| Buddhist Terms | The Life of Nichiren Daishonin | The History of Soka Gakkai | SGI President Ikeda's study lecture series | Soka Spirit |
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What are the two key components of practice in Nichiren Buddhism?
Practice for Oneself and Others
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What took place on April 28, 1253?
Nichiren proclaimed Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to be the sole correct Buddhist teaching for leading all people in the Latter Day of the Law to enlightenment.
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To whom did Nichiren entrust his teachings before the end of his life?
Nikko Shonin
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n “The Dragon Gate,” what does Nichiren emphasize through the example of the carp strug- gling to climb the waterfall to turn into a dragon?
Remaining steadfast in one’s Buddhist practice to the very end is an undertaking fraught with as many difficulties as a carp faces in climbing the Dragon Gate and turning into a dragon
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How many countries is SGI present in?
192
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According to the article, what do we come to see as we deepen our faith through study of Nichiren Buddhism?
As we deepen our faith through study, we come to see the opportunity within problems and obstacles and fortify our ability to overcome them.
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When faced with the three obstacles and four devils, what does Nichiren say “the wise” will do?
“The three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat”
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What does the word soka mean?
Value Creation
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Regarding the strong currents of the waterfall that drive the carp back, what does President Ikeda say these currents can be likened to?
The strong currents of the waterfall that drive the fish back can be likened to the conditions of an evil age defiled by the five impurities4 as described in the Lotus Sutra
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The claim of Nichiren Shoshu that “the fundamental principle of the Daishonin’s Buddhism is transmitted only to its high priest” is contradicted by many of Nichiren’s own statements. What
is an example of such a statement by Nichiren given in this article?
“The heritage of the Lotus Sutra flows within the lives of those who never forsake it . . .
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Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, how do we produce the most meaningful results or rewards?
chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo produces the most meaningful rewards when accompanied by action or effort.
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What prompted Nichiren to write “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”?
apan had been experiencing a series of natural disas- ters and calamities, including extreme weather, severe earthquakes, famine, fires and epidemics. In particular, the devastating earthquake of the Shoka era, which struck the Kamakura region in August 1257, destroyed many homes and important buildings in Kamakura.
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While in prison for upholding his beliefs, Pres- ident Toda deeply contemplated the signi cance and meaning of the Lotus Sutra, and eventually awakened to two essential messages of the sutra. What were the two realizations?
the Buddha is essentially life itself; this life of the Buddha exists within himself and all people, as well as in the vast universe.
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In this writing, Nichiren says, “My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow.” In his lecture, how does President Ikeda connect living based on a great vow to bringing our practice of the Mystic Law to a successful completion?
we must eagerly and joyfully embrace the mission of taking on the sufferings of still more and more people and of challenging even greater difficulties in our cause for peace and happiness.
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Nichiren emphasizes the Lotus Sutra’s teach ing recognizing that all people are equally capable of attaining Buddhahood. The Nichiren Shoshu priesthood, however, asserts that “an innate difference exists between the priesthood and
laity in the Daishonin’s Buddhism.” This stands in stark contrast to many of Nichiren’s statements. What are a few examples of Nichiren’s statements expressing the equality of all people?
Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from one another. To chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death. This is a matter of the utmost importance for Nichiren’s disciples and lay supporters, and this is what it means to embrace the Lotus Sutra”
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12. In “The Three Kinds of Treasure,” what does Nichiren instruct Shijo Kingo to do in dealing with jealous colleagues, some of whom had spread rumors and made false reports about him?
“Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo [Shijo Kingo] is dili- gent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his concern for other people” (“The Three Kinds of Treasure,”
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What two things did Nichiren predict would happen if the people continued to believe in misleading teachings and failed to embrace the correct Buddhist teaching?
Country will encounter internal strife and foreign invasion—the two calamities of the “three calamities and seven disasters” yet to occur.
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What did Daisaku Ikeda do on August 24, 1947?
President Ikeda Joined Soka Gakkai
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President Ikeda offers a detailed explanation of Nichiren’s words “revere Myoho-renge-kyo inherent in our own life as the object of devotion.” What does he say is key to activating the “Myoho- renge-kyo inherent in our own life”? And what does he say will happen if we were to lose sight of this important point?
Chanting with faith in the Gohonzon is the key to manifesting the Gohonzon within us and activating the “Myoho-renge-kyo inherent in our own life” (WND-1, 887). If we were to lose sight of this important point, our Buddhist practice runs the risk of lapsing into the subservient worship of some absolute being outside of us.
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How is the correct relationship between a Buddhist Teacher and disciple is expressed?
The correct relationship between a Buddhist teacher and a disciple is expressed in the principle of the oneness of mentor and disciple, which means that both the teacher and the disciple equally share responsibility for kosen-rufu based on mutual respect and commitment.
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Rather than being distinct realms that certain beings inhabit, what are the Ten Worlds according to the Lotus Sutra?
the world of hell;
the world of hungry spirits (also called hunger); the world of animals (animality); the world of asuras (anger); the world of human beings (humanity or tranquillity); the world of heavenly beings (heaven or rapture); the world of voice- hearers (learning); the world of cause-awakened ones (realization); the world of bodhisattvas; and the world of Buddhas (Buddhahood). |
What was Nichiren’s main conclusion after many years of intensely studying the teachings of the major Buddhist schools of Japan?
He confirmed that the Lotus Sutra is the foremost among all the Buddhist sutras and that the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to which he had awakened is the essence of the sutra and provides the means for freeing all people from suffering on the most fundamental level.
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According to the article, what has President Ikeda said of the relationship between dialogue and peace?
Choosing dialogue is the key to building peace and achieving a victory of our inner humanity.
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In this writing, Nichiren offers an analogy, saying, “When a caged bird sings, birds who are ying in the sky are thereby summoned and gather around, and when the birds ying in the sky gather around, the bird in the cage strives to get out.” How does President Ikeda explain this analogy as it pertains to our practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?
The “caged bird sings” refers to ordinary people rousing faith in the Mystic Law and chanting Nam-myoho- renge-kyo. The “birds who are flying in the sky,” meanwhile, repre- sent the Buddha nature of all living beings. We call forth our Buddha nature—that is, the Myoho-renge-kyo within us—by chanting with our own voices.
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The Nichiren Shoshu priesthood upholds the doctrine that the high priest alone has the power to determine who attains Buddhahood and who does not. It also requires that practitioners must obediently follow the high priest and never question whether his teachings or actions correctly accord with Nichiren’s teachings. This runs counter to which statement of Nikko Shonin’s “Twenty-Six Admonitions”?
Nichiren’s successor, Nikko Shonin, states in his “Twenty-six Admonitions,” “Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha’s Law and propounds his own views”
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