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86-627: Risshō Kōsei Kai was founded on March 5, 1938 by Nikkyō Niwano and Myōkō Naganuma, both former members of the Buddhist sect Reiyūkai . Niwano met Naganuma while he was engaged in missionary work with Reiyūkai and the two became close friends. In 1938, they attended a Reiyūkai meeting in which its president made remarks that lectures and study of the Lotus Sutra were out of date. After hearing that and consulting with each other, they determined that they could not support such ideas and left Reiyūkai. It

172-478: A circle, discuss their problems or their shortcomings, and other members listen and provide advice. The discussions usually will explore how Buddhism and insight can be applied to help the person with the problem, and encourage a sense of trust and community between members. Risshō Kōsei Kai observes various Buddhist and Japanese holidays, including Parinirvana Day , Buddha's Birthday, Bodhi Day, and Higan . They also have special gatherings to mark important events in

258-413: A correct way of behaving; mind-control, which means not feeding on negative thoughts, and nurturing positive thoughts; constant awareness of the feelings and responses which arise; and the practice of dhyana , meditation. The tenfold path adds the right (liberating) insight, and liberation from rebirth. The four truths are to be internalised, and understood or "experienced" personally, to turn them into

344-406: A later date," and according to professor of religion Carol S. Anderson the four truths may originally not have been part of this sutta, but were later added in some versions. Within this discourse, the four noble truths are given as follows (" bhikkus " is normally translated as "Buddhist monks"): Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness

430-558: A lived reality. The four truths describe dukkha and its ending as a means to reach peace of mind in this life, but also as a means to end rebirth. According to Geoffrey Samuel, "the Four Noble Truths [...] describe the knowledge needed to set out on the path to liberation from rebirth." By understanding the four truths, one can stop this clinging and craving, attain a pacified mind, and be freed from this cycle of rebirth and redeath. Patrick Olivelle explains that moksha

516-568: A new headquarters began. However, as membership continued to grow the new headquarters also became too small and work on the Great Sacred Hall, or daiseidō ( 大聖堂 ) , began in the late 1950s. Myōkō Naganuma, who had been serving as Vice-President, died in September 1957, seven years before the Great Sacred Hall was completed. It was also then that Risshō Kōsei Kai began to become active in interfaith co-operation. Nikkyō Niwano had

602-720: A number of UN programs, including the second Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament held in 1982. Risshō Kōsei Kai engages in numerous campaigns to end hunger and poverty, support the environment and work for peace. In the late 1960s, Risshō Kōsei Kai began to advocate the Brighter Society Movement, a public-spirited undertaking through which the local churches of Risshō Kōsei Kai cooperate with local governments, welfare organizations, and volunteer groups throughout Japan. In 1974, it launched

688-410: A number of splits headed by some members; further offshoots from Reiyūkai are Risshō Kōsei Kai , Bussho Gonenkai Kyōdan , Myōchikai Kyōdan , and Myōdōkai Kyōdan . Reiyukai is a pacifist movement. For Reiyukai, peace can be achieved through the promotion of one’s personal development for the benefit of all humanity. The Inner Trip Ideologue Research Center (IIC) was founded to raise awareness about

774-722: A part of the enlightenment story of the Buddha. The four truths grew to be of central importance in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism by about the 5th-century CE, which holds that the insight into the four truths is liberating in itself. They are less prominent in the Mahayana tradition, which sees the higher aims of insight into sunyata , emptiness, and following the Bodhisattva path as central elements in their teachings and practice. The Mahayana tradition reinterpreted

860-679: A private audience with Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council in 1965 and later attended the 20th World Congress of the IARF in 1969. In 1970 Niwano helped to form the World Conference of Religions for Peace and became a leader of the WCRP. In 1991, Nikkyō Niwano stepped down as president and his son, Nichiko Niwano, who had been appointed successor and was at that time serving as vice president, took over as president in

