Religion in Japan is an interesting mix of Shinto, the traditional native religion, and Chan Buddhism, an import from China, through Korea, where it was influenced by the Taoism that became Japanese Zen. The Buddhism brought to Nara in the 5th century had yet to undergo the Taoist aspects that eventually surfaced in the 6th-7th century. It led to a fervent period of Chinese and Indian Buddhism (clothing from those regions was a fad in Nara for a while), this already was a synthesis. In the cultural center of Nara, it spread to countless monasteries and temples and, once adopted by the Samurai (who were enthused by Zen), Buddhism spread throughout the country, often in proximity to Shinto shrines. Shinto eventually took on several aspects of Buddhism which made it easier to worship.
Kyoto, once the capital city and always the cultural center of Japan, has an unusually dense number of temples in honor of one or another variant of Buddhism, of which there were many, all due to doctrinal differences supporting the branch. However, Zen rejected the scriptures and instead practiced “sitting meditation” in order to reach a purity of mind free of such attachments, and to reach Nirvana, a spiritual state of no-mind, with no attachment to the world of things (which is interesting since so many things were generated by Zen culture). “Working meditation” is seen, however, in the maintenance of temples and especially in creating, maintaining, and sweeping the kare sansui (dry sand) gardens, with waves and designs worked into the sand with a specially designed rake. “Walking meditation” was needed to beg for food and for stretching from hours of seated meditating.
Japanese themselves note that they are born Buddhists and die Shinto, but that refers largely to the religion preferred (traditionally) for those particular ceremonies. Most Japanese worship Pure-Land Buddhism where prayer is offered on behalf of its Buddha, who stands on lotus leaves. A simple mention of his name is prayer and could lead to the Pure Land. This is unsurprisingly portrayed and anticipated as Heaven is to Christians but without the need for good deeds.
Homes often had alcoves for a statue of their preferred Buddha representative. There are several such carved and painted statues in the Regelski collection, though paint and gilt often don’t survive the years. There are also Zushi, portable altars, with at least a Buddha image to accompany travelers for daily prayers. Several Okinomo of monks would be on display and also are included in the collection, one of Sen no Rikyū (see the section of Tea Ceremony) looking particularly meditative. He was the founder of the tea ceremony that, for all practical purposes, is like a liturgy of Zen practice focusing (mediating) on several key objects, procedures, moments, and polite gestures that are the Tea Ceremony .
