Nichiren Buddhism
Encyclopedia
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Mahāyāna
Buddhism
based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk
Nichiren
(1222–1282). 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 Japanese Buddhism—in particular the Zen
, Pure Land
, esoteric, and Ritsu
schools, which Nichiren saw as deviating from the orthodoxy of Mahayana Buddhism. Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japan's new religions
. Nichiren Buddhists believe that the spread of Nichiren's teachings and their effect on practitioners' lives will eventually bring about a peaceful, just, and prosperous society.
studied in numerous temples in Japan, especially Mt. Hiei (Enryakuji) and Mt. Kōya
, in his day the major centers of Buddhist study, in the Kyoto
–Nara
area. He eventually concluded that the highest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha
(563?–483?BC) were to be found in the Lotus Sutra
. The mantra
he expounded on 28 April 1253, Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, expresses his devotion to that body of teachings. During his lifetime Nichiren stridently maintained that the contemporary teachings of Buddhism taught by other sects (particularly Nembutsu
, Zen
, Shingon, and Ritsu
) were mistaken in their interpretations of the correct path to enlightenment and therefore refuted them publicly and vociferously. In doing so, he provoked the ire of the country's rulers and of the priests of the sects he criticized; he was subjected to persecution which included an attempted beheading and at least two exiles. Some Nichiren schools see the incident of the attempted beheading as marking a turning point in Nichiren's teaching, since Nichiren began inscribing the Gohonzon
and wrote a number of major doctrinal treatises during his subsequent three-year exile on Sado Island in the Japan Sea. After a pardon and his return from exile, Nichiren moved to Mt. Minobu
in today's Yamanashi Prefecture
, where he and his disciples built a temple, Kuon-ji. Nichiren spent most of the rest of his life here training disciples.
(rokurōsō) whom he wanted to transmit his teachings to future generations: Nisshō
(日昭), Nichirō
(日朗), Nikō
(日向), Nitchō
(日頂), Nichiji
(日持), and Nikkō
(日興). Each started a lineage
of schools, but Nichiji eventually travelled to the Asian continent (ca. 1295) and was never heard from again, and Nitchō later in life (1302) rejoined and became a follower of Nikkō.
The reasons for the splits are numerous, entangled, and subject to different interpretations depending on which school is telling the story; suffice it to say that the senior priests had different understandings of what Nichiren's lifetime of teaching was about. Although the former five remained loosely affiliated to varying degrees, the last—Nikkō—made a clean break by leaving Kuon-ji in 1289. He had come to the conclusion that Nikō and the others were embarking on paths to heresy that he could not stem.
Kuon-ji eventually became the central temple of today's Nichiren Shu
, one of the two largest branches and the one encompassing the numerous minor schools of the Minobu branch into which most of the schools and temples started by Nikō, Nisshō, Nichirō, Nichiji and some by Nikkō have been subsumed. The other dominant branch is centered at Taiseki-ji
, the head temple of today's Nichiren Shōshū
school. Taiseki-ji, which Nikkō founded in 1290 after leaving Kuon-ji, was the starting point for the other schools of the Kōmon-ha (興門派, kō from Nikkō) or Fuji-ha (富士派, from the locality) branch.
Other traditional Nichiren schools include several sub-schools that call themselves just Hokke Shū, the Honmon Butsuryū Shū, and the Kempon Hokke Shū. Several of Japan's new religions
are also sub-sects of or otherwise based on one or another of the traditional Nichiren schools. The Reiyūkai, Risshō Kōsei Kai, and Nipponzan Myōhōji Sangha stem from one or another of the Kuon-ji/Minobu branch schools, whereas Sōka Gakkai, Shōshinkai, and Kenshōkai trace their origins to the Nichiren Shōshū school.
The following lists are from the Japanese Wikipedia article on Nichiren Buddhism.
(天台, Cn: Tiantai
) thought, especially as passed down from Saichō
(also known as Dengyō; 767–822), including much of its worldview and its rationale for criticism of Buddhist schools that do not acknowledge the Lotus Sutra
as the highest teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha. For example, Nichiren Buddhist doctrine adopts or extends Tendai's classification of the Buddhist sutras into five time periods and eight categories (五時八教: goji-hakkyō), its theory of 3,000 interpenetrating realms within a single life-moment (一念三千: Ichinen Sanzen), and its view of the Three Truths (三諦: Santai).
