Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Namo Dharmaya
Namo Sanghaya
Did some changes to my Buddha Alter. Can you tell what is the difference?
About me
- Kruba Zhihai (智海)
- Singapore
- "All that we are is the result of what we have thought." The Buddha. "..Religion without Science is Blind, Science without religion is crippled." Albert Einstein 1879-1955
Wednesday 29 December 2010
Thursday 16 December 2010
The Lotus Sutra (妙法蓮華經)
The Lotus Sūtra (Sanskrit: Saddharma Puṇḍarīka 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 earliest known Sanskrit title for the sūtra is the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, which translates to "Sūtra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma." In English, the shortened form Lotus Sūtra is common. The Lotus Sūtra has also been highly regarded in a number of Asian countries where Mahāyāna Buddhism has been traditionally practiced. Translations of this title into the languages of some of these countries include:
Sanskrit: सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्र Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra
Chinese: 妙法蓮華經 miàofǎ liánhuá jīng, shortened to 法華經 fǎhuá jīng
Japanese: 妙法蓮華経 myōhō renge kyō, shortened to 法華経 hōke kyō
Korean: 묘법연화경 myobeop yeonhwa gyeong, shortened to 법화경 beophwa gyeong
Vietnamese Diệu pháp liên hoa kinh, shortened to Pháp hoa kinh
History and background
The oldest parts of the text (Chapters 1-9 and 17) were probably composed between 100 BCE and 100 CE: most of the text had appeared by 200 CE.
The Lotus Sutra presents itself as a discourse delivered by the Buddha toward the end of his life. The tradition in Mahayana states that the sutra was written down at the time of the Buddha and stored for five hundred years in a realm of nāgas. After this they were reintroduced into the human realm at the time of the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir. The sutra's teachings purport to be of a higher order than those contained in the āgamas of the Sūtra Piṭaka, and that humanity had been unable to understand the sutra at the time of the Buddha, and thus the teaching had to be held back.
Translation
The Lotus Sutra was originally translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Dharmarakṣa, aka Zhu Fahu in 286 CE in Chang'an during the Western Jin Period (265-317 CE) (E. Zurcher The Buddhist Conquest of China, 57-69). However, the view that there is a high degree of probability that the base text for that translation was actually written in a Prakrit language has gained widespread acceptance. Jan Nattier has recently summarized this aspect of the early textual transmission of such Buddhist scriptures in China thus, bearing in mind that Dharmarakṣa's period of activity falls well within the period she defines: "Studies to date indicate that Buddhist scriptures arriving in China in the early centuries of the Common Era were composed not just in one Indian dialect but in several . . . in sum, the information available to us suggests that, barring strong evidence of another kind, we should assume that any text translated in the second or third century CE was not based on Sanskrit, but one or other of the many Prakrit vernaculars."
This early translation by Dharmarakṣa was superseded by a translation in seven fascicles by Kumārajīva in 406 CE, although it is known that Kumārajīva made extensive use of the earlier version to the extent of borrowing readings directly from Dharmarakṣa's version. The Chinese title is usually abbreviated to 法華經, which is read Fǎ Huá Jīng in Chinese and Hokekyō in Japanese, Beophwagyeong in Korean, and Pháp Hoa Kinh" in Vietnamese. The Sanskrit copies are not widely used outside of academia. It has been translated by Burton Watson. According to Burton Watson it may have originally been composed in a Prakrit dialect and then later translated into Sanskrit to lend it greater respectability.
Modern scholars have not released much of the sutra on early fragments, except to say that they are not dependent on the Chinese or Tibetan Lotus sutras. Furthermore, other scholars have noted how the cryptic Dharani passages within the Lotus sutra represent a form of the Magadhi dialect that is more similar to Pali than Sanskrit. For instance, one Dharani reads in part: "Buddhavilokite Dharmaparikshite". Although the vilo is attested in Sanskrit, it appears first in the Buddhist Pali texts as "vilokita" with the meaning of "a vigilant looker" from vi, meaning eager like a passionless bird, and lok, meaning "look".
Content
This sutra is known for its extensive instruction on the concept and usage of skillful means – (Sanskrit: upāya, Japanese: hōben), the seventh paramita or perfection of a Bodhisattva – mostly in the form of parables. It is also one of the first sutras to use the term Mahāyāna, or "Great Vehicle", Buddhism. Another concept introduced by the Lotus Sutra is the idea that the Buddha is an eternal entity, who achieved nirvana eons ago, but willingly chose to remain in the cycle of rebirth (samsara) to help teach beings the Dharma time and again. He reveals himself as the "father" of all beings and evinces the loving care of just such a father. Moreover, the sutra indicates that even after the Parinirvana (apparent physical death) of a Buddha, that Buddha continues to be real and to be capable of communicating with the world.
The idea that the physical death of a Buddha is the termination of that Buddha is graphically refuted by the movement and meaning of the scripture, in which another Buddha, who passed long before, appears and communicates with Shakyamuni himself. In the vision of the Lotus Sutra, Buddhas are ultimately immortal. A similar doctrine of the eternality of Buddhas is repeatedly expounded in the tathāgatagarbha sutras, which share certain family resemblances with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
The Lotus Sutra also indicates (in Chapter 4) that emptiness (śūnyatā) is not the ultimate vision to be attained by the aspirant Bodhisattva: the attainment of Buddha Wisdom is indicated to be a bliss-bestowing treasure that transcends seeing all as merely empty or merely labeled.
In terms of literary style, the Lotus Sutra illustrates a sense of timelessness and the inconceivable, often using large numbers and measurements of time and space. Some of the other Buddhas mentioned in the Lotus Sutra are said to have lifetimes of dozens or hundreds of kalpas, while the number of Bodhisattvas mentioned in the "Earth Bodhisattva" chapter number in the billions, if not more. The Lotus Sutra also often alludes to a special teaching that supersedes everything else that the Buddha has taught, but the Sutra never actually states what that teaching is. This is said to be in keeping with the general Mahāyāna Buddhist view that the highest teaching cannot be expressed in words.
The ultimate teaching of the sutra, however, is implied to the reader that "full Buddhahood" is only arrived at by exposure to the truths expressed implicitly in the Lotus Sutra via its many parables and references to a heretofore less clearly imagined cosmological order. Skillful means of most enlightened Buddhas is itself the highest teaching (the "Lotus Sutra" itself), in conjunction with the sutra's stated tenets that all other teachings are subservient to, propagated by and in the service of this highest truth and teaching aimed at creating "full Buddhas" out of pratyekabuddhas, lesser buddhas and bodhisattvas. The text also implies a parent-child relationship between the innumerable Buddhas and human beings and other types of beings, with an explicit indication that all religions and paths are in some way or another part of the skillful means of this highest teaching, which reaches its fullest expression in the Lotus Sutra. The various religious institutions and their doctrinal proponents notwithstanding, all paths are then, officially speaking, part of the skillful means and plan of Buddhism, thus the sutra's former disavowal of all competitive doctrinal disputes.
Crucially, not only are there multiple Buddhas in this view, but an infinite stream of Buddhas extending through unquantifiable eons of time ("thousands of kotis of kalpas") in a ceaseless cycle of creations and conflagrations.
In the vision set out in this sutra, moreover, not only are Buddhas innumerable, but the universe encompasses realms of gods, devas, dragons and other mythological beings, requiring numerous dimensions to contain them. Buddhas are portrayed as the patient teachers of all such beings.
Some sources consider the Lotus Sutra to have a prologue and epilogue: respectively the Innumerable Meanings Sutra (無量義經 Ch: Wú Liáng Yì Jīng Jp: Muryōgi Kyō) and the Sutra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Worthy (普賢經 Ch: Pǔ Xián Jīng Jp: Fugen Kyō).
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Chanting of Lotus Sutra Chapter 25 in Chinese
Chanting of Lotus Sutra Chapter 25 in Japanese
Title
The earliest known Sanskrit title for the sūtra is the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, which translates to "Sūtra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma." In English, the shortened form Lotus Sūtra is common. The Lotus Sūtra has also been highly regarded in a number of Asian countries where Mahāyāna Buddhism has been traditionally practiced. Translations of this title into the languages of some of these countries include:
Sanskrit: सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्र Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra
Chinese: 妙法蓮華經 miàofǎ liánhuá jīng, shortened to 法華經 fǎhuá jīng
Japanese: 妙法蓮華経 myōhō renge kyō, shortened to 法華経 hōke kyō
Korean: 묘법연화경 myobeop yeonhwa gyeong, shortened to 법화경 beophwa gyeong
Vietnamese Diệu pháp liên hoa kinh, shortened to Pháp hoa kinh
History and background
The oldest parts of the text (Chapters 1-9 and 17) were probably composed between 100 BCE and 100 CE: most of the text had appeared by 200 CE.
The Lotus Sutra presents itself as a discourse delivered by the Buddha toward the end of his life. The tradition in Mahayana states that the sutra was written down at the time of the Buddha and stored for five hundred years in a realm of nāgas. After this they were reintroduced into the human realm at the time of the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir. The sutra's teachings purport to be of a higher order than those contained in the āgamas of the Sūtra Piṭaka, and that humanity had been unable to understand the sutra at the time of the Buddha, and thus the teaching had to be held back.
Translation
The Lotus Sutra was originally translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Dharmarakṣa, aka Zhu Fahu in 286 CE in Chang'an during the Western Jin Period (265-317 CE) (E. Zurcher The Buddhist Conquest of China, 57-69). However, the view that there is a high degree of probability that the base text for that translation was actually written in a Prakrit language has gained widespread acceptance. Jan Nattier has recently summarized this aspect of the early textual transmission of such Buddhist scriptures in China thus, bearing in mind that Dharmarakṣa's period of activity falls well within the period she defines: "Studies to date indicate that Buddhist scriptures arriving in China in the early centuries of the Common Era were composed not just in one Indian dialect but in several . . . in sum, the information available to us suggests that, barring strong evidence of another kind, we should assume that any text translated in the second or third century CE was not based on Sanskrit, but one or other of the many Prakrit vernaculars."
This early translation by Dharmarakṣa was superseded by a translation in seven fascicles by Kumārajīva in 406 CE, although it is known that Kumārajīva made extensive use of the earlier version to the extent of borrowing readings directly from Dharmarakṣa's version. The Chinese title is usually abbreviated to 法華經, which is read Fǎ Huá Jīng in Chinese and Hokekyō in Japanese, Beophwagyeong in Korean, and Pháp Hoa Kinh" in Vietnamese. The Sanskrit copies are not widely used outside of academia. It has been translated by Burton Watson. According to Burton Watson it may have originally been composed in a Prakrit dialect and then later translated into Sanskrit to lend it greater respectability.
Modern scholars have not released much of the sutra on early fragments, except to say that they are not dependent on the Chinese or Tibetan Lotus sutras. Furthermore, other scholars have noted how the cryptic Dharani passages within the Lotus sutra represent a form of the Magadhi dialect that is more similar to Pali than Sanskrit. For instance, one Dharani reads in part: "Buddhavilokite Dharmaparikshite". Although the vilo is attested in Sanskrit, it appears first in the Buddhist Pali texts as "vilokita" with the meaning of "a vigilant looker" from vi, meaning eager like a passionless bird, and lok, meaning "look".
Content
This sutra is known for its extensive instruction on the concept and usage of skillful means – (Sanskrit: upāya, Japanese: hōben), the seventh paramita or perfection of a Bodhisattva – mostly in the form of parables. It is also one of the first sutras to use the term Mahāyāna, or "Great Vehicle", Buddhism. Another concept introduced by the Lotus Sutra is the idea that the Buddha is an eternal entity, who achieved nirvana eons ago, but willingly chose to remain in the cycle of rebirth (samsara) to help teach beings the Dharma time and again. He reveals himself as the "father" of all beings and evinces the loving care of just such a father. Moreover, the sutra indicates that even after the Parinirvana (apparent physical death) of a Buddha, that Buddha continues to be real and to be capable of communicating with the world.
