Nichiren Shōshū
Encyclopedia
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism
based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese monk Nichiren
(1222–1282). Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō
(1246–1333), the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji
. It has adherents throughout the world, with the largest concentrations in Indonesia
and Japan
and many more in Taiwan
; South Korea
; Sri Lanka
; Singapore
; Malaysia ; Thailand
; Hong Kong
; North, Central, and South America; the Philippines
; Europe
; and Ghana
.
, located on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji
in Japan. It has a substantial international membership. The denomination's name Nichiren Shōshū means "Orthodox Nichiren School". The denomination is sometimes referred to as "The Fuji School", deriving from Taiseki-ji's location.
Nichiren Shōshū claims a direct lineage of successive High Priests from Nikkō
, who was chosen by Nichiren to carry on the propagation of his Buddhist practice in the Latter Day of the Law. This direct transmission of the Law is set forth in Nichiren Daishōnin's "One Hundred and Six Articles" .
The central object of worship within Nichiren Shōshū is the Dai-Gohonzon (Great Gohonzon
). All Gohonzons inscribed and issued by the successive High Priests of Nichiren Shōshū are authorized transcriptions of the Dai-Gohonzon, and are believed to derive their beneficial power from it. Taiseki-ji is visited regularly by Nichiren Shōshū believers from around the world who come to worship the Dai-Gohonzon. Nichiren Shōshū has over 700 local temples and temple-like facilities in Japan. Additionally, there are 22 overseas temples - six in the United States, nine in Taiwan, two in Indonesia - as well as temples in Brazil, France, Spain, Singapore, and Ghana.
Nichiren Shōshū is currently led by the Sixty-Eighth High Priest, Nichinyo Shonin (1935–). Nichiren Shōshū priests distinguish themselves from those of most other schools by wearing only white and gray robes and a white surplice, exactly as Nichiren Daishōnin did . Since the Meiji Era, Nichiren Shōshū priests, like those of many other Japanese Buddhist sects, have been permitted to marry.
Believers are organized in temple-based congregations known as Hokkeko
. Most attend services at a local temple or in private homes when no temple is nearby. Services are usually officiated by a priest, but lay leaders sometimes fill in when no priest is available. When they gather, believers frequently study Nichiren Shōshū teachings, particularly the various writings of Nichiren Daishōnin, called Gosho.
(天台, Cn: Tiantai
) thought. They include much of its worldview and its rationale for criticism of Buddhist schools that do not acknowledge the Lotus Sutra
to be Buddhism's highest teaching, as stated by Buddha Shakyamuni. For example, Nichiren Shōshū doctrine 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).
) would appear in the "fifth five hundred-year period following the passing of Shakyamuni," at the beginning of a later age called Mappō. The True Buddha would spread the ultimate Buddhist teaching (Honmon, or the "true" teaching) to enable the people of that age to attain enlightenment
, as by then his own teachings (Shakumon, or the "provisional" teaching) would have lost their power to do so .
Nichiren Shōshū teaches that Nichiren Daishonin is the True Buddha and that his Dharma
, or Mystic Law (Myōhō: mystic in the sense of profound, sublime, or unfathomable), is the True Buddha's ultimate teaching. Nichiren Shōshū's acceptance of Nichiren Daishonin as the True Buddha is its reason for referring to him as Nichiren Daishōnin ("Great Sage Nichiren").
is central to their practice.
Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is called the Daimoku (題目: "title"), since it comprises Nam and the Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra
, Myōhō-Renge-Kyō. It can be understood as a sort of invocation meaning "I submit myself (or "dedicate, commit my life") to the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect." The believer's practice (gyōriki: power of practice) and faith (shinriki: power of faith) are believed to call forth the power of the Buddha (butsuriki) and the power of the Dharma (Law) inherent in the Gohonzon (hōriki). This practice and faith are thought to expiate the believer's "negative karma
", and bring forth a higher life condition.
believed by Nichiren Shoshu to have been inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin in Chinese
and Sanskrit
characters on October 12, 1279. Its existence is believed to have been “hidden in the depths of the text” (文底秘沈: montei hichin) of Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra, remaining secret until Nichiren Daishonin revealed it. The most important part of the inscription is the line down its center, which reads Na-mu-myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō Nichi-ren. This signifies that the Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and the Buddha who proclaimed it (Nichiren Daishonin) are one. They are two facets of a single entity (ninpō ikka: "oneness of the person and the Dharma"). Hence the Dai-Gohonzon is revered as representative of Nichiren Daishonin and his enlightenment, as and every Nichiren Shōshū temple and household possesses a transcription of it.