As in Tendai but in contrast to many other Buddhist schools, most Nichiren Buddhists believe that personal enlightenment can be achieved in this world within the practitioner's current lifetime (即身成仏: sokushin jōbutsu). Markedly different from Tendai and any other Buddhist lineage is the Nichiren Buddhists' practice of chanting o-daimoku (also: daimoku), the repeated recitation of the mantra
(phrase) Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō. Most Nichiren schools also recite the Lotus Sutra
(in Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese text) to varying degrees in their respective versions of the often daily or twice-daily gongyō
service. Other details of Nichiren Buddhist practice can differ widely depending on the school. Some recite the whole Lotus Sutra, while others recite only certain chapters, parts of chapters, or verses. Some practitioners worship Buddhist statues or images, and others use the Gohonzon
(a mandala
Nichiren provided for his followers during his lifetime) as their focal point during prayer; others worship only statues or images of various types; whereas yet others venerate only a particular Gohonzon and transcriptions of it. Some schools (chiefly those stemming from Kuon-ji) keep Shinto
shrines in their temple compounds and permit or encourage worship of indigenous Japanese deities, while those stemming from Taiseki-ji (but not Taiseki-ji and Nichiren Shōshū itself) tend to be very strict about their prohibition against worshiping anything exterior, rather they promote using the Gohonzon mandala as a visual representation of every person's inner Buddhahood. Some schools are very nationalistic; others are not and are further strictly pacifist. Further, Nichiren Shoshu and other schools stemming from the priest Nikkō consider Nichiren to be the True (or Original) Buddha, whereas Nichiren Shu and the others descendant from the other six senior priests see him as a saint, great teacher, or prophet.
stages requiring many lifetimes before reaching Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra, however, teaches that Buddhahood is already inherent within one’s current life. The Bodhisattva practice of the Lotus Sutra is based on directly revealing one’s Buddha nature without gradual stages.
Nichiren quotes Those who practice the Lotus Sutra are pursuing through this single act of devotion - the mind that is endowed with all manner of fortunate results. These are present simultaneously and are not acquired gradually over a long period of time. This is like the blossom of the lotus that, when it opens, already possesses a large number of seeds. From this perspective, the Bodhisattva practice (cause) and the revealing of Buddhahood (effect) are inseparable: Anyone who practices this Law [of the Lotus] will obtain both the cause and the effect of Buddhahood simultaneously.
According to Nichiren, the essence of the Lotus Sutra, which integrates all the Buddha’s teachings - is fully contained within its title : “Myoho-Renge-Kyo”: Therefore, one should understand that the [title] of the Lotus Sutra represents the soul of all the sutras Nichiren viewed the words of the sutras as expressions of the mind of the Buddha, and further revealed that all the teachings of the Buddha are encoded within the single phrase of “Myoho-Renge-Kyo”, meaning: the “Wonderful Law of the Life”, or the “Universal Law of Cause and Effect”, also referring to it as the “ultimate reality” of life
The Buddhist way of “attaining enlightenment” requires a dedicated practice of devoting one’s life (namu) to the Universal Law or the Dharma. The Sanskrit word Namu means “devotion to" : The word namu expresses feelings of reverence and a sense of compliance. By including the word Namu (devotion) to Myoho-Renge-Kyo (the Universal Law of Life) Nichiren revealed that the Law of Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the direct path to Enlightenment, as it unifies one’s subjective self with the objective reality of life (the Dharma). The teaching of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo can be interpreted as expressing the state of being “one with the Law” and thus manifesting the state of Buddhahood.
2- Establishing the Object of Devotion: For almost 2000 years after Shakyamuni’s passing, followers of the Buddha prayed to figurative statues of him- as their object of devotion. According to Nichiren using statue in prayers was suitable for the former periods of Buddhist practice, while in the current age (the Latter Day of the Law), statues and paintings - depicting the Buddha - will lose their power to benefit people. A parallel to this view (that traditional Buddhist practice in the Latter Day becoming powerless) - is found in the Buddhist eschatology
of Mahayana Buddhism’s beliefs about the current age being a time of “decline” and “deterioration of Law” . However, contrary to all other Mahayana sutras regarding this subject, the Lotus Sutra predicted the flourishing of Buddhism in this current period and also far into the future. Given the prevalent belief of the predicted ineffectiveness of traditional practice in the current age - on one hand - and the predicted propagation and flourishing of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren regarded the Lotus Sutra as the valid background for the Object of Devotion in the current age of Buddhism.
