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imustbenuts · 3 months ago

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Reading of Fire Emblem Awakening with a Buddhist lens and the context of the 'sacrifice mc' ending

Preface: Writen by a person who is a massive nerd living in South East Asia. Not a practicing Buddhist but grew up on the fringes of its local influence. Most points here are copy pasted and heavily edited from a prev post I wrote in reply to felikatze's post about Brave Robin some time ago.

EN: Fire Emblem Awakening

JP: ファイアーエムブレム覚醒

Awakening is a pretty important word when it comes to religion and spirituality, but specifically when put in the light of Buddhism, it takes on extra meaning. Kakusei 覚醒 in JP language has a heavier emphasis on Enlightenment than just waking up after an alarm bell rings.

In this entry, the word Awakening isn't thrown into the title in reference to Robin awakening to the fell dragon; it's a bad end if followed straight anyway. Trying to read it with a non-buddhist lens will often yield the confusion of why self-sacrifice would ever be justified, and in my experience many anglo speaking fans online have indeed express dislike of the sacrifice ending in Awakening.

Which is understandable. But! To the Japanese and many other Asian players, this overwhelmingly isn't the case. And the reason is I think: culture + Buddhism.

The flow of this post will go in this rough outline while I try to explain it from a more Buddhist pov. Sorry if it's messy :(

Buddhism 101 Crash Course (orange so if you wanna skip it feel free)

Original Timeline Awakening

'Our' Shown Timeline Awakening

Ending

Ok. Let's begin

Crash Course on surface level Buddhism 101 (please please go read more on your own if interested, this is VERY surface):

The core idea of Buddhism is that everything is dynamic, fluid, and fluctuating. Never in perpetual stasis. In Buddhism cosmosology, there are different tiers of being ranging from low to high. The goal of Buddhsim is to break out of the cycle of death and rebirth (samsara), and enter into a state of peaceful non-existence (nirvana). Suffering and yearning is inevitable as a part of life, and is meant to be reduced as much as possible for both the individual and others. Causing more will cause the individual to stray further away from the goal of nirvana. Also, that everything in the world is deeply interconnected, and an action will affect things down the line.

And, the final condition of being able to nirvana is to essentially, let go of attachment.

Buddhism Cosmology 101 and FEverse:

So in Buddhism cosmology, there are tiers of beings. The higher one is in this existence tier, the closer one is to breaking out of the cycle. Humans are the baseline, and animals are the lower while supernatural beings are higher as a general rule of thumb. (theres exceptions to this like the hungry ghosts but not impt here for this post)

IN FEA, we have a few characters who are of a vague but present 'higher' tier. Naga, Tiki, Nowe, and Nah. And then there's Grima, the gigantic Fell Dragon. Though we can interpret these characters as different races of beings compared to humans, if we apply Buddhism cosmology, then these are 'higher' tier being. With Naga being one of the highest tier. In fact she functions exactly like a Buddha.

And still, despite being a higher being relative to humans, Grima isn't out of the cycle. In fact, Grima is locked into it. Contrast Naga where it feels like she could go at anytime but choose to stay behind.

Locked in the cycle and not allowed to change

Instead, Grima is bound to a blood pact with Forneus after being artificially created. No matter how its sliced, Grima is closer a tier to the divine dragons than humans and should technically be closer to nirvana, but no dice. In-lore, this supernatural aspect grants power to Forneus' bloodline and subsequently Validar and Robin, on top of binding them to the plane of the living. Grima gets back into existence over the 1000 years after their initial defeat to inflict incredible pain and devastation and gets sealed for it.

So, Grima isn't able to break out of samsara from a Buddhist pov, and each time they come back they're requested/demanded by the summoners to cause immense pain and destruction. As much as there might be manipulation on the Grimleals' side, it's equally possible its willing to on some degree on their side. Thus the cycle of suffering for both them and the world continues.

But there is one extra nuance here to the reincarnation idea in Buddhism: Buddhists prefer the term 're-becoming' or 'rebirth' rather than reincarnation. Its not exactly a re-inheritance of the same exact unchanging soul in a new body, but the passing on of a mind/consciousness which can be malleable. And since a mental state is a lot more fluid and changeable, it's much more preferred to the idea of a same-ish soul being passed on like a hot potato typical in western Catholic interpretation of the same concept. (eternal paradise or damnation being a big thing from what I understand, so it's a very one soul one life one chance kinda deal.) Subtle differences, but put a pin in this for now.

On the topic of memories

A reincarnated person isn't supposed to have their old memories... at least, at first, the orignal Robin seems to do. Now, while big Buddha himself had his past lives' memories, it was only after he mediated and gained enlightenmnet. If we follow this logic, it's likely something broke original timeline (OT) Robin in the opposite way, leading into a... let's just say false awakening. This leads into the first timeline where Robin, retaining all their current life's memories and told their identity was Grima and not allowed to basically begin anew, destroys the world with a zombie apocalypse. In this timeline, Robin awakens, but not to a cool gucci love and peace Buddha enlightenment. Rather, the cynical, nihilistic all things should die and shut up kind.

In normal reincarnation situation, the reborn person is allowed to begin anew. There is a Buddhist hell which fucntions as a means to cleanse one of their bad karma, and so there is a strong emphasis on this. Grima is being shackled to 1 identity imo, and it sucks a bit.

Semi HC territory with this lens too: It's very likely that despair at various point was exploited for this to happen by their worshippers. Bc what better way to than to cut off a person from the rest of the world, from people, and create a situation where the victim has no one to lean on? Exactly like how baby Grima was cut off like in FE:Shadows of Valentia in that sealed off tower known as Thebes Labyrinth. Ofc, this is pure independence at the worst, and also very textbook cultist stuff.

(Side note: remembering past lives isn't really a loud thing in Buddhist practice, I think. It's sort of egotistical to claim oneself as so-and-so, going against some teachings and practice of it since it makes the claimer seem egotistical and arrogant, and thus it's just... bad form to do so. Also its more often than not used as a tactic to scam/manipulate people >_>. )

So, original timeline was played straight to the title: Fire Emblem Awakening. False Awakening. (I hope I'm making sense so far. x_x;;)

Fire Emblem Awakening's original timeline is true to its title and a bleak world.

