Nichiren Buddhism is named after a Japanese monk from the thirteenth century who placed emphasis on chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which roughly means 'Honor to the Lotus Sutra of the True Teaching'. He became ordained as a monk when he was 16 but entered temple at the age of 11.
Beliefs
A series of catastrophes in Japan made him believe that since the Japanese societies stopped practicing essential Buddhist teachings, the fall of their culture was occurring. He theorized if people began chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo it would place wisdom and compassion back into their hearts and ways. He had many followers in his day, and even now, but his teachings are often frowned upon and chastised. One reason why there is so much controversy surrounding the Nichiren schools is because they believe that their way is the only way even though the Lotus Sutra teaches us there are many different ways. Nichiren taught that many forms of Buddhism in Japan deviated too much from Mahayana Buddhism. The teachings he thought were unorthodox were the schools of Zen, Pure Land, esoteric, Shingon, and Ritsu schools.
The Practice of Nichiren Buddhism
The practice of Nichiren Buddhism has spread all around the world. There are centers for practice and there are many celebrities who practice this path as well (Orlando Bloom from Pirates of the Caribbean is one.) Practitioners recite Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in front of a scroll called the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon is so sacred, monks touch the scroll only to clean it. This practice is called Gongyo or diligent practice. It is recited in the morning and evening. As I stated previously, the Lotus Sutra is the most important text in Nichiren Buddhism.
One should also note that there are different schools of Nichiren. The Lotus Sutra teaches us that there are many different paths to enlightenment which reflect the many different schools of belief not only in Nichiren Buddhism but all of Buddhism. Some schools of Nichiren include Nichiren Shu, Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu.
Learning More
For more thorough reading about Nicherin Buddism and to find a place of practice, the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) website is a great place to begin ones search. The Lotus Sutra is a long, complicated read but many things can be learned through reading it. The Nichiren Buddhist Association of America has a great article entitled How to Begin Your Practice of Buddhism if someone is interested in starting to practice Nichiren Buddhism.
 |
