Schön, daß diese Seite frei gegeben ist.
Wie gesagt, mein Wissen über die Nichiren-Schulen hält sich in Grenzen.
Ein paar Sachen zum Anlesen hatte ich schon empfohlen. (Ich denk es ist wirklich gut, die Quellen zu lesen, in diesem Fall Nichiren.
Des weiteren gibt es viele verschiedene Nichiren-Schulen. Wär schön, wenn Leute, die darüber mehr wissen, ein wenig die Unterschiede aufdröseln können.)
Ich hab heut nachmittag gerade einige Zahlen zu den Schulen in den USA gelesen(auf der Seite von Gerry Aitken):
Nichiren Shu 7%,
Nichiren Shoshu 8%,
Soka Gakkai International – USA 65%,
Independents 15%,
Andere Nichiren Buddhisten1%,
4% mixen Nichiren Buddhismus mit anderen Richtungen
Schön, daß die Independent Nichiren Leute recht stark sind, weil sie waren ja auch Mitinspiration für die Independent Jodo Shinshu. Und ich denke, daß das an wichtiger Ansatzpunkt für den Westen als solchen ist.
Hier ein Auszug aus ihren Hauptpunkten (Leider nur auf Englisch)
1. Everything you need to practice is right here in this web site, including a link to an online forum specifically for independent Nichiren Buddhists, and links to downloadable sound files of people chanting slowly, so you can learn to chant.
2. As an independent, you do not have to get caught up in the ugly feud between Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu.
3. As an independent, you are free. You do not have to become someone’s disciple, whether President Ikeda’s or the High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu’s. When you practice Nichiren Buddhism independently, you are your own master.
4. When you join a sectarian organization, a lot of your spare time comes to be dedicated to organizational activities, including your travel time to far-away meetings. Whereas by being independent, you can practice when you choose to, at your own convenience, at home. If you introduce a few of your neighbors or co-workers, you can attend small meetings right in your own neighborhood, instead of traveling long distances.
5. When you join a sectarian organization such as Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu, etc. you are forced to accept a package of beliefs, some of which you may not agree with. Whereas by being independent, you can profess exactly what you believe, on every point of controversy within Nichiren Buddhism.
6. When you practice independently, your Buddhist practice is self motivated. Whereas when you belong to a sectarian organization, your practice is largely externally driven. People who belong to one of the large organizations feel lost if they have to move to an outlying neighborhood with few members. Whereas an independent Buddhist can adapt to that situation handily. Also bear in mind that at the moment of death, you cannot take all your companions with you to the other side. By being self reliant in life, death won’t seem so scary or isolating.
7. When you join a sectarian organization, you have to accept the organizational culture along with the religion. For example, if you join Soka Gakkai you have to idolize President Ikeda. Whereas by being independent, you do not have to accept any extraneous, peculiar, or cultish organizational culture, just Nichiren Buddhism itself.
8. Every one of the existing Nichiren organizations are top down and hierarchical. Whereas by practicing independently, with a small number of companions, you can establish an intimate democracy, making decisions by consensus or from the bottom up.
9. By practicing independently, you are helping to build a safeguard against religious corruption. What I mean is, if the only Nichiren Buddhists were members of large organizations, then, if the leadership of the large organizations grows self serving and corrupt, then Nichiren Buddhism will be despoiled. But by having large numbers of independent Nichiren Buddhists in society side by side with the organizations, there is a built in safeguard against corruption, because Nichiren Buddhism then belongs to the people, not to a few cliques of leaders. If you practice independently, you are helping to make this possible.
10. In the Nichiren organizations, dissenters are passed over for promotion to leadership positions, and their potential is ignored. Whereas if you are independent, you can hold a contrary opinion about something, and still exert leadership of your small neighborhood group that you created yourself.
11. When you practice independently, no one is going to pressure you to make financial contributions. You can hold on to your hard earned money. Whereas, for example, in the Soka Gakkai, members are pressured to donate money - and the organization offers no financial transparency.
http://www.nichirendaishoninsbuddhism.com/
Ryonin
Namu Amida Butsu