O hai! Welcome to The Mad Logophile. Here we explore words; their origins, evolution, usage. Words are alive. They are born, they evolve and, sometimes, they die. They are our principal tool for communicating with one another. There are millions of words yet only an estimated 171,476 words are in common current use. As a logophile, I enjoy discovering new words, using them and learning about their origins. Please join me and other word lovers as we delve into the wonderful world of words.
In dictionaries, religion is defined as any specific system of belief, worship, or conduct that prescribes certain responses to the existence (or non-existence) and character of God. The words we use in describing religion and in practicing it have roots in the most ancient cultures on earth. From ancient Assyria to Egypt, from Hellenic Greece to modern sects, the words we use to speak of our relationship with the Divine still invoke a feeling of awe and sacredness and a connection to something... bigger.
I apologize for not having the words in bold, but I keep getting an error message saying that I have a problem with an open html code, or something. I've removed all the bolding and italic codes. It's the only way I can publish....
I'd just like to mention that this is a word diary; it's about words. It is not theology diary. My aim is not to detail the religious traditions. I am trying to present the words in an easily comprehended context and apologize for being rather sketchy in my descriptions, but I cannot possibly go in depth and keep this a readable diary. If you feel that I have not used enough detail, you are free to expound in your comments.
This week, we will take a look at Eastern religions. I was going to cover a few Pagan ones and a couple that I just find interesting, too but I find that this is way too much information at one time. If you wish, I will continue with those next week, making this a three-part diary. If you prefer, I'll just move along and maybe finish this at another time. Please vote below.
Because of the huge difference in how these religions work (as opposed to last week's), I think it will be best to present them each in turn rather than via concepts as I did last week. We begin with Hinduism...
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions extant. The Hindus themselves call it Sanatana Dharma, the eternal virtue or eternal religion. Its roots go back to the Dravidiansof the Indus Valley whose religious symbols included temples with large water pools, fertility statues, and lingam figures. There are several texts important to Hinduism. Between 1200 and 900 BCE, the Vedas emerged. This includes the four Veda texts: the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda and the Atharva Veda and literature of the Vedic period based upon the four Vedas. This would include the Brahmanas, which are commentaries on each Veda, and the Upanishads, which are philosophical treatises based upon them. Other literature is revered but is not considered holy, including the Sutras, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, and the Puranas.
In Hinduism, time follows the life of Brahma. The age of the world is reckoned in terms of one day in the life of Brahma, which is equivalent to 4,320,000,000 years. This period of time is divided into four yugas, which are reckoned in multiples of 432,000,000 years. Together these four yugas are called the Great Cycle.
Classic Hinduism promotes four different goals. The three life-affirming goals are Dharma (virtue), Artha (success) and Kama (pleasure), while the life-negating goal is that of moksha (release). Dharma also describes fulfilling the duties assigned to one; the dharma a person is expected to fulfill varies depending on their stage of life, their caste and their vocation. Artha is the working for and achieving of success, in terms of both wealth and power. Kama is aesthetic pleasure of all kinds including producing and enjoying art, music, dance, drama, literature, poetry, and sex. Moksha is the striving for release from life. This rejection of worldly things and concurrent contemplation should be directed towards overcoming the maya (illusion) that clouds human perception.
In Hinduism, there are four main ways to reach towards the divine reality. The ways are called yoga. The yogas are: Jnana (knowledge) yoga, Bhakti (devotion) yoga, Karma (detachment) yoga, and Raja (royal) yoga. These are all spiritual approaches to understanding the divine world. What we in the west generally term yoga is properly known as Hatha yoga and has no spiritual impact.
Most Hindu households have a small shrine to the gods important to that house. It may have a small statue of Krishna or a picture of Shiva or Durga. If the householder has a guru (teacher), a photo of the guru will be on the shrine, also. This shrine will be the focus of household puja (worship). For regular puja, there is either the community temple or a greater, regional one. There, offerings of meals, money, flowers, etc. may be brought. Once the god has taken his part of the sacrifice, the devotee may share in some of the now-blessed food prasad). The worshiper may also say mantras, listen to the priests chant, sing, or read from the sacred texts.
