Shinto. Aston William George

12

The Shekinah was also associated with a divine radiance, or glory.

13

Mi mi (august body) in the names of others involves a more material conception of deity.

14

Corresponding to the mo acha, uncle of peace, and ski acha, rough uncle, of the Ainus.

15

Homer's άντός

16

Sakitake no Ben, 21.

17

See Index.

18

For deities of classes consult Dr. Tylor's 'Primitive Culture,' ii. 242.

19

"Laotze finit par n'être plus que le principe vital universel existant avant le ciel et la terre et qui s'est plu à chaque époque a se montrer sous les traits d'un personnage quelconque souvent des plus obscurs." – 'Religion de la Chine,' De Harlez.

20

See a paper on the Hi no maru (sun-circle) in the T. A. S. J., Nov. 8th, 1893.

21

Such as touching for scrofula or the assurance of fine weather.

22

The statements of Kaempfer, in his 'History of Japan,' regarding the sacred character of the Mikado's person cannot be depended on. His account of Shinto generally is grossly erroneous, or rather imaginary.

23

'Japan,' edited by Capt. Brinkley.

24

See Index, sub voce.

25

See Index-'Suha.'

26

'Evolution of Religion,' p. 239.

27

Fuku means good fortune.

28

See p. 27.

29

In Teutonic mythology the will-of-the-wisps are souls which have not attained heavenly peace.

30

See also Mr. Frazer's 'Golden Bough,' ii. 297.

31

The Stoics held that the world was not only animated and immortal, but likewise happy and round, because Plato says that that is the most perfect form.

32

Hirata denies this.

33

For full details of the construction of the Japanese dolmen, the reader may consult two admirable papers by Mr. W. Gowland, in the Japan Society's Transactions, 1897-8, and the Journal of the Society of Antiquaries, 1897.

34

"Blood, which is the life, is the food frequently offered to the dead… By a substitution of similars, it is considered sufficient to colour the corpse, or some part thereof, with some red substance taking the place thereof." – Jevons, 'Introduction to the History of Religion,' p. 52. But see Index-'Red.'

35

Some of these figures are still in existence, and one may be seen in the British Museum, where it constitutes the chief treasure of the Gowland Collection. The Uyeno Museum, in Tokio, also possesses specimens, both of men and horses.

36

"Rites, performed at graves, becoming afterwards religious rites performed at altars in temples, were at first acts done for the benefit of the ghost." – Herbert Spencer's 'Sociology,' ii. 8.

37

See an article by Mr. W. H. Lay in T. A. S. J., 1891.

38

"Comte ramenait toutes les religions à l'adoration de l'homme par l'homme. Comte, il est vrai, ne faisait pas de l'homme individuel l'objet du culte normal: il proposait à nos adorations l'homme en tant qu' espèce en tant qu' humanité et parvenait à deployer une véritable mysticité sur cette étroite base." – Reville, 'Prolegomena,' p. 26.

39

See Index-'Incest.'

40

In 'Japan,' edited by Capt. Brinkley.

41

Dr. Florenz, in his 'Japanische Mythologie,' says that Sui-tengū is a fusion of the Sumiyoshi Sea-Gods with the Indian Sea-God Sui-ten, that is, Varuna, subsequently identified with the youthful Emperor Antoku (who lost his life by drowning in 1185).

42

"The different peoples conceived and developed this divine hierarchy pari passu with their own approximation to political unity" (Goblet d'Alviella, Hibbert Lectures). Aristotle recognized the same principle.

43

"The symbol or permanent object, at and through which the worshipper came into direct contact with the God, was not lacking in any Semitic place of worship, but had not always the same form, and was sometimes a natural object, sometimes an artificial erection." – Robertson Smith, 'Religion of the Semites,' p. 160.

44

45

See Index-Sake no kami.

46

See Index-Naishidokoro.

47

In an official report by Mr. H. Risley he says that at the time of the spring equinox there is a festival (in India) called Sri Panchami, when it is incumbent on every religious-minded person to worship the implements or insignia of the vocation by which he lives.

48

P. 16.

49

See above, p. 12, and Index-'Dreams,'

50

See Dr. Tylor's 'Primitive Culture,' second edition, i. 285.

51

See 'Rig-veda,' x. 129, for a similar rationalistic dissertation on the origin of the universe. Here and below the italics indicate translations.

52

In Chinese, Yin and Yang. The Yin is the dark, negative, passive, feminine, and terrene principle; the Yang is light, positive, active, male, and celestial.

53

'Philosophy of Religion,' i. 269.

54

"Into human shape" is another version.

55

I shall usually omit this purely honorific addition to the names of Japanese Gods and sovereigns.

56

Hirata says that "the five generations of deities which in the Kojiki precede Izanagi and Izanami are only names descriptive of the successive stages of formation of these deities. Their functions are obscure, and they have no shrines or worship. They are unnecessary, as all that are required are two Gods for the creation of Heaven, two of Yomi and two of Earth."

57

There is a close association in Hebrew between the ideas of creation and begetting. Bara, create, and jalad, beget, are often interchanged.

58

See Index.

59

See Index.

60

It was deprived of this character soon after by order of the Mikado's Government, the only monument of the old cult left standing being Nantai (male form), a mountain which towers above Nikko to the height of 8,500 feet.

61

'Sociology,' ii. 177.

62

See Index, 'Circumambulation.' Also Simpson's 'Praying Wheel,' p. 285, and Jevons's 'Introduction to Religion,' p. 210. The corresponding Highland ceremony, called Deasil, is described in Sir Walter Scott's 'Fair Maid of Perth.' See also Brand's 'British Antiquities.'

63

I 324.