A Handbook of Modern JapanClement, Ernest W. (Ernest Wilson)
History
A Handbook of Modern Japan
Clement, Ernest W. (Ernest Wilson)
Japan
One element of the strong hold which Buddhism had and has upon the
people, even upon the educated classes, is the fact that so many
cemeteries have been and are connected with Buddhist temples. It used
to be a frequent saying that a Japanese was a Shintōist in life and a
Buddhist in death; because, though he may never have espoused Buddhism,
he might be laid away in his grave according to Buddhist ceremonies
in a Buddhist temple and a Buddhist graveyard. But this control of
the cemeteries seems to be passing out of Buddhist hands into the
care of the local civil authorities. And this secularization, if it
may be so called, of the graveyards not only abolishes the Buddhist
monopoly, but also takes away from the priests the golden opportunity
of extorting immense fees. The Buddhist control of cemeteries has
often been a source of great embarrassment to Christians, who were
frequently compelled to bury their dead under Buddhist auspices. But
there have lately been cases where no objection was made to the burial
of Christians with Christian rites in a Buddhist graveyard.
This is, perhaps, the most suitable place to devote just a few words
to those sects which are comparatively modern in their origin, and
are so composite in their doctrine that they cannot be classed under
either Shintō or Buddhism. Indeed, they even show traces, though
perhaps slight, of Christian teaching; and they all agree in the
one doctrine of faith healing. These are _Remmon-kyō_ (Doctrine of
the Lotus-Gate),[161] _Kurozumi-kyō_ (Doctrine of Kurozumi, name of
founder),[162] and _Tenrikyō_ (Doctrine of Heavenly Reason).[163]
The first and the last were founded by ignorant peasant women, and
win adherents mostly among the lowest classes. The first seems more
Buddhist than Shintō; the second seems more Shintō than Buddhist; while
the third is the one which shows most plainly traces of Christian
influence. In _Kurozumi-kyō_, the Sun-goddess is the chief object of
devotion, because the founder was healed by worshipping the rising sun.
_Tenrikyō_ is growing rapidly, and is exclusive and intolerant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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