Religion

  by  Ethan Prater 

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion that is strongly followed in Japan, as well as Shintoism. The name “Buddha” means “the enlightened one.” Buddhists follow the teachings of the Buddha, but to not believe him to be one of the gods. The Buddha was born named Siddhatta Gotama in around 580BC in the village of Lumbini in Nepal. He was born a prince, in a rich family. When he was young he had it very easy and he was protected from the harsh realities of sickness, suffering and death

The years went by and Siddhatta married and had a child but was worried about many things. He went outside the royal enclosure where he lived and went to many poor areas. For the first time he saw old age, sickness and death. He also saw a holy man. He made the decision to leave his wife, his baby son and his privileged life and began to search the world to try to find a higher truth or Nirvana, being free from sickness and death.

Siddhatta searched for a truth which would release him from the cycle of dying and rebirth after death. He studied with wise teachers, practiced meditation and lived a life of extreme self-denial and discipline, but still he did not find the answers he needed. The search took Siddhatta six years, but Siddhatta found enlightenment whilst sitting under a bodhi tree. Following this he became known as the Buddha and dedicated his life to spreading his message.

The Buddha came to understand that the answers live in the “Middle Way” living a life which is not luxurious or deprived. Buddhists believe that they can escape the cycle of life and death and reach Nirvana by following the Middle Way through the four Noble Truths of the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold path is how Buddhists believe people should act, here are some examples. They should have the right understanding (seeing things as they really are not as you think they are,) right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration and focus. 

  by  Francesco_G 

Shintoism

Shinto’s believe in Kami spirits, and that there is a spirit in everything, so, for instance, there is a spirit of the mountain and a spirit of the river. The name came from two Japanese words meaning gods or spirits and a philosophical path or study.