Mystical Materialism for the Masses
by John Weldon
from the Christian Research Journal, Fall 1992, page 8. The Editor-in-Chief of the Christian
Research Journal is Elliot Miller.
Summary
Nichiren Shoshu (NS) claims to represent true Buddhism and to offer the world a scientifically
enlightened form of religious practice. It teaches that by worshiping the Gohonzon, a sacred
mandala, believers can bring their lives into harmony with ultimate reality, producing wealth,
success, and health. However, NS constitutes a late form of Buddhism whose emphasis upon
materialism would have been repudiated by the Buddha. Furthermore, its claim to be compatible
with Christianity is contradicted by its Buddhist philosophy and basic approach to life.
Recording stars Tina Turner, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, and Wayne Shorter all have
something in common besides gold records: like hundreds of thousands of other Americans, they
are followers of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism (NS).
NS is among the most influential of the new religions that have come on the scene in recent
decades. Overall, the movement claims 17 million members in over 117 countries.[1] As a
mystical faith with a materialistic emphasis (one that constantly stresses its "scientific" nature), it
is uniquely suited for success in America.
IN SEARCH OF "TRUE" BUDDHISM: NICHIREN SHOSHU HISTORY
The founder of Nichiren Shoshu was Nichiren Daishonin (A.D. 1222-1282), one of the most
controversial and important figures in Japanese Buddhism. Daishonin lived during a period of
Japan's history embroiled in political and religious turmoil. With many of the Buddhist sects in
conflicting disarray, he grew to long for the reality of one true and united Buddhism -- and he
devoted tireless efforts to this end.
From the age of 12, Daishonin researched various schools of Buddhism, including the Tendai,
Zen, and Shingon sects. Although he consumed years studying at the esoteric monastery of the
Tendai school on Mt. Hiei (and at 16 became a monk there), it was only through intensive,
prolonged meditation at the Shingon Monastery at Mt. Koya that he became convinced of the
"truth" that has become the heart of Nichiren Buddhism. This revelation was that the essence of
the true Buddha's teachings were crystallized in the sutra or scriptural narrative known today as
the Lotus Sutra or Saddharma-Pundarika (the Sutra of the Lotus of the True Law).
Nichiren came to believe that the mystical essence of this sutra was embodied in the invocation
Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the ceremonial chant used by Nichiren Shoshu Buddhists. The chant is
thus believed to be a repository of magical power so that the disciple can instill the alleged
material and spiritual benefits of the sutra into his or her life, even without reading it.
Daishonin was persuaded that not only was his life's mission to clarify true Buddhism, but that
he was the sole repository of Buddhist truth, and that only his interpretation of the Lotus Sutra
was correct. He argued that "the Pure Land Sect (Nembutsu) is the Everlasting Hell; Zen
devotees are demons; Shingon devotees are ruining the nation; and the Vanaya sect are traitors to
the country."[2] To anyone who opposed him, he warned, "Those who despise and slander me
will have their head broken into seven pieces."[3] He even threatened destruction of the Japanese
state unless it united under true Buddhism (i.e., his teachings).
Nichiren Daishonin thus aroused no small amount of opposition by his robust intolerance of all
other Buddhism. During his life he was expelled from his own monastery, exiled twice,
sentenced to death once, and repeatedly suffered from persecution (though his death sentence
was commuted).
Despite his heartfelt desire to unify Japan and all Buddhism, his intolerance and inability to
accept compromise merely saddled Japan with one more competing sect. As Brandon's
Dictionary of Comparative Religion observes, "Nichiren's teaching, which was meant to unify
Buddhism, gave rise to [the] most intolerant of Japanese Buddhist sects."[4] Noted Buddhist
scholar Dr. Edward Conze declares, "[he] suffered from self-assertiveness and bad temper, and
he manifested a degree of personal and tribal egotism which disqualifies him as a Buddhist
teacher."[5]
Not unexpectedly, Nichiren and his most prominent disciples discovered they could not agree on
what constituted true Buddhism and this led to initial charges of heresy amongst themselves and
eventual historic fragmentation. Although Nichiren Shoshu is the largest of the more than 40
Nichiren sects today, each sect maintains that it is the "true" guardian of Nichiren Daishonin's
teachings.
