Chapter 651: Coprospism ideology and intellectuals: Japanese State Shintoism
The rise of Coprospism incorporated local history, culture, traditions and region, to use them against foreign influence and ideas, while at the same time remaining open to change and modernism, to compete with this invading, foreign ideas. They would incorporate other ideas, like the Buddhist Abhidharma (Psychology and Philosophy), Sutras (words of Buddha) and Vinaya (Rules of Discipline), as well as the Buddhism teaches Paramitas (Perfections) like charity to help others and think about them and society not only one about themselves, make alms and merit (to reach spiritual maturity). The Coprospists even adapted some socialist and capitalist ideals along the lines, as long as it served their purpose, similar to what Sun Yat Sen had done in China before and many of their ideals and morals actually came from these base works. One of the main ideologies came also from the works of Ikki Kita (北 一輝 Kita Ikki, born 3 April 1883, died 19 August 1937; real name: Kita Terujirō (北 輝次郎)). As a Japanese author, intellectual and political philosopher, who was active during the early Showa period era in Japan. His harsh critic of the imperial system and the Meiji Constitution came from the believe that the Japanese were not people of their emperor, but the Emperor instead was the "people's emperor". Therefore Ikki Kita advocated a complete reconstruction of Japan through a form of statist, non-progressive socialism. Kita was in contact with many people on the extreme right of Japanese politics, and wrote pamphlets and books expounding his ideas. The government saw Kita's ideas as disruptive and dangerous; in 1937 as he was implicated, although not directly involved, in a failed coup attempt and executed. Still he was still widely read in academic circles in Japan and some of his believes of this new Japanese Nation State and the People's Emperor would make their way into the core ideology of Coprospism to build the new state around the Japanese Nation, guided by the Emperor who served it, as his the Japanese Emperors had done so since the Kami had put them on the Japanese throne. Another major influential figure was Girō Seno’o (妹尾 義郎 Senoo Girō, born 1890) was a Japanese Nichiren Buddhist and Marxist, who founded the short lived Shinkō Bukkyō Seinen Dōmei (Youth League for Revitalizing Buddhism, in 1931) and would influence Japan until his death in 1961. Since 1918 he had been a part of the nationalistic Kokuchukai, a Nichiren-Buddhist lay-movement and put in charge as the editor of the magazine for the "Youth Association of the Great Japanese Nichirenism Movement" which propagated the right-winged reinterpretation of Nichiren's teachings. Ten years later he was influenced by the no-self movement (muga) and began to change his orientation to an ideal of Buddhist socialism. From then on Seno’o argued that “the capitalist system generates suffering and, thus, violates the spirit of Buddhism.” He was critical of both orthodox Marxists who denied the importance of spirituality and of pro-war Buddhists who supported Japanese Imperialism. Seno’o saw suffering as something not just to be transcended through spirituality but also an existential material condition to be analyzed and eliminated. Seno’o believed in the creation of a “pure buddha-land” (jōbukkokudo) in this world through new Buddhist Socialist ideals which would lead to our spiritual liberation as well as social and economic emancipation (kaihō). Seno'o's new Youth League for Revitalizing Buddhism published a journal, Revitalized Buddhism (Shinkō Bukkyō 新興仏教) and held a yearly national conference. The league was opposed to nationalism, militarism, 'Imperial way Buddhism', and Japanese Imperialism while promoting internationalism, Buddhist ecumenism and anti-capitalism. The league's manifesto was based on three principles:
- We resolve to realize the implementation of a Buddha Land in this world, based on the highest character of humanity as revealed in the teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha and in accordance with the principle of brotherly love.
- We accept that all existing sects, having profaned the Buddhist spirit, exist as mere corpses. We reject these forms, and pledge to enhance Buddhism in the spirit of the new age.
- We recognize that the present capitalist economic system is in contradiction with the spirit of Buddhism and inhibits the social welfare of the general public. We resolve to reform this system in order to implement a more natural society.
On 7 December 1936 Seno’o was arrested by the Imperial government and charged with treason. In 1937 Seno’o confessed his crimes and pledged his loyalty to the emperor after a five-month interrogation process. He quickly changed his overall view and ideology, starting to preach for Coprospism in 1940 and thereby beginning to influence and shape the ideology with the help of his groups quit a bit.
