Ise Shinto

A Shinto theory and school of thought that was formed in the early to mid-medieval period with Toyouke Daijingu (Geku) in Ise as its base. It is also called Geku Shinto, or Watarai Shinto, as it was preached by the Watarai clan, the priests (shrine officials) of Geku. The scriptural books of this school include "Amaterasu Ise Nisho Kotai Jingu Gochinza Shidai-ki" (abbreviated as "Gochinza Shidai-ki"), "Ise Nisho Kotai Jingu Gochinza Denki" (Gochinza Denki), "Toyouke Kotai Jingu Gochinza Honki" (Gochinza Honki), "Zoise Nisho Kotai Jingu Takara Kihonki" (Takara Kihonki), and "Yamatohime no Mikoto Seiki" (also written as Ki in part), and in later years these were collectively called the "Five Books of Shinto." The contents of these works are mainly about the origins of the Inner and Outer Shrines, but also incorporate assertions and teachings. They begin with the gods of the creation of heaven and earth, and describe how Amaterasu Omikami and Toyouke Omikami came to be enshrined in the Inner and Outer Shrines of Ise, their appearances, divine virtues, the relationship between the two gods, the layout of the shrines and the treasures, and other matters. They also detail the achievements of Yamatohime-no-mikoto, who played an important role in following the oracles of the great gods when the shrines were enshrined. Of these, the Gochinza Shidai-ki, Do Denki, and Do Honki have a strong ancient auspicious color, while the Hokki Kihon-ki and Yamatohime-no-mikoto Seiki contain many Shinto ideals and doctrinal discourses. In addition to those based on classics such as the Nihon Shoki, some of these are noteworthy because they are based on unique ancient traditions. Furthermore, roughly two aspects can be pointed out regarding the intention behind the creation of these books.

First, they treat the Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine equally, making no distinction between the two deities, and positioning Toyouke-no-Okami, the god of food, as the most fundamental deity, suggesting an intention to elevate the status of the Outer Shrine to that of the Inner Shrine. Secondly, they make full use of classics and ancient legends to show that Amaterasu Omikami and her Shintoism have been fundamental and unique since the founding of Japan. This implicitly represents a reaction against the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism and the Honji Suijaku theory of the time, and for this reason they explain in simple terms what Shinto, gods, and people are, forming a kind of theology and philosophy. This group included Watarai Ieyuki, Watarai Tsuneyoshi, Kitabatake Chikafusa, Jihen, and others who based their theories on the Five Books to advance their own theories, and they freely applied theories and terminology from Buddhism and Confucianism to develop detailed arguments. Their theories marked a groundbreaking departure in the history of Shinto, and they also had a major influence on later Shinto theories such as Yoshida Shinto of the late Middle Ages and Confucian Shinto of the early modern period.

[Haruo Ogasawara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世の初期から中期にかけて、伊勢の豊受大神宮(とようけだいじんぐう)（外宮(げくう)）を基盤として形成された神道説およびその流派。外宮神道とも、また外宮の神職（祠官(しかん)）度会(わたらい)氏の人々が説いたので度会神道ともいう。この派の経典的な書に『天照坐(あまてらします)伊勢二所皇太神宮御鎮座次第記』（略して『御鎮座次第記』）、『伊勢二所皇太神宮御鎮座伝記』（御鎮座伝記）、『豊受皇太神宮御鎮座本記』（御鎮座本記）、『造伊勢二所太神宮宝基本記』（宝基本記）、『倭姫命(やまとひめのみこと)世記』（記は紀とも一部書く）などがあり、後年これらを「神道五部書」と総称した。それらの内容は内外両宮の起源由来を主としているが、そのなかに主張や教説を織り込んでいる。天地開闢(かいびゃく)の神々から説き起こし、天照大神(あまてらすおおみかみ)、豊受大神(とようけおおみかみ)が伊勢内外両宮に鎮座するに至る次第、様相からその神徳、両神の関係、社殿の構えや宝器などの事柄を記し、また鎮座の際、大神の託宣に従って重用な役を果たした倭姫命の業績を詳記している。そのうちの『御鎮座次第記』『同伝記』『同本記』は古来の縁起的色彩が濃く、『宝基本記』『倭姫命世記』は神道の理念や教義的言説が多い。これらには『日本書紀』をはじめ古典に拠(よ)るもののほかに独得の古伝に拠るとみられるものがあり注目される。またこれらの書が形成される意図にはおよそ二つの面が指摘される。

　第一には、内宮と外宮のことを同等に説き、両神格に格差をつけず、食物の神たる豊受大神をもっとも根本的な神として位置づけ、外宮の地位を内宮に劣らず高めようとする意図がうかがわれる。第二には、古典や古伝を駆使して、天照大神やその神道は日本開闢以来、根本的な固有のものであることを示そうとしている点にある。これは当時の神仏習合、本地垂迹(ほんじすいじゃく)説に対する反発を暗に意味するもので、そのために神道、神、人とは何かをも簡明に説き、一種の神学、思想をなしている。この一派には、五部書に拠りつつ自説を進めた度会家行(いえゆき)、度会常昌(つねよし)、北畠親房(きたばたけちかふさ)、慈遍(じへん)らがおり、仏教や儒教の説、用語も自在に応用して詳細に主張を展開した。彼らの学説は、神道史上画期的な一出発の趣(おもむき)をなし、また、中世末の吉田神道、近世初期の儒家(じゅけ)神道など後世の神道説に与えた影響も大きい。

［小笠原春夫］

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