$JES 911 Essence of World Religions Reference Book

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Essence of World Religions
Goals The primary goal of Shinto is to achieve a proper relationship (known as Kämi) with the ancestral beings. The Kämi is supernatural holy powers living in or connected to the world of the spirit. All living things can be Kämi. The human's nature is the highest for he possesses the most Kämi. Path of Attainment The proper relationship with ancestral beings is achieved in Shinto through observance of all taboos and the avoidance of such people and objects that might cause impurity or pollution. Prayers are made and offerings brought to the temples of the gods and goddesses, of which there are said to be a myriad of 800 in the universe. Man has no supreme God to obey, but only needs to know how to adjust to Kämi in its various manifestations. A person's Kämi (nature) survives death, and a man naturally desires to be worthy of being remembered with approbation by his descendants. Therefore, fulfillment of duties is a most important aspect of Shinto.
Synopsis In the Chinese language, the word Shinto (Shin and Tao) signifies the way of the spirits or gods. It is called Kämi no michi in its native Japanese. The Kämi are innumerable Japanese deities that may be thought of as full fledged gods (such as the sun goddess Amaterasu, from whom the imperial family is said to descend); the divinized souls of great people (warriors, leaders, poets, scholars); the ancestral divinities of clans (Uji); the spirits of specific places, often of natural beauty (woods, trees, springs, rocks, mountains); or more abstractly, the forces of nature (fertility, growth, production). Shinto shrines are over 100,000 in Japan. Kami are generally worshiped at shrines (Jinja) which are established in their honor. Worshipers will pass under a sacred arch (Torii) which helps demarcate the sacred area of the shrine. They will then purify themselves by washing their hands and rinsing their mouths, approach the shrine itself, make an offering, call on the deity, and utter a silent prayer. Fresh food, water, and incense are offered daily upon the altar. Special times for worship include important events like birth, youth, and marriage and festival dates (Matsuris)
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