Sisyphus teaches us to never give in to circumstantial disappointments or try to escape from the failures, rather accept failures the same way we accept our achievements. And most importantly, no matter how much we lose in our quest, we must never back down till we fulfill our potential.
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/11p0com/what_is_the_japanese_mythology_equivalent_to_the/
4 comments
Let me ChatGPT that for you:
In Japanese mythology, there is a similar tale to the myth of Sisyphus known as the “Stonecutter” or “Ishi-no-Hoden”. The story goes that a stonecutter, dissatisfied with his lot in life, wished to become more powerful. He then encounters a spirit who grants his wish, turning him into various things such as a rich man, a powerful ruler, and even the sun itself.
However, each time the stonecutter becomes dissatisfied with his new form, he wishes to become something else. The spirit obliges, and the stonecutter becomes a cloud, then a mountain, and finally a stonecutter once again. Through this endless cycle of wishing and transformation, the stonecutter learns the futility of his desires and accepts his place in the world.
Like Sisyphus, the stonecutter is doomed to an endless cycle of striving and dissatisfaction, but ultimately finds acceptance in his fate. The story emphasizes the importance of contentment and the dangers of endless ambition.
I doubt there will be a myth completely equivalent to Sisyphus in Japanese mythology because there is no version of an afterlife in Japanese stories. Though, of course, there might be a in-life-punishment version that comes close to it. I am curious if reddit will have some input.
But, OP is that what the Sisyphos story teaches us? You do understand that the reason Sisyphos does not stop working on rolling the stone is that he cannot leave because he is punished by the gods. He tries things such as stopping to role, but then the stone will crush him. It is also absolutely endless, there is no “we fulfill our potential” in his punishment, there is no do it a “1000 times and we will reconsider your punishment”-situation. He betrayed the gods so fundamentally that they punished him for eternity.
As it has already been stated…you have a misunderstanding of the myth…so you may want to try searching for myths or parables that speak to overcoming impossible tasks or struggles…
Not necessarily equivalent, but the closest i can think of is the story of Izanagi and Izanami, the primordial gods who created the islands of Japan and many other deities. After Izanami died giving birth to Kagutsuchi, the fire god, Izanagi went to Yomi, the underworld, to bring her back. However, he broke his promise not to look at her and saw her decayed corpse. Horrified, he fled from Yomi pursued by his angry wife and her minions. He managed to escape by blocking the entrance with a huge boulder. Izanami swore that she would kill 1000 people every day as revenge, while Izanagi vowed that he would create 1500 people every day. Thus, they were doomed to an eternal cycle of life and death.
This story teaches us a similar lesson as the myth of Sisyphus: we cannot escape from our fate or our mistakes, but we can still strive to make something good out of them. Izanagi and Izanami both suffered a great loss and betrayal, but they did not give up on their roles as creators and destroyers. They accepted their failures as well as their achievements and continued their quest for fulfilling their potential.