946-573: A space for politicians to present their political viewpoints. Former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara is a believer and writes in Reiyūkai publications. Claudine Shinoda, of Reiyukai France, has been president of EBU for three years and vice-president for six. In this role, she was a speaker in various international meetings: The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) of United Nations , opening its regular session for 2015, recommended sixteen organizations for special consultative status with

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1032-694: A special ceremony. Nichiko Niwano had been designated his successor in 1960. In 1994, Nichiko's eldest daughter, Mitsuyo Niwano, was made Vice President and designated successor. She was given the Buddhist name Kosho by her father and grandfather and is known to members as "Kosho-sama", with -sama being an honorary suffix title in Japanese. Nikkyō Niwano continued to engage in interfaith activities and participate in Risshō Kōsei Kai activities, despite no longer being president. He died on October 4, 1999. In 2008, Risshō Kōsei Kai International of North America

1118-518: A well-known Thai master of the last century, said that when village people in India were cooking rice and waiting for it to cool, they might remark, "Wait a little for the rice to become nibbana". So here, nibbana means the cool state of mind, free from the fires of the defilements . As Ajahn Buddhadasa remarked, "The cooler the mind, the more Nibbana in that moment". We can notice for ourselves relative states of coolness in our own minds as we go through

1204-837: A whole are venerated through the Sokaimyo. Risshō Kōsei Kai places a strong emphasis on studying the Lotus Sutra and the Buddha's teachings. They affirm the basic teachings of Buddhism, such as the Four Noble Truths , the Noble Eightfold Path and the Three Seals of the Law, among their core teachings. The Threefold Lotus Sutra is the group's chief scripture. It is viewed as containing the highest teachings of Gautama Buddha. Adherents believe that Gautama Buddha

1290-454: Is dukkha , unsatisfactory and painful. We expect happiness from states and things which are impermanent, and therefore cannot attain real happiness. The truth of samudaya , "arising", "coming together", or dukkha-samudaya , the origination or arising of dukkha , is the truth that samsara , and its associated dukkha arises , or continues, with taṇhā , "thirst", craving for and clinging to these impermanent states and things. In

1376-431: Is "known at the moment of awakening". According to Gethin, "modern Buddhist usage tends to restrict 'nirvāṇa' to the awakening experience and reserve 'parinirvāṇa' for the death experience. When nirvana is attained, no more karma is being produced, and rebirth and dissatisfaction will no longer arise again. Cessation is nirvana , "blowing out", and peace of mind. Joseph Goldstein explains: Ajahn Buddhadasa ,

1462-474: Is a lay organization (there are no priests) inspired by Nichiren Buddhism , but not affiliated to any particular sect. Reiyūkai considers itself the grandfather of lay-based new religions devoted to the Lotus Sutra and ancestor veneration . Reiyūkai membership currently stands at 5.14 million members, with the majority living in Japan. In 1920s, during the crisis after the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and

1548-455: Is a central concept in Indian religions, and "literally means freedom from samsara." Melvin E. Spiro further explains that "desire is the cause of suffering because desire is the cause of rebirth." When desire ceases, rebirth and its accompanying suffering ceases. Peter Harvey explains: Once birth has arisen, "ageing and death", and various other dukkha states follow. While saying that birth

1634-633: Is a place where anyone can seek to further practice the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. It consists of the Main Hall, the Plaza, the Kotani Hall, various conference rooms, a cafeteria, a child care room, and a nurse's office. After four years of construction, the Shakaden was completed in 1975. Shakaden is a 3 minute walk from Kamiyacho subway stop, Hibiya Line. It is on the side of Togasa Mountain in

1720-476: Is attained. Alternatively, tanha itself, as a response to dukkha , is to be confined. Nirvana refers to the moment of attainment itself, and the resulting peace of mind and happiness ( khlesa-nirvana ), but also to the final dissolution of the five skandhas at the time of death ( skandha-nirvana or parinirvana ); in the Theravada-tradition, it also refers to a transcendental reality which

