In 1966, Nichiren Shu established what it called the Protect the Dharma Movement. This movement sought to create a unity of faith and training that would focus and thus amplify efforts to propagate the Lotus Sutra. To that end, Watanabe Kōin, Chief Administrator of the Nichiren Sect Headquarters, created the Shingyō Hikkei, a handbook for members of the Nichiren Sect.
Writing in the Preface to the handbook in April 1972, Kōin said:
Sufferings of people today could be said to arise from a spiraling egotism. Only the way of Bodhisattva as expounded in the Lotus Sutra can put an end to it. Today the ideal world still seems out of our reach. Once believers of the Lotus Sutra unite themselves, and receive divine response, however, it is next to nothing to overcome worldly interests and desires. Unfortunately there has not been concerted effort among the members of the Nichiren Sect although many have distinguished themselves in scholarship and training. Therefore, just as Japan had established a unified public education system, we intend to focus our efforts in strengthening faith and training of all members of Nichiren Sect through a unified system of faith and training. Beginning with the 750th anniversary (1972) of the birth of our Founder we hope to carry out a great revolution in order to establish the faith and training for the members of the Nichiren Sect.
We realize that opinions differ, but we earnestly urge you to have a broad outlook and join us in a movement which has just been started to bring about the unified system of faith and training so that all Nichiren Sect members who believe in the same faith, no matter which temple or church they may belong to, may be able to learn this unified basic program and be worthy as “Followers of Nichiren,” as Nichiren Shonin put it. We believe that all members of the Nichiren Sect should be able to perform services together, join in discussion sessions, and live together with the same goal of “obtaining Buddhahood together.”
In 1978, the Nichiren-shū Shūmin, the Nichiren sect headquarters, published the first English translation of the Shingyō Hikkei.
In September 1978, Matsumura Juken, Chief Administrator, Nichiren Sect Headquarters, wrote in the introduction to the English translation:
When our Founder Nichiren Daishonin spread the Odaimoku “Namu Myoho Renge-kyo” representing the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, which is the essence of the Buddha’s heart, he pointed out that it should be spread not only in Japan but also throughout the world. In accordance with this, I believe that the Protect the Dharma unity of faith and training movement should also be widely spread overseas. I therefore urged the prompt publication of an English translation of the Shingyō Hikkei. Reverend Kyotsu Hori, Bishop of Hawaii Nichiren Mission, kindly took responsibility for translating it into English. As a result of his efforts we have finally come to greet the day of its publication. I would like to express my deep gratitude to him.
I sincerely hope that those overseas arm themselves with this Shingyō Hikkei and strive to practice the faith and training by reciting (by mouth), keeping (in mind), and practicing (by body) the heart of the Lotus Sutra and the teachings of our Founder, so that this world may become bright and secure, and that everyone may enjoy the life in the land of the Buddha.
I pray from the bottom of my heart that each of the overseas ministers may engage in active missionary works.
I found several copies of the English translation of the Shingyō Hikkei on a dusty shelf in a classroom of the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. I gave a copy to my son, who recently joined the church. I’ve also put the text of the book on the church website. You can find it here.
Given that (before I published this article) a Google search for “Protect the Dharma Movement” would get you exactly zero articles, one can assume the movement fizzled out. Whether Nichiren Shu headquarters lost interest, or the overseas ministers dropped the ball, the result is the same.
That’s unfortunate.
While I have many doctrinal arguments with Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai, one cannot fault the top-down direction of this global organization that focuses members on their practice. Go to any group meeting at a home or a chapter session at a community center and you feel right at home. It’s like going to Starbucks. No matter where you go, you know you’re in Starbucks and you know what you’ll get.
That’s not what you get with the confederation of temples that is Nichiren Shu. Less like Starbucks, the temples in America (the only ones I have experience with) are more like independent Italian restaurants. The restaurants are recognizable as Italian, but each has a different focus and flavor. The shami who left to strike out on his own focusing solely on Shodaigyo services has established the first pizzeria of the bunch.
I regularly attend services at four different temples. In order to do that I am required to have four different service books. Woe be to the random online visitor to another temple. Yes, for the most part, one can count of reciting Hoben Pon and Jiga Ge, but not always. Never at that pizzeria and only occasionally at restaurants that like to vary the menu each week.
All things are possible if people are united in one spirit. Nothing can be accomplished if they are not united.
It’s ironic that this quote from Nichiren comes from his Treatise on Cooperation.
The original Protect the Dharma Movement had an element that sought to bind everyone together in the effort to propagate the Lotus Sutra.
At eight o’clock every morning we, members of the Nichiren Sect, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, should direct our hearts towards Lord Sakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Shonin, who reside on Mt. Minobu, and recite the Odaimoku and say a prayer for the protection of the Dharma.
Let us all practice this prayer and encourage our neighbors to join us.
The way you recite the Odaimoku is up to you. It may be voiced or silent; it may be said three times or ten times. The point is for everybody, no matter where he lives, to say a prayer at the same time in one mind.
If Nichiren Shu in America is going to continue to act as independent Italian restaurants, it would be nice if they could settle on a single act such as the Protect the Dharma Movement prayer to establish a little more itai doshin.
