This is the prompt used to generate this Gemini Notebook article: Considering Charles Sheldon’s 1896 novel “In His Steps,” are there any similar movements in Nichiren Buddhism that seek to have those who chant Namu-Myoho-renge-kyo embrace the four Sublime Attitudes or other fundamental Buddhist practices?
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The Writer, Gemini NotebookCharles Sheldon’s 1896 Social Gospel novel In His Steps introduced the famous question, “What Would Jesus Do?”, inspiring believers to move beyond passive theology and apply Christian ethics directly to economic inequality, poverty, and social reform. In Nichiren Buddhism, a remarkably parallel impulse exists—one that seeks to translate faith in Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō into active social transformation, human rights, and the alleviation of suffering.
This social imperative is rooted in Nichiren Shōnin’s foundational principle of Risshō Ankoku (“Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”). Based on the Mahāyāna doctrine of the nonduality of life and environment (eshō funi), Nichiren Shōnin taught that personal spiritual practice cannot be separated from the state of society. Where the Lotus Sutra is embraced, the physical and social world is transformed into a peaceful Buddha land.
Throughout the 20th century and into the present day, several key movements within Nichiren Buddhism have sought to operationalize this vision, challenging practitioners to embody the four sublime attitudes—Lovingkindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity—in direct response to societal crises.
Girō Senoo & The Emerging Buddhist Youth League (Buddhist Socialism)
The closest historical parallel to Sheldon’s Social Gospel movement arose in the 1930s with Girō Senoo (1890–1961) and the Emerging Buddhist Youth League (Shinkō Bukkyō Seinen Dōmei).
Deeply moved by the plight of impoverished tenant farmers, urban laborers, and economic crises during the Interwar period, Senoo declared that he wished to “throw off Saint Nichiren’s old coat”—by which he meant stripping away stagnant, institutional clericalism to revive Nichiren Shōnin’s radical, compassionate spirit for the modern era.
Under the banners of “faith and love” and social justice, Senoo argued that preaching abstract sermons while ignoring real-world exploitation was contrary to the Buddha’s intent. He mobilized young Lotus Sutra followers to intervene in labor disputes, defend impoverished agricultural workers, and critique rampant greed, seeking to establish an earthly Buddha land founded on economic equality and human dignity.
Nipponzan Myōhōji & Ven. Nichidatsu Fujii (Active Pacifism & Civil Rights)
Founded by Ven. Nichidatsu Fujii (1885–1985), Nipponzan Myōhōji is a monastic and lay movement that takes the chanting of the Odaimoku directly into the streets as a form of non-violent social protest (shugyō).
Appalled by the devastation of World War II and the atomic bombings, Fujii embraced absolute non-violence, taking the Lotus Sutra’s Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta (Jōfukyō or “Never Disrespectful”) as the ultimate model for daily behavior. In the Lotus Sutra, Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta bowed in reverence to every person he met—even those who reviled or attacked him—recognizing their innate Buddha-nature.
Nipponzan Myōhōji monastics and lay followers embody “What Would A Buddha Do?” by conducting long peace marches, beating hand-drums (uchiwa daiko) while chanting Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, actively opposing nuclear proliferation, supporting Native American civil rights struggles, and building Peace Pagodas worldwide as beacons of universal harmony.
Modern Lay Movements & “Buddhism in Daily Life” (Risshō Kōsei-kai & Sōka Gakkai)
In the postwar era, large lay organizations emerged to bridge the gap between sacred chanting and civic responsibility:
Risshō Kōsei-kai: Co-founded by Nikkyō Niwano, this organization interprets the parables of the Lotus Sutra as direct directives for peace, human rights, and personal development. They instituted the “Donate One Meal” campaign—where members regularly skip a meal and donate the savings toward UNICEF, disaster relief, and international poverty alleviation—and engage extensively in United Nations peace initiatives.
Sōka Gakkai: Championed the concept of “Human Revolution” (ningen kakumei) and the ethos that “Buddhism is daily life.” This framework teaches that the inner transformation achieved through chanting Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō must express itself in tangible daily behavior—fostering community harmony, promoting peace education, and engaging in grassroots volunteerism.
The Core Principle: Faith Expressed as Daily Behavior (Shugyō)
All of these movements draw their ultimate legitimacy from Nichiren Shōnin’s insistence that true faith is measured by how one treats others in daily life. Citing the Sushun Tennō Gosho, Nichiren Shōnin reminded his follower Shijō Kingo that “the true purpose of Śākyamuni Buddha appearing in this world was to teach us how to behave ourselves on a daily basis.”
Just as Charles Sheldon called on Christians to ask “What Would Jesus Do?” in every social decision, Nichiren Shōnin taught that when you chant Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō with sincere faith, your daily conduct becomes the very manifestation-body (niryāna-kāya) of the Buddha—transforming Lovingkindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity from abstract ideals into a living, social reality.
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