Buddha-Dharma and the Middle Path
Buddhism, or Buddha-Dharma, is a result of the quest undertaken by the Śākya prince, Siddhārtha Gautama, to understand the human condition and his role within it. Western societies widely regard Buddhism as a religion and while this is true to some extent Buddhism is also a way of life.
Established around 500 BC, Buddhism has branched out over time with many different schools and branches, the main two of which are Mahāyāna and Theravāda.
Nichiren Diashonin
Nichiren Diashonin was a 13th Century Japanese monk. He believed that the Lotus Sutra, which was the Buddha's final lecture, to be his most supreme teaching and the pinnacle that his followers should aspire to. Thus Nichiren taught that if one was to recite the title of the Lotus Sutra, known as the daimoku, then one could attain the Truth of the world that the Buddha had known. Nichiren's ideas about the nature of the Buddha's teaching was considered radical during his lifetime. As a result Nichiren was subject to multiple arrests, exiles and orders of execution by the Japanese government. Despite the attempts to silence him, Nichiren was able to establish a devoted following and taught 6 principle disciples.
Following Nichiren's death, his disciples established several schools of "Nichiren Buddhism" based upon their interpretations of his teachings and writings. It is from these schools of Nichiren that the modern Nichiren schools we know today have evolved, the largest of which are Nichiren Shōshū and Nichiren Shū. Additional lay groups have also developed over the years. The largest of these lay groups in the Soka Gakkai International or SGI. SGI has a rather large following globally with its highest membership occuring before it formally split from Nichiren Shōshū in the 1990s.
References
Daniel A. Métraux, "The Dispute between the Sōka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shōshū Priesthood: A Lay Revolution against a Conservative Clergy." Japanese Journal of Religious Studies Vol. 19, No. 4 (Dec., 1992), pp. 325-336
Hideo Hashimoto and William McPherson, "Rise and Decline of Sokagakkai Japan and the United States." Review of Religious Research Vol. 17, No. 2 (Winter, 1976), pp. 82-92
Jacqueline I. Stone, "Review: Biographical Studies of Nichiren." Japanese Journal of Religious Studies Vol. 26, No. 3/4, Revisiting Nichiren (Fall, 1999), pp. 441-458
Nichiren. The Writings of Nichiren Shōnin. Complied by Kyōtsū Hori, Jay Sakashita. Tokyo: Shunjū-sha, 1994.
Showing posts with label Nichiren Buddhism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nichiren Buddhism. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Monday, 11 October 2010
Education and Spiritual Exploration: A Welcome and Background
Welcome to The Lotus Path.
This blog is part of an ongoing project for Anthropology 7: Magic, Witchcraft and Religion at Laney College and is meant to explain and showcase my experiences and observations when learning about the Nichiren Buddhist tradition. I know it's a dry introduction, but everyone has to start somewhere.
Spiritualism and Me
Like most people my age growing up in suburban California I was raised in some denomination of Christianity. In my case that denomination was Roman Catholic. All of my friends belonged to various "born again" churches and kept trying to convert me. All that did was annoy me. Afterall who likes to be told that what you believe is going to send you to hell?
The I never really questioned my religion or beliefs until I got to college and one night my non-religious suitemate asked me, "Is that what you believe or what you were taught to believe?" Nine years later I still think about that question at least once a week. It's part of what has fueled my interest in learning about other religious and spiritual traditions than the one in which I was raised.
Why Nichiren Buddhism?
Since my awakening per say to the fact that other traditions also have valid ways of viewing the world I have developed a love of learning about and discussing other religions. During one of those conversations with a close friend who I always presumed was Pegan due to the pentagram she wears daily, she introduced me to Nichiren Buddhism with which she more closely identifies. Buddhism is one of the religious traditions that has peaked my interest during my studies yet I still know little about it. Upon with her introduction to Nichiren Buddhism my interest was peaked.
The Project
This blog is a part of is not meant to be a profound statement of religious awakening, yet it may serve as that. The project that it is a part of is meant to enlighten us to a tradition that is different than our own and come to understand it from an anthropological perspective. It is an educational exploration into a world that I am not currently a part of. Please, enjoy my journey as I expand my views on spirituality and another religion.
This blog is part of an ongoing project for Anthropology 7: Magic, Witchcraft and Religion at Laney College and is meant to explain and showcase my experiences and observations when learning about the Nichiren Buddhist tradition. I know it's a dry introduction, but everyone has to start somewhere.
Spiritualism and Me
Like most people my age growing up in suburban California I was raised in some denomination of Christianity. In my case that denomination was Roman Catholic. All of my friends belonged to various "born again" churches and kept trying to convert me. All that did was annoy me. Afterall who likes to be told that what you believe is going to send you to hell?
The I never really questioned my religion or beliefs until I got to college and one night my non-religious suitemate asked me, "Is that what you believe or what you were taught to believe?" Nine years later I still think about that question at least once a week. It's part of what has fueled my interest in learning about other religious and spiritual traditions than the one in which I was raised.
Why Nichiren Buddhism?
Since my awakening per say to the fact that other traditions also have valid ways of viewing the world I have developed a love of learning about and discussing other religions. During one of those conversations with a close friend who I always presumed was Pegan due to the pentagram she wears daily, she introduced me to Nichiren Buddhism with which she more closely identifies. Buddhism is one of the religious traditions that has peaked my interest during my studies yet I still know little about it. Upon with her introduction to Nichiren Buddhism my interest was peaked.
The Project
This blog is a part of is not meant to be a profound statement of religious awakening, yet it may serve as that. The project that it is a part of is meant to enlighten us to a tradition that is different than our own and come to understand it from an anthropological perspective. It is an educational exploration into a world that I am not currently a part of. Please, enjoy my journey as I expand my views on spirituality and another religion.
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