This Awakening is just. Wrong. Remember that I mention interdependence being a big part of the core religion's philosophy? Grima shuns this by ignoring bonds and killing all those they might be friends with otherwise. Despite the constant preaching of Buddhism to be peaceful and do good things, Grima kind of murders and kills and is everything associated with darkness and death. Rather than lessen suffering, Grima causes more and takes away others' ability to walk their own path in their goal of total destruction.

Grima also does not even come close to understanding the world and interconnectedness. Thus, Grima with their actions here is doomed to be perpetually trapped in a never-ending spiral of life and death.

Amnesia zap!

So, stuff happens, Lucina takes on the world and breaks into another timeline. Grima follows, causing alternate (our) Robin to get the big amnesia zap. To do over, basically, to let go of the past and redo it from a clean slate devoid of prior biases and judgement.

In effect, this is as good as being reborn from the Buddhist pov. Remember when I mention not remembering the past life at least in the beginning? And that the mind is fluid?

Later in the game, amnesia'd Robin meets OT Robin/Grima, and it gets. Interesting. The both of them seems to be disturbed by each other. If we follow the logic that these are the same person, then the schism, I think, is rooted very much in their lived experiences and thus take-away of their understanding of their own world.

This characterization further continues into Fire Emblem Heroes. They trigger each others' panic response. It's the maximum uncanny valley feeling, I think, bc it's like looking at a doppelganger: the exact same in appearance, but slightly ever so different in personality, in experience, in belief. To the point that its not exactly them, even though it should be.

At their meeting in FEA, Our Robin the Avatar the MC has already grown close to Chrom and friends. Our Robin understands bonds and their place in the world and finds love and acceptance and a place for themself beside Chrom, and in Ylisse.

This Robin understands the concept of love and interconnectedness. Grima/OT Robin, however, continues to shun it all to the end.

Conditions ok in the new timeline. Let go, Yes/No?

...So in the timeline we're familiar with, what is the Awakening referring to?

If we go by how one is supposed to attain enlightenment in Buddhism, it's by gaining an insight to how the world works, how everything is connected, and letting go of cravings/yearnings. While I think there's possibly a bunch of ways to interpret this in FEA, there is a very simple one.

The easiest interpretation would be that Robin understood their role in the world to be a vessel/reincarnation of Grima, and that it isn't the correct way because bonds are too important, and that no matter how difficult it must be, a worse future must be prevented no matter the cost. Bc they have come to adore their friends and the family of said friends and their future.

And to that future, possibly even the world in which they reside.

Grima however, stands against this. Grima's existence means the future for their friends, possible spouse and children, and Chrom, cannot live. What Grima stands for is annihilation.

There is a way to remove Grima permanently, but that comes at a cost, and that cost is them. Choosing this is to know that Grima as Grima was known cannot be allowed to come into existence, and if they were Grima or even hold the potential, that chance needs to be non-existent. The Grima before them needs to be non-existent. Robin has to be non-existent. (Out of the samsara cycle as you could say hohoho)

The alternative would be to seal Grima away and then let the future deal with them again in 1000 years. To say that Robin is too attatched to their newfound love ones and cannot let go. And this might be more preferable to some.

But we're talking about a game with Awakening in the title made by a bunch of Japanese. And with a somewhat shared culture at least I and my friends here understand. And so, pretty much everyone around me in this part of the world overwhelmingly chose the mutual destruction option.

>Yes

In the sacrifice ending, they let go of their yearning to be with their friends, their possible spouse, their possible children, and Chrom. The world, essentially.

The key difference between Our Robin and the OT Robin is, Robin has hope for the world despite being cut off from his loved ones and knowing they might be in some afterlife hell where they might very well be alone. The emotions of hope and love is just so strong it's convinced Robin that death was worth facing.

This is the True Fire Emblem Awakening.

After the credits, Chrom finds Robin on the ground again, seemingly returned and now fully unchained to the identity of Grima. This is framed as a good thing, as reward for choosing the hard path. (Even tho technically Robin doesn't break out of samsara here but. It's a good job reward for the player I guess)

So when the game asks if you are willing to sacrifice your Robin, it is in effect asking if you the player are willing to accept letting go in hopes of change and the new. (at least in my pov)

And remember the pin? About the soul/mind being malleable?

Grima and Robin are direct contrasts. Line up the themes and they contrast in every way. Past vs Future, Despair vs Hope, Death vs Life. They can be interpreted as the same person or different depending, but it remains that they share the same soul despite being very different.

In effect, this is saying that yes, even indirectly, a complete irredeemable being who has commited so much attrocities it breaks the scale like Grima can change. Can be better. The conditions just has to be there.

Now, all of these is just a reading from a Buddhist pov. There's many many more takeaways and possible routes of extrapolation, so don't take this as me saying it's the only way to read FEA. It is not. It is sooo not there's a bunch of fans out there writnig their own analysis about it.

Also, the Buddhist narrative is not exclusive to FEA. It is in every FE games to some degree. I think FEA and Engage are some of the loudest and explicit. I've written more and complied them here if you are interested in checking out more of my word vomit.

Thanks for reading!

#fire emblem #fire emblem awakening #robin fire emblem #grima fire emblem

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lxmelle · 7 months ago

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Just going to share some random thoughts about the promo and the afterlife in jjk here.

I was so confused about this promo release at first, but now that I’ve had a skim of the scenes and what it portrays, I’m left with a sense of sadness - and the bittersweet scene of the empty chairs at the airport...

…just - sigh.

I felt like it was a good way to promote the release of the latest jjk manga as a way to also commemorate Gojo’s life. I struggle to put my emotions into words at the moment, but will say that I hope they find peace after all they have been through. Each one of them.

Of course the debate continues about whether they all went together, where they headed, etc. I’m not here to insist upon any one belief, really. I, too, wonder what the afterlife means in jjk.

In my previous post about the cover of volume 26, I touched on what Shinto Buddhism has to say about it. It may be that there is a realm between nothingness (enlightenment) and the human world (rebirth = more suffering) that they reside in now.

Other Buddhist beliefs talk about pure land and nirvana. There’s the more recent interpretation by Larue and Miguel about heaven and hell — so, really, who knows?

We also don’t know what North and South actually mean. So far, speculations are around becoming someone new or going back. But in what way, exactly?

