Comparing about love among different countries
Comparing about love among different countries (Research paper)
There are a lot of myth and religion in Japan and America. Japan has two types of beliefs. They are Buddhism and Japanese myth. However American has Christianity and American Indian cultures. Each country has different types of beliefs. The people construct good culture and character in spite of holding different kinds of thinking such as religion and myth in Japan. For example, Japanese retrieved “Mercy” from Buddhism and “Strict” from Japanese myth.
Buddhism and Japanese myth are very different reason being is that Buddhism has something called morals which shapes behaviors. For example, they are greetings, learning at temple, praying for statue of Buddha in front of Buddhist alter. Contrary to that, the Japanese myth does not shape behavior. Japanese can’t learn their own myth because there is no person who teaches it. However Buddhist and Christian religion are taught. Japanese myth has to be adapted because they have to study about their myth by themselves. Japanese myth constructed its people to be kind, shy, strict, order, silent and so on. Above all, I could find a big difference with the Japanese and the Americans. This difference is love. This paper will give the reason why Japanese acquire these characters from Japanese myth. Finally, I will compare the way of showing love [thinking love] derived from these characters because I think love is most important concept for us to live in this society.
Japanese myth was used as only culture before Buddhism came to Japan in 583. This story of myth started from the time that Japan was born. First, Izanagi and Izanami were born together. Izanagi is male. Izanami is female. They are Japanese gods and they were a loving
couple. They were born in order to make Japan. Therefore, they brought about land and water. Gradually, people started to live on the earth but it was necessary for them to use fire. However, it was not into existence as yet. As a result, Izanami tried to produce God of fire. (There are two ways to produce a God. One is bearing-from vagina and another is cutting off any part the body, especially from parent’s body. ) In this case, the way was bearing-from vagina. Unfortunately, the god of fire burned her vagina and Izanami died. Isanagi who lost his wife and became alone went to the land of the dead (country after death) to take her back. However, Izanami whose the flesh was eaten by the small fry and her body was decomposed was. She was very angry at him because she was watched her shameful body by Izanagi. Izanagi was expelled from the land of the dead by himself. Then he was damaged by her attacking. After that, Izanagi tried to cure his flesh which was cursed and spoiled by her darkness attacking. His body was cleaned of the river. This is often called “Misogi” (Purification ceremony) in Japan. He then cut off three parts of own body and three children were born from each bodily part by the time of purification ceremony. Their names are “Amaterasu”,”Susanoo” and “Tukuyomi”.
“Shame” is derived from Izanami’s mind. “Strict” is derived from the prohibition to go to the land of dead. This is a love story. This thinking influenced not only people who lived in the past but also modern Japanese people too. I’m often called shy by foreign friends. So it must influence me too. Otherwise, Buddhism expresses “Mercy”. Mercy means almost the same as love in Christianity. This word “Mercy” derives from Mahayana Buddhism. But Mahayana Buddhism did not have love because they were old style of Hinayana Buddhism at first. This style had no love and no mercy because Hinayana Buddhism taught that a way of living alone is a way of being admired by all of people. Sadly, by this way, only one person is saved because
there is no corporation or help. Many Mahayana Buddhism people criticized their thinking and the old style was changed by Mahayana Buddhism. The Mahayana Buddhism’s thinking was to have a mercy for other people. This way of thinking is almost the same as love in Christianity. The people who tried to give a mercy to other people were able to be called a Buddhist saint. A Buddhist saint is a person who tries to be a Buddha. They always study about mercy and love. Actually, Buddhist didn’t have a god like Christianity at first because Hinayana Buddhism’s thinking was small. But Japanese myth has a lot of gods. This difference is shown in temple and shrine in Japan. Temple is for Buddhism. Shrine is for Japanese myth. After Mahayana Buddhism came, Japanese Buddhist started to have a Buddha as Japanese god. His name is Amitabha. At first, he was just person like me. He spent a lot of time alone because he was Hinayana Buddhism. He tried to share mercy and love for people instead of loneliness which he experienced himself. He then became Buddha because his behaviors are admired by a lot of people.
