Nichiren Buddhism
Individual empowerment
Nichiren Buddhism is a Japanese Buddhist movement in the Mahayana tradition. It is also popular in the West and has a fast growing membership in the UK.
Nichiren Buddhism differs from other schools of Buddhism in focusing on this world, and in its view that it is the only correct tradition. It also emphasises the importance of individuals taking responsibility for improving themselves.
Although it can be seen as a highly self-focused religion, followers of Nichiren Buddhism believe that individual empowerment and inner transformation contribute, in turn, to a better and more peaceful world.
The singer Tina Turner is one of its most high profile followers. In the 1993 movie What's Love Got to Do with It, an autobiographical film about Turner's rise to stardom and her relationship with her abusive husband, she chanted the Buddhist Nam Myoho Renge Kyo mantra.
Beliefs: instant enlightenment
This is one of the key elements of Nichiren Buddhism. It teaches that enlightenment is available to everybody. One writer has encapsulated this idea as a "shortcut to salvation".
The essence of enlightenment is opening a person's innate Buddha-nature in this world.
Triple refuge
Triple refuge means the Buddha, the dharma or law, and the sangha or community.
In Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren himself is regarded as the Buddha, while the dharma is in the chant and the gohonzon.
The Nichiren Shoshu school of Buddhism teaches that the sangha is the priesthood alone, while Soka Gakkai does not restrict the sangha in this way.
Ten principles
Nichiren Buddhists believe in ten basic principles as fundamental to human make-up. These are:
- Hell - a condition which appears when someone feels in despair or desperate.
- Hunger - when someone constantly wants something, for example, to be like someone else rather than accept their own life.
- Animality - is governed by instinct and may lead someone to prey on those more vulnerable. For example, a power hungry boss may abuse his position and treat his/her staff like slaves.
- Anger - encompasses traits of selfishness, competitiveness, and arrogance.
- Tranquillity - is a calm state of life.
- Rapture - is the pleasures one feels when one's desires are fulfilled.
- Learning - appears when someone seeks new skills.
- Absorption is a condition based on knowledge and wisdom.
- Bodhisattva - means 'disciple of the Buddha' and is a state where people have strong concern for others which ultimately helps them to overcome their challenges.
- Buddhahood - is the ultimate state to be in as it includes compassion, wisdom, and humaneness.