Nichiren Buddhism (Japanese: 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū (Japanese: 法華宗, meaning Lotus Sect), is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one of the Kamakura period schools.[1]: 239 [2] Its teachings derive from some 300–400 extant letters and treatises either authored by or attributed to Nichiren.[3][4][5]
Nichiren Buddhism generally sources its basic doctrine from the Lotus Sutra claiming that all sentient beings possess an internal Buddha-nature capable of attaining Buddhahood in the current life. There are three essential aspects to Nichiren Buddhism:
The faith in Nichiren's Gohonzon
The chanting of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with varying recitations of the Lotus Sutra
The study of Nichiren's scriptural writings, called Gosho[6][7]: 225
After his death, Nichiren left to both his senior disciples and lay followers the mandate to widely propagate the Gohonzon and chanting the Daimoku in order to secure the peace and prosperity of society.[8]: 99
Traditionalist Nichiren Buddhist temple groups are commonly associated with Nichiren Shōshū and various Nichiren-shū schools. In addition, modern lay organizations not affiliated with temples such as Soka Gakkai, Kenshokai, Shoshinkai, Risshō Kōsei Kai, and Honmon Butsuryū-shū also exist while some Japanese new religions are Nichiren-inspired lay groups.[9]
The Soka Gakkai International is often called "the most prominent Japanese 'export' religion to draw significant numbers of non-Japanese converts", by which Nichiren Buddhism has spread throughout the world.[10]
Nichiren upheld the belief that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest degree of Buddhist teachings and proposed a classification system that ranks the quality of religions[11][12]: 128 and various Nichiren schools can be either accommodating or vigorously opposed to any other forms of Buddhism or religious beliefs. Various followers debate Nichiren status, as a Bodhisattva, a mortal saint, or an "Original Buddha" of the third age of Buddhism.[13][7][14][15] Nichiren Buddhism is practiced in many countries.[16] The largest groups are Soka Gakkai International, Nichiren Shu, and Nichiren Shōshū.[17]
^Cite error: The named reference Stone1999a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Richard K. Payne, Re-Visioning Kamakura Buddhism (Studies in East Asian Buddhism) (Studies in East Asian Buddhism, 11), University of Hawaii Press, ISBN 978-0824820787, p. 24
^Iida, Shotaro (1987). "Chapter 5: 700 Years After Nichiren". In Nicholls, William (ed.). Modernity and Religion. Wilfrid Laurier University Press. pp. 98–105. ISBN 978-0-88920-154-5. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^Arai, Nissatsu (1893). Outlines of the Doctrine of the Nichiren Sect, Submitted to the Parliament of the World's Religions. Tokyo, Japan: Central Office of the Nichiren Sect. p. vi. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2017. One who wants to know how high was his virtue, how profound and extensive was his learning, how heroic and grand was his character, and how gigantic and epoch-making was his mission, needs only to read his works.
^"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Fowler, Jeaneane and Merv (2009). Chanting in the Hillsides. Portland, Oregon: Sussex Academic Press. p. 141.
^ abEllwood, Robert S.; Csikszentmihalyi, Mark A. (2003). "Chapter 12: East Asian Religions in Today's America". In Neusner, Jacob (ed.). World Religions in America: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 225. ISBN 9780664224752. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
^Anesaki, Masaharu (1916). Nichiren, the Buddhist Prophet. Harvard University Press. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^Shimazono, Susumu (2004). "Daimoku (Invocation)". In Clarke, Peter (ed.). Encyclopedia of new religious movements. Routledge. p. 151. ISBN 9781134499700. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020. Moreover, many Nichiren-inspired new religions (see New Religious Movement) are lay Buddhist movements. The training and practices do not require advanced scholarly knowledge. They offer a type of Buddhism that ordinary people preoccupied with their families and occupations can practice without becoming priests and having to dedicate themselves exclusively to spiritual matters.
^Machacek and Wilson (2000). Global Citizens. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-19-924039-5.
