao De Jing). Sacred Text - Tao Te Ching - Also spelled as Daodejing - It is translated as “Classic of the way of power” - It was first used during the Han Dynasty (206-220 CE) - It contains the core beliefs of Taoism Beliefs - Dao (“Way” in Chinese) - Dao, in a sense, is undefinable. It has no form - It is the source of everything and manifests through everything - Can be understood to mean both the “way of nature” and the “way of life” - Dao can be also described as the “way of the universe” 無爲 - Wu Wei ( ) - Non-action - This does not mean that a person should not do anything but rather act spontaneously according to the rhythm of nature. - According to Tao Te Ching: ‘The Way never acts yet nothing is left undone’. - It means, “Effortless action” or “actionless action” - It means being at peace while engaged in the most frenetic tasks so that one can carry these out with maximum skill and efficiency. - Qi (or Ch’i) - The Taoist principle of life force - This is the force that binds all things in the universe. - Daoists aim to prolong and enhance their qi for longevity - There are many kinds of qi that are found everywhere, such as: - Yuan qi / Ancestral qi - the qi that we have since we are born that is found in the human body - Hou Tain Qi / Postnatal Qi - the qi that we get from food, air, and water. - Wei qi / protective Qi - the qi that flows on the surface of the body - Yin Qi - One of the two most fundamental forms of qi that represents feminine energy. - - Yang Qi - One of the two most fundamental forms of qi that represents masculine energy. Yin - Yang - It is the idea that there is a duality in everything. - the principle of natural and complementary forces, patterns and things that depend on one another and do not make sense on their own. - Yin and Yang does not contribute as Good vs Evil, rather, these are opposites that fit together seamlessly and work in perfect harmony. - Yin represents the earth, femaleness, darkness, passivity, and absorption. It is present in even numbers, in valleys and streams, and is represented by the tiger, the colour orange, and a broken line. - Yang Represents the heaven, maleness, light, activity, and penetration. It is present in odd numbers, in mountains, and is represented by the dragon, the colour azure, and an unbroken line. Beliefs and Practices - Feng Shui - It means “The way of wind and water” - The ancient Chinese art of arranging buildings, objects, and space in an environment to achieve harmony and balance. - The purpose of Feng Shui is to enable you to tap the beneficial Ch’i energy to the maximum, in order to disperse, disrupt, or remove obstructions to free the flow of Ch’i. - One of the tools that are used in this practice is the Bagua map ( bāguàtú) which is an octagon-shaped energy map that consists of eight areas around a center. It functions as an energy grid that is used as a blueprint to design floor plans for any sort of space. 图 - ⼋卦 Martial Arts - Some of the martial arts that are derived from the teachings of Taoism aim to enhance the flow of Ch’i through the body. - The Purpose of martial arts is to aid in the process of internal alchemical process which is called the Neigong and to ward off bandits as a form of self-defense. - Tai Chi - Translates into “supreme ultimate fist” - This is also well-known as a form of exercise. - - - - As an exercise, tai chi is designed to provide relaxation in the process of body-conditioning exercise and it employs flowing, rhythmic, deliberate movements, with carefully prescribed stances and positions. It is also characterized by relaxed, circular movements that work in concert with breath regulation and the cultivation of a righteous and neutral mind. Tai Chi is believed to be inspired by one of the stories of Zhang Sanfeng, a 13th century monk at Wudang Mountain where he witnessed a battle between a crane and a snake where neither of the two are in complete advantage. And during this battle, he realized that one cannot always rely on superior force to win a battle; rather, the best way to overcome an attacker is to save one’s energy and not fight at all Tai Chi in Popular Culture - Water Bending in “Avatar” series. - Xing Yi Quan - Literally translates to “Form-intention boxing” - This was created way back in Song Dynasty in China by General Yu Fei and is based on spear fighting - It emphasizes internal movement within external stillness. Practicing Xing Yi trains the practitioner to actualize the instinctive, hair-trigger reactions of the human body in direct, powerful movements. - Xing Yi Quan focuses on natural, integrated movement, whole-body breathing, and the movement of Qi (vital energy), rather than external techniques. - Xing Yi Quan in Popular Culture - It is one of the fighting styles that are the basis for Air Bending in the “Avatar” series, one example of this is through Zaheer and Tenzin (from the “Legend of Korra”) - Baguazhang - Also known as the “Eight trigram palm” - It is considered to be the most circular and spiraling system of Chinese martial arts. Its defining characteristic is constant movement and change, and the ability to fight while being on the move. - - The outstanding feature of baguazhang practice is circle walking. Common features of Baguazhang training are