- 27 Dec 2003
- 2,853
- 2,102
Check with the Buddhist Forum, in the Nichiren Section. They should be able to answer your questions.
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showforum=28
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showforum=28
D
diemjay
Guest
- Thread starter
- #3
I've asked around with some of the Nichiren members of e-sangha (at one time I visted there quite often) and on another site as well buddhachat.org (I tend to visit buddhachat these days). I just thought I'd try asking people on this forum too.
Cheers
Cheers
- 8 Aug 2005
- 7,316
- 3,727
Is that to say that you didn't get an answer from the other sites, or are you just going to hoard the information for yourself?
D
diemjay
Guest
- Thread starter
- #5
I am still waiting to hear back. 
I will post any information as soon as I get it.
Cheers
I will post any information as soon as I get it.Cheers
D
diemjay
Guest
- Thread starter
- #7
Nichiren Shu is a school within the Nichiren Buddhist sect. Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai are also schools within the Nichiren sect.
- 8 Aug 2005
- 7,316
- 3,727
For those of us that are too lazy to research on our own, how do you differentiate between these different sects? Is it simply a dogmatic difference in interpretation of the teachings of the Buddha, or...?
- 27 Dec 2003
- 2,853
- 2,102
Hi everybody!
For those of you who are interested in the different Buddhist traditions, here is a post I made at the Buddhist Forum (under the username Skywalker) on Buddhism.
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=18853&st=0&p=258124&
My post is post number four (the long post).
Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
(I now return control of this hijacked thread back to its owners....)
For those of you who are interested in the different Buddhist traditions, here is a post I made at the Buddhist Forum (under the username Skywalker) on Buddhism.
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=18853&st=0&p=258124&
My post is post number four (the long post).
Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
(I now return control of this hijacked thread back to its owners....)
D
diemjay
Guest
- Thread starter
- #11
Hello nice gaijin,
Before I answer, I'd like to clarify whether you are asking what the differences are between different sects or the differences between different schools within a sect (in this case the Nichiren Sect)?
Ps. Hello Waywalker! I always enjoyed reading your posts on e-sangha. My id there was anuglimala_in_training. Cheers
Before I answer, I'd like to clarify whether you are asking what the differences are between different sects or the differences between different schools within a sect (in this case the Nichiren Sect)?
Ps. Hello Waywalker! I always enjoyed reading your posts on e-sangha. My id there was anuglimala_in_training.
Cheers
- 18 Jan 2005
- 11,682
- 3,641
Nichiren Shu is unrelated to Sokagakkai.
Sokagakkai is a believer of Nichiren SHOSHU.
However,
In 1990,The Sokagakkai was done expulsion of than Nichiren SHOSHU.
- 8 Aug 2005
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- 3,727
both; what sets nichiren apart from other types of Buddhism, and what sets nichiren shu apart from other schools of the sect.
D
diemjay
Guest
- Thread starter
- #14
Wiki
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren (1222–1282). Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japan's new religions. Various forms of Nichiren Buddhism have had great influence among certain sections of Japanese society at different times in the country's history, such as among the merchants of Kyoto in Japan's middle ages and among some ultranationalists during the pre-World War II era. Nichiren Buddhism is generally noted for its focus on the Lotus Sutra and an attendant belief that all people have an innate Buddha
nature and are therefore inherently capable of attaining enlightenment in their current form and present lifetime. It is also noted for positioning itself in opposition to other forms of Buddhism and an evangelical streak as evinced by some schools' practice of shakubuku, efforts to convert others by refuting their current beliefs and convincing them of the validity of Nichiren's teachings. Nichiren Buddhists believe that the spread of Nichiren's teachings and their effect on practioners' lives will eventually bring about a peaceful, just, and prosperous society.
