Yoshida Shintō
Yoshida Shintō (吉田神道), also frequently referred to as Yuiitsu Shintō (唯一神道, "One-and-only Shintō"), was a prominent sect of
Doctrine
Yoshida Shintō reversed the honji suijaku teaching of Shin-Butsu Shuugo promulgated by Kukai in the Heian Period, asserting that the Buddhist deities were manifestations of the Shintō kami, not the other way around. Yoshida Shinto held that Shintō was the primal religion of the world, which in turn gave rise to Buddhism and Confucianism. However, Shintō was seen not only as the source of creation, but also as the source of all principle in the world. In this sense, Shinto was seen as a divine essence or energy rather than a teaching.[1] This essence was seen as present in all beings at birth, but obscured by petty desires and needs, which prevented Man from aligning himself with the Way of the Gods.
Among the ethic "principles" in Yoshida Shintō shōjō (清浄, "purity") and makoto (誠, "sincerity") took on a great meaning within the sect. These key virtues were linked to well-known Shintō rites as
Yoshida Shintō was an esoteric tradition also in terms of priestly organisation in that it consisted of several ranks achieved through secret initiations, with the highest rank accorded to only one man at a time, who would carry on the Yoshida family name. In cases where a suitable heir was lacking, one was adopted.
Kunitokotachi no mikoto or Soranaki-oomoto-mikoto-kami is considered to be a god of the origin of the world.
History
In spite of their alleged antiquity, Yoshida doctrines were created by
Early Neo-Confucian scholars in Japan such as Hayashi Razan and Yamazaki Ansai likely encountered Yoshida Shintō during their time as Buddhist priests, when guest lectures by Yoshida Shintō priests were common. However, later when Neo-Confucian teachings gained prominence, these thinkers formulated their own theories and doctrines on the relationship between Confucianism and Shintō and criticized Yoshida Shintō for being influenced by Buddhism. Nevertheless, Yoshida vocabulary and Yoshida ideas can still be found in their writings. This trend persisted until the rise of National Learning which sought to separate Shintō from both Buddhism and Confucianism and thus developed a completely new discourse on the native kami.[4]
In terms of institutional history, Yoshida Shintō was dominant until the late Edo period but decreased rapidly during the 19th century and has left hardly any trace in contemporary Japanese shrine worship. The Yoshida family's collection of ancient texts, however, still forms one of the most important sources of Shinto. Large parts of it are now stored in the library of Tenri University in Nara Prefecture.
Notes
References
- Nosco, Peter (1996). "Masuho Zanko (1655–1742): A Shinto Popularizer Between Nativism And National Learning". Confucianism and Tokugawa Culture. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 166–187. ISBN 0-8248-1865-2.
- Scheid, Bernhard (2000). "Reading the Yuiitsu shintō myōbō yōshū: A Modern Exegesis of an Esoteric Shinto Text". In John Breen and Mark Teeuwen (ed.). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. London: Curzon. pp. 117–143.
- Scheid, Bernhard (2002). "Shinto as a Religion for the Warrior Class: The Case of Yoshikawa Koretari". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 29/3–4. pp. 299–324.
External links
- Yoshida Shinto (Itō Satoshi), Encyclopedia of Shinto (Kokugakuin University)