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{{Short description|Nichiren Buddhist group}}
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'''Kokuchūkai''' (国柱会, ''National Pillar Society'' or ''Pillar of the Nation Society'') is a lay-oriented Buddhist organisation. It was founded by ] in 1880 as ''Rengekai'' (蓮華会, "Lotus Blossom Society"), founded; it was renamed ''Rissho Ankokukai'' (立正安国会) in 1884 and adopted its current name in 1914.<ref>Eiichi Otani (大谷栄一) アジアの仏教ナショナリズムの比較分析. ]. p. 115</ref> The {{nihongo|'''Kokuchūkai'''|国柱会||extra="Pillar of the Nation Society"}} is a lay-oriented ] group. It was founded by ] in 1880 as {{nihongo|'''Rengekai'''|蓮華会||extra="Lotus Blossom Society"}} and renamed {{nihongo|'''Risshō Ankokukai'''|立正安国会}} in 1884 before adopting its current name in 1914.


== History ==
Kokuchūkai's teachings are based on ] with a strong emphasis given to a nationalistic interpretation of the teachings of ] and the notion of ].<ref>Tanaka Chigaku: What is Nippon Kokutai? Introduction to Nipponese National Principles. Shishio Bunka, Tokyo 1935-36</ref> Its membership reached its peak with 7,000 adherents in 1924 and 23,000 in 1950. Nevertheless the organisation is mentioned as an example of how Nichiren's teachings were interpreted in a nationalistic fashion, also referred to as ], and influenced Nichiren Buddhist based ] in terms of propagation.<ref>Jacqueline I. Stone, By Imperial Edict and Shogunal Decree: politics and the issue of the ordination platform in modern lay Nichiren Buddhism. In: Steven Heine; Charles S. Prebish (ed.); Buddhism in the Modern World, New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 0195146972, p. 198</ref><ref name="Wessinger2000">{{cite book|author=Catherine Wessinger|title=Millennialism, Persecution, and Violence: Historical Cases|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=s8BvgFul4MEC&pg=PA269|year=2000|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=978-0-8156-2809-5|page=269}}</ref><ref name="Isomae2014">{{cite book|author=Jun'ichi Isomae|title=Religious Discourse in Modern Japan: Religion, State, and Shintō|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ok33AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA189|date=6 June 2014|publisher=Brill Academic Pub|isbn=978-90-04-27268-2|page=189}}</ref><ref name="Emmanuel2013">{{cite book|author=Steven M. Emmanuel|title=A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=HWPpk8eDPf4C&pg=PT620|date=22 January 2013|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-32388-5|page=620}}</ref>
The lay ] organization<ref name=Britannica>''Britannica Kokusai Dai-hyakkajiten'' article "Kokuchūkai". 2007. Britannica Japan Co.</ref> now known as the Kokuchūkai was founded by ] in 1880 as ''Rengekai'' ("Lotus Blossom Society") and renamed ''Risshō Ankokukai'' in 1884 before adopting its current name in 1914.<ref name=Britannica/><ref name="Otani 115">Eiichi Ōtani, ("A Comparative Analysis of Buddhist Nationalism in Asia"). ]. p 115</ref> The group's modern name is derived from a passage in the ''{{illm|Kaimoku-shō|ja|開目抄}}'', a writing of the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, the 13th-century monk ], which reads {{nihongo|"I will be the pillar of Japan"|われ日本の柱とならん|ware nihon no hashira to naran}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nakahira|1y=1994}}<!-- Translation comes from http://www.sgi-usa.org/memberresources/study/2016_essentials_part2/docs/eng/EssentialsExam2_p42_SGIPresidentIkedaLectureSeries-OpeningEyes.pdf, an unreliable source, but the translation of this brief passage is accurate. Probably no need to cite it visibly. -->


Originally based in ], the group shifted its head office to ], ]-], ] and ], ] before finally moving back to Tokyo.<ref name=Britannica/><ref name=Stone>Jacqueline I. Stone, . IN: Steven Heine; Charles S. Prebish (ed.) ''Buddhism in the Modern World''. New York: Oxford University Press. 2003. {{ISBN|0195146972}}. pp 197-198.</ref> The group is currently based in Ichinoe, ].<ref name=Britannica/>
==References==

== Teachings ==
Among the group's principal teachings are to return to the teachings Nichiren and unite the various sects of ].<ref name=Britannica/> The group's teachings are characterized by a strong form of ].<ref name=Britannica/>

The group's sacred text is the '']''<ref name=Britannica/> and their main object of reverence is the {{nihongo|''Sado Shigen Myō Mandara''|]}}, a ] supposedly made by ] on the island of ].<ref name=Britannica/><ref name="Kokuchukai origin"> on the Kokuchūkai's official website.</ref>