Traditional schools and their head temples:
* Nichiren Shū: Sozan Minobuzan Kuon-ji ja
* Nichiren Shōshū: Sōhonzan Taiseki-ji ja
* Honmon Butsuryū Shū ja
* Kempon Hokke Shu|Kempon Hokke Shū]]: Sōhonzan Myōman-ji ja
* Hokkeshū, Honmon Ryū
* Hokkeshū, Jinmon Ryū
* Hokkeshū, Shinmon Ryū
* Honmon Hokke Shū: Daihonzan Myōren-ji
* Nichiren Honshū: Honzan Yōbō-ji ja
* Nichiren Shū Fuju-Fuse-ha: Sozan Myōkaku-ji ja
* Nichiren Hokke Shū
* Hokke Nichiren Shū
* Hompa Nichiren Shū
* Honke Nichiren Shū (Hyōgo)
* Fuju-Fuse Nichiren Kōmon Shū
* Honke Nichiren Shū (Kyōto)
* Shōbō Hokke Shū
* Honmon Kyōō Shū
* Nichiren Kōmon Shū
Non-traditional schools
* Reiyūkai ja
* Risshō Kōsei Kai ja
* Nipponzan Myōhōji ja
* Kokuchukai|Kokuchūkai ja
* Shōshinkai ja
* Fuji Taisekiji Kenshōkai (also, just Kenshōkai) ja
* Honmon Shoshu|Honmon Shōshū
Lay organizations
* Sōka Gakkai ja (also, Soka Gakkai International (SGI))
Note: Though most sources (e.g., Britannica online; Illustrated, p. 1443; Cambridge, p. 175; Iwanami, p. 679) characterize Sōka Gakkai as one of Japan's new religions or as a lay organization of Nichiren Shoshu, it is no longer affiliated with the latter. SGI and its constituent organizations position themselves as lay organizations whose purpose is to support practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism.
Nichiren Buddhism - Wikipedia
All groups under the Nichiren umbrella are related. Some groups of course are more directly related.
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren (1222–1282). Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japan's new religions. Various forms of Nichiren Buddhism have had great influence among certain sections of Japanese society at different times in the country's history, such as among the merchants of Kyoto in Japan's middle ages and among some ultranationalists during the pre-World War II era. Nichiren Buddhism is generally noted for its focus on the Lotus Sutra and an attendant belief that all people have an innate Buddha
nature and are therefore inherently capable of attaining enlightenment in their current form and present lifetime. It is also noted for positioning itself in opposition to other forms of Buddhism and an evangelical streak as evinced by some schools' practice of shakubuku, efforts to convert others by refuting their current beliefs and convincing them of the validity of Nichiren's teachings. Nichiren Buddhists believe that the spread of Nichiren's teachings and their effect on practioners' lives will eventually bring about a peaceful, just, and prosperous society.
Traditional schools and their head temples:
* Nichiren Shū: Sozan Minobuzan Kuon-ji ja
* Nichiren Shōshū: Sōhonzan Taiseki-ji ja
* Honmon Butsuryū Shū ja
* Kempon Hokke Shu|Kempon Hokke Shū]]: Sōhonzan Myōman-ji ja
* Hokkeshū, Honmon Ryū
* Hokkeshū, Jinmon Ryū
* Hokkeshū, Shinmon Ryū
* Honmon Hokke Shū: Daihonzan Myōren-ji
* Nichiren Honshū: Honzan Yōbō-ji ja
* Nichiren Shū Fuju-Fuse-ha: Sozan Myōkaku-ji ja
* Nichiren Hokke Shū
* Hokke Nichiren Shū
* Hompa Nichiren Shū
* Honke Nichiren Shū (Hyōgo)
* Fuju-Fuse Nichiren Kōmon Shū
* Honke Nichiren Shū (Kyōto)
* Shōbō Hokke Shū
* Honmon Kyōō Shū
* Nichiren Kōmon Shū
Non-traditional schools
* Reiyūkai ja
* Risshō Kōsei Kai ja
* Nipponzan Myōhōji ja
* Kokuchukai|Kokuchūkai ja
* Shōshinkai ja
* Fuji Taisekiji Kenshōkai (also, just Kenshōkai) ja
* Honmon Shoshu|Honmon Shōshū
Lay organizations
* Sōka Gakkai ja (also, Soka Gakkai International (SGI))
Note: Though most sources (e.g., Britannica online; Illustrated, p. 1443; Cambridge, p. 175; Iwanami, p. 679) characterize Sōka Gakkai as one of Japan's new religions or as a lay organization of Nichiren Shoshu, it is no longer affiliated with the latter. SGI and its constituent organizations position themselves as lay organizations whose purpose is to support practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism.
Nichiren Buddhism - Wikipedia
All groups under the Nichiren umbrella are related. Some groups of course are more directly related.
Last edited by a moderator:
- 18 Jan 2005
- 11,682
- 3,641
A Buddhism denomination of my family is Nichiren SHU.
joshoshami
後輩
- 4 Nov 2008
- 1
- 0
Greeting for all brother and sister
Dear all brother and sister,
Me, Josho from Indonesia. I'm is nichiren shu members. Just send greeting to all friends.
Gassho, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo"
Josho
Dear all brother and sister,
Me, Josho from Indonesia. I'm is nichiren shu members. Just send greeting to all friends.