Nichiren Shoshu Today
In 1930 a lay movement was founded to promote Nichiren Shoshu: Soka Gakkai International
(SGI). Since 1960, the leader of SGI has been the prolific and energetic Daisaku Ikeda. Perhaps
one evidence of his dynamism is that under his leadership NS has expanded into over 100
nations. Ironically, such success has apparently caused a major rift in the movement. A recent
devastating split between the lay organization and the priesthood has emerged with serious
charges being leveled back and forth.[6] In characteristically unbuddhist-like fashion, it appears
that the Japanese priesthood has become jealous and even resentful of the phenomenal prosperity
of the lay movement.
How all this will finally play out is anyone's guess, but the image of Nichiren Shoshu has
suffered much from the quarreling, threats, negative publicity, power plays, and so forth. As a
recent editorial in SGI's World Tribune was forced to confess: "When priests denounce President
Ikeda and confuse members in order to gain followers, this...is wrong...the priesthood's recent
actions are disrupting unity and hindering the propagation of [Nichiren's] teachings."[7]
By stripping Ikeda of his authority and consolidating power to themselves under the local
"Danto" movement (i.e., followers of NS who identify with the priesthood rather than the lay
organization), the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood has effectively asserted its supreme jurisdiction --
but it has also caused a rift that could potentially fragment the movement even further.
Today in Japan, the Soka Gakkai has the third largest political party, the Komeito. It advocates a
one-world government based upon Buddhist politics and universal pacifism.[8]
But one has to wonder about tomorrow. Although Soka Gakkai International continues to devote
strenuous efforts to its ultimate aim of Kosen-rufu -- the conversion of the entire world to its
teachings -- the current crises, if not resolved, could decimate both the movement's credibility
and its numbers.
IN SEARCH OF "BENEFITS": NICHIREN SHOSHU PRACTICE AND TEACHING
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism teaches that an omnipresent and ultimately impersonal "essential
life" flows throughout the totality of the universe, both animate and inanimate. This life,
however, assumes different forms. For example, in man the life essence has manifested itself as
consciousness, emotions, and other mental capacities. In trees, rocks, air, water, and so forth, the
life essence is present, but latent, or dormant.
One conclusion we may draw from this teaching is that in terms of their true nature, man and the
universe are ultimately one: their inner nature is identical, despite any differences in outward
form. However, NS claims, until we practice the teachings of Nichiren Shoshu, this unity is
neither realized nor appropriated, and "spiritual" benefits cannot be acquired until this occurs.
By chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (again, the magical invocation that is believed to
summarize and internalize the essence of the Lotus Sutra), one's individual nature is brought into
harmony with the "essential life" of the universe. Eventually, the highest expression of essential
life, the Buddha nature (which is dormant in the inner self), is brought to the surface. The
individual nature becomes united to the Buddha nature, the result allegedly being new spiritual
power, self-renewal, greater wisdom and vitality -- and not the least, material wealth.
In order to achieve this state of Buddhahood, each morning and night the NS member kneels,
chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and recites sections from the Lotus Sutra. This ritual is
performed before the Gohonzon, a small altar comprised of a Buddhist mandala. This mandala is
a sacred piece of paper. It contains the sacred chant written vertically in the center and the name
of Nichiren, around which are written the names of various Buddhist "gods" which are
mentioned in the Lotus Sutra, including a "demon god." (In NS, Buddhist "gods" and "demons"
are not, officially, personal spirits, but positive and negative life functions.)
