The origin of Japanese culture and, the world view as its logical conclusion.
	Hiromasa Noguti. Mail-address cotosiro@js6.so-net.ne.jp. September 13, 2003. This was renewed in March 27, 2004. Since this English edition was the unsatisfactory translation and performance, this was rewritten now. January 21, 2005. This was retranslated in April 12, 2008.
	3. The soul like Jomon lurking to Japanese gods and goddesses. 3-5. The birth of Ebisu.
	At former knot, it stated the people looked to have accepted the change of the gods and goddesses, apparently. However, it can't assert their inner piety was filled with worshipping the changed gods and goddesses like that. It seem it is the evidence of the thing that their mind was attracted to Buddhism soon. Needless to say, it is because there was the mind like the curse against the thing the divine nature of their gods and goddesses was changed with the political reason. In passing, it is said that Prince Shotoku tried to govern Japan with Buddhism in those days though recently there is the different opinion from the well-known opinion like that. Anyhow, it is certain people's faith to Buddhism was deeply related to the certain intention of the naturalized new clans and olden ruling class clans. In those days, the political powers were in the hereditary clans worshipping the gods and goddesses of Yamato. If the new clans or other try to get the political powers, even if it permits Yamato's supremacy, it has to destroy the usual political system to be based on the hierarchy of gods and goddesses. And, the intention like that resonated to the nostalgia the olden ruling class clans hold of the ancient tribes' alliance. It is because the olden ruling class clans hoped to believe the untied gods and goddesses out of the hierarchy of gods and goddesses, secretly. So, it is that they, with spreading Buddhism, tried to make the hereditary clans' political powers weak. Anyhow, the hereditary clans of the Yamato became very weak because of the plot of the naturalized new clans and of the olden ruling class clans. It can say "Mono-nho-be" clan is typical of the hereditary clan. On the other hand, the naturalized new clans and olden ruling class clans established the political joint leaders mechanism(PJLM) while scraping away the actual power out of the Emperor gradually. Needless to say, the mainstay of this structure is Soga clan. So, the religious influence of Emperor became weak gradually as Buddhism flourishes. In those days, the nostalgia to the soul of Jomon was lurking not only in the olden ruling class clans, but even in the people of Yamato. And, the circumstance like that gave Japanese Buddhism the strong influence, made the Japanese gods and goddesses include the character of Buddhism. It seems the people in those days tried to release the gods and goddesses from the hierarchy of the gods and goddesses with making them Buddha though it doesn't know whether it was intentional or not. And, it is that the concealed mind like that the people have gave the god called Ebisu the birth, soon. When Ebisu was about to be born, the Soga clan often fell into the misjudgement politically because of one's too strong desire for political powers. In that reason, the PJLM goes to the unstable and dangerous circumstances gradually. The chieftain of Soga clan were feeling the hostility to the clan of Prince Shotoku because of one's greedy mind to want the powers, in spite of having the close relationship of blood with Prince Shotoku. Furthermore, Soga clan, regarding Prince Yamasiro-ooe, that is, the child of Prince Shotoku as the political opponent, makes the Prince Tamura the Regent. That was the first serious mistake Soga clan commits. After Prince Tamura ascended to the throne as the Emperor Jomei, it is that the sense of discord between the Soga clan and the Emperor Jomei came to the surface, soon. Furthermore, Prince Yamasiro-ooe still was keeping the strong political influence. It is that Prince Yamasiro-ooe was the obstacle to eliminate for Soga clan's manipulating the Emperor as one pleases. Needless to say, it is because Yamasiro-ooe still was one of the influential candidate about the next emperor. So, Iruka Soga, trying to solve this awkward condition, stealthily killed Prince Yamasiro-ooe at last. However, the people feel this is the reign of terror anymore. The mind of the people left from Soga clan secretly rapidly as if it is the ebb tide. And, at that time, it is that the political joint leaders mechanism(PJLM) was destroyed so terribly that the restoration is impossible virtually. However, it isn't Soga clan's powers became weak at once in that. So, the people were careful to not utter the ill feeling like that they harbor against Soga clan, while watching the progress of affairs. It is that all the streets of the imperial capital got wrapped in unusual silence. But, in those days, there was the noble named Kamatari Fujiwara. At that time, he is supporting Naka-nho-ooe who is the child of Jomei Emperor. They were wanting to ruin Soga clan secretly. Under the situation like that, it is that Iruka killed Prince Yamasiro-ooe. It need hardly to say the ill feeling to Soga clan the people harbor brought the best chance for them. "Now is the chance!". They killed Iruka Soga almost openly, when making contact about this chance with each. And, as they thought, their action is tacitly permitted by many clans. That is called the Taika Reform at the Japanese history. In passing, there is the opinion saying