Gassho, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo"
Josho
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------both; what sets nichiren apart from other types of Buddhism, and what sets nichiren shu apart from other schools of the sect.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NICHIREN SHU (Notes by Robin Meader)
Nichiren Shu has "more than 5,300" temples in the world, including 17 in the U.S. and Canada — 5 in Hawaii, 5 in California (the Los Angeles Nichiren Buddhist Temple was founded in 1914) — and one each in Chicago, Boston (founded in 1999), New York City, Seattle, Portland (founded in 1924), Utah, and Toronto. There are 4 in Asia (Sri Lanka, India, South Korea), and 3 in Europe (U.K., Belgium, Germany) (according to Italian Nichiren Shu website, http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~nichiren/IntroNSE.html).
Nichiren Shu believes that Nichiren was a bodhisattva — a "religious prophet and reformer" — and Shakyamuni the true Buddha for all time: "For Nichiren Shu members, there is only Sakyamuni Buddha. All other Buddhas are manifestations or replicas of the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni" (Kanai, http://la.nichirenshu.org/teachings/buddhism.htm).
The Nichiren Shu object of worship consists of statues of Shakyamuni and of Nichiren, and often statues of other beings representing the 10 worlds, placed in front of "the calligraphic form Mandala Honzon," which can be any of several forms of Gohonzon or even simply the Chinese characters for Namu Myoho-renge-kyo ("The Daimoku [Namu Myoho-renge-kyo] by itself can stand as the Gohonzon"—Murano). The Boston Nichiren Shu temple's website explains, "Our object of worship is the eternal Shakyamuni Buddha, and we follow the teaching of Nichiren Shonin, the manifestation of Jogyo Bodhisattva" (International Nichiren Shu Temples | Nichiren Shu Portal).
The Nichiren Shu practice includes
to receive and keep the [Lotus] Sutra in each one's body and mind,
to read the Sutra with the eyes,
to recite the Sutra,
to explain the Sutra to others,
to copy the Sutra.
Central is the recitation of the Lotus Sutra, which may include portions or the entirety, all of the Lotus Sutra being valued equally. About reciting the Odaimoku, Nichiren Shu priest Ryuei Michael McCormick of the Nichiren Shu temple in San Francisco writes: "when you sit down and chant Odaimoku (or perhaps just sit silently) all you need to do is focus on the Odaimoku … After you are done chanting (or silently sitting) you might want to reflect and take note of the nature of the thoughts and feelings that spontaneously arise" (Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos). This description of prayer as silent sitting parallels the Zen practice of zazen.
The 3 treasures (Buddha, dharma, samgha) are seen by Nichiren Shu as follows: "The Daimoku is the symbol of all the Three Treasures of Nichiren Buddhism:
"The Original and Eternal Sâkyamuni Buddha is One with the Historical Sâkyamuni Buddha,
"The Wonderful Dharma of the Equality of All Living Beings, and
"The Samgha headed by Visistacâritra Bodhisattva, the First and Foremost Disciple of the Original Sâkyamuni Buddha"
(from an Italian Nichiren Shu site, http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~nichiren/IntroNSE.html).
Consistent with its view of Shakyamuni as the Eternal Buddha and Nichiren as a bodhisattva is Nichiren Shu's distortion of the historical record of the Tatsunokuchi Persecution to diminish its importance. Nichiren Shu priest Senchu Murano writes about the Tatsunokuchi Persecution: "On September 12, one day before the government issued an order to dispatch the government's army to Kyushu to defend Japan against the Mongols, War Minister Nagasaki Yoritsuna, representing the government, arrested Nichiren and sentenced him to exile to Sado Island.… Nagasaki Yoritsuna intended to execute Nichiren that night in spite of the official sentence of exile. Nichiren was taken to the execution ground at Tatsunokuchi, but the execution was suspended by a messenger from the Regent Hojo Tokimune , who had sensed the illegal plot" (Murano, Italian Nichiren Shu site, http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~nichiren/IntroNSE.html).