This daily ritual worship is termed gongyo, and consists of three aspects: the first (as noted)
involves kneeling before the Gohonzon and reciting passages from the Lotus Sutra. This
constitutes a mystical, not intellectual, endeavor. The second aspect of gongyo is chanting the
daimoku: Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, while rubbing a string of Juzu (prayer beads). Daimoku is also
done throughout the day, and is the most important form of gongyo. The third aspect involves
five prayers: prayers of gratitude to (1) various deities, (2) the Gohonzon, and (3) Nichiren; (4) a
prayer to fulfill one's wishes; and (5) a prayer to the dead.
The Sutra passages are recited five times in the morning and three times in the evening. Chanting
is performed until one "feels satisfied," which may last many hours, producing something of a
hypnotic or trance-like effect. One individual claimed to have chanted 12 million daimoku
which, purportedly, led her into spirit contact. She claimed that "she directly met Nichiren
Daishonin and received his guidance."[9]
The emphasis on materialism and the element of personal power are the most obvious attractions
of Nichiren Shoshu. Chanting is believed to bring "benefits" (answered "prayer") in the form of
acquiring possessions, money, health, and control over one's own personal circumstances and
perhaps even those of others. By chanting, one can allegedly acquire anything one desires:
"Through faith in the Gohonzon he can fulfill any wish and control his environment...."[10]
The philosophy underlying this idea is probably of little concern to most followers, who are
satisfied to simply be "receiving benefits." Nevertheless, it is integral to NS theology. According
to President Daisaku Ikeda, "There is a single, underlying rhythm which controls the constant
shifting of nature and the play of her interlocking harmonies -- a fundamental law which also
moves and supports human life. Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism defines it as Nam-myoho-
renge-kyo...."[11]
Nam means the consecration of one's entire being into believing in the Gohonzon and all it
represents.
Myoho is the supreme law of the universe, its natural working principle: "Buddhism interprets
nature itself as the great life. There is no such god outside the great universe. The great universe
itself is mysterious (Myo), and yet has a strict law (ho) in itself. Therefore, it should be termed
Myoho, i.e., the Mystic Law."[12]
Renge refers to the lotus flower and represents karma, interpreted as the "simultaneous nature of
cause and effect." Chanting is the highest possible cause, resulting in the natural effect of
answered "prayer" or benefits.
Kyo is the "sound or vibration within the universe." The sound and rhythm of the chant places
one into harmony with the stream of life.[13]
By chanting, therefore, one allegedly brings one's self into harmony with the laws of the universe
and the fundamental flow of life. As one becomes united with the universe, "behavior will
become synonymous with Mystic Law which leads to eternal happiness."[14] The objects of
one's desires are now capable of "flowing" naturally to him or her; hence, regular practice of
gongyo allows one to achieve his or her desires and thereby produces happiness. According to
President Ikeda, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo "is the origin of everything."[15] Therefore, "Nam-
myoho-renge-kyo is the essence of all life and the rhythm of the universe itself. Life can never be
apart from Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and yet, because we have forgotten this, we have come out of
rhythm with life itself. When we chant, we enter back into that basic rhythm and once again have
the potential for indestructible happiness....[because] our life force will permeate the universe
and the Buddha nature will emerge within ourselves, enabling us to fulfill our wishes" (second
emphasis added).[16]
IN SEARCH OF SALVATION: NICHIREN SHOSHU VS. CHRISTIANITY
According to Daishonin, the cause of all unhappiness is evil religion, which, more or less,
constituted all other religious interpretations apart from his own. Shakubuku (to break and
subdue) is one NS term descriptive of his attitude toward other religions. Shakubuku is the
forceful method of conversion, whereas shoju is the more moderate approach. According to
Harry Thomsen, author of The New Religions of Japan, "Nichiren maintained that to kill heretics
is not murder, and that it is the duty of the government to extirpate heresy with the sword."[17]
Shakubuku is considered an act of great love and mercy, because it breaks the evil religion of the
person being converted.[18] The second president, Josei Toda, stated on May 3, 1951:
"Kosenrufu [mass conversion] of today can be attained only when all of you take on evil
religions and convert everyone in the country and let him accept a Gohonzon."[19]
Professor Noah S. Brannen, author of Soka Gakkai: Japan's Militant Buddhists, states that
Shakubuku "designates intolerant propaganda and pressure to produce a forced conversion....[it]
often employs a technique of intimidation carried out in a very systematic manner."[20]
Although the practice has been modified, Brannen and others list earlier incidents of threats of
injury against a prospective convert and his or her family members, actual beatings, cases of
arson, and so on.[21]
Perhaps it is not surprising that, despite attempts at accommodation, hostility toward Christianity
has remained a feature of the writings of Nichiren Shoshu and President Ikeda. Regrettably,
Christianity is often misrepresented and then attacked as an inferior and irrational belief. Thus, in
the authoritative NS literature the major doctrines of Christianity are described as follows:
"unscientific nonsense," "stupid superstition," "ridiculous," "fantasy," "irrational," "morbid,"
"shallow,"[22] and so forth.
