Horyu-ji Temple(2); the “Seishin-sei” of wa

This picture is “Yumedono”, the dream house, for Shotoku-Taishi in Horyu-ji Tenple. An octagonal temple is rare in Japan, it is said that a priest built it for worshipping Shotoku-Taishi after his death.


Nearby Yumedono there is “Chugu-ji Temple” for females. It was built at the same time when Horyu-ji Temple was built and far from Horyu-ji Temple in Ikaruga. It was burned at the same as burned Horyu-ji Temple by a strong enemy, but it was rebuilt there.

This picture is “Nyoirin-Bosatsu”, Avalokitesvara in Chugu-ji Temple. It is beautiful, soft and intelligent and the appearance is relaxed but it looks deeply meditated. The statue makes us imagine that Shotoku-Taishi had meditated like this.

The seventeen-article constitution

Shotoku-Taishi governing Japan first pondered on the interaction with China and the stability of Japan. In China the emperor of “Zui” unified China where many small countries had battled for a long time, so neighboring countries including Japan had felt fear toward Zui. Shotoku-Taishi had to decide on the stance toward Zui and considered to lift the national power of Japan.

In this situation he established the seventeen-article constitution. It was written to powerful families who made up the Imperial Court at that time. And he wrote the first article, which is the most important article of the constitution as we all know, as follows;

“Wa should be valued and quarrels should be avoided. Everyone is apt to form a clique, and there are few people who are reasonable. Therefore some disobey their lords and fathers, and feud with their neighbors. But when superiors are in “wa” (the situation being flexible) and inferiors are friendly, then they discuss affairs in cooperation, everything will be reasonable spontaneously. Then there is nothing which cannot be accomplished.”

The seishin of Wa

This picture is the stamp of Horyu-ji Temple, and the four Chinese characters in the middle is “wa wo motte toutoshi to nase” in Japanese. It means “Wa should be valued”, which is the first words of the first article of the seventeen-article constitution.

These words have been the most important guide for Japanese people for more than fourteen centuries. So in our long history Japanese people and Japan have maintained being in peace even if there had often been battles among inter-people, inter-house, inter-area or inter-country.

It is very difficult to simply explain the meaning of wa to foreigners. Because there isn’t the main core of the meaning of wa like love of God in Christianity, or truth, goodness and beauty in Greek philosophy.

Wa is to be flexible, to be in harmony, to be in peace, to see goodness in other people, to respect others, to coexist with others maintaining yourself, to make good relationship with others, to work in cooperation with others, to feel the beauty of nature, to love our nature, to worship deities and gods and to acknowledge surroundings. It can’t be introduced from a principle in religion nor in philosophy. However, if you come to Japan and see some beautiful sights of nature or visit some shrines and temples, or if you receive service of omotenashi from Japanese people or see such a scene where many trains arrive and leave on time at a station and a countless number of passengers getting on and off trains in a overcrowded situation, you can perceive some pieces of Wa. In addition, wa is a kind of intention to make harmony.



Seishin and Seishin-sei

From now I would like to try to write about seishin or Seishin-sei, the main mindful theory of Japanese people instead of philosophy and principles of religion. For example, we often write that our behavior grounded in Buddhism is due to the philosophy of Buddhism, but strictly speaking, it isn’t due to the philosophy as including inside experiences of a person and his conscience. Moreover, seishin or seishin-sei is a little bit different in nuance of spirituality. In short, it lies in the middle of philosophy and spirituality and includes a kind of sensibility. Thus, it is appropriate to say “Seishin” or “Seishi-sei” of Buddhism instead of the philosophy of Buddhism. Seishin or Seishin-sei includes some natural advice without words from the bottom of the heart. Just remember, seishin or seishin-sei isn’t a radical core of thoughts like philosophy.

Japanese people think that all things including all animals have parts of gods in them. And the hearts of gods is flexible and in harmony.

As gods exist in everything, so everything is the same, then everything can basically coexist in cooperation. Thus, if you restrict your ego, the gods inside you will advice you to behave adequately in your situation.

Finally, that is seishin or seishin-sei of wa.