Happy Science
 |
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.
|
Happy Science (幸福の科学 Kōfuku-no-Kagaku) is a new religious and spiritual movement founded in Japan in October 1986 by Ryuho Okawa. In February 2008, the official English name for the group was changed from the Romanized Japanese Kofuku-no-Kagaku to the English rendering "Happy Science".
Contents |
[edit] Teachings
The basic teachings of Happy Science are "Exploration of the Right Mind" and the "Principles of Happiness". The latter consists of the Fourfold Path (Love, Wisdom, Self-Reflection, and Progress). Okawa claims to channel the spirits of Muhammad, Christ, Buddha and Confucius and claims to be the incarnation of a supreme spiritual being called El Cantare.
Although its teachings are based on the Buddhist foundations of reflection and keeping "Right Mind", it also incorporates modern day prosperity and development in order to improve oneself and society. The teachings, given by founder Ryuho Okawa are said to be universal and center on the pluralistic belief that all major religions originated from one source.
According to Okawa, in order to obtain happiness one must practice the four Principles of Happiness, Love, Knowledge, Self Reflection and Progress. The only requirement to join Happy Science is that applicants must have "the aspiration and vision to seek the way and contribute to the realization of love, peace and happiness on earth".
[edit] Temples and offices
[edit] In Japan
As of 2009, it has established over 32 main temples, called Shojas (shrine) or shoshinkans ("lit. Place for the Beginner’s Mind"), and 200 local temples or branches all over Japan.
[edit] Worldwide
An International Headquarters office is located in central Tokyo. As of 2009, there are six Local Temples (located in London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seoul, and Taiwan) and 37 local offices distributed around the world, including India, Bulgaria and Uganda.
[edit] Popular and academic analysis
Happy Science is one of many Japanese new religions, or shinshukyo, which are looked upon unfavorably by the mainstream press and public. Even though Happy Science had protested against Aum Shinrikyo before the 1995 Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, comparisons are drawn between the two groups[1] and during the 1990s, the two groups often clashed in the media.[2]
Happy Science have been noted for their use of high profile marketing company Dentsu Corporation, the largest advertising company in Japan, to implement their strategy. [3]
[edit] See also
- Happiness Realization Party, the organization's political wing
[edit] References
- ^ McNeill, David (4 August 2009), "Party offers a third way: happiness", The Japan Times, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090804zg.html, retrieved 6 August 2009
- ^ Religion and Social Crisis in Japan. Understanding Japanese Society through the Aum Affair. Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan.
- ^ Media and religion in Japan: the Aum affair as a turning point Dr. Erica BaffelliLecturer in Asian ReligionsUniversity of OtagoDepartment of Theology and Religious Studies, 2008.
[edit] Further reading
- Clarke, Peter B. (ed.) (1999), 'Kofuku-no-Kagaku: The Institute for Research in Human Happiness' in A Bibliography of Japanese New Religious Movements: With Annotations, Surrey, UK, Japan Library (Curzon), ISBN 1-873410-80-8, pp. 149–67
- Yamashita, Akiko (1998), 'The "Eschatology" of Japanese new and new new religions: from Tenrikyo to Kofuku-no-Kagaku' in Japanese Religions, Vol. 23, January 1998, NCC, Kyoto, Japan, pp. 125–42
- The Transformation of a Recent Japanese New Religion: Okawa Ryuho and Kofuku no kagaku, Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 22 p 343-380
[edit] External links
- Official website (English)
- HS North America (English)
