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Cultural Relations Between India & Japan
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as Shintoism, the national cult of Japan. I an happy to state that there exists a close affinity between some of the basic teachings of Japan's ancient teachers and the venerable teachers of this country. This affinity in the religious and cultural ideals of India and Japan have brought out the existing unity and cordial relations in our way of life and national aspirations in the post-war world,
Let me cite below two dictums of the ancient teachers of Japan representing our Yamato culture. These sayings are from KOJIKI. an old work containing some of the teachings of Japan's ancient masters:
"Nothing in all the world calls for such gratitude as sincereity.
Through oneness in Sincereity, the men of the four seas are brothers". "All men (all within the four seas) are brothers. All rece.
ive the blessings of heaven. The sufferings of those are
my sufferings; the good of those arə my good”. The above utterances of Muniteda, one of the foremost teachers of the Yamato culture are probably 3000 years old. They contain the essential teachings of all that is noble and best in Jainism and Buddhism. Needless to say, the close affinity that exists between the teachings of Mahavira, Buddha and those of Japan's ancient teachers will be apparent to all students of world religions.
It will be interesting to know some more important aspects of the Japanese culture because of its close affinity with Indian culture, Before Buddhism was introduced in Japan, our ancestors followed Shintoism or the "Ways of the Gods” The main tenets of our national cult are ancestor worship, paying homage to the rulers of the land and to cultivate the spirit of patriotism, The Shinto rituals included animal sacrifice to the deities and the spirits of the dead. Another noteworthy feature of the Japanese culture was the Bushido or the “ Ways of the Knights." The rules of the knights are many, but the most important are the "ten ways of a gentleman or Samurai.'' These rules are, namely, self-control, wisdom, charity, justice, courage, benevolence, politness, honour, loyalty and love of learning. The main objective of Bushido was to make everyone an ideal man,' the 'perfect
