HokkekÅ
HokkekÅ (法è¯è¬› Hokke kÅ) is a lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren ShÅshÅ« school of Japanese Buddhism and the name most Nichiren Shoshu temple congregations are known by. Hokke is a reference to the Lotus Sutra (妙法蓮è¯çµŒ MyÅhÅ-Renge-KyÅ or 法è¯çµŒ HokekyÅ), the Buddhist scripture Nichiren Shoshu bases its teachings on, and kÅ (講) in this usage means "lay group" or "congregation". [1]
History
Historical references to temple congregations as HokkekÅ or HokkekÅshÅ« (法è¯è¬›è¡†) date back to at least the 13th century. Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282), the founder of Nichiren ShÅshÅ«, also referred collectively to his lay followers as HokkekÅshÅ« in the dedication written on the Dai-Gohonzon, the school's object of veneration, inscribed on October 12, 1279. Nichiren Shoshu attributes the appellation HokkekÅ to this usage by Nichiren Daishonin. HokkekÅ is the name given to Nichiren Daishonin's believers who died at the Atsuhara persecution. They are affiliated with the head temple at Taiseki-ji in Japan.
Organization
In addition to being what congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples (close to 700 in Japan and 20 in other countries) have traditionally called themselves, HokkekÅ is also used loosely in reference to all temple congregations (local HokkekÅ chapters) collectively. When used this way, it can be understood to mean the national HokkekÅ umbrella organization in Japan and HokkekÅ groups that encompass the congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples outside Japan.
The Japanese umbrella organization, officially called the HokkekÅ RengÅ Kai (HokkekÅ federation), is related to Japanese Buddhism and was incorporated under Japanese law in 1962. Its headquarters is located at Nichiren Shoshu's head temple Taisekiji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan, and it maintains a chapter at each local temple.
HokkekÅ groups tend to be organized fairly loosely and are generally unregimented. Whereas some members are very active in temple-based propagation and other activities, others come only for a monthly service called o-kÅ (or, more formally, go-hÅon o-kÅ (å¾¡å ±æ©å¾¡è¬›), "meeting to show gratitude to the Buddha"), the annual Oeshiki ceremony on the anniversary of Nichiren Daishonin's passing, and other temple events.
HokkekÅ experienced a spurt of fast growth in the early to mid 1990s following a split between the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and Soka Gakkai over doctrinal and practical differences. Friction between the two surfaced as 1990 drew to a close, sparking an inflow of Soka Gakkai members into HokkekÅ that accelerated for a while after Nichiren Shoshu expelled Soka Gakkai from being one of its lay organizations on November 28, 1991. Though Nichiren Shoshu still considered individual Soka Gakkai members as lay followers until a rule change in 1997, most mistakenly believed that they had been excommunicated along with the Soka Gakkai organization and its executive leaders. HokkekÅ growth has since slowed substantially but is now more organic.
HokkekÅ is not affiliated with any political organizations.