Toynbee’s View of the Soka Gakkai (Andy Nagashima, Overseas Research Fellow)

Excerpt from “Daisaku Ikeda and America: The Reception and Transmission of Nichiren Buddhism”

(Excerpted from Soka Faith Studies III)

Daisaku Ikeda delivered his first university lecture overseas on April 1, 1974, at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In fact, exactly eleven years earlier, on April 1, 1963, the historian Arnold J. Toynbee had given a lecture at the same university.

During a lecture that ran just over fifty minutes, Arnold J. Toynbee surveyed five thousand years of human history and argued that, under the threat of the nuclear age, a transformation in thinking is necessary—one that regards humanity as a single family. He then cited examples from the world’s religions, exploring the pursuit of peace for the survival of humankind as fellow beings. In this context, he referred to the case of the Indian ruler Ashoka, who, after converting to Buddhism, shifted from a military mission to a philosophical (peaceful) one—namely, propagation and dissemination—thus suggesting his expectations for Buddhism.

Arnold J. Toynbee had already, by 1939, referred in his monumental work, A Study of History (Volume V), to “Nichiren,” “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,” and the “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land［立正安国論］.” One can only be struck with admiration for the breadth and depth of his learning.

That Arnold J. Toynbee had, from an early stage, taken an interest in the Soka Gakkai is recounted by the philosopher Takeshi Umehara:

“When I met the late Toynbee, he expressed a strong interest in the Soka Gakkai. To borrow Toynbee’s own words, such energy no longer remains in contemporary Christianity. His question was why such energy still persists in Buddhism.”

(Kansai Soka Gakkai Open to the World, p. 113)

In exploring the meaning of “world religion” within the Soka Gakkai, it is an important point to consider Arnold J. Toynbee’s view of the Soka Gakkai. In his dialogue with Daisaku Ikeda, Toynbee spoke of the need for a “new kind of religion” and a “religion of the future” in order to overcome the various problems facing humanity:

I feel the need for a new kind of religion. Mankind has been united, socially, for the first time in history, by the worldwide spread of modern (in origin, modern Western) civilization. The question of mankind’s future religion arises because all the current religions have proved unsatisfactory. The future religion need not necessarily be an entirely new religion. It might be a new version of one of the old religions (Arnold J. Toynbee and Daisaku Ikeda, Choose Life: A Dialogue (London: Oxford University Press, 1976), 295)

The polymathic author Masaru Sato, in his book Philosophy for the Age of the Earth: Interpreting the Ikeda–Toynbee Dialogue, argues that “Toynbee, in fact, considered the Soka Gakkai to be precisely such a ‘religion of the future.’” (p. 163)

Furthermore, in his work What Are the Conditions for a World Religion? Sato explains how Christianity became a world religion through the processes of persecution, becoming aligned with ruling powers, and the Reformation. He also notes that the Soka Gakkai has undergone a similar process (pp. 176–180).

In fact, Arnold J. Toynbee viewed Nichiren in terms of similarities with the founders of other world religions. Although it is now out of print, Toynbee contributed a foreword to the English edition of the novel The Human Revolution (Weatherhill edition), Volume I (1972) and Volume II (1974).

“Prophet” is an appropriate description of Nichiren; for in many ways Nichiren has more affinity with the prophets of western Asia than with any of the other propagators and interpreters of Buddhism in India and in eastern Asia. Zoroastrian, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish readers of this book will recognize Nichiren’s affinity with Zarathustra, Muhammad, and the prophets of Israel and Judah, and this impression will be confirmed if they read the English translation of Nichiren’s collected writings that Soka Gakkai has published.

He warned the Japanese government and people that, if they rejected his formulation of the essence of the Mahayana Buddhist Lotus Sutra, they would bring calamities on themselves. The calamities came. A civil war was followed by two Mongol attacks, and Nichiren won the reputation of being a prophet in the popular sense of being endowed with a gift for foreseeing the future, besides being a seer of ultimate spiritual reality.

