Really excellent video thank you. I think one way of upholding the teachings of the load of suture is also recognizing that all beings will attain Buddhahood. The lotus sutra says that even Devadatta becomes enlightened.
Thank you very much for your comment. Yes, that all beings can attain Buddhahood is a central teaching of the Lotus Sutra, so by recognising this and keeping it constantly in mind and living by it, we uphold the Lotus Sutra. Namu Myoho Renge Kyo 🙏
kanse capon: how good to see you on youtube. this is a great outreach to americans at this time. thank you so much for your teachings. namu myoho renge kyo. sadu, sadu, sadu.
This is such an accessible explanation. I'm however a bit confused. I recently joined a Nichiren Shoshu temple and it seems this here is a bit different. What is the difference here?
Thank you for watching 🙏 Our temple is a Nichiren Shu Temple. “Nichiren Shu” means the Nichiren School. “Nichiren Shoshu”, which means the Orthodox Nichiren School is a different Buddhist school. Nichiren Shu and Nichiren Shoshu were originally one school or tradition, which was called “Hokke Shu” (The Dharma Flower School), named after the Lotus Sutra which is our central teaching, or “Nichiren Hokke Shu” to distinguish it from the Tendai School in Japan, which is also a “Hokke Shu” - that is, a school with the Lotus Sutra as its central doctrine. Sometimes the various lineages descended from Nichiren Daishonin were (and still are) known collectively simply as the “Nichiren Shu” (Nichiren Schools (plural)) in Japanese. After the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate the Meiji imperial government came into power in 1868. One policy they implemented was to order the various Buddhist lineages to unite into only seven schools. The many lineages within Nichiren Shu united into one and became legally/officially known as Nichiren Shu in 1872. However, due to doctrinal differences, some temples left and became independent in 1874, becoming known as “Nichiren Shu Shoretsu-ha”. The majority of temples remained however, and became “Nichiren Shu Itchi-ha”. However, to avoid confusion at which was the original and main school, the name was changed back simply to “Nichiren Shu” in 1876. The Nichiren Shu Shoretsu-ha, on the other hand, later further divided into 5 groups: 1. Komon-ha, 2. Myomanji-ha, 3. Honjoji-ha, 4. Happon-ha, 5. Honryuji-ha. The first one of these, the Komon-ha, became “Nichiren Honmon Shu” in 1899. Taisekiji temple and Shimojo Myorenji spilt from this group in 1900, becoming “Nichiren Shu Fuji-ha”, and then changed their name to “Nichiren Shoshu” in 1912. Although some other branches and lineages also subsequently became independent schools for various historical reasons, the majority remained united together and form the present-day Nichiren Shu (Nichiren School), one of the major denominations of Japanese Buddhism. Nichiren Shu comprises around 5,000 temples throughout Japan together with temples and sanghas in other parts of Asia, North and South America and Europe. Our Head Temple is Kuonji temple, founded by Nichiren Daishonin on Mt. Minobu, where he spent the last 8 years of his life. The Head Temple of Nichiren Shoshu is called Taisekiji, and was founded by one of Nichiren Daishōnin’s disciples, Nikko Shonin. Not all of Nikko Shonin’s lineage however are part of Nichiren Shoshu. Kitayama Honmonji for example, where Nikko Shonin spent the last 36 years of his life, remains part of Nichiren Shu. The Japanese New Religious Movement called Soka Gakkai (or Soka Gakkai International - “SGI”) which many people in the west are familiar with was affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu until 1992. The biggest doctrinal differences between Nichiren Shoshu and Nichiren Shu are that Nichiren Shoshu considers Nichiren Daishonin the “original” or “fundamental” Buddha. In Nichiren Shu, Śākyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is considered the main and original Buddha, while Nichiren Daishonin is regarded as a great Bodhisattva. Nichiren Shoshu regard Nikko Shonin as Nichiren Shonin’s only true heir, and also insist that the transmission of Buddhism through the lineage of successive High Priests at their Head Temple Taisekiji is the only true and correct transmission. They are also in possession of a wooden Mandala Gohonzon which they claim was written by Nichiren Daishonin on 12th October 1279, and is the supreme object of worship for all people.