NS believes "[the Christian] God is dead..." and "it is apparent that Christian life has, in fact,
repeated every kind of atrocity."[23] The Genesis doctrine of creation is "foolish and
childish."[24] Heaven is seen as "an enticement toward some illusionary paradise."[25] Under a
belief in absolute monotheism, "the people are powerless beings."[26]
In essence, being a Christian brings "bad karma."[27] Relying upon Jesus Christ for salvation
will "ultimately lead to confusion."[28] Christian teachings are "destructive of people's
happiness."[29] And, referring to the Christian concepts of God and salvation, we are told there
is no need to seek salvation outside ourselves in the Christian God, nor is there any reason to
believe in Him, nor is there any need for the concept of God's grace.[30] As professor N. S.
Brannen observed, "Christianity is the universal non-Buddhist religion singled out for
attack."[31]
God
Nichiren Shoshu replaces God with an impersonal omnipresent essence that eternally fluctuates
in cycles of manifestation and dormancy. Practically speaking, Nichiren Shoshu is an atheistic
system, for any concept of a personal God is irrelevant and, to their way of thinking, spiritually
harmful.
Nichiren Shoshu teaches that "life has no beginning; therefore it was not created by God,"[32]
and, "God is not the Creator....Our life is not given to us by our parents, and is neither given by
God."[33]
Perhaps the clearest expression of their humanistic theology is given in The Complete Works of
Daisaku Ikeda, volume 1. There it simply, if succinctly, states: "God is nothing but man"[34] (cf.
Jer. 17:5; Ps. 9:15, 20; 10:3-4).
While it is true that NS rejects the Christian concept of God, it is also clear that the mystical life
essence ("the very source of the universe") is divinized, and that the Gohonzon is the visible
expression of it. Thus, while the biblical God is ridiculed as a myth, the Gohonzon is deified and
worshiped.
Even though common sense tells us that the Gohonzon is merely a piece of paper (Nichiren
Shoshu stresses that it is a religion of common sense), throughout Nichiren Shoshu writings we
find that the Gohonzon is constantly worshiped, personalized, and held to be eternal, omnipotent,
omniscient, and the ultimate source of everything. We find that it alone saves, supports, protects,
purifies, and physically heals the believer; that it answers prayer, forgives sin, punishes evil, and
gives great wisdom.[35] It alone can bring happiness and good fortune.[36] To slander or
disbelieve in the Gohonzon is to fall into the lowest hell: "Nothing can surpass the Gohonzon";
"All of us are children of the Gohonzon"; "The Gohonzon witnesses everything"; "The
Gohonzon's blessings are as vast as the universe"; "The Gohonzon's mercy is equal to all."[37]
Jesus Christ and Salvation
Statements about Jesus Christ are usually general and given within a Buddhist context. For
example: "Because of his love, Jesus of Nazareth is comparable to a Bodhisattva," that is, one
full of compassion who sacrifices himself to help others attain "enlightenment" (i.e.,
Buddhahood).[38] Thus, Nichiren Shoshu rejects the biblical portrait of Christ's person and
mission, that is, His unique deity (John 1:1; 3:16, 18; 10:30, 33) and His atoning death (Matt.