continuous motion, circular footwork, circular or spiraling body motion, complex internal mechanics, and fa-jin (power release). Baguazhang in Popular culture - It is one of the fighting syles that are the basis for Air Bending in the “Avatar” series and also is seen through the “gentle fist” fighting style of the Hyuuga Clan in “Naruto” Influence of Buddhism on Taoism - Buddhism entered China around the 3rd century BCE - Buddhism helped Taoism in order to become an organized religion which is evident in the establishment of Cha’n Buddhism which upholds beliefs from the Philosophical Taoism - Some of the deities from Buddhism are adopted in Taoism and vice versa. - Buddhism and Taoism coexist in harmony. ======================================================== Shintoism - Literally means “way of the gods” - It is derived from the two words: Shin meaning kami or gods and to meaning path or way. - It is the ancient religion of Japan - It started as early as 1000 BCE. - The term is used to differentiate themselves from Buddhism which came to japan in the 6th century CE - It is nature-centric and it does not recognize any book as authoritative scriptures, focusing instead on temple worship and the maintenance of the beauty of nature. - It is divided into 3 main divisions: - Jinja Shinto - Also known as the Shrine Shinto - This is the conventional/mainstream Shinto worship in government-registered shrines throughout japan. - There are 22 shrines that are considered to be the most important shrines which are divided into 3 sections: Jo (the upper 7), Chu (the middle seven) and Ge (the lower 8). - Kyoha Shinto - Groups and sects that are not affiliated with the government recognized - shrines. - They tend to emphasize certain beliefs and practices that are not in line with Jinja Shinto. - Tsuzoku Shinto - They are localized groups that are not institutionalized, unlike the other 2 divisions. - Some practices are hybrids of Shinto and folk rituals as well as influences of Buddhist and Confucian teachings in these tsuzoku groups. Sacred Text - They don’t have any actual sacred text that functions like the Bible or Quran. These two pieces of literature are considered “holy” and contain myths and traditional teachings that had been passed down orally. - Kojiki - Translated as “records of ancient matters” - It is compiled from an oral tradition from 712 CE - It is an important sourcebook for ceremonies, customs, divination, and magical practices of ancient Japan. It includes myths, legends, and historical accounts of the imperial court from the earliest days of its creation up to the reign of Empress Suiko. - Most of the beliefs in Shintoism are derived from interpretations of the myths that came from Kojiki. - Nihon-gi - Also known as Nihon Shoki - Translated as “Chronicles of Japan” - It reflects the influence of Chinese civilization on Japan. It was compiled in 720 CE by order of the imperial court to give the newly Sinicized court a history that could be compared with the annals of the Chinese. - It consists of 30 chapters. The first part deals with many myths and legends of ancient Japan and is an important source for Shintō thought. The later chapters, for the period from about the 5th century on, are historically more accurate and contain records of several of the politically powerful clans as well as of the imperial family. Beliefs - Creation Myth: - Before the formation of the world, three primal kami came into existence, which collectively known as Kotoamatsukami. These gods are Amenominakanushi, Takamimusubi and Kamimusubi. - There are seven generations have passed after the Kotoamatsukami first existed, Izanagi and Izanami came into existence. - Izanagi and Izanami was ordered by the prior generations of Kami to bring order and chaos on the world so they gave the pair the divine jewelled spear called Ama no Nuboko. - They poked once on the chaos that was on them below and once they lifted the spear, a drop fell from it and it became the island of Onogoro - They decided to have children there by circling the Heavenly August Pillar and once they met on the center point, they should be greeting each other. Izanami greeted Izanagi first and after the ritual was done, they later on gave birth to Hiruko. - Hiruko is without limbs and boneless so they put them on a boat and abandoned it at sea. - They tried the second time but it also failed. They asked the elder kami for some advice and they told that Izanagi should greet first. They followed their advice and it became successful and resulted to the birth of the islands that consisted of Japan today. - Izanagi gave birth to other Kami but she was later burned to death because of her birth to Kagutsuchi, the Kami of Fire. This resulted to grief and in his state of grief, death and sorrow entered the world and more kami emerged along the process. Izanagi killed Kagutsuchi because of rage. - Izanagi went to Land of the Dead called Yomi, and there she met Izanami. Izanagi convinced Izanami to go back but she is not allowed to do so because she already ate while she is in the place. - Izanami told Izanagi that she will ask the resident if she can leave the place but Izanami never returned after a day of waiting so Izanagi went inside the mansion. Izanagi was horrified