Nichiren describes the suspension of his execution differently: "Finally we came to a place that I knew must be the site of my execution. Indeed, the soldiers stopped and began to mill around in excitement. Saemon-no-jo, in tears, said, 'These are your last moments!' I replied, 'You don't understand! What greater joy could there be? Don't you remember what you have promised?' I had no sooner said this when a brilliant orb as bright as the moon burst forth from the direction of Enoshima, shooting across the sky from southeast to northwest. It was shortly before dawn and still too dark to see anyone's face, but the radiant object clearly illuminated everyone like bright moonlight. The executioner fell on his face, his eyes blinded. The soldiers were filled with panic. Some ran off into the distance, some jumped down from their horses and huddled on the ground, while others crouched in their saddles. I called out, 'Here, why do you shrink from this vile prisoner? Come closer! Come closer!' But no one would approach me. 'What if the dawn should come? You must hurry up and execute me — once the day breaks, it will be too ugly a job.' I urged them on, but they made no response" (WND, 767). The SGI, following Nichiren, views the Tatsunokuchi Persecution as the moment when Nichiren revealed his true identity as the true Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
NICHIREN SHOSHU (Notes by Rick Kulick)
In any attempt to study the doctrine and history of Nichiren Shoshu under Nikken, no headway can be made without thorough research into the idea of Kechimyaku, or the Heritage of the Law. Under Nikken, this idea has developed into a complex defense of priestly absolutism and authority. The idea in Nichiren Shoshu begins with a concept called the Lifeblood of Faith, which is transmitted through receiving the Heritage of the Law from the high priest.
The Heritage of the Law can actually be broken down into a number of aspects, starting with the Heritage of Doctrine, which includes the Innumerable Meanings, Lotus, and Nirvana Sutras.
The next Heritage is that of Inner Realization, which involves the inner enlightenment of Nichiren Daishonin, the Dai-Gohonzon itself and the fact that the priesthood has physical custody of it, which for them signifies they have the Daishonin himself.
The Heritage of the 10,000 years of Mappo states that the Dai-Gohonzon is the supreme object of worship for this present age of the Latter Day of the Law. There are 3 further aspects to the Heritage of Mappo: The Heritages of the Entity of the Law, of Doctrine, and of Faith, all of which center on the transmission of the teachings of the Daishonin from one high priest to the next.
The Heritage of the Entity of the Law refers to the Dai-Gohonzon, and specifically to how it is transmitted from one high priest to another. The key phrase from the Daishonin's writings here is that the Heritage can only be shared "only between buddhas." Nichiren Shoshu interprets this to mean only between high priests, stating in their commentary, "Seven Teachings on the Gohonzon," "The successive Shonin [high priests] are all without exception, Nichiren."
The Heritage of Doctrine refers to the Gosho. In a general sense the Gosho belong to all believers in the Daishonin's Buddhism; but unless believers accept and understand the Transmission of the Heritages through the High Priest, they will become guilty of slander and demonstrate arrogance and shallow understanding. This means further that the High Priest's interpretation of the Gosho is the only one that believers in the Daishonin's Buddhism should accept. To this end, Nichiren Shoshu published a complete retranslation of the Gosho, called Shinpen, in the mid 1990's. (The Gosho translation on which SGI bases its practice was done by former Nichiren Shoshu high priest in the 1950s.)
The Heritage of Faith for Nichiren Shoshu refers to believers in Nichiren's Buddhism chanting together under the direction of the high priest; they further state that anyone who chants together with other Buddhists can only achieve benefit if it is done under the direction of the high priest.
In contrast, Nichiren Daishonin describes the "heritage" or "lifeblood" of faith in his Buddhism as existing when believers "chant Nam Myoho-renge-kyo with one mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate law of life and death" (MW-1, 23). This is the view of Heritage of the Law embraced by the SGI. Also, the Daishonin writes, "Be resolved to summon forth the great power of your faith and chant Nam Myoho-renge-kyo.… Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate law of life and death" (MW-1, pp. 23-25). There is no room in this view for "entrustment to only one person," because all believers in the law of Nam Myoho-renge-kyo are equally Buddhas.
Historically, from 1990-1993 Nichiren Shoshu under Nikken attempted to use their ideas of Heritage of the Law to prohibit members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) from receiving the Gohonzon, by refusing to bestow Gohonzon on SGI members, and then claiming that only the Gohonzon sanctioned by a Nichiren Shoshu priest has power. Nichiren Shoshu publications state, "The sanctioning of the object of worship by the High Priest, who is the only person to be bequeathed the Daishonin's Buddhism, is what makes the attainment of Buddhahood possible" (Refuting the Soka Gakkai's Counterfeit Object of Worship, 100 Questions and Answers, p. 36, NST). By saying that the Gohonzon must be "blessed" by a priest before it can have power, Nichiren Shoshu effectively says that the priest is more powerful than the Gohonzon, a concept not endorsed by Nichiren.