26:28; Eph. 1:7). For example: "Jesus died on the Cross. This fact shows that he was defeated by
opposition, whatever interpretation posterity may have given to this fact...."[39]
While the Bible teaches that "there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:15), who is "the Savior of all men" (1 Tim. 4:10), Nichiren Shoshu
teaches that it is Nichiren who is "the true Savior of mankind."[40] Only he is to be worshiped
through the Gohonzon, as he is "the original and eternal Buddha."[41]
According to Nichiren Shoshu, "Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism alone can save all of the
people."[42] But what is salvation? In its true essence, salvation is humanistic for NS, not
theological. Salvation is equivalent to lasting personal happiness or satisfaction ("Buddhahood");
it does not involve deliverance from sin and spiritual death as Christianity maintains (Eph. 2:1-
4). In a nutshell, "salvation" is from suffering, ignorance, and unhappiness. It results from
appropriating the supposed Buddha nature within, achieved by the spiritual mechanics of
Nichiren Shoshu: "The true intention of the Daishonin is to save the whole world through the
attainment of each individual's happiness in life."[43]
The biblical concept of atonement (John 3:16; 1 John 2:22) is rejected on multiple grounds. First,
Christianity's God is held to be a myth and so its teaching on the atoning death of Christ -- God's
Son -- is also held to be a myth. There is no Christian God who exists; so he could not, in fact,
have a Son to give. Thus, as NS acknowledges, "faith in the saving power of Christ is
fundamental to every Christian teaching....Buddhism paints a vastly different picture."[44]
Second, the concept of the miraculous is rejected. The idea of a divine incarnation or of a God
who intervenes in history is seen as "irrational, unscientific nonsense."[45] Yet salvation in
Christianity is miraculous from start to finish as can be seen in the doctrines of Christ's
miraculous birth, ministry, death and resurrection, ascension, intercession, and Second Coming.
Third, the concept of substitutionary death for man's sins violates the heart of major Buddhist
doctrine, such as the law of karma -- the relationship between cause and effect, and the necessity
to atone for one's own misdeeds by repayment.
Fourth, the idea of the Christian atonement is innately repugnant to Buddhists since it implies
that ultimate reality is somehow linked to suffering, the very thing Buddhists work so diligently
to eradicate. In the Buddhist universe, suffering is an illusion to be dispensed with -- forever
vanquished by absorption into the ultimate reality of a blissful, if impersonal, Nirvana. It is not
something that can be related to ultimate reality ("God") in any way.
In conclusion, Nichiren Shoshu clearly offers a system of salvation by merit and personal effort.
God is an entirely irrelevant consideration. By chanting, one removes karma, becomes happy,
and, finally, attains Buddhahood ("eternal happiness" -- although not in a personal, individual
sense). All this is why President Ikeda emphasizes, "We must seek the source of the meaning in
life within man himself, instead of finding it in another transcendental being, God."[46]
Nevertheless, Jesus Himself taught: "This is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true
God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent" (John 17:3). And, "I am the light of the world; he
who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Three Problems for NS
In the areas of spirituality, religious claims, and morality, NS Buddhism falls short of what a
seeker might legitimately expect of the true religion. First, despite its claims to offer an
intelligent spirituality, NS really offers just another occult-based system of religion. Nichiren
Shoshu priests and some laypersons have claimed occult and/or shamanistic powers, and part of
daily worship involves an offering of ritual prayers to the dead. The Gohonzon itself is seen as a
repository of magical powers available to anyone who recites the incantation and therefore "has
the power to bless or curse" its worshiper, depending upon the treatment given it.[47]
Second, NS's claim to constitute true Buddhism is false. As Yale historian Kenneth Scott
Latourette concludes, "[Nichiren] was mistaken in his conviction that the Lotus Sutra contained
the primitive Buddhism. As a matter of fact, it was a late production, an expression of a form of
Buddhism that would scarcely have been recognized by Gautama, or if recognized, would have
been repudiated."[48] Nor can NS offer the world the true interpretation of the Lotus Sutra, for
the important NS doctrines are absent from the Lotus Sutra and its mythological content is
incapable of objective uniform interpretation.