1806-490: Is member of the European Buddhist Union (EBU) since 1997. "Shakaden" in the name Reiyūkai Shakaden means that this organization lays extra emphasis on the veneration of Shakyamuni Buddha , the founder of Buddhism . The Shakaden is an architectural complex that serves as a meeting place and social center for Reiyūkai members in the local community. In Japanese, "Shakaden" means the "House of Shakyamuni." It

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1892-416: Is no craving, no karma, no rebirth. In Thai Buddhism, bhava is interpreted as behavior which serves craving and clinging, while jāti is interpreted as the repeated birth of the ego or self-sense, which perpetuates the process of self-serving responses and actions. The Pali terms ariya sacca (Sanskrit: arya satya ) are commonly translated as "noble truths". This translation is a convention started by

1978-539: Is not the goal of Four Noble Truths and related doctrines within traditional Buddhism, but the vipassana teachings in the West make no reference to traditional Theravada doctrines, instead they present only the pragmatic and experiential goals in the form of therapy for the audience's current lives. The creative interpretations are driven in part because the foundational premises of Buddhism do not make sense to audiences outside of Asia. According to Spiro, "the Buddhist message

2064-501: Is primarily in reference to what one is free from – that is, from greed, hate, delusion, grasping, attachment, wrong view, self, and most significantly, rebirth". Nibbana is the final freedom, and it has no purpose beyond itself. In contrast, freedom in the creative modern interpretation of Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path means living happily and wisely, "without drastic changes in lifestyle". Such freedom and happiness

2150-659: Is run, both religiously and administratively, by a board of directors, with the Chairman being the head. The office of the President is the highest spiritual office, and he is the chief spiritual leader and master of ceremony. The office of the President is a hereditary office held only by the direct descendants of Nikkyō Niwano. Duties include visiting churches and centers, representing Risshō Kōsei Kai at interfaith and cultural events, giving sermons, speeches and greeting guests. He holds much importance and plays an active role in how

2236-591: Is subject to cessation. According to K.R. Norman , the basic set is as follows: According to K. R. Norman , the Pali canon contains various shortened forms of the four truths, the "mnemonic set", which were "intended to remind the hearer of the full form of the NTs." The earliest form of the mnemonic set was "dukkham samudayo nirodho marga", without the reference to the Pali terms sacca or arya , which were later added to

2322-546: Is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving [ taṇhā , "thirst"] which leads to re-becoming , accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for becoming, craving for disbecoming. Now this, bhikkhus,

2408-542: Is the cause of death may sound rather simplistic, in Buddhism it is a very significant statement; for there is an alternative to being born. This is to attain Nirvāna, so bringing an end to the process of rebirth and redeath. Nirvāna is not subject to time and change, and so is known as the 'unborn' ; as it is not born it cannot die, and so it is also known as the "deathless". To attain this state, all phenomena subject to birth –

2494-460: Is the craving for existence, destroyed is that which leads to renewed becoming [rebirth], and there is no fresh becoming. According to Bhikkhu Buddhadasa , "birth" does refer not to physical birth and death, but to the birth and death of our self-concept, the "emergence of the ego". According to Buddhadhasa, ... dependent arising is a phenomenon that lasts an instant; it is impermanent. Therefore, Birth and Death must be explained as phenomena within

2580-492: Is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, non-reliance on it. Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is this noble eightfold path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. According to this sutra, with

2666-408: Is the truthful way of seeing. Through not seeing things this way, and behaving accordingly, we suffer. According to Anderson, the four truths have both a symbolic and a propositional function: ... the four noble truths are truly set apart within the body of the Buddha's teachings, not because they are by definition sacred, but because they are both a symbol and a doctrine and transformative within

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2752-475: Is usually taken to mean the Noble Eightfold Path , but other versions of "the path" can also be found in the Nikayas. The Theravada tradition regards insight into the four truths as liberating in itself. The well-known eightfold path consists of the understanding that this world is fleeting and unsatisfying, and how craving keeps us tied to this fleeting world; a friendly and compassionate attitude to others;