Someone on Twitter/now X had an interesting theory which focused on Geto having a domain (link: https://x.com/kostivedae/status/1775185991818465599?s=12&t=fRFF_o0I99NKUvzHwQHykA) and expanded on why, how it links to Gojo based on a deeper appreciation for the symbolism in mandalas drawn by Gege and those in Tibetan (?) Buddhism, and how they might still be hanging around or trapped.

It’s a really interesting read, but the main takeaway for me to bring this up here is that this individual speculates that the four are talking in a cursed realm. Which Kenjaku is referring to here:

Now, I never understood this part much. Was it ever expanded upon? Can someone enlighten me in the comments?

I don’t know if it does relate to the Shinto belief about existing “somewhere” and they are cursed, therefore unable to reach “nothingness” (enlightenment) and have no choice but to exist in some land somewhere between that and the human realm. Not that it may be a bad thing? Depends on whether they want to keep living or end their suffering by becoming one with nothingness?

My personal interpretation was that as sorcerers they are like Dewas (higher beings) and therefore get judged differently in death. So it’s similar to a Shinto belief or in certain Buddhist sections, they can move into a Pure land based on the Buddha they follow (this is based on 5 Buddhas/directions).

But my understanding is basic, at best.

So going back to the video and linking it to what the OP on twitter/now X is speculating… if the plane indeed took off and Gege gave animators the “go ahead” to do this, does that mean that the theory about the cursed realm is debunked?

Honestly I’m not sure I like the idea that Geto’s soul is still around and participating in the culling games alongside Kenjaku. This is bizarre to me, but I’ll withhold judgement since it’s a theory. I will say that I did not interpret his behaviour at the airport as shady at all.

I guess we wait and find out if Gege ever expands on this and how the series unfolds.

#jjk speculations #jjk spoilers #jjk volume 26 #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu Kaisen spoilers #jujutsu kaisen analysis #jujutsu kaisen afterlife #jujutsu kaisen airport #Geto Suguru #Gojo Satoru #jjk theories #jujutsu kaisen theories #jjk analysis #jjk #jjk meta

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silvermoon424 · 1 year ago

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I have a few things that might interest you in relation to your Sailor Senshi Etymology post:

Setsuna's name is also interesting because the kanji for it used to be pronounced Sechina, which is a Japanese transcription of the word kṣaṇa from sanskrit. Kṣaṇa is the Buddhist concept of the shortest possible moment, and is related to the Buddhist teaching that one should live well even in the shortest moment of time (it is similar to living to the fullest, but since the ultimate aim of Buddhism is to detach oneself from Earthly desires, free oneself from the cycle of rebirth, Samsara, and reach Nirvana it takes on different connotations). You can see how this might relate to Sailor Pluto's duty vs her life as Setsuna Meiou.

Although they're not introduced in the correct order (Mars and Mercury are switched up), barring Minako, the Inner Senshi and Sailor Saturn's surnames also relate to Japanese days of the week: 月曜日 = Getsuyoubi = Monday 火曜日 = Kayoubi = Tuesday (an alternate reading for 火/hi is "ka") 水曜日 = Suiyoubi = Wednesday (an alternate reading for 水/mizu is "sui" 木曜日 = Mokuyoubi = Thursday (an alternate reading for 木/ki is "moku") 金曜日 = Kinyoubi = Friday 土曜日 = Doyoubi = Saturday (This is the one that is the most on the nose because Saturday is named after Saturn) This is also means there is no 日曜日/Nichiyoubi/Sunday equivalent.

This is great, thank you so much! I was aware of the Buddhist meaning behind Setsuna's name but didn't really go into it because I was trying to keep everyone's entries short. So I appreciate you going into it!

#sailor names #analysis #sailor moon

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ragewrites · 1 year ago

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hello💗 love your writing and your blog, you’re so so talented

AND I just wanted to ask if you have any good court drama recs lmao

💕

Thank you! And oh yes 👀

At the time of those tags I was knee-deep in the waters of Chinese web novels (recs from that journey are The Rebirth of an Ill-Fated Consort, Eight Treasures Trousseau, Like Pearl and Jade; Your Mileage May Vary, however, since I like slow-paced things) but I also have some drama-proper recs, namely:

Magnificent Century (Turkish production, follows the ascent of Suleyman the Magnificent’s wife in the harem; liberties are taken, but it’s actually not that unfaithful to the truth, and Meryem Uzerli is...honestly a revelation)

Nirvana in Fire. Honestly I cannot recommend this one enough. It’s just so—so!!

Bossam: Steal the Fate is partly this. Other Korean recs include The Crowned Clown and Mr. Queen, and I heartily recommend watching them in that order, actually, because you will need the levity Mr. Queen has, particularly early on, to cope.

From the web novels (additional rec: The Remarried Empress. This is a Korean work, and is currently being serialized as a webtoon, also, with very pretty art) I went on to reading Katie Quinn’s series of books set in Rome, which were...sadly only decent, so not a particularly strong rec, just a mention. Instead I’ll rec Megan Whalen Turner’s sequels to The Thief, which turn into this: they are The Queen of Attolia; The King of Attolia; A Conspiracy of Kings & Thick as Thieves.

Also, last year Jacqueline Carey utterly rewired my brain, particularly with Phedre’s trilogy (Kushiel’s Dart, Kushiel’s Chosen, Kushiel’s Avatar) but while court drama features in these, it’s not the point, exactly.

Hopefully this is a wide enough net of things for you to find something you enjoy within it ^^

#ibi apes #ex nihilo

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marvelousmatt · 1 year ago

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It Took a “Huge Science Project” for What We Do in the Shadows to Bring Back Colin Robinson

BY WHITNEY FRIEDLANDER

JUNE 5, 2023

In this epic battle of nature versus nurture, nature has won.

The third season finale of FX’s vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows saw the death of energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) as well as his rebirth into a slimy, screaming, and time-consuming infant. The most recent fourth season saw him grow quickly from there, going from an energetic toddler to a tap-dancing tween to a sullen teen within a season.

All of this happened while his de facto parents, the more canonical blood-sucking vampire Laszlo (Matt Berry) and the vampires’ human bodyguard, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), tried to keep this version of their roommate from becoming like his annoying and frustrating predecessor: a supernatural being who gains energy by draining you of yours.