The Dai-Gohonzon is enshrined in a sanctuary (kaidan; often called an "ordination platform" in other Buddhist schools) at Taiseki-ji. The sanctuary is the place where a Gohonzon is enshrined, and where worship services are held.
), while most of those in homes are in the form of a paper scroll. Although Gohonzon enshrined in temples and similar facilities are personally inscribed by one of the successive high priests, those in private homes can be either personally inscribed or printed using traditional wood-block printing. Personally inscribed Gohonzon are bestowed upon believers of long standing or in recognition of major accomplishments in faith and have a dedication on the far right naming the recipient. Printed Gohonzon have the dedication "for the recipient" on them.
Regardless of their type, all Gohonzon issued by Nichiren Shoshu have been consecrated by one of the successive High Priests in an "Opening of the Eyes Ceremony", conducted in the Dai-Gohonzon's sanctuary, and thus have the same power, as defined by Nichiren Daishonin himself in his Gosho "The Four Debts of Gratitude". A Nichiren Shoshu priest, acting as proxy for the High Priest, bestows the Gohonzon on new believers upon their initiation into the faith at a local temple. Personal Gohonzon are enshrined in the home in a Butsudan
(altar). Home altars generally include a candle, a bell, incense, a vessel containing water, and an offering of fresh greens or fruit. When a Gohonzon is bestowed upon an individual, the individual pledges to stand by and protect the Gohonzon throughout the recipient's life.
A fundamental doctrine in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism is reverence for the Three Treasures
. Called sambō or sampō (三宝) in Japanese, the Three Treasures are the Buddha (butsu: he who reveals the Law), the Law (hō: Dharma
or "body of teachings"), and the Priesthood (sō: he who receives from the Buddha, maintains the purity of, and transmits the Law). In Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Daishonin himself is the Treasure of the Buddha; the Mystic Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the Treasure of the Law; and Nichiren Daishonin's successor Nikkō and each of the successive High Priests are the Treasure of the Priesthood. The central importance for Nichiren Shoshu believers of revering and expressing gratitude to the Three Treasures in the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is explained in the Gosho "The Four Debts of Gratitude".
twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. Gongyo entails reciting certain sections of the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon, while focusing on the Chinese character myō ("mystic law") near its center.
Morning gongyo consists of a series of five sutra recitations followed by silently recited, prescribed prayers. Evening gongyo encompasses only three sutra recitations and the second, third, and fifth of the same silent prayers. This practice, particularly when shared with others, is regarded as the “true cause” for attaining enlightenment.
The logic behind this is that through thoughts, words, and deeds, every being creates causes, and every cause has an effect. Good causes produce positive effects; bad causes, negative ones (see karma
). This law of causality is the universal principle underlying all visible and invisible phenomena and events in daily life. Nichiren Shoshu believers strive to elevate their life condition by acting in accordance with this law in their day-to-day lives and by sharing their faith with others, believing their Buddhist practice to be the ultimate good cause for effecting changes in life and attaining enlightenment.
, also oversaw the demolition of the Sho Hondo, which is thought to be a continuation of the dispute. The reasons given ranging from instability due to earthquakes to flooded chambers possibly linked to the shutoff of pumps in the facility.
Nichiren Buddhism
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren...
based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese monk 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). Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple 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 ....
(1246–1333), the founder of the school's Head Temple 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....
. It has adherents throughout the world, with the largest concentrations in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and 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 many more in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
; South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
; Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
; Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
; Malaysia ; Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
; Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
; North, Central, and South America; the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
; Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; and Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
Overview
Nichiren Shōshū is a school of Mahayana Buddhism with its Head Temple, Taiseki-jiTaiseki-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....
