Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/38

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The Age of the Gods.
7

no Mikoto produced Aha-nagi no Mikoto, and Aha nagi no Mikoto produced Izanagi no Mikoto."[1]

These make eight Deities in all. Being formed by the mutual action of the Heavenly and Earthly principles, they were made male and female.[2] From Kuni no toko-tachi no Mikoto to Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto are called the seven generations of the age of the Gods.[3]

  1. Ame-kagami, heaven-mirror; Ame-yorodzu, heaven-myriad; Aha-nagi, foam-calm.
  2. This sentence is obviously from the pen of a student of Chinese philosophy.
  3. The eight Gods specially worshipped by the Jingikwan, or Department of the Shinto Religion in the Yengi period—901-922—were Takami-musubi no Kami, Kamimi-musubi no Kami, Tama-tsume musubi no Kami, Iku musubi no Kami, Taru musubi no Kami, Oho-miya no me no Kami, Mi Ketsu Kami, and Koto-shiro-nushi no Kami.

    For the sake of comparison the Kiujiki scheme of the generations of early Deities is herewith added. It will still further exemplify the confusion of these traditions.

    Therefore a God was developed in the Plain of High Heaven whose name was

    Ame-

    heaven

    yudzuru-

    transfer

    hi-

    sun

    ame no

    heaven

    sa-

    right

    giri

    mist

    kuni-

    land

    yudzuru-

    transfer

    tsuki

    moon

    kuni

    land

    no

    of

    sa-

    right

    giri

    mist

    no Mikoto,

     

    Ame- yudzuru- hi- {ame no} sa- giri kuni- yudzuru- tsuki kuni no sa- giri {no Mikoto,}

    heaven transfer sun heaven right mist land transfer moon land of right mist {}

    who was produced alone. After him, were born two generations of companion Gods and five generations of mated Deities. These make up what is called the seven generations of the Gods.

    Genealogy of the Age of the Gods.

    The Heavenly parent, Ame yudzuru hi ame no sa-giri kuni yudzuru tsuki kuni no sa-giri no Mikoto.

    1st Generation.

    Companion-born heavenly Gods.

    Ame

    heaven

    no

     

    mi-naka-

    middle

    nushi

    master

    no Mikoto.

     

    Ame no mi-naka- nushi {no Mikoto.}

    heaven {} middle master {}

    Umashi-

    sweet

    ashi-kabi

    reed-shoot

     

    prince

    hikoji

    elder

    no Mikoto.

     

    Umashi- ashi-kabi {} hikoji {no Mikoto.}

    sweet reed-shoot prince elder {}

    2nd Generation.

    Companion-born heavenly Gods.

    Kuni

    land

    no

     

    toko

    eternal

    tachi

    stand

    no Mikoto.

     

    Kuni no toko tachi {no Mikoto.}

    land {} eternal stand {}

    Toyo-

    rich

    kuni-

    land

    nushi

    master

    no Mikoto.

     

    Toyo- kuni- nushi {no Mikoto.}

    rich land master {}