Japanese philosophy

Japanese Philosophy has historically been a fusion of both indigenous Shinto and continental religions, such as Buddhism and Confucianism. Formerly heavily influenced by both Chinese philosophy and Indian philosophy, as with Mitogaku and Zen, much modern Japanese philosophy is now also influenced by Western philosophy.

Before feudalism was firmly established in Japan, Buddhism occupied the mainstream of Japanese thought. The Buddhist culture introduced politically by Prince Shotoku is completed as the “making a country safe” thought in the Nara era. When the Heian era (794-1185) began, in substitution for the “making a country safe thought”, form of esoteric Buddhism collectively known as mikkyo became widespread. However, in the late noble era when pessimism was popular due to the “belief that Buddhism will decline during the latter days of this world”, the Pure Land movements spread out encouraging anticipation of a 'future life' as a means to cope with desperation over 'life in this world'. During the Kamakura era (1185-1333) when government dominated by the samurai class began, a “new” Buddhism for the newly-risen class (samurai) appears.

also see: The Six Schools of Nara Buddhism

In ancient Japan, the arrival of Buddhism closely relates the national construction and the national centralization of power. Prince Shotoku and the Soga family fought and overcame the Mononobe family, who had handled the ancient Japanese religion, and elaborated a plan for national governance based on the unification of the legal codes system and Buddhism. While cooperating with the Soga family, Prince Shotoku, who was the regent of the Emperor Suiko, showed a deep understanding in “foreign” Buddhism, and planned to stabilize national politics through the use of Buddhism. The thought that national peace and security came through the power of Buddhism is called the “making a country safe” thought. In the Nara era, in particular the times of Emperor Shomu , the Kokubun-ji temples and Kokubun-ni-ji temples were erected throughout the whole country and Tōdai-ji Temple and the Daibutsu were erected in Nara. The Buddhist policy of the state reached its apex during the Nara period, as evidenced by Jianzhen of the Tang dynasty bringing an imperial ordination platform to Todai-ji Temple,

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