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Five elements (Japanese philosophy)
Encyclopedia
One may encounter two kinds of five elements philosophy in Japan
. One is called, in Japanese, gogyō (五行), having its backgrounds in the Chinese five elements, and the other is called godai (五大). Godai is usually regarded as a Buddhism
term in Japan, with certain influences from Hinduism
. The following article explains the latter.
The Buddhist philosophy godai, lit. "five great", is perhaps best known in the West for their use in Miyamoto Musashi
's famous text Gorin-no-sho (The Book of Five Rings
), in which he explains different aspects of swordsmanship by assigning each aspect to an element.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. One is called, in Japanese, gogyō (五行), having its backgrounds in the Chinese five elements, and the other is called godai (五大). Godai is usually regarded as a Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
term in Japan, with certain influences from Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. The following article explains the latter.
The Buddhist philosophy godai, lit. "five great", is perhaps best known in the West for their use in Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi
, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman and rōnin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age...
's famous text Gorin-no-sho (The Book of Five Rings
The Book of Five Rings
is a text on kenjutsu and the martial arts in general, written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645. There have been various translations made over the years, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its...
), in which he explains different aspects of swordsmanship by assigning each aspect to an element.