CHAPTER NINE

SOKA GAKKAI: ENGAGED IN NORTH AMERICA

Constance Lynn Geekie

A great revolution of character in just a single indi- vidual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society, and further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind. President of International

Soka Gakkai, a Buddhist lay organization, draws its inspiration from the teachings of Daishonin, a monk who lived in 13th-century . Established in the 1930s, the organization has grown from a small number of educators in Japan to more than 10 million mem- bers within Japan and an international following of 1.5 million in 186 countries worldwide (Ikeda 2003). Ideology has changed from local educational concerns and individual self-realization through in , to a focus on global environmental issues, human rights, and world peace through social and political action. Translated as Value Creation Society, Soka Gakkai offers its members the means to achieve spiritual, social, and material benefi ts through faith, study, and practice. Individual effort and collective activism stand out as Soka Gakkai enterprise; practitioners believe that personal transfor- mation provides the basis for collective social transformation, and that enlightened individuals are best able to help others and to create the conditions for peace and harmony on earth. The most important aspect of Soka Gakkai religious practice is the chanting of the phrase Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō. Chanted repeatedly, this phrase expresses faith in the Lotus , a sacred text that Soka Gakkai members believe contains the most important teaching passed down from the historical Buddha. Chanting is directed to the , a copy of the created by Nichiren to represent the universe and refl ect the possibilities within each of us. The gohonzon, in the form of a scroll composed in Chinese ideograms, sits within an altar found

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in temples, meeting halls, and personal homes. Individually, members are expected to perform gongyo, the practice of chanting Nam-myōhō- renge-kyō and selected sections of the , twice daily in front of the gohonzon. A second aspect of practice is , or spreading the message of Soka Gakkai to all of humanity. The goal of this practice is to create kōsen-rufu, a state in which Buddhism will have infl uence throughout the world and the values of Nichiren’s teachings will be available to all. This refl ects the that we live in mappō, a time prophesied in the Lotus Sutra when Buddhism will be far removed from the people and must be returned to prominence through particular effort on the part of believers. zeal has been a trademark of Soka Gak- kai practice and is somewhat contentious in that its practice has in the past led to accusations of force and -like control of members. In the 1960s and 1970s, rumors of violent retribution against members who left or even criticized the organization were reported in the media. Shakubuku, or recruitment, was sometimes violent or coercive in nature, leading to speculation that the organization was really a violent cult and should be suppressed. Over time, it appears that this side of Soka Gakkai has softened under the rhetoric of global community, a theme frequently used by Ikeda in speeches and publications. The old pre- mise that all religious practice other than that of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism must be challenged has softened, paving the way for Soka Gakkai to take an inclusive approach to diversity and to integrate the organization successfully into new cultures and geographies. A third important aspect of practice is study. Originally created in the 1930s under the leadership of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the orga- nization started out as an alternative vision for education in Japan and continues to stress self-improvement through education and culture. Local meetings serve as occasions to together, to support each other through encouragement and shared experience, and to study about Buddhism and its benefi ts for individuals as well as humankind. Local, regional, and international conferences, exhibitions, and cultural and educational programs offer opportunities for members to learn about Buddhist doctrine and the collective goals of the organization. Further, the organization directly controls many educational facilities and is associated with a number of universities throughout the world. Members are encouraged not only to revolutionize their personal lives, but also to see themselves as able and effective activists within

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