Hindu festivals are based on the lunar calendar. In modern India, there are sixteen officially recognized holidays (bank holidays), but there are many more than that. The two-day rites of Holi mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In late summer, Krishna's birthday is celebrated at the Janmashtami. Shortly after that, Ganesha is honored with the festival of Ganesh Charurti. In late September or early October Shaivites (followers of Shiva) and Saktites (followers the Sakti) will celebrate the Durga Puja, while Vaishnavites (followers of Vishnu) will take part in the Dussehra, which celebrates Vishnu and his exploits as Rama in the Ramayana. Similarly, the Divali, which is the festival of lights, is celebrated either as the return of Rama from exile or as the puja of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fortune.
Here are some more words from Hinduism..
Ahimsa; The principle that a person should do no harm.
Ashram: A place where devotees live, often the house of a guru.
Atman: An individual's soul or self. The ultimate goal in Hinduism is to achieve moksha through the realization that one's Atman and Brahman are the same thing.
Avatar: A manifestation of a god in an earthly form, usually that of a human or animal.
Bhakta: A worshiper. One who shows devotion to a god or goddess.
Brahma: The manifestation of Brahman into the world. He is often mentioned as an equal with Vishnu and Shiva.
Brahman: The power behind and within the cosmos that makes it function and live; the Ultimate Reality.
Caste: The major divisions of Hindu society.
Deva, Devi: Terms for god and goddess, respectively.
Guru: A holy teacher.
Japam: A form of worship or meditation in which the name of a deity or a mantra is repeated.
Karma: A concept in which the results of one's actions accumulate over one's life.
Lingam: An oblong, upright stone that serves as a symbol of Shiva.
Mantra: A sequence of sounds used as a focus of meditation. The most famous mantra is om.
Reincarnation: The cycle of death and rebirth.
Sadhu: A person who renounces life and everything that goes with it becoming a wandering hermit seeking moksha. AKA sannyasin.
Sakti/shakti: The worship of the goddesses, who all represent some form of power.
Sanskrit: The language in which the Vedas and other Hindu sacred texts are written.
Varna: The Hindu term for caste, a social division into which a person is born. There are four major castes in Hindu society: Brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, and shudra.
Yogi: A person who practices some form of yoga.
Yoni: An almond-shaped vessel, representing the Goddess. Often seen with a lingam.
Many of these words are also used in our next religion....
Buddhism was founded in Northern India by Siddhartha Gautama in the sixth century BCE. At age 29, he left his palace and went out into the world resolved to find out an answer to life and suffering. He ended up sitting under a fig tree (often referred to as the Bo tree, or Tree of Enlightenment) and deep meditation Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and assumed the title Lord Buddha (one who has awakened). Buddhism shares with Hinduism belief in karma, dharma, and reincarnation. Classical Buddhism does not involve the recognition or worship of deities.
There are three main branches of Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism (sometimes called Southern Buddhism) is the dominant school of Buddhism in most of Southeast Asia. Mahayana Buddhism (sometimes called Northern Buddhism) is largely found in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia. Vajrayāna Buddhism (a.k.a. Tantric Buddhism, Mantrayana, Tantrayana, Esoteric Buddhism, or True Words Sect). Some consider this to be a part of Mahayana Buddhism; others view it as a third Buddhist path. Additionally there is Tibetan Buddhism, which developed largely in isolation from Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism because of the remoteness of Tibet and Zen Buddhism, which developed from within the Chinese Mahayana school known as Chan. Modern Buddhism has emerged as a truly international movement. It began as an attempt to produce a single form of Buddhism that all Buddhists could embrace.
Each of these schools of Buddhism has its own scriptures (and this is a loose term as these writings are not seen as similar to a Bible or Qur'an). In Theravada, this is the Tipitaka. The Dhammapada, a book of Buddha's quotes is also popular. Mahayana's main scriptures are the Sutras, especially the Lotus, Heart and Land of Bliss Sutras. In Vajrayana, there are many Tantric texts and commentaries, along with the Great Stages of Enlightenment and the Tibetan Book of the Dead or Bardo Thodol.
Hand gestures, or mudras, are an important part of meditation. If you look at statues of Buddha, you will notice the different poses. Among these mudras are the Abhaya Mudra (fearlessness or renunciation Gesture), Bhutadamara Mudra (warding off evil Gesture), Dhyana Mudra (meditation Gesture) and the Namaskara Mudra (prayer Gesture). You can read more and see examples of the mudras here.
There are Four Noble Truths one must understand before one can begin on their journey in Buddhism. These are: dukkha (life is suffering), samudaya(there is a cause of suffering), nirodha (there is a cure for suffering), and magga (to remove desire, follow the Eightfold path). If one adheres to the Eight-fold path, they will attain enlightenment and achieve Nirvana just as Siddhartha Gautama did. This path consists of 1) Right Knowledge, 2) Right Thinking, 3) Right Speech, 4) Right Conduct, 5) Right Livelihood, 6) Right Effort, 7) Right Mindfulness and 8) Right Concentration.
