buddhism in north america: soka gakkai rels 225: cults and new religious movements
TRANSCRIPT
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
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
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
Slide 4.
HistoryHistory• 1975 Soka Gakkai
International formed• from 51 countries• Headed by Ikeda
• 1991 Excommunication by Nichiren Shoshu priests
• 5-8 million families
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"
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
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
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
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
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
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