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Much of Nichiren Shōshū's underlying teachings are extensions of Tendai ( 天台, Cn: Tiantai ) thought.

Even though some groups dissociate themselves from other ( Nichiren )- Buddhists most Nichiren Buddhists enjoy a peaceful coexistence with other religious groups in modern times, in societies which are based on freedom of belief.

The adherents of Nichiren-Buddhism who made this aspect of Nichiren teachings a central pillar of their belief were the followers of the so called Fuju-fuse lineage.

Although the priesthood of Nichiren Shoshu holds the same belief, there is however a substantial difference with SGI about classifying which mandala should be employed in practice.

They include the Five Major Writings of Nichiren in which he establishes doctrine, belief, and practice, as well as many pastoral letters he wrote to his followers.

Nichiren explains, however, that only belief in one ’ s inner Buddha nature can validate the benefit of the Gohonzon.

* 1222 – Nichiren Daishonin, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism ( d. 1282 )

Nichiren Shōshū holds that in revealing and propagating his teachings, Nichiren Daishonin was fulfilling a prophecy made by the Buddha Shakyamuni ( Siddhartha Gautama ; 563 ?– 483?

Nichiren Shōshū teaches that Nichiren Daishonin is the True Buddha and that his Dharma, or Mystic Law ( Myōhō: mystic in the sense of profound, sublime, or unfathomable ), is the True Buddha's ultimate teaching.

The Dai-Gohonzon is a mandala believed by Nichiren Shoshu to have been inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin in Chinese and Sanskrit characters on October 12, 1279.

Its existence is believed to have been “ hidden in the depths of the text ” ( 文底秘沈: montei hichin ) of Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra, remaining secret until Nichiren Daishonin revealed it.

This signifies that the Law of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō and the Buddha who proclaimed it ( Nichiren Daishonin ) are one.

Hence the Dai-Gohonzon is revered as representative of Nichiren Daishonin and his enlightenment, as and every Nichiren Shōshū temple and household possesses a transcription of it.

Regardless of their type, all Gohonzon issued by Nichiren Shoshu have been consecrated by one of the successive High Priests in an " Opening of the Eyes Ceremony ", conducted in the Dai-Gohonzon's sanctuary, and thus have the same power, as defined by Nichiren Daishonin himself in his Gosho " The Four Debts of Gratitude ".

In Nichiren Shoshu, it is believed that the Dai-Gohonzon ( and its constituent facets ) is the ultimate Buddhist teaching revealed by the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin.

In Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Daishonin himself is the Treasure of the Buddha ; the Mystic Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the Treasure of the Law ; Nikko, who Nichiren Shoshu believe was Nichiren's successor and each of the successive High Priests are the Treasure of the Priesthood.

The central importance for Nichiren Shoshu believers of revering and expressing gratitude to the Three Treasures in the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is explained in the Gosho " The Four Debts of Gratitude ".

Nichiren Buddhism includes various schools with their own interpretations of Nichiren's teachings, the most prominent being Nichiren Shu, Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai ; however, despite the differences between schools, all Nichiren sects share the fundamental practice of chanting daimoku.

While some schools regard this as features attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha others underline that he identifies himself as a votary of the Lotos Sutra :" Shakyamuni Buddha is the father and mother, teacher and sovereign to all living being ...” and similarly mentioning in his letter ' The Opening of the Eyes ':“ I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, and father and mother to all the people ...”..

Preference for these titles generally depends on the school to which a person belongs, with " Shōnin " being commonly used within Nichiren Shū, which regards Nichiren as a Buddhist reformer and embodiment of Bodhisattva Superior Practices, while " Daishōnin " is the title used by followers of most, but not all, of the schools and temples derived from the Nikkō lineage, most notably the Sōka Gakkai, who regard Nichiren as ' The Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law ' and also Nichiren Shōshū, who regard Nichiren as ' The True Buddha ', or ' Buddha of True Cause '.

Citing Buddhist sutras and commentaries, Nichiren argued that the Buddhist teachings were being distorted for their own gain.

Which of his writings are deemed authentic or apocryphal is also being treated different within the various schools of today's Nichiren Buddhism.

Nichiren Buddhism emphasizes the sanctity of life and absolute non-violence: “ To deprive a being of life is to commit the gravest kind of sin ”, and considers debate or dialogue as the only avenue to resolve disputes: “ When in public debate, although the teachings that you advocate are perfectly consistent with the truth, you should never on that account be impolite or abusive, or display a conceited attitude.