The idea that the physical death of a Buddha is the termination of that Buddha is graphically refuted by the movement and meaning of the scripture, in which another Buddha, who passed long before, appears and communicates with Shakyamuni himself. In the vision of the Lotus Sutra, Buddhas are ultimately immortal. A similar doctrine of the eternality of Buddhas is repeatedly expounded in the tathāgatagarbha sutras, which share certain family resemblances with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
The Lotus Sutra also indicates (in Chapter 4) that emptiness (śūnyatā) is not the ultimate vision to be attained by the aspirant Bodhisattva: the attainment of Buddha Wisdom is indicated to be a bliss-bestowing treasure that transcends seeing all as merely empty or merely labeled.
In terms of literary style, the Lotus Sutra illustrates a sense of timelessness and the inconceivable, often using large numbers and measurements of time and space. Some of the other Buddhas mentioned in the Lotus Sutra are said to have lifetimes of dozens or hundreds of kalpas, while the number of Bodhisattvas mentioned in the "Earth Bodhisattva" chapter number in the billions, if not more. The Lotus Sutra also often alludes to a special teaching that supersedes everything else that the Buddha has taught, but the Sutra never actually states what that teaching is. This is said to be in keeping with the general Mahāyāna Buddhist view that the highest teaching cannot be expressed in words.
The ultimate teaching of the sutra, however, is implied to the reader that "full Buddhahood" is only arrived at by exposure to the truths expressed implicitly in the Lotus Sutra via its many parables and references to a heretofore less clearly imagined cosmological order. Skillful means of most enlightened Buddhas is itself the highest teaching (the "Lotus Sutra" itself), in conjunction with the sutra's stated tenets that all other teachings are subservient to, propagated by and in the service of this highest truth and teaching aimed at creating "full Buddhas" out of pratyekabuddhas, lesser buddhas and bodhisattvas. The text also implies a parent-child relationship between the innumerable Buddhas and human beings and other types of beings, with an explicit indication that all religions and paths are in some way or another part of the skillful means of this highest teaching, which reaches its fullest expression in the Lotus Sutra. The various religious institutions and their doctrinal proponents notwithstanding, all paths are then, officially speaking, part of the skillful means and plan of Buddhism, thus the sutra's former disavowal of all competitive doctrinal disputes.
Crucially, not only are there multiple Buddhas in this view, but an infinite stream of Buddhas extending through unquantifiable eons of time ("thousands of kotis of kalpas") in a ceaseless cycle of creations and conflagrations.
In the vision set out in this sutra, moreover, not only are Buddhas innumerable, but the universe encompasses realms of gods, devas, dragons and other mythological beings, requiring numerous dimensions to contain them. Buddhas are portrayed as the patient teachers of all such beings.
Some sources consider the Lotus Sutra to have a prologue and epilogue: respectively the Innumerable Meanings Sutra (無量義經 Ch: Wú Liáng Yì Jīng Jp: Muryōgi Kyō) and the Sutra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Worthy (普賢經 Ch: Pǔ Xián Jīng Jp: Fugen Kyō).
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Chanting of Lotus Sutra Chapter 25 in Chinese
Chanting of Lotus Sutra Chapter 25 in Japanese
Tuesday 14 December 2010
Strange Photos 3
Some people say that if incense offered to the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas or other Buddhist Deities pointed up like in the photos, the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas or other Buddhist Deities are around. What do you think?
The Four Noble Truths (四圣谛) - Part 1/2
The Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: catvāri āryasatyāni, Japanese: shitai) are an important principle in Buddhism, and were classically taught by the Buddha in the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra. These four truths are best understood, not as beliefs, but as categories of experience.
Basic Teaching
According to the Saṃyukta Āgama of the Sarvāstivāda school, the basic teachings of the Four Noble Truths are:
1.Thus is the Noble Truth of Suffering
2.Thus is the Noble Truth of the Accumulation of Suffering
3.Thus is the Noble Truth of the Elimination of Suffering
4.Thus is the Noble Truth of the Path that Leads Away from Suffering
The Sanskrit and Pali words satya and sacca, respectively, mean both "truth" and "real" or "actual thing." With that in mind, one scholar argues that the four noble truths are not asserted as propositional truths or creeds, but as "true things" or "realities" that the Buddha experienced. The original Tibetan Lotsawas (Sanskrit: locchāwa; Tibetan: lo ts'a ba), who studied Sanskrit grammar thoroughly, used the Tibetan term bden pa, which reflects this understanding.
Four Noble Truths definations
Some versions of the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sutra contain definitions of the Four Noble Truths while others do not. For example, the Sarvastivadin versions portrays the truths as principles to be contemplated in various methods, and no definitions are given. In the Theravada version and the version translated by An Shigao, the Four Noble Truths are given definitions:
1.The Nature of Suffering (or Dukkha):
"This is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering." or simply " There is suffering in life for all beings."
2.Suffering's Origin (Dukkha Samudaya):
"This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there, that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination." or simply " There is a cause of suffering, which is attachment and desire."
3.Suffering's Cessation (Dukkha Nirodha):
"This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it." or simply " There is a way out of suffering, which is to eliminate attachment and desire."
4.The Path (Dukkha Nirodha Gamini Patipada Magga) Leading to the Cessation of Suffering:
"This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration."
Relation to the Eightfold Noble Path
In the version of the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra contained in the extant Saṃyukta Āgama, there is no mention of the Noble Eightfold Path. Instead, contemplation of the Four Noble Truths is taken to be the path itself.
The Four Noble Truths and the Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sutra's text views the Four Noble Truths as the first teaching of the Buddha, but not the final teaching. In Chapter 3, Similes and Parables, the Sutra introduces what it calls "the most wonderful / the unsurpassed great Law":
In the past at Varanasi/ you turned the wheel of the Law of the Four Noble Truths/ , making distinctions/ preaching that all things are born and become extinct,/ being made up of the five components/ Now you turn the wheel of the most wonderful/ the unsurpassed great Law/.This Law is very profound and abstruse;/ there are few who can believe it/ Since times past often we have heard/ the World-Honored One's preaching,/ but we have never heard/ this kind of profound, wonderful and superior Law./ Since the World-Honored One preaches this Law,/ we all welcome it with joy.
Nichiren, whose teachings were based on the Lotus Sutra, stated in his letter "Comparison of the Lotus and Other Sutras" that the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths was expounded especially for the Voice-Hearers or Sravaka disciples, while the Lotus Sūtra was taught equally for all.
This outline form is exactly that used by doctors of the Buddha's culture when diagnosing and prescribing for a disease: identify the disease, its cause, whether it is curable, and the prescribed cure. Thus the Buddha treats suffering as a "disease" we can confidently expect to cure.
Because of its focus on suffering, Buddhism is often called pessimistic. But since Gautama Buddha presented a cure, Buddhists consider it neither pessimistic nor optimistic but realistic.
The Four Noble Truths was the topic of the first sermon given by the Buddha after his enlightenment. He gave the sermon to the ascetics with whom he had practiced austerities.
According to the Saṃyukta Āgama of the Sarvāstivāda school, the basic teachings of the Four Noble Truths are:
1.Thus is the Noble Truth of Suffering
2.Thus is the Noble Truth of the Accumulation of Suffering
3.Thus is the Noble Truth of the Elimination of Suffering
4.Thus is the Noble Truth of the Path that Leads Away from Suffering
The Sanskrit and Pali words satya and sacca, respectively, mean both "truth" and "real" or "actual thing." With that in mind, one scholar argues that the four noble truths are not asserted as propositional truths or creeds, but as "true things" or "realities" that the Buddha experienced. The original Tibetan Lotsawas (Sanskrit: locchāwa; Tibetan: lo ts'a ba), who studied Sanskrit grammar thoroughly, used the Tibetan term bden pa, which reflects this understanding.
Four Noble Truths definations
Some versions of the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sutra contain definitions of the Four Noble Truths while others do not. For example, the Sarvastivadin versions portrays the truths as principles to be contemplated in various methods, and no definitions are given. In the Theravada version and the version translated by An Shigao, the Four Noble Truths are given definitions:
1.The Nature of Suffering (or Dukkha):
"This is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering." or simply " There is suffering in life for all beings."
2.Suffering's Origin (Dukkha Samudaya):
"This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there, that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination." or simply " There is a cause of suffering, which is attachment and desire."
"This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it." or simply " There is a way out of suffering, which is to eliminate attachment and desire."
4.The Path (Dukkha Nirodha Gamini Patipada Magga) Leading to the Cessation of Suffering:
"This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration."
Relation to the Eightfold Noble Path
In the version of the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra contained in the extant Saṃyukta Āgama, there is no mention of the Noble Eightfold Path. Instead, contemplation of the Four Noble Truths is taken to be the path itself.
The Four Noble Truths and the Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sutra's text views the Four Noble Truths as the first teaching of the Buddha, but not the final teaching. In Chapter 3, Similes and Parables, the Sutra introduces what it calls "the most wonderful / the unsurpassed great Law":
In the past at Varanasi/ you turned the wheel of the Law of the Four Noble Truths/ , making distinctions/ preaching that all things are born and become extinct,/ being made up of the five components/ Now you turn the wheel of the most wonderful/ the unsurpassed great Law/.This Law is very profound and abstruse;/ there are few who can believe it/ Since times past often we have heard/ the World-Honored One's preaching,/ but we have never heard/ this kind of profound, wonderful and superior Law./ Since the World-Honored One preaches this Law,/ we all welcome it with joy.
Nichiren, whose teachings were based on the Lotus Sutra, stated in his letter "Comparison of the Lotus and Other Sutras" that the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths was expounded especially for the Voice-Hearers or Sravaka disciples, while the Lotus Sūtra was taught equally for all.
This outline form is exactly that used by doctors of the Buddha's culture when diagnosing and prescribing for a disease: identify the disease, its cause, whether it is curable, and the prescribed cure. Thus the Buddha treats suffering as a "disease" we can confidently expect to cure.
Because of its focus on suffering, Buddhism is often called pessimistic. But since Gautama Buddha presented a cure, Buddhists consider it neither pessimistic nor optimistic but realistic.
The Four Noble Truths was the topic of the first sermon given by the Buddha after his enlightenment. He gave the sermon to the ascetics with whom he had practiced austerities.
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Namo Dhramaya
Namo Sanghaya
Friday 10 December 2010
Chanting Nam or Namu Myo Renge Kyo?
Nam or Namu? Does it really matter?
The two Chinese characters that begin Odaimoku are pronounced Na and Mu when they stand alone. The first character means "South" and the second character signifies a negation (as in "Does a dog have Buddha-Nature?" "MU!"). Those two characters were chosen by the Chinese to transliterate the Sanskrit word "Namah", they were not chosen for their meaning. In China the two characters are chanted as Namo (as in Namo Amito Fo). In Japan, they are pronounced Namu, unless it becomes convenient to drop the "u" sound, which happens when Odaimoku is chanted at a fast pace. So when writing the Odaimoku, it should always be written as "Namu" in order to acknowledge each Chinese character. There is no way to contract Namu into Nam' when writing Chinese characters or even when using the Japanese phonetic systems - the hiragana and katakana. Only in English can you write Nam' and leave out the "u."
This is important, because in the Nichiren tradition each character of the sutra is looked upon as a golden Buddha. Now it may be prefereable to chant "Namu," but chanting "Nam" is a linguistic matter and not a doctrinal issue.