2838-663: The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta text, which contains two sets of the four truths, while various other sets can be found in the Pāli Canon , a collection of scriptures in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition. The full set, which is most commonly used in modern expositions, contains grammatical errors, pointing to multiple sources for this set and translation problems within the ancient Buddhist community. Nevertheless, they were considered correct by

2924-536: The Eternal Buddha , the central figure of the Lotus Sutra, instead of a gohonzon . The central temple, the Great Sacred Hall, features a statue of the Eternal Buddha that is 6.09 meters tall and 3.03 meters wide. The imagery of the Eternal Buddha used in the Great Sacred Hall, and all temple altars, is of a standing Buddha enveloped in a fiery halo, within are four, smaller Bodhisattvas: Further above

3010-564: The Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra . Its facilities are also used to host the world's largest music competition, the All-Japan Band Association national band contest. Reiy%C5%ABkai Reiyūkai ( 霊友会 , Spiritual-Friendship-Association ) , or Reiyūkai Shakaden , is a Japanese Buddhist new religious movement founded in 1919 by Kakutarō Kubo (1892-1944) and Kimi Kotani (1901-1971). It

3096-619: The United Nations Economic and Social Council , including Reiyūkai Eurasia. Four Noble Truths In Buddhism , the Four Noble Truths ( Sanskrit : चत्वार्यार्यसत्यानि , romanized :  catvāryāryasatyāni ; Pali : cattāri ariyasaccāni ; "The Four arya satya ") are "the truths of the noble one (the Buddha)," a statement of how things really are when they are seen correctly . The four truths are The four truths appear in many grammatical forms in

3182-535: The khandhas and nidānas – must be transcended by means of non-attachment . The last sermon, the Maha-parinibbana Sutta (Last Days of the Buddha, Digha Nikaya 16)", states it as follows: [...] it is through not realizing, through not penetrating the Four Noble Truths that this long course of birth and death has been passed through and undergone by me as well as by you [...] But now, bhikkhus, that these have been realized and penetrated, cut off

3268-497: The saṅkhāras , that is, all compounded things, or to the six sense spheres . The various terms all point to the same basic idea of Buddhism, as described in five skandhas and twelve nidānas . In the five skandhas, sense-contact with objects leads to sensation and perception; the saṅkhāra ('inclinations', c.q. craving etc.) determine the interpretation of, and the response to, these sensations and perceptions, and affect consciousness in specific ways. The twelve nidānas describe

3354-742: The Asian, American and European regions on a regular basis. In 1990, the Sixth International Youth Year Speech Festival was held in Osaka, Japan, as part of the International Garden and Greenery Expo ’90. Representatives from 17 countries attended. In 1992, Reiyūkai International Operation for Cambodian Relief (RIOCR) opened its office in Cambodia. The next year, Reiyūkai International Committee

3440-467: The Buddha's head is a small image of the stupa of Prabhutaratna , featured in Chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra . Additionally, members enshrine a Sōkaimyō ( 総戒名 , "Family Posthumous Name") , which is a kind of certificate and object of veneration that represents the collective ancestors of that member. Because it is not feasible to provide each ancestor with a posthumous Buddhist name, the ancestors as

3526-524: The Buddha, and are of utmost importance: [W]hen the four noble truths are regarded in the canon as the first teaching of the Buddha, they function as a view or doctrine that assumes a symbolic function. Where the four noble truths appear in the guise of a religious symbol in the Sutta-pitaka and the Vinaya-pitaka of the Pali canon, they represent the enlightenment experience of the Buddha and

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3612-426: The Buddhist path, craving and clinging can be confined, peace of mind and real happiness can be attained, and the repeated cycle of repeated becoming and birth will be stopped. The truth of dukkha , "incapable of satisfying", "painful", from dush-stha , "standing unstable," is the basic insight that samsara , life in this "mundane world", with its clinging and craving to impermanent states and things "

