=Buddhist Rites=.--The performance of Buddhist rites incapacitated a man from the service of the Shinto Gods until he had been subjected to purification. For an infringement of this rule, Shinto functionaries might be fined or dismissed. The use of Buddhist terms was forbidden to every one concerned in the Shinto ceremonies at Ise and Kamo. A Sutra was called "tinted paper," Buddha the "middle child," a Buddhist temple a "tile roof." Buddhist priests and nuns were ironically styled the "long-haired ones." At Ise Buddhist priests were not admitted to the sacred precincts beyond a certain cryptomeria tree. A separate place was assigned them for their prayers. Other words of ill omen were "death," for which "recovery" was used; for "disease" the participant in a Shinto festival said "rest"; for "weeping," "brine-dripping"; for "blood," "sweat"; for "strike," "stroke"; for "flesh," "mushroom"; for "tomb," "clod," &c. These are later inventions. =Calamities=.--We learn from the Ohoharahi that snakebite, being struck by lightning, and other accidents were regarded as _tsumi_, or sources of impurity. At a later time, a fire which destroyed a man's house made him unclean for seven days. Any neglect or irregularity in the divine services, any interference with the treasures, priests, or slaves of the shrine, or with the sacred grove around it, or failure to repair it whenever necessary, aroused the anger of the God and involved the uncleanness of the culprit. Magic or witchcraft (_majinahi_) is one of the sources of impurity enumerated by the Ohoharahi.[207] The above account of Shinto offences must be taken with some qualifications. It is drawn from various sources and different periods of history. Some applied to the whole people, but in most cases it was only the priests and other persons concerned on whom the prohibitions were binding. The _Shintō Miōmoku_ has an enumeration of the "six prohibited things" which includes only "mourning for a relative, visiting the sick, eating flesh of quadrupeds, condemnation of criminals, execution of criminals, music, and contact with impure things." =Imi=.--The avoidance of impurity in preparation for a festival was called _imi_ (avoidance). The intending officiator or worshipper remained indoors (_i-gomori_), abstained from speech and noise, and ate food cooked at a pure fire. For six days previous to the celebration of a festival at the Great Shrine of Idzumo there was no singing or dancing, no musical performances, the shrine was not swept out, no building operations were carried on, and no rice pounded. Everything was done in stillness. A special _imi_ of one month was observed by the priests before participating in the greater festivals. This was called _araimi_. For middle-class festivals three days' _imi_ were sufficient, and for those of the third class one day. At the present time _imi_ is usually confined to abstinence from meat and from vegetables of the onion class.