But that season finale, titled—what else for an episode about vampire parenting?—“Sunrise, Sunset,” saw Colin Robinson complete his metamorphosis into the grating-voiced and flatulent creature whom his housemates already knew. (The character is always referred to by both his first and last names; co-showrunner Paul Simms, who wrote this episode, has said that the fifth season, which premieres July 13, will get into whether these are even actually his names). To make that transformation complete, the team needed a Styrofoam wall, some “turn off that racket” music, and as little dialogue as possible.

Room Rager

Shadows has already established that these aren’t just vampires; they’re vampire hoarders. The characters’ dilapidated Staten Island Tudor is overcrowded with animals dead and alive, musty furniture, candelabras, and dusty books.

It’s hard to put a value on specific things when time has no meaning. And Colin Robinson’s quest will only reinforce this notion.

It begins as he’s banging holes in his bedroom wall whilst blasting death metal, a music choice that serves the dual purpose of covering up the first action and really irritating his roommates, (or, as episode director Kyle Newacheck puts it, is an example of how the character was “starting to learn how to feed in that state”).

The look of bewilderment when one of his holes uncovers a film canister suggests Colin Robinson is operating out of instinct rather than with a known purpose. As the show’s score quickens, he rushes through the house's tight hallways to find a projector and lug it downstairs.

The found footage has more clues, pointing out where else Colin Robinson should hit and in what order. It’s then that he discovers energy vampire nirvana: a long hallway lit like a fluorescent-hued forgotten side room of a public library. There are meticulously hung beige and brown sweaters and slacks (some Proksch had actually worn on the show), and detailed diary entries that, among other things, suggest one of the character’s boring rants was the impetus for the events in the movie Se7en.

As he makes himself at home in an uncomfortable chair for innumerable hours of reading, teen Colin Robinson’s hair falls out and his posture changes. Behold: The energy vampire’s metaphorical butterfly wings begin to flap.

“The Color Within the Darkness”

Newacheck says he and the production team had about two weeks to build “the huge science project,” which was a wall of Styrofoam blocks that could smash open, plus the secret room, which had to be constructed so that it connected to the bedroom set. Audiences had already seen Colin Robinson’s room, which is tiny and sparse, with only two pieces of art that hang on separate walls. Newacheck decided that those paintings could be what he calls “visual coding” for the character to learn where to line up the projector. Music supervisor Nora Felder chose “Forbidden Lies” by A Creatures Cage and “Killing Engine” by Andy James, Jan Cyrka, and Christopher Clancy to play during the hammering, both of which exude a “turn off that racket” vibe.

Newacheck was inspired by the last scenes of Darren Aronofsky’s film Requiem for a Dream, which uses a soaring score amidst stark lighting and shadows to create what he calls a “big, revelatory feeling.” He says he worked with director of photography D.J. Stipsen, who was also the cinematographer on the 2014 film that inspired this series, to find “the color within the darkness” of a purposefully bleak interior.

The mockumentary format helped too, Newachek says. “Sometimes, when you’re trying to figure out what’s important in a scene, it’s kind of nice to have less choices in terms of shot coverage or shot selection,” he says. “It makes you realize what’s very important about the scene and focus on that.”

Silence Is Golden

Shadows tends to be a very loud and chatty show (Who knew hundreds-year-old vampires could be so needy? Guillermo did). Juxtaposed with this scene is a storyline involving one of Colin Robinson’s other roommates, the vampire Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and a lot of flailing and hissing. But Proksch embraced the lack of dialogue in this transformation scene.

“There was a moment where we talked about throwing in some ad libs,” he says. “And we just came to the conclusion that it should just exist how it was written. It should be a bit of a heightened moment.”

He adds that it’s even debatable how cognizant Colin Robinson was that he was being filmed, both because “he was so in the zone that he was not paying attention to anything other than his quest” and because he’s now, technically, the youngest vampire in the house. Much like actual children, “since he was reborn, he has been on camera,” Proksch says. “I think he also considers them to be commonplace and not as much of a novelty as the rest of the characters do.”

Learning and Relearning

Colin Robinson’s final moments of transformation might solidify that Laszlo and Guillermo’s efforts were always going to be in vain. Proksch speculates that, even if his character hadn’t wanted to read those journals, “he would have then been compelled” to do so because “it's in his DNA to relearn the process of becoming an energy vampire.”

They also help him hone in on what kind of energy vampire he is destined to be; leaving behind the days of teen angst and moving full-on into trapping his prey with mind-numbing conversations.

“I think it’s something like when you’re in school,” Proksch explains. “Up until college, you're in school and you learn a bunch of different things…. When you get to college, you specialize.”

Proksch doesn’t know how many times Colin Robinson has been reborn, although the show has established that this happens to energy vampires every hundred years, and some images from the opening credits suggest he might have been alive in the 1700s. But he does think it’s interesting that he never looks any older than Proksch himself, who is in his 40s.

Are humans the most boring when we’re middle-aged? “I think middle age is particularly boring,” he acknowledges.

#what we do in the shadows #colin robinson #wwdits #mark proksch

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singular-yike · 2 years ago

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A long time ago, a book about Shinto I read mentioned something about "warrior priests". I sorta gave up researching them after the shrine they were associated with in the book pulled up no results on English google (forgot it's name, but apparently there's an American branch of it that has way more documentation than the Japanese branch I was trying to look into, but this ain't about that shrine).

The concept of a warrior priest intrigues me, as a fan of media where Shinto priests fight, so could you tell me what you know of them?

I'll be completely honest, I've never heard of Shinto priests that also acted as warriors before this. So I was a bit lost as to what to do here.

However, I do know of the much, much more famous Buddhist warrior monks, called sōhei (僧兵 lit. "monk soldiers"), which I originally planned to use as my answer.

Fortunately, it is in the middle of researching them that I believe I came across a good answer to your question, but first, let's go over some history (which I've tried my best to keep brief and relevant to our topic today).

History of Shinto and Buddhism

Shinto and Buddhism have been closely intertwined for most of Japan's history. In fact, for a good part of it, most people would've understood them as a single system of faith, one and the same.