One becomes a Buddhist by taking refuge in the Three Jewels. This is normally done at a special ceremony at a Buddhist Temple, and that is the recommended path, but one can, if sincere, become a Buddhist at any time simply by reciting the following three times:
I take refuge in the Buddha (Buddham saranam gachami).
I take refuge in the Dharma (Dharmam saranam gachami).
I take refuge in the Sangha (Sangham saranam gachami).
There are also the Five Precepts which tell Buddhists 1) Do not kill, 2) Do not steal, 3) Do not lie, 4) Do not be unchaste and 5) Do not take drugs or drink intoxicants.
Besides the beautiful Buddha statues, to symbolize the Buddha (especially in the very early art), one uses mainly the Eight-Spoked Wheel,the Bodhi Tree, the Buddha's Footprints, an Empty Throne, a Begging Bowl or a Lion . The Eight-Spoked Dharma Wheel or Dharmachakra symbolizes the Buddha's turning the Wheel of Truth or Law (dharma = truth/law chakra = wheel). The Dharmachakra has eight spokes, symbolizing the Eight-fold Noble Path. The 3 swirling segments in the center represent the Buddha, Dharma (the teachings) and Sangha (the spiritual community).
Buddhist clergy is known as the Sangha. They are governed by rules which are contained in the Vinaya, the sacred text of the Buddhist monastic tradition. The interpretation of the rules, however differs between the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. These Bhikkhus (monks) and Bhikkhunis (nuns) live at Temples, small and large. Most Buddhist clergy do not have titles so much as duties that define them; administration, instruction, pastoral care and spiritual example. Tibetan Buddhism uses the terms lama, rinpoche or tulku for revered holy persons while Japanese Zen has offices such as kancho (abbot), roshi (Zen master), jikijitsu (meditation leader) and jushoku (head monk).
Nearly all Mahayana sects look to special embodiments of holiness, guidance and inspiration. Foremost among these are the bodhisattvas. This is a being in the final stages of attaining Buddhahood, who has vowed to help all sentient beings achieve Nirvana, or enlightenment, before s/he himself achieves it. Foremost among these is Guan Yin, who is known by various names including Kuan Yin, Kannon, Kwan Yin and Kwannon. She is sometimes called a Goddess of Mercy. Other boddhisattvas include Amitabha (Buddha of Boundless Light), Manjushri (Bodhisattva of Wisdom), Sitatapatra (protector against supernatural danger) and Vasudhara (Bodhisattva of abundance and fertility).
Buddhism inherited the Hindu deities and mythology. Among the helpful spirits are helpers of the deities known as apsaras, musician demigods called gandharvas, Guardians (lokapalas) and Gate keepers (dharmapalas). The asuras of Hinduism are the only "evil beings."
Buddhists celebrate the New Year much the same as Hindus, in late January or early February according to the lunar calendar, while the Tibetans usually celebrate about one month later. Buddha's Birthday is known as Vesak or Visakah Puja and is the major Buddhist festival of the year. It celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the first full moon day in May. Magha Puja Day takes places on the full moon day of the third lunar month (March). This holy day is observed to commemorate an important event in the life of the Buddha, the Fourfold Assembly. Asalha Puja pays homage to the Buddha on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month (approximately July). It commemorates the Buddha's first teaching: the turning of the wheel of the Dhamma. A period from July to October, corresponding roughly to the rainy season, monks are required to live settled in a single place and not wander freely about. This is known as the Rains retreat. Pavarana Day marks the conclusion of the Rains retreat. In the following month, the Kathina Ceremony. This is when new robes and other requisites may be offered by the laity to the monks. Abhidhamma Day in the Burmese tradition, celebrates the occasion when the Buddha is said to have gone to the Tushita Heaven to teach his mother the Abhidhamma. The Loy Krathong Festival takes place in all parts of Thailand on the full moon night of the Twelfth Lunar month. Ulambana (Ancestor Day) celebrated throughout the Mahayana tradition, people visit cemeteries to make offerings to the departed ancestors. Avalokitesvara’s Birthday celebrates the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, also known as Kuan Yin. Bodhi Day honors the enlightenment of the Buddha on the eighth of December. The day is observed in many ways, including prayer, meditation and teachings.