that Taika Reform expresses the change of political system which progressed after Iruka was killed. (This comment got added in April 11, 2008.). At any rate, it may be better to say this reform rather was the coup. Anyway, it is that the political mechanism Soga clan supported was destroyed completely at that time, in this. However, Kamatari Fujiwara(Nakatomi) and Prince Naka-nho-ooe was feeling the certain uneasiness in spite of that success. It was because it can't assert that the force like Soga clan doesn't make the PJLM revive again. Therefore, it needed to make the people accept the prestige and legality of the Imperial Household at any cost. Thereupon, Fuhito Fujiwara, that is, Kamatari's child had the plan to edit Kojiki and Nihonshoki together with Yasumaro Oo, that is, Kamatari's sworn friend. That is, they had the plan to edit the history based on the Imperial Household's myth. So, it is that they gathered the myths at the various lands of Japanese Islands, to construct new myth. It needs hardly to say they distorted the gathered myths a little with Yamato's convenience. Kojiki and Nihonshoki describe Yamato lineage as the origin of all lineages. Needless to say, it is the purpose to show the prestige and legality of the Imperial Household. In that reason, the hierarchy of the gods and goddesses Kojiki and Nihonshoki describe nearly expressed the relationship of the Imperial household and the other clans. Many people must have been discontented with the new myth like that at heart, because the god or goddess one's self worships was changed of the divine nature of the said god or goddess a little in Yamato's convenience. However, now that thing has come to this pass, the people, to show their loyalty to Yamato, can't but accept the hierarchy of the gods and goddesses. In other words, it is that the prestige and legality of the Imperial Household were taken back for the moment. And, the rationalism based on Yayoi culture drove out soul of Jomon increasingly to the bottom of heart. Soul based on Jomon culture looked to have been lost ostensibly at the individual's life and at the social system in this. However, as it stated before, the Japanese people have the special characteristic of brain. Therefore, the soul of Jomon, panting for inner religious faith in spite of the political and mental oppression, kept on smoldering in the depths of the heart as if it is the charcoal fire. The hierarchy of the gods and goddesses had taken away the original gods and goddesses from the people by force. And, it crushed not only the pride the olden ruling class clans have but even the pride the hereditary clans have. It was natural Buddhism flourished while mixing the character of Buddha to the Japanese gods and goddesses. As it states later, the social atmosphere like that appeared as the certain spiritual symbol in the last part of the Nara period. The soul of Jomon still is being kept into the habitants of Japanese Islands even now, as there is the blood of Jomon into us, whether its percentage is many or not. In the period of the Taika Reform, it was natural not only the olden ruling class clans but also the hereditary clans of Yamato had felt the nostalgia for the soul of Jomon. However, in those days, the political system established by the rational mind to be based on Yayoi culture was in the very firm condition because of the success of the Taika Reform. So, it was impossible the people wish the life style like Emisi in reality. Therefore, it seems that the soul of Jomon, while sinking into the depths of the mind, became the deep mind in the people's heart increasingly. And, at last, it was deified as the Ebisu. By the way, the first description of Ebisu is in Irohaji-ruisho written in the beginning of Heian period. However, according to this book, this god is the violent and militant god, not the god of benefit to be said like that today. And, Ebisu in this case is expressed in the one Chinese Character having the same meaning as Emisi. On the other hand, Yaso-takeru to be chieftain of Emisi has the name for meaning many violent people. This makes us imagine the close relationship of the Emisi and Ebisu. In other words, it seems the people in the ancient time, with watching Emisi, were confirming the soul of Jomon lurking to one's mind. And, it seems that the image like that was deified as Ebisu.
NEXT PAGE			In those days, it seems the religious faith in Ebisu was only one self-confirmation for the people who lost one's original gods and goddesses. In other words, it can say their craving for the inner religious faith was narrowly filled by the Buddhism or Ebisu not related to the hierarchy of the gods and goddesses. And, it is that the social atmosphere like that cultivated Japanese culture, that is, the social standard for behavior different from the rules the rulers give. In spite of that, today, not only Ebisu but also the other gods and goddesses are degenerating to the gods and goddesses of the wealth or other benefits. Today, we are about to forget one's true soul, caught by the vulgar desire too much. It seems it is natural that the gods and goddesses degenerate.
	And, it would be also certain the gods and goddesses have the deep-rooted hatred for the human society now though it doesn't know whether there is the curse like that in foreign countries. By any chance, the detestable circumstances in the present society may be the expression of the bitterness sent from the gods and goddesses who can't get the true respect.
Cotosiro