Dharma World

January-February 2003, Volume 30

January-February 2003, Volume 30(PDF)

Emerging Forms of Spirituality

Emerging Forms of Spirituality by Mark R. Mullins

The new information technology has now enabled the exploration of various spiritual paths and traditions free of both the direction of a priestly class of religious professionals and the control and constraints of religious institutions.

Mark R. Mullins is professor of religion in the Faculty of Comparative Culture, Sophia University. He has published widely on the transplantation and indigenization of world religions and the role of new religious movements in modern societies. He is the author and coeditor of a number of books, including Religion and Society in Modern Japan, Christianity Made in Japan, and Religion and Social Crisis in Japan.

The Roots of Japanese Spirituality: A Linguistic Exploration by Toji Kamata

Going beyond views of spirituality as the source of wisdom and compassion, this essay describes it as the compass of life, the fundamental power and orientation directing and driving life, and the indicator and magnetic needle of life.

Toji Kamata is a professor at the Kyoto University of Art and Design and a member of the board of directors of the Association for Shinto and Religious Studies. He received his Litt.D. from the University of Tsukuba. He is the author of numerous books on religion, folklore, and spirituality. He also composes songs on Shinto themes, which he performs in live concerts.

Drifting Faith: Civil Society and Public Philosophy in Japan by Tomoya Kaji

In the new public sphere, each individual is supposed to have an image of the ideal society and possess personal aspirations, to link up with others, and work for a better society.

Tomoya Kaji is professor of urban management and local government at Meiji Gakuin University. Previously, he was a visiting fellow at Princeton University (1997–99). He has served in many consultant positions to the United Nations and to Japanese governments at various levels and has written extensively on issues related to urban government and management.

A Vision of the Religion of the Future by Soho Machida

Belief in a God with a specific name and attributes will one day be replaced by a deepening belief in Something Great that is the cosmic will, and the distinction between monotheism and polytheism will become irrelevant.

Soho Machida spent twenty years as a Zen monk at Daitokuji monastery, Kyoto, before moving to the United States, where he received a master’s degree in theological studies from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He has taught at Princeton University and the National University of Singapore, and is now a professor at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He has written extensively on religion and ethics.

A Reflection: Religion and Science in Global Society by Kuniko Miyanaga

Religion and science claim to know the ultimate truth, although their ultimate truths are unverifiable. They share the same barrier of human thought, although the ways in which they connect to that ultimate truth are different.

Kuniko Miyanaga is a social anthropologist. At present she is a visiting associate in research at the Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University. She received a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of British Columbia in 1983 and taught as a professor at International Christian University, Tokyo, until 2001. She is the author of several books on the theme of globalization and identity.

War, Environmental Destruction, and Religion: The Spiritual World of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Martin Repp

The Spiritual World of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Martin Repp holds a Th.D. from Marburg University and a postgraduate title (Habilitation) from Heidelberg University. From 1991 to 2002 he was associate director of the NCC (National Christian Council in Japan) Center for the Study of Japanese Religions, in Kyoto, and editor of its journal, Japanese Religions. Since 2002 he has been coordinator of the Interreligious Studies in Japan Program at the NCC Center. In 2004 he became professor of comparative religion and theology in the Graduate School of Jodo-shinshu Studies of Ryukoku University.

Reflections

Learning throughout Life by Nichiko Niwano

Although birth, aging, sickness, and death are the human lot, the younger generation tends to have a strong aversion to thoughts of aging. Meanwhile, more and more mature people are perplexed about how to live after retirement. What can we do to age in a fulfilling way?

Nichiko Niwano is president of Rissho Kosei-kai and the Niwano Peace Foundation, a president of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), and chairman of the Japanese Association of Religious Organizations.

Achieving Peace in a Globalized World by Nikkyo Niwano

This essay is part of a continuing series of translations from a volume of inspirational writings by the late founder of Rissho Kosei-kai. DHARMA WORLD will continue to publish these essays because of their lasting value as guidance for the practice of one’s daily faith.

Nikkyo Niwano, the late founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, was an honorary president of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) and was honorary chairman of Shinshuren (Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan) at the time of his death in October 1999.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra

The Jewel in the Topknot by Gene Reeves

The Buddha has given many gifts and treasures, many sutras, and many practices, but there is one that stands above all the others–the Lotus Sutra.