3698-672: The Donate a Meal Movement, in which one skips a meal twice a month and contribute the money saved to the Movement. During the last thirty years, over ¥11   billion has been donated in Japan and thousands more worldwide to the movement. There is also the Little Bags of Dreams Campaign started in 1999, in which local churches have the youth members prepare cloth bags full of toys, small gifts and cards with well wishes, for children in war torn nations, such as Northern Ireland, Palestine and

3784-525: The Four Truths are a conceptual framework that appear in the Pali canon and early Hybrid Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures, as a part of the broader "network of teachings" (the " dhamma matrix"), which have to be taken together. They provide a conceptual framework for introducing and explaining Buddhist thought, which has to be personally understood or "experienced". As a proposition, the four truths defy an exact definition, but refer to and express

3870-807: The Iikura area, Tokyo. In 1954, the Reiyūkai Youth Group was inaugurated. In 1971 Kimi Kotani died and Tsugunari Kubo became president. The next year, a Reiyūkai Centre was established in the United States. It was followed by centers in Brazil and Canada (1975); the Philippines (1976); Mexico, Italy, and Taiwan (1977); United Kingdom (1978, closed as of March 1998); Peru, Thailand, and France (1979); India, Nepal, and Paraguay (1983); Spain (1984); Korea (1988); Bolivia (1996) and Sri Lanka (1999). In 1980,

3956-622: The Japanese national broadcaster, NHK, on its BS Forum. In 2007, thanks to the contribution of members of Reiyukai Eurasia community, as an NGO committed to rural development acting in India and Nepal, a new eye hospital, the Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga Eye Hospital , was established in Nepal . From April 8, 2013, Masaharu Sueyoshi is currently the Reiyūkai International President. Reiyukai France

4042-748: The Nikkei newspaper, the World Youth Peace Summit (WYPS) Japan conference, as a direct outcome of the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference. It was held at the United Nations University in Tokyo. Over 400 youth delegates engaged in lively discussion and decided to mark the date, August 5th, as International Youth Peace Day and will organize an event on that day each year. The summit was broadcast by

4128-654: The Pali tradition, which did not correct them. According to the Buddhist tradition, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta , "Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion", contains the first teachings that the Buddha gave after attaining full awakening , and liberation from rebirth. According to L. S. Cousins , many scholars are of the view that "this discourse was identified as the first sermon of the Buddha only at

4214-489: The Reiyūkai’s Inner Self Development campaign began. In 1978, Statistic public body counts in Japan 2,838,000 members, that is 2,46% of total population In 1985, representatives from 14 countries participated in a Youth Speech Festival in commemoration of United Nations International Youth Year. Since then, national festivals are held annually throughout the world and international festivals are held in

4300-809: The WRCP and Chairman of Shinshuren. The organization is also involved with the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace and maintains close ties to the Unitarian Universalist Association . The interfaith relationship with the Unitarian-Universalist Association is the closest one the latter American liberal organization has ever achieved. Risshō Kōsei Kai has supported UNICEF since 1979 and members regularly participate in campaign activities related to UNICEF. It has also supported and participated in

4386-551: The altar is the Focus of Devotion, either a scroll with an image of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni on it or a small statue of the Eternal Buddha. Members leave offerings of rice, water and tea before the image. Another practice frequently found in Risshō Kōsei Kai services and meetings is the hōza ( 法座 , "Dharma Circle") which is a kind of informal, group session led by a trained leader, in which members sit in

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4472-414: The ancient Buddhist texts , and are traditionally identified as the first teaching given by the Buddha . While often called one of the most important teachings in Buddhism, they have both a symbolic and a propositional function. Symbolically, they represent the awakening and liberation of the Buddha, and of the potential for his followers to reach the same liberation and freedom as him. As propositions,

4558-433: The basic orientation of Buddhism : sensory contact gives rise to clinging and craving to temporary states and things, which is ultimately unsatisfactory, dukkha , and sustains samsara , the repeated cycle of bhava (becoming, habitual tendencies) and jāti ("birth", interpreted as either rebirth , the coming to be of a new existence; or as the arising of the sense of self as a mental phenomenon ). By following

