05 神代（上）
神武天皇の国家建設は、今より凡そ二千数十年前の事であったでしょう。然しそれは
日本民族が、神武天皇の御指導により、神武天皇を中心として、一致団結し、高い理想
に向かって踏み出した時点であって、日本民族それ自体は以前から存在し、殊に神武天
皇の御一家、つまり皇室の御先祖は、前々から光輝ある家柄として、徳を積まれていた
に相違ありません。それが口伝によって、いくらか区々になっていたのを、古事記の上
巻、及び日本書紀の神代巻によって、我々は知る事が出来ます。殊に日本書紀の方には
、その違った口伝を、一本にまとめてしまわないで、それぞれを尊重して、「一書に曰
く」として掲げてあるので、非常に有り難いのです
さてこの神代の口伝、之を世に神話と呼んで、到底信用する事の出来ない不思議な物
語とし、之を軽く見る考えがありますが、もしそのように批判するとするならば、外国
の古い伝承も、皆同様でしょう。即ち支那では、最初に現れた王は、身体は蛇で、首か
ら上は人であり、その次もまた、蛇身人首であり、其の次は人身牛首であったと伝えて
います。西洋でも、アダムとイブと、二人とも裸体で現れて、禁断の木の実を食う所か
ら、人間が始まるとしているでしょう。
神話を、そのままの姿で、今日の知識から批判すれば、どれもどれも荒唐無稽、つま
りデタラメで、信用も出来ず、価値も無いように思われるでしょうが、実はその中に、
古代の宗教、哲学、歴史、道徳、風俗、習慣が、その影をうつしたいるのであって、そ
の民族の世界観と人生観、その知性と徳性とを、之によってうかがう事が出来る、貴重
な資料なのです。
そこで我が国の伝は、どうなっているか、と云いますと、天地の初め、即ち世界創造
の時に、最初に出現せられたのは、
古事記では、 天之御中主神
日本書紀では、 国常立尊
一書（甲）に、同
一書（乙）に、可美葦牙彦舅尊
一書（丙）に、同
一書（丁）に、国常立尊
一書（戊）に、同
一書（己）に、天常立尊
とあります。御名前が違ったり、又は出現の順序が違ったりしてはいるものの、神であ
る事は、すべての伝に、共通しています。これは頗る重要な点です。何故かと云えば、
我々が動物から進化したとするか、又は野蛮な人間から発達したとするか、いや発達で
は無くて、堕落してきたものとするか、それとも神から出たものとするか、その出発点
の相違は、その民族の宗教に、道徳に、政治に、重大な影響があるからです。簡単に進
化論をうけとる人は、人は猿から発達したように云いやすいのですが、猿は何時まで経
っても猿です。動物園の猿の子が、人になって生まれてきた例がありますか。猿は猿、
人は人、別のものです。それを誤解して、猿こそ我々の先祖であるとすれば、祖先崇拝
は出てきますまい。先祖の御徳を感謝する厳粛な祭りは行われますまい。我々日本民族
は、その祖先は神であったと信じ、敬い、そして祭ってきたのです。即ちその生活は、
奉仕の態度であって、「つつしみ」「うやまい」を正しいとし、「おごり」「たかぶり
」を善く無いとしてきたのです。これが、神代巻において、第一に考えられる点です。
さて最初に神が出現せられ、それから次々に神が幾柱か出られました後に、やがて伊
弉諾尊（男神）と伊弉册尊（女神）と二柱の神が、「このただよえる国土を修理固成め
よ」との使命を帯びて現れ給い、天浮橋の上に立ち、天瓊矛を指し下ろして、潮を「こ
おろこおろ」とかき廻されたところ、ここに青海原が生じ、さてその矛を引き上げられ
た時に、先端からしたたり落ちる潮水が、つもって島となったのが「おのころ島」です
。二柱の神は、その島に天降り給い、それより次々に子を生み給うた。その順序は、伝
によって、いくらか変わっていますが、
淡路島、
大日本豊秋津島、
伊予二名島、
筑紫島、
対馬島、
壱岐島、
佐渡島、
隠岐島、
之を総称して、大八島国と云いました。次に、
海の神、
川の神、
山の神、
風の神、
木の神、
草の神、
を生み給うた後に、これ等の国土山川草木の主たるべき神を生まなければならない、と
して、
天照大神、（日神）
を生み給うたが、あまりに尊い神であったので、久しくこの国に留めておくべきでは無
