[Essay] The Inheritance and Development of Soka Faith Studies (Research Fellow Kenichi Miura)

A Theory of Scholarship Based on Faith as Articulated by the Three Presidents of the Soka Gakkai

In this essay, I would like to present my reflections, from the standpoint of a research fellow, on the faith-based scholarship of the Soka Gakkai as explored by the Institute of Soka Faith Studies. The Institute is a research body dedicated to investigating a theory of scholarship grounded in faith as established by the three presidents of the Soka Gakkai.

The first president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, authored The Theory of Value, in which he connected Nichiren Buddhism with Western philosophy and everyday human life, and posed to society the importance of living a “life of great good” grounded in the value of the highest good. The second president, Josei Toda, declared that “the Buddha is life itself,” and developed Nichiren Buddhism as a “philosophy of life” that encompasses even the cosmology of modern science.

The third president, Daisaku Ikeda, expressed Buddhist philosophical principles such as “three thousand realms in a single moment of life” (ichinen sanzen) and “the non-duality of mind and body” (shiki shin funi) in terms of “humanism,” and has put these into practice through dialogues with intellectuals across various fields.

In this way, the three presidents of the Soka Gakkai established a faith-based scholarship by drawing upon a wide range of academic disciplines. Building upon this foundation, the Soka Gakkai has developed multifaceted activities centered on “peace,” “culture,” and “education.”

The Relationship between Faith and Reason

The foundation of faith is “belief.” Faith begins, first and foremost, with the act of believing. In contrast, the foundation of reason may be said to lie in “doubt.” One approaches phenomena or objects with objective and analytical skepticism, formulates and verifies hypotheses, and even identifies errors in prior research. Readers, in turn, are expected to understand discourse through such an academic attitude.

The Institute of Soka Faith Studies sets forth as its aim the “integration of faith and reason,” and at first glance, faith and reason may appear to be as incompatible as oil and water. However, the three presidents of the Soka Gakkai advocated the flowering of scholarship grounded in faith and indicated a path toward integrating faith and reason. This may be regarded as an unprecedented development in the history of Buddhism.

However, the vision of faith-based scholarship advanced by the three presidents of the Soka Gakkai has also been subject to criticism rooted in misunderstanding. From the priesthood, it was at times labeled a deviation from doctrine, while from some scholars it was dismissed as lacking originality. Nevertheless, the three presidents never ceased their efforts to establish Soka Faith Studies.

In reality, the Soka Gakkai has expanded to 192 countries and territories worldwide, and we now live in an era in which research institutes dedicated to “Ikeda Thought” and “Soka Thought” have been established at institutions of higher education across the globe. Research organizations in various countries have focused on the many facets of Daisaku Ikeda—as a philosopher, educator, and more—and have accorded his thought a high level of academic evaluation.

Underlying these multifaceted activities of Ikeda is an unwavering faith in Nichiren Buddhism. In his lectures and proposals addressed to various institutions, Ikeda consistently develops his arguments on the premise that he is a disciple of Josei Toda and a practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism.

It may be said that the very trajectory of the three presidents of the Soka Gakkai—who sought to integrate faith and reason—constitutes the point of origin of Soka Faith Studies.

The Universalization of Immanent Logic

As is evident from the foregoing discussion, Soka Faith Studies employs honorifics such as “Nichiren Daishonin,” “Makiguchi-sensei,” “Toda-sensei,” and “Ikeda-sensei.” The honorific “Daishonin” is an expression that pertains to the core of the Soka Gakkai’s faith, namely, the belief that Nichiren Daishonin is the “Original Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.” Likewise, with regard to the honorific “sensei (mentor),” the Soka Gakkai Constitution—its fundamental code—stipulates that the three presidents, regarded as the “eternal mentors,” are to be addressed with this title. For this reason, Soka Faith Studies adopts the honorifics “Daishonin” and “sensei” in accordance with its standpoint.

In academic research, it is generally customary to omit honorifics and use forms such as “Nichiren” or “Ikeda.” However, Soka Faith Studies proceeds on the premise of the Soka Gakkai’s faith. Therefore, to refrain from using honorifics that are integral to that faith would, conversely, run counter to the very standpoint of faith studies.

Furthermore, while employing honorifics, Soka Faith Studies adopts an objective mode of expression in its descriptive methodology. For example, formulations such as “Ikeda-sensei points out that …” may be used. Soka Faith Studies is an endeavor to render the immanent logic of faith into a universal language directed toward an external audience.

Here, the “external” refers to those who hold different beliefs, but more broadly it may be understood as the paradigm of modern civilization. Soka Faith Studies seeks to explain Buddhist philosophical principles in accordance with this paradigm. Accordingly, its mode of presentation naturally differs from that of internal publications intended for members of the Soka Gakkai.

I have outlined, for future reference, the purpose and intent underlying the standpoint and methodology of Soka Faith Studies. Looking ahead fifty or one hundred years, humanity will undoubtedly confront technological innovations beyond current imagination, along with the ethical issues that accompany them. There is also the possibility of unforeseen disasters and epidemics. The recent global spread of COVID-19 is itself a clear example of such an unexpected event. In order to navigate this uncertain future, a sound and enduring philosophy will be indispensable.

Daisaku Ikeda has projected that, in the latter half of the twenty-first century, the philosophy of the “dignity of life” should become the spirit of the age and of the world. To realize this vision, it is necessary to position the theory of scholarship grounded in faith, as articulated by the three presidents of the Soka Gakkai, as the foundation of Soka Faith Studies, and for us, as successors, to inherit and further develop it.

As a member of the Institute, I am resolved to fulfill this mission, however modest my own contribution may be.

2020/5/19