Izanagi (male) and Izanami (female) Amitabha
Otherwise, American way of thinking is very different from Japanese way of thinking because American people show love originally. The reason can be judging from the Old Testament in BC1400. The Old Testament talked about the love of one's neighbors. This is the origin of love. The difference of the Old Testament and the New Testament is clear. This difference is concerning about Jesus Christ. About 2011 years ago, Christ was born in a poor family. He saved a lot of poor people by his teaching of love. One day, he expressed one prediction. The prediction is that he will die and he will reborn after the three days. The way is to put himself on cross and receive pain by a senior member, the chief priests and rabbi, to cause his death. According to the Old Testament, he would be able to get eternal life to share love for all of his people because he beard all the pain. The pain means people’s sin. That means he beard all of our sin. In the New Testament, there talked about Christ’s incident a lot because he can be a real example of love. It is not on the bible or fancy story. This is real incident. This incident changed people’s way of thinking, especially the Christians. He was also called “the last of Adam” because Adam made human’s sin and Christ beard all human’s sin. This is also written in the New Testament.
Adam and Eve Christ
And I prepared one part of the New Testament. This is a very concretely example of expressing what is love.
THE BIBLE
1st Corinthians Chapter 13
13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing. 13:4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 13:5 doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 13:6 doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 13:8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 13:10 but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13:13 But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.
This chapter is my favorite part because this chapter expresses how love is important for our life. I’m interested in Christianity because it is often seen on American TV, in drama or movie. When I visited temple square of Mormon in Salt Lake City, I was taught about love by missioner. This impact was very big for me. Chapter 13 is used in my favorite Japanese movie. American Indian culture is very interesting for me because I have visited National Museum of the American Indian. This culture is very spiritual and it must bring about a huge influence for American people’s spirit.
In conclusion, American people’s beginning of thinking love is faster than Japanese. Each character of each country is derived from each religion and myth. They have a merit and demerit. It’s very interesting. Now, we are in diverse society. We can learn other religion and myth easily. I need to learn about it because there are a lot of modern social problem in this world. Probably, the way of thinking will be able to cure people who are suffering from the social problems.
Reference
Japanese history from New Rochelle public library (I lost this source)
Mercy of Buddhism Love of Christ http://www2.biglobe.ne.jp/~remnant/bukkyokirisuto09.htm
Each picture http://image-search.yahoo.co.jp/?ei=UTF-8&fr=top_ga1_sa
THE BIBLE 1st corinthians chapter 13
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13&version=NIV
There are a lot of myth and religion in Japan and America. Japan has two types of beliefs. They are Buddhism and Japanese myth. However American has Christianity and American Indian cultures. Each country has different types of beliefs. The people construct good culture and character in spite of holding different kinds of thinking such as religion and myth in Japan. For example, Japanese retrieved “Mercy” from Buddhism and “Strict” from Japanese myth.
Buddhism and Japanese myth are very different reason being is that Buddhism has something called morals which shapes behaviors. For example, they are greetings, learning at temple, praying for statue of Buddha in front of Buddhist alter. Contrary to that, the Japanese myth does not shape behavior. Japanese can’t learn their own myth because there is no person who teaches it. However Buddhist and Christian religion are taught. Japanese myth has to be adapted because they have to study about their myth by themselves. Japanese myth constructed its people to be kind, shy, strict, order, silent and so on. Above all, I could find a big difference with the Japanese and the Americans. This difference is love. This paper will give the reason why Japanese acquire these characters from Japanese myth. Finally, I will compare the way of showing love [thinking love] derived from these characters because I think love is most important concept for us to live in this society.
Japanese myth was used as only culture before Buddhism came to Japan in 583. This story of myth started from the time that Japan was born. First, Izanagi and Izanami were born together. Izanagi is male. Izanami is female. They are Japanese gods and they were a loving
couple. They were born in order to make Japan. Therefore, they brought about land and water. Gradually, people started to live on the earth but it was necessary for them to use fire. However, it was not into existence as yet. As a result, Izanami tried to produce God of fire. (There are two ways to produce a God. One is bearing-from vagina and another is cutting off any part the body, especially from parent’s body. ) In this case, the way was bearing-from vagina. Unfortunately, the god of fire burned her vagina and Izanami died. Isanagi who lost his wife and became alone went to the land of the dead (country after death) to take her back. However, Izanami whose the flesh was eaten by the small fry and her body was decomposed was. She was very angry at him because she was watched her shameful body by Izanagi. Izanagi was expelled from the land of the dead by himself. Then he was damaged by her attacking. After that, Izanagi tried to cure his flesh which was cursed and spoiled by her darkness attacking. His body was cleaned of the river. This is often called “Misogi” (Purification ceremony) in Japan. He then cut off three parts of own body and three children were born from each bodily part by the time of purification ceremony. Their names are “Amaterasu”,”Susanoo” and “Tukuyomi”.