い、とお考えになり、天にお送りになった。次に生まれ給うたのは、
月読尊、（月神）
この神の光美しい事、日神についだので、天上へ贈り給うた。次が、
素戔嗚尊、
之の神は勇猛な性格で、人民を傷害せられる事が多く、また泣きわめく習癖があって
、一度泣き出されると、青々とした山も枯れ果てる有様であったので、父母二柱の神、
御相談の結果、根国へ追放してしまわれた。素戔嗚尊は、御命令のままに根国へ参りま
すが、その前に高天原へ昇って、御姉天照大神に御目にかかり、御挨拶をして、それか
ら根国へ参りたいとの希望を申し出て、御許しを得られました。
そこで素戔嗚尊は高天原へ昇って行かれますが、何分にもあらあらしい神ですから、
海には大浪が起こり、山には大風が吹き、国土すべて震動し、天地皆鳴り響きました。
天照大神は、この騒がしい音を聞召して、素戔嗚尊には邪悪な心があるに違いないと判
断し給い、御髪を解いて髻に巻き、厳重に武装をして、弓矢を手にして、待ち受けさせ
給うた。素戔嗚尊は、決して邪曲なる心をもっておりません、と弁解せられます。それ
ならば証明しようと云って、先ず天照大神が素戔嗚尊の剣を取り、三つに折って、天の
真名井に振りすすいで、ガミガミと噛んで、息を吐かれたところ、息の中より出現し給
うたのが、宗像の三女神であります。次に素戔嗚尊が天照大神の髻につけておられまし
た勾玉を御貰いになり、天の真名井に振りすすぎ、ガリガリ噛んで、息を吐かれたとこ
ろ、先ず天忍穂耳尊、次に天穂日命、その他すべて五柱の神が出現せられました。天照
大神は、前の三女神は、素戔嗚尊の剣によって出現せられたのであるから、これは素戔
嗚尊の御子であり、後の五柱の男神は、大神の勾玉が基本になったのであるから、これ
は大神の御子であると、決定せられました。
それから素戔嗚尊の乱暴が始まり、大神の田を荒らして、耕作を妨げたり、織機の工
場の屋根に穴をあけて、赤剥に皮を剥がれた馬を投げ込んだりされたので、天照大神は
之を悲しんで、天岩窟に籠ってしまわれました。そこで高天原も暗くなれば、葦原中国
、即ち日本の国土は、悉く真闇になり、まるで永遠の夜となりました。古事記にこの時
の状態を記して、
ここに、万の神の声（おとなひ）は、狭蝿なす皆満き、万の妖ことごとに発りき、
とあります。そこで八百万神は、天安河原に集まり、思兼神の智謀により、厳重な用意
をして、御祈りを始められました。中臣の先祖天児屋命と、忌部の先祖太玉命とは、天
香山の真賢木を根のまま引き抜き、上の枝には八坂瓊勾玉、中の枝には八咫鏡、下の枝
には青和幣、白和幣を懸け、太玉命之を捧げ持てば、天児屋命は祝詞をあげて祈られる
。そこへ天鈿女命が滑稽な姿で現れ、天石窟の前で、舞い踊りましたので、八百万神は
一斉に大笑いをしました。笑い声があまり高いので、大神は不思議に思われ、石窟の戸
を細目にあけて覗かれたところを、戸のかげに隠れていた手力雄神が、すかさず御手を
執って引き出し奉り、太玉命が石窟に注連縄を張って、二度と御入りにならぬようにし
たので、高天原も葦原中国も、元の如くに明るくなりました。
この事件の原因は、素戔嗚尊の乱暴な行いにありますので、神々は之を責めて、尊の
手足の爪を抜いて之を贖わせ、高天原より追放せられました。
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05 The Age of the Gods [1]
It was about two thousand and some decades ago when Emperor Jinmu founded the
Japanese nation. At that time the Japanese people united under him, and moved
towards highter ideals.
The Japanese people existed before that. The house of Emperor Jinmu, which
became the imperiel house, must have had the most splendid power and genealogy.