In the form of a mandala, Nichiren employed a central teaching of the Lotus Sutra: the emergence of the “Treasure Tower” or the Dharma of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo – to be the central part of the Object of Devotion, and he named this the Gohonzon. Gohonzon means “that which should be fundamentally respected”:this Gohonzon shall be called the great mandala never before known. In essence, the Gohonzon can be perceived as an embodiment of the “Life of Buddha”. Chanting to the Gohonzon would resonate with the “Life of Buddha” (or the inherent Buddha nature) of the practitioner. From this perspective the inscribed mandala reflects one’s inner Buddha nature: “Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself”.
3- Setting a system of verification of beliefs (The Three Proofs):
Many spiritual beliefs and teachings which were spread in society at the time of Nichiren’s appearance were no more than superstitions or groundless views. In order to help ordinary people correctly evaluate the validity of a given doctrine, Nichiren established a set of three criteria, by which a certain teaching should be measured, and consequently accepted or rejected:
In judging the relative merit of Buddhist doctrines, I, Nichiren, believe that the best standards are those of reason and documentary proof. And even more valuable than reason and documentary proof is the proof of actual fact.
The first criterion of “reason” implies that to accept a given teaching, its contents should be consistent and lacking in contradiction. The proof of reason means that a meaningful doctrine should be relevant to the principle of cause and effect.
The second criterion for judging a teaching correct and true is that there should be documentary proof substantiating the essence of the teaching. This requirement for “documentary proof” is like citing credible reference in todays understanding.
However, the third criterion of “Actual Proof” is what Nichiren considered the most important. Even if a given theory sounds reasonable and has some documented grounding or references, if it cannot deliver actual proof (of being effective when applied in the real world) - then it should be discarded. This means that ideas or teachings which are beyond the scope of verification should be rejected as being invalid (a vision almost identical with today’s scientific criteria of examining the truth of given propositions).
The immediate application of this system for considering the validity of beliefs is that it gives researchers a systematic approach and clarity in evaluating religious arguments or doctrines. The reason why Nichiren stressed the importance of Actual Proof is that he considered teachings which cannot be proven (such as promising practitioners they would attain Buddhahood after death) as meaningless. Accordingly, only the doctrines which enable verifiable results in this present lifetime - can be regarded as meaningful teachings.
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
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...
based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
Nichiren
Nichiren
Nichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, entitled Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō as the essential practice of the teaching...
(1222–1282). 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
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
in Japan's Middle Ages and among some ultranationalists during the pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era. Nichiren Buddhism is generally noted for its focus on 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:...
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 Japanese Buddhism—in particular the Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, Pure Land
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
, esoteric, and Ritsu
Ritsu
The Ritsu school of Buddhism is one of the six schools of Nara Buddhism in Japan, noted for its use of the Vinaya textual framework of the Dharmaguptaka, one of the early schools of Buddhism...
schools, which Nichiren saw as deviating from the orthodoxy of Mahayana Buddhism. Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japan's new religions
Shinshukyo
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,...
. Nichiren Buddhists believe that the spread of Nichiren's teachings and their effect on practitioners' lives will eventually bring about a peaceful, just, and prosperous society.
The founder, Nichiren
From the age of 16 until 32, NichirenNichiren
Nichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, entitled Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō as the essential practice of the teaching...
studied in numerous temples in Japan, especially Mt. Hiei (Enryakuji) and Mt. Kōya
Mount Koya
is the name of mountains in Wakayama Prefecture to the south of Osaka. Also, Kōya-san is a modifying word for Kongōbuji . There is no one mountain officially called Kōya-san in Japan....
, in his day the major centers of Buddhist study, in the Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
–Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
area. He eventually concluded that the highest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
(563?–483?BC) were to be found in 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:...
. The mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
he expounded on 28 April 1253, Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, expresses his devotion to that body of teachings. During his lifetime Nichiren stridently maintained that the contemporary teachings of Buddhism taught by other sects (particularly Nembutsu
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
, Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, Shingon, and Ritsu
Ritsu
The Ritsu school of Buddhism is one of the six schools of Nara Buddhism in Japan, noted for its use of the Vinaya textual framework of the Dharmaguptaka, one of the early schools of Buddhism...