Rather, Nichiren Daishonin writes: "Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam Myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 213). He also writes, "Abutsu-bo is the Treasure Tower itself, and the Treasure Tower is Abutsu-bo himself. No other knowledge is purposeful" (MW-1, 30). "Later in the same letter, the Daishonin equates the Treasure Tower with the Gohonzon.… The Soka Gakkai embraces the Daishonin's view that the Gohonzon is the embodiment of the Buddha's wisdom and compassion. … One's power of faith and practice to the Gohonzon enables him or her to tap the power of the Gohonzon within (http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/SokaGakkai/Study/Temple/Q04.htm).
When the Daishonin was alive there was no institution of high priest, no Nichiren priesthood. The Daishonin, following his proclamation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in 1253, spent his entire life fighting corrupt priests and interpretations of the Lotus Sutra, so Nichiren Shoshu's attempt to depict him as an upholder of priestly orthodoxy himself goes against the entire logic of his life. Nikko Shonin (1246-1333) composed 26 admonitions for the priests, of which Article 17 states, "Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha's law and propounds his own views." On this basis the SGI resisted the priesthood's acceptance of the Shinto talisman during World War II, and questions the priestly doctrine of enlightenment occurring only because of the high priest's benevolence today.
NICHIREN BUDDHISM AS PRACTICED IN THE SGI
(Notes by Barbara D'Emilio)
Theoretical Proof (the reasoning process and its relation to fact):
The eternity of life — one's life/essence has no beginning or end;
The oneness — the inseparability — of life and the environment and the ability of each human being to powerfully influence both;
Simultaneity of cause & effect — each thought, word, deed has cause & effect on the individual and the environment — manifest & latent (visible/immediate)effects;
The mutual possession of the 10 worlds
All life manifests the Mystic Law (Nam Myoho-renge-kyo); to chant the Mystic Law attunes one to the perfect rhythm of the universe.
The Practice:
Three essential elements: practice, faith and study.
Practice for oneself and others: Practice for oneself includes morning and evening gongyo, which consists of chanting Nam Myoho-renge-kyo as well as reciting sections of the Lotus Sutra. Practice for others means to introduce them to the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. Faith is the realm of life that lies beyond the intellect. When one's limited thinking says things are hopeless, faith opens the heart to other possibilities. Study entails understanding the Buddhist teachings and being able to explain them to others.
Gohonzon — graphic representation of the enlightened life-condition of the universe, of human life, of Nichiren's enlightened life.
The goal of the practice is to improve all aspects of one's life, attain true happiness and kosen rufu — world peace which includes the widespread acceptance of Buddhist philosophy as the foundation of society.
Views of specific Buddhist ideas:
Achieving Buddhahood: Not a matter of "becoming a Buddha," but of revealing what already exists; not a superhuman state but the process of developing one's humanity; chanting Nam Myoho-renge-kyo enables one to grasp the mystic truth within oneself.
Nirvana in terms of Nichiren Buddhism means to attain enlightenment while undergoing the cycle of birth and death — while living in ordinary society.
Karma: The accumulation of causes and effects, lying deep within life, which exert an often unseen influence over the present and the future; in overcoming karma one starts a chain reaction to change the karma of one's family, community and the world.
Empowerment of the practitioner:
locus of control: the individual interconnected with the cosmos
human revolution: inner change — the law of oneness of life and its environment; SGI aspires to achieve an "environmental revolution" and a "global revolution" through the medium of "human revolution."
Documentary Proof:
Which sutra the theory is based on: Lotus Sutra
Other documents valued: Writings of Nichiren Diashonin provides explanation of the basis of practice and is regarded as the "Lotus Sutra of today."
Commentaries by Buddhist scholars: Following Nichiren's evaluation of T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo as the most learned Buddhist teachers — having the fullest comprehension of the Lotus Sutra — to precede Nichiren; writings by the successive SGI presidents, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda, Daisaku Ikeda
Actual Proof
Actual proof means that the teachings are borne out in actual results, when put into practice, in the form of increased good fortune, protection, happiness. Benefits are conspicuous and inconspicuous.
The Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a worldwide movement dedicated to peace, education and culture based on the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. Soka means value-creation and Gakkai means society. The international society was formed in 1975 in response to an increasing worldwide membership. This had grown from the original Soka Kyoiki Gakkai founded in 1930 in Japan by educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. Josei Toda, who regarded Makiguchi as his mentor, introduced the idea that lay believers should practice Buddhism as Nichiren taught and expanded the membership to more than 750,000 by the time of his death in 1958. In 1991 Nikken, high priest of Nichiren Shoshu, excommunicated the entire SGI membership in an attempt to destroy the movement. SGI has been able to flourish even more in its secular role contributing to peace, education and culture in concert with like-minded people.
http://www.sgidc.com/2003study/CompBuddh.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NICHIREN SHU (Notes by Robin Meader)
Nichiren Shu has "more than 5,300" temples in the world, including 17 in the U.S. and Canada — 5 in Hawaii, 5 in California (the Los Angeles Nichiren Buddhist Temple was founded in 1914) — and one each in Chicago, Boston (founded in 1999), New York City, Seattle, Portland (founded in 1924), Utah, and Toronto. There are 4 in Asia (Sri Lanka, India, South Korea), and 3 in Europe (U.K., Belgium, Germany) (according to Italian Nichiren Shu website, http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~nichiren/IntroNSE.html).