Some more words you should know...
Ãnãpãnasati: Inhale-Exhale. Mindfulness of in-and-out breathing used in many forms of meditation.
Arhat: A Buddhist monk who is free from all illusions and who has achieved personal enlightenment. This term is used primarily in Theravada Buddhism.
Bardo: A plane where the human soul goes between the stages of after-death and rebirth.
Bodhidharma: Legendary monk who brought Buddhism from India to China in the sixth century C.E.
Chaitya: An assembly hall for monks.
Hinayana: small vehicle. A term used by the Mahayanists to describe earlier orthodox sects of Buddhism (Theravada School). Their scriptures are written in Pali, an ancient Indian language.
Koan: A riddle, tale, or short statement used by Zen masters to bring their students to sudden insight.
Maitreya: Friendly One. The Bodhisattva who embodies the virtues of wisdom and eloquence.
Malas: Prayer beads. These include bracelet malas, hand malas, wrist malas, and 108 bead malas.
Mandala: A painting or tapestry with images of Buddha, bodhisattvas, and other images. Used as a focus of meditation for monks and as an object of worship for many.
Nirvana: extinction. The ultimate goal of Buddhists, characterized as the extinction of both craving and the separate ego. The state of peace and quietude attained by extinguishing all illusions.
Parinirvana: Death of the Buddha.
Prajna: Wisdom. The wisdom obtained during enlightenment.
Rahula: Son of Siddhartha Gautama.
Stupa: A dome or pagoda in which sacred relics are deposited.
Sunyata: (Sunnata) Emptiness. The belief that all phenomena are dependent on and caused by other phenomena, thus without intrinsic essence.
Upasaka: Followers of Buddhism that believe in Buddha's teachings, but do not follow the strict rule of the Sangha.
Vihara: Cave dwellings for monks.
Yasodhara: Wife of Siddhartha Gautama.
You can read more about Buddhism here.
Jainism can be truly considered as one of the most ancient religions in the world. Jainism is also a most difficult religion to practice due to its uncompromising emphasis on austerity and self mortification. Jainism became a popular religion under Mahavira (599 BC), the 24th Thirthankara (teachers or gurus) of Jainisma and remained confined mostly to the Indian subcontinent and to certain sections of society. Lord Mahavir's teachings were compiled by his followers into many texts, known as Agams, the sacred books of the Jain religion. The texts had to be memorized since Jain monks and nuns were not allowed to possess religious books as part of their vow of non-acquisition, nor were they allowed to write. Consequently, many of the original teachings of Mahavira have been lost. There are two groups of Jains: the Digambaras (sky clad or naked), whose monks carry asceticism to the point of rejecting even clothing (even when they appear in public), and the Shvetambaras (white clad), whose monks wear simple white robes. The laity are permitted to wear clothes of any color.
While some Jain beliefs are similar to Hinduism, major differences exist. Jainism considers the universe to be uncreated and eternal, but believe in a "perfect universal presence," as well as multiple deities who dwell in the heavens. Being eternal themselves, humans can also attain "perfect beingness," or divinity. Jains have categorized all living beings that can be found in the earthly realm into jivas (souls). According to the Jain scriptures, there are 8.4 million species of jivas.
The outline of the Jain's symbol is the universe (Lok). The lower part of the symbol represents the seven hells (Naraki). The middle part of the universe contains the Earth and the planets (Manushyalok). The upper part contains the heavenly abodes (Devlok) of all the celestial beings and abode of the Siddhas (Siddhashila). Inside this are the swastika (cycles of birth and death), the upraised hand, wheel and "Ahimsa" (stop and think before acting), three dots above the swastika represent the three jewels of Jainism (Samyak Darshan (Right Faith), Samyak Jnan (Right Knowledge), and Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct)) and an arc (the abode of the Siddhas).
In Jainism there are five levels on the path of human development: Sadhus (monks or nuns) who teach the scriptures to others, are known as Upadhyayas. Acharyas have mastered the Jain scriptures, as well as several languages and a knowledge of various religions. An Arihanta is a person who has conquered all of his or her inner passions, shed all destructive karma and have become omniscient, omnipotent and completely without desires. Siddhas are liberated souls who have escaped the cycle of rebirth.
Jainism teaches that there are two different kinds of karma, ghati ("destructive") and aghati ("non-destructive"). Jains are expected to follow five principles of living: Ahimsa (non violence in all ways), Satya (speaking truth), Asteya (to not steal), Brahma charya (remaining sexually monogamous to spouse) and Aparigrah (detachment). Jains follow a vegetarian diet.