4644-419: The basic orientation of Buddhism : unguarded sensory contact gives rise to craving and clinging to impermanent states and things , which are dukkha , "unsatisfactory," "incapable of satisfying" and painful. This craving keeps us caught in saṃsāra , "wandering", usually interpreted as the endless cycle of repeated rebirth , and the continued dukkha that comes with it, but also referring to

4730-558: The center of the Amagi Mountain Range on the Izu Peninsula; its building was strongly supported by Kimi Kotani, as a meeting point for young people, for an immersive visit in a natural environment, where to exchange experiences with other members. It was completed in 1964. It is dedicated to Miroku ( 弥勒 ) , that is Maitreya , a future Buddha, whose apparition is waited by all Buddhists. Reiyukai has experienced

4816-471: The church is run. However, it is the board of directors that holds the final say on all matters. Even though being regarded as a descendant of Reiyūkai and Nichiren Buddhism it has developed distinct features in terms of doctrine and objects of worship to the extent, that some regard Risshō Kōsei Kai as a separate Buddhist denomination outside of Nichiren Buddhism, thus it has a number of features in common with other Nichiren sects: Risshō Kōsei Kai venerates

4902-465: The complete comprehension of these four truths release from samsara , the cycle of rebirth, was attained: Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming. The comprehension of these four truths by his audience leads to the opening of the Dhamma Eye , that is, the attainment of right vision: Whatever is subject to origination

4988-424: The day. The truth of magga , refers to the path to the cessation of, or liberation from dukkha c.q. tanha . By following the Noble Eightfold Path , to moksha , liberation, restraining oneself, cultivating discipline, and practicing mindfulness and meditation, one starts to disengage from craving and clinging to impermanent states and things, and rebirth and dissatisfaction will be ended. The term "path"

5074-421: The earliest translators of Buddhist texts into English. According to K.R. Norman, this is just one of several possible translations. According to Paul Williams , [T]here is no particular reason why the Pali expression ariyasaccani should be translated as 'noble truths'. It could equally be translated as 'the nobles' truths', or 'the truths for nobles', or 'the nobilising truths', or 'the truths of, possessed by,

5160-510: The endless cycle of attraction and rejection that perpetuates the ego-mind. There is a way to end this cycle , namely by attaining nirvana , cessation of craving, whereafter rebirth and the accompanying dukkha will no longer arise again. This can be accomplished by following the eightfold path , confining our automatic responses to sensory contact by restraining oneself, cultivating discipline and wholesome states, and practicing mindfulness and dhyana (meditation). The function of

5246-419: The five skandhas. It is this craving which is to be confined, as Kondanna understood at the end of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta : "whatever arises ceases". The truth of nirodha , "cessation," "suppression," "renouncing," "letting go", or dukkha-nirodha , the cessation of dukkha , is the truth that dukkha ceases, or can be confined, when one renounces or confines craving and clinging, and nirvana

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5332-551: The following economic depression, Kakutaro Kubo begins formulating his philosophy for what is now Reiyūkai. He compiled and published The Blue Sutra (a collection of texts from the Threefold Lotus Sutra ), used by members for recitation practice. In 1930, Reiyūkai was formally inaugurated, Kakutaro Kubo became Chairman of the Board of Directors and Kimi Kotani becomes President. In 1937, headquarters were established

5418-543: The former Yugoslavia. The Niwano Peace Foundation was established in 1978 to promote research for world peace and religious, cultural, scientific and educational endeavors. Starting in 1983, with the exception of 1988, it has on a yearly basis given out the Niwano Peace Prize to an individual or organization that contributes to world peace. Risshō Kōsei Kai is known in the field of music for its support of several leading professional music ensembles, most notably

5504-412: The formula. The four mnemonic terms can be translated as follows: According to L.S. Cousins, the four truths are not restricted to the well-known form where dukkha is the subject. Other forms take "the world, the arising of the world" or "the āsavas , the arising of the āsavas" as their subject. According to Cousins, "the well-known form is simply shorthand for all of the forms." "The world" refers to