However, thi part of history was somewhat in disarray. We can see the state of
confusion from the first volume of Record of Ancient Matters (Kojiki), and the
volume of the Age of the Gods in Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki). The
latter holds a special interest for us, because it includes all the legends.
The variant legends are recorded individually, introduced by the phrase "One
Book says"; they were not integrated into one tale.
The legends of the Age of the Gods are sometimes discredited as myth, a
collection of completely incredible, mysterious tales. If so, then the ancient
legends of all foreign countries are the same.
For example, the first Chinese king had the body of a snake and the head of a
human. His successor was the same. The third king had a human body with a bull
head. Similarly in the West, human history is said to begin with Adam and Eve
who appeared naked, and the forbidden fruit.
If myths are rationally analyzed with contemporary knowledge, they are wildly
illogical and incredible, and of little value. But the religion philosophy,
history, morals, lifestyles, and customs of antiquity are projected into them.
The perspectives of this world and of life, of intelligence and the moral
character of a people can be understood through thier myths. In this sense,
myth is a precious historical souce.
The Japanese myth starts as follows. In the beginning of heaven and earth,
which was the time of creation of the universe, the God who appeared first was:
Ame no Minaka Nushi no Kami (Heavenly Center Lord Deity) according to Record
of Ancient Matters (Kojiki);
Kuni no Tokotachi no Mikoto (Earth Eternal Standing Deity) according to
Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki);
Same, according to One Book (A),
Umashi Ashikabi Hikoji no Mikoto (Excellent Reed-Shoots Male Deity)
according to One Book (B),
Same, according to One Book (C),
Kuni no Tokotachi no Mikoto according to One Book (D),
Same, according to One Book (E),
Ama no Tokotachi no Mikoto (Heaven Enternal Standing Deity) according to One
Book (F).
The namas and the order of appearance are different, but they are all Gods.
This point is extremely important, involving the question of whether we evolved
from lower forms of animals, or primitive men. Or perhaps we did not develop,
but degenerated. Or did we descend from the Gods? Such views of origins bear
heavily on the religion, morals, and politics of a people.
Shallow believers in evolution mistakenly tend towarde statements that humans
evolved from monkeys. But monkeys remain monkeys forever. Monkeys and humans
exist separately. If some people were to misunderstand this point, and regard
monkeys as their ancestors, ancestor worship would not exist. There would be no
festivals to express gratitude for the care and virtues of the ancestors.
The Japanese people believed that their ancestors were Gods; respected them
and enshrined them. Their lifestyle was that of service. They thought
"humility" and "respect" to be correct, and "arrogance" and "conceit," wrong.
This is the first point that can be extracted from the volume of the Age of
the Gods.
05a The Age of the Gods [1]
The Gods appeared in sequence, and eventually Izanagi no Mikoto (Male Deity
Who Invites) and Izanami no Mikoto (Female Deity Who Invites) came forward
with the mission from all the heavenly deities to "complete and solidify this
drifting land."
"Thereupon, the two deities stood on the Heavenly Floating Bridge and, lowering
the jeweled spear, stirred with it. They stirred the brine with a
churning-churning sound; and when they lifted up the spear again, the brine
dripping down from the tip of the spear piled up and decame an island. This was
the island of Onokoro."
The two Gods descended onto this island, and gave birth to children (more
islands). The order of the births is different depending on the legends, but
the islands are:
Island of Awaji,
Island of Oh Yamato Toyo Akitsu (Honshuu),
Island of Iyo no Futana (Shikoku),
Island of Tsukushi (Kyuushuu),
Island of Tsushima,
Island of Iki,
Island of Sado, and
Island of Oki.
Collectively, these came to be called the Country of the Great Eight Islands.
Next they gave birth to:
God of the Sea,
God of the Rivers,
God of the Mountains,
God of the Wind,
God of the Trees, and
God of the Grass.
Then it became necessary to give birth to the principal God who rules all,
the land and its nature. Thus Amaterasu Ohmikami (the Sun Goddess) was born.
They regarded her as exalted and not to be detained in the land for long; she
was sent up to heaven.
Next, Tsukiyomi no Mikoto (Moon Deity) was born; in splendor he came next to
Amaterasu Ohmikami, so he was also sent up to heaven.
