From: Lloyd Carlson -- IAS <lcarlson@george.arc.nasa.gov>
Subject: Posting for soc.religion.eastern
Organization: ----
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 14:45:09 GMT

[Forwarded to the newsgroup by Jon Doskow with the permission of
 the author -aaron]

wong@rkna50.riken.go.jp (Wong Weng Fai) writes:
>The Nichiren Shoshu reveres Nichiren as the religious founder (shuso) and 
>Nichiko as the sectarian founder (haso). Among its other teachings, it 
>holds that Nichiren is the true Buddha of the present age, that the state 
>should build an ordination hall where properly qualified people may 
>receive the Buddhist precepts and take on themselves the Buddhist 
>discipline, and that the state should be governed by Buddhist principles. 
>This last teaching, known in Japanese as obutsu myogo ("a polity 
>fundamentally united with Buddhism"), calls for a fusion of imperial 
>authority and Buddhist institutions and includes the demand that Nichiren 
>Buddhism be established as the state religion. Holding that this is the 
>mappo ("the last period of history", a degenerate period in which the 
>Buddhist law is no longer observed), Nichiren Buddhism contends that the 
>only person whose offer of help can be meaningful in such an age is 
>Nichiren. Gautama, therefore, is relegated to a secondary position, and 
>even the Lotus Sutra, generally acclaimed as the pinnacles of Gautama's 
>teaching, is deemed less important than the seven syllables penned by 
>Nichiren, namely, namu myoho renge kyo ("adoration to the exquisite law 
>of the Lotus Sutra")." pg 206-207. Japanese Religion : A Survey by the 
>Agency for Cultural Affairs, Kodansha International 1972. ISBN 0-87011-467-0.


Hello Mr. Wong,

	My name is Lloyd Carlson.		

	When I read your reference to Obutsu Myoho, I had the feeling
that your reference was not totally correct.  I remembered reading
years ago in 'The Complete Works of Daisaku Ikeda, vol 1' about this
concept.  The author writes, 

	"In short, Obutsu Myogo means that an individual can become
happy both materially and spiritually through the correct religion.
This problem is a private problem, which cannot be settled by politics
or policy but by religion.  When the principle of Obutsu Myoho is
applied to individuals, . . . 'O' means living and 'butsu' means faith.
If the interpretation is expanded, 'O' becomes politics and 'butsu'
a religion.  Individual activities naturally develop into social
activities.  Social activities mean realization of politics.  The
realization of politics based on the philosophy of life aiming at social
prosperity can be effected by the activities of Obutsu Myogo."

	"Almost all religions in the past were confined to spiritualism.
Only a few of them preached the logic of practical deeds.  When it
becomes clear, however, that religion deals with the life of all men,
its relation to society as a whole and every form of culture will also
become clear."

	"If there is a religion which preaches the salvation of
individual souls but fails to offer an idea applicable to all social
phases, it is not a religion in the true sense of the term.  If your
religion preaches that you save yourself alone, it is too selfish.  
Originally religion should be altruism, to say nothing of saving
yourself.  As long as politics takes the stand of altruism trying to
improve the welfare of the masses, it is inseparably related to
religion."

	"From the standpoint of Obutsu Myoho, politics should always be
based on 'mercy' and improve the happiness of the masses as well as
social welfare."

	"At the present, politics most directly affects the welfare of
the masses.  Therefore, it is natural that religioius activities should
be directed not only to carry out the human revolution of individuals
but also to correct political poverty and corruption and to bring about
social prosperity."

	"Obutsu Myoho is not the `Unity of Church and State.'  In the
past, there were abominable relations between religion and politics.
In medieval Christianity, religious, authorities ruled politics, or
political power utilized religion.  Religious prophecies often swayed
politics.  This should not be confused with Obutsu Myogo.  If a relgion
is forced on the masses by the Government or by law, of what use will
it be?  It means the impotence of the religion, its isolation from the
masses, and the loss of its eternity.  We cannot discuss politics by
neglecting the change of times."  (end quotation)

	I've been practicing for a few years, and it just didn't read
right that Nichiren's Buddhism is to become a state religion.  It is
an individual, voluntary  practice which entails the twice daily
recitation of the liturgy, chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, some study,
and steady attempts to make improvements in one's daily life.  That
effort results in an improved life which effects one's environment and 
in turn has an effect on society.  As  more and more people  find proof 
for themselves by trying this practice, then there is no need for a 
'state relgion' because a force has allready been set in motion, and that 
is the improvement of individual life and by extension the imporvement of 
the society.  Just by declaring something as a state religion does not 
guarantee anything.  It is on the alturistic level by improving our lives 
and helping others that true growth for the society begins.  


				Lloyd Carlson