) were mistaken in their interpretations of the correct path to enlightenment and therefore refuted them publicly and vociferously. In doing so, he provoked the ire of the country's rulers and of the priests of the sects he criticized; he was subjected to persecution which included an attempted beheading and at least two exiles. Some Nichiren schools see the incident of the attempted beheading as marking a turning point in Nichiren's teaching, since Nichiren began inscribing the Gohonzon
Gohonzon
Gohonzon , is the object of devotion in many forms of Japanese Buddhism. In Japanese, go is an honorific prefix indicating respect and honzon means object of fundamental respect, veneration, or devotion...
and wrote a number of major doctrinal treatises during his subsequent three-year exile on Sado Island in the Japan Sea. After a pardon and his return from exile, Nichiren moved to Mt. Minobu
Minobu, Yamanashi
is a town located in Minamikoma District, Yamanashi, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 7,672 and a density of 58.51 persons per km²...
in today's Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, where he and his disciples built a temple, Kuon-ji. Nichiren spent most of the rest of his life here training disciples.
Schools
Today, Nichiren Buddhism is not a single denomination (see following lists). It began to branch into different schools within several years of Nichiren's passing, before which Nichiren had named six senior priests(rokurōsō) whom he wanted to transmit his teachings to future generations: Nisshō
Nisshō
Nisshō was a Buddhist disciple of Nichiren and the uncle of Nichirō. He was the only disciple who was actually older than Nichiren himself....
(日昭), Nichirō
Nichirō
Nichirō was a Buddhist disciple of Nichiren, the nephew of Nisshō.Nichirō agreed with Nisshō's defense of Nichiren as a Tendai reformer. He founded a practice hall that became part of Ikegami Honmon-ji, the site of Nichiren's death. His school is now part of Nichiren-shū.Nichirō designated nine...
(日朗), Nikō
Nikō
Minbu Nikō was a Buddhist disciple of Nichiren. He took over Kuon-ji after Nichiren's death, and can thus be considered one of the founders of Nichiren-shū. He was also put in charge of Mount Minobu after Nikkō left in 1288....
(日向), Nitchō
Nitchō
Nitchō , also known as Niccho or Iyo-bo, was a Buddhist disciple of Nichiren who founded Honmon-ji and Hongaku-ji.Nitchō was the stepson of Toki Jonin. In his youth he studied Tendai Buddhism, but joined Nichiren on Jonin's recommendation, and followed him to Sado Island...
(日頂), Nichiji
Nichiji
Nichiji , also known as Kaikō, was a Buddhist disciple of Nichiren who traveled to Hokkaido, Siberia, and China.Nichiji was born in Suruga Province, the second child of a large and powerful family...
(日持), and Nikkō
Nikko (priest)
Nikkō , also known as Nikkō Shōnin, is the founder of a major branch of Nichiren Buddhism that includes the present-day Nichiren Shoshu school of Japanese Buddhism. His full Buddhist name was Hawaki-bō Byakuren Ajari Nikkō ....
(日興). Each started a lineage
of schools, but Nichiji eventually travelled to the Asian continent (ca. 1295) and was never heard from again, and Nitchō later in life (1302) rejoined and became a follower of Nikkō.
The reasons for the splits are numerous, entangled, and subject to different interpretations depending on which school is telling the story; suffice it to say that the senior priests had different understandings of what Nichiren's lifetime of teaching was about. Although the former five remained loosely affiliated to varying degrees, the last—Nikkō—made a clean break by leaving Kuon-ji in 1289. He had come to the conclusion that Nikō and the others were embarking on paths to heresy that he could not stem.
Kuon-ji eventually became the central temple of today's Nichiren Shu
Nichiren Shu
Nichiren Shū is the name of a confederation of several Nichiren Buddhist schools that go back to Nichiren's original disciples...
, one of the two largest branches and the one encompassing the numerous minor schools of the Minobu branch into which most of the schools and temples started by Nikō, Nisshō, Nichirō, Nichiji and some by Nikkō have been subsumed. The other dominant branch is centered at Taiseki-ji
Taiseki-ji
is the of the Nichiren Shōshū school of the Nichiren branch of Japanese Buddhism. It is located on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 ce by Nikkō, one of Nichiren’s immediate disciples....
, the head temple of today's Nichiren Shōshū
Nichiren Shōshū
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. Taiseki-ji, which Nikkō founded in 1290 after leaving Kuon-ji, was the starting point for the other schools of the Kōmon-ha (興門派, kō from Nikkō) or Fuji-ha (富士派, from the locality) branch.