As my sensei, the Ven. Ryusho Matsuda, and others have pointed out, the pronunciation of the Odaimoku was different in Nichiren's day anyway. According to Japanese linguists, the pronunciation of the Chinese characters has changed over time. This was actually discussed during Shingyo Dojo (the final training period for Nichiren Shu priests held at Mt. Minobu). So it is not as though we need to pronounce it exactly the way Nichiren did, because no one pronounces those characters the way he did anymore. Bottom line: the difference between Nam and Namu is a linguistic issue and not a doctrinal issue.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
by Ryuei
Saturday 27 November 2010
The Story of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva - 觀世音菩薩的故事
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is also known as Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva or Guan Yin Bodhisattva. He is the attendant accompanying Amitabha Buddha on his left hand side. On his right hand side is Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva (Vajrapani).
Long time before Avalokitesvara became a Bodhisattva, he was a virgin named "Baoyi" in one life. He had a friend named "Baoshang". How they became Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva? Why have they vowed? How will their land be look like after they become Buddha? The answers are in this cartoon.
This cartoon is based on a story recorded in VYAKARANA OF AVALOKITASVARA BODHISATTVA SUTRA.
Save Flood Victims (1/8)
Save Fire Victims (2/8)
Save Windstorm Victims(3/8)
Save Victims from Shackles (4/8)
Save Victims from Evil Spirits (5/8)
Save Sentient Beings in all Kinds of Avatars (6/8)
Prince Buxuan (7/8)
The Virgin Vow(8/8)
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattvaya
The Thought of Buddha Before His Enlightenment
"Then I thought: Why, being myself subject to birth, ageing, sickness,death, sorrow and defilement, do I seek after what is also subject to these things?
suppose, being myself subject to these things, seeing danger in them, I seek after the unborn, unageing, unailing, deathless, sorrowless, undefiled supreme libration from bondage - NIRVANA?"
:The Thought we should Hold to Motivate us towards Enlightenment.
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Namo Dharmaya
Namo Sanghaya
Friday 26 November 2010
Avalokitesvara 觀世音菩薩
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Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर lit. "Lord who looks down") is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism.
The original name for this bodhisattva was Avalokitasvara. The Chinese name for Avalokitasvara is Guānshìyīn Púsà (觀世音菩薩), which is a translation of the earlier name "Avalokitasvara Bodhisattva." This bodhisattva is variably depicted as male or female, and may also be referred to simply as Guānyīn in certain contexts.
In Sanskrit, Avalokitesvara is also referred to as Padmapāni ("Holder of the Lotus") or Lokeśvara ("Lord of the World"). In Tibetan, Avalokiteśvara is known as Chenrezig, སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་ (Wylie: spyan ras gzigs), and is said to be incarnated in the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa and other high lamas.
The name Avalokiteśvara is made of the following parts: the verbal prefix ava, which means "down"; lokita, a past participle of the verb lok ("to notice, behold, observe"), here used in an active sense (an occasional irregularity of Sanskrit grammar); and finally īśvara, "lord", "ruler", "sovereign" or "master". In accordance with sandhi (Sanskrit rules of sound combination), a+iśvara becomes eśvara. Combined, the parts mean "lord who gazes down (at the world)". The word loka ("world") is absent from the name, but the phrase is implied.
It was initially thought that the Chinese mis-transliterated the word Avalokiteśvara as Avalokitasvara which explained why Xuanzang translated it as Guānzìzài (Ch. 觀自在) instead of Guānyīn (Ch. 觀音). However, according to recent research, the original form was indeed Avalokitasvara with the ending a-svara ("sound, noise"), which means "sound perceiver", literally "he who looks down upon sound" (i.e., the cries of sentient beings who need his help; a-svara can be glossed as ahr-svara, "sound of lamentation"). This is the exact equivalent of the Chinese translation Guānyīn. This etymology was furthered in the Chinese by the tendency of some Chinese translators, notably Kumarajiva, to use the variant Guānshìyīn (Ch. 觀世音), literally "he who perceives the world's lamentations" -- wherein lok was read as simultaneously meaning both "to look" and "world" (Skt. loka; Ch. 世, shì). This name was later supplanted by the form containing the ending -īśvara, which does not occur in Sanskrit before the seventh century. The original form Avalokitasvara already appears in Sanskrit fragments of the fifth century.
The original meaning of the name fits the Buddhist understanding of the role of a bodhisattva. The reinterpretation presenting him as an īśvara shows a strong influence of Śaivism, as the term īśvara was usually connected to the Hindu notion of Śiva as a creator god and ruler of the world. Some attributes of such a god were transmitted to the bodhisattva, but the mainstream of those who venerated Avalokiteśvara upheld the Buddhist rejection of the doctrine of any creator god.
An etymology of the Tibetan name Chenrezig is chen (eye), re (continuity) and zig (to look). This gives the meaning of one who always looks upon all beings (with the eye of compassion).
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| Khorwa Tongdruk (a eight years old boy) a manifestation of Avalokitesvara |
Origin
Mahāyāna account
According to Mahāyāna doctrine, Avalokiteśvara is the bodhisattva who has made a great vow to assist sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he has assisted every being on Earth in achieving Nirvāṇa. Mahāyāna sūtras associated with Avalokiteśvara include the following:
Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra (Lotus Sūtra)
Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra
Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra (Heart Sūtra)
Mahākaruṇā Dhāranī Sūtra (Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī)
Avalokiteśvara Ekādaśamukha Dhāraṇī Sūtra
Cundī Dhāraṇī Sūtra
The Lotus Sūtra (Skt. Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra) is generally accepted to be the earliest literature teaching about the doctrines of Avalokiteśvara. These are found in the Lotus Sūtra chapter 25, The Universal Gateway of Avalokitasvara Bodhisattva (Ch. 觀世音菩薩普門品). This chapter is devoted to Avalokitasvara, describing him as a compassionate bodhisattva who hears the cries of sentient beings, and who works tirelessly to help those who call upon his name. A total of 33 different manifestations of Avalokitasvara are described, including female manifestations, all to suit the minds of various beings. The chapter consists of both a prose and a verse section. This earliest source often circulates separately as its own sūtra, called the Avalokitasvara Sūtra (Ch. 觀世音經), and is commonly recited or chanted at Buddhist temples in East Asia.
When the Chinese monk Faxian traveled to Mathura in India around 400 CE, he wrote about monks presenting offerings to Avalokiteśvara. When Xuanzang traveled to India in the 7th century, he provided eyewitness accounts of Avalokiteśvara statues being venerated by devotees of all walks of life, from kings, to monks, to laypeople. Avalokiteśvara remained popular in India until the 12th century when Muslim invaders conquered the land and destroyed Buddhist monasteries.
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| Cundi Mother Goddess Avalokitesvara 準提菩薩 |
In Chinese Buddhism and the Sinosphere, practices for an 18-armed form of Avalokiteśvara called Cundī are very popular. These practices have their basis in early Indian Esoteric Buddhism. Cundī is also referred to as "Cundī Buddha-Mother" or "Cundī Bhagavatī." The popularity of Cundī is attested by the three extant translations of the Cundī Dhāraṇī Sūtra from Sanskrit to Chinese, made from the end of the seventh century to the beginning of the eighth century. In late imperial China, these early traditions of Esoteric Buddhism are known to have been still thriving in Buddhist communities. Robert Gimello has also observed that in these communities, the esoteric practices of Cundī were extremely popular among both the populace and the elite.
In the Tiantai school, six forms of Avalokiteśvara are defined. Each of the bodhisattva's six qualities are said to break the hindrances respectively of the six realms of existence: hell-beings, pretas, animals, humans, asuras, and devas. These six qualities are listed below.
1.Great compassion
2.Great loving-kindness
3.Lion-courage
4.Universal light
5.Leader of devas and human beings
6.The great omnipresent Brahman
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| Amoghapasa Holder of the Infallible Lasso 不空羂索观音 |
Tibetan account
In the Tibetan tradition, Avalokiteśvara is seen as arising from two sources. One is the relative source, where in a previous eon (kalpa) a devoted, compassionate Buddhist monk became a bodhisattva, transformed in the present kalpa into Avalokiteśvara. That is not in conflict, however, with the ultimate source, which is Avalokiteśvara as the universal manifestation of compassion. The bodhisattva is viewed as the anthropomorphised vehicle for the actual deity, serving to bring about a better understanding of Avalokiteśvara to humankind.
Seven forms of Avalokiteśvara in Tibetan Buddhism:
1.Amoghapāśa: not empty (or unerring) net, or lasso.
2.Vara-sahasrabhuja-locana / Sahasrabhujasahasranetra: 1000-hand and 1000-eye,
3.Hayagriva: with the head of a horse
4.Ekadasamukha: with 11 faces
5.Cundī
6.Cintamani-cakra: wheel of sovereign power
7.Arya Lokiteśvara: the Holy sovereign beholder of the world (loka), a translation of īśvara, means "ruler" or "sovereign", holy one.
Theravada account
In Sri Lanka, Avalokiteśvara is still venerated as Natha-deva, and his image is sometimes mistaken for that of the bodhisattva Maitreya.
Although mainstream Theravada does not worship any of the Mahayana bodhisattvas, Avalokiteśvara is popularly worshiped in Burma, where she is called Lokanat, and Thailand, where she is called Lokesvara.
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| Ekadasamukha Eleven Faced Avalokitesvara 十一面观音 |
Western scholars have not reached a consensus on the origin of the reverence for Avalokiteśvara. Some have suggested that Avalokiteśvara, along with many other supernatural beings in Buddhism, was a borrowing or absorption by Mahayana Buddhism of one or more Hindu deities, in particular Shiva or Vishnu (though the reason for this suggestion is because the current name of the bodhisattva not the original one.)
The Japanese scholar Shu Hikosaka on the basis of his study of Buddhist scriptures, ancient Tamil literary sources, as well as field survey, proposes the hypothesis that, the ancient mount Potalaka, the residence of Avalokiteśvara described in the Gandavyuha Sutra and Xuanzang’s Records, is the real mountain Potikai or Potiyil situated at Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. Shu also says that mount Potiyil/Potalaka has been a sacred place for the people of South India from time immemorial. With the spread of Buddhism in the region beginning at the time of the great king Aśoka in the third century B.C.E., it became a holy place also for Buddhists who gradually became dominant as a number of their hermits settled there. The local people, though, mainly remained followers of the Hindu religion. The mixed Hindu-Buddhist cult culminated in the formation of the figure of Avalokiteśvara.
In Theravada, Lokeśvara, "the lord, ruler or sovereign beholder of the world", name of a Buddha; probably a development of the idea of Brahmā, Vishnu or Śiva as lokanātha, "lord of worlds". In Indo-China especially it refers to Avalokiteśvara, whose image or face, in masculine form, is frequently seen, e.g., at Angkor. A Buddha under whom Amitābha, in a previous existence, entered into the ascetic life and made his forty-eight vows.
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| Hayagriva Horse Headed Avalokitesvara 马头明王 |
Mahāyāna Buddhism relates Avalokiteśvara to the six-syllable mantra:
oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ
Due to his association with this mantra, in Tibetan Buddhism Avalokiteśvara is also called Shadakshari, which means "Lord of the Six Syllables." Recitation of this mantra along with prayer beads, is the most popular religious practice in Tibetan Buddhism. The connection between this famous mantra and Avalokiteśvara occurs for the first time in the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra. This text is first dated to around the late 4th century CE to the early 5th century CE. In this sūtra, a bodhisattva is told by the Buddha that recitation of this mantra while focusing on the sound can lead to the attainment of eight hundred samādhis. The Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra also features the first appearance of the Cundī Dhāraṇī, which occurs at the end of the sūtra text. After the bodhisattva finally attains samādhi with the mantra "oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ," he is then able to observe 77 koṭīs of fully-enlightened buddhas replying in one voice with the Cundī Dhāraṇī:
namaḥ saptānāṃ samyaksaṃbuddha koṭīnāṃ tadyathā
oṃ cale cule cundī svāhā
In Shingon Buddhism, the mantra for Avalokiteśvara is:
oṃ arolik svāhā
The Mahākaruṇā Dhāraṇī (Great Compassion Dhāraṇī), also called the Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī, is an 82-syllable dhāraṇī for Avalokiteśvara
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| Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara 千手千眼观音 |
One prominent Buddhist story tells of Avalokiteśvara vowing never to rest until he had freed all sentient beings from samsara. Despite strenuous effort, he realizes that still many unhappy beings were yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, his head splits into eleven pieces. Amitabha Buddha, seeing his plight, gives him eleven heads with which to hear the cries of the suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, Avalokiteśvara attempts to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that his two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, Amitabha Buddha comes to his aid and invests him with a thousand arms with which to aid the suffering multitudes.
