Chapter 3

THE KOJIKI AND ITS TEACHINGS, PAGE 59

Origin of the Kojiki. Analysis of its opening lines--Norito.--Indecency of the myths of the Kojiki.--Modern rationalistic interpretations--Life in prehistoric Japan.--Character and temperament of the people then and now.--Character of the kami or gods.--Hades.--Ethics.--The Land of the Gods.--The barbarism of the Yamato conquerors an improvement upon the savagery of the aborigines.--Cannibalism and human sacrifices.--The makers of the God-way captured and absorbed the religion of the aborigines.--A case of syncretism.--Origin of evil in bad gods.--Pollution was sin.--Class of offences enumerated in the norito.--Professor Kumi's contention that Mikadoism usurped a simple worship of Heaven.--Difference between the ancient Chinese and ancient Japanese cultus.--Development of Shintō arrested by Buddhism.--Temples and offerings.--The tori-i.--Pollution and purification.--Prayer.--Hirata's ordinal and specimen prayers.--To the common people the sun is a god.--Prayers to myriads of gods.--Summary of Shintō.--Swallowed up in the Riyōbu system.--Its modern revival.--Kéichin.--Kada Adzumarō.--Mabuchi, Motoöri.--Hirata.--In 1870, Shintō is again made the state religion.--Purification of Riyōbu temples.--Politico-religious lectures.--Imperial rescript.--Reverence to the Emperor's photograph.--Judgment upon Shintō.--The Christian's ideal of Yamato-damashii.