Other traditional Nichiren schools include several sub-schools that call themselves just Hokke Shū, the Honmon Butsuryū Shū, and the Kempon Hokke Shū. Several of Japan's new religions
Shinshukyo
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,...
are also sub-sects of or otherwise based on one or another of the traditional Nichiren schools. The Reiyūkai, Risshō Kōsei Kai, and Nipponzan Myōhōji Sangha stem from one or another of the Kuon-ji/Minobu branch schools, whereas Sōka Gakkai, Shōshinkai, and Kenshōkai trace their origins to the Nichiren Shōshū school.
Major Nichiren Buddhist schools
The following lists are from the Japanese Wikipedia article on Nichiren Buddhism.
Traditional schools and their head temples
Head temple names are given in Roman letters only when the reading could be confirmed. Japanese characters preceded by "ja:" link to articles in the Japanese Wikipedia.- Nichiren ShōshūNichiren ShōshūNichiren 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...
: Sōhonzan Taiseki-jiTaiseki-jiis the of the Nichiren Shōshū school of the Nichiren branch of Japanese Buddhism. It is located on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 ce by Nikkō, one of Nichiren’s immediate disciples....
日蓮正宗 総本山 大石寺 - Nichiren ShūNichiren ShuNichiren Shū is the name of a confederation of several Nichiren Buddhist schools that go back to Nichiren's original disciples...
: Sozan Minobuzan Kuon-ji 日蓮宗 祖山身延山 :ja:久遠寺 - Honmon Butsuryū Shū :ja:本門佛立宗 大本山宥清寺
- Kempon HokkeKempon HokkeKempon Hokke-shu is a sect of Nichiren Buddhism which traces its lineage back to 14th century priest Nichiju. In Japan, it has a membership of about 100,000 households.Kempon Hokke teaches that to be a disciple of Nichiren, one must:...
Shu: Sōhonzan Myōman-ji 総本山妙満寺 - Hokkeshū, Honmon Ryū 法華宗（本門流）大本山光長寺・鷲山寺・本興寺･本能寺
- Hokkeshū, Jinmon Ryū 法華宗（陣門流）総本山本成寺
- Hokkeshū, Shinmon Ryū 法華宗（真門流）総本山本隆寺
- Honmon Hokke Shū: Daihonzan Myōren-ji 本門法華宗 大本山妙蓮寺
- Nichiren Honshū: Honzan Yōbō-ji :ja:日蓮本宗 本山 :ja:要法寺
- Nichiren Shū Fuju-fuseFuju-fuseThe was a subsect of the Buddhist Nichiren sect founded by Buddhist priest Nichiō and outlawed in 1669. Although ferociously persecuted for over two centuries for refusing obedience to authorities, it survived and was again legalized in 1876. Later, the subsect itself split in two over a...
-ha: Sozan Myōkaku-ji 日蓮宗不受不施派 祖山妙覚寺 - Nichiren Hokke Shū :ja:日蓮法華宗 大本山正福寺
- Hokke Nichiren Shū 法華日蓮宗 総本山 :ja:宝龍寺
- Hompa Nichiren Shū 本派日蓮宗 総本山宗祖寺
- Honke Nichiren Shū (Hyōgo) 本化日蓮宗（兵庫） 総本山妙見寺
- Fuju-fuseFuju-fuseThe was a subsect of the Buddhist Nichiren sect founded by Buddhist priest Nichiō and outlawed in 1669. Although ferociously persecuted for over two centuries for refusing obedience to authorities, it survived and was again legalized in 1876. Later, the subsect itself split in two over a...
Nichiren Kōmon Shū 不受不施日蓮講門宗 本山本覚寺 - Honke Nichiren Shū (Kyōto) :ja:本化日蓮宗（京都）本山石塔寺
- Shōbō Hokke Shū 正法法華宗 本山 :ja:大教寺
- Honmon Kyōō Shū :ja:本門経王宗 本山日宏寺
- Nichiren Kōmon Shū 日蓮講門宗
Non-traditional schools
- ReiyūkaiReiyukaiis an organization founded in 1920 by Kakutarō Kubo and Kimi Kotani. It is a lay organization—meaning that there are no priests—associated with Nichiren Buddhism...