Next came Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity). He had a
dauntless character and often assaulted humans. He had a habit of roaring
loudly when weeping, and at this even luscious green mountains went dry. The
parent Gods, Izanagi no Mikoto (Male Deity Who Invites) and Izanami no Mikoto
(Female Deity Who Invites) discussed the situation, and decided to send him
away to the Root Land.
At this Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) replied, "I
will go down to the Root Land as decreed, but before that I wish to go up to
the Plain of Hight Heaven to greet Amaterasu Ohmikami, my elder sister." He was
given permission to do so.
Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) went up to the Plain
of Hight Heaven. Because of his violent temper, tidal waves came upon the sea,
and great winds blew on the mountains. The entire land vibreted, and heaven and
earth shook in resonance.
Amaterasu Ohmikami heard the uproar, and judged that Susano-o no Mikoto
(Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) must have evil intentions. She united her
hair and collected it into two knots, armed herself thoroughly, with a bow and
arrows in her hand, and waited.
Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) explained that he had
no evil heart. For proof, Amaterasu ohmikami first took the sword of the
younger brother, broke it into three pieces, rinsed them in the Heavenly Well,
crunched them with her teeth, and exhaled. Out of this vapor came the three
Goddesses, who are enshrined at Munakata in Kyuushuu.
Then Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) took the jade
from a knot of Amaterasu Ohmikami's hair, rinsed it in the Heavenly Well, and
crunched it with his teeth, and exhaled. Out of this vapor five Gods appeared:
Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto (Heavenly Great August Deity), Ama no Hohi no
Mikoto (Heavenly Great Sun Deity), and three others.
Amaterasu Ohmikami determined that the first three Goddesses appeared from the
sword, so they were the children of Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid
Raging Male Deity). The subsequent five male Gods came from Amaterasu
Ohmikami's jade, so they were her children.
After this, Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) became
violent. He destroyed the rice paddies of the Gods and prevented farming, and
opened a gaping hole in the sacred weaving hall and threw in a skinned horse.
Amaterasu Ohmikami became distressed and sad, so she hid in the Heavenly Rock
Cave. The entire Plain of Hight Heaven became dark, as did the Central Land of
Reed Plains (meanig Japan).
Record of Ancient Matters (Kojiki) describes this state:
"The cries of the myriad deities were everywhere abundant, like summer flies;
and all manner of calamities arose,"
Thus the Gods gathered at the river of Heavenly Tranquil River, and Omoikane
no Kami (Thought-Combining Deity) made a plan. They prepared thoroughly, and
started the prayer. Ama no Koyane no Mikoto (Heanenly Small-House Deity, the
ancestor of the Nakatomi clan) and Futotama no Mikoto (Grand Jewel Deity, the
ancestor of the Imube clan), pulled out the sacred Cleyera Japonica tree of
Heavenly Mount Kagu with roots intact. On the upper branches; they hung long
strings of sacred beads; on the middle branches a large mirror; and on the
lower branches, blue sacred cloth and white sacred cloth. Futotama no Mikoto
(Grand Jewel Deity) held the tree high, and Ama no Koyane no Mikoto (Heavenly
Small-House Deity) offered the ritual prayer.
Ama no Uzume no Mikoto (Heavely Crowned Female Deity) appeared in a
delightfully hilarious attire, and danced in front of the Heavenly Rock Cave.
At this sight the eight hundred myriad Cods all burst out laughing.
The gay laughter was so loud that Amaterasu Ohmikami was mystified. She opened
the door of the Heavenly Rock Cave slightly to look. Promptly Tajikarao no
Kami (Heavenly Hand-Strength Male Deity) snatched her hand and pulled her out.
Futotama no Mikoto (Grand Jewel Deity) hung a sacred rope at the entrance of
the Cave, so that Amaterasu Ohmikami would never again lock herself in there.
This is how light came to the Plain of High Heaven and the Central Land of the
Reed Plains.
The cause of this crisis was the violent of Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant
Intrepid Raging Male Deity). The Gods prosecuted him for this, and punished him
by pulling out the nails from his hands and feet. Then he was sent out of the
Plain of High Heaven into exile.
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少年日本史 (平泉澄)
The story of Japan （Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)
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