Relation between Nichiren Shu and Nichiren Shoshu

[OregonBuddhist]

Wow. You really are a fountain of wisdom on this topic. Thank you so much. I agree, by the way. I chant both "nam" and "namu." I like them both.

[Queequeg]

I like them both.

Me, too.

[OregonBuddhist]

I found some article somewhere that says the debate between "nam" and "namu" is pointless, because in Nichiren's time the pronunciation of all of these terms was different anyway.

[jccampb]

First; I'd like to comment on the level and considerate dialog I've seen on this site so far, most impressive. I've been a Nichiren Shoshu lay member now since 1975 BTW ..
I do recall hearing that up until some years ago (15? 20?) that all Nichiren Shoshu Priests took training at Risshu Dai-gakku?
http://www.ris.ac.jp/en/campus/guide.html#overview
anyone else run into this factoid before? jccampb

[Queequeg]

Hi JC,

Welcome to the conversation.

I don't know if all N. Shoshu priests studied at Rissho Daigaku, but my understanding is that many did. My understanding is that at some point, 15-20, maybe more, years ago, because of the doctrinal differences, Taisekiji opened its own seminary/university for their priests.

[noisemonkey]

BTW, to correct a minor matter - Nichiren Shoshu was not founded from within Nichiren Shoshu. This was a lay movement that was closely tied with Taisekiji for a while, but has its origin outside of the temple institution.

please elaborate.

[noisemonkey]

I found some article somewhere that says the debate between "nam" and "namu" is pointless, because in Nichiren's time the pronunciation of all of these terms was different anyway.

we use the namu when doing hiki (elongated) Daimoku before each silent prayer but the rest of the time it's just nam. The namu that our High Priest chants is incredibly long, it's awesome to hear.

[Queequeg]

Mistake. Should have read:

BTW, to correct a minor matter - Soka Gakkai was not founded from within Nichiren Shoshu. This was a lay movement that was closely tied with Taisekiji for a while, but has its origin outside of the temple institution.

[noisemonkey]

Mistake. Should have read:

BTW, to correct a minor matter - Soka Gakkai was not founded from within Nichiren Shoshu. This was a lay movement that was closely tied with Taisekiji for a while, but has its origin outside of the temple institution.

Yep correct, sg was founded as the "value creation society" in Japan before Makiguchi started practicing and was allowed for them to affiliated with Taisekiji after that.

[noisemonkey]

Nichiren Shoshu is much more like the Vatican. They have the mothership Gohonzon through which humanity will be saved and they even have a concept similar to the Pope's infallibility associated with the Taisekiji Abbot.

We don't have any such infallibility concept that I've heard about

[robban]

Nichiren Shu is not a monolithic Nichiren group with some set orthodoxy across the whole. It is a federation of temples and practitioners with varying degrees of affiliation with the central administration of Nichiren Shu based at Minobu Kuonji and Ikegami Honmonji. There is a wide diversity of beliefs held within Nichiren Shu owing to the many different lineages that have been united under the Nichiren Shu umbrella. Nichiren did teach Mahayana. His critique is a nuanced, but I would say still falls within Mahayana (Mahayana is by no means a designation for a monolithic tradition either).

Thank you very much for the this description. This is very interesting. I come from a Catholic background, so it's inevitable that I would superimpose my background onto Nichiren Buddhism. I suppose I had thought of Nichiren Shu as having a Vatican-like central authority located somewhere near Mt. Fuji in Japan. Apparently, this isn't the case. By the way, this IS the case for Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu, correct?

Yes, I've read that Nichiren Shoshu is the only Nichiren group that teaches Nichiren was the Buddha reincarnated. Does Soka Gakkai teach this as well?

Thank you for the interesting links.

Yes, I've read that Nichiren Shoshu is the only Nichiren group that teaches Nichiren was the Buddha reincarnated. Does Soka Gakkai teach this as well?

hi everyone!

picking up the thread......................

couldn't find the answer to this question.


by the way. great forum:)

[shaunc]

Slightly off topic but I was wondering if anyone could tell me why SGI gets so much bad press off many buddhist forums. I have had a fairly limited exposure to them & they were all very nice people to me. I have heard that they are intolerant of other religions/sects but I never witnessed any of this.

[Jikan]

Slightly off topic but I was wondering if anyone could tell me why SGI gets so much bad press off many buddhist forums. I have had a fairly limited exposure to them & they were all very nice people to me. I have heard that they are intolerant of other religions/sects but I never witnessed any of this.

Here's the thread for that topic:

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=10228