Until then Japan has had a long tradition of Buddhism, starting in the 6th century, when the religion and teachings were first imported from Korea and soon declared a state religion. Between the 12th and the 13th century Buddhist in Japan lived trough a phase of creativity and elan. During this time Amidism, the reciting of Nembudva (name of the Buddha Amithaba of Amida) is believed to be the only path to salvation as declared by Ryonin in 1124. From 1133 to 1212 Honen founded the Jodo-school of Buddhism that gained influence in the nobility and samurai, who support it's teachings in this age of Buddhist decline, securing it's success, by doing so. In 1173 Shinran, a apprentice of Honen founds the Jodo-shin-shu (true Jodo school), that has no monks, nor any form of living like movement, this makes it easy for people to join. Later the Nichinren sect named after their founder, is nationalistic and militant, partly because of the constant threat of mongol invasions in this time, ideals with that it will later influence State Shinto-Buddhism . When the Chinese Lin-Chi school becomes Rinzei in Japan, the Chinese tradition of the Tso-tung-school becomes the Japanese tradition and school of Soto during the Dogen Zenji time (1200 to 1253), both helps with the creation ofe Zen Buddhism, that focuses on the beauty of the world and creates it's own schools of architecture, sculpting, painting, calligraphy, literature (Basho, Hakkin). Zen as a intellectual approach to practical things is useless, instead it focuses mostly on created practices that help train the individual to use their logic to understand in practicing thing. In the Showa period (1335 to 1572) Zen supported by the government. Confucianism resurrects in the 17th century and in the 19th century Shintoism follows in his path. Starting in 1938 with Coprospims, Buddhism is becoming to be more and more integrated into State Shintoism, a process that will be completed totally in 1942 to 1944. State-Shintoism merges Buddhism with the native believes. Something that would be copied throughout the rest of the Co-Prosperity Sphere under Coprospism.
Shintoism meanwhile had ancient roots in Japan the earliest book dating back to it, the mythological creation of Japan and the Imperial Family (the Kojiki) dating back to 628 to 712, followed by the NihonShoki and the Shoku Nihongi (697 to 720), all of them compilations of prior oral traditions. The Kojiki establishes the Japanese imperial family as the foundation of Japanese culture, being the descendants of Amaterasu Omikami. There is also a creation myth and a genealogy of the gods. The Nihon Shoki was more interested in creating a structural system of government, foreign policy, religious hierarchy, and domestic social order. There is an internal system of historical Shinto development that configures the relationships between Shinto and other religious practices over its long history; the inside and outside Kami (spirits). The inside Kami, or ujigami (uji meaning clan), supports cohesion and continuation of established roles and patterns; and the hitogami or outside Kami, brings innovation, new beliefs, new messages, and some instability. Over the next 700 years this primal Shinto changed to a more formalized system and religion, these changes were directed internally by the various clans frequently as a syncratic cultural event to outside influences. Following from the Yamato dynasty's rise to power merged with the historic and religious traditions Shinto mythology, marriage customs, architectural styles, and technological developments such as lacquerware, textiles, laminated bows, metalworking, and glass making rise in this Yayoi period often influenced by outside forces and ideas from Asia and the southern Pacific area. During this time exchange between Japan and China in terms of writing, culture, art and religion increases drastically. Mirrors, swords and jewels start to gain a importance as special artifacts with divine status. All three of these have a direct connection to the imperial divine status as they are the symbols of imperial divinity and are Shinto honorary objects. Also the rice culture begins to blossom throughout Japan and this leads to the settlement of society, and seasonal reliance of crops. Both of these changes are highly influential on the Japanese people's relationship to the natural world, and likely development of a more complex system of religion. This is also the period that is referenced as the beginning of the divine imperial family. The Yayoi culture was a clan based culture that lived in compounds with a defined leader who was the chief and head priest. They were responsible for the relationship with their "gods" Kami and if one clan conquered another, their "god" would be assimilated. The earliest records of Japanese culture were written by Chinese traders who described this land as "Wa". This time period led to the creation of the Yamato culture and development of formal Shinto practices. The development of niiname or the Shinto harvest festival is attributed to this period as offerings for good harvests of similar format (typically rice) become common. The great bells and drums, Kofun burial mounds, and the founding of the imperial family are important to this period. This is the period of the development of the feudal state, and the Yamato and Izumo cultures. Both of these dominant cultures have a large and central shrines, the Ise Shrine in the North East and Izumo Taisha in the South West. This time period is defined by the increase of central power in Naniwa (the later Osaka), of the feudal lord system. Also there was an increasing influence of Chinese culture which profoundly changed the practices of government structure, social structure, burial practices, and warfare. The Japanese also held close alliance and trade with the Gaya confederacy which was in the south of the peninsula. The Paekchein the Three Kingdoms of Korea had political alliances with Yamato, and in the 5th century imported the Chinese writing system to record Japanese names and events for trade and political records. In 513 they sent a Confucian scholar to the court to assist in the teachings of Confucian thought. In 552 or 538 a Buddha image was given to the Yamato leader which profoundly changed the course of Japanese religious history, especially in relation to the undeveloped native religious conglomeration that was Shinto. In the latter 6th century, there was a breakdown of the alliances between Japan and Paekche but the influence led to the codification of Shinto as the native religion in opposition to the extreme outside influences of the mainland. Up to this time Shinto had been largely a clan ('uji') based religious practice, exclusive to each clan.