5590-479: The founding of the WCRP in 1970, Risshō Kōsei Kai has been actively involved with the organization and currently President Nichiko Niwano is a president of the WCRP. In 1981 Nikkyō Niwano was elected as the President of the International Association for Religious Freedom and in 1984 hosted the IARF at the Great Sacred Hall. Nichiko Niwano is currently the President of the Japanese branch of

5676-444: The four truths are "four 'true things' or 'realities' whose nature, we are told, the Buddha finally understood on the night of his awakening." They function as "a convenient conceptual framework for making sense of Buddhist thought." According to K. R. Norman, probably the best translation is "the truth[s] of the noble one (the Buddha)". It is a statement of how things are seen by a Buddha, how things really are when seen correctly. It

5762-549: The four truths to explain how a liberated being can still be "pervasively operative in this world". Beginning with the exploration of Buddhism by western colonialists in the 19th century and the development of Buddhist modernism , they came to be often presented in the west as the central teaching of Buddhism, sometimes with novel modernistic reinterpretations very different from the historic Buddhist traditions in Asia. The four truths are best known from their presentation in

5848-449: The four truths, and their importance, developed over time and the Buddhist tradition slowly recognized them as the Buddha's first teaching. This tradition was established when prajna , or "liberating insight", came to be regarded as liberating in itself, instead of or in addition to the practice of dhyana . This "liberating insight" gained a prominent place in the sutras, and the four truths came to represent this liberating insight, as

5934-433: The further process: craving and clinging ( upādāna ) lead to bhava (becoming) and jāti (birth). In the orthodox interpretation, bhava is interpreted as kammabhava , that is , karma , while jāti is interpreted as rebirth: from sensation comes craving, from craving comes karma, from karma comes rebirth. The aim of the Buddhist path is to reverse this causal chain: when there is no (response to) sensation, there

6020-411: The noble ones' [...] In fact the Pali expression (and its Sanskrit equivalent) can mean all of these, although the Pali commentators place 'the noble truths' as the least important in their understanding. The term "arya" was later added to the four truths. The term ariya (Sanskrit: arya ) can be translated as "noble", "not ordinary", "valuable", "precious". "pure". Paul Williams: The Aryas are

6106-523: The noble ones, the saints, those who have attained 'the fruits of the path', 'that middle path the Tathagata has comprehended which promotes sight and knowledge, and which tends to peace, higher wisdom, enlightenment, and Nibbana'. The term sacca (Sanskrit: satya ) is a central term in Indian thought and religion. It is typically translated as "truth"; but it also means "that which is in accord with reality", or "reality". According to Rupert Gethin ,

6192-711: The organizations history, such as memorial services for the Founder and Co-Founder and the Anniversary of the Founding of Risshō Kōsei Kai. Since its founding, Risshō Kōsei Kai has sought to cooperate with other religions and work with the United Nations and a variety of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Nikkyō Niwano was one of the founders of the World Conference of Religions for Peace . Since

6278-413: The orthodox view, this clinging and craving produces karma , which leads to renewed becoming , keeping us trapped in rebirth and renewed dissatisfaction. Craving includes kama-tanha , craving for sense-pleasures; bhava -tanha , craving to continue the cycle of life and death, including rebirth; and vibhava-tanha , craving to not experience the world and painful feelings. While dukkha-samudaya ,

6364-454: The path to nibbana ." The sutras form a network or matrix, and the four truths appear within this "network of teachings", which have to be taken together. Within this network, "the four noble truths are one doctrine among others and are not particularly central", but are a part of "the entire dhamma matrix". The four noble truths are set and learnt in that network, learning "how the various teachings intersect with each other", and refer to

6450-621: The physical pain of life, and interpreting the four truths as a means to attain happiness in this life. In the contemporary Vipassana movement that emerged out of the Theravada Buddhism, freedom and the "pursuit of happiness" have become the main goals, not the end of rebirth, which is hardly mentioned in their teachings. Yet, though freedom and happiness is a part of the Buddhist teachings, these words refer to something different in traditional Asian Buddhism. According to Gil Fronsdal , "when Asian teachers do talk about freedom, it

