Wiccan Studies, Lesson 9: Reincarnation

Greetings, Just a few comments about Japanese beliefs about the afterlife and reincarnation (both Shinto and Buddhism). For the most part, funeral customs, beliefs about the afterlife and ancestor veneration tend to be taken care of by Buddhism. Buddhism has traditionally had a more developed view of the afterlife, and for this reason this aspect of Buddhism became popular in Japan -- most Japanese are buried (cremated) according to Buddhist rites. Shinto traditionally was more interested with matters of this life and less concerned with death and the afterlife. For this reason the concept of life after death is less developed in Shinto -- and, as I said earlier, most Japanese entrust matters regarding death and the afterlife to Buddhism. On the other hand, Shinto was traditionally interested in things pertaining to this world, nature and life -- hence, Shinto would take care of baby dedications, weddings and prayers for prosperity, success and health. As the course states, however, Shinto does have a certain idea of an afterlife. Souls of the dead are said to become "kami" (often translated as "god" but more accurately translated as "spirit") after death, and the spirits of noted persons (war heroes, sages, emperors, etc) are worshiped as gods. However, there isn't any clear idea of these spirits returning to the earth plane (as in reincarnation) suggested in Shinto per se. Any idea of kami/spirits reincarnating on the earth plane came about through the influence of Buddhism. J.P.A.