Nichiren Buddhism & Soka Gakkai

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, with his disciple Josei Toda’s dedicated assistance, published the first volume of The System of Value-Creating Pedagogy on Nov. 18, 1930. This is also the date of the Soka Gakkai’s founding. In this work, Mr. Makiguchi uses the word soka, which means

• Evolution

• Creationism

• Value creation

• Value assessment

In Japanese, “Lotus Sutra” is rendered as Myoho-renge-kyo. What is Myo referring to?

• Mysterious

• Mystic

• Marvellous

• Mama Mia!

In Nichiren Buddhist practice consists of practice for oneself and practice for others. Practice for oneself refers to chanting and reciting the sutra on a daily basis. Practice for others constitutes:

• Finding an isolated mountainside or forest for you to practice Buddhism.

• Teaching people about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and helping them establish their Buddhist practice.

• Meditating by the seashore.

• Copying Buddhist sutras.

Within the Ten Worlds, in which state(s) of life is a person easily influenced by external circumstances?

• Buddhahood

• Voice-hearers

• Bodhisattva

• The six lower worlds, or the six paths

The fundamental purpose of our Buddhist faith and practice is to

• Attain a life without problems

• Fulfill all our earthly desires

• Help others become happy

• Attain the life state of Buddhahood

The three proofs are three criteria for determining the correct teaching for leading people to absolute happiness; they are

• Documentary, theoretical and actual proof

• Documentary, logical and actual proof

• Scientific, theoretical and actual proof

• Documentary, theoretical and mystic proof