The Bao'en Temple located in northwestern Sichuan province, China has an outstanding wooden image of the thousand armed Avalokiteśvara, an example of Ming Dynasty decorative sculpture.
Tibetan Buddhist beliefs concerning Chenrezig
Avalokiteśvara is an important deity in Tibetan Buddhism, and is regarded in the Vajrayana teachings as a Buddha. In the Mahayana teachings he is in general regarded as a high-level Bodhisattva. The Dalai Lama is considered by the Gelugpa sect and many other Tibetan Buddhists to be the primary earthly manifestation of Chenrezig. The Karmapa is considered by the Karma Kagyu sect to be Chenrezig's primary manifestation. It is said that Padmasambhava prophesied that Avalokiteśvara will manifest himself in the Tulku lineages of the Dalai Lamas and the Karmapas. Another Tibetan source explains that Buddha Amithaba gave to one of his two main disciples, Avalokiteśvara, the task to take upon himself the burden of caring for Tibet. That is why he has manifested himself not only as spiritual teachers in Tibet but also in the form of kings (like Trisong Detsen) or ministers.
Other manifestations popular in Tibet include Sahasra-bhuja (a form with a thousand arms) and Ekādaśamukha (a form with eleven faces).
In Tibetan Buddhism, Tara came into existence from a single tear shed by Chenrezig. When the tear fell to the ground it created a lake, and a lotus opening in the lake revealed Tara. In another version of this story, Tara emerges from the heart of Chenrezig. In either version, it is Chenrezig's outpouring of compassion which manifests Tara as a being.
Avalokiteśvara has an extraordinarily large number of manifestations in different forms (including wisdom goddesses (vidyaas) directly associated with him in images and texts).
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Om Mani Padme Hum
Click to listen to The Lotus Sutra Chapter 25 : The Universal Gateway of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Chinese
Click to listen to The Lotus Sutra Chapter 25 : The Universal Gateway of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Japanese
Click to watch The Story of Avalokitesvara in animation
Tuesday 16 November 2010
The Great Compassionate Heart Dharani Mantra sung by Ani Choying Drolma
Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva's Vast, Perfect, Unimpeded,
Great-Compassionate Heart Dharani Mantra
NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA, NAMAH ARYA JNANA SAGARA, VAIROCANA VYUHA RAJAYA, TATHAGATAYA, ARHATE, SAMYAKSAM BUDDHAYA, NAMAH SARVA TATHAGATEBHYAH, ARHATEBHYAH, SAMYAKSAM BUDDHEBHYAH, NAMAH ARYA AVALOKITE SHVARAYA, BODHISATTVAYA, MAHASATTVAYA, MAHAKARUNIKAYA,
TADYATHA, OM DHARA DHARA, DHIRI DHIRI, DHURU DHURU, ITTI VATTE, CALE CALE, PRACALE PRACALE, KUSUME, KUSUMEVARE, ILI MILI, CITI JVALAM, APANAYE SVAHA
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Om Mani Padme Hum
P.S
You can hear the full song in my player on the top right hand side of my blog. Enjoy!!!
Buddhist Activities on Nov. 2010
The 14th Thegchen(Tiktsa) Rinpoche will be bestowing the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara(4 arm Cherenzig or Guan yin) empowerment on 20-11-2010(Saturday) and Yellow Jambala (The Deity of Wealth) empowerment on 21-11-2010(Sunday) respectively, 8pm at Golden Landmark Towers, #09-04.
Contact person: Ah Mu. tel: 67342585.
"Empowerment" session in Vajrayana(Tibetan) Buddhism can only be conducted by a qualified Guru. When you have received the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara(Guan Yin) empowerment for example, you are given the permission to practice, the Guru during the session will introduce you to a more profound way of practicing, introducing you to the Deity, thus, you will be more closer to the Deity and likewise, the Deity will also be closer to you. When you recite the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum", the blessings will be more effective from then on as compare to a person who never received the empowerment.
Yellow Jambala is an arhat during the Buddha's time, as he was protecting the Buddha by using his own body, his head was injured and the Buddha promised whoever offers water offering to Jambala to relieve his head injury. Jambala will grant the blessing of wealth. If anyone has trouble with finance or anything, one can chant his mantra and he will come and help. But one must have a bodhi mind and practice Buddhism properly to attain his blessings. One can also gain wealth, wisdom, intelligence and at last! Attain Buddha hood!. Yellow Jambhala sits on a lotus, sun and moon disk. He holds a mongoose in his left hand and from its mouth spews forth precious jewels.
the Precious 14th Thegchen YangSi, Ngawang Thegchen Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
At Tibet and in the Langchen region of Kangsi is the Tsunda Monastery ( Ngongar Dechen Ling ). This old monastery’s Abbot is the Venerable Thegchen Tulku, the 14th Reincarnated Tulku, Ngawang Thegchen Chokyi Nyima. Rinpoche is known to be reincarnation of the Indian Mahasiddha, Krishnapa or The Black One (Tibetan: Nagpopa), which is one of the 84 Mahasiddhas.
Nagpopa's lst reincarnation was Kunga Panji, he took birth into Khampa Langse family which is well known dedicating his whole life practicing the Buddha Dharma. During that time though there were large monastery but at Kangchen Lhase and Jinla region there were numerous nomad tentage and Rinpoche has blessed them in their mindstream with essence nectar of Buddha Dharma. Afterwhich, Rinpoche procceded to the Weizhang region to pay great devotion to the Chenrezig incarnation - Venerable Kunga Nyingpo and follows his practice including receiving several empowerment and innumerable lineage transmission.
Tiksa Tulku is Imperial Teacher to the NangQian Ruler and was bestowed with a high “dharma throne”. During the Yuan Dynasty, Drogon Chogyal Phakpa bestowed upon Tiksa Tulku with a “Dharma Hat”, crown ornaments, throne’s embroidery and other dharma items. Embroidery Imperial Decrees entrustment for safe travel passage for Tiksa Tulku and all authority and local to provide all needs and not allow to cause any difficulties to him. The authoritative of the decrees was indeed beyond our normal expression.
The 13th Thegchen, Jamyang Chenker after passing in nirvana and took reincarnation as the 14th Thegchen, Ngawang Thegchen Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, born in 1956 at Khampa region amongst the Dege region. Father is Dorjee Wangyal, mother is Chewang Dolma.
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Words of Wisdom 3
The wheel of Dharma turns only as steadily
as your diligent practice of the Dharma. – Stonepeace
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
as your diligent practice of the Dharma. – Stonepeace
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
The Latter Day of the Law
The Latter Day of the Law, is one of the Three Ages of Buddhism. Mappō or Mofa (末法 Cn: mòfǎ; Jp: mappō), which is also translated as the Age of Dharma Decline, is the "degenerate" Third Age of Buddhism. Traditionally, this Age is supposed to begin 2,000 years after Shakyamuni Buddha's passing and lasts for "10,000 years". (The first two Ages are the Age of Right Dharma (正法 Cn: zhèngfǎ; Jp: shōbō), followed by the Age of Semblance Dharma (像法 Cn: xiàngfǎ; Jp: zōbō). During this degenerate third age, it is believed that people will be unable to attain enlightenment through the word of Sakyamuni Buddha, and society will become morally corrupted. In Buddhist thought, during the Age of Dharma Decline the teachings of the Buddha will still be correct, but people will no longer be capable of following them. Buddhist temporal cosmology assumes a cyclical pattern of ages, and even when the current Buddha's teachings fall into disregard, a new Buddha will be born and ensure the continuity of Buddhism. Ksitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds, in the era between the death of Gautama (Shakyamuni) Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha.
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
The Three Ages of Buddhism
The Three Ages of Buddhism are three divisions of time following the historical Buddha's passing: the Former Day of the Law (正法 Cn: zhèngfǎ; Jp: shōbō), the first thousand years (or 500 years), when the Dharma is practised very seriously and accurately, when Enlightenment is often attained; the Middle Day of the Law (像法 Cn: xiàngfǎ; Jp: zōhō), the second thousand years (or 500 years) when forms and rituals representing the Dharma are embraced more than learning and realising its essence, leading to less attaining Enlightenment; and the Latter Day of the Law (末法 Cn: mòfǎ; Jp: mappō), which is to last for 10,000 years becomes increasingly diluted and corrupted with non-Dharma elements, leading to rare attaining of Enlightenment, while moral chaos proliferate.
The three periods are significant to Mahayana adherents, particularly those who hold the Lotus Sutra in high regard; e.g., Tiantai (Tendai) and Nichiren Buddhists, who believe that different Buddhist teachings are valid (i.e., able to lead practitioners to enlightenment) in each period due to the different capacity to accept a teaching (機根 Cn: jīgēn; Jp: kikon) of the people born in each respective period.
Further, in the Mahasamnipata Sutra, the three periods are further divided into five five-hundred year periods (五五百歳 Cn: wǔ wǔbǎi; Jp: go no gohyaku sai), the fifth and last of which was prophesied to be when the Buddhism of Sakyamuni would lose all power of salvation and a new Buddha would appear to save the people. This time period would be characterized by unrest, strife, famine, and other, natural disasters.
The three periods and the five five-hundred year periods are described in the Sutra of the Great Assembly (大集經 Cn: dàjí; Jp: Daishutu-kyō, Daijuku-kyō, Daijikkyō, or Daishukkyō). Descriptions of the three periods also appear in other sutras, some of which ascribe different lengths of time to them (although most agree that Mappō will last for “10,000” years, though rather than a concrete figure, this merely signifies a long period of time).
*Mahasamnipata Sutra = Sutra of the Great Assembly
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Bhuddhaya
The three periods are significant to Mahayana adherents, particularly those who hold the Lotus Sutra in high regard; e.g., Tiantai (Tendai) and Nichiren Buddhists, who believe that different Buddhist teachings are valid (i.e., able to lead practitioners to enlightenment) in each period due to the different capacity to accept a teaching (機根 Cn: jīgēn; Jp: kikon) of the people born in each respective period.
Further, in the Mahasamnipata Sutra, the three periods are further divided into five five-hundred year periods (五五百歳 Cn: wǔ wǔbǎi; Jp: go no gohyaku sai), the fifth and last of which was prophesied to be when the Buddhism of Sakyamuni would lose all power of salvation and a new Buddha would appear to save the people. This time period would be characterized by unrest, strife, famine, and other, natural disasters.
The three periods and the five five-hundred year periods are described in the Sutra of the Great Assembly (大集經 Cn: dàjí; Jp: Daishutu-kyō, Daijuku-kyō, Daijikkyō, or Daishukkyō). Descriptions of the three periods also appear in other sutras, some of which ascribe different lengths of time to them (although most agree that Mappō will last for “10,000” years, though rather than a concrete figure, this merely signifies a long period of time).
*Mahasamnipata Sutra = Sutra of the Great Assembly
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Namo Bhuddhaya
Tuesday 9 November 2010
Nichiren Shu
Nichiren Shu (日蓮宗: "Nichiren School") is the oldest of the Nichiren Buddhist sects. It is smaller and less well known internationally than Nichiren Shoshu or Soka Gakkai.
Nichiren Shu does not accept Nichiren Shoshu's claim that Nichiren designated Nikkō his successor. Doctrinally, Nichiren Shu states that Shakyamuni is the Buddha and Nichiren is merely his priest, not his divine reincarnation.