Nichiren taught to uphold the buddha nature in our own lives not that of a statue of a buddha. You have a mandala there. The doors should be closed. We do not - in Soka Gakkai - pray to a buddha statue or a diety outside of our own life. You are placing a figure of a boddhisattva in fromt of the Mandala - Myoho-Renge- Kyo- that is the true object of worship - in Sanskrit - Chinese and Japanese. Don't show the Gohonzon on camera out of respect Close the altar doors if on camera. Open doors when faicing the Gohonzon to chant with all your heart. Yet- I am not a Nichiren Shu member. I don't follow your practice. I chant Daimoku with Soka Gakkai / value creation society. Thank you, Respectfully.
@@a.e.r.7745But my friend if you have just your own buddha nature you dont even need a Gohonzon dont you? There was not any rules from The Nichiren Shonin .Nichiren Shonin from his time people did not even have altars and was no temples at all. This is Only Soka Gakkai with such ideas and rules . Do you know why.? Japan.🧑🦳
I think you must be a member of Soka Gakkai (SGI) or Nichiren Shoshu? Please be aware, we are not SGI or Nichiren Shoshu. Therefore, thank you for your comment, however we obviously do not agree that Nichiren Daishonin would be outraged at seeing statues. Additionally, your statement that only the Gohonzon (by which you presumably mean the calligraphic Mandala) and not any image is the “object of worship” (which is actually what the word “Gohonzon” means) in Nichiren Buddhism is factually incorrect. Many of Nichiren Daishōnin’s writings describe and praise the creation of statues of Śākyamuni Buddha, and mention use of them, including after his first inscribing of the calligraphic Mandala in 1273. For example, in “On Forgetting the Copy of the Sutra” (Bōjikyō Ji 忘持経事 - written in 1276 at Mt. Minobu) Nichiren Daishōnin describes the scene of Toki Jōnin’s arrival, carry the ashes of his recently deceased mother: “You arrived at this remote hollow and saw a lone hermitage where the sound of Lotus Sutra recitation echoed to the blue sky and the words expounding the single vehicle were heard among the mountains. Following the guide assigned you, you entered the chamber and then, when you had safely placed the remains of your mother before the sacred image of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, bowed your limbs and body to the ground in obeisance, pressed your palms together, and opened your eyes to pay homage to the noble visage, your body was filled with overwhelming joy and all suffering at once vanished from your mind.” (WND-2, p.658 - I will quote here from the SGI translations, and use their titles so you can easily find the references, if you so wish) As you can see from this writing, Nichiren Daishōnin himself had a statue of Śākyamuni Buddha enshrined on the altar at Mt. Minobu. Additionally, it is well-known and documented that Nichiren Daishōnin received a standing statue of Śākyamuni during his exile on Izu Peninsula in 1261. He carried this statue with him for the rest of his life, and it is bequeathed to Nichirō Shōnin in Nichiren Daishōnin’s will. With regard to the Gohonzon (Focus of Devotion/Object of Worship) more generally, in Nichiren Shu our Gohonzon is the Eternal Śākyamuni Buddha as described in the second half of the Lotus Sūtra. Nichiren Daishōnin explains this clearly in “Treatise on Repaying Kindness” (Hōon-jō 報恩抄 - written in 1276), one of his five major writings. There he says: “Japan and all the other countries throughout Jambudvīpa should all make the Shakyamuni Buddha of the essential teaching their object of devotion” (WND-1, p.735). The Gohonzon therefore, is the ever-abiding and universally present Śākyamuni Buddha of the essential section (honmon) of the Lotus Sūtra. By chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo we can therefore receive the Sublime Dharma of the Buddha, who is always teaching in every moment, and become one with him. Throughout the course of his life, Nichiren Daishōnin described five different forms in which this Gohonzon can be expressed. Therefore, in Nichiren Shu the Gohonzon can be represented in any of these five ways, due to their precedents in Nichiren Daishōnin’s writings. In chronological order of their appearances in his writings they are: 1. The Honzon of the Prime Title (Shudai Honzon 首題本尊), first described in “On Reciting the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra” (Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō 唱法華題目鈔 written in 1260), and appearing in writings