Kofuku no Kagaku
Encyclopedia
is a new religious
and spiritual movement founded in Japan on 6 October 1986 by Ryuho Okawa
with over 12 million followers in 85 countries. Happy Science became an official religious organization in Japan, March 7, 1991.
In the USA, Happy Science has been a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization since 1994. In February 2008, the official English name for the group was changed from the Romanized Japanese Kofuku-no-Kagaku (literal translation "science of happiness") to the English rendering "Happy Science". Their former English name was "IRH - The Institute for Research in Human Happiness" which is still the name for their publishing company "IRH Press".
the spirits of Muhammad
, Christ
, Buddha
and Confucius
and claims to be the incarnation of the supreme spiritual being
called El Cantare. Happy Science claims that El Cantare is the true hidden name of the Heavenly Father in the Old Testament; Elohim a.k.a. in the Middle East as the God of creation; 'El' and in other ancient cultures of the world as 'The Cosmic Tree of Life' and 'The World Tree'.
Although its teachings are based on the Buddhist foundations of reflection
and keeping "Right Mind", it also incorporates modern day prosperity
and development in order to improve oneself and society. The teachings, given by founder Ryuho Okawa
are said to be universal and center on the pluralistic
belief that all major religions originated from one source.
According to Okawa, in order to obtain happiness one must practice the four Principles of Happiness known as 'The Fourfold Path' which consists of; Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection and Progress. The only requirement to join Happy Science is that applicants must have "the aspiration and vision to seek the way and contribute to the realization of love, peace and happiness on earth".
, "for many, the Happies smell suspiciously like a cult". Happy Science has released promotional videos that claim North Korea and the People's Republic of China
are plotting to invade and colonize Japan after first subduing it through nuclear warfare.
, which are looked upon unfavorably by the mainstream press and public. Even though Happy Science protested against Aum Shinrikyo
before the 1995 Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
, comparisons have been drawn between the two groups and they often clashed in the media during the 1990s.
Happy Science have been noted for their use of high profile marketing company Dentsu
Corporation, the largest advertising company in Japan, to implement their strategy.
New Religion
"New Religion" is a Duran Duran song and the sixth track on their second album Rio.-About the song:The song is described in the Rio liner notes as "a dialogue between the ego and the alter-ego", which is reflected in the chorus, where two conflicting voices sing on top of each other.-Covers,...
and spiritual movement founded in Japan on 6 October 1986 by Ryuho Okawa
Ryuho Okawa
is the CEO and founder of the Happy Science religious organization and the Happiness Realization Party in Japan.After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he joined a Tokyo-based trading house. While working at its New York headquarters on the 40th floor of the 1 World Trade Center from...
with over 12 million followers in 85 countries. Happy Science became an official religious organization in Japan, March 7, 1991.
In the USA, Happy Science has been a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization since 1994. In February 2008, the official English name for the group was changed from the Romanized Japanese Kofuku-no-Kagaku (literal translation "science of happiness") to the English rendering "Happy Science". Their former English name was "IRH - The Institute for Research in Human Happiness" which is still the name for their publishing company "IRH Press".
Teachings
The basic teachings of Happy Science are "Exploration of the Right Mind" and the "Principles of Happiness". The latter consists of the Fourfold Path (Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection, and Progress). Okawa claims to channelSpiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
the spirits of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
and Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
and claims to be the incarnation of the supreme spiritual being
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
called El Cantare. Happy Science claims that El Cantare is the true hidden name of the Heavenly Father in the Old Testament; Elohim a.k.a. in the Middle East as the God of creation; 'El' and in other ancient cultures of the world as 'The Cosmic Tree of Life' and 'The World Tree'.
Although its teachings are based on the Buddhist foundations of reflection
Introspection
Introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations. It is a conscious and purposive process relying on thinking, reasoning, and examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and, in more spiritual cases, one's soul...
and keeping "Right Mind", it also incorporates modern day prosperity
Prosperity
Prosperity is the state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune and/or successful social status. Prosperity often encompasses wealth but also includes others factors which are independent of wealth to varying degrees, such as happiness and health....
and development in order to improve oneself and society. The teachings, given by founder Ryuho Okawa
Ryuho Okawa
is the CEO and founder of the Happy Science religious organization and the Happiness Realization Party in Japan.After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he joined a Tokyo-based trading house. While working at its New York headquarters on the 40th floor of the 1 World Trade Center from...
are said to be universal and center on the pluralistic
Religious pluralism
Religious pluralism is a loosely defined expression concerning acceptance of various religions, and is used in a number of related ways:* As the name of the worldview according to which one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and thus that at least some truths and true values...
belief that all major religions originated from one source.
According to Okawa, in order to obtain happiness one must practice the four Principles of Happiness known as 'The Fourfold Path' which consists of; Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection and Progress. The only requirement to join Happy Science is that applicants must have "the aspiration and vision to seek the way and contribute to the realization of love, peace and happiness on earth".
Temples and offices
As of 2009, it has established over 32 main temples, called Shojas (shrine) or shoshinkans ("lit. Place for the Beginner’s Mind"), and 200 local temples or branches all over Japan.Criticism
According to The Japan TimesThe Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
, "for many, the Happies smell suspiciously like a cult". Happy Science has released promotional videos that claim North Korea and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
are plotting to invade and colonize Japan after first subduing it through nuclear warfare.
Popular and academic analysis
Happy Science is one of many Japanese new religions, or shinshūkyōShinshukyo
is a Japanese term used to describe domestic new religious movements. They are also known as in Japanese, and are most often called simply Japanese new religions in English. Japanese theologians classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as Shinshūkyō. Thus,...
, which are looked upon unfavorably by the mainstream press and public. Even though Happy Science protested against Aum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo was a Japanese new religious movement. The group was founded by Shoko Asahara in 1984. The group gained international notoriety in 1995, when it carried out the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway....
before the 1995 Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
The Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway, usually referred to in the Japanese media as the , was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated by members of Aum Shinrikyo on March 20, 1995....
, comparisons have been drawn between the two groups and they often clashed in the media during the 1990s.
Happy Science have been noted for their use of high profile marketing company Dentsu
Dentsu
is one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. Its headquarters are located in the Dentsu Building in the Shiodome district of Minato, Tokyo....
Corporation, the largest advertising company in Japan, to implement their strategy.
Further reading
- Clarke, Peter B. (ed.) (1999), 'Kofuku-no-Kagaku: The Institute for Research in Human Happiness' in A Bibliography of Japanese New Religious Movements: With Annotations, Surrey, UK, Japan Library (Curzon), ISBN 1-873410-80-8, pp. 149–67
- Yamashita, Akiko (1998), 'The "Eschatology" of Japanese new and new new religions: from Tenrikyo to Kofuku-no-Kagaku' in Japanese Religions, Vol. 23, January 1998, NCC, Kyoto, Japan, pp. 125–42
- The Transformation of a Recent Japanese New Religion: Okawa Ryuho and Kofuku no kagaku, Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 22 p 343-380