Who was Nichiren?
니치렌(日蓮, Nichiren) (Nichiren / 日蓮) was a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest who proclaimed the Lotus Sutra (法華經) as the sole correct teaching for the Latter Day of the Law (末法) and established Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (南無妙法蓮華経) as the foundational practice for the people.
Overview
Nichiren (1222–1282), born in the Kamakura period, led a Buddhist reform movement centered on the Lotus Sutra. Despite persecution by authorities, he insisted on social critique and the salvation of ordinary people, and is the philosophical source of Soka Gakkai (創価学会) and Korea SGI (韓國SGI).
Related Concepts
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Nichiren?
Nichiren (日蓮, 니치렌, 1222–1282) was a Buddhist priest of Kamakura-period Japan who proclaimed the Lotus Sutra (法華經, 법화경) as the fundamental scripture of the Latter Day of the Law (末法). He established Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (南無妙法蓮華経, 남묘호렌게쿄) and became the philosophical source of Soka Gakkai (創価学会) and Korea SGI (韓國SGI).
Why did Nichiren emphasize the Lotus Sutra?
Nichiren (日蓮) taught that in the age of mappo (末法, the Latter Day of the Law), only the Lotus Sutra (法華經, 법화경) could save all sentient beings. He argued that among Shakyamuni's teachings, the Lotus Sutra is the highest and most appropriate for this era.
What is the relationship between Nichiren and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?
Nichiren (日蓮) encapsulated the essence of the Lotus Sutra (法華經) in the chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (南無妙法蓮華経, 남묘호렌게쿄), teaching that this practice is the key to saving the people in the Latter Day of the Law.
What persecution did Nichiren face?
Nichiren (日蓮) faced persecution by the authorities of his time, including exile (notably to Sado Island) and a near-execution. Nevertheless, he persisted in upholding the Lotus Sutra (法華經) and the practice of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (南無妙法蓮華経).
How do Nichiren's teachings continue in Soka Gakkai?
Soka Gakkai (創価学会, 창가학회) is a Buddhist organization that practices Nichiren's (日蓮) Lotus Sutra (法華經) Buddhism in the modern era. Ikeda Daisaku (池田大作) developed Nichiren's humanistic interpretation of Buddhism into a global peace movement.