The Theory of Five Elements in Yin and Yang philosophy of Taoism and the esoteric Buddhism had a profound impact on the development of a unified system of Shinto beliefs. In the early Nara period, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki were written by compiling existing myths and legends into a unified account of Japanese mythology. These accounts were written with two purposes in mind: the introduction of Taoist, Confucian, and Buddhist themes into Japanese religion; and garnering support for the legitimacy of the Imperial house, based on its lineage from the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Much of modern Japan was under only fragmentary control by the Imperial family, and rival ethnic groups. The mythological anthologies, along with other poetry anthologies like the Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'yōshū) and others, were intended to impress others with the worthiness of the Imperial family and their divine mandate to rule. Beginning with Emperor Tenmu (672–686), continuing through Empress Jitō (686–697) and Emperor Monmu (697–707) Court Shinto rites are strengthened and made parallel to Buddhist beliefs in court life. Prior to this time clan Shinto had dominated and a codification of "Imperial Shinto" did not exist as such. The Nakatomi family are made the chief court Shinto chaplains and chief priests at Ise Daijingū which held until 1892. Also the practice of sending imperial princesses to the Ise shrine begins. This marks the rise of Ise Daijingū as the main imperial shrine historically. Due to increasing influence from Buddhism and mainland Asian thought, codification of the "Japanese" way of religion and laws begins in earnest. This culminates in three major outcomes: Taihō Code (701 but started earlier), the Kojiki (712), and the Nihon Shoki (720). The Taiho Code also called Ritsuryō (律令) was an attempt to create a bulwark to dynamic external influences and stabilize the society through imperial power. It was a liturgy of rules and codifications, primarily focused on regulation of religion, government structure, land codes, criminal and civil law. All priests, monks, and nuns were required to be registered, as were temples. The Shinto rites of the imperial line were codified, especially seasonal cycles, lunar calendar rituals, harvest festivals, and purification rites. The creation of the imperial Jingi-kan or Shinto Shrine office was completed, something Imperial Japan would later copy. This period hosted many changes to the country, government, and religion. The establishment of the imperial city in partnership with Taihō Code is important to Shinto as the office of the Shinto rites becomes more powerful in assimilating local clan shrines into the imperial fold. New shrines are built and assimilated each time the city is moved. All of the grand shrines are regulated under Taihō and are required to account for incomes, priests, and practices due to their national contributions.