Gene Reeves is currently studying, teaching, and writing on Buddhism in Tokyo. A consultant and teacher at Rissho Kosei-kai, he was recently a research fellow at Rikkyo University. Before coming to Japan in 1989, Dr. Reeves was the dean of Meadville/Lombard Theological School and professorial lecturer in the Divinity School of the University of Chicago.

Conference Report

WCRP Europe Meeting in Italy Focuses on the Role of the Media by Eva Ruth Palmieri

Buddhist Living

Making a Dream Come True by Noriko LaMar

A Japanese member of Rissho Kosei-kai now living in the United States addressed the Los Angeles branch meeting on June 27, 2004, the day the organization’s president, Rev. Nichiko Niwano, visited the branch. This is a slightly edited version of her talk.

Noriko LaMar is director of the English Group at Rissho Kosei-kai of Los Angeles.

Gotama Buddha (70)

The Distribution and Veneration of the Buddha’s Relics by Hajime Nakamura

One man came forth to mediate among the groups disputing to receive the relics, saying he would divide them fairly among the Buddha’s followers.

The late Dr. Hajime Nakamura, an authority on Indian philosophy, was president of the Eastern Institute in Tokyo and a professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo at the time of his death in October 1999. This ongoing series is a translation of Gotama Buddha, vol. 2 (Tokyo: Shunjusha, 1992).

Threefold Lotus Sutra: A Modern Commentary (80)

The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law
Chapter 8: The Five Hundred Disciples Receive the Prediction of Their Destiny (4) by Nikkyo Niwano

This is the eightieth installment of a detailed commentary on the Threefold Lotus Sutra by the late founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano.

Dharma World

  1. Autumn 2024, Volume 51

    Rites for the Departed

  2. Spring 2024, Volume 51

    Knowing Contentment

  3. Autumn 2023, Volume 50

    Religion and the Family

  4. Spring 2023, Volume 50

    Religion’s Role in Peacebuilding

  5. Autumn 2022, Volume 49

    Religion and Happiness

  6. Spring 2022, Volume 49

    The Impact of Cyberspace on a Variety of Religious Traditions and Practices

  7. Autumn 2021, Volume 48

    Religion's Potential for Advancing Sustainable Development

  8. Spring 2021, Volume 48

    What Is Prayer?

  9. Autumn 2020, Volume 47

    Religion’s Role in Building an Inclusive Society

  10. Spring 2020, Volume 47

    Violence in Buddhism

  11. Autumn 2019, Volume 46

    Manga, Anime, and Contemporary Religion

  12. Spring 2019, Volume 46

    Is Emptiness the Goal?

  13. July-December 2018, Volume 45

    The Buddhahood of Plants and Trees: The Environment and Buddha-Nature

  14. January-June 2018, Volume 45

    Buddhism’s One Vehicle in a World of Many Religions

  15. July-December 2017, Volume 44

    Religions Tackling Extremism

  16. January-June 2017, Volume 44

    Religion and Animals

  17. October-December 2016, Volume 43

    Features: Listening

  18. July-September 2016, Volume 43

    Contemporary Ideas about Karma

  19. April-June 2016, Volume 43

    Buddhism and Food

  20. January-March 2016, Volume 43

    Dual Religious Identity: Can One Practice Two Religions?

  21. October-December 2015, Volume 42

    The Modern Significance of Meditative Practices in Religions

  22. July-September 2015, Volume 42

    Religious Rituals and Their Meaning for Today

  23. April-June 2015, Volume 42

    Religion's Contributions to Society

  24. January-March 2015, Volume 42

    Cultivating Hearts That Welcome the Other

  25. October-December 2014, Volume 41

    Buddhism and Language

  26. July-September 2014, Volume 41

    Life After Death

  27. April-June 2014, Volume 41

    Building an East Asian Community: Roles of Religions

  28. January-March 2014, Volume 41

    Aging Societies and Religion

  29. October-December 2013, Volume 40

    Nuclear Power and Contemporary Religion

  30. July-September 2013, Volume 40

    Where Does the Buddha Live Now?

