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Peace by Practice PEACE BY PRACTICE Empowerment of Dutch Sōka Gakkai International Members towards World Peace Master Thesis Enya van der Bij Peace by Practice Empowerment of Dutch Sōka Gakkai International Members towards World Peace Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Enya van der Bij S2604388 Supervisor: dr. S. Travagnin Second Supervisor: prof. dr. M.W. Buitelaar September 2016 For the completion of: Master Religion, Conflict, and Globalization ABSTRACT: This research addresses the question of how the Sōka Gakkai International, a religious organization based on Nichiren Buddhism, empowers its members in the Netherlands towards conquering their personal challenges and the challenge of world peace. It considers how the global force of the SGI touches local reality and influences it. Moreover, it addresses theories of identity in order to understand how the SGI potentially affects members’ habitus, views of the ‘other,’ and identity positions. The thesis concludes that the philosophy of the SGI to chant and be critical of one’s own actions in relation to the rest of the world is effective because members try to internalize the SGI ideology and practice. Members attend meetings where they are encouraged to do so through personal reflection and by relating personal experiences to the Buddhist theories discussed in such meetings. The happiness members experience by conquering their challenges is reflected upon others by talking about personal victories. By spreading a critical mind, making use of Nichiren Buddhist thought, and teaching people to work towards their personal happiness and that of others, the SGI aims to encourage its members to spread peace across the globe. CONTENTS Acknowledgements: 6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 7 1.1. Methods 9 1.1.1. Critical Literature Review 9 1.1.2. Ethnographic Methods 11 1.2. Theories and Key Concepts 14 1.2.1. Globalization and Glocalization 16 1.2.2. Identity 21 1.2.2.1. Habitus 22 1.2.2.2. Otherness 24 1.2.2.3. Dialogical-Self Theory 27 CHAPTER 2: HiSTORY OF THE SōKA GAKKAI, SōKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL, AND SōKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL NETHERLANDS 30 2.1. History of Buddhism in Japan 30 2.1.1. The origins of Buddhism in Japan 31 2.1.2. Nichiren Buddhism in Japan 33 2.2. A religious response to modernity: new religions and Engaged Buddhism in Japan 33 2.2.1. Japanese New Religions: Shin-shūkyō 34 2.2.2. Engaged Buddhism 35 2.3. Sōka Gakkai, Sōka Gakkai International, and Sōka Gakkai International Netherlands 36 2.3.1. History of the Sōka Gakkai 36 2.3.2. Sōka Gakkai International 38 2.3.3. Sōka Gakkai International – Praxis 39 2.3.4. Sōka Gakkai International-Netherlands 41 CHAPTER 3: SōKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL-NETHERLANDS IN PRACTicE 45 3.1. A global movement in a local context: Sōka Gakkai International-Netherlands 46 3.1.1. Glocal impact of the Sōka Gakkai International 49 3.2. I, A Dutch Sōka Gakkai International Member 51 3.2.1. Habitus and me 52 3.2.2. Otherness and us 55 3.2.3. Dialogical-Self Theory and I 58 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUDING REMARKS ON SōKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL EMPOWERMENT 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY 67 APPENDIX I: Figures 73 APPENDIX II: Interview guide 75 APPENDIX III: Dutch Interview Phrasing 78 Peace by Practice Van der Bij ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I view the SGI’s way of engaging with the world as a positive change to all the negativity that seems to dominate current global issues. Having been around positive spirited people, even in the face of bad news, is encouraging. When I was attending meetings between June 2014 and November 2015, many tragedies have occurred across the globe. During the meetings there was always time to discuss such events in the context of the texts and subjects discussed for that meeting. I felt that at times I was unable to see positivity around such tragic events, but I also noticed how the members kept encouraging one another to try harder especially when tragic events happened. Many of my discussions with SGI members about world peace boiled down to one concern: how to show other people that they should aim for dialogue instead of strife when (groups of) people have opposite opinions? Such is possible, as said by one of my interviewees, by giving people the tools to help improve their lives. Members showed that difference is not necessarily something negative. Difference in dialogue is good, because it allows for conversation that can be used to understand how the world works. By trying to spread understanding to others, members hope to be able to spread peace. As this research touches upon only one district in one of the 94 established SGI organizations across the globe, there