^Petzold, Bruno (1995). Ichimura, Shohei (ed.). The classification of Buddhism : comprising the classification of Buddhist doctrines in India, China and Japan = Bukkyō-kyōhan. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 627. ISBN 9783447033732. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
^Stone, Jacqueline I (2012). "The Sin of "Slandering the True Dharma" in Nichiren's Thought" (PDF). Sins and Sinners : Perspectives from Asian Religions. Granoff, P. E. (Phyllis Emily, 1947–), Shinohara, Koichi (1941–). Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004232006. OCLC 809194690. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
^Hein, Patrick (2014). The Goddess and the Dragon: A Study on Identity Strength and Psychosocial Resilience in Japan. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 9781443868723. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
^Cornille, Catherine (1998). "Canon formation in new religious movements: The case of the Japanese new religions". In Debeek, A. Van; Van der Toorn, Karel (eds.). Canonization and Decanonization. Brill. p. 284. ISBN 978-9004112469. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
^Hammond, Phillip (2000). "Foreword". In Macacheck, David W; Wilson, Bryan R. (eds.). Global Citizens. Oxford University Press. p. v. ISBN 978-0-19-924039-5.
^Dobbelaere, Karel (1998). Soka Gakkai. Signature Books. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-56085-153-0.
^"Nichiren: Fast Facts and Introduction". Religion Facts. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
NichirenBuddhism (Japanese: 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū (Japanese: 法華宗, meaning Lotus Sect), is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings...
Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of NichirenBuddhism, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. Nichiren: 77 : 1 declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains...
Buddhism. It may take the form of a scroll or statuary. The term gohonzon typically refers to the mainstream use of venerated objects within Nichiren...
lead the people to attain enlightenment. The Nichiren Shoshu school of Buddhism believes that Nichiren Daishonin is Votary of the Lotus Sutra in the...
Land Buddhism with 22 million believers, followed by NichirenBuddhism with 10 million believers, Shingon Buddhism with 5.4 million, Zen Buddhism with...
āryasaṅgha ("noble Sangha"). According to the Theravada school and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, the term sangha does not refer to the community of sāvakas (lay...
Spirit of NichirenBuddhism". World Tribune: 2. Harada, Minoru (December 12, 2014). "Reaffirming the Original Spirit of NichirenBuddhism". World Tribune:...
Sand mandalas, as found in Tibetan Buddhism, are not practiced in Shingon Buddhism. The mandala in NichirenBuddhism is a moji-mandala (文字曼陀羅), which is...
xuéhuì). NichirenBuddhism was founded by the monk Nichiren (1222–1282), who elaborated his teachings upon the "Lotus Sutra" aspiring to reform Buddhism. Nichiren...
the dharma to Western students. NichirenBuddhism is based on the teaching of the Japanese priest and teacher Nichiren, who believed that the Lotus Sūtra...
well-known representatives of this form of NichirenBuddhism are Nissho Inoue and Tanaka Chigaku, who construed Nichiren's teachings according to the notion of...
The Nine Consciousness is a concept in Buddhism, specifically in NichirenBuddhism, that theorizes there are nine levels that comprise a person's experience...
influential traditions include Chan (Zen), NichirenBuddhism, Pure Land, Huayan, Tiantai, and Chinese Esoteric Buddhism. These schools developed new, uniquely...
Japanese Tendai, Korean Cheontae, Vietnamese Thiên Thai and Nichiren schools of Buddhism were established. It is also influential for other East Asian...
Taneyamagahara. Miyazawa converted to NichirenBuddhism after reading the Lotus Sutra, and joined the Kokuchūkai, a Nichiren Buddhist organization. His religious...
Amida Buddha as a means to purify vast amounts of karma.[relevant?] NichirenBuddhism teaches that transformation and change through faith and practice...
the cosmos. In some schools of NichirenBuddhism practitioners believe the calligraphic scroll Gohonzon is Nichiren's representation of the ten realms...
Earth'" (PDF). Nichiren Shu News. Published by the Head Office of Nichiren-shu Buddhism & NOPPA. Dec 1, 2009. Ikeda, Daisaku (2001). The Heart of the Lotus...
Forebodings of the Death of Buddhism". Numen. 27 (1): 122–54. doi:10.2307/3269985. JSTOR 3269985. Kodera, Takashi James (1979). ""Nichiren and His Nationalistic...
format of gongyo varies by denomination and sect. Some, like Nichiren Shoshu and Nichiren Shu, have a prescribed formula which is longheld in their practice...
refers to the proselytization and conversion of new adherents in NichirenBuddhism and especially Soka Gakkai (see second President of Soka Gakkai Josei...
image is worshipped in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, which claims to possess within both the Dharma teachings and Tamashi of Nichiren as inscribed by him on...