Buddhism
Buddhism is an offshoot of Indian Hinduism, reflecting that religion's complex philosophical concern with the misery and pain of life and it's ultimate goal of attaining Nirvana, a form of salvation. The extinguishing of individual identity which is the goal has been likened to a drop of water falling on the ocean; the individuality of the drop is lost absolutely. Buddhism entered Japan via China with a surge of other Chinese influence beginning around the 6th century AD. Together with Shinto, it is the religion which most Japanese profess to believe in and has been a major cultural influence on Japan. When it first entered Japan in the 7th century, there was conflict with Shinto, but alliance with innovative political and economic reforms forced a retreat by conservatives and Shinto. Thereafter, the two religions coexisted with a necessary degree of compromise. For centuries, Buddhism was a religion of the elite, but new sects, Tendai and Shingon Buddhism, were imported from China in the 9th and 10th centuries and then the religion spread among the common people. In the 12th century, Zen Buddhism and Pure Land Buddhism were also brought to Japan and Nichiren Buddhism developed. Today, there are thirteen major sects with about 80% of the population professing belief: 80,000 temples and 150,000 priests. Japanese Buddhism is well known outside Japan, particularly Zen. It has been a major influence on Japanese art.