== Membership ==
At its height in 1924, the group's membership was estimated at over 7000.<ref name=Stone/> The literary figures ] and ]<ref name=Keene>{{citation|last = Keene|first = Donald|author-link = Donald Keene|year = 1999|title = A History of Japanese Literature: Volume 4: Dawn to the West &mdash; Japanese Literature of the Modern Era (Poetry, Drama, Criticism)|place = New York|publisher = Columbia University Press|page = 285<!-- Not ENTIRELY sure about this page number, but it's quoted here: https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=User_talk%3ACatflap08&diff=649251638&oldid=649227334 -->|isbn = 978-0-2311-1439-4}}.</ref> were members of the Kokuchūkai for a time. The group's official website continues to claim them,<ref name="Kokuchukai Takayama"> on the Kokuchūkai's official website.</ref><ref name="Kokuchukai Kenji"> on the Kokuchūkai's official website.</ref> but they ultimately rejected Tanaka's nationalistic views.<ref name=Stone/>

== Publications ==
The group's publications include the monthly magazines {{nihongo|''Nichiren-shugi''|日蓮主義||extra="Nichirenism"}} and {{nihongo|''Shin-sekai''|真世界||extra="True World"}}.<ref name=Britannica/>

== References ==
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}


== Works cited ==
==External links==
* {{cite encyclopedia
|encyclopedia = ]
|last = Nakahira
|first = Senzaburō
|title = Kokuchūkai
|language = japanese
|year = 1994
|publisher = ]
|url = https://kotobank.jp/word/国柱会-64119#E6.97.A5.E6.9C.AC.E5.A4.A7.E7.99.BE.E7.A7.91.E5.85.A8.E6.9B.B8.28.E3.83.8B.E3.83.83.E3.83.9D.E3.83.8B.E3.82.AB.29
|accessdate = 2018-04-29
}}

== External links ==
* (Japanese) * (Japanese)

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Kokuchukai}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kokuchukai}}
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Latest revision as of 01:57, 12 November 2023

Nichiren Buddhist group
Kokuchūkai Headquarters

The Kokuchūkai (国柱会, "Pillar of the Nation Society") is a lay-oriented Nichiren Buddhist group. It was founded by Tanaka Chigaku in 1880 as Rengekai (蓮華会, "Lotus Blossom Society") and renamed Risshō Ankokukai (立正安国会) in 1884 before adopting its current name in 1914.

History

The lay Nichiren Buddhist organization now known as the Kokuchūkai was founded by Tanaka Chigaku in 1880 as Rengekai ("Lotus Blossom Society") and renamed Risshō Ankokukai in 1884 before adopting its current name in 1914. The group's modern name is derived from a passage in the Kaimoku-shō [ja], a writing of the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, the 13th-century monk Nichiren, which reads "I will be the pillar of Japan" (われ日本の柱とならん, ware nihon no hashira to naran).

Originally based in Yokohama, the group shifted its head office to Tokyo, Kyoto-Osaka, Kamakura and Miho, Shizuoka Prefecture before finally moving back to Tokyo. The group is currently based in Ichinoe, Edogawa-ku.

Teachings

Among the group's principal teachings are to return to the teachings Nichiren and unite the various sects of Nichiren Buddhism. The group's teachings are characterized by a strong form of Nichirenism.

The group's sacred text is the Lotus Sutra and their main object of reverence is the Sado Shigen Myō Mandara (佐渡始原妙曼荼羅), a mandala supposedly made by Nichiren on the island of Sado.

Membership

At its height in 1924, the group's membership was estimated at over 7000. The literary figures Takayama Chogyū and Kenji Miyazawa were members of the Kokuchūkai for a time. The group's official website continues to claim them, but they ultimately rejected Tanaka's nationalistic views.

Publications

The group's publications include the monthly magazines Nichiren-shugi (日蓮主義, "Nichirenism") and Shin-sekai (真世界, "True World").

References

  1. ^ Britannica Kokusai Dai-hyakkajiten article "Kokuchūkai". 2007. Britannica Japan Co.
  2. Eiichi Ōtani, Ajia no Bukkyō-nashonarizumu no Hikaku-bunseki ("A Comparative Analysis of Buddhist Nationalism in Asia"). International Research Center for Japanese Studies. p 115
  3. Nakahira 1994.
  4. ^ Jacqueline I. Stone, "By Imperial Edict and Shogunal Decree: politics and the issue of the ordination platform in modern lay Nichiren Buddhism". IN: Steven Heine; Charles S. Prebish (ed.) Buddhism in the Modern World. New York: Oxford University Press. 2003. ISBN 0195146972. pp 197-198.
  5. Risshō Ankoku no jitsugen e on the Kokuchūkai's official website.
  6. Keene, Donald (1999), A History of Japanese Literature: Volume 4: Dawn to the West — Japanese Literature of the Modern Era (Poetry, Drama, Criticism), New York: Columbia University Press, p. 285, ISBN 978-0-2311-1439-4.
  7. "Takayama Chogyū" on the Kokuchūkai's official website.
  8. "Kenji Miyazawa" on the Kokuchūkai's official website.

Works cited

External links

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