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Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai

Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai. RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements. History. Nichiren (1222-1282) taught an exclusivist religion of the Lotus Sutra, led a great popular movement, denounced faithless in the highest places

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Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai

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  1. Buddhism in North America: SokaGakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

  2. History • Nichiren (1222-1282) • taught an exclusivist religion of the Lotus Sutra, • led a great popular movement, • denounced faithless in the highest places • predicted national disaster if the nation failed to repent. • NichirenShoshu • Taiseki-jitemple near Mount Fuji

  3. History • 1930: T. Makiguchi • SokaGakkai = "Value-creation study society” • Died in prison • 1944: J. Toda • Expansion in Japan • to 10 million • shakubuku • 1958: Daisaku Ikeda • 1960- Expansion overseas • By 1978 300,000 in USA

  4. History • 1975 SokaGakkai Internationalformed • from 51 countries • Headed by Ikeda • 1991 Excommunication by NichirenShoshu priests • 5-8 million families

  5. Beliefs: Unity • 1 man • 1 scripture • 1 country • 1 object of worship • 1 practice • 1 moment: the present • shikishinfuni: "body and mind not two,” • eshofuni, "individual and environment not two" • obutsumyogo, "the state and Buddhism one society"

  6. Beliefs: the Divine • No God needed • You are the author of your own destiny • Nichiren is the Buddha for the present age

  7. Beliefs: 10 Life States/Worlds • 10 Basic States of Life 6 traditional Buddhist planes of reincarnation • hellish suffering, • the incessant hunger of wandering ghosts, • animality, • angry titans, • human tranquillity, • heavenly rapture 4 traditional stages of the spiritual ascent • learning, • following the path, • the aspiration for enlightenment of the bodhisattva, • the bliss of Buddhahood

  8. Beliefs: Problem & Solution • Nichiren asked: • "How can I be sure that I am saved?" • "How can the events of human history be reconciled with Providence?” • minimum requirement for salvation: Lotus Sutra • Align self with sacred laws of cause and effect

  9. Beliefs: Future • When one dies • Reincarnation according to karma • Cause and effect • The Fate of the World • When 1/3 of the world is SokaGakkai, there will be world peace

  10. The Good Life (Practice) • Daimoku (“invocation”) • Nam MyohoRengeKyo • “devotion to the Lotus Sutra” or • “I devote myself to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra” • Nam: devotion to… • Myoho: the Mystic Law of the Universe… • Renge: creates the vital life-force which includes the simultaneous cause and effect … • Kyo: of putting human life into rhythm with the universe. • Lotus Sutra • Especially two chapters of it (gongyo) • Gohonzon • Rosary (108 beads) • Shakubuku • Method of recruitment: high pressure sales pitch • “Break and subdue” • Originally: Chant for what you want

  11. Controversies • Kosen-rufu: • world peace when at least 1/3 of the world converts to NichirenShoshu • Conflicts with Japanese imperialism (WW2) and Americans • Now means “promotion of peace, culture, and education through Buddhism” • Overagressiveshakubuku • Accusations of materialism (chant for things) • November 1991: Excommunication by NichirenShoshupriests

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