Overview of Nichiren Shu
Nichiren Shu does not regard Nichiren as a Buddha as Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai do. Instead, Nichiren is seen as the votary of the Lotus Sutra fulfilling its prophecy in acting as the incarnation of Jōgyō ("Superior Practice") Bodhisattva, who leads all bodhisattvas in propagating the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni Buddha is regarded as the Eternal Buddha as preached in the 16th chapter of Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Shu places Nichiren in a high position as the messenger of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, but does not regard him as more important than Shakyamuni. Shakyamuni Buddha occupies the central role in Nichiren Shu; Nichiren—referred to as Nichiren Shōnin ("Saint Nichiren")—is the saint who refocused attention on Shakyamuni by rebuking other Buddhist schools for solely emphasizing other buddhas or esoteric practices.
This can be seen in the emphasis of training in Nichiren Shu. The Lotus Sutra is paramount in study and in practice, and Nichiren's writings—called Gosho (御書) or Goibun (御遺文)—are seen as commentaries or guides to the doctrines of Buddhism. They include the Five Major Writings of Nichiren in which he establish doctrine, belief, and practice, as well as many pastoral letters he wrote to his followers.
Nichiren wrote frequently, and readers can verify or correct their understanding of the doctrines of Nichiren Buddhism through his surviving works. Unlike Nichiren Shoshu or Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shu is far more selective about which Gosho it deems authentic. Many Gosho that are accepted by these two schools are not accepted as genuine by Nichiren Shu on grounds that scholars have not verified their authenticity.
Another difference of Nichiren Shu is the positioning in its doctrine and practices of the Odaimoku (the mantra Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō) and of the Mandala or Gohonzon. Nichiren Shu views these as the summit of the Dharma, but does not ignore other Buddhist practices. Forms of silent meditation (shōdai-gyō), artistic copying of the Odaimoku (shakyō), and the study of fundamental Buddhist concepts such as the Four Noble Truths and Taking Refuge survive in Nichiren Shu.
The Mandalas used by Nichiren Shu believers are often inscribed or based on Nichiren's own works, but not by the high priest as is the case in Nichiren Shoshu. Nichiren Shu also does not accept the Dai-Gohonzon of Nichiren Shoshu, as it believes there is no evidence that Nichiren created any wooden Mandala or asked any one to do so on his behalf.
In Japanese society, Nichiren Shu is more mainstream than Nichiren Shoshu or Soka Gakkai in that it continues to have relationships with non-Nichiren Buddhist traditions. It also is the oldest of the Nichiren traditions and has access to Mt. Minobu (身延山: where Nichiren lived in seclusion and where he requested to be buried) and many of Nichiren’s most important personal artifacts. Though Soka Gakkai’s energetic evangelization allowed it to become the largest Nichiren Buddhist group in North America, Nichiren Shu has recently begun to ordain non-Japanese priests and to expand its presence in the West.
Nichiren Shu does not accept Nichiren Shoshu's claim that Nichiren designated Nikkō his successor. Doctrinally, Nichiren Shu states that Shakyamuni is the Buddha and Nichiren is merely his priest, not his divine reincarnation.
Overview of Nichiren Shu
Nichiren Shu does not regard Nichiren as a Buddha as Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai do. Instead, Nichiren is seen as the votary of the Lotus Sutra fulfilling its prophecy in acting as the incarnation of Jōgyō ("Superior Practice") Bodhisattva, who leads all bodhisattvas in propagating the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni Buddha is regarded as the Eternal Buddha as preached in the 16th chapter of Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Shu places Nichiren in a high position as the messenger of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, but does not regard him as more important than Shakyamuni. Shakyamuni Buddha occupies the central role in Nichiren Shu; Nichiren—referred to as Nichiren Shōnin ("Saint Nichiren")—is the saint who refocused attention on Shakyamuni by rebuking other Buddhist schools for solely emphasizing other buddhas or esoteric practices.
This can be seen in the emphasis of training in Nichiren Shu. The Lotus Sutra is paramount in study and in practice, and Nichiren's writings—called Gosho (御書) or Goibun (御遺文)—are seen as commentaries or guides to the doctrines of Buddhism. They include the Five Major Writings of Nichiren in which he establish doctrine, belief, and practice, as well as many pastoral letters he wrote to his followers.
Nichiren wrote frequently, and readers can verify or correct their understanding of the doctrines of Nichiren Buddhism through his surviving works. Unlike Nichiren Shoshu or Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shu is far more selective about which Gosho it deems authentic. Many Gosho that are accepted by these two schools are not accepted as genuine by Nichiren Shu on grounds that scholars have not verified their authenticity.
Another difference of Nichiren Shu is the positioning in its doctrine and practices of the Odaimoku (the mantra Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō) and of the Mandala or Gohonzon. Nichiren Shu views these as the summit of the Dharma, but does not ignore other Buddhist practices. Forms of silent meditation (shōdai-gyō), artistic copying of the Odaimoku (shakyō), and the study of fundamental Buddhist concepts such as the Four Noble Truths and Taking Refuge survive in Nichiren Shu.
The Mandalas used by Nichiren Shu believers are often inscribed or based on Nichiren's own works, but not by the high priest as is the case in Nichiren Shoshu. Nichiren Shu also does not accept the Dai-Gohonzon of Nichiren Shoshu, as it believes there is no evidence that Nichiren created any wooden Mandala or asked any one to do so on his behalf.
In Japanese society, Nichiren Shu is more mainstream than Nichiren Shoshu or Soka Gakkai in that it continues to have relationships with non-Nichiren Buddhist traditions. It also is the oldest of the Nichiren traditions and has access to Mt. Minobu (身延山: where Nichiren lived in seclusion and where he requested to be buried) and many of Nichiren’s most important personal artifacts. Though Soka Gakkai’s energetic evangelization allowed it to become the largest Nichiren Buddhist group in North America, Nichiren Shu has recently begun to ordain non-Japanese priests and to expand its presence in the West.
Soka Gakai
Soka Gakkai International (創価学会インターナショナル; also, SGI) is the international umbrella organization for Soka Gakkai-affiliated lay organizations in over 190 countries. SGI has over 12 million members, who practice Soka Gakkai's particular form of Nichiren Buddhism. SGI's Japan-based parent, Soka Gakkai, was formed in 1930 and is closely associated with the New Komeito, an influential Japanese political party. SGI itself was founded in 1975 and characterizes itself and its constituent organizations as a support network for practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism. SGI members, seeking to change society for the better by applying their religious beliefs to daily life, are actively engaged in numerous community-based programs to promote cultural exchange and understanding among peoples as well as activities to propagate the Buddhism their practice.
Critics cite overzealous propagation efforts, harassment of persons who leave the organization, and overdone aggrandizement of the SGI leadership as negative aspects of school. The organizations have been collectively or individually criticized at by the media, intellectuals, and politicians in several countries and at various times for some of their actions and policies, and at least one European government has accused Soka Gakkai of engaging in cult-like practices.
History
Soka Gakkai was founded as the Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai (lit. "Value-Creation Education Society") on November 18, 1930 by Japanese educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and his colleague Josei Toda. Makiguchi sought to reform Japan's militaristic education system into a more humanistic one that would support the full development and potential of Japan's youth. His ideas on education, and his theory of value-creation (sōka), are explored in his 1930 work Sōka Kyōikugaku Taikei (The Theory of Value-Creating Pedagogy). In Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, he found a religious philosophy that reflected his educational theories, which led to the establishment of the Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai. Eventually, the focus of the organization began to shift, as Makiguchi came to the conclusion that the practice of Nichiren Shoshu itself could allow each individual develop the potential within, which he had hoped education alone would achieve. However, Makiguchi and Toda's thinking was in direct conflict with the goals of the state. When the Japanese government more rigorously enforced Shinto's position as the state religion (State Shinto) with the enactment of the Religious Organizations Law of 1939, a move designed to impose stricter governmental controls over religions (Engaged Buddhism, p. 383), and began to demand that all citizens enshrine Shinto talismans in their homes (Buddhism in the Modern World, p. 204). Makiguchi, Toda, and 18 other Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai members resisted, refusing the talismans. For refusing to cooperate with the Japanese militarist government by compromising their religious beliefs, the two educators were sent to prison. Makiguchi died there at age 72; Toda was later released and, after World War II, re-built the organization, renaming it Sōka Gakkai to reflect the extension of its membership beyond educators only. Over the years, the Soka Gakkai experienced a period of rapid growth in Japan. An organization, Nichiren Shoshu of America (NSA, later also called Nichiren Shoshu Academy, Nichirenshoshu Sokagakkai of America, and finally Soka Gakkai International – USA) was formally organized in the United States on October 13, 1960. Today, Soka Gakkai International and Nichiren Shoshu have parted ways. SGI now has a membership of anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 practitioners in the United States (Barrett, p. 303). Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was founded in 1975 as the International Buddhist League to act as the international leadership of national Soka Gakkai organizations.
From the 13th Century until the 20th Century, Nichiren Buddhism was practiced almost exclusively in Japan. Soka Gakkai emerged as the largest lay organization of Nichiren Buddhist practitioners and today, Soka Gakkai membership accounts for nearly 10 percent of Japan's population (Engaged Buddhism, p. 386).
When religious freedom took hold in Japan following World War II, Soka Gakkai began to spread Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, initially across the country, then eventually across the globe, as practitioners relocated from Japan and as non-Japanese practitioners returned to their home countries, taking the practice with them. In response, Soka Gakkai began to develop a program of international outreach to help support these members, as it had been supporting members in Japan. In 1960, Daisaku Ikeda, then third president of Soka Gakkai, made a journey that took him from Japan to the United States, Brazil and Canada. During this trip he met practitioners in each of these countries and began laying the foundation for what would later become Soka Gakkai International. In 1975, SGI was formally founded, with Daisaku Ikeda as its president. Since then, constituent organizations have been formed in 79 of the 190 countries where there were practitioners.
Since SGI was initially affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu, this is the school continues to be associated with SGI. However, SGI and Nichiren Shoshu are becoming more and more distinct. SGI's primary purpose is to provide a supporting organization for its practitioners. On its website, SGI defines its purpose as follows:
For SGI members, Buddhism is a practical philosophy of individual empowerment and inner transformation that enables people to develop themselves and take responsibility for their lives. As lay believers and engaged Buddhists, SGI members strive in their everyday lives to develop the ability to live with confidence, to create value in any circumstances and to contribute to the well-being of friends, family and community. The promotion of peace, culture and education is central to SGI's activities.
SGI has been guided by Daisaku Ikeda since the death of Second President Josei Toda in 1958. A disciple of President Toda, Ikeda succeeded him in 1960 as Soka Gakkai president and became president of the larger Soka Gakkai International upon its creation in 1975. Ikeda is, however, a controversial figure in Japan. For example, when he challenged the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood on doctrinal grounds, his challenge was considered to be an act of heresy, particularly by a priesthood that viewed and asserted itself as the ultimate authority in Nichiren Shoshu doctrine. As a consequence, he stepped down as Soka Gakkai president in November 1979. According to Nichiren Shoshu followers, he did so to apologize for his organization's deviations from Nichiren Shoshu doctrine, by which, they claim, Soka Gakkai was bound at the time to observe by its rules of incorporation. Others suggest that it was the action of a man who did not want to be responsible for creating a rift among the practitioners. Regardless of the rationale, however, a division between the followers of Nichiren Shoshu, and those who aligned themselves with Ikeda's positions, did occur, and continues to be a source of controversy and disagreement amongst practitioners. Shortly after he stepped down, he became honorary chairman of Soka Gakkai in part as a response to Soka Gakkai members' dissatisfaction with his vacating of the presidency. As of December 2005 Ikeda remains honorary chairman of Soka Gakkai and president of SGI. The current official leader of the organization is Einosuke Akiya.