Nichiren Shu believes that Nichiren was a bodhisattva — a "religious prophet and reformer" — and Shakyamuni the true Buddha for all time: "For Nichiren Shu members, there is only Sakyamuni Buddha. All other Buddhas are manifestations or replicas of the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni" (Kanai, http://la.nichirenshu.org/teachings/buddhism.htm).
The Nichiren Shu object of worship consists of statues of Shakyamuni and of Nichiren, and often statues of other beings representing the 10 worlds, placed in front of "the calligraphic form Mandala Honzon," which can be any of several forms of Gohonzon or even simply the Chinese characters for Namu Myoho-renge-kyo ("The Daimoku [Namu Myoho-renge-kyo] by itself can stand as the Gohonzon"—Murano). The Boston Nichiren Shu temple's website explains, "Our object of worship is the eternal Shakyamuni Buddha, and we follow the teaching of Nichiren Shonin, the manifestation of Jogyo Bodhisattva" (International Nichiren Shu Temples | Nichiren Shu Portal).
The Nichiren Shu practice includes
to receive and keep the [Lotus] Sutra in each one's body and mind,
to read the Sutra with the eyes,
to recite the Sutra,
to explain the Sutra to others,
to copy the Sutra.
Central is the recitation of the Lotus Sutra, which may include portions or the entirety, all of the Lotus Sutra being valued equally. About reciting the Odaimoku, Nichiren Shu priest Ryuei Michael McCormick of the Nichiren Shu temple in San Francisco writes: "when you sit down and chant Odaimoku (or perhaps just sit silently) all you need to do is focus on the Odaimoku … After you are done chanting (or silently sitting) you might want to reflect and take note of the nature of the thoughts and feelings that spontaneously arise" (Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos). This description of prayer as silent sitting parallels the Zen practice of zazen.
The 3 treasures (Buddha, dharma, samgha) are seen by Nichiren Shu as follows: "The Daimoku is the symbol of all the Three Treasures of Nichiren Buddhism:
"The Original and Eternal Sâkyamuni Buddha is One with the Historical Sâkyamuni Buddha,
"The Wonderful Dharma of the Equality of All Living Beings, and
"The Samgha headed by Visistacâritra Bodhisattva, the First and Foremost Disciple of the Original Sâkyamuni Buddha"
(from an Italian Nichiren Shu site, http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~nichiren/IntroNSE.html).
Consistent with its view of Shakyamuni as the Eternal Buddha and Nichiren as a bodhisattva is Nichiren Shu's distortion of the historical record of the Tatsunokuchi Persecution to diminish its importance. Nichiren Shu priest Senchu Murano writes about the Tatsunokuchi Persecution: "On September 12, one day before the government issued an order to dispatch the government's army to Kyushu to defend Japan against the Mongols, War Minister Nagasaki Yoritsuna, representing the government, arrested Nichiren and sentenced him to exile to Sado Island.… Nagasaki Yoritsuna intended to execute Nichiren that night in spite of the official sentence of exile. Nichiren was taken to the execution ground at Tatsunokuchi, but the execution was suspended by a messenger from the Regent Hojo Tokimune , who had sensed the illegal plot" (Murano, Italian Nichiren Shu site, http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~nichiren/IntroNSE.html).
