The Concept of Kami in the Shinto Religion - 704 Words

The concept of kami is integral to the Shinto religion. Kami doesn’t explicitly refer to gods, or an ethereal presence, but rather a combination of the two. For the layperson, kami is difficult to describe. In short, there are several ideas of kami—or rather—different interpretations of the same idea. Kami can be spirit beings, or they can refer to the qualities that a being possesses. In this sense, kami refers to existing beings, or the essence of beings. According to Shinto, everything has kami, but when something displays kami intensely—they are referred to kami beings. If kami refers to the quality that beings possess, then kami is responsible for its inherent nature. The concept of kami may be hard to grasp, mostly because humans are so anchored in this world, which makes us unable to grasp the ethereal quality of kami. For the purposes of this assignment, the function of kami as the godly beings in the Kojiki will be described. The events foretold in the Kojiki takes place during the Age of the Gods, which begins with Japanese creation mythology. Essentially, three grand deities spontaneously drift into existence. At this time, the land was premature, and had the shapeless quality of oil. From this formless mass, came several more beings—the most notable of which were Izanagi and Izanami. These two deities were given one divine command: â€Å"Complete and solidify this drifting land (Kojiki, p. 49)!† They stirred the oily mass with a spear, churned it around, and formedShow MoreRelatedThe Religions : Buddhism And Shinto1678 Words   |  7 Pagesformed. Religion is no exception; there have been many instances where religions have influenced each other and blossomed due to new ideas being presented. A good example of this the relationship between the two religions: Buddhism and Shinto. 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Shinto is a general term for the activities of the people of Japanese descent to worship all the deities of heaven and earth, and at the end of the 6th century the Japanese were conscious of these activities and called them the Way of Kami (the deity or the deities). The practice of Shintoism finally recognized when Yomei, the 31st Emperor of Japan, prayed before an image of Buddha for the first time as an emperor for recoveryRead MoreThe Night Watches Of The Buddha1747 Words   |  7 PagesThis research will compare, contrast and exemplify the role of Chi in Daoism and Confucianism thought. Firstly, this research compares these two religion’s basic practice and to see both belief and practice. Then this research examines how both religions inte rpret the role of Chi and Confucianism thought. Both Taoism and Confucianism are originated in China and both visits in Temple to pay homage to their own deities and God (Diffen ). Firstly, Taoism seeks to be one with nature and stresses humanity