authored up until the Kōan period; 2. The Single Venerable One, Śākyamuni (Shaka is’son 釈迦一尊), described in “The Tripitaka Master Shan-wu-Wei” (Zenmui Sanzō-shō 善無畏三蔵鈔 written in 1270), and “Opening the Eyes” (Kaimoku-shō 開目抄 written in 1272); 3. The Great Maṇḍala (Dai-mandara 大曼荼羅) explained in “The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind” (Kanjin Honzon-shō 観心本尊抄 written in April of 1273), and first inscribed on July 8th of the same year, after which Nichiren Daishōnin continued to inscribe it for the rest of its life; 4. The Single Venerable One and Four Leaders (Is’son shishi 一尊四士) described in “The Objet of Devotion for Observing the Mind” (Kanjin Honzon-shō 観心本尊抄 in 1273)、”Hardships faced by Practitioners of the Lotus Sutra” (Hokke Gyōja Chinan-ji 法華行者值難事 in 1274), “On Establishing the Four Bodhisattvas as the Honzon” (Shi Bosatsu Sōryū-shō 四菩薩造立鈔 in 1279) and others; 5. The One Stūpa, Both Venerable Ones and Four Leaders (It’tо̄ ryо̄son shishi 一塔両尊四士), described in “Treatise on All Phenomena as Ultimate Reality” (Shohō Jissō-shō 諸法実相鈔 in 1273) and “On Repaying Debts of Gratitude” (Hōon-jō 報恩抄 in 1276). Of the above, numbers 1 and 3 are “Ho-Honzons” centred on the Odaimoku, and numbers 2, 4, and 5 are “Nin-Honzons” centred on Śākyamuni Buddha. Also worth noting is that, numbers 1 and 2 are the Gohonzons from before Sado, and numbers 3, 4, and 5 are from after Sado. All of these forms have been used to represent the Gohonzon since the time of Nichiren Daishonin, and are considered legitimate ways of representing the Gohonzon in Nichiren Shu. Please note that statues are also used to represent the Gohonzon by other Nichiren traditions. Nichiren Shoshu and SGI are exceptions. --------------------------- Regarding statues of Nichiren Daishōnin, he is not enshrined as a Gohonzon, but in order that we can express our appreciation and gratitude to him, and gain inspiration from his example as a great Bodhisattva. The earliest instance of a statue of Nichiren Daishonin being created is when Nichirō Shōnin was in prison. He was by Nichiren Daishonin’s side when he was taken to Tatsunokuchi to be beheaded, and was later put in prison when his master was exiled to Sado Island. In prison he refused to eat, knowing that his master must often be without food on Sado island. He and another disciple called Nisshin Shōnin made a clay image of their master and set it on a high ledge in their cell. Each day they knelt before it and chanting the Odaimoku. When food was brought to them, they did not eat it, but placed it in front of the image as an offering. After weeks of not eating, one young officer brought a gift of a tachibana orange in an attempt to restore the prisoners’ spirits. When he received the gift, however, Nichiro Shonin burst into tears saying, “How fond our master is of these. If only I were free, I would take it to him, even though it is several hundred miles away.” offering the orange to the clay image. Having witnessed the profound devotion of Nichiro Shonin for his master, the prison guard was so deeply moved that he insisted that he take Nichiro Shonin’s place in prison so that he could go to be with Nichiren Daishonin on Sado. Also, on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of the passing of Nichiren Shōnin, the disciples Nichiji Shōnin, Nichijō Shōnin (Toki Jõnin), Nichigyō Shōnin and Nichimyō Shōnin met to discuss the commission of an image of the master in curated by the famous Kamakura sculptor, Nippo Shonin (1259-1341). Subsequently deciding to entrust the project to the sculptor. After its completion, the statue was taken to Ikegami Honmonji Temple. Inside this statue was inserted a copper container containing bone relics of Nichiren Shōnin, and a tassel of hair from Nichiren Shōnin's mother was joined to the Hossu (a wooden stirrup with a bundle of hair, normally from a horse or of hemp) which the statue still holds in its right hand today. Furthermore, the donors of the statue signed the dedication on the base, and this statue has been recognised as an important cultural heritage of Japan. Since then, many many statues of Nichiren Daishonin have been commissioned and today, all traditional schools of Nichiren Buddhism (including Nichiren Shoshu) enshrine statues of him.
@nichirenshuuk3560 I've never encountered anyone in the US who practices Nichiren Shu. The Nichiren Shu mandala is the one most frequently seen for sale on eBay. Since the name of Shakyamuni and Taho Buddha appear on the mandala, what is the purpose of an additional Buddha figure?