  31. April-June 2013, Volume 40

    Modern Meanings of Festivals

  32. January-March 2013, Volume 40

    Transforming Greed

  33. October-December 2012, Volume 39

    Religions Coping with Prejudice

  34. July-September 2012, Volume 39

    The Significance of Religious Communities

  35. April-June 2012, Volume 39

    Buddhist Teachings on Spiritual Liberation

  36. January-March 2012, Volume 39

    The Meaning of Modern Pilgrimage

  37. October-December 2011, Volume 38

    The Evolution of Funerals in Japan

  38. July-September 2011, Volume 38

    Buddhism in North America

  39. April-June 2011, Volume 38

    Religion and the Power of Women

  40. January-March 2011, Volume 38

    What Is True Wealth?

  41. October-December 2010, Volume 37

    Dialogue Draws Religions Closer

  42. July-September 2010, Volume 37

    Tackling the Question "What Is the Lotus Sutra?"

  43. April-June 2010, Volume 37

    Religion's Role in Abolishing Nuclear Weapons

  44. January-March 2010, Volume 37

    Help in Overcoming Alienation

  45. July-September 2009, Volume 36

    Religion and Prayer

  46. July-September 2009, Volume 36

    Religion and Media

  47. April-June 2009, Volume 36

    Religion and Health

  48. January-March 2009, Volume 36

    The Changing Forms of the Family and the Role of Religion

  49. October-December 2008, Volume 35

    The Meaning of Giving in the Contemporary World

  50. July-September 2008, Volume 35

    Buddhism in the Face of Environmental Crisis

  51. April-June 2008, Volume 35

    The Many Forms of the Bodhisattva Kuan-yin

  52. January-March 2008, Volume 35

    Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution

  53. October-December 2007, Volume 34

    Buddhism and Bioethics

  54. July-September 2007, Volume 34

    Respect for Ancestors

  55. April-June 2007, Volume 34

    Self-Examination and Peace Work

  56. January-March 2007, Volume 34

    Buddhism and Social Responsibility: Boddhisattva Practice Today

  57. October-December 2006, Volume 33

    Buddishm in Dialogue

  58. July-September 2006, Volume 33

    Religions Working for Peace

  59. April-June 2006, Volume 33

    Creating the World of the One Vehicle: The Centennial of the Birth of Rev. Nikkyo Niwano

  60. January-February 2006, Volume 33

    The Human Condition and Religion: A Global Future?

  61. November-December 2005, Volume 32

    Remembering Hiroshima

  62. September-October 2005, Volume 32

    Spirituality and Development

  63. July-August 2005, Volume 32

    Women in Contemporary Japanese Religion and Society

  64. May-June 2005, Volume 32

    Rissho Kosei-kai 67th

  65. March-April 2005, Volume 32

    "Thousand Buddhas," Sanbanggulsa Temple, South Korea

  66. January-February 2005, Volume 32

    Emerging Forms of Spirituality

  67. November-December 2004, Volume 31

    Peace Building Through Multi-Religious Cooperation

  68. September-October 2004, Volume 31

    The Increasing Importance of Dialogue and Cooperation

  69. July-August 2004, Volume 31

    Paths to Reconciliation

  70. May-June 2004, Volume 31

    Religion in Crisis

  71. March-April 2004, Volume 31

    Spiritual Friendship

  72. January-February 2004, Volume 31

    Resolving Conflict

  73. November-December 2003, Volume 30

    Dividing Good From Evil

  74. September-October 2003, Volume 30

    Common Truths: Cooperation Among Religions

  75. July-August 2003, Volume 30

    Niwano Peace Foundation

  76. May-June 2003, Volume 30

    Religionists United in Prayer for Peace

  77. March-April 2003, Volume 30

    Life is Larger Than Globalization

  78. January-February 2003, Volume 30

    Emerging Forms of Spirituality

  79. November-December 2002, Volume 29

    Roundtable Disscussion at the World Congress of the International Association for Religious Freedom

  80. September-October 2002, Volume 29

    Sixth Assembly of the Asian Conference on Religion and Peace, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

  81. July-August 2002, Volume 29

    The Most Reverend Samuel Ruiz Garcia, Recipient of the 19th Niwano Peace Prize

  82. May-June 2002, Volume 29

    National Treasure Tapestry Illustrating Shakyamuni Sermon to the Faithful

  83. March-April 2002, Volume 29

    Celebration of the Anniversary of Shakyamuni's Birth

  84. January-February 2002, Volume 29

    Religious Delegates Gather in New York for WCRP Symposium

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