From our modern point of view, we call this shinbutsu-shūgō (神仏習合), the "syncretism of kami and buddhas" (syncretism being the combation different beliefs; Kami being what I usually refer to as the Shinto "gods").

It was not until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when the "Kami and Buddhas Separation Order" (神仏判然令) was decreed, that the two religions for forcefully split in twain.

Yet even still, the two were never truly and completely separated, many Buddhist temples still house small Shinto shrines, and some Shinto shrines are dedicated to Buddhist deities like any other kami.

Indeed the policy never succeeded in its goals to separate the two religions, many Japanese people still practice both and visit both shrines and temples, but what it did do was create the modern view that they are separate, independent religions.

Practices/Beliefs Under the Syncretism

Right, now we can take a look at the practices under the syncretism that lead to these "warrior priests/monks" that I mentioned prior.

To keep things brief, basically, the Shinto gods and the various Buddhist deities (Buddhas, bodhisattvas, etc.) were fused together. The "how" was never agreed upon, but the mainstream idea was the honji-suijaku theory (本地垂迹).

It suggested that Shinto gods were but local manifestations of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and that they too were not exempt from the cycle of death and rebirth, samsara.

Thus, Shinto gods needed to achieve enlightenment, nirvana, as well, just like us humans. Buddhist temples were built close to Shinto shrines so that the gods can listen to Buddhist sutras, cultivate good karma, all that good stuff.

There's a lot more too, like how Shinto gods later come to be considered the protectors of Buddhism, but the important takeaway here is that Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines slowly get fused with one another, to the point where they're basically the same thing.

Warrior Monks and Priests

It is under these syncretistic beliefs and practices that we move onto classical and feudal Japan, specifically the period from the late Heian period (794 to 1185) until the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573).

During this period, power in Japan was split between three: The imperial court, independent warrior governments, and what is called the "temple-shrine powers" (寺社勢力) (the "why" is a lot of history I really can't).

(Also do note that these are categories, not three unified powers, so all the temple-shrines didn't come together to form their own government or anything like that.)

Temple-shrines then held vast amounts of land and power, enough to compete with the other two powers for authority. A part of this competition and exertion of power is, of course, military fighting.

This fighting, on the part of the Shinto shrines, were often done by what are called jinin/jinnin (神人), low-ranking priests who did chores and odd-jobs for the shrine. Some of them where charged with guard duty, so they owned weapons and knew how to fight.

It was these people who we see join the sōhei (mentioned in the beginning) in their fighting, and we even have many records of people complaining about their violent rampages (yeah not all of these warriors were great people, in fact many weren't, but that's neither here nor there).

And there's what I believe you read about! Warrior Shinto priests, albeit low-ranking ones that were basically the odd-jobs guys. (Also worth noting is that not all jinin were warriors, some were farmers, merchants, artisans, etc.)

Ending

What I couldn't find

I should definitely add that I couldn't find anything about a specific group of jinin tied to a specific shrine.

The only two American shrines that I could find with specific ties to Japanese shrines are the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America and the Izumo Grand Shrine of Hawaii, tied to the Tsubaki Grand Shrine and Izumo Grand Shrine respectively.

However, I couldn't find anything specifically tying them to any temple-shrine powers back them, nor any specific anecdotes about their priests being warriors either.

So yeah I got nothing on that front, sorry 'bout that.

Why all the history?

In retrospect all that history really seems rather unnecessary, doesn't it? But I've already typed all that up, and it'd just be an absolute waste to delete them now.

I originally mentioned all that because I wanted to give an idea on how this could've been obscured, both to me and to anyone else, and hence the topic's obscurity these days.

Shinto was Buddhism at the time (and vice versa, in a sense), so these people who fought with Buddhist monks were simply lumped in with them, they were of one temple-shrine organisation.

There's a lot of stuff in there that you can easily pour literal lifetimes into learning about, so we can always visit some other stuff there if you're interested~.

Final Words

Good gods I crammed a lot in here.

The tricky thing is that any talk about Shinto history also kinda necessitates a basic understanding of Buddhism, so it's tough to pick out what's really needed and what can be saved for some other day.

Also I'm not nearly as good at these top-down perspective stuff, as you may have noticed, narrow topics are a lot easier to work with (though I suppose that's true for most things).

And this intersected with history quite a lot too, which is not really my thing and I'm not nearly as well versed in.

Finally please do note that I'm no expert in Japanese religion and mythology or anything. I just find it all real neat~. So please don't be surprised if any of this turns out inaccurate or straight up wrong, and do tell me I'd love to learn too~.

And that's all I believe! As usual, I hope you enjoyed~! :)

#oh also sorry for no pictures!!#I like to have them to break things up but abstract stuff like this is kinda hard to find pics for #no idea what else to tag this honestly #no matter tho I'll add it to the Len'en masterpost for now #inappropriate as it may be #rather that than have it lost to the flow of posts #I'll make one for these once I have a few more maybe

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sonofanumbranwitch · 2 years ago

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The Homunculi Needed A Stronger Theme To Them.

I think it's fair to say that the majority of players were a bit underwhelmed with the homunculi. Something about their designs is just less striking as enemies of past games.

The angels take their inspiration from biblically accurate sources and they seem to be made of marble and gold like statues you find in sacred building hiding their monstrous flesh underneath. And the demon enemies are both mechanical and organic seeming to have been crafted from torture devices.

And the homunculi are... goop. Like they're just goop with shapes on them. Even their names are less striking. The angels and demons, at least the enemy types, take their names from virtues and vices of humanity respectfully showing their ties to the human world. Meanwhile the homunculi are named after clouds for some reason...

We don't even learn how their made, or hell even really why Singularity made them. Like all that potential Rodin set up in the beginning comes off as just him talking out of his ass.

"They're part human." Well what does that mean? Are they made from humans? Do they have some aspect of humanity about them?

"They'll get their hands on enough power to wipe out the whole trinity in a snap." Is that what Singularity even wanted? Why would he? How is he even doing this? A lot of this goes unexplained, or its explained in codex entries which means the writers were to lazy to explain it through the story proper.

I was reading through the wiki hoping to find some better explanation and honestly I feel like they may be giving the homunculi too much credit.

