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Risshō Kōsei Kai (立正佼成会; until June 1960, 大日本立正交成会: Dai-Nippon Risshō Kōsei Kai) is a Japanese Buddhist lay movement founded in 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma.

History

Rissho Kosei-kai was founded on March 5, 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma, both former members of the Buddhist sect Reiyukai. Rev. Niwano had meant Ms. Naganuma when he was engaged in missionary work with Reiyukai and the two had become close friends. In 1938 they had attended a Reiyukai meeting in which its president had made remarks that lectures and study of the Lotus Sutra were out of date. After hearing this and consulting with each other, they determined that they could not support such ideas and left Reiyukai. ^[1] It was then that they decided to form a new organization. The first meeting was held at Mr. Niwano's house and some 30 people joined at that time.

The organization grew quickly and by 1941 membership had reach 1,000. No longer able to meet at Rev. Niwano's house, construction on a new headquarters began. However, as membership continued to grow the new headquarters also became too small and work on the Great Scared Hall began in the late 1950s'. Myoko Naganuma, who had been serving as Vice-President, passed away before the Great Scared Hall was completed, dying on September 10, 1957. Seven years later it would be completed.

It was also during this time that Rissho Kosei-kai began to become active in interfaith co-operation. Nikkyo Niwano had a private audience with Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council in 1965 and later attended the 20th world congress of the IARF in 1969. In 1970 Rev. Niwano helped for form the World Conference of Religions for Peace was severed as the Co-Chairman.^[2]

In 1991 Nikkyo Niwano stepped down as President and his son, Nichiko Niwano, who had been appointed successor and was at that time serving as Vice President, took over as President in a special ceremony^[3]. Nichiko Niwano had been designated his successor in 1960. Later Nichiko's eldest daughter, Mitsuyo Niwano, was, in 1994, made Vice President and designated successor. ^[4] She was given the Buddhist name Kosho by her father and grandfather and is know to members as “Kosho-sama” with “Sama” being an honorary title. Nikkyo Niwano continued to engage in interfaith activities and participate in Rissho Kosei-kai activities even though he has handed over the presidency in 1991. He passed away on October 4, 1999.

In 2008 Rissho Kosei-kai International of North America was established due to growth of interest in the group in America and Canada and in the summer of 2009 the United States celebrated 50 years, holding a gathering in Las Vegas, Nevada, which President Niwano attended^[5].

As of 2010 there are over 240 churches and centers in 20 countries. ^[6] Membership currently stands at 6.5 million members ^[7], with the majority living in Japan.

Practices and Teachings

Characteristics

Rissho Kosei-kai teaches that its' two main characteristcis are:

1. Rissho Kosei-kai is a Buddhist organization in direct line of descent from Shakyamuni Buddha. Rev. Nikkyo Niwano discerned the principle of peace and liberation and established Rissho Kosei-kai on that basis.
2. Rissho Kosei-kai emphasizes the practical application of the teachings. Members of Rissho Kosei-kai, with faith in the Buddha, apply his teachings in their daily lives. They recite the sutra mornings and evenings, strive to learn the teachings at local churches through hoza counseling sessions and doctrinal lectures, as well as significant events and ceremonies, and guide other people to the faith by sharing the teachings and their experiences. ^[8], Taken from thier website.

Basic Teachings

Rissho Kosei-kai places an strong emphasis on studying the Lotus Sutra and the Buddha's teachings. They take the basic teachings of Buddhism, such as the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and the Three Seals of the Law, among others, to be their core teachings ^[9] ^[10]. The Threefold Lotus Sutra is the groups chief scripture. It is viewed as containing the highest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Buddha and the Dharma

They believe that Shakyamuni Buddha was the first human to be awakened to the Dharma, which is believed to be an invisible entity that sustains, guides and improves the lives of all living things ^[11]. They refer to this life force as the Eternal Buddha, teaching that it is omnipresent and universal.

Daily Practice

Members begin and end each day by chanting parts of the Lotus Sutra and saying various prayers and vows before family altars in their home ^[12]. The center of the altar is the Focus of Devotion, either a scroll which an image of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni on it or a small statue of the Eternal Buddha. Members leave offerings of rice, water and tea before the image

Holidays

Rissho Kosei-kai observes various Buddhist holidays, including Nirvana Day, Buddha's Birthday and Bodhi Day. They also have special gatherings to mark important events in the organizations history, such as memorial services for the Founder and Co-Founder and the Anniversary of the Founding of Rissho Kosei-kai ^[13].

Interfaith and Peace Activities

Since its founding, Rissho Kosei-kai has sought to cooperate with other religions and work with the United Nations and a variety of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).^[14]

Interfaith Co-operation

Nikkyo Niwano was one of the founders of the World Conference of Religions for Peace. Since its founding in 1970, Rissho Kosei-kai has been actively involved with the organization ^[15] and currently President Nichiko Niwano is a president of the WCRP ^[16].

In 1981 Nikkyo Niwano was elected as the President of the International Association for Religious Freedom and in 1984 hosted the IARF at the Great Scared Hall. ^[17]

Nichiko Niwano is currently the President of the Japanese branch of the WRCP and Chairman of Shinshuren. The organization is also involved with the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace ^[18] and maintains close ties to the Unitarian Universalist Association.