Third, I have talked with NS members who have attempted to utilize chanting to bring about
evil: to obtain drugs, commit crimes, or to magically control other people's decisions. They have
told me that "chanting works as well for these things as for any others." But even when NS
members chant for "good" things, the emphasis is far too materialistic. NS maintains that those
who chant properly "will surely become rich" [49] and, "Let's make money and build health and
enjoy life to our heart's content before we die!"[50] Many more examples of such a materialistic
attitude could be cited if space permitted. In NS it becomes all too easy to replace spiritual
integrity with a goal of personal indulgence.
In contrast to this entire approach to spirituality, Jesus warned us, "Beware, and be on your guard
against every form of greed, for not even when one has abundance does his life consist of his
possessions" (Luke 12:15). After Christianity's clear condemnations of the occult and
materialism and its solid historical support are contrasted with NS's failings in these areas, the
seeker of truth and salvation would be a fool to disregard the claims of Christ for NS's promised
"benefits." For Jesus also said: "What will a man be profited if he gains the whole world and
forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26).
About the Author
John Weldon, Ph.D., is a Senior Researcher for the John Ankerberg Show. His M.A. thesis for
Simon Greenleaf University comprised a critique of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
NOTES
1 William M. Alnor, "Name It and Claim It Style of Buddhism Called America's Fastest
Growing Religion," Christian Research Journal, Winter/Spring 1989, 26.
2 R. H. Robinson, "Buddhism in China and Japan," in The Concise Encyclopedia of Living
Faiths, ed. R. C. Zaehner (Boston: Beacon, 1959), 346; cf. Harry Thomsen, The New Religions
of Japan (Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle, 1963), 101.
3 "The Buddha's Perception into the Three Existences of Life," Seikyo Times, Dec. 1978, 7.
4 Charles Brandon, ed., Dictionary of Comparative Religion (New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons, 1970), 470.
5 Edward Conze, Buddhism, Its Essence and Development (New York: Harper & Row, 1959),
206.
6 See William M. Alnor, "Infighting, Division, and Scandal Afflicting Nichiren Shoshu
Buddhists," Christian Research Journal, Winter 1992, 5-6.
7 Editorial, The World Tribune, 1 April 1991, 2.
8 Kiyoaki Murata, Japan's New Buddhism (New York: Walker, 1969), 169-70; Daisaku Ikeda,
Lectures on Buddhism, vol. 5 (Tokyo: Seikyo Press, 1970), 44.
9 "Twelve Million Daemoku," World Tribune, 31 August 1970, 7.
10 Ibid., 1 July 1970, 7.
11 Daisaku Ikeda, "Be Envoys of Peace for a Troubled Age," NSA Quarterly, Winter 1976, 42.
12 Daisaku Ikeda, Complete Works, vol. 1 (Tokyo: The Seikyo Press, 1968), 478-79.
13 NSA Quarterly, Spring 1973, 59-60.
14 Daisaku Ikeda, Lectures on Buddhism, vol. 4 (Tokyo: The Seikyo Press, 1969), 119.
15 Daisaku Ikeda, "Life's Ultimate Fulfillment," NSA Quarterly, Fall 1975, 68.
16 NSA Quarterly, Spring 1973, 59-60.
17 Thomsen, 101.
18 Murata, 103, citing Soka Gakkai Kyogakubu (Study Dept., Soka Gakkai) Shakubuku Kyoten,
Tokyo, 1967, 244.
