2i6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Even fhere was a custom of the retainers following their deceased 

 master to the grave, being buried alive. This indicates the 

 naivete of their thought, and at the same time the recognition of 

 some sort of future existence. They also thought that the de- 

 ceased have some interest in the affairs of their friends and rela- 

 tives who are still living on this earth. This belief is still quite 

 common among the Japanese, even among the educated classes ; 

 and who can say that it has nothing rational and helpful in it ? 



The fact that the early Japanese were remarkably optimistic 

 in their temperaments and dispositions is to be properly empha- 

 sized. Here, in conclusion, I will cite only two facts which con- 

 firm this statement. In the first place, it is true that Buddhism 

 pessimized Japan, but at the same time it is also true that Japan 

 optimized Buddhism. This is, of course, too big a subject here to 

 enter in any detail. However, if any one carefully compares the 

 Japanese Buddhism with Buddhism of any other country, he will 

 surely find out that our Buddhism is more optimistic than that 

 of anywhere else. The cause of this, it seems to me, lies in the 

 natural tendency of the Japanese mind to see the bright side of 

 things. The hare in the moon, instead of pounding drugs as a 

 punishment, as a Hindu legend has it, is described in a Japan- 

 ese legend as making mochi or rice pastry the national cake of 

 Japan which represents the joy and happiness of the new year. 

 The other fact is this : Some time ago an American lady who 

 was in Japan for many years told me the following incident, 

 which is almost an everyday occurrence in Japan. While the 

 lady was in that country, one of her Japanese friends, who had 

 recently married, died. So the lady made a call to condole the 

 family deprived of its head, when she was surprised by the young 

 widow, who thanked the American lady, expressing her senti- 

 ments by words like these : " I am sure that my husband must be 

 glad to have your company here to-day, and be thankful for your 

 kindness." This was quite a new experience to the American 

 lady, who never expected such cheerful words from a bereaved 

 young widow, and who never had happened to see the belief in 

 the future life from such a point of view. 



Thus, to the Japanese, especially to their early ancestors, the 

 utmost enjoyment of this earthly life that is, to be happy with 

 gods and men was the final object of their existence. To them 

 religion was nothing but the very means of accomplishing this 

 end. This is evident from the fact that in our olden times all 

 festivals were religious, there being no distinction between reli- 

 gious and secular. By eating, drinking, singing, and dancing, 

 which form the main elements of these festivals, they wanted to 

 be happy with gods and with men. Therefore I say that Shinto 

 may be defined, from this aspect, as a religion of merrymaMng. 



