What is Shinto? 2

「神道」は自然崇拝が源である！ということを具体的に示す物がありますが、それを説明しましょう。神社の本殿や皆さんのお家の神棚には「しめ縄」が在りますよね！？　あの稲わらを捻じって太い紐状にした物です。私たち日本人は大昔から米（稲作）を主食として生命を繋いできました。その稲を大切に神様に飾ってその中程に「御幣」という白い細い紙を数枚結えて垂らしますね。あの白い紙の形は「稲妻＝稲光」なのです。空からの閃光という形を表しています。何故、稲光を飾るのかお分かりでしょうか？　そうです！昔の人は自然に

解していたのですね雷が鳴って落雷したりすると窒素が一面に増えるのでそれは稲作はじめ農事にはとても貴重な肥料なのです。ですから、そうして感謝の意を込めて飾ってきたのです。稲光は新しいものを生む！ここから稲妻という文字も出来たのですね。新しい命を頂くという意味がよく分かりますね。

Shinto originated from nature worship! There is something that concretely shows this, so let me explain it. At the main hall of a shrine or at the altar in your home, you can find a "shimenawa" (rice rope), right? It is made by twisting rice straw into a thick rope. Since ancient times, we Japanese have sustained life by using rice (rice cultivation) as our staple food. We cherish that rice and decorate it for the gods, and then tie several thin white pieces of paper called "gohei" to the middle of it and hang them down. The shape of that white paper is "lightning稲妻” = lightning稲光". It represents the shape of a flash of light from the sky. Do you know why we decorate with lightning? That's right! People in the past naturally understood it. When thunder rumbles and lightning strikes, nitrogen increases over the surface, which is a very valuable fertilizer for rice cultivation and other agricultural work. That is why people decorated it in this way to express their gratitude. Lightning gives birth to new things! This is where the character for "lightning" came from. You can clearly see the meaning of receiving new life.　（稲妻→稲＝rice, 妻＝wife）（光＝lightning）

私は仏教徒で東本願寺の教徒ですがキリスト教会に出かけて讃美歌を歌いますし、毎朝、敬虔なクリスチャンのお方のメルマガを拝しては涙を流して感動しています。また、異なる宗派の禅宗の「道元禅師」の御教えには心震えます。更に　真言宗の祖師、弘法大師空海の修行の場とされた「四国八十八カ所巡礼」は８歳の折に徒歩で母とお参りをしております。今は「阿弥陀経」を暗唱しようと努めていますが何しろ難しくて長いので四苦八苦しております。勿論、近所に氏神さまの社が在りますのでそこは住まいからも観られるので必ず低頭をして「有難うございます」と一言でもお礼を述べています。

I am a Buddhist and a follower of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, but I go to Christian churches to sing hymns, and every morning I read the e-mails of devout Christians and am moved to tears. I am also deeply moved by the teachings of Zen Master Dogen, who is from a different sect of Zen Buddhism. Furthermore, when I was eight years old, I walked with my mother to visit the 88 Shikoku Pilgrimage, which was the training ground of Kobo Daishi Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. I am currently trying to recite the Amitabha Sutra, but it is difficult and long, so I am struggling with it. Of course, there is a shrine to the local deity in the neighborhood, which can be seen from my house, so I always bow my head and say thank you, even if it's just for a moment.