51
See 'Rig-veda,' x. 129, for a similar rationalistic dissertation on the origin of the universe. Here and below the italics indicate translations.
52
In Chinese, Yin and Yang. The Yin is the dark, negative, passive, feminine, and terrene principle; the Yang is light, positive, active, male, and celestial.
53
'Philosophy of Religion,' i. 269.
54
"Into human shape" is another version.
55
I shall usually omit this purely honorific addition to the names of Japanese Gods and sovereigns.
56
Hirata says that "the five generations of deities which in the Kojiki precede Izanagi and Izanami are only names descriptive of the successive stages of formation of these deities. Their functions are obscure, and they have no shrines or worship. They are unnecessary, as all that are required are two Gods for the creation of Heaven, two of Yomi and two of Earth."
57
There is a close association in Hebrew between the ideas of creation and begetting. Bara, create, and jalad, beget, are often interchanged.
58
See Index.
59
See Index.
60
It was deprived of this character soon after by order of the Mikado's Government, the only monument of the old cult left standing being Nantai (male form), a mountain which towers above Nikko to the height of 8,500 feet.
61
'Sociology,' ii. 177.
62
See Index, 'Circumambulation.' Also Simpson's 'Praying Wheel,' p. 285, and Jevons's 'Introduction to Religion,' p. 210. The corresponding Highland ceremony, called Deasil, is described in Sir Walter Scott's 'Fair Maid of Perth.' See also Brand's 'British Antiquities.'
63
I 324.
64
A strong suspicion of Chinese origin attaches to these elemental gods.
65
The significance of the wo-bashira, or end-tooth, is explained elsewhere. See Index.
66
See Index-'Peach.'
67
Deified as Chi-gaheshi no Oho-kami (road-send-back-great-deity).
68
Muir's 'Sanskrit Texts,' v. 320.
69
See Murray's 'Japan,' fifth edition, p. 408.
70
See Index.
71
See Dr. Tylor's 'Primitive Culture,' ii. 435.
72
As Horus, in Egyptian myth, confronts the powers of darkness.
73
The Milky Way: a Chinese expression.
74
This is one of several miraculous births and pregnancies in Japanese myth. Mankind have a rooted propensity for imagining that it is possible to improve on the means ordained for this purpose by Divine Providence. See Mr. Hartland's 'Legend of Perseus' for numerous examples.
75
The Kiujiki makes Masa-ya, &c., the son of the Sun-Goddess by Takamusubi.