at the decaying state of Izanami where other Kami came out of it like the Thunder Kami. - - - - - - Izanagi fled out of terror but was chased by the Kami living in the underworld and was successfully sealed Izanami by using a rock. Izanami later on became the Kami of the dead named Yomotsu. Izanagi took a bath in the sea to purify himself after his exposure to the dead. Three Kamis were born in this scene: Amaterasu (the Sun goddess) was born after he washed his left eye, Tsukiyomi (the moon god) after he washed his right eye, and Susanoo (the god of storm) after he washed his nose. There is a story between Amaterasu and Susannoo wherein Susanoo got mad when Izanagi gave Amaterasu the authority to rule the land to the point that Susanoo was banished from Heaven. When Amaterasu heard the news, she sulked and hid into a cave resulting to complete darkness. The kami had a party during which a female kami did a sexy dance outside the cave, which make them all laugh. Amaterasu came out of the cave to see what the jollity was about. The other kami grabbed her and persuaded her to take her proper place in the cosmos. Amaterasu had descendants that later on become the Japanese Imperial family starting from Ninigi no Mikoto. Jimmu Tenno, the first Japanese emperor is said to came from the same family heritage as well. 神 Kami ( ) ) and can also mean - Can also mean “Hair” if the kanji used is ( “Paper” if the kanji used is ( ) - Although it is commonly used now to mean ‘god’, the closest meaning for this term is actually a spirit. - It also includes other forces of nature, both good and evil, which, because of their superiority or divinity, become objects of reverence and respect. - Other notable Kami: - Okoninushi - a descendant of Susanoo, he is the god of agriculture and medicine. - Inari - god of good business / god of successful business. This Kami usually associated with the kitsune fox. - Hachiman - god of war - Kaminari - god of thunder - Fujin - god of wind - Tenjin - the kami of literature and calligraphy - Aki-Bime - the kami of Autumn. 紙 髪 - Ame-no-Koyane - The god of rituals and maps Practices and Rites - Matsuri - The general term used to mean “festival” - It may vary according to the shrine, the deity or sacred power (kami) worshipped, and the purpose and occasion of the ceremony and often are performed in accordance with traditions of great antiquity. - It generally falls into two parts: A solemn ritual followed by a joyous celebration. - Tenjin Matsuri - It is considered to be one of the three great matsuris in Japan alongside Gion and Kanda Matsuri. - This festival started way back in 10th century and is celebrated every July 24th and 25th. - It is the festival of the Tenmangu Shrine and honors its principle deity Sugawara Michizane, the deity of scholarship. The festival begins by ceremonially inviting the deity out of the shrine and parading him through the city, carrying out various exuberant festivities to entertain him, before taking him back to the shrine. - Gion Matsuri - The festival of Yasaka Shrine, is the most famous festival in Japan. It takes place over the entire month of July. There are many different events, but the grand procession of floats (Yamaboko Junko) on July 17 is particularly spectacular. Very enjoyable are also the festive evenings preceding the procession (Yoiyama). - The Gion Matsuri began in 869 CE as a way to appease the gods during an epidemic. Every year, as per tradition, a local boy is chosen as a sacred messenger to the gods. From July 13 until the first parade ends on July 17, he sits on one of the many elaborate floats and his feet never touch the ground. - Kanda Matsuri - It is celebrated every mid-may and it is practiced since the Edo Period (1603-1867) - - - - The full version of the festival takes place only in odd-numbered years, while a highly simplified "shadow festival" is held in even-numbered years without attracting the attention of tourists. The Kanda Festival consists of numerous events held over an entire week, but the main action usually happens over the weekend closest to May 15. The highlights are a day-long procession through central Tokyo on Saturday, and parades of portable shrines (mikoshi) by the various neighborhoods on Sunday. The Kanda Matsuri is the festival of the Kanda Myojin Shrine which enshrines three deities: Daikokuten, the god of good harvest and matrimony; Ebisu, the god of fishermen and businessmen; and Taira Masakado, a feudal lord of the 10th century who was revered and deified. Over the years, the Kanda Festival came to be a celebration for the wealth and good fortune of the people. Omairi - The act of visiting shrines Harae - It is a ritual performed to rid a person or an object of impurity (kegare). Purification rituals can take many forms, including a prayer from a priest, cleansing by water or salt, or even a mass purification of a large group of people. Kagura - Kagura is a type of dance used to pacify and energize kami, particularly those of recently deceased people. It also is directly related to Japan’s origin story, when kami danced for Amaterasu, the kami of the sun, to coax her out of hiding to restore light to the universe. Like much else in Shinto, the types of dances vary from community to community.
