Shrines and temples, faith and doubt, right and wrong.
Two traditions live side by side in Japan, 神道 and 仏教, and many people take part in both without calling themselves religious: a newborn is often taken to a shrine, and most funerals follow Buddhist rites. Keep the vocabulary of the two apart — a shrine has a 神主, a temple a 僧侶 — and keep 道徳, everyday morality and the school subject of that name, apart from 倫理, ethics as a field of thought and of professional rules.
The words
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Verb (4)
祈るto pray; to wishVerbN3
家族の無事を祈っています。I am praying that my family are safe.
Also a polite wish in letters: ご健康をお祈りしております.
拝むto pray (with palms together)VerbN2
母は毎朝、仏壇の前で手を合わせて拝む。Every morning my mother puts her hands together and prays at the Buddhist family altar.
供えるto offer (to a god or the dead)VerbN2
仏壇にご飯と花を供えた。I offered rice and flowers at the family altar.
Same sound as 備える, to prepare for something.
説くto preach; to expoundVerbN2
その僧侶は、各地を回って命の大切さを説いた。The monk travelled from place to place, preaching how precious life is.
Noun (38)
宗教religionNounN3
日本では、宗教をあまり意識せずに暮らしている人が多い。In Japan, many people live without giving religion much thought.
信仰faith; religious beliefNounN2
彼女は苦しいときも信仰を失わなかった。She did not lose her faith even in hard times.
仏教BuddhismNounN2
仏教は六世紀ごろ日本に伝わった。Buddhism reached Japan around the sixth century.
神道ShintoNounN2
神道には、決まった経典がない。Shinto has no fixed scripture.
思想thought; ideas; ideologyNounN2
その作家の思想は、若い世代に大きな影響を与えた。The writer's ideas had a great influence on the younger generation.
哲学philosophyNounN2
大学で哲学を学んで、物事を疑う習慣がついた。Studying philosophy at university gave me the habit of questioning things.
Also a personal outlook: 人生哲学, a philosophy of life.
道徳morality; moralsNounN2
小学校には道徳の授業がある。Primary schools have lessons in moral education.
Everyday morality, and the school subject; ethics as a field is 倫理.
キリスト教ChristianityNounN2
彼はキリスト教の家庭で育った。He grew up in a Christian family.
A Christian is キリスト教徒.
イスラム教IslamNounN2
イスラム教では、一日に五回祈りをささげる。In Islam, believers pray five times a day.
儒教ConfucianismNounN2
目上の人を敬う考え方には、儒教の影響があると言われる。Respect for one's elders is said to show the influence of Confucianism.
信者believer; followerNounN2
祖母は熱心な仏教の信者だった。My grandmother was a devout Buddhist.
仏the Buddha; a buddhaNounN2
この寺には、千年前に作られた仏の像がある。This temple has a statue of the Buddha made a thousand years ago.
In compounds the reading is usually ぶつ: 仏像, a Buddhist statue.
神god; deityNounN3
日本では、山や木にも神が宿ると考えられてきた。In Japan, gods have long been thought to dwell even in mountains and trees.
In speech usually 神様.
僧侶Buddhist priest; monkNounN2
葬儀には僧侶を呼ぶことが多い。A Buddhist priest is often asked to conduct a funeral.
Everyday speech says お坊さん.
神主Shinto priestNounN2
神主が朝早くから神社の境内を掃除している。The priest has been sweeping the shrine grounds since early morning.
宗派sect; denominationNounN2
同じ仏教でも、宗派によって教えが異なる。Even within Buddhism, the teachings differ from one school to another.
礼拝worship; religious serviceNounN2
礼拝の間は、写真の撮影が禁止されている。Photography is not allowed during the service.
儀式ceremony; ritualNounN2
大人になったことを祝う儀式は、国によってさまざまだ。The ceremonies that mark coming of age differ from country to country.
修行religious training; disciplineNounN2
彼は山の寺で一年間修行をした。He spent a year in training at a mountain temple.
Also hard training in a craft: 料理の修行.
悟りenlightenmentNounN2
釈迦は木の下で悟りを開いたとされる。The Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment beneath a tree.
魂soul; spiritNounN2
お盆には、先祖の魂が家に帰ってくると言われる。At Obon the souls of the ancestors are said to return home.
天国heaven; paradiseNounN2
天国にいる父も、きっと喜んでいるだろう。My father in heaven must be pleased too.
Also casual: 歩行者天国, a street closed to cars.
地獄hellNounN2
満員電車での通勤は、毎朝が地獄だ。Commuting on a packed train is hell every morning.
倫理ethicsNounN2
遺伝子の研究には、倫理の問題がつきまとう。Genetic research is dogged by ethical questions.
価値観values; sense of valuesNounN2
同じ家族でも、世代が違えば価値観も違う。Even within one family, different generations hold different values.
善悪good and evil; right and wrongNounN2
小さい子供には、まだ善悪の区別がつかない。Small children cannot yet tell right from wrong.
理性reasonNounN2
どんなに腹が立っても、理性を失ってはいけない。However angry you are, you must not lose your reason.
真理truthNounN2
彼の言葉には、ある種の真理が含まれている。There is a kind of truth in what he says.
A deep, general truth; a statement being true is 本当 or 事実.
存在existence; presenceNounN2
神の存在を信じるかどうかは、人それぞれだ。Whether people believe in the existence of God varies from person to person.
Also a verb: 存在する.
聖書the BibleNounN2
聖書は、非常に多くの言語に翻訳されている。The Bible has been translated into a great many languages.
お経sutraNounN2
法事で、お坊さんがお経を読んだ。At the memorial service, the priest chanted a sutra.
参拝visit to worship (at a shrine or temple)NounN2
正月には、多くの人が神社に参拝する。At New Year a great many people go to pray at a shrine.
Formal; in speech people say お参り.
迷信superstitionNounN2
夜に爪を切ってはいけないというのは迷信だ。The idea that you must not cut your nails at night is a superstition.
信念conviction; firm beliefNounN2
彼女は自分の信念を最後まで曲げなかった。She stuck to her convictions to the very end.
慈悲mercy; compassionNounN2
仏教では、すべての命に慈悲の心を持つことが説かれる。Buddhism teaches compassion towards every living thing.
墓grave; tombNounN3
毎年お盆には、家族でお墓を掃除する。Every year at Obon the family cleans the grave.
Usually said with お: お墓.
教えteaching; doctrineNounN2
祖父の教えを、今も大切にしている。I still hold on to what my grandfather taught me.
無宗教having no religionNounN2
自分は無宗教だと答える日本人は少なくない。Quite a few Japanese people say that they have no religion.