6536-466: The possibility of enlightenment for all Buddhists within the cosmos. As a proposition, they are part of the matrix or "network of teachings", in which they are "not particularly central", but have an equal place next to other teachings, describing how release from craving is to be reached. A long recognized feature of the Theravada canon is that it lacks an "overarching and comprehensive structure of

6622-471: The process of dependent arising in everyday life of ordinary people. Right Mindfulness is lost during contacts of the Roots and surroundings. Thereafter, when vexation due to greed, anger, and ignorance is experienced, the ego has already been born. It is considered as one 'birth'". Some contemporary teachers tend to explain the four truths psychologically, by taking dukkha to mean mental anguish in addition to

6708-407: The sphere of right view. As one doctrine among others, the four noble truths make explicit the structure within which one should seek enlightenment; as a symbol, the four noble truths evoke the possibility of enlightenment. As both, they occupy not only a central but a singular position within the Theravada canon and tradition. As a symbol, they refer to the possibility of awakening, as represented by

6794-415: The term in the basic set of the four truths, is traditionally translated and explained as "the origin (or cause) of suffering", giving a causal explanation of dukkha , Brazier and Batchelor point to the wider connotations of the term samudaya , "coming into existence together": together with dukkha arises tanha , thirst. Craving does not cause dukkha , but comes into existence together with dukkha , or

6880-462: The value and importance of engaging people within society, fulfilling one’s civic responsibilities, and participating in the political process. As an opportunity to deepen the knowledge of politics and to transmit the voices of people, the IIC organizes various lectures and seminars in different locations within Japan inviting politicians as guest speakers. Also, the IIC publishes a monthly magazine providing

6966-413: The various Buddhist techniques, which are all explicitly and implicitly part of the passages which refer to the four truths. According to Anderson, There is no single way of understanding the teachings: one teaching may be used to explain another in one passage; the relationship may be reversed or altered in other talks. As a proposition, the four truths defy an exact definition, but refer to and express

7052-517: Was established because of growth of interest in the group in the United States and Canada. In summer 2009, the US celebrated the 50th anniversary of the group, holding a gathering in Las Vegas , which President Niwano attended. As of 2010, there are over 240 churches and centers in 20 countries. Membership currently stands at 6.5   million members, with the majority living in Japan. Risshō Kōsei Kai

7138-605: Was inaugurated. In 1999, Reiyūkai established Japanese and English homepages on the Internet. In 2000, the 4th Reiyūkai International Conference was held in Tokyo . Yae Hamaguchi died, and Ichitaro Ohgata succeeded as President, Yushun Masunaga and Hiromichi Hirakawa as Vice Presidents. In August 2004, the Reiyūkai sponsored, together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the UN World Food Program and

7224-724: Was inaugurated. In 1994, the Tenth International Youth Year Speech Festival was held in Kathmandu , Nepal. In 1996 Tsugunari Kubo resigned as President of Reiyūkai and Yae Hamaguchi became her successor. The Reiyūkai-sponsored Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI) was inaugurated in Nepal and the International College for Advance Buddhist Studies (ICABS) was established in Tokyo. The First Reiyūkai Supervisory Council

7310-469: Was the first human to be awakened to the Dharma, which is believed to be an invisible entity that sustains, guides and improves the lives of all living things. They refer to this life force as the Eternal Buddha, teaching that it is omnipresent and universal. Members begin and end each day by chanting parts of the Lotus Sutra and saying various prayers and vows before family altars in their home. The center of

7396-479: Was then that they decided to form a new organization. The first meeting was held at Niwano's house and some 30 people joined at that time. The organization grew quickly, and by 1941, membership had reached 1,000. For a short period between 1949 and 1950, Risshō Kōsei Kai served as a lay auxiliary organisation of Nichiren-shū , but Niwano could not stem what he considered to be the liberal policies of Nichiren-shū. No longer able to meet at Niwano's house, construction on

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