buddhism in north america: soka gakkai rels 225: cults and new religious movements

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Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

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Page 1: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Buddhism in North America:

Soka Gakkai

Buddhism in North America:

Soka GakkaiRELS 225: Cults and New Religious

Movements

RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Page 2: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 2.

HistoryHistory• Nichiren (1222-1282)

• taught an exclusivist religion of the Lotus Sutra,

• led a great popular movement,

• denounced faithless in the highest places

• predicted national disaster if the nation failed to repent.

• Nichiren Shoshu• Taiseki-ji temple near

Mount Fuji

Page 3: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 3.

HistoryHistory• 1930: T. Makiguchi

• Soka Gakkai = "Value-creation study society”

• Died in prison• 1944: J. Toda

• Expansion in Japan • to 10 million• shakubuku

• 1958: Daisaku Ikeda• 1960- Expansion overseas• By 1978 300,000 in USA

Page 4: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 4.

HistoryHistory• 1975 Soka Gakkai

International formed• from 51 countries• Headed by Ikeda

• 1991 Excommunication by Nichiren Shoshu priests

• 5-8 million families

Page 5: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 5.

Beliefs: UnityBeliefs: Unity• 1 scripture• 1 country• 1 object of worship• 1 practice• 1 moment: the present• shikishin funi: "body and

mind not two,”• esho funi, "individual and

environment not two" • obutsu myogo, "the state

and Buddhism one society"

Page 6: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 6.

Beliefs: the DivineBeliefs: the Divine• No God needed• You are the author

of your own destiny• Nichiren is the

Buddha for the present age

Page 7: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 7.

Beliefs: 10 Life States/WorldsBeliefs: 10 Life States/Worlds

• 10 Basic States of Life6 traditional Buddhist planes of reincarnation

1. hellish suffering, 2. the incessant hunger of wandering

ghosts, 3. animality, 4. angry titans, 5. human tranquillity, 6. heavenly rapture

4 traditional stages of the spiritual ascent

7. learning, 8. following the path, 9. the aspiration for enlightenment of the

bodhisattva, 10. the bliss of Buddhahood

Page 8: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 8.

Beliefs: Problem & SolutionBeliefs: Problem & Solution

• Nichiren asked:• "How can I be sure that I

am saved?" • "How can the events of

human history be reconciled with Providence?”

• minimum requirement for salvation: Lotus Sutra

• Align self with sacred laws of cause and effect

Page 9: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 9.

Beliefs: FutureBeliefs: Future

• When one dies• Reincarnation according to karma

• Cause and effect• The Fate of the World• When 1/3 of the world is Soka Gakkai, there

will be world peace

Page 10: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 10.

The Good Life (Practice)The Good Life (Practice)• Daimoku (“invocation”)

• Nam Myoho Renge Kyo• “devotion to the Lotus Sutra” or • “I devote myself to the Mystic Law of the

Lotus Sutra”• Nam: devotion to…• Myoho: the Mystic Law of the Universe…• Renge: creates the vital life-force which

includes the simultaneous cause and effect …• Kyo: of putting human life into rhythm with the

universe.• Lotus Sutra

• Especially two chapters of it (gongyo)• Gohonzon• Rosary (108 beads)• Shakubuku

• Method of recruitment: high pressure sales pitch

• “Break and subdue”• Originally: Chant for what you want

Page 11: Buddhism in North America: Soka Gakkai RELS 225: Cults and New Religious Movements

Slide 11.

ControversiesControversies• Kosen-rufu:

• world peace when at least 1/3 of the world converts to Nichiren Shoshu

• Conflicts with Japanese imperialism (WW2) and Americans

• Now means “promotion of peace, culture, and education through Buddhism”

• Overagressive shakubuku• Accusations of materialism

(chant for things)• November 1991:

Excommunication by Nichiren Shoshu priests