" many of the Homunculi draw heavy inspiration from Hindu and Buddhist motifs, such as lotus flowers and prayer beads, fitting their goal of "rebirthing" the universe. Their interconnected nature with Singularity also harkens to the Buddhist concept of Indra's Net, which is an envisioning of existence as a spider's web like brocade of reflective jewels, indicating not just the interconnectedness of living beings, but of alternate universes and existences."

"Alternately, due to their villainous and antagonistic nature, as with the Angels and Demons of the Bayonetta universe, they may also highlight the malign attributes of negative human traits; from their nirvana/atman-esque nature also drawing upon perversion of religion into self-serving cults and sects claiming to have "the only ultimate truth and knowledge of the universe"."

Like... I'm sorry but if that was Platinum's intent then it just doesn't come through in the story proper. But I'm willing to concede that may just be for a western audience unfamiliar with these concepts. If anyone who grew up with these stories and icons got that from the Homunculi I guess more power to them but it should have been stronger in the writing to get those ideas across to the player.

#bayonetta #bayonetta 3 #bayonetta 3 spoilers #homunculi #the game never delves into what the hell homunculi are #also if the homunculi take inspiration from Buddhism I'm sorry why is singularity a white guy?#Like wouldn't it have made more sense for singularity to have an Indian design to tie his design more to the homunculi #is that racist?

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betshy · 13 days ago

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Understanding Transmigration: Insights on Reincarnation

Transmigration, also known as soul migration or reincarnation, is a belief that has been deeply ingrained in many spiritual and religious traditions around the world. The concept of transmigration suggests that the soul or consciousness of an individual can move from one body to another after death, experiencing different lifetimes and learning valuable lessons along the way. In Hinduism, the belief in transmigration is closely tied to the concept of karma, which suggests that our actions in this lifetime will determine our fate in future lives. According to Hindu teachings, the ultimate goal of transmigration is to achieve moksha, or liberation from the cycle of birth and death, and to reunite with the divine source. Similarly, in Buddhism, the belief in transmigration is a fundamental aspect of the cycle of samsara, which is the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. According to Buddhist teachings, the goal is to break free from this cycle by attaining enlightenment and reaching nirvana, a state of ultimate peace and liberation. In Western traditions, the concept of transmigration has also been explored in various esoteric and mystical teachings. Some philosophers and thinkers believe that the soul is eternal and that it may incarnate in different bodies over time in order to learn and grow. Regardless of one's religious or philosophical beliefs, the idea of transmigration invites us to consider the bigger picture of our existence and our interconnectedness with all living beings. It challenges us to think beyond our current lifetime and to consider the lessons we are meant to learn from each experience. While the concept of transmigration may be challenging to fully comprehend or prove, it offers a sense of hope and reassurance that our lives have purpose and meaning beyond what we can see or understand in the physical world. It encourages us to think about the bigger questions of life and to consider our actions and choices in a broader context. In conclusion, transmigration is a thought-provoking concept that invites us to reflect on the nature of existence, the interconnectedness of all beings, and the potential for growth and evolution beyond this lifetime. Whether or not one believes in the literal truth of transmigration, the teachings and principles behind this belief can offer valuable insights and lessons for our spiritual and personal development. Read the full article

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allblackeverything888 · 4 months ago

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🌞♋🌔♐

listening to: Tool Lateralus (2001)

dear diary,

i can feel myself coming out of the deep fog i’ve been in. music is always the main indicator of my overall mood. the clearest indication of the particular headspace im in is whatever musical cloud i’ve got going on around me. i’d been listening to jungle, the darkest i could fiind, early 90s darkside tracks for the past few years. jungle is probably one of my favorite genres of music, because it really revels in dark spaces &creates pockets of joy &self-abandonment in the midst of great pain. im grateful it could go to those dark places w me &keep me company. that said, that fog was heavy and im glad to be emerging from it.

youtube

i like my music heavy, but my clearest, healthiest headspace is one of frenetic musical curiosity &exploration. soooooo, listening to one VERY specific subgenre of VERY dark electronic music for 3+ years was truly me going thru the valley of the shadows, as it were. necessary—i got what i needed—but christ im glad to be moving on.

i don’t know why 90s music has a chokehold on my psyche, but it is what it is, and im on my 90s alt rock shit rn. im working on my first book, tentatively title ｔｈｅｚｅｒｏｐｏｒｔａｌ, &the first chapter links my ideas w the smashing pumpkins song ‘zero.' so, i’ve been reading up on mellon collie &the infinite sadness-era SP lore. (ca. 1994-1996). reading abt billy corgan’s headspace while creating that album is interesting. his sense of grand ambition, of wanting to simultaneously sneer at and fully embrace this temporary role of ‘rock god’ or idol…

i was struck by the fact that the album, and the whole concept for “Zero” as a song, a character, an ethos, was borne from this strange series of events that created the void space for Billy Corgan & the Pumpkins to essentially become the rock idols of their ambitious dreams. when Nirvana, the de facto alt rock gods of the era, had to bow out of their headliner spot at Lollapalooza ‘94 after Kurt K.O.’d &the band went instant kaput noodles, who was called to replace them as headliners? The Smashing Pumpkins.

im obsessed with this idea of fated events, of purpose paired with passion, the delicate dance between ambition and arrogance, posturing &pretention. like, you can’t realize a dream if you never dream it, but also, why bother even attempting the realization of a dream if at least some part of you doesn’t believe you can make it all the way there.

my research led me to this cute lil smashing pumpkins fan pod, and they smartly related Billy Corgan’s transformation between Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (ca. ‘93-’95/’96) to a quote from the very mid biopic about another rock legend, Elton John. the Rocketman quote goes,

you got to kill the person you were born to be in order to become the person you want to be.

which is very much exactly the concept i want to use SP’s “Zero” to illustrate at the start of my book. i’m going thru a death and rebirth process currently, dying to the old &recognizing that if im ever gonna get close to any of these dreams that keep dancing spectacularly thru my head, this current version of me is going to have to die. kaput. zero out into nothingness to be born again.