During this time, Buddhism becomes structurally established within Japan by Emperor Shōmu (724–749), and several large building projects are undertaken. The Emperor lays out plans for the Buddha Dainichi (Great Sun Buddha), at Tōdai-ji assisted by the Priest Gyogi (or Gyoki) Bosatsu. The priest Gyogi went to Ise Daijingu Shrine for blessings to build the Buddha Dainichi. They identified the statue of Viarocana with Amaterasu (the sun goddess) as the manifestation of the supreme expression of universality. The priest Gyogi is known for his belief in assimilation of Shinto Kami and Buddhas. Shinto kami are commonly being seen by Buddhist clergy as guardians of manifestation, guardians, or pupils of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The priest Gyogi conferred boddhisattva precepts on the Emperor in 749 effectively making the Imperial line the head of state and divine to Shinto while beholden to Buddhism. With the introduction of Buddhism and its rapid adoption by the court in the 6th century, it was necessary to explain the apparent differences between native Japanese beliefs and Buddhist teachings. One Buddhist explanation saw the kami as supernatural beings still caught in the cycle of birth and rebirth (reincarnation). The kami are born, live, die, and are reborn like all other beings in the karmic cycle. However, the kami played a special role in protecting Buddhism and allowing its teachings of compassion to flourish. This explanation was later challenged by Kūkai (空海, 774–835), who saw the kami as different embodiment's of the Buddhas themselves (honji suijaku theory). For example, he linked Amaterasu (the sun goddess and ancestor of the Imperial family) with Dainichi Nyorai, a central manifestation of the Buddhists, whose name means literally "Great Sun Buddha". In his view, the kami were just Buddhas by another name. Buddhism and Shinto coexisted and were amalgamated in the Shinbutsu-shūgō and Kūkai's syncretic
c view held wide sway up until the end of the Edo period. There was no theological study that could be called "Shinto" during medieval and early modern Japanese history, and a mixture of Buddhist and popular beliefs proliferated. At that time, there was a renewed interest in "Japanese studies" (kokugaju), partly also as a result of the closed country policy.
In the 18th century, various Japanese scholars, in particular Motoori Norinaga (本居 宣長, 1730–1801), tried to tear apart the "real" Shinto from various foreign influences. The attempt was largely unsuccessful; however, the attempt did set the stage for the arrival of State Shinto, following the Meiji Restoration (c. 1868), when Shinto and Buddhism were separated (shinbutsu bunri).This period starting in 1868 and would be known as the new "State Shinto period", as during these decades, Shinto elements came under a great deal of overt state influence and control as the Japanese government systematically utilized shrine worship as a major force for mobilizing imperial loyalties on behalf of modern nation-building. However, the government had already been treating shrines as an extension of government before Meiji; see for example the Tenpō Reforms However the Shinto Shrines and the Buddhist Temples soon incorporated in State Shinto, Coprospism and Japanese Nationalism and pan-Asianism had no combined organisation, doctrine and were even uninterested in conversion unlike many other state-religions or national-religions. The Meiji Restoration reasserted the importance of the emperor and the ancient chronicles to establish the Empire of Japan, and in 1868 the government attempted to recreate the ancient imperial Shinto by separating shrines from the temples that housed them. During this period, numerous scholars of kokugaku believed that this national Shinto could be the unifying agent of the country around the Emperor while the process of modernization was undertaken with all possible speed. The psychological shock of the Western "Black Ships" and the subsequent collapse of the shogunate convinced many that the nation needed to unify in order to resist being colonized by outside forces. In 1871, a Ministry of Rites (jingi-kan) was formed and Shinto shrines were divided into twelve levels with the Ise Shrine (dedicated to Amaterasu, and thus symbolic of the legitimacy of the Imperial family) at the peak and small sanctuaries of humble towns at the base. The following year, the ministry was replaced with a new Ministry of Religion, charged with leading instruction in "shushin" (moral courses). Priests were officially nominated and organized by the state, and they instructed the youth in a form of Shinto theology based on the official dogma of the divinity of Japan's national origins and its Emperor. However, this propaganda did not succeed, and the unpopular Ministry of Rites was dissolved in the mid-1870s. Although the government sponsorship of shrines declined until 1938 until the rise of Coprospism, Japanese nationalism remained closely linked to the legends of foundation and emperors, as developed by the kokugaku scholars. In 1890, the Imperial Rescript on Education was issued, and students were required to ritually recite its oath to "offer yourselves courageously to the State" as well as to protect the Imperial family. Such processes continued to deepen throughout the whole Shōwa period, increasing during the Second Great War when State Shintoism, Shinto-Buddhism and Coprospism was exported by Japan into Asia and the Pacific. Emperor Shōwa reassured that he was a akitsumikami (a deity in human form, send by Amaterasu herself) to prevent the militarists and pan-Asian radicals like “Shogun” Tojo, to claim the state and military for themselves alone. After the Second Great War Shunry Suzuki would make Shinto-Buddhism popular outside of Asia and the Pacific, mainly in Europe and West America and East Africa, where it's schools become part of educational and social movements. Like in Asian and the Pacific before Shintoism and Buddhism there would promote a statist and collectivist ideal form of citizen, nation state and even religion, where the well-being of the group, the state and the religion was viewed much higher then that of the individual. Like in nature under Insects, the single human was nothing without the group he belonged to and without it's individuel members this group would be nothing as well.