Formation and Development of the Modern Concept of "Religion" and Religious Studies : Comparative Study Centering around Japan

本研究阐明了当今世界范围内使用的“宗教”概念和宗教学学科是特定历史环境的产物，并探讨了与此相关的各种问题。现代日语中的“宗教”一词是在明治维新后作为西方“宗教”的翻译发明的，然后被更广泛的公众所接受。我们考察了近代日本政治思想体系的发展过程，其间存在着什么是“宗教”、什么不是“宗教”的巨大矛盾和困惑。我们必须问“宗教（shukyo）”和邻近的词，如“仪式（saishi）”或“灌输（tikyo）"，以及相关的词，如“国家神道”之间的关系，以掌握日本的宗教概念的特点。另一方面，“宗教”的概念现在在西方也变得可疑。有人认为，西方的“宗教”概念是在某种特定的思维模式下形成的。有关的问题已被大力提出的困难，涉及使用这一概念与宗教研究学科的批判性审查。我们还调查了亚洲各地的情况。在那里，我们也可以发现，越来越多的人意识到，“宗教”的概念不适合他们各自的文化和历史情况。与日本的情况进行比较，证明是非常有成效的。总的来说，“宗教”的概念包含许多模糊之处，使宗教研究学科的对象越来越混乱和不确定，这一点变得更加清楚。通过这项研究，我们确信宗教研究的方法论问题现在已经变得越来越紧迫。

This study has elucidated the fact that current concept of "religion" used worldwide and the academic discipline of religious studies are the product of a specific histolorical situation, and has examined the various problems related to this fact. The modern Japanese word "shukyo" was invented after Meiji Restoration as the translation of the Western "religion" and then accepted by the wider public. We have investigated the process in which the modern Japanese political and ideological system has developed with great conflicts and confusions as to what should be called "religion" and what not. We must ask the relationship between "religion(shukyo)" and neighbouring words such as "rite(saishi)" or "indoctrination(tikyo)", and related words such as "State Shinto" in order to grasp the peculiarities of the Japanese concept of religion. On the other hand the concept of "religion" has now become suspect also in the West. It has been argued that the Western concept of "religion" was formed under a certain specific thought pattern. Related issues have been vigorously raised regarding the difficulties involved using this concept in connection with the critical examination of the discipline of religious studies. We have also investigates the situation in the various parts of Asia. There, too, we can find growing awareness that the concept of "religion" does not fit well for their respective cultural and historical situation. Comparison with the Japanese situation has been proved to be very productive. Overall it has become much clearer that the concept of "religion" contains many ambiguities making the object of the discipline of religious studies growingly confusing and uncertain. Through this study we have become convinced that the methodological question of religious studies has now been becoming more and more urgent.