Doctrine
Nichiren Daishonin (1222–1282), was a Japanese Buddhist sage who, having studied the entirety of Shakyamuni's teachings, and the commentaries of the leading Buddhist scholars of the day, proclaimed that the Lotus Sutra was Shakyamuni Buddha's ultimate teachings and that, in Shakyamuni's own words, it was the one true teaching. Nichiren declared that the title of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-Renge-Kyo, crystallized the essence of the sutra and that therefore the invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enabled a practitioner to embrace the entirety of the teaching and to thereby manifest the life-condition of Buddhahood. Shakyamuni had revealed in the Lotus Sutra that every individual possesses this life-condition, albeit as a latent Buddha nature. Nichiren Daishonin taught that the essence of the Lotus Sutra was that all men and women, regardless of social class, are inherently endowed with this Buddha nature and could therefore attain Buddhahood. In Japanese, Nichiren Daishonin is written 日蓮大聖人. "Nichiren" is a name he chose for himself when he embarked on spreading his teaching on April 28, 1253. It literally means "Sun Lotus". The word "Daishonin" is an honorific title meaning "great holy man" for he is believed to be the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
Nichiren taught that by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon (御本尊)—a mandala he inscribed with Chinese and Sanskrit characters representing the enlightened life of the True Buddha—anyone can bring forth her or his inherent Buddha nature and become enlightened. Unlike other forms of Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism taught that Buddhahood is not a static state of being, but exists in mutual possession of other states of being (referred to as the Ten Worlds). This concept is better known as ichinen sanzen, the Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life. Therefore, practitioners believe that Buddhism must be practiced not in a spiritual land or a mystic state, but in each person's daily life. This is experienced as the result of continuous effort to engage one's highest life condition, or Buddha nature, to overcome the inevitable obstacles and struggles we all face. In so doing, one establishes an unshakeable state of happiness characterized by peace, wisdom, and compassion, and this ultimately permeates every aspect of one's life. In accord with the Buddhist concept of esho funi, the oneness of person and environment, each individual has the power to then positively affect the environment around him or her. SGI practitioners call this process a "human revolution." Nichiren Daishonin argued that when and if human beings fully embraced his teachings, the peace they would develop within would eventually be reflected in the environment as peace in society at large.
Practice
The basic practice of SGI members is based on faith, practice, and study. Faith entails chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo daily and reciting gongyo (the Expedient Means and Life Span Chapters of the Lotus Sutra), which takes about 5 minutes. Practice involves chanting as described above, plus participation in the community and sharing Buddhist practice with others. Study is the dedication of some part of ones life to the reading of important Buddhist teachings, most important among them the study of the collected writings of Nichiren Daishonin, called gosho. Many gosho have recently been compiled in a single English volume titled The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. These translations are based on a Japanese volume called Nichiren Daishonin Gosho Zenshu (The complete works of Nichiren Daishonin), which was compiled by 59th Nichiren Shoshu High Priest Nichiko Hori and published by Soka Gakkai in 1952. Translations are available in, or are being undertaken into, other languages as well. Additional reading materials include the Lotus Sutra, the writings of Daisaku Ikeda and other writers and scholars of the Lotus Sutra and of Nichiren Buddhism. The weekly newspaper The World Tribune and the monthly Buddhist journal Living Buddhism provide inspiration, encouragement, and informative articles geared to deepen readers' understanding of Nichiren Buddhist concepts and practices.
Followers of Soka Gakkai and SGI believe that chanting energizes and refreshes the practitioner both spiritually and mentally, leaving him or her happier, wiser, more compassionate, more productive, and more prosperous in all areas of their lives. Chanting is also believed to have a positive impact on the world at large, for as each individual develops him- or herself, he or she becomes a happier, more productive, more compassionate and wiser person, and this in turn will affect the lives of others as well.
Soka Gakkai and SGI's other constituent organizations hold regular grassroots gatherings known as discussion meetings. Available on a monthly basis, they are usually held in members' homes. Important events, monthly World Peace Prayers (Kosen Rufu Gongyo), commemorative meetings, and monthly study meetings are usually held in SGI community centers (larger centers are usually called culture centers).
SGI Charter
Soka Gakkai's official charter is as follows:
Purposes and Principles
1. SGI shall contribute to peace, culture and education for the happiness and welfare of all humanity based on Buddhist respect for the sanctity of life.
2. SGI, based on the ideal of world citizenship, shall safeguard fundamental human rights and not discriminate against any individual on any grounds.
3. SGI shall respect and protect the freedom of religion and religious expression.
4. SGI shall promote an understanding of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism through grass-roots exchange, thereby contributing to individual happiness.
5. SGI shall, through its constituent organizations, encourage its members to contribute toward the prosperity of their respective societies as good citizens.
6. SGI shall respect the independence and autonomy of its constituent organizations in accordance with the conditions prevailing in each country.
7. SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them toward the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.
8. SGI shall respect cultural diversity and promote cultural exchange, thereby creating an international society of mutual understanding and harmony.
9. SGI shall promote, based on the Buddhist ideal of symbiosis, the protection of nature and the environment.
10. SGI shall contribute to the promotion of education, in pursuit of truth as well as the development of scholarship, to enable all people to cultivate their individual character and enjoy fulfilling and happy lives.
Criticism
In spite of their declared mission for peace, culture and education, the SGI and Soka Gakkai are also a focus of criticism and controversy. Soka Gakkai, the Japanese organization, has a reputation for involvement in Japan's political arena. Though officially the two are separate, it is closely affiliated with the New Clean Government Party (also known as the New Komeito Party), a major political party in Japan. Though SGI and New Komeito both publicly deny any relationship, and declare that they are separate organizations, accusations that Soka Gakkai in effect controls New Komeito persist and the public perception remains strong.
Soka Gakkai and Soka Gakkai International are perceived by some critics to be a cult or a cult-like group. Their concerns are that Soka Gakkai places an emphasis on recruitment, that it demonizes perceived opponents, and that it uses phobia indoctrination and peer pressure. Some critics also assert that the organization emphasizes dependence on the organization for spiritual advancement. Another point of contention concerns SGI's application of the mentor–disciple concept.
According to SGI, the mentor-and-disciple relationship is a very important aspect of living a full life, for every human being; detractors see SGI's version of the mentor–disciple relationship as a cult of personality for its intense focus on SGI President Ikeda. SGI defenders argue that in most cultures, and for most human beings, the idea of looking to those who have come before us, and finding a person who one can feel a kinship with, that one may look to as an example for how to live one's life, for guidance, encouragement, and support, is a common part of human development, and that there establishing a lasting relationship with such an individual is an important part of life.
SGI members attribute this view to the mentor–disciple relationship of Nichiren Buddhism, which they describe as the central pillar upon which the practice and the organization have developed: Shakyamuni was the mentor to Nichiren; Nichiren, the mentor to his disciples; and they, mentors to future practitioners. Makiguchi took Nichiren as a mentor in his life, while Toda took Makiguchi as his. Ikeda continued the tradition with Toda as his mentor, and now members throughout the world have chosen Ikeda, along with Toda, Makiguchi, Nichiren, and Shakyamuni, to be their mentors.
To those suspicious of Ikeda and SGI, this relationship is viewed as symptomatic of a cult of personality. Critics also question the authority and authenticity of Ikeda's writings. The use of the familial term sensei ("teacher") to refer to Ikeda is looked upon with suspicion and considered to be symbolic and further evidence of a cult of personality focused on Ikeda. Many Nichiren Buddhists, SGI members, and non-practicing people around the world view Ikeda and his life as a great example of how to use the practice in their own lives. He is viewed as an inspiration and an example of the power of one person to have a substantial positive effect on our world. For many members, Ikeda, as well as Shakyamuni, Nichiren, Makiguchi, Toda, and a host of other like minded philosophers, and thinkers around the world, are taken as models for how one may build their own lives around ideas of peace, culture, and education, and within all levels of their lives—family, work, friends, and society at large.
Critics of SGI and Ikeda are suspicious of the way he is considered by members to be a living embodiment of the power of the practice of SGI Buddhism. They assert that members are pressured to view Ikeda as their mentor in life. They are also suspicious and distrustful of the idea of mentor-disciple relationships, and question the motivation behind SGI's application of the concept.
There is controversy about the degree of religious tolerance practiced by Soka Gakkai members. Official materials state all other religions, including other Buddhist denominations, are viewed as valuable in as much as they are able to support the happiness, empowerment, and development of all people. Religious tolerance and a deep respect for culture are strongly emphasized in the organization. (See the .)
Furthermore, the Soka Gakkai has maintained a position in support of religious freedom, based on the firm understanding that it is absolutely necessary for each individual to have the freedom and the ability to engage in his or her own spiritual quest in order to develop spiritual maturity—both within the individual, and within society. Without religious freedom, human beings—and consequently the religious institutions that serve them—are denied and restricted in their own spiritual development. For example, one may point to the evolution in thinking within various religious institutions as indicative of spiritual evolution at the societal level. Nichiren Buddhism is a humanistic religion, based on Lotus Sutra, which espouses that every human being has the potential for enlightenment, regardless of race, ethnicity, social or economic status, sexual orientation, gender, or any other distinction. Over the years, in pluralistic societies with religious freedom, we can see that other religions have grown to become more humanistic in their approach as well.
On the other hand, in nations in which there is little religious freedom, one can see stagnation in individual spiritual development, as well as the stifling of religious institutional development. This leads to a spiritual stagnation of the society as a whole. Clearly, religious freedom is a necessary condition for spiritual evolution. While Nichiren Buddhists and SGI maintain that the end result of such a spiritual quest will eventually lead to spiritual practices which are in accord with the Lotus Sutra, they are not in favor of forcing the religion on anyone.
SGI members attribute the criticism of intolerance to a misunderstanding of one of Nichiren Daishonin's most important treatises, the ("On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land").
Written by Nichiren Daishonin in 13th-century Japan, the document argued doctrine with other Buddhist leaders of the time. His thesis was that if they professed to follow the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, they must also consider and adhere to his admonitions from his ultimate teaching, the Lotus Sutra. He called their attention to Shakyamuni's admonitions and remonstrated with them, pleading that they consider the teaching and reform their way of practice to reflect Shakyamuni's original intent. Contrary to the perception of many critics, Nichiren did not call for an end to other religions with the replacement of his own; he sought for other schools to re-examine their own practices in light of Shakyamuni's the Lotus Sutra and to bring their practices into accord with it.
In this treatise, Nichiren Daishonin argues that the government and religious institutions of the day had become corrupt and were failing to uphold the essential teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha through their failure to support the development of the people. In this way they were, in Buddhist terms, creating bad karma that was causing the country and the people to suffer. Observing the conditions of his day, a time in medieval Japan filled with all manner of environmental disasters, war, and disease—conditions described in the Lotus Sutra—he concluded that unless these institutions reformed, they and the country would continue to endure all manner of calamity and suffering.
This was a bold statement that earned him the wrath of many religious and governmental authorities. SGI argues that his goal was not the abolishment of other religions, but rather an urgent appeal for religious and governmental authorities to "clean up their act."
Excommunication
The fundamental practice of Soka Gakkai and SGI members is derived from Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, a form of Nichiren Buddhism. However, due to a number of ongoing issues and disputes that existed between the current high priest and the leadership of Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu's high priest excommunicated Soka Gakkai and SGI, and later SGI President Daisaku Ikeda in 1992. At that time, Soka Gakkai was a lay organization closely affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu.
The conflict from which this move stemmed had been growing throughout the late 1980s and especially during 1990, but its roots can be traced back to the very beginning of their relationship, in the 1930s. A turning point seems to have centered around the early 1970s when the Shōhondō ("Grand Main Hall"), a building in the Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple Taiseki-ji) compound, was being erected at the request of then-Soka Gakkai President Daisaku Ikeda, and with the financial support of Soka Gakkai and SGI membership. The priesthood felt that Soka Gakkai had begun deviating from Nichiren Shoshu teachings and began to admonish its leaders to uphold the school's doctrines and practices in matters of faith. The priesthood believed that Soka Gakkai was trying to gain effective control over the priesthood, and rising friction and resentment on both sides came to a peak in the late 1970s. To some, the split seemed imminent.