(Spiritual-Friendship-Association) Founded in 1920 by Kakutaro Kubo and Kimi Kotani, Reiyūkai considers itself the grandfather of lay-based new religions devoted to the Lotus Sutra and ancestor veneration. - Risshō Kōsei KaiRissho Kosei Kaiis a Japanese Buddhist lay movement founded in 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma.-History:Rissho Kosei-kai was founded on March 5, 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma, both former members of the Buddhist sect Reiyūkai. Rev. Niwano met Ms. Naganuma while he was engaged in missionary work...
- Nipponzan Myōhōji
- Kokuchūkai :ja:国柱会 (also 國柱会)
- ShōshinkaiShoshinkaiThe Shōshinkai is a Japanese Buddhist group formed in July 1980 by over 200 Nichiren Shoshu priests and their followers who were critical of the Soka Gakkai...
- Fuji Taisekiji Kenshōkai (also, just Kenshōkai) :ja:富士大石寺顕正会
- Honmon Shōshū 本門正宗
- Sōka Gakkai
Doctrine and practices
Much of Nichiren's underlying teachings are, overtly, extensions of TendaiTendai
is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
(天台, Cn: Tiantai
Tiantai
Tiantai is an important school of Buddhism in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. In Japan the school is known as Tendai, and in Korea it is known as Cheontae. Tiantai is also called the "Lotus School", due to its emphasis on the Lotus Sūtra as its doctrinal basis...
) thought, especially as passed down from Saichō
Saicho
was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan, based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei near Kyoto. He is also said to have...
(also known as Dengyō; 767–822), including much of its worldview and its rationale for criticism of Buddhist schools that do not acknowledge 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:...
as the highest teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha. For example, Nichiren Buddhist doctrine adopts or extends Tendai's classification of the Buddhist sutras into five time periods and eight categories (五時八教: goji-hakkyō), its theory of 3,000 interpenetrating realms within a single life-moment (一念三千: Ichinen Sanzen), and its view of the Three Truths (三諦: Santai).
As in Tendai but in contrast to many other Buddhist schools, most Nichiren Buddhists believe that personal enlightenment can be achieved in this world within the practitioner's current lifetime (即身成仏: sokushin jōbutsu). Markedly different from Tendai and any other Buddhist lineage is the Nichiren Buddhists' practice of chanting o-daimoku (also: daimoku), the repeated recitation of the mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
(phrase) Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō. Most Nichiren schools also recite 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:...
(in Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese text) to varying degrees in their respective versions of the often daily or twice-daily gongyō
Gongyo
A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. The Buddhist liturgy refers to a formalized service performed by the four-fold sangha and by nearly every denomination and sect in the Buddhist world. It is often done once or more times a day and can vary amongst the Theravada, Mahayana,...
service. Other details of Nichiren Buddhist practice can differ widely depending on the school. Some recite the whole Lotus Sutra, while others recite only certain chapters, parts of chapters, or verses. Some practitioners worship Buddhist statues or images, and others use the Gohonzon
Gohonzon
Gohonzon , is the object of devotion in many forms of Japanese Buddhism. In Japanese, go is an honorific prefix indicating respect and honzon means object of fundamental respect, veneration, or devotion...
(a mandala
Mandala
Maṇḍala is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form of most Hindu and Buddhist mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point...
Nichiren provided for his followers during his lifetime) as their focal point during prayer; others worship only statues or images of various types; whereas yet others venerate only a particular Gohonzon and transcriptions of it. Some schools (chiefly those stemming from Kuon-ji) keep Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrines in their temple compounds and permit or encourage worship of indigenous Japanese deities, while those stemming from Taiseki-ji (but not Taiseki-ji and Nichiren Shōshū itself) tend to be very strict about their prohibition against worshiping anything exterior, rather they promote using the Gohonzon mandala as a visual representation of every person's inner Buddhahood. Some schools are very nationalistic; others are not and are further strictly pacifist. Further, Nichiren Shoshu and other schools stemming from the priest Nikkō consider Nichiren to be the True (or Original) Buddha, whereas Nichiren Shu and the others descendant from the other six senior priests see him as a saint, great teacher, or prophet.
Nichiren's Contribution to Buddhism
1- Revealing the “Direct Path to Enlightenment”: The path to enlightenment in pre-Lotus Sutra teachings extends gradually throughout many BodhisattvaBodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
stages requiring many lifetimes before reaching Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra, however, teaches that Buddhahood is already inherent within one’s current life. The Bodhisattva practice of the Lotus Sutra is based on directly revealing one’s Buddha nature without gradual stages.