19 Murata, 104.
20 Noah Brannen, Soka Gakkai: Japan's Militant Buddhists (Richmond, VA: John Knox, 1968),
100-101; cf. 103-6; and Thomsen, 104-15.
21 Ibid.; cf. Murata, 102.
22 The Sokagakkai, rev. ed. (Tokyo: The Seikyo Press, 1962), 78, 82, 143, 148; Daisaku Ikeda,
Science and Religion (Tokyo: The Sokagakkai, 1965), 47; Daisaku Ikeda, "Salvation of Mankind
in Our Times," The East, Jan. 1973, 25; Seikyo Times, Nov. 1972, 45; Ikeda, Complete Works,
vol. 1, 442; NSA Quarterly, Fall 1973, passim.
23 Seikyo Times, Nov. 1972, 45; Ikeda, Complete Works, vol. 1, 442; cf. NSA Quarterly, Fall
1973, 18-127.
24 Ikeda, Complete Works, vol. 1, 462.
25 Editorial, "Three Guiding Principles," Seikyo Times, Jan. 1979, 4.
26 Daisaku Ikeda, Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, part 2 (Santa Monica, CA: World
Tribune Press, 1977), 12.
27 "To Secure Human Happiness," Seikyo Times, Oct. 1982, 52.
28 "The Reality of Evil," Seikyo Times, Nov. 1982, 58.
29 "Heaven and Hell versus Life in the Ten Worlds," Seikyo Times, June 1982, 56.
30 "The Innate Power of Life," Seikyo Times, Dec. 1982, 43-44.
31 Brannen, 98-99.
32 Ikeda, Complete Works, vol. 1, 395.
33 Y. Kohira, Shakubuku Kyoten, 344 (1954 ed.), from Thomsen, 103.
34 Ikeda, Complete Works, vol. 1, 8.
35 E.g., The Soka Gakkai, 48, 50, 60, 126, 144; Ikeda, Lectures on Buddhism, vol. 5, 6, 10, 15,
19, 59, 70-71, 73, 112, 115, 144, 161; Seikyo Times, March 1973, 23-24, 49-54; NSA Quarterly,
Spring 1973, 87; Winter 1976, 8; Ikeda, Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, part 2, 78.
36 Takashi Harashima, "Faith and Study," Seikyo Times, Nov. 1978, 6; Ikeda, Complete Works
I, 550-51.
37 Ikeda, Lectures on Buddhism, vol. 5, 19, 144; Seikyo Times, March 1973, 23-24, 49-54.
38 Ysuji Kirimura, Fundamentals of Buddhism (Tokyo: Nichiren Shoshu International Center,
1978), 161; cf. 45.
39 Thomsen, 103.
40 The Soka Gakkai, 47-48; Ikeda, Lectures on Buddhism, vol. 4, 307.
41 "Ho'on Sho," NSA Quarterly, Fall 1975, 130; Kirimura, 151-52.
42 "Practice of the Buddha's Teaching," Seikyo Times, Sept. 1975, 46.
43 The Soka Gakkai, 15.
44 "The Roots of Suffering," Seikyo Times, July 1982, 51.
45 This quote is derived from personal conversations with many members.
46 See "Buddhism and Traditional Western Concepts Series," Seikyo Times, June 1982, 55, and
October 1982, 52-53.
47 Brannen, 34.
48 K. S. Latourette, Introduction to Buddhism (New York: Friendship Press, 1956), 38; cf. Mark
A. Ehman, "The Saddharmapundarika-Sutra" in Buddhism: A Modern Perspective, ed. Charles
S. Prebish (Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1975), 102; and Murata, 24.
49 The Soka Gakkai, 141.
50 In Murata, 107-8.
End of document, CRJ0115A.TXT (original CRI file name),
"Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, Mystical Materialism For The Masses"
release A, June 30, 1994
R. Poll, CRI
A special note of thanks to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in the preparation of this ASCII file
for BBS circulation.
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