Jains believe that the universe and everything in it is eternal; nothing that exists now was ever created, nor will it be destroyed. It consists of three realms: the heavens, the earthly realm and the hells. The heavens have seven levels, the top level being the Realm of the Jinas, is reserved for liberated souls. The earthly realm, or jambudnoa (Continent of the Rose-Apple Tree) is divided into seven regions. The eight hells become progressively colder as they go down.
If you would like to read more about Jainism, thisis a good site.
Sikh means learner. Sikhism was founded by Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He taught a strict monotheism, the brotherhood of humanity and rejected idol worship and the oppressive Hindu concept of caste. Guru Nanak and Panth (his followers) later built the first Sikh temple at Katarpur. The holy book, the Shri Guru Granth, was initially compiled by the fifth guru, Shri Arjan Dev Ji. Subsequently, it was updated to include the writings of the sixth to ninth gurus. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh Ji assembled his writings separately into a number of books, including the Dasam Granth. The Shri Guru Granth itself is considered the 11th and final Guru, and the Sikh's holiest religious text.
Sikhs believe in a single Formless God with many names, who can be known through meditation. The Mool Mantar, the first hymn composed by Guru Nanak, is recited daily by many Sikhs and contains a description of many of the attributes of God. Sikhs believe in samsara , karma and reincarnation , similar to the teachings of Hinduism. The Reht Maryada is the Sikh code of conduct and conventions. It contains 27 articles, everything from the definition of who is a Sikh to dietary instructions. The Five K's are clothing <practices followed by stricter Sikhs (Khalsa saints): Kesa (long hair, which is never cut), Kangah (comb), Kacha (short pants), Kara (metal bracelet) and Kirpan (a ceremonial dagger). Kesa can also refer to the turban which all Sikh men wear their hair wrapped within. This caused some problems after 9/11 when stupid, fearful people attacked peaceful Sikhs simply because they wore turbans. One unusual feature of Sikhism is that all Sikh males share the name Singh which means lion. Women carry the name of Kaur which means princess. These are a reflection of the Sikh's absolute rejection of the Hindu practice of caste.</p>
The Khanda is the main Sikh symbol. It is composed of four items, all traditional Sikh weapons: a Khanda (vertical double edged sword with a broad blade), kirpans (two curved swords called miri and piri, after the names given to his personal kirpans by Guru Hargobind), and a chakker (ring weapon).
You can read more about Sikhism at thissite.
The founder of Taoism is believed to be Lao-Tse, whose life overlapped that of Confucius. However other historians suggest that he is a synthesis of a number of historical figures or even a mythical figure. In searching for a way to avoid the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted society during his lifetime, he wrote his book, the Tao-te-Ching. The Chuang-tzu (named after its author) contains additional teachings. In 440 CE Taoism was adopted as a state religion.
Tao (pronounced "Dow") can be roughly translated into English as path> or the way. Taoists follow the art of wu wei, which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; erecting a dam would interfere with its natural flow. Yin and Yang are negative and positive principles of the universe. One cannot exist without the other, and they often represent opposites in relations to each other. The Three Jewels are characteristic that Taoists should cultivate: Compassion (leads to courage), Moderation (leads to generosity) and Humility (leads to leadership). All things terrestrial and celestial fall into one of five groups, the Wu Xing (Five Elements): wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The life-force of human beings is the chi. Tao disciplines dealing with keeping this energy flowing; Tai Chi and Qi-gong. Feng-shui, the art of arrangement, is concerned with the flow of chi in a given area. Accupuncture treats disease by freeing the flow of the chi through the body.
Taoist deities are colorful and varied. They are not the creators of the Universe, but rather embody elements of it. These include Yu Huang (the Jade Emperor), Yuan Shi Tian Zun (the First Principle), Yu Qing, Shang Qing and Tai Qing (the Three Pure Ones), Hsi Wang Mu (Mother Empress of the West) and Zhuan Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, Lu Dongbin, Cao Guojiu, Li Tieguai, Han Xiangu, Lan Zaihe and He Xiangu (the Eight Immortals).
Taoists celebrate Chinese New Year, Yu-ti (Birthday of the Jade Emperor), The Festival of Lanterns (honoring of Tien-kuan), Dragon Boat Festival (birthday of Chu-Yuan), Ghost Festival (Birthday of Ti-kuan), Double Ninth Day (honoring Tou-mu) and Festival of Chung-yuan (All-souls).