#death and rebirth #the smashing pumpkins #jungle #alt rock #transformation #diary #all black everything #Youtube

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holybookslibrary · 1 year ago

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Advaita-Saadhanaa - Kanchi Maha-Swamigal’s Discourses

Advaita-Saadhanaa - Kanchi Maha-Swamigal’s Discourses. Kanchi Maha-Swamigal also known as Periyavaa repeatedly preached about the importance of following the Dharmic path and Advaita - non-duality. His various discourses are available in a pack of six volumes. They are called ‘Deivathin Kural’ (Voice of the Divine) which have been compiled by R. Ganapathi, a devotee of Periyava. These books are available only in Tamil, however a condensed form of these books is available in English. Download the free pdf e-book here (192 pages):

Advaita-Saadhanaa - Kanchi Maha-Swamigal’s Discourses

What are the Dharmic Paths?

The Dharmic Paths refer to the spiritual frameworks and philosophies that originated in the Indian subcontinent. They include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. These religions share some common themes and concepts but also have distinct beliefs, practices, and cultural expressions. Here's a brief overview of each: - Hinduism: - Origins and Core Beliefs: Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world, with a complex array of deities, philosophies, and rituals. Its core beliefs include Dharma (duty, ethics, right action), Karma (the law of cause and effect), Samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth), and Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara). - Practices: Practices in Hinduism are diverse and include rituals, worship (puja), yoga, meditation, and pilgrimages to holy sites. - Buddhism: - Origins and Core Beliefs: Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as a means to attain Nirvana, the cessation of suffering and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. - Practices: Buddhism emphasizes meditation, mindfulness, ethical conduct, and the cultivation of wisdom and compassion. - Jainism: - Origins and Core Beliefs: Jainism was founded by Mahavira and emphasizes non-violence (Ahimsa), truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity, and non-possession. It teaches that every living being has a soul and the potential for liberation. - Practices: Jains practice strict vegetarianism, meditation, and rituals that emphasize renunciation and asceticism. - Sikhism: - Origins and Core Beliefs: Founded by Guru Nanak in the 15th century, Sikhism emphasizes monotheism, equality of all humans, selfless service (Seva), and the importance of honest living and social justice. - Practices: Sikhs follow the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib, their holy scripture. They participate in communal worship and service in the Gurdwara (Sikh temple), and they follow the Five Ks, which are articles of faith. Each of these Dharmic Paths, while unique in their teachings and practices, shares a common thread in their emphasis on spiritual growth, ethical living, and the pursuit of ultimate truth or liberation. Read the full article

#Advaita #Dharmicpath #KanchiMaha-Swamiga #non-duality #Periyava

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vishnu2004 · 1 year ago

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June 12 - Kiyomizudera and Gion Tour

Today we traveled to the Kiyomizu Temple, which offered fantastic views of the city in contrast with the historic structures throughout the Temple. Today was an extremely hot and humid day. While walking up the temple steps, I found myself sweating way more than usual. Fortunately, we all powered through together and reached the beautiful bright red temple in quick haste. Raj and I took plenty of pictures on the ascent; he takes pictures of me and I take pictures of him. He prefers normal, more background-oriented photos whereas I prefer more “cheesing” and lighthearted portrait photos that highlight me over the surrounding environment. However, we’re not exclusive and we oftentimes switch between preferences.

I had a great time exploring the temple and the surrounding shops. Before breaking for lunch, we visited the womb inside the temple which was essentially a long, dark hallway that we had to navigate through alone. It was very scary, as I kept expecting there to be a surprise drop that I couldn’t see. It was 100% pitch black, with light only permeating once via a hologram placed intentionally near the end of the tunnel. I can proudly say that I feel reborn.

In the free time between the temple and the play, I decided to grab some ramen and fried chicken, check out some shops, and visit some other local temples while exploring the Gion area. The play featured a number of different performances meant to showcase the wide variety and range of Japanese art. It was beautiful. After the performance, many friends and I went to a hotel rooftop to enjoy the good vibes and take some nice pictures. What a day!

Academic Reflection

For today’s activities, the readings felt relatively abstract from the real-time interactions with both the temple and the Gion district. While the exploration at the temple felt very focused on religion and the importance of birth/rebirth in one’s journey towards nirvana, as shown by the womb, the reading instead followed a more artistic and theatrical follow through. While dense, the reading provided an important context of the importance of the temple to traditional Japanese performances such as the one we viewed in the evening.

The same phenomenon can be seen when discussing the Gion District - while the area was primarily seen by myself as a bustling, store lined region with beautiful preserved history and abundant amenities for residents, the readings focused on how the symbol of femininity evolved in Japanese culture. Again, relevant to our explorations at the temple, but it was most definitely something that provided a different perspective from what was seen at face value.

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imustbenuts · 2 years ago

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talk more about buddhism in f3h please maybe? :3c maybe the things you like/find most intriguing?

Right. Okay. Here's one I bet you didn't know.

The Heroes' Relics

There are actually Buddha relics irl. Buddha actually instructed his followers to cremate his body and then distribute his remains (relics) to his disciples when he died, all of a single clan. But six other clans and a King appeared and demanded the ashes. And so his ashes was split into 8 to avoid conflict.

These 8 portions were then distributed to his followers. Then 2 more pieces went out as relics. One being the vessel in which the body was cremated, and the remaining ashes from the funeral pyre.

So, count that up and we have... 10! Duhn duhn duuuhn!

If you remember, there were the 10 elites, and Nemesis, the bandit king who killed Sothis to use her body parts as weapons.

Sothis is also visibly isolated in a void when we see her. She has essentially attained nirvana and is free from the cycle of rebirth until Byleth goes knock knock on her door. Buddha has also attained nirvana and will not reincarnate. So on, so forth -- Sothis is basically Buddha in this case.

Now these relics were placed into reliquaries, a miniature version of urns. Stupas are essentially burial mounds, and those 8 constructed their own stupas to house these reliquaries in.

Dome, mounds... Hills... Hrm. If it was gathered in one place it'd sound a little like Garreg Mach wouldn't it? Actually, come some time later, that is exactly what happened. A king went around gathering them, housed it one stupa, and then redistributed them into as many as 84,000 relics later.

Anyway, these bottom images aren't the actual reliquaries or stupas, it's just here to give you a visual sense of what they look/feel like.

I put them there bc those original Stupas made by his followers were already in ruins come a few centuries later by Chinese pilgrims' accounts. Every one, except for one Ramagrama stupa which still exists today:

Buddhism, man.