UNICEF and the United Nations

Rissho Kosei-kai has supported UNICEF since 1979 and members regularly participate in campaign activities related to UNICEF. It has also supported and participated in a number of UN programs, including the second Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament held in 1982. ^[19]

Humanitarian Projects

Rissho Kosei-kai engages in numerous campaigns to end hunger and poverty, support the environment and work for peace. In the late 1960s, Rissho Kosei-kai began to advocate the Brighter Society Movement, a public-spirited undertaking through which the local churches of Rissho Kosei-kai cooperate with local governments, welfare organizations, and volunteer groups throughout Japan ^[20].

In 1974 it launched the Donate a Meal Movement in which one skips a meal twice a month and contribute the money saved to the Movement. During the last thirty years over 11 billion yen has been donated in Japan and thousands more worldwide to this Movement. ^[21]

There is also the Little Bags of Dreams Campaign started in 1999 in which local churches have the youth members prepare cloth bags full of toys, small gifts and cards with well wishes, for children in war torn nations. Children in Northern Ireland, Palestine and the former Yugoslavia. ^[22]

The Niwano Peace Foundation was established in 1978 to promote research for world peace and religious, cultural, scientific and educational endeavors ^[23]. Starting in 1983, with the exception of 1988, it has on a yearly basis given out the Niwano Peace Prize to an individual or organization that contributes to world peace. ^[24]

Music

Rissho Kosei Kai is world-renowned in the field of music for its generous support of several leading professional music ensembles, most notably the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. Its facilities are also used to host the world's largest music competition, the All-Japan Band Association national band contest.

Criticisms

Detractors have alleged that it is too strongly linked to Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and that it supported Japanese militarist elements in World War II. This charge is dubious at best, since Rissho Kosei-kai suffered severe religious restrictions under the Japanese regime in power during that conflict. There is also criticism, specifically Buddhist in nature, concerning its practice of fortune telling and ancestor worship. Members memorialize their ancestors (their names are kept in a death register, or a kakocho, which is kept on their home altars), but this practice is extremely common among Japanese Buddhists of many sects. Critics also see the massive estate left by Niwano as a sign of un-Buddhist materialism.

Notes

External links

[1] ttp://www.rkhawaii.org/rkhistory.htm

[2] ttp://rk-world.org/timeline.html

[3] ttp://rk-world.org/presidentniwano.aspx

[4] ttp://www.rkhawaii.org/rkhistory.htm

[5] ttp://rk-world.org/news09aug_us_50th.aspx

[6] ttp://rk-world.org/contactlist.aspx#japan

[7] ttp://www.rkhawaii.org/rkhistory.htm

[8] ttp://rk-world.org/whoweare.aspx

[9] ttp://rk-world.org/education.aspx

[10] ttp://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/easia/rissho.html

[11] ttp://rk-world.org/devotion.aspx

[12] ttp://rk-world.org/recitation.aspx

[13] ttp://rk-world.org/memorial.aspx

[14] ttp://rk-world.org/peace/coop.aspx

[15] ttp://rk-world.org/wcrp.aspx

[16] ttp://rk-world.org/presidentniwano.aspx

[17] ttp://rk-world.org/iarf.aspx

[18] ttp://rk-world.org/acrp.aspx

[19] ttp://rk-world.org/unicef.aspx

[20] ttp://www.rfpusa.org/religions/buddhism/rissho-kosei-kai

[21] ttp://rk-world.org/peace/meal.aspx

[22] ttp://rk-world.org/dreams.aspx

[23] ttp://www.npf.or.jp/english/index.html

[24] ttp://rk-world.org/npf.aspx

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@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 [[Image:Rissho_Kosei-kai_(principal_image_of_the_Great_Sacred_Hall).jpg|thumb|190px|left|Inside of the Great Sacred Hall]]Rissho Kosei-kai was founded on March 5, 1938 by [[Nikkyo Niwano]] and [[Myoko Naganuma]], both former members of the Buddhist sect [[Reiyukai]]. Rev. Niwano had meant Ms. Naganuma when he was engaged in missionary work with Reiyukai and the two had become close friends. In 1938 they had attended a Reiyukai meeting in which its president had made remarks that lectures and study of the Lotus Sutra were out of date. After hearing this and consulting with each other, they determined that they could not support such ideas and left Reiyukai. <ref>http://www.rkhawaii.org/rkhistory.htm</ref> It was then that they decided to form a new organization. The first meeting was held at Mr. Niwano's house and some 30 people joined at that time.
-The organization grew quickly and by 1941 membership had reach 1,000. No longer able to meet at Rev. Niwano's house, construction on a new headquarters began. However, as membership continued to grow the new headquarters also became too small and work on the Great Scared Hall began in the late 1950s'. Myoko Naganuma, who had been serving as Vice-President, passed away before the Great Scared Hall was completed, dying on September 10, 1957. Seven years later it would be completed.
+[[Image:Rissho Kosei-kai Original Headquarters.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Original Headquarters]]The organization grew quickly and by 1941 membership had reach 1,000. No longer able to meet at Rev. Niwano's house, construction on a new headquarters began. However, as membership continued to grow the new headquarters also became too small and work on the Great Scared Hall began in the late 1950s'. Myoko Naganuma, who had been serving as Vice-President, passed away before the Great Scared Hall was completed, dying on September 10, 1957. Seven years later it would be completed.
 It was also during this time that Rissho Kosei-kai began to become active in interfaith co-operation. Nikkyo Niwano had a private audience with Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council in 1965 and later attended the 20th world congress of the IARF in 1969. In 1970 Rev. Niwano helped for form the World Conference of Religions for Peace was severed as the Co-Chairman.<ref>http://rk-world.org/timeline.html</ref>