From the perspective of the priesthood and its supporters, it appeared that most of the Soka Gakkai membership was ready to side with the priesthood, and they attribute to this the Soka Gakkai leadership's eventual backing down and apologizing to the priesthood and a subsequent vow to never again deviate from Nichiren Shoshu teachings. This took place at a leaders meeting at Taiseki-ji on November 7, 1978. On April 24, 1979, Ikeda stepped down as Soka Gakkai president to take responsibility, and the high priest (66th High Priest Nittatsu) decided to give the organization a chance to redeem itself.
From then on, Soka Gakkai officially upheld its promises, but it is said that in private, debate continued amongst members. There are said to have been frequent criticisms of the priesthood and followers of the priesthood were said to have been discouraged from associating with the temples. From the perspective of the priesthood, towards the end of 1990, Soka Gakkai's leadership again displayed open hostility towards the priesthood. This is said to have led to a heated exchange of documents demanding clarification of the other party's intentions. At the end of 1990, and effective from January 1, 1991, the priesthood stripped all top lay leaders, including Ikeda, of their leadership positions in the direct Nichiren Shoshu lay hierarchy; the move seems to have been meant to be a warning that Nichiren Shoshu was serious.
The priesthood frequently reminded Soka Gakkai leaders of their earlier promises and urged them to cease from challenging the role of the priesthood, but, according to Nichiren Shoshu reports, Soka Gakkai leaders continued to ratchet up their rhetoric, and the priesthood responded in kind. Each party blamed the other as initiator of the attacks. A final warning from the priesthood came in October 1991, but was rejected. It was followed by a public document on November 7 urging Soka Gakkai to voluntarily disband. Finally, on November 28, 1979, Nichiren Shoshu declared that it was dissociating itself from the Soka Gakkai and SGI organizations, effectively excommunicating the Soka Gakkai and SGI. Soka Gakkai Honorary Chairman and SGI President Ikeda was first personally excommunicated (removed from the Nichiren Shoshu believers roster) on August 11, 1992.
The ensuing years were marked by internal efforts to dissuade Soka Gakkai members from joining the temples, attempts to tempt Soka Gakkai members to join the temples, and counter-attempts to get those who did to leave. Numerous lawsuits have been filed by both parties charging everything from sexual improprieties to defamation of character and demanding everything from the return of previously made donations to apologies. As of November 2005, 172 lawsuits have closed and five are still in the courts.
In 1999, High Priest Nikken had the Shōhondō ("Grand Main Hall") demolished on the ground that it had been built and donated for what he termed ulterior motives instead of as an expression of faith, and he had it replaced with a building that the priesthood felt was more in line with its interpretation of its significance. Other ferroconcrete temple buildings that had been partially or wholly built and donated by Soka Gakkai, foremost among them the Grand Reception Hall, were also replaced with ones of more traditional design. And a large number of sakura (cherry blossom) trees, also donated by Soka Gakkai members, were also cut down to make way for an open plaza.
Soka Gakkai and SGI are now separate organizations, totally independent of Nichiren Shoshu.
Critics cite overzealous propagation efforts, harassment of persons who leave the organization, and overdone aggrandizement of the SGI leadership as negative aspects of school. The organizations have been collectively or individually criticized at by the media, intellectuals, and politicians in several countries and at various times for some of their actions and policies, and at least one European government has accused Soka Gakkai of engaging in cult-like practices.
History
Soka Gakkai was founded as the Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai (lit. "Value-Creation Education Society") on November 18, 1930 by Japanese educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and his colleague Josei Toda. Makiguchi sought to reform Japan's militaristic education system into a more humanistic one that would support the full development and potential of Japan's youth. His ideas on education, and his theory of value-creation (sōka), are explored in his 1930 work Sōka Kyōikugaku Taikei (The Theory of Value-Creating Pedagogy). In Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, he found a religious philosophy that reflected his educational theories, which led to the establishment of the Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai. Eventually, the focus of the organization began to shift, as Makiguchi came to the conclusion that the practice of Nichiren Shoshu itself could allow each individual develop the potential within, which he had hoped education alone would achieve. However, Makiguchi and Toda's thinking was in direct conflict with the goals of the state. When the Japanese government more rigorously enforced Shinto's position as the state religion (State Shinto) with the enactment of the Religious Organizations Law of 1939, a move designed to impose stricter governmental controls over religions (Engaged Buddhism, p. 383), and began to demand that all citizens enshrine Shinto talismans in their homes (Buddhism in the Modern World, p. 204). Makiguchi, Toda, and 18 other Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai members resisted, refusing the talismans. For refusing to cooperate with the Japanese militarist government by compromising their religious beliefs, the two educators were sent to prison. Makiguchi died there at age 72; Toda was later released and, after World War II, re-built the organization, renaming it Sōka Gakkai to reflect the extension of its membership beyond educators only. Over the years, the Soka Gakkai experienced a period of rapid growth in Japan. An organization, Nichiren Shoshu of America (NSA, later also called Nichiren Shoshu Academy, Nichirenshoshu Sokagakkai of America, and finally Soka Gakkai International – USA) was formally organized in the United States on October 13, 1960. Today, Soka Gakkai International and Nichiren Shoshu have parted ways. SGI now has a membership of anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 practitioners in the United States (Barrett, p. 303). Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was founded in 1975 as the International Buddhist League to act as the international leadership of national Soka Gakkai organizations.
From the 13th Century until the 20th Century, Nichiren Buddhism was practiced almost exclusively in Japan. Soka Gakkai emerged as the largest lay organization of Nichiren Buddhist practitioners and today, Soka Gakkai membership accounts for nearly 10 percent of Japan's population (Engaged Buddhism, p. 386).
When religious freedom took hold in Japan following World War II, Soka Gakkai began to spread Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, initially across the country, then eventually across the globe, as practitioners relocated from Japan and as non-Japanese practitioners returned to their home countries, taking the practice with them. In response, Soka Gakkai began to develop a program of international outreach to help support these members, as it had been supporting members in Japan. In 1960, Daisaku Ikeda, then third president of Soka Gakkai, made a journey that took him from Japan to the United States, Brazil and Canada. During this trip he met practitioners in each of these countries and began laying the foundation for what would later become Soka Gakkai International. In 1975, SGI was formally founded, with Daisaku Ikeda as its president. Since then, constituent organizations have been formed in 79 of the 190 countries where there were practitioners.
Since SGI was initially affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu, this is the school continues to be associated with SGI. However, SGI and Nichiren Shoshu are becoming more and more distinct. SGI's primary purpose is to provide a supporting organization for its practitioners. On its website, SGI defines its purpose as follows:
For SGI members, Buddhism is a practical philosophy of individual empowerment and inner transformation that enables people to develop themselves and take responsibility for their lives. As lay believers and engaged Buddhists, SGI members strive in their everyday lives to develop the ability to live with confidence, to create value in any circumstances and to contribute to the well-being of friends, family and community. The promotion of peace, culture and education is central to SGI's activities.
SGI has been guided by Daisaku Ikeda since the death of Second President Josei Toda in 1958. A disciple of President Toda, Ikeda succeeded him in 1960 as Soka Gakkai president and became president of the larger Soka Gakkai International upon its creation in 1975. Ikeda is, however, a controversial figure in Japan. For example, when he challenged the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood on doctrinal grounds, his challenge was considered to be an act of heresy, particularly by a priesthood that viewed and asserted itself as the ultimate authority in Nichiren Shoshu doctrine. As a consequence, he stepped down as Soka Gakkai president in November 1979. According to Nichiren Shoshu followers, he did so to apologize for his organization's deviations from Nichiren Shoshu doctrine, by which, they claim, Soka Gakkai was bound at the time to observe by its rules of incorporation. Others suggest that it was the action of a man who did not want to be responsible for creating a rift among the practitioners. Regardless of the rationale, however, a division between the followers of Nichiren Shoshu, and those who aligned themselves with Ikeda's positions, did occur, and continues to be a source of controversy and disagreement amongst practitioners. Shortly after he stepped down, he became honorary chairman of Soka Gakkai in part as a response to Soka Gakkai members' dissatisfaction with his vacating of the presidency. As of December 2005 Ikeda remains honorary chairman of Soka Gakkai and president of SGI. The current official leader of the organization is Einosuke Akiya.
Doctrine
Nichiren Daishonin (1222–1282), was a Japanese Buddhist sage who, having studied the entirety of Shakyamuni's teachings, and the commentaries of the leading Buddhist scholars of the day, proclaimed that the Lotus Sutra was Shakyamuni Buddha's ultimate teachings and that, in Shakyamuni's own words, it was the one true teaching. Nichiren declared that the title of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-Renge-Kyo, crystallized the essence of the sutra and that therefore the invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enabled a practitioner to embrace the entirety of the teaching and to thereby manifest the life-condition of Buddhahood. Shakyamuni had revealed in the Lotus Sutra that every individual possesses this life-condition, albeit as a latent Buddha nature. Nichiren Daishonin taught that the essence of the Lotus Sutra was that all men and women, regardless of social class, are inherently endowed with this Buddha nature and could therefore attain Buddhahood. In Japanese, Nichiren Daishonin is written 日蓮大聖人. "Nichiren" is a name he chose for himself when he embarked on spreading his teaching on April 28, 1253. It literally means "Sun Lotus". The word "Daishonin" is an honorific title meaning "great holy man" for he is believed to be the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
Nichiren taught that by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon (御本尊)—a mandala he inscribed with Chinese and Sanskrit characters representing the enlightened life of the True Buddha—anyone can bring forth her or his inherent Buddha nature and become enlightened. Unlike other forms of Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism taught that Buddhahood is not a static state of being, but exists in mutual possession of other states of being (referred to as the Ten Worlds). This concept is better known as ichinen sanzen, the Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life. Therefore, practitioners believe that Buddhism must be practiced not in a spiritual land or a mystic state, but in each person's daily life. This is experienced as the result of continuous effort to engage one's highest life condition, or Buddha nature, to overcome the inevitable obstacles and struggles we all face. In so doing, one establishes an unshakeable state of happiness characterized by peace, wisdom, and compassion, and this ultimately permeates every aspect of one's life. In accord with the Buddhist concept of esho funi, the oneness of person and environment, each individual has the power to then positively affect the environment around him or her. SGI practitioners call this process a "human revolution." Nichiren Daishonin argued that when and if human beings fully embraced his teachings, the peace they would develop within would eventually be reflected in the environment as peace in society at large.
Practice
The basic practice of SGI members is based on faith, practice, and study. Faith entails chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo daily and reciting gongyo (the Expedient Means and Life Span Chapters of the Lotus Sutra), which takes about 5 minutes. Practice involves chanting as described above, plus participation in the community and sharing Buddhist practice with others. Study is the dedication of some part of ones life to the reading of important Buddhist teachings, most important among them the study of the collected writings of Nichiren Daishonin, called gosho. Many gosho have recently been compiled in a single English volume titled The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. These translations are based on a Japanese volume called Nichiren Daishonin Gosho Zenshu (The complete works of Nichiren Daishonin), which was compiled by 59th Nichiren Shoshu High Priest Nichiko Hori and published by Soka Gakkai in 1952. Translations are available in, or are being undertaken into, other languages as well. Additional reading materials include the Lotus Sutra, the writings of Daisaku Ikeda and other writers and scholars of the Lotus Sutra and of Nichiren Buddhism. The weekly newspaper The World Tribune and the monthly Buddhist journal Living Buddhism provide inspiration, encouragement, and informative articles geared to deepen readers' understanding of Nichiren Buddhist concepts and practices.
