Hokkeko
Encyclopedia
Hokkeko is a lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shoshu
school of Japanese Buddhism
and the name most Nichiren Shoshu temple congregations are known by. Hokke is a reference to the Lotus Sutra
(Myōhō-Renge-Kyō 妙法蓮華経 or Hokkekyō 法華経), the Buddhist scripture Nichiren Shoshu bases its teachings on, and kō (講http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%AC%9B) in this usage means lay group or congregation. Historical references to temple congregations as Hokkekō or Hokkekōshū date back to at least the 13th century. Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282), the founder of Nichiren Shoshu
, also referred collectively to his lay followers as Hokkekōshū (法華講衆) in the dedication written on the Dai-Gohonzon, the school's object of veneration, inscribed on October 12, 1279. Nichiren Shoshu attributes the appellation Hokkekō to this usage by Nichiren Daishonin. Hokkeko is the name given to Nichiren Daishonin's believers who died at the Atsuhara persecution. They are affiliated with the head temple at Taisekiji in Japan.
In addition to being what congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples (close to 700 in Japan and 20 in other countries) have traditionally called themselves, Hokkekō is also used loosely in reference to all temple congregations (local Hokkekō chapters) collectively. When used this way, it can be understood to mean the national Hokkekō umbrella organization in Japan and Hokkekō groups that encompass the congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples outside Japan.
The Japanese umbrella organization, officially called Hokkekō Rengō Kai ("federation of Hokkekōs"), is related to Japanese Buddhism and was incorporated under Japanese law in 1962. Its headquarters is located at Nichiren Shoshu's head temple Taisekiji in Fujinomiya
, Shizuoka
, Japan
, and it maintains a chapter at each local temple. :ja:%E6%B3%95%E8%8F%AF%E8%AC%9B
Hokkekō groups tend to be organized fairly loosely and are generally unregimented. Whereas some members are very active in temple-based propagation and other activities, others come only for a monthly service called o-kō (or, more formally, go-hōon o-kō, "meeting to show gratitude to the Buddha"), the annual Oeshiki ceremony on the anniversary of Nichiren Daishonin's passing, and other temple events.
Hokkekō experienced a spurt of fast growth in the early to mid 1990s following a split between the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and Soka Gakkai over doctrinal and practical differences. Friction between the two surfaced as 1990 drew to a close, sparking an inflow of Soka Gakkai members into Hokkekō that accelerated for a while after Nichiren Shoshu excommunicated Soka Gakkai as its lay organization on November 28, 1991. Though Nichiren Shoshu still considered individual Soka Gakkai members as lay followers until a rule change in 1997, most mistakenly believed that they had been excommunicated along with the Soka Gakkai organization and its executive leaders. Hokkekō growth has since slowed substantially but is now more organic.
Hokkekō is not affiliated with any political organizations.
See also: Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...
school of Japanese Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and the name most Nichiren Shoshu temple congregations are known by. Hokke is a reference to the Lotus Sutra
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
(Myōhō-Renge-Kyō 妙法蓮華経 or Hokkekyō 法華経), the Buddhist scripture Nichiren Shoshu bases its teachings on, and kō (講http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%AC%9B) in this usage means lay group or congregation. Historical references to temple congregations as Hokkekō or Hokkekōshū date back to at least the 13th century. Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282), the founder of Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...
, also referred collectively to his lay followers as Hokkekōshū (法華講衆) in the dedication written on the Dai-Gohonzon, the school's object of veneration, inscribed on October 12, 1279. Nichiren Shoshu attributes the appellation Hokkekō to this usage by Nichiren Daishonin. Hokkeko is the name given to Nichiren Daishonin's believers who died at the Atsuhara persecution. They are affiliated with the head temple at Taisekiji in Japan.
In addition to being what congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples (close to 700 in Japan and 20 in other countries) have traditionally called themselves, Hokkekō is also used loosely in reference to all temple congregations (local Hokkekō chapters) collectively. When used this way, it can be understood to mean the national Hokkekō umbrella organization in Japan and Hokkekō groups that encompass the congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples outside Japan.
The Japanese umbrella organization, officially called Hokkekō Rengō Kai ("federation of Hokkekōs"), is related to Japanese Buddhism and was incorporated under Japanese law in 1962. Its headquarters is located at Nichiren Shoshu's head temple Taisekiji in Fujinomiya
Fujinomiya, Shizuoka
is a city located in central Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 122,464 and the density of 389 persons per km². The total area was 314.81 km².-Geography:...
, Shizuoka
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and it maintains a chapter at each local temple. :ja:%E6%B3%95%E8%8F%AF%E8%AC%9B
Hokkekō groups tend to be organized fairly loosely and are generally unregimented. Whereas some members are very active in temple-based propagation and other activities, others come only for a monthly service called o-kō (or, more formally, go-hōon o-kō, "meeting to show gratitude to the Buddha"), the annual Oeshiki ceremony on the anniversary of Nichiren Daishonin's passing, and other temple events.
Hokkekō experienced a spurt of fast growth in the early to mid 1990s following a split between the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and Soka Gakkai over doctrinal and practical differences. Friction between the two surfaced as 1990 drew to a close, sparking an inflow of Soka Gakkai members into Hokkekō that accelerated for a while after Nichiren Shoshu excommunicated Soka Gakkai as its lay organization on November 28, 1991. Though Nichiren Shoshu still considered individual Soka Gakkai members as lay followers until a rule change in 1997, most mistakenly believed that they had been excommunicated along with the Soka Gakkai organization and its executive leaders. Hokkekō growth has since slowed substantially but is now more organic.
Hokkekō is not affiliated with any political organizations.
See also: Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...