Another concept unique to Taoism is I-Ching. I-ching is a collection of essays on 64 linear figures made up of six continuous or discontinuous lines. The continuous lines ____ represent the yang principle, and the discontinuous ones__ __, the yin principle. It is used both for divination and for counseling. Read more about it here.
You can learn more about Taoism here.
Shinto is the native religion of Japan. It means (roughly) the Way of the Gods. Shinto is divided into two classes; the Sectarian Shinto, which is sub-divided into 13 sects, and the State Shinto Religion (Kokka Shinto). It does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures. Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions. Shinto gods are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami and the Japanese Emperors claim descent from Her. Ame-no-mi-naka-nushi is the Absolute Universal Self, analogous to Brahman in Hinduism. Shinto texts include the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), the Rokkokushi (Six National Histories), the Shoku Nihongi and Nihon Shoki (Continuing Chronicles of Japan) and the Jinno Shotoki (a study of Shinto and Japanese politics and history).
Shinto shrines, known as jinja, are places of worship and the dwellings of the kami. Each shrine is dedicated to one or more kami. There are prescribed objects with specific uses at a shrine: the torii gates mark the approach and entrance to a shrine along with komainu, a pair of guardian dogs or lions, In the case of Inari (the Rice God) Shrines, they are foxes rather than dogs. Found near the entrance, the water of the chozubachi is used for purification; You are supposed to clean your hands and mouth before approaching the main hall. Above the entrance of the hall is the shimenawa, a rope made of rice straw. This is the oldest symbol of Shinto and marks the frontier between mundane and sacred. The main hall (honden) and offering hall (haiden) can be two separate buildings or combined into one building, depending upon the size and style of the shrine. Shrine visitors write their wishes on ema (wooden plates) and leave them at the shrine in the hope that their wishes come true. Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips found at many shrines and temples. Randomly drawn, they contain predictions ranging from daikichi (great good luck) to daikyo (great bad luck). A portable shrine known as a mikoshi is carried in processions and parades.
There are countless local matsuri (festivals) in Japan because almost every shrine celebrates one of its own. Most festivals are held annually and celebrate the shrine's deity or a seasonal or historical event. Some large local festivals include the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (Sapporo Snow Festival) in early February, Nebuta Matsuri in early August, Nagasaki Kunchi (festival of Nagasaki's Suwa Shrine) is in early October and Chichibu Yomatsuri on December 2 and 3. Holidays celebrated throughout the country include Shogatsu (New Years), Seijin Shiki (Adults Day), Setsubun (marks the division between Winter and Spring), Hina-matsuri (Festival of Dolls, Celebrates daughters), Kodomo no Hi (Boy's Day), Shubun-sai (Equinox day), Obon (celebrating the dead), Shichigosan (7-5-3 festival,to give thanks for children) and Niinamesei (Labor Thanksgiving Day).
Other important words and concepts...
Bushido Code: (the warrior-knight-way) code practiced by the military class of the feudal period.
Butsudo: (the way of the Buddha) Japanese term for Buddhism.
Daishizen: the great cosmos; the Great Nature; the vast cosmic setting into which we are born.
Gon-Guji: Associate High Priest
Gon-Negi: junior priests
Guji: High Priest
Kami-dana: (Shelf of Gods), an altar given a central place in many homes.
Kagura: ritual dances accompanied by ancient musical instruments. The dances are performed by skilled and trained dancers.
Kigansai: a prayer of purification for the peace of the world
Mamori: charms worn as an aid in healing and protection.
Miko: shrine maidens
Misogi: ritual purification in water
Negi: senior priest
Origami: (Paper of the spirits) a Japanese folk art in which paper is folded into beautiful shapes.
Reishoan: Tea House
Ryobu Shinto: (dual aspect Shinto) term referring to the mixing of Shintoism with Buddhism and Confucianism.
Sakashio:r purifying salt
Sanshu-no-Jingi: the three sacred treasures of the Imperial Regalia, the Mirror, the Sword and the Jewel
Shinsen: offerings to the kami
Susuharai: a ceremonial house cleaning
Takaamahara: (the Plain of High Heaven) the entire universe, the cosmos
Yakuyuoke: a talisman
yashiki-gami: household kami; the guardian of the household
To learn more about Shinto, try thissite. It's run by Rev.Dr.Yukitaka Yamamoto, priest of the 1st Shinto Shrine to be built in North America.