Nichiren quotes Those who practice the Lotus Sutra are pursuing through this single act of devotion - the mind that is endowed with all manner of fortunate results. These are present simultaneously and are not acquired gradually over a long period of time. This is like the blossom of the lotus that, when it opens, already possesses a large number of seeds. From this perspective, the Bodhisattva practice (cause) and the revealing of Buddhahood (effect) are inseparable: Anyone who practices this Law [of the Lotus] will obtain both the cause and the effect of Buddhahood simultaneously.
According to Nichiren, the essence of the Lotus Sutra, which integrates all the Buddha’s teachings - is fully contained within its title : “Myoho-Renge-Kyo”: Therefore, one should understand that the [title] of the Lotus Sutra represents the soul of all the sutras Nichiren viewed the words of the sutras as expressions of the mind of the Buddha, and further revealed that all the teachings of the Buddha are encoded within the single phrase of “Myoho-Renge-Kyo”, meaning: the “Wonderful Law of the Life”, or the “Universal Law of Cause and Effect”, also referring to it as the “ultimate reality” of life
The Buddhist way of “attaining enlightenment” requires a dedicated practice of devoting one’s life (namu) to the Universal Law or the Dharma. The Sanskrit word Namu means “devotion to" : The word namu expresses feelings of reverence and a sense of compliance. By including the word Namu (devotion) to Myoho-Renge-Kyo (the Universal Law of Life) Nichiren revealed that the Law of Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the direct path to Enlightenment, as it unifies one’s subjective self with the objective reality of life (the Dharma). The teaching of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo can be interpreted as expressing the state of being “one with the Law” and thus manifesting the state of Buddhahood.
2- Establishing the Object of Devotion: For almost 2000 years after Shakyamuni’s passing, followers of the Buddha prayed to figurative statues of him- as their object of devotion. According to Nichiren using statue in prayers was suitable for the former periods of Buddhist practice, while in the current age (the Latter Day of the Law), statues and paintings - depicting the Buddha - will lose their power to benefit people. A parallel to this view (that traditional Buddhist practice in the Latter Day becoming powerless) - is found in the Buddhist eschatology
Buddhist eschatology
Buddhist eschatology, as subscribed by some Buddhist schools, derives from purported Gautama Buddha's prediction that his teachings would disappear after 5,000 years...
of Mahayana Buddhism’s beliefs about the current age being a time of “decline” and “deterioration of Law” . However, contrary to all other Mahayana sutras regarding this subject, the Lotus Sutra predicted the flourishing of Buddhism in this current period and also far into the future. Given the prevalent belief of the predicted ineffectiveness of traditional practice in the current age - on one hand - and the predicted propagation and flourishing of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren regarded the Lotus Sutra as the valid background for the Object of Devotion in the current age of Buddhism.
In the form of a mandala, Nichiren employed a central teaching of the Lotus Sutra: the emergence of the “Treasure Tower” or the Dharma of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo – to be the central part of the Object of Devotion, and he named this the Gohonzon. Gohonzon means “that which should be fundamentally respected”:this Gohonzon shall be called the great mandala never before known. In essence, the Gohonzon can be perceived as an embodiment of the “Life of Buddha”. Chanting to the Gohonzon would resonate with the “Life of Buddha” (or the inherent Buddha nature) of the practitioner. From this perspective the inscribed mandala reflects one’s inner Buddha nature: “Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself”.
3- Setting a system of verification of beliefs (The Three Proofs):
Many spiritual beliefs and teachings which were spread in society at the time of Nichiren’s appearance were no more than superstitions or groundless views. In order to help ordinary people correctly evaluate the validity of a given doctrine, Nichiren established a set of three criteria, by which a certain teaching should be measured, and consequently accepted or rejected:
In judging the relative merit of Buddhist doctrines, I, Nichiren, believe that the best standards are those of reason and documentary proof. And even more valuable than reason and documentary proof is the proof of actual fact.
The first criterion of “reason” implies that to accept a given teaching, its contents should be consistent and lacking in contradiction. The proof of reason means that a meaningful doctrine should be relevant to the principle of cause and effect.
The second criterion for judging a teaching correct and true is that there should be documentary proof substantiating the essence of the teaching. This requirement for “documentary proof” is like citing credible reference in todays understanding.