Followers of Soka Gakkai and SGI believe that chanting energizes and refreshes the practitioner both spiritually and mentally, leaving him or her happier, wiser, more compassionate, more productive, and more prosperous in all areas of their lives. Chanting is also believed to have a positive impact on the world at large, for as each individual develops him- or herself, he or she becomes a happier, more productive, more compassionate and wiser person, and this in turn will affect the lives of others as well.
Soka Gakkai and SGI's other constituent organizations hold regular grassroots gatherings known as discussion meetings. Available on a monthly basis, they are usually held in members' homes. Important events, monthly World Peace Prayers (Kosen Rufu Gongyo), commemorative meetings, and monthly study meetings are usually held in SGI community centers (larger centers are usually called culture centers).
SGI Charter
Soka Gakkai's official charter is as follows:
Purposes and Principles
1. SGI shall contribute to peace, culture and education for the happiness and welfare of all humanity based on Buddhist respect for the sanctity of life.
2. SGI, based on the ideal of world citizenship, shall safeguard fundamental human rights and not discriminate against any individual on any grounds.
3. SGI shall respect and protect the freedom of religion and religious expression.
4. SGI shall promote an understanding of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism through grass-roots exchange, thereby contributing to individual happiness.
5. SGI shall, through its constituent organizations, encourage its members to contribute toward the prosperity of their respective societies as good citizens.
6. SGI shall respect the independence and autonomy of its constituent organizations in accordance with the conditions prevailing in each country.
7. SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them toward the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.
8. SGI shall respect cultural diversity and promote cultural exchange, thereby creating an international society of mutual understanding and harmony.
9. SGI shall promote, based on the Buddhist ideal of symbiosis, the protection of nature and the environment.
10. SGI shall contribute to the promotion of education, in pursuit of truth as well as the development of scholarship, to enable all people to cultivate their individual character and enjoy fulfilling and happy lives.
Criticism
In spite of their declared mission for peace, culture and education, the SGI and Soka Gakkai are also a focus of criticism and controversy. Soka Gakkai, the Japanese organization, has a reputation for involvement in Japan's political arena. Though officially the two are separate, it is closely affiliated with the New Clean Government Party (also known as the New Komeito Party), a major political party in Japan. Though SGI and New Komeito both publicly deny any relationship, and declare that they are separate organizations, accusations that Soka Gakkai in effect controls New Komeito persist and the public perception remains strong.
Soka Gakkai and Soka Gakkai International are perceived by some critics to be a cult or a cult-like group. Their concerns are that Soka Gakkai places an emphasis on recruitment, that it demonizes perceived opponents, and that it uses phobia indoctrination and peer pressure. Some critics also assert that the organization emphasizes dependence on the organization for spiritual advancement. Another point of contention concerns SGI's application of the mentor–disciple concept.
According to SGI, the mentor-and-disciple relationship is a very important aspect of living a full life, for every human being; detractors see SGI's version of the mentor–disciple relationship as a cult of personality for its intense focus on SGI President Ikeda. SGI defenders argue that in most cultures, and for most human beings, the idea of looking to those who have come before us, and finding a person who one can feel a kinship with, that one may look to as an example for how to live one's life, for guidance, encouragement, and support, is a common part of human development, and that there establishing a lasting relationship with such an individual is an important part of life.
SGI members attribute this view to the mentor–disciple relationship of Nichiren Buddhism, which they describe as the central pillar upon which the practice and the organization have developed: Shakyamuni was the mentor to Nichiren; Nichiren, the mentor to his disciples; and they, mentors to future practitioners. Makiguchi took Nichiren as a mentor in his life, while Toda took Makiguchi as his. Ikeda continued the tradition with Toda as his mentor, and now members throughout the world have chosen Ikeda, along with Toda, Makiguchi, Nichiren, and Shakyamuni, to be their mentors.
To those suspicious of Ikeda and SGI, this relationship is viewed as symptomatic of a cult of personality. Critics also question the authority and authenticity of Ikeda's writings. The use of the familial term sensei ("teacher") to refer to Ikeda is looked upon with suspicion and considered to be symbolic and further evidence of a cult of personality focused on Ikeda. Many Nichiren Buddhists, SGI members, and non-practicing people around the world view Ikeda and his life as a great example of how to use the practice in their own lives. He is viewed as an inspiration and an example of the power of one person to have a substantial positive effect on our world. For many members, Ikeda, as well as Shakyamuni, Nichiren, Makiguchi, Toda, and a host of other like minded philosophers, and thinkers around the world, are taken as models for how one may build their own lives around ideas of peace, culture, and education, and within all levels of their lives—family, work, friends, and society at large.
Critics of SGI and Ikeda are suspicious of the way he is considered by members to be a living embodiment of the power of the practice of SGI Buddhism. They assert that members are pressured to view Ikeda as their mentor in life. They are also suspicious and distrustful of the idea of mentor-disciple relationships, and question the motivation behind SGI's application of the concept.
There is controversy about the degree of religious tolerance practiced by Soka Gakkai members. Official materials state all other religions, including other Buddhist denominations, are viewed as valuable in as much as they are able to support the happiness, empowerment, and development of all people. Religious tolerance and a deep respect for culture are strongly emphasized in the organization. (See the .)
Furthermore, the Soka Gakkai has maintained a position in support of religious freedom, based on the firm understanding that it is absolutely necessary for each individual to have the freedom and the ability to engage in his or her own spiritual quest in order to develop spiritual maturity—both within the individual, and within society. Without religious freedom, human beings—and consequently the religious institutions that serve them—are denied and restricted in their own spiritual development. For example, one may point to the evolution in thinking within various religious institutions as indicative of spiritual evolution at the societal level. Nichiren Buddhism is a humanistic religion, based on Lotus Sutra, which espouses that every human being has the potential for enlightenment, regardless of race, ethnicity, social or economic status, sexual orientation, gender, or any other distinction. Over the years, in pluralistic societies with religious freedom, we can see that other religions have grown to become more humanistic in their approach as well.
On the other hand, in nations in which there is little religious freedom, one can see stagnation in individual spiritual development, as well as the stifling of religious institutional development. This leads to a spiritual stagnation of the society as a whole. Clearly, religious freedom is a necessary condition for spiritual evolution. While Nichiren Buddhists and SGI maintain that the end result of such a spiritual quest will eventually lead to spiritual practices which are in accord with the Lotus Sutra, they are not in favor of forcing the religion on anyone.
SGI members attribute the criticism of intolerance to a misunderstanding of one of Nichiren Daishonin's most important treatises, the ("On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land").
Written by Nichiren Daishonin in 13th-century Japan, the document argued doctrine with other Buddhist leaders of the time. His thesis was that if they professed to follow the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, they must also consider and adhere to his admonitions from his ultimate teaching, the Lotus Sutra. He called their attention to Shakyamuni's admonitions and remonstrated with them, pleading that they consider the teaching and reform their way of practice to reflect Shakyamuni's original intent. Contrary to the perception of many critics, Nichiren did not call for an end to other religions with the replacement of his own; he sought for other schools to re-examine their own practices in light of Shakyamuni's the Lotus Sutra and to bring their practices into accord with it.
In this treatise, Nichiren Daishonin argues that the government and religious institutions of the day had become corrupt and were failing to uphold the essential teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha through their failure to support the development of the people. In this way they were, in Buddhist terms, creating bad karma that was causing the country and the people to suffer. Observing the conditions of his day, a time in medieval Japan filled with all manner of environmental disasters, war, and disease—conditions described in the Lotus Sutra—he concluded that unless these institutions reformed, they and the country would continue to endure all manner of calamity and suffering.
This was a bold statement that earned him the wrath of many religious and governmental authorities. SGI argues that his goal was not the abolishment of other religions, but rather an urgent appeal for religious and governmental authorities to "clean up their act."
Excommunication
The fundamental practice of Soka Gakkai and SGI members is derived from Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, a form of Nichiren Buddhism. However, due to a number of ongoing issues and disputes that existed between the current high priest and the leadership of Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu's high priest excommunicated Soka Gakkai and SGI, and later SGI President Daisaku Ikeda in 1992. At that time, Soka Gakkai was a lay organization closely affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu.
The conflict from which this move stemmed had been growing throughout the late 1980s and especially during 1990, but its roots can be traced back to the very beginning of their relationship, in the 1930s. A turning point seems to have centered around the early 1970s when the Shōhondō ("Grand Main Hall"), a building in the Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple Taiseki-ji) compound, was being erected at the request of then-Soka Gakkai President Daisaku Ikeda, and with the financial support of Soka Gakkai and SGI membership. The priesthood felt that Soka Gakkai had begun deviating from Nichiren Shoshu teachings and began to admonish its leaders to uphold the school's doctrines and practices in matters of faith. The priesthood believed that Soka Gakkai was trying to gain effective control over the priesthood, and rising friction and resentment on both sides came to a peak in the late 1970s. To some, the split seemed imminent.
From the perspective of the priesthood and its supporters, it appeared that most of the Soka Gakkai membership was ready to side with the priesthood, and they attribute to this the Soka Gakkai leadership's eventual backing down and apologizing to the priesthood and a subsequent vow to never again deviate from Nichiren Shoshu teachings. This took place at a leaders meeting at Taiseki-ji on November 7, 1978. On April 24, 1979, Ikeda stepped down as Soka Gakkai president to take responsibility, and the high priest (66th High Priest Nittatsu) decided to give the organization a chance to redeem itself.
From then on, Soka Gakkai officially upheld its promises, but it is said that in private, debate continued amongst members. There are said to have been frequent criticisms of the priesthood and followers of the priesthood were said to have been discouraged from associating with the temples. From the perspective of the priesthood, towards the end of 1990, Soka Gakkai's leadership again displayed open hostility towards the priesthood. This is said to have led to a heated exchange of documents demanding clarification of the other party's intentions. At the end of 1990, and effective from January 1, 1991, the priesthood stripped all top lay leaders, including Ikeda, of their leadership positions in the direct Nichiren Shoshu lay hierarchy; the move seems to have been meant to be a warning that Nichiren Shoshu was serious.
The priesthood frequently reminded Soka Gakkai leaders of their earlier promises and urged them to cease from challenging the role of the priesthood, but, according to Nichiren Shoshu reports, Soka Gakkai leaders continued to ratchet up their rhetoric, and the priesthood responded in kind. Each party blamed the other as initiator of the attacks. A final warning from the priesthood came in October 1991, but was rejected. It was followed by a public document on November 7 urging Soka Gakkai to voluntarily disband. Finally, on November 28, 1979, Nichiren Shoshu declared that it was dissociating itself from the Soka Gakkai and SGI organizations, effectively excommunicating the Soka Gakkai and SGI. Soka Gakkai Honorary Chairman and SGI President Ikeda was first personally excommunicated (removed from the Nichiren Shoshu believers roster) on August 11, 1992.
The ensuing years were marked by internal efforts to dissuade Soka Gakkai members from joining the temples, attempts to tempt Soka Gakkai members to join the temples, and counter-attempts to get those who did to leave. Numerous lawsuits have been filed by both parties charging everything from sexual improprieties to defamation of character and demanding everything from the return of previously made donations to apologies. As of November 2005, 172 lawsuits have closed and five are still in the courts.
In 1999, High Priest Nikken had the Shōhondō ("Grand Main Hall") demolished on the ground that it had been built and donated for what he termed ulterior motives instead of as an expression of faith, and he had it replaced with a building that the priesthood felt was more in line with its interpretation of its significance. Other ferroconcrete temple buildings that had been partially or wholly built and donated by Soka Gakkai, foremost among them the Grand Reception Hall, were also replaced with ones of more traditional design. And a large number of sakura (cherry blossom) trees, also donated by Soka Gakkai members, were also cut down to make way for an open plaza.
Soka Gakkai and SGI are now separate organizations, totally independent of Nichiren Shoshu.
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