Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

On the Path of the Buddha 37
(cf., Kawada, 2001; Stacks, 1996; Yamamoto’s chapter on the consciousness-only
theory in this book).
At its core, Nichiren Buddhism is a teaching of psychological empowerment.
Practitioners learn self-control, self-responsibility, and self-change.
Through an empowering philosophy and practice, members learn that they can
achieve enlightenment in this lifetime just as they are; that they have within themselves
the power to transform everyday sufferings into happiness. As practiced
through the lay organization of the Soka Gakkai International, Nichiren
Buddhism has two aims. One is to teach individuals how to uncover their highest
potential, which is the Buddha nature inherent within their life. The second aim,
which is inextricably linked to the first, is to promote peace through the collective
“happiness” of enlightened individuals who act in harmony with others and
with the universe. As articulated in the Soka Gakkai International Charter (SGI-
USA, 1995), members “embrace the fundamental aim and mission of contributing
to peace, culture and education based on the philosophy and ideals of the
Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.”
The core philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism (SGI-USA, 2001)
is expressed in the concept of human revolution, a process of inner transformation
that centers on the idea that the causes we make through our thoughts, words, and
actions have influence that extends beyond their immediate context to affect the vast
and complex web of life. Through undergoing our individual human revolution, we
awaken to the responsibility we each have for our own circumstances and for our
environment. Our inner transformation will lead us to take the actions that bring
about personal fulfillment and help us contribute to the harmony and healthy development
of society. These ideals are based on the Buddhist worldview of dependent
origination, a concept of interrelation where all things in the realms of humanity and
nature are dependent upon each other for their existence and nothing can exist in
isolation, (p. 1)
Among the various schools of Buddhism in America, Soka Gakkai Nichiren
Buddhism is unique in several ways. First, it has the largest, most ethnically and
racially diverse membership of all forms of North American Buddhism. It “is the
only North American Buddhist group with a large number ofAfrican Americans and
Hispanics (who represent over 20 percent of local leadership). This contrasts sharply
with the Zen and Tibetan communities in North America which are largely educated,
middle class, European Americans and have virtually no African Americans,
Latin Americans, or Asian Americans from other Asian countries” (Chappell, 2000,
pp. 302–303).
In the 41 years since 1960 when Soka Gakkai International President
Daisaku Ikeda first visited the United States for the purpose of spreading Nichiren
Shoshu Buddhism in America, the Soka Gakkai-USA has grown to a reported
membership of 300,000 members and 77 community centers (SGI-USA, 1997).