Only being outnumbered by ' Zen ' 1. 400 Nichiren temples had been founded all over Kyoto and although the various sects of Nichiren Buddhism were administratively independent they met in a council to resolve common problems.

Another difference relates to the demand for “ Absolute faith and Strict Obedience ” to the High Priest, a demand which some within Nichiren Shoshu see as being implied by SGI members to Daisaku Ikeda.

However, followers of Nichiren Buddhism consider Myōhō Renge Kyō to be the name of the ultimate law permeating the universe, and the human being is at one, fundamentally with this Law and can manifest realization, or Buddha Wisdom ( attain Buddhahood ), through Buddhist Practice.

It is a lay Buddhist movement within the school of Nichiren Buddhism and is being regarded as one of the largest Japanese new religions.

The Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds ), Nichiren taught that Buddhahood is not a static state of being, but exists in mutual possession of other states of being ( referred to as the Ten Worlds ).

Form Nichiren ’ s point of view, however, his uncompromising stance was to save people from sufferings: “ Even in the case of the Nembutsu priests, the Zen priests, and the True Word teachers, and the ruler of the nation and other men of authority, all of whom bear me such hatred — I admonish them because I want to help them, and their hatred for me makes me pity them all the more ”.

Nichiren taught that by chanting " Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō ", which means, " Devotion to the Mystic / Wonderful Dharma / Law of the Lotus Flower Sutra " to the Gohonzon ( 御本尊 ), a mandala he inscribed with Chinese and Sanskrit characters representing the enlightened life of the True Buddha, anyone can bring forth their inherent Buddha nature and become enlightened.

SGI is also criticized for its doctrinal teachings based on Nichiren Buddhism, perceived by some observers to be lacking tolerance towards other forms of Buddhism .. On the other hand, Nichiren Buddhism clarifies the way of peaceful and free expression in debates about various schools differences: “ Even in the case of the Nembutsu priests, the Zen priests, and the True Word teachers, and the ruler of the nation and other men of authority, all of whom bear me such hatred — I admonish them because I want to help them, and their hatred for me makes me pity them all the more ”.

Based on the Lotus Sutra's teaching of what it describes as the " unsurpassed Dharma ", Nichiren Buddhism acknowledges the Four Noble Truths as the first sermon, but not as the final teaching of the Buddha.

In his letter " A Comparison between the Lotus and Other Sutras " Nichiren viewed the Four Noble Truths as a specific teaching expounded by the Buddha to the śrāvakas disciples, those who attain awakening by listening to the teachings of a Buddha.

While virtually all Nichiren Buddhist schools regard him as a reincarnation of the Lotus Sutra's Bodhisattva Superior Practices, Jōgyō Bosatsu ( 上行菩薩 ), some schools of Nichiren Buddhism's Nikkō lineages regard him as the actual Buddha of this age, or the Buddha of the Latter day of the Law.

Nichiren Buddhism is based on the Lotus Sutra, which teaches that all people have an innate Buddha nature and are therefore inherently capable of attaining enlightenment in their current form and present lifetime.

All Japanese Kamakura sects of Buddhism ( Zen, Nichiren, Jodo ) have relaxed Mahayana vinaya, and as a consequence, vegetarianism is rare.

Another example is Nichiren Buddhism.

When Nichiren is exiled in 1261, Nichirō wants to follow Nichiren ; but Nichirō is forbidden to do so -- Postcard artwork, circa 1920s.

His third remonstration also went unheeded, and Nichiren — following a Chinese adage that if a wise man remonstrates three times but is ignored, he should leave the country — decided to go into voluntary exile at Mt.

Many of these survive today in the repositories of Nichiren temples such as Taiseki-ji ( 大石寺 ) in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, which has a particularly large collection that is publicly aired once a year in April.

Nichiren attributed the turmoil in society to the invalid teachings of the Buddhist schools of his time, including the Tendai sect in which he was ordained: " It is better to be a leper who chants Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō than be a chief abbot of the Tendai school ".

There is a difference between Nichiren teachings and almost all schools of Mahayana Buddhism regarding the understanding of the Latter day of the Law, Mappō.

Nichiren Buddhism ( 日蓮系諸宗派: Nichiren-kei sho shūha ) is a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese Buddhist reformer Nichiren ( 1222 – 1282 ).

Nichiren Buddhism is a comprehensive term covering several major schools and many sub-schools.

Nichiren Buddhism is based on the Lotus Sutra: “ According to Nichiren, the Lotus Sutra is the highest teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Nichiren believed, that directly revealing one ’ s Buddha nature is possible through the practice of the Bodhisattvas who: “ do not carry out the practice of gradual progress.