, located on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
in Japan. It has a substantial international membership. The denomination's name Nichiren Shōshū means "Orthodox Nichiren School". The denomination is sometimes referred to as "The Fuji School", deriving from Taiseki-ji's location.
Nichiren Shōshū claims a direct lineage of successive High Priests from 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 ....
, who was chosen by Nichiren to carry on the propagation of his Buddhist practice in the Latter Day of the Law. This direct transmission of the Law is set forth in Nichiren Daishōnin's "One Hundred and Six Articles" .
The central object of worship within Nichiren Shōshū is the Dai-Gohonzon (Great 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...
). All Gohonzons inscribed and issued by the successive High Priests of Nichiren Shōshū are authorized transcriptions of the Dai-Gohonzon, and are believed to derive their beneficial power from it. Taiseki-ji is visited regularly by Nichiren Shōshū believers from around the world who come to worship the Dai-Gohonzon. Nichiren Shōshū has over 700 local temples and temple-like facilities in Japan. Additionally, there are 22 overseas temples - six in the United States, nine in Taiwan, two in Indonesia - as well as temples in Brazil, France, Spain, Singapore, and Ghana.
Nichiren Shōshū is currently led by the Sixty-Eighth High Priest, Nichinyo Shonin (1935–). Nichiren Shōshū priests distinguish themselves from those of most other schools by wearing only white and gray robes and a white surplice, exactly as Nichiren Daishōnin did . Since the Meiji Era, Nichiren Shōshū priests, like those of many other Japanese Buddhist sects, have been permitted to marry.
Believers are organized in temple-based congregations known as Hokkeko
Hokkeko
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...
. Most attend services at a local temple or in private homes when no temple is nearby. Services are usually officiated by a priest, but lay leaders sometimes fill in when no priest is available. When they gather, believers frequently study Nichiren Shōshū teachings, particularly the various writings of Nichiren Daishōnin, called Gosho.
Doctrines and practice
Much of Nichiren Shōshū's underlying teachings are 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. They include 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:...
to be Buddhism's highest teaching, as stated by Buddha Shakyamuni. For example, Nichiren Shōshū doctrine 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).
View of Nichiren Daishonin's lifetime of teaching
Nichiren Shōshū holds that in revealing and propagating his teachings, Nichiren Daishonin was fulfilling a prophecy made by the Buddha Shakyamuni (Siddhartha Gautama; 563?–483? BC). Shakyamuni foretold that the True Buddha (久遠元初の御本仏: Kuon Ganjo no go-hombutsu; see Eternal BuddhaEternal Buddha
The idea of an eternal Buddha is a notion popularly associated with the Mahayana scripture, the Lotus Sutra, and is also found in other Mahayana sutras.- The Eternal Buddha in the Lotus Sutra and Other Mahayana Sutras :...
) would appear in the "fifth five hundred-year period following the passing of Shakyamuni," at the beginning of a later age called Mappō. The True Buddha would spread the ultimate Buddhist teaching (Honmon, or the "true" teaching) to enable the people of that age to attain enlightenment
Bodhi
Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
, as by then his own teachings (Shakumon, or the "provisional" teaching) would have lost their power to do so .
Nichiren Shōshū teaches that Nichiren Daishonin is the True Buddha and that his Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
, or Mystic Law (Myōhō: mystic in the sense of profound, sublime, or unfathomable), is the True Buddha's ultimate teaching. Nichiren Shōshū's acceptance of Nichiren Daishonin as the True Buddha is its reason for referring to him as Nichiren Daishōnin ("Great Sage Nichiren").
Central Practice
Nichiren Shōshū teaches that personal enlightenment can be achieved in one's present form and lifetime (即身成仏 sokushin jōbutsu). Chanting Nam-Myōhō-Renge-KyōNam Myoho Renge Kyo
Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō is a mantra that is chanted as the central practice of all forms of Nichiren Buddhism...
is central to their practice.
Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is called the Daimoku (題目: "title"), since it comprises Nam and the Japanese title of 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. It can be understood as a sort of invocation meaning "I submit myself (or "dedicate, commit my life") to the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect." The believer's practice (gyōriki: power of practice) and faith (shinriki: power of faith) are believed to call forth the power of the Buddha (butsuriki) and the power of the Dharma (Law) inherent in the Gohonzon (hōriki). This practice and faith are thought to expiate the believer's "negative karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
", and bring forth a higher life condition.