However, the third criterion of “Actual Proof” is what Nichiren considered the most important. Even if a given theory sounds reasonable and has some documented grounding or references, if it cannot deliver actual proof (of being effective when applied in the real world) - then it should be discarded. This means that ideas or teachings which are beyond the scope of verification should be rejected as being invalid (a vision almost identical with today’s scientific criteria of examining the truth of given propositions).
The immediate application of this system for considering the validity of beliefs is that it gives researchers a systematic approach and clarity in evaluating religious arguments or doctrines. The reason why Nichiren stressed the importance of Actual Proof is that he considered teachings which cannot be proven (such as promising practitioners they would attain Buddhahood after death) as meaningless. Accordingly, only the doctrines which enable verifiable results in this present lifetime - can be regarded as meaningful teachings.
Nichiren's writings
Nichiren was a prolific writer. His personal communications and writings to his followers as well as numerous treatises detail his view of the correct form of practice for the Latter Day of the Law (Mappō); lay out his views on other Buddhist schools, particularly those of influence during his lifetime; and elucidate his interpretations of Buddhist teachings that preceded his. These writings are collectively known as Gosho (go is an honorific prefix designating respect;English
- Fire In The Lotus - The Dynamic Buddhism of Nichiren. Mandala - HarperCollins, 1991. ISBN 1-85274-091-4 (Out of print)
- A Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts. Nichiren Shoshu International Center, 1983 (Out of print)
- Writings of Nichiren Shonin, University of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-VI.
- Selected Writings of Nichiren. Burton Watson et al., trans.; Philip B. Yampolsky, ed. Columbia University Press, 1990
- Letters of Nichiren. Burton Watson et al., trans.; Philip B. Yampolsky, ed. Columbia University Press, 1996
Full disclosure statement: Although Soka Gakkai retains the copyrights on the foregoing three works and financed their publication, they show some deviation from similar works published under Soka Gakkai's own name. - The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Japan. Paul Bowring and Peter Kornicki, eds. Cambridge University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-521-40352-9 (Referred to in text as Cambridge.)
- Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kondansha, 1993, ISBN 4-06-205938-X; CD-ROM version, 1999. (Referred to in text as Illustrated.)
- The Doctrines and Practice of Nichiren Shoshu. Nichiren Shoshu Overseas Bureau, 2002
- Lotus Seeds - The Essence of Nichiren Shu Buddhism. Nichiren Buddhist Temple of San Jose, 2000. ISBN 0-9705920-0-0
- The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism. Soka Gakkai, 2002, ISBN 4-412-01205-0
Japanese
- Nichiren Shōshū yōgi (日蓮正宗要義; "The essential tenets of Nichiren Shoshu"). Taiseki-ji, 1978, rev. ed. 1999
- Shimpan Bukkyō Tetsugaku Daijiten (新版 仏教哲学大辞典: "Grand dictionary of Buddhist philosophy, rev. ed."). Seikyo Shimbunsha, 1985. No ISBN.
- Nichiren Shōshū-shi no kisoteki kenkyū (日蓮正宗史の基礎的研究; "A study of fundaments of Nichiren Shoshu history"). (Rev.) Yamaguchi Handō. Sankibo Bussho-rin, 1993. ISBN 4-7963-0763-X
- Iwanami Nihonshi Jiten (岩波 日本史辞典: "Iwanami dictionary of Japanese history"). Iwanami Shoten, 1999. ISBN 4-00-080093-0 (Referred to in text as Iwanami.)
- Nichiren Shōshū Nyūmon (日蓮正宗入門; "Introduction to Nichiren Shoshu"). Taiseki-ji, 2002
- Kyōgaku Yōgo Kaisetsu Shū (教学解説用語集; "Glossary of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist terms"). (Rev.) Kyōdō Enoki, comp. Watō Henshūshitsu, 2006.
External links
- Nichiren Shu UK
- Kempon Hokke Shu U.S. site
- The Nichiren Site
- Nichiren Shoshu's English website
- Nichiren Shu official website
- Nichiren's Coffeehouse interfaith directory
- Soka Gakkai International
- Nichiren Buddhist Association of America
- ReligionFacts.com on Nichiren Buddhism Contains some inaccuracies; e.g., the photo of an altar is not of a Nichiren Shoshu one.
- Reiyukai Japan and Reiyukai America
- Nichiren Shu in Italy and the rest of Europe
- Honmon Butsuryushu italian official web site
- Honmon Butsuryushu japanese official web site