is much room for additional research on the way SGI members in general perceive the goal of world peace. The aim of this research is not to prove or disprove the viability of such peace. It is to show the reader how SGI members in the Netherlands engage with the concept of world peace and attempt to improve not only their personal lives, but eventually also those of others. Future research on Buddhism in the Netherlands, moreover, could include studies of other Buddhist organizations, as well as relating it to the wider field of religion and religious perspective in the Netherlands. This research has touched upon neither, and would require a much larger ethnographic study. Such a study, for example, could try to uncover how much Buddhist thought exists in the Netherlands, and possibly, how Buddhism and other religions in the Netherlands compare to one another. This project has been a larger venture than envisioned. In the span of two and a half years I have come across many barriers that have restricted me from finishing it earlier. There are a few people that I want to credit for helping me complete this project. First of all I wish to express my gratitude to Stefania Travagnin, for willing to supervise this project all this time. She provided me with useful insights on Buddhism and managed to keep my spirits up about my work. Moreover, I want to acknowledge my second assessor, Marjo Buitelaar, for encouraging me to be continuously critical of my own work and, as such, improving my skills as a writer. I also would like to thank the people close to me that have stayed by my side, showing me the patience and encouragement that enabled me to finish this project. You know who you are. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank the SGI-NL for allowing me to conduct this research. I thank the members of the SGI that have been welcoming me at the meetings I have attended, and especially those members that have given me the opportunity to interview them. In particular, I want to thank all of the members for their positive spirit and their continuous interest in my research. This research would not have been possible without all of you. 6 Peace by Practice Van der Bij CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1 You tell such an experience to be able to realize, again, what you, thanks to the practice, thanks to the meetings, and thanks to the sharing with others, have achieved. Moreover, you can give others courage with it. My story might help you as well. In another way, with another problem. At some point you start to realize why it must be shared. You know, because […] the SGI goal is peace everywhere in the world. Working for everyone’s happiness. There is no other way to do that than talking about it (Katrien, 03-02-2015).2 The organization for the Creation of Value, the Sōka Gakkai (hereafter SG) was created in 1930 in Japan by Makiguchi Tsunaseburo (1871-1944). In 1975, the Sōka Gakkai International (hereafter SGI) was created by the third president of the SG, Ikeda Daisaku (1928-). The SGI is affiliated to but independent from the SG. As an organization of lay Buddhists the SGI envisions to improve the world by empowering individuals and promoting peace, culture, and education across the globe. The SGI by now has developed into one of the largest lay Buddhist organizations in the world with members across 192 countries. As the quote above from one of the members in the Netherlands shows, members of the SGI try to work towards peace by sharing personal experiences, talking about each other’s problems, and encouraging others to face their own life challenges.3 The Netherlands is one of the countries where the SGI has established itself. The establishment of a Buddhist organization in a country embedded in a Christian tradition has caught my academic interest because of several reasons. In part this is thanks to personal observations as a Dutch woman in the Netherlands. Barely 50% of the population is religiously affiliated, a percentage that has been declining.4 Moreover, almost 77% of the population never visits any religious services.5 Therefore, I was wondering how the SGI has been able to get foot on the ground in a society where religious interest is declining. I hypothesize that it is because the SGI offers a different kind of religions than Christian- or Islam-based religiosities offer. Secondly, since there is very little Buddhist presence in the Netherlands, 0,5% of the population in 2014,6 this research can contribute to the study of the religious presence in the Netherlands and the discussion on religion and society in the nation. Moreover, it can contribute to research of other western scholars on the SGI in other parts of the worlds,7 as well as to research 1 N.B.: Japanese names of people are written with the last name first and the given name second, as is custom in Japan.
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