The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-27
THE RELIGION OF JAPAN
Origin and Progress OF Buddhism.


number of Hours al Home What is known as
the Shnto faith" was the only religion OF the
Japanese for centuries, II was Indigenous and
peculiar to the japanese, and accounts in
metaphorical way for the creation of man and
OF the universe. The Shintos do not believe in
future state of eternal punishment, and genes
rally are optimiss. They believe in feasting
.rather than in fasting; and their only serious
religious Observance is that of making pilgrim
ages, Their temples are always placed in the
most attractive aGG picturesque spots the ap-
pToaches to which are tree-lined avenues, with
impressive entrance gates. At the great religious
festival no Buddhist Is allowed to approach,
except in the guise of layman. On their pill,
gilmages strict abstinence is observed from
everything unclean or impure but at the close
OF these services they indulge In all manner of
eXcesses.
In the year 2S5 Vain, disciple of Confucus,
obtained permission to visit japan, under pre-
text of seeking remedy for a disease under
which the Chinese Emperor was suffering, but
really to escape from his tyranny. He was well
| received at the japanese Court, and taught the
| doctrines OF Confucius SO efectualy that the
Mikado became convert, and his example was
| largely followed. Considerable tracts of land
| were given as endowments iu various parts of
| the empire, which were apportioned as "liv-
| ingsn by members OF the Mlkado family. So
scrupulous were they in the Observance of the
| precepts OF Contucius, that when the Mlkado
| died, the two heirs to the throne, whose claims
| were best, refused the succession, in obedience
| to the rule that when the right to a thing or
place is disputed each must refuse iD Difference
10 Tue OtDeT. AIteI luFeo years OF ueIay, Que OIL
| the heirs kindly terminated the controversy by
| committing suicide. The Shintos, happy in
| the beliet OF their epicuresn doctrines, made no
violent opposition to those OF Contucfus.
The in 1oduction of Buddhism was, however,
| attended With difficulties. Thewriter' ys:-
| The date-at which this took place, aud the
| attending circumstances of the event, we find
| given with much precision and considerable
detail in the national records. In 5l2 A. D., the
| peninsula of Corea was visited by terrible
| famine. In the universal distress, the seed
| usually reserved for the ensuing crop was con-
| sumed, and the land consequently without
| means of reproducing the necessaries of life.
| The hiksdo hearing of this, sent to the Coreans
| several thousand bushels OF wheat as seed. AS
an expression OF gratitude for this imperial
munihcence, the afflicted people sent an en-
| bassy to the Mkado, with the most costly and
precious relic their country possessed, viz,
| brought from India the birthplace of the sacred
| person it represented. Accompanying them
| was u corps of missionaries and teachers, with
books and all the paraphernalla OF Buddhistic
| worship.
"Ro.re-tinna, of the thirty second dynasty,
| was on the tho one, and he Immediately called a
council OF state to deliberate and decide upon
| the proprIety of accepting so novel a return for
his wheat. These deIioerations amounted to
| this:-lt two such ancient and great nations as
India and China have adopted the religion and
worship Of Buddha, is ii not consistent for us TO
| give the subject at least our earnest considera-
| ton! At the close OF the conference division
OF opinion was found to eXist-Iuama and
| Moria, the two principal ministers of his
Majesty, taking opposite sides. An earnest
! appeal from Morta III favor of their national
religion and the gross and wicked heresy of
abandoning the creators of their country and
progenitors of their race, carried the council
and lnama was told tnat if he wished to adopt
the foreign faith he could do go, but it could not
| become the religion of the court or country.
Upon this he took the golden Buddha, built
temple, and placing 1t upon the altar, sttuted
for the first time idoatrouS worship IN Japan.
Being thorough convert to Buddhism, his zeal
| for its establishment only increased with oppo-
| sition. Having great influence at court, he at
once began to use 1t to strengthen his position
and overthrow his opponents. Unscrupulous as
to the means he r:sorted at first to the dagger of
the assassin and lastly to the massacre of hun
dIeds who opposed his work of apostasy, among
at court, he succeeded, after several years of In-
cessant effort, in placing on the throne Mlkado
who had been imbued with the Buddhist faith
| The zeal of this Mikado was quite equal to that
of lnama's; but he soon abdicated the throne
took the prlestly robes, and devoted his life,
| revenue, and influence to the building up OF the
faith OF nj! adoption. During, his reign, and
through his labors, the number of temples
erected 10 the worship OF Buddha amounted to
46, the priests to 8l6 and the nuns to 500.
This was the condition of Buddhism in
Japan in ga A. d., or seventy.two years after
the presentation OF the golden Buddha by
the Coreans. From that time forward the wor-
ship of the great mass of the japanese may be
considered as essentially Buddhist, nothing
having arisen TO check in any way its steady
advance, until the country was discovered by
The Portuguese, and the Jesuits and Franciscan
monks entered upon their missionary labors in
the year 1919"
There are no other evidences that up to the
time of the immigration of the Portuguese there
was anything like union between Church and
State, which began in 1904 with the present
dynasty OF TOng.en 'sama An Imperial edict
was promulgated about this time, requiring
every subject TO register himself as Buddhist.
Especial efforts were made TO crush out Roman
Catholicism, but it is believed that there are
large numbers to this day who cherish secretly
the doctrines of that faith.
For two hundred years Buddhism has made
no real progress. The Tycoon, even, worships
the Shinto divinities. The priests are as class,
ignorant, bigoted, lazy, and llcentious," and
come mainly IRON the lower classes and from
among those who seek the sacerdotal profession
as an escape from the consequences of some
crime. The mountain priests are little more
than begPars. The Buddhist priests are not
allowed 10 eat flesh or meat, and have generally
a slckly appearance.
The description VIC have used concludes as
follows:-
'The forms and ceremonies OF Buddhistic wor.
ship as practised by the japanese consist in the
repetition of set forms of prayer, which, with
their religious works aud liturgy are written in
q strange language (Tati and Sanscrit); in pros
tration before the image of their goldman
Buddha, towards which they bow their head on
passing; in set sermons OF eXhOrtation TO the
people; IN iasts, religious professions, and pill
gImages; in self.denlal, modification of the
flesh, and external forms of purity, in prayers
for the dead and sale of merits. The temple
worship is conducted by several priests, who
ofllciate in turn, or together. They wear white
robes with gold and silver trimmings, which are
changed frequently, and are assisted by small
boys, also robed, who tmkle bells at certain
points in the ceremony.
''The congregation chant IN unison with the