Risshō Kōsei Kai

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Risshō Kōsei Kai (‘Establishment of Righteousness and Friendly Intercourse’). New religion, derived from Nichiren, started in Japan in 1938 by Naganuma Myōkō (1889–1957) and Niwano Nikkyō (b. 1906). Placing its own version of the bodhisattva ideal at the centre of its teachings, this movement stresses that everyone can travel the road to Buddhahood by leading a life of moral and spiritual wisdom and by foregoing nirvāna in order to be of service to weak and suffering humanity.

The word risshō alludes to Nichiren's injunction in 1260, risshō ankoku ron, ‘establish authentic Buddhism to secure peace in our land’; kōsei points to a faith-oriented fellowship of those seeking the Buddha's goal; kai means ‘association’ or ‘society’. RKK is highly organized, from the network of districts throughout Japan, down to the most local level, where people gather for hōza, i.e. seated (za) to share problems and solutions related to Buddhist principles (ho).