“Shame” is derived from Izanami’s mind. “Strict” is derived from the prohibition to go to the land of dead. This is a love story. This thinking influenced not only people who lived in the past but also modern Japanese people too. I’m often called shy by foreign friends. So it must influence me too. Otherwise, Buddhism expresses “Mercy”. Mercy means almost the same as love in Christianity. This word “Mercy” derives from Mahayana Buddhism. But Mahayana Buddhism did not have love because they were old style of Hinayana Buddhism at first. This style had no love and no mercy because Hinayana Buddhism taught that a way of living alone is a way of being admired by all of people. Sadly, by this way, only one person is saved because
there is no corporation or help. Many Mahayana Buddhism people criticized their thinking and the old style was changed by Mahayana Buddhism. The Mahayana Buddhism’s thinking was to have a mercy for other people. This way of thinking is almost the same as love in Christianity. The people who tried to give a mercy to other people were able to be called a Buddhist saint. A Buddhist saint is a person who tries to be a Buddha. They always study about mercy and love. Actually, Buddhist didn’t have a god like Christianity at first because Hinayana Buddhism’s thinking was small. But Japanese myth has a lot of gods. This difference is shown in temple and shrine in Japan. Temple is for Buddhism. Shrine is for Japanese myth. After Mahayana Buddhism came, Japanese Buddhist started to have a Buddha as Japanese god. His name is Amitabha. At first, he was just person like me. He spent a lot of time alone because he was Hinayana Buddhism. He tried to share mercy and love for people instead of loneliness which he experienced himself. He then became Buddha because his behaviors are admired by a lot of people.
Izanagi (male) and Izanami (female) Amitabha
Otherwise, American way of thinking is very different from Japanese way of thinking because American people show love originally. The reason can be judging from the Old Testament in BC1400. The Old Testament talked about the love of one's neighbors. This is the origin of love. The difference of the Old Testament and the New Testament is clear. This difference is concerning about Jesus Christ. About 2011 years ago, Christ was born in a poor family. He saved a lot of poor people by his teaching of love. One day, he expressed one prediction. The prediction is that he will die and he will reborn after the three days. The way is to put himself on cross and receive pain by a senior member, the chief priests and rabbi, to cause his death. According to the Old Testament, he would be able to get eternal life to share love for all of his people because he beard all the pain. The pain means people’s sin. That means he beard all of our sin. In the New Testament, there talked about Christ’s incident a lot because he can be a real example of love. It is not on the bible or fancy story. This is real incident. This incident changed people’s way of thinking, especially the Christians. He was also called “the last of Adam” because Adam made human’s sin and Christ beard all human’s sin. This is also written in the New Testament.
Adam and Eve Christ
And I prepared one part of the New Testament. This is a very concretely example of expressing what is love.
THE BIBLE
1st Corinthians Chapter 13
13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing. 13:4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 13:5 doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 13:6 doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 13:8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 13:10 but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13:13 But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.
This chapter is my favorite part because this chapter expresses how love is important for our life. I’m interested in Christianity because it is often seen on American TV, in drama or movie. When I visited temple square of Mormon in Salt Lake City, I was taught about love by missioner. This impact was very big for me. Chapter 13 is used in my favorite Japanese movie. American Indian culture is very interesting for me because I have visited National Museum of the American Indian. This culture is very spiritual and it must bring about a huge influence for American people’s spirit.
In conclusion, American people’s beginning of thinking love is faster than Japanese. Each character of each country is derived from each religion and myth. They have a merit and demerit. It’s very interesting. Now, we are in diverse society. We can learn other religion and myth easily. I need to learn about it because there are a lot of modern social problem in this world. Probably, the way of thinking will be able to cure people who are suffering from the social problems.
Reference
Japanese history from New Rochelle public library (I lost this source)
Mercy of Buddhism Love of Christ http://www2.biglobe.ne.jp/~remnant/bukkyokirisuto09.htm
Each picture http://image-search.yahoo.co.jp/?ei=UTF-8&fr=top_ga1_sa
THE BIBLE 1st corinthians chapter 13
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13&version=NIV
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