Did you know that when Buddhism first emerged, there were no statues of Buddha?
It is also known that Buddha himself forbade the worship of idols. This was because he believed that humans have a tendency to become attached to visible things. In Buddhist thought, attachment = worldly desires, and shedding attachment is the path to enlightenment. He feared that if an idol of Buddha himself were made, people would simply worship the idol rather than uphold the invisible teachings.
However, after Buddha's death, his disciples felt that in order to carry on Buddhism, some form of legacy was necessary. So they composed sutras and depicted symbols related to Buddha. Early symbols included stupas to enshrine his remains, Dharma wheels modeled after weapons used to crush worldly desires and lead to enlightenment, the Bodhi tree, associated with the place where Buddha attained enlightenment, and the Buddha's feet, considered sacred because he preached on foot. Later, around 1 AD, Buddhist statues began to be carved. It is known that Buddhist statues were carved around the same time in two locations: the Gandhara region in northwestern India and the Mathura region in northern India (present-day Pakistan).
Buddhism is supposed to have restricted possessions, encouraging people to "let go of attachments." However, the current state of Buddhism, with its enshrinement of Buddhist statues, its obsession with gravestones, and its eagerness to protect graves despite the financial burden it imposes, seems quite different from early Buddhism. In this way, early Buddhism appears to have been more of a philosophy exploring higher philosophical truths than a religion.
However, it is also true that the people, desperate for relief from their harsh realities, sought more tangible, visual objects of worship. Buddhist statues and paintings likely played a large role in the widespread acceptance of Buddhism in Japan, overwhelming its predecessor, Shintoism. The presence of dazzling Buddhist statues must have been a major shock to the Japanese, who lived by simple faith. Until then, in Japan, reverence for nature, such as mountain gods and sea gods, was the object of worship, and views on the afterlife were vague. In Shinto, the idea that all things have souls, referred to as the "eight million gods," was gradually absorbed into Buddhist thought, and Buddhism and Shinto were fused together as they are today.
Idolatry was originally prohibited in Christianity as well, but Catholic churches have statues of Jesus and Mary. Some argue that the cross is not an idol because it is a symbol... (Honestly, I don't care. There is not just one right answer. I think it's fine to have different opinions.) Idolatry is also prohibited in Islam and Judaism. The wise men of the world preached about the state of mind and how things should be, but they seem to have created symbols in the name of spreading those values as justice. What was their motivation for spreading religion, even to the point of distorting its teachings in order to capture the hearts of the people? Of course, someone like me doesn't understand.
★On the "SANKOTSUYAMA," it is not possible to erect gravestones or set up monuments. This is due to regulations in the Cemetery and Burial Act, so please understand. We hope you will understand that it is a place where you can become one with nature and connect with the deceased and their families. |
