New Members....
What
is Nichiren Buddhism?
Chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Members of the
SGI practice
the Buddhism taught by Nichiren, a 13th Century Japanese
priest whose philosophy centered around the final
teaching of the first historically recognized Buddha
(known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha). This
teaching, called the Lotus Sutra, declares that all
living beings have the potential to attain enlightenment
or Buddhahood.
Enlightenment
is an awakening to the true nature of life, including
the profound realization of the interconnectedness of
all things — the inseparable relationship between the
individual and the environment and the ability of each
human being to powerfully influence both. This
realization leads the individual to assume personal
responsibility for his or her own condition of life and
for that of the environment.
This
responsibility is furthered by an understanding of the
simultaneity of cause and effect. Each thought, word and
deed has an immediate effect both on the individual and
on his or her environment.
The goal SGI
members try to achieve is to manifest Buddhahood, or
enlightenment, in their lives, which will tap their
creative potential as individuals and, in so doing,
create thriving and peaceful families, work places and
communities. The eventual goal is, through the gradual
“human revolution” of the individual, to create
peace and prosperity in societies throughout the world.
Nichiren taught
that all of the benefits of the wisdom contained in the
Lotus Sutra can be realized by chanting its title [Nam]
Myoho Renge Kyo. Chanting these words and excerpts
from the Lotus Sutra is the core of this Buddhist
practice, supported by study and the propagation of
teachings. Faith, practice and study are the basics of
the Buddhist practice, pursuing activities for oneself
and activities for the sake of others.
The Gohonzon
Nichiren
Daishonin inscribed the “fundamental object of
respect for observing one’s mind,” the Gohonzon. The
object, in the form of a scroll, depicts (in Chinese and
Sanskrit characters) the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and
the enlightened life of Nichiren. Down the center are
the characters Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and Nichiren’s
signature. This indicates the oneness of person and Law
—that the condition of Buddhahood is a potential
within and can be manifested by all people. SGI members
enshrine a replica of the Gohonzon in their homes as a
focal point for their daily practice.
The Gohonzon’s
power comes from the worshipper’s faith—the Gohonzon
functions as a spiritual mirror. Sitting in front of the
Gohonzon and chanting, a person is able to recognize and
reveal his or her own Buddha nature, the creative
essence of life.
Daily
Practice - Gongyo
The
Japanese word gongyo literally means “assiduous
practice.” Generally speaking it means to recite
Buddhist sutras in front of an object of worship. The
practice of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism is to recite
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and part of the second (“Hoben”)
and the sixteenth (“Juryo”) chapters of the Lotus
Sutra in front of the Gohonzon. This is the fundamental
practice of Nichiren Buddhism, performed morning and
evening.
Major
Writings -Gosho
Nichiren
Daishonin was persecuted throughout his life by the
Japanese government and by religious powers who
considered his revolutionary teachings a grave threat to
their continued authority. Nevertheless, the letters he
wrote to his followers, often under the most dire
conditions, illustrate that even in the midst of the
greatest challenge, he was able to realize the great
beauty of life and feel joy and compassion for others.
These letters and treatises, more than 400 of which
remain today, are collected in English as The Major
Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, and are the primary
study material for SGI members.
What
is Karma?
The question of
destiny or karma has greatly preoccupied philosophers in
both the West and the East. One Western theory is that
when we are born our lives are like a sheet of paper on
which nothing is written. Each life then develops as a
result of its surroundings and the forces acting on it -
parents, friends, society, the dominant culture, and so
on.
Buddhism,
however, teaches the eternity of life; that we have
lived countless lives already. This means that we are
not born as blank pages, but pages on which countless
impressions have already been made. According to
Buddhism, life is forever existing in the cosmos;
sometimes it is manifest and sometimes latent. Just as
when we sleep and then awaken; our conscious mind
awakens and our body feels refreshed. Between the
sleeping and awakening, our consciousness carries on in
a sub-conscious state. Similarly one's life continues
eternally in alternating states of life and death. Death
is as much a part of living as sleep is part of the
process of living.
Unlike some
other philosophies though, Buddhism does not consider
one's karma or destiny to be fixed; since our minds
change from moment to moment, even the habitual and
destructive tendencies we all possess to varying degrees
can be altered. In other words, Buddhism teaches that
individuals have within themselves the potential to
change their own
karma.
All that we do
in one lifetime affects the negative and positive
balance of our karma. For example, if we are born poor
in this lifetime and spend our life giving to others
whatever we can give, we are making causes to change the
negative karma of being poor. On the other hand, if we
spend our life envying or hating or even stealing from
others, we are adding to our negative balance of karma.
Lay
Believers-the SGI
Until the
1930s, the followers of Nichiren, known as the Hokkeko,
were a relatively small group of lay believers led by
the priesthood of the Fuji School (Nichiren Shoshu). In
1930, a lay organization was founded by educator
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. During World War II, Makiguchi
was imprisoned for refusing to compromise his religious
beliefs and resisting pressure from the Japanese
government to accept the State Shinto religion, which
was used to unify the public in support of the war. He
died in prison in 1944. His successor, Josei Toda, was
also imprisoned, but survived to help lead the postwar
growth of the Soka Gakkai (“Value Creation Society”)
from a handful of members to more than 750,000
households before his death in 1958. The third
President, Daisaku Ikeda, has guided the movement to its
present day strength of 10 million members in Japan, and
approximately 1.26 million members in 187 countries
abroad. The international organization, Soka Gakkai
International (SGI), was established in 1975. In 1991
the SGI organization separated from the Nichiren Shoshu
priesthood.
For further study
of the practice, please visit the SGI links below.
Also included is a translation of gongyo (A & C) in downloadable
format PLUS, e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y slow
gongyo to practice with or download.
SGI-USA,
Columbus, Ohio © 2002-2008