04-25-2007, 08:36 PM
Kyoto, the old Japanese imperial capital, is filled with beautiful temples/shrines etc.
One particular temple dedicated to "Mother Goddess" was intriguing.
The temple is subterranean and access to it is through dark narrow meandering tunnel. One has to hold on to a railing to walk through that. In the center there is a circular carved stone structure on which a very faint light is shone from above. Then you emerge through similar exit tunnel.
The Japanese priest sitting outside told me in his broken english that many such temples were influenced by hinduism. He also talked about a shrine of Sri Ganesha. Regarding the "Mother Goddess" temple, he said that it was designed as a mother's womb, and emerging from the temple was like a new birth.
It was summer holiday season, and lots of Japanese youngsters in school uniform were thronging the temples. Apparently it is popular school outing to visit such shrines.
What struck me though was the perception that there was a distinct lack of "religiosity" in the people. Only some old people appeared to be reverentially joining their palms in prayer. For most people, and almost all youngsters, it seemed that the temples were mainly of cultural interest, not of religious interest.
One particular temple dedicated to "Mother Goddess" was intriguing.
The temple is subterranean and access to it is through dark narrow meandering tunnel. One has to hold on to a railing to walk through that. In the center there is a circular carved stone structure on which a very faint light is shone from above. Then you emerge through similar exit tunnel.
The Japanese priest sitting outside told me in his broken english that many such temples were influenced by hinduism. He also talked about a shrine of Sri Ganesha. Regarding the "Mother Goddess" temple, he said that it was designed as a mother's womb, and emerging from the temple was like a new birth.
It was summer holiday season, and lots of Japanese youngsters in school uniform were thronging the temples. Apparently it is popular school outing to visit such shrines.
What struck me though was the perception that there was a distinct lack of "religiosity" in the people. Only some old people appeared to be reverentially joining their palms in prayer. For most people, and almost all youngsters, it seemed that the temples were mainly of cultural interest, not of religious interest.