M, Nov 29

Monday, November 29, 2010

11:05 AM

Princess Mononoke
-animism exists in both Shintoism and Buddhism
-helps with the spread of Buddhism throughout China
-a lack of harmony with nature creates problems with the existence of spirits
-nature = beauty
-Irontown destroys nature in order to obtain the iron, thus endangering and angering the
spirits
-living within the confines of nature encourages spiritual activity
-clash of spirits and Chinese technology Western cultures do not
-clash of spirits with spirits accept animal rationality;
-there is no hierarchy among the animals Nature is a tool for human
-there are different levels of complexity among the animal species exploitation
-ref. speech, reason
-the wolves' complaint with the other animals is that the other species are becoming Eastern culture accepts
unintelligent rationality within all species,
-ex. the boars who go to battle lose their own reason human and animal ; humans
-the deer is an exception, being the amalgamation of all spirits in the forest, having taken are to exist in harmony with
the form of a deer Nature
-clash of spirits with humans
-clash of humans with humans

The Tale of Heike

-clash of maintaining the bushido code v. compassion and honor of restraint
-bushido is the samurai honor code
-moral conflict
-in the precepts o f Buddhism, there is the creation of personal moral principles
-in the precepts of Shintoism, there is the reiteration of cyclical life with no right or wrong
answer

-the introduction of the religious ideal at all, regardless of its acceptance, creates the moral
conflict

Shotoku Taishi
-after the close of the 7th C., Japan experiences a political decline
-Japanese feudalism
-Emperor [Figurehead] --> Shogun --> Diamyos (European lords) --> Samurai --> Ronin
[warrior classes] --> Peasants --> Artisans --> Merchants

-the purpose for Japan is the quest for unity that comes of feudal chaos the eventually organize
Japan into an organizing body of resistance.
-Japan does not accept Buddhism outright, but manipulates and modifies it
-(Jodo Buddhism ) one may obtain enlightenment with the already restablished social order
-(zen Buddhism) deemphasizes human interaction or behavior and increase meditation
-seeking an instantaneous spark of the divine

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