The Dai-Gohonzon
The Dai-Gohonzon is a mandalaMandala
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...
believed by Nichiren Shoshu to have been inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin in Chinese
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
characters on October 12, 1279. Its existence is believed to have been “hidden in the depths of the text” (文底秘沈: montei hichin) of Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra, remaining secret until Nichiren Daishonin revealed it. The most important part of the inscription is the line down its center, which reads Na-mu-myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō Nichi-ren. This signifies that the Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and the Buddha who proclaimed it (Nichiren Daishonin) are one. They are two facets of a single entity (ninpō ikka: "oneness of the person and the Dharma"). Hence the Dai-Gohonzon is revered as representative of Nichiren Daishonin and his enlightenment, as and every Nichiren Shōshū temple and household possesses a transcription of it.
The Dai-Gohonzon is enshrined in a sanctuary (kaidan; often called an "ordination platform" in other Buddhist schools) at Taiseki-ji. The sanctuary is the place where a Gohonzon is enshrined, and where worship services are held.
Transcriptions of the Dai-Gohonzon
The transcriptions of the Dai-Gohonzon made by the successive high priests of Nichiren Shoshu are called, simply, Gohonzon (go is an honorific prefix indicating respect). Most Gohonzon in temples are on wood tablets into which the inscription is carved (the tablets are coated with black urushi and the characters, gildedGilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
), while most of those in homes are in the form of a paper scroll. Although Gohonzon enshrined in temples and similar facilities are personally inscribed by one of the successive high priests, those in private homes can be either personally inscribed or printed using traditional wood-block printing. Personally inscribed Gohonzon are bestowed upon believers of long standing or in recognition of major accomplishments in faith and have a dedication on the far right naming the recipient. Printed Gohonzon have the dedication "for the recipient" on them.
Regardless of their type, all Gohonzon issued by Nichiren Shoshu have been consecrated by one of the successive High Priests in an "Opening of the Eyes Ceremony", conducted in the Dai-Gohonzon's sanctuary, and thus have the same power, as defined by Nichiren Daishonin himself in his Gosho "The Four Debts of Gratitude". A Nichiren Shoshu priest, acting as proxy for the High Priest, bestows the Gohonzon on new believers upon their initiation into the faith at a local temple. Personal Gohonzon are enshrined in the home in a Butsudan
Butsudan
A butsudan is a shrine commonly found in temples and homes in Japanese Buddhist cultures. A butsudan is a wooden cabinet with doors that enclose and protect a gohonzon or religious icon, typically a statue or painting of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a "script" mandala scroll...
(altar). Home altars generally include a candle, a bell, incense, a vessel containing water, and an offering of fresh greens or fruit. When a Gohonzon is bestowed upon an individual, the individual pledges to stand by and protect the Gohonzon throughout the recipient's life.
The Significance of the Dai-Gohonzon and the Three Treasures in Nichiren Shoshu
In Nichiren Shoshu, it is believed that the Dai-Gohonzon (and its constituent facets) is the ultimate Buddhist teaching revealed by the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin. Furthermore, the school teaches that inscribing the Dai-Gohonzon for all mankind to worship, fulfilled the purpose of Nichiren Daishonin's advent. This is stated by Nichiren Daishonin himself in his Gosho.A fundamental doctrine in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism is reverence for the Three Treasures
Three Jewels
The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Siemese Triples, Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem , are the three things that Buddhists take refuge in, and look toward for guidance, in the process known as taking refuge.The Three Jewels are:* BuddhaTaking refuge in the Three Jewels is...
. Called sambō or sampō (三宝) in Japanese, the Three Treasures are the Buddha (butsu: he who reveals the Law), the Law (hō: Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
or "body of teachings"), and the Priesthood (sō: he who receives from the Buddha, maintains the purity of, and transmits the Law). In Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Daishonin himself is the Treasure of the Buddha; the Mystic Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the Treasure of the Law; and Nichiren Daishonin's successor Nikkō and each of the successive High Priests are the Treasure of the Priesthood. The central importance for Nichiren Shoshu believers of revering and expressing gratitude to the Three Treasures in the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is explained in the Gosho "The Four Debts of Gratitude".
