Nichiren Buddhism

[Michelle]

Please forgive me if this has already been discussed~

Does anyone here follow Nichiren buddhism?

I have a client who follows this path, and it seems quite interesting.

I'm just curious to hear from others who have experience with their beliefs, etc. .

Thank you

Namaste,
Michelle

 

[Kissa]

are u referring to SGI or Soka Gakkai International?
here is wikipedia's article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soka_Gakkai
and their official website: http://www.sgi.org/

there is a huge controversy about this cult in france, it is considered as a sect and labelled as dangerous. that put it on hold for me for a while when i discovered that.

you might want to read the book "the buddha, geoff and me "http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buddha-Geoff-Me-Modern-Story/dp/1844135683/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210185005&sr=8-1

some aspects are weird imo but altogether, a very practical and down-to-earth approach to Buddhism. the influence of the japanese medieval culture is of course enormous, maybe some texts are hard to understand without proper explanation. Nichiren Buddhism is nowadays one of the most popular cult in Japan.

one of the most famous aspects of Nichiren Buddhism is chanting twice a day.

these Buddhists are very concerned about ecology (global warming for example) and they are promoting peace worldwide (SGI UK is openly against the Iraq war for example). they are very active socially. in Japan SGI has their own political party: the New Komeito who's reguarly been leading the country in coalition with other parties.

it is extremely funny you started a thread today, Michelle, as i actually searched this morning if there was a thread about Nichiren BUddhism here on ATF.

my two cents...

kissa

ETA: actually the recommandation is to chant in the morning and in the evening but you can always chant more if you feel the need to. it is recommended to chant more in times of difficulties, doubts, etc.

 

[Michelle]

Thank you so much, Kissa .

I'm on my way out the door to take the kids for ice cream, but will be back later to re-read more thoroughly and reply.

Namaste,
Michelle

 

[shaveling]

I went through a time of reading about these guys. And I knew a man who was a member, and another who almost joined, but didn't.

Soka Gakkai used to be the most prominent form of Nichiren Buddhism in America, and it may still be, but it's not the only form of Nichiren Buddhism there is. Nichiren, like most religions of any age at all, has divisions and subdivisions. You can watch the back and forth from different parties on the Internet, if you like.

As the Wiki article Kissa links to says, the focus of NB is on the Lotus Sutra, and the daily chanting is mainly of a mantra that pretty much means, "Hail Lotus Sutra!" (This mantra actually figured in an episode of the old TV show, The Monkees.) There is sometimes also chanting from the sutra itself. The main object of veneration is a copy of a calligraphic mandala with that mantra in the center, and the names of various dieties surrounding it. Nichiren, the Japanese monk who started this school of Buddhism, made several of these.

NB is the form of Buddhism that has attracted the most African Americans, out of all the forms of Buddhism practiced here. Another curious thing about this group is that its original base in the US was among military personnel who had been stationed in Japan and converted there. A couple of prominent American Nichiren Buddhists are Tina Turner and Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing from Dallas).

It's been a while since I was reading about this so I'm a bit rusty at it. As I recall, Japan is very important in the NB view of things. Which can give it a nationalistic cast, depending on who is presenting it. On the other hand, there's an entire world of Buddhism corporately referred to as "Tibetan Buddhism," so that's not really so remarkable.

 

[Michelle]

Thank you Kissa and Shaveling .

You two have really answered my questions, and provided resources for further research.

I think my apprehension with Nichiren is that it's the first sect (or whatever the correct term is), that someone has really 'pushed' on me. It struck me as somewhat cult-like, but I thought it could have just been my perception. I do remember that chanting was strongly emphasized during our conversations. My client chants for hours a day.

I'm certainly going to read more on this and continue asking questions. You have both shared some very interesting facts regarding Nichiren. And it is funny that Kissa and I thought about it on the same day. No coincidence, I'm sure.

I have been interested in Buddhism for quite some time, but have not found a lineage I wanted to commit too. Now I am to the point where I feel the need to have more focus in my Spiritual practice. When my client discussed Nichren buddhism it sounded so wonderful. You chant, and huge changes occur in your life. But I guess that could be said of anything you commit to....chanting, prayer, affirmations, etc.

Just looking for a change - I think.

Namaste,
Michelle

 

[Michelle]

I contacted the Nichiren Buddhist Center in Southfield, Michigan (the center closest to me) last week, they said they would mail out some info.

Nothing yet .

 

[Eco74]

To follow along the interest-in-Buddhism-trail...

Have you read "Buddhism - plain and simple" by Steve Hagen?
If not, I recommend that you do. It gives a very basic rundown of the four truths and the eightfold path and as far as I understand is not part of any specific branch of buddhism.
More of a "here are the basics, do with them what you will" sort of book. Though, possibly a little zen-ish...

 

[Michelle]

To follow along the interest-in-Buddhism-trail...

Have you read "Buddhism - plain and simple" by Steve Hagen?
If not, I recommend that you do. It gives a very basic rundown of the four truths and the eightfold path and as far as I understand is not part of any specific branch of buddhism.
More of a "here are the basics, do with them what you will" sort of book. Though, possibly a little zen-ish...

Thank you, Eco74 .

I've been looking for a few books to take on vacation with me. I will add this one to my list!

Zen-ish is good .

 

[greatdane]

Reving this thread...hopefully!

Just recently I have begun to really look at Nichiren Buddhism because of a close friend who follows that path.
I have studied Buddhism both academically, and just as a personal interest, for years and there is still so much I do not know. Nichiren Buddhism I know something about, but not much.
And Buddhism is like saying Christianity. There are many sects and subsets of Buddhism and in Nichiren Buddhism alone, there are many "branches" and types.
Soka Gakkai is the most well-known under what is considered Nichiren, but just one of the sects under Nichiren Buddhism. There is Nichiren Shu, Nichiren Shoshu (which Soka Gakkai split from), there is Rissho Kosei-Kai, which while an offshoot of Nichiren adds some different elements.
Within the last week, I have spoken to a woman priest who is Nichiren Shu, a priest who was from the L. A. Inter Nichiren Shu group and a reverend with Rissho Kosei-Kei. I like to go to the source when possible .
I am a seeker, and my background is academic, so I am big on researching and learning as much as I can. My spiritual background could be called a bit...eclectic.
For those who follow any path under Nichiren Buddhism, I would certainly welcome your thoughts!

 

[Laura Borealis]

How odd - I've been carrying around a card in my wallet for three or four years that our uncle gave to me, with the words NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO on it. He has a sort of serial belief system thing where he goes from one thing to another, and was big on it at the time but never brought it up again once he'd moved to something else. I had forgotten about the card, but saw this thread and pulled it out - sure enough on the back it has the website for Soka Gakkai International-USA.