Nichiren describes the suspension of his execution differently: "Finally we came to a place that I knew must be the site of my execution. Indeed, the soldiers stopped and began to mill around in excitement. Saemon-no-jo, in tears, said, 'These are your last moments!' I replied, 'You don't understand! What greater joy could there be? Don't you remember what you have promised?' I had no sooner said this when a brilliant orb as bright as the moon burst forth from the direction of Enoshima, shooting across the sky from southeast to northwest. It was shortly before dawn and still too dark to see anyone's face, but the radiant object clearly illuminated everyone like bright moonlight. The executioner fell on his face, his eyes blinded. The soldiers were filled with panic. Some ran off into the distance, some jumped down from their horses and huddled on the ground, while others crouched in their saddles. I called out, 'Here, why do you shrink from this vile prisoner? Come closer! Come closer!' But no one would approach me. 'What if the dawn should come? You must hurry up and execute me — once the day breaks, it will be too ugly a job.' I urged them on, but they made no response" (WND, 767). The SGI, following Nichiren, views the Tatsunokuchi Persecution as the moment when Nichiren revealed his true identity as the true Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
NICHIREN SHOSHU (Notes by Rick Kulick)
In any attempt to study the doctrine and history of Nichiren Shoshu under Nikken, no headway can be made without thorough research into the idea of Kechimyaku, or the Heritage of the Law. Under Nikken, this idea has developed into a complex defense of priestly absolutism and authority. The idea in Nichiren Shoshu begins with a concept called the Lifeblood of Faith, which is transmitted through receiving the Heritage of the Law from the high priest.
The Heritage of the Law can actually be broken down into a number of aspects, starting with the Heritage of Doctrine, which includes the Innumerable Meanings, Lotus, and Nirvana Sutras.
The next Heritage is that of Inner Realization, which involves the inner enlightenment of Nichiren Daishonin, the Dai-Gohonzon itself and the fact that the priesthood has physical custody of it, which for them signifies they have the Daishonin himself.
The Heritage of the 10,000 years of Mappo states that the Dai-Gohonzon is the supreme object of worship for this present age of the Latter Day of the Law. There are 3 further aspects to the Heritage of Mappo: The Heritages of the Entity of the Law, of Doctrine, and of Faith, all of which center on the transmission of the teachings of the Daishonin from one high priest to the next.
The Heritage of the Entity of the Law refers to the Dai-Gohonzon, and specifically to how it is transmitted from one high priest to another. The key phrase from the Daishonin's writings here is that the Heritage can only be shared "only between buddhas." Nichiren Shoshu interprets this to mean only between high priests, stating in their commentary, "Seven Teachings on the Gohonzon," "The successive Shonin [high priests] are all without exception, Nichiren."
The Heritage of Doctrine refers to the Gosho. In a general sense the Gosho belong to all believers in the Daishonin's Buddhism; but unless believers accept and understand the Transmission of the Heritages through the High Priest, they will become guilty of slander and demonstrate arrogance and shallow understanding. This means further that the High Priest's interpretation of the Gosho is the only one that believers in the Daishonin's Buddhism should accept. To this end, Nichiren Shoshu published a complete retranslation of the Gosho, called Shinpen, in the mid 1990's. (The Gosho translation on which SGI bases its practice was done by former Nichiren Shoshu high priest in the 1950s.)
The Heritage of Faith for Nichiren Shoshu refers to believers in Nichiren's Buddhism chanting together under the direction of the high priest; they further state that anyone who chants together with other Buddhists can only achieve benefit if it is done under the direction of the high priest.
In contrast, Nichiren Daishonin describes the "heritage" or "lifeblood" of faith in his Buddhism as existing when believers "chant Nam Myoho-renge-kyo with one mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate law of life and death" (MW-1, 23). This is the view of Heritage of the Law embraced by the SGI. Also, the Daishonin writes, "Be resolved to summon forth the great power of your faith and chant Nam Myoho-renge-kyo.… Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate law of life and death" (MW-1, pp. 23-25). There is no room in this view for "entrustment to only one person," because all believers in the law of Nam Myoho-renge-kyo are equally Buddhas.
Historically, from 1990-1993 Nichiren Shoshu under Nikken attempted to use their ideas of Heritage of the Law to prohibit members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) from receiving the Gohonzon, by refusing to bestow Gohonzon on SGI members, and then claiming that only the Gohonzon sanctioned by a Nichiren Shoshu priest has power. Nichiren Shoshu publications state, "The sanctioning of the object of worship by the High Priest, who is the only person to be bequeathed the Daishonin's Buddhism, is what makes the attainment of Buddhahood possible" (Refuting the Soka Gakkai's Counterfeit Object of Worship, 100 Questions and Answers, p. 36, NST). By saying that the Gohonzon must be "blessed" by a priest before it can have power, Nichiren Shoshu effectively says that the priest is more powerful than the Gohonzon, a concept not endorsed by Nichiren.