Practice
The daily practice of Nichiren Shoshu believers consists of affirming and renewing their faith by performing gongyōGongyo
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,...
twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. Gongyo entails reciting certain sections of the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon, while focusing on the Chinese character myō ("mystic law") near its center.
Morning gongyo consists of a series of five sutra recitations followed by silently recited, prescribed prayers. Evening gongyo encompasses only three sutra recitations and the second, third, and fifth of the same silent prayers. This practice, particularly when shared with others, is regarded as the “true cause” for attaining enlightenment.
The logic behind this is that through thoughts, words, and deeds, every being creates causes, and every cause has an effect. Good causes produce positive effects; bad causes, negative ones (see karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
). This law of causality is the universal principle underlying all visible and invisible phenomena and events in daily life. Nichiren Shoshu believers strive to elevate their life condition by acting in accordance with this law in their day-to-day lives and by sharing their faith with others, believing their Buddhist practice to be the ultimate good cause for effecting changes in life and attaining enlightenment.
Excommunication of Sōka Gakkai
In 1991, Nichiren Shōshū officially excommunicated the leaders of its then-largest lay organization, Sōka Gakkai, over doctrinal differences and disputes with the priesthood. In 1997, those non-leaders who chose to remain as members of Sōka Gakkai, instead of becoming members of Nichiren Shōshū, were also excommunicated and lost the privilege of visiting Taiseki-ji to worship the Dai-Gohonzon. Sōka Gakkai now operates as a doctrinally and organizationally distinct group.Destruction of Sho Hondo
The then high priest of Nichiren Shoshu, Nikken ShoninNikken Abe
Nikken Abe was the 67th high priest of Nichiren Shoshu, a major school of Nichiren Buddhism, and chief priest of its head temple Taisekiji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan...
, also oversaw the demolition of the Sho Hondo, which is thought to be a continuation of the dispute. The reasons given ranging from instability due to earthquakes to flooded chambers possibly linked to the shutoff of pumps in the facility.
Official websites
- http://www.nichirenshoshu.or.jp/page/eng/index_e.htm (official Nichiren Shoshu web site)
- http://www.nst.org// Nichiren Shoshu temple organization in the US
English
- Basic Terminology of Nichiren Shoshu, Vol. 1, Nichiren Shoshu Shumuin, eds. Dainichiren Publishing Co., 2009. ISBN 4904429281, ISBN 978-4904429280
- Nichiren Shoshu Basics of Practice, Nichiren Shoshu Temple, 2003 (revised). No ISBN.
- Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism", Seiganzan Myoshinji Temple, 2007 [available for download and online at http://www.nichirenshoshumyoshinji.org/Introduction/Introduction.htm]
- The Gosho of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, Nichiren Shoshu Overseas Bureau, trans. Dainichiren Publishing Co., 2005. ISBN 4904429265, ISBN 978-4904429266
- The Gosho of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 2: Rissho Ankoku Ron, Nichiren Shoshu Shumuin, trans. Dainichiren Publishing Co., 2009. ISBN 4904429265, ISBN 978-4904429266
- The Doctrines and Practice of Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shoshu Overseas Bureau, 2002. Also available online in its entirety.
- A Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts, Nichiren Shoshu International Center (NSIC), Tokyo, 1983. ISBN 4888720142.(Note: Despite its name, NSIC is no longer affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu; however, the dictionary largely reflects Nichiren Shoshu interpretations of terms and concepts.)
Japanese
- Nichiren Shōshū yōgi (日蓮正宗要義: "The essential tenets of Nichiren Shoshu"), Taiseki-ji, 1978, rev. ed. 1999
- Nichiren Shōshū nyūmon (日蓮正宗入門: "Introduction to Nichiren Shoshu"), Taiseki-ji, 2002
- Dai-Nichiren (大日蓮), monthly magazine published by Nichiren Shoshu. Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan (numerous issues)
- Dai-Byakuhō (大白法), the Hokkekō organ newspaper. Tokyo (numerous issues)