But wait, some might be thinking: "There are more than 10 weapon relics in 3H if you count. According to the fan wiki, it's at a total of 18. That doesn't quite add up."

Well, surprise! This actually doesn't contradict bc apart from those original 10, there are relics such as the Buddha tooth and hair housed all over the world if we ignore redistribution of the ashes. Not kidding, there's even some in US right now. Check this wiki link for a basic read up on the Buddha relics. Authenticity of the whole claim beside, it's very something lol.

Sothis was effectively placed in multiple coffins and kept in a burial tomb as well. The original 10 elites coincides with the original 10 Buddha relics, and Heroes' Relics number matches up with the possibly smaller bits popping up over time here and there all over the world.

And that's about it for the Heroes' Relics.

Other extra bits of 3H others have dug up:

I'm going to plug Airy_Breather from reddit here who has written out their knowledge and diip bc the game's so dense the writers are insane like thank god you got KT and their overseas sweatshop branches involved huh you fucking slave drivers assholes you---

Warriors: 3H

Shez is basically an Ashura. Ashuras are neither inherently evil or good, but they love to pick a fight with Devas, and are therefore associated with war. Ranking wise, they are lower than Devas.

Warriors, war, it's a whole game about war. Plus, Shez comes with a special class named.... Ashura.

Byleth as I stated in my Avatar rambling before, is somewhat related to Devas. Even if in 3H Warriors they don't strictly qualify to have an association with Devas here, it's worth noting that the writers might be just going insane again (/affectionate).

Either way, canonically it seems like Shez is sore/angry after losing their entire mercenary band at Byleth's hands at the start of the game. I say seems, bc the game lets the player interpret if they truly hate or are angry at Byleth by killing them, or just letting it go and therefore letting Byleth live.

Which also then bounces off the idea of hate/anger being one of the Three Poisons. If you decide to kill, or let Byleth die, you will be locked into bad endings of every route.

Letting Byleth live nets the better ending in every route.

Anyway that's about it and what I found interesting. Ty for asking!!

#fire emblem 3 houses #fire emblem three houses #fire emblem three hopes #meta #rambling #analysis #fe3h #few3h

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941injapan · 1 year ago

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May 28th --- Asakusa

Welcome to the blog! My name is Matthew Martinez, a public relations student at UF, and today was my first day in Tokyo. First impressions are huge in public relations, whether it be giving a pitch or cutting a deal, its imperative that professionals understand that their first step leaves the biggest footprint. I’ve got to say, I am so pleasantly surprised with Japan. I always knew it would be cool to be here, but I was expecting slight resistance being a foreigner but I was wrong. Virtually everyone was polite and the language barrier is very easy to navigate in daily life like buying goods and reading signs. Trains are quicker than I expected, and I saw more behavorial diversity, even among Japanese people. Such an interesting culture here, and the commitment to efficiency is unreal. If we had a city that was a fraction of the size of Tokyo in America, it would burn down the next day. I will say this, an interesting thing that caught my eye was how the architecture in many places, primarily residential buildings, seem like they are from the 70s and 80s, yet they are so well kept that it feels like time has stood still. That along with the smoking areas really gives this place a feeling not just of a different country, but a different era. Anyway, we went to Asakusa and saw the Senso-ji temple. Such a crowd there, but things moved around quicklyly so that was nice. The architecture is so intricate and ornate, it was quite refreshing to see such a high-effort religious site, compared to American churches, some of which are in old strip malls and formerly abandoned buildings. My fortune, while eerie but good, remarked about something like finding success, but dealing with great and long hardship before reaching the goal in the end. I guess they knew how hard it was to get scholarship money to get here, and how my bones turned to jelly on that 11-hour flight.

The May 28th readings help bring Japanese religious history into view when paired with the excursion. Senso ji temple was built when two fisherman, Hinokuma and Takenari Hamanari pulled a statue of Kannon, the “bodhisattva” in 628. Kannon is a prominent figure on the path to enlightenment, particularly for compassion and mercy. The reading talk about the path to enlightenment in great detail. In Mayahana buddhism, people are subject of endless death and rebirth. To escape this cycle, one must reach enlightenment and get to nirvana. However, this path is incomplete unless the one who attains enlightenment seeks to bring others to enlightenment too. These fully enlightened students, or bodhisattva, are revered for delaying their enlightenment to bring others to it. Kannon resides in the Senso Ji temple, and millions visit each year to pray for a multitude of blessings over their current life. Other temples can serve to deal with past and future lives and their issues as well. Later in our excursion, we went to the Fukagawa Edo Museum. This museum houses a recreation of a block of Edo period Japan, right next to the Sumida River. In the readings, the Edo period in Japan saw amazing growth fostered by the consistent economic engagement of the samurai, or elite. Edo period social hierarchy was very different than it is today in Japan. In that time, it was very difficult to transition between social classes, and very often the working class was held down. At this museum, you can get a peek into how these commoners lived. There were merchant buildings, commoner homes, early grocery stores, and many more. It was clear to see how the transition to modern life was on the horizon, and how the logistics of Edo period Japan served as a base for the urban sprawl we see today in the same spot of Tokyo.

I've had some trouble with wifi here and cannot upload pictures through Tumblr. Try this google doc link instead!

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centeronaging · 2 years ago

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Center on Aging Care Sheets Providers

Older persons frequently have diarrhea and bowel incontinence. It can have very bad consequences if not addressed in a timely manner.

Diarrhea is characterized by an extraordinary rise in stool weight, frequency, and fluidity (>200 grams per day), all of which are abnormally high… Correcting fluid and electrolyte imbalances is the top focus of therapy, regardless of the underlying reason. It is typical to utilize parenteral fluid that contains glucose, KCl, and NaCl.

Incontinence of feces, whether solid or liquid, is referred to as this. The incidence among senior patients who live in their communities is 17%, with greater rates among older patients in nursing homes and hospitals. Beginning with a rectal examination to rule out fecal impaction, sphincter function testing, and a neurological examination, fecal incontinence is evaluated. Fecal incontinence can take various different forms. Several strategies may be used if there is no apparent reason that may be reversed.

Read more: https://uofazcenteronaging.com/care-sheet/providers/diarrhea-and-fecal-incontinence/