Who We Are

Sangha

The Three Treasures that all Buddhists embrace are the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. “Sangha” means the community of people who practice the teachings. Rissho Kosei-kai is a Sangha composed of ordinary men and women who have faith in the Buddha and strive to enrich their spirituality by applying his teachings in their daily lives. At both the local community and international levels, Sangha members are very active in promoting peace and well-being through altruistic activities and cooperation with other organizations. With headquarters in Tokyo, Rissho Kosei-kai now has some 1.14 million member households in 238 Dharma centers throughout Japan, as well as in 12 Dharma centers and 57 meeting places in 19 other countries.

In 1938, the late Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma together with about thirty other people founded a Sangha named Rissho Kosei-kai for the purpose of following the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, a scripture that incorporates the innermost essence of Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment. In 1991, Rev. Nichiko Niwano succeeded his father as president. Under his continuing leadership, members of the Sangha have been active in sharing the Buddha’s compassion at home, in their places of work and their communities, and wherever they are in the world.

Members’ Vow

Rissho Kosei-kai members chant the members’ vow, below, at ceremonies or special events. This concise statement expresses what Rissho Kosei-kai is all about.

We members of Rissho Kosei-kai
Take refuge in the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni
And recognize in Buddhism a true way of liberation
Under the guidance of our revered founder, Nikkyo Niwano.
In the spirit of lay Buddhists,
We vow to perfect ourselves
Through personal discipline and leading others
And by improving our knowledge and practice of the faith,
And we pledge ourselves to follow the bodhisattva way
To bring peace to our families, communities, and countries and to the world.