was one of the founders and the first president of the Buddhist organization
Risshō Kōsei Kai
; until June 1960, is a Japanese new religious movement founded in 1938 by Nikkyō Niwano and Myōkō Naganuma. Risshō Kōsei Kai is organized as a lay Buddhist movement, which branched off from the older Reiyūkai, and is primarily focused a ...
.
Early life
Born on November 15, 1906, to farmers, Nikkyō had a humble life in a small town. Later in his youth, he moved to Tokyo to work, where he began to study several different religions. During his studies, he attended a sermon on the
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
and became a
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
.
Risshō Kōsei Kai
Mr Niwano had been actively involved with the Buddhist group
Reiyūkai
, or Reiyūkai Shakaden, is a Japanese Buddhist new religious movement founded in 1919 by Kakutarō Kubo (1892-1944) and Kimi Kotani (1901-1971). It is a lay organization (there are no priests) inspired by Nichiren Buddhism, but not affiliated to ...
, and it was then that he encountered Ms.
Myoko Naganuma Myoko may refer to:
* Myōkō, Niigata, a city in Japan
* Mount Myōkō, a volcano located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan
* Japanese cruiser Myōkō
was the lead ship of the four-member of heavy cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), wh ...
and led her to convert to Reiyūkai. In 1938 they both attended a leaders meeting where the leadership of Reiyūkai made several comments stating that the
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
was outdated. After discussing this matter with each other, they decided that they could not belong to an organization which held this type of view. On March 5, 1938, they founded Risshō Kōsei Kai, holding the first meeting in Mr Niwano's house.
Niwano was to be the President and Naganuma to be the vice-president. As the organization grew he gave up his job as a milkman and devoted himself full-time to the ministry. He became involved in interfaith activities and helped to found the
World Conference of Religions for Peace
Religions for Peace is an international coalition of representatives from the world's religions dedicated to promoting peace founded in 1970. The International Secretariat headquarters is in New York City, with regional conferences in Europe, As ...
in 1970. During this time he became involved in numerous religious and cultural conferences and gatherings, some of which include the Asian Conference on Religion and Peace and the 6th WCRP in Italy, where he presided over the WCRP alongside Pope John Paul II.
He also spoke on several occasions as the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
calling for world peace and the abolition of nuclear arms.
In 1991 he stepped down as president and was succeeded by his eldest son,
Nichiko Niwano. Although retired, he continued to participate in interfaith and peace activities.
Awards
In 1979 he was awarded the
Templeton Foundation Prize for Progress in Religion.
In 1992 he was made a Knight Commander with the Silver Star of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by the Vatican.
In 1993 Mr Niwano was awarded the
Interfaith Medallion
Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religion, religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spirituality, spiritual or humanism, humanistic beliefs, at both the individual ...
from the International Council of Christians and Jews.
Daniel Montgomery quotes that "no Buddhist leader in the World has become more widely known or showered with honours than him."
[Montgomery, Daniel (1991). ''Fire in the Lotus, The Dynamic Religion of Nichiren''. London : Mandala, , page 232.]
Death and legacy
Nikkyo Niwano died on October 4, 1999. He was cremated and some of his ashes were placed in the Precious Stupa of the One Vehicle, a small stupa located on the grounds of the groups headquarters. He is remembered for his interfaith work and his calls for global peace and disarmament.
Works
* Nikkyō Niwano (1980)
Buddhism for Today A Modern Interpretation of the Threefold Lotus Sutra, Kosei Publishing Co/Weatherhill Inc;
* Nikkyō Niwano (1989)
A Guide to the Threefold Lotus Sutra Kosei Publishing Co.
* Nikkyō Niwano (1978)
Lifetime Beginner: An Autobiography Kosei Publishing Co.
* Nikkyō Niwano (1995)
Invisible Eyelashes Seeing What is Closest to Us, Kosei Publishing Co.
References
Further reading
* Shinozaki, Michio T. (2001). Peace and Nonviolence from a Mahayana Buddhist Perspective: Nikkyo Niwano's Thought. Buddhist-Christian Studies 21, 13-30
External links
Official ProfileRissho Kosei Kai website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niwano, Nikkyo
1906 births
1999 deaths
Japanese Buddhists
Templeton Prize laureates
Nichiren Buddhists
Risshō Kōsei Kai people