Rather, Nichiren Daishonin writes: "Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam Myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 213). He also writes, "Abutsu-bo is the Treasure Tower itself, and the Treasure Tower is Abutsu-bo himself. No other knowledge is purposeful" (MW-1, 30). "Later in the same letter, the Daishonin equates the Treasure Tower with the Gohonzon.… The Soka Gakkai embraces the Daishonin's view that the Gohonzon is the embodiment of the Buddha's wisdom and compassion. … One's power of faith and practice to the Gohonzon enables him or her to tap the power of the Gohonzon within (http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/SokaGakkai/Study/Temple/Q04.htm).
When the Daishonin was alive there was no institution of high priest, no Nichiren priesthood. The Daishonin, following his proclamation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in 1253, spent his entire life fighting corrupt priests and interpretations of the Lotus Sutra, so Nichiren Shoshu's attempt to depict him as an upholder of priestly orthodoxy himself goes against the entire logic of his life. Nikko Shonin (1246-1333) composed 26 admonitions for the priests, of which Article 17 states, "Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha's law and propounds his own views." On this basis the SGI resisted the priesthood's acceptance of the Shinto talisman during World War II, and questions the priestly doctrine of enlightenment occurring only because of the high priest's benevolence today.
NICHIREN BUDDHISM AS PRACTICED IN THE SGI
(Notes by Barbara D'Emilio)
Theoretical Proof (the reasoning process and its relation to fact):
The eternity of life — one's life/essence has no beginning or end;
The oneness — the inseparability — of life and the environment and the ability of each human being to powerfully influence both;
Simultaneity of cause & effect — each thought, word, deed has cause & effect on the individual and the environment — manifest & latent (visible/immediate)effects;
The mutual possession of the 10 worlds
All life manifests the Mystic Law (Nam Myoho-renge-kyo); to chant the Mystic Law attunes one to the perfect rhythm of the universe.
The Practice:
Three essential elements: practice, faith and study.
Practice for oneself and others: Practice for oneself includes morning and evening gongyo, which consists of chanting Nam Myoho-renge-kyo as well as reciting sections of the Lotus Sutra. Practice for others means to introduce them to the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. Faith is the realm of life that lies beyond the intellect. When one's limited thinking says things are hopeless, faith opens the heart to other possibilities. Study entails understanding the Buddhist teachings and being able to explain them to others.
Gohonzon — graphic representation of the enlightened life-condition of the universe, of human life, of Nichiren's enlightened life.
The goal of the practice is to improve all aspects of one's life, attain true happiness and kosen rufu — world peace which includes the widespread acceptance of Buddhist philosophy as the foundation of society.
Views of specific Buddhist ideas:
Achieving Buddhahood: Not a matter of "becoming a Buddha," but of revealing what already exists; not a superhuman state but the process of developing one's humanity; chanting Nam Myoho-renge-kyo enables one to grasp the mystic truth within oneself.
Nirvana in terms of Nichiren Buddhism means to attain enlightenment while undergoing the cycle of birth and death — while living in ordinary society.
Karma: The accumulation of causes and effects, lying deep within life, which exert an often unseen influence over the present and the future; in overcoming karma one starts a chain reaction to change the karma of one's family, community and the world.
Empowerment of the practitioner:
locus of control: the individual interconnected with the cosmos
human revolution: inner change — the law of oneness of life and its environment; SGI aspires to achieve an "environmental revolution" and a "global revolution" through the medium of "human revolution."
Documentary Proof:
Which sutra the theory is based on: Lotus Sutra
Other documents valued: Writings of Nichiren Diashonin provides explanation of the basis of practice and is regarded as the "Lotus Sutra of today."
Commentaries by Buddhist scholars: Following Nichiren's evaluation of T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo as the most learned Buddhist teachers — having the fullest comprehension of the Lotus Sutra — to precede Nichiren; writings by the successive SGI presidents, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda, Daisaku Ikeda
Actual Proof
Actual proof means that the teachings are borne out in actual results, when put into practice, in the form of increased good fortune, protection, happiness. Benefits are conspicuous and inconspicuous.
The Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a worldwide movement dedicated to peace, education and culture based on the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. Soka means value-creation and Gakkai means society. The international society was formed in 1975 in response to an increasing worldwide membership. This had grown from the original Soka Kyoiki Gakkai founded in 1930 in Japan by educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. Josei Toda, who regarded Makiguchi as his mentor, introduced the idea that lay believers should practice Buddhism as Nichiren taught and expanded the membership to more than 750,000 by the time of his death in 1958. In 1991 Nikken, high priest of Nichiren Shoshu, excommunicated the entire SGI membership in an attempt to destroy the movement. SGI has been able to flourish even more in its secular role contributing to peace, education and culture in concert with like-minded people.
http://www.sgidc.com/2003study/CompBuddh.html
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