The Core Ethical Teachings: Ethics

CHAPTER 13
THE CORE ETHICAL TEACHINGS

Ethics
Because Shinto coexists with Buddhism and Confucianism and their ethical values, it's
hard, and not very useful, to isolate the distinctly Shinto elements in Japanese ethics. Confucian
values in particular have inspired much of the Japanese ethical code.
Specifically Shinto ethics are not based on a set of commandments or laws that tell the
faithful how to behave, but on following the will of the kami. So a follower of Shinto will try to
live in accordance with the way of the kami, and in such a way as to keep the relationship with
the kami on a proper footing.
But it's important to remember that the kami are not perfect - Shinto texts have many
examples of kami making mistakes and doing the wrong thing. This clear difference with faiths
whose God is perfect is probably why Shinto ethics avoids absolute moral rules.
The overall aims of Shinto ethics are to promote harmony and purity in all spheres of life.
Purity is not just spiritual purity but moral purity: having a pure and sincere heart.
Shinto has no moral absolutes and assesses the good or bad of an action or thought in the
context in which it occurs: circumstances, intention, purpose, time, location, are all relevant in
assessing whether an action is bad.
Good is the default condition
Shinto ethics start from the basic idea that human beings are good, and that the world is
good. Evil enters the world from outside, brought by evil spirits. These affect human beings in a
similar way to disease, and reduce their ability to resist temptation. When human beings act
wrongly, they bring pollution and sin upon themselves, which obstructs the flow of life and
blessing from the kami.
Wikipedia Page 51
Things which are bad
Things which are usually regarded as bad in Shinto are:
 things which disturb kami
 things which disturb the worship of kami
 things which disrupt the harmony of the world
 things which disrupt the natural world
 things which disrupt the social order
 things which disrupt the group of which one is a member
The origin of the word "shinto" means "way of the kami." Therefore, Shinto beliefs focus
on the existence and power of the kami, or gods, that exist in the world, in nature, and especially
in and throughout Japan. Click the "kami page" below to learn more specific information about
these gods.
In general, however, this religion is an overall perspective more than a simple list of Shinto
beliefs. This perspective - referred to by the phrase mono no aware - is a uniquely Japanese way of
seeing the world and its beauty that contains many nuances, which includes:
 aesthetic sensitivity - a sense of beauty and of the beautiful

 sensitivity toward the aesthetic and the emotional as a basis for looking at life – this
 includes the sadness or pathos of life as well as joy, happiness and bliss
 seeing with the heart into the natural beauty and goodness of all things
These sensibilities undergird much of what is focused on in Japanese thought and
artistic expression - things such as nature, harmony, balance - and their particular
expression in practical and decorative arts such as flower arranging, architecture,
landscape design, the tea ceremony and elsewhere.
Makoto & Kannagara-no-michi
Shinto beliefs, then, are not centered around official creeds or codified systems of
theology or ethics, but instead are a distinct sensibility that underlies an entire approach to life and
the world. This can be captured not only with the phrase mono no aware, but also with the
concepts of makotoand kannagara-no-michi.
Wikipedia Page 52
CHAPTER 14
FOUR AFFIRMATIONS OF SHINTOISM
Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan, emphasizes living with sincerity and virtue,
possible only by an awareness of the divine. The fundamental beliefs in Shinto are the Four
Affirmations (affirmations are positive declarations):
 Tradition and the family: Understanding that family is the foundation for preserving
traditions
 Love of nature: Holding nature sacred
 Ritual purity: Ritual bathing to spiritually and physically cleanse yourselves before
entering a shrine to worship the kami. (In addition, festivals are held twice a year to drive
out pollutants or impurities.)
 Matsuri: Worshipping and honoring gods and ancestral spirits
Makoto simply means "sincerity" and it is the basis of Shinto ethics. This religion is
sometimes criticized by those who don't understand it for having no official list of rules or codes
of ethics, such as the Ten Commandments. Instead, Shinto emphasizes makoto - sincerity in the
heart.
Wikipedia Page 53

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CHAPTER 13

THE CORE ETHICAL TEACHINGS

Good is the default condition

Things which are usually regarded as bad in Shinto are:

 things which disturb kami

 things which disturb the worship of kami

 things which disrupt the harmony of the world

 things which disrupt the natural world

 things which disrupt the social order

 things which disrupt the group of which one is a member

 aesthetic sensitivity - a sense of beauty and of the beautiful

Makoto & Kannagara-no-michi

 Love of nature: Holding nature sacred

 Matsuri: Worshipping and honoring gods and ancestral spirits

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