This is Buddhism as presented by the Japanese “prophet” Nichiren, who lived in the thirteenth century of the Christian Era but still lives on in the church that he founded. I use the Jewish and Muslim term “prophet” and the Christian term “church” because Nichiren and his followers look to a Westerner as if they were more closely akin, in spirit, to Jews, Christians, and Muslims than to non-Nichirenist Buddhists.

In Arnold J. Toynbee’s philosophy of history, the emergence of higher religions (world religions) requires an “encounter with a different civilization”—more specifically, the conquest of one civilization by another. He argued that the conquered civilization endures this suffering, deepens its thought inwardly, and that such anguish gives rise to wisdom, eventually crystallizing into a higher religion (Shin Yamamoto, Toynbee’s View of Religion, pp. 43–44).

Japan’s situation in the thirteenth century after Christ was much like that of Israel and Judah in the eighth century before Christ. In both instances an aggressive empire (the Assyrian in the earlier case and the Mongol in the later), which had already achieved vast conquests, was poised to strike. In the case of Japan, however, the attackers were repulsed, and though he was persecuted, Nichiren escaped Isaiah’s martyrdom.

Furthermore, he refers—by way of a historical analogy—to the fact that, under State Shinto during wartime, members of the Soka Gakkai were “subjected to an unprecedentedly severe test of their courage to uphold their convictions.” He draws a parallel with the history of early Christianity: beginning with the first persecution of Christians in 250 under the Roman emperor Decius (r. 249–251), followed by the Edict of Toleration issued in 311 by the eastern emperor Galerius (r. 305–311), which officially ended the persecutions, and culminated in the legalization of Christianity under the Edict of Milan in 313.

The Christian church underwent a similar ordeal between A.D. 250 and A.D. 311, when the Roman counterpart of State Shinto was forced upon the Christians for the same reason. The English edition of The Human Revolution covers the period of July, 1945, to October, 1947—a testing time for Soka Gakkai and also for the whole of the Japanese people.

The leaders of Soka Gakkai had distinguished themselves by their steadfastness in refusing to be intimidated into paying lip service to a religion that they did not believe to be true, and that they saw to be leading Japan into disaster.

Under his (*Toda) presidency and then under that of his successor, Daisaku Ikeda, Soka Gakkai has achieved its astonishing postwar resurrection—a spiritual achievement that matches the Japanese people’s material achievement in the economic field. (*I added the name Toda)

In his dialogue with Daisaku Ikeda, Arnold J. Toynbee remarked that the “religion of the future” may take the form of “a transformed version of one of the older religions.” In this context, his foreword likewise suggests an expectation for the Soka Gakkai as a new world religion.

The situation in Japan in 1945 is described vividly and harrowingly in Mr. Ikeda’s book. It was like the situation in the Roman Empire in 311, when the persecution of Christianity was reluctantly abandoned by the Roman Imperial Government. In both cases, there was a spiritual vacuum and a material crisis. The Roman Empire had been devastated by barbarian invasions and at the same time the old religions had lost their hold on the people’s minds and hearts.

In the first phase of the postwar period, the Japanese people had to restart life from the beginning, both individually and collectively. They had been defeated militarily and had been ruined economically. This tribulation evoked in Japan a number of new religions and of new versions of old religions. Soka Gakkai was attractive because its faith inspired confidence.

Furthermore, this foreword also indicates that Arnold J. Toynbee envisioned the Soka Gakkai as playing an active role as a “world religion” addressing all of humanity.

The postwar rise of Soka Gakkai is not solely the concern of the country in which it started; already Soka Gakkai is a world affair, as is indicated by the translation of Mr. Ikeda’s present book into French and English. Soka Gakkai is a Buddhist society, and Buddhism was the first missionary religion to address its message to all mankind. (…) [H]is horizon and his concern were not bounded by Japan’s coasts. Nichiren held that Buddhism, as he conceived it, was a means of salvation for his fellow human beings everywhere. In working for the human revolution, Soka Gakkai is carrying out Nichiren’s mandate.

Referring to the occasion when he engaged in dialogue with Arnold J. Toynbee on the “world religion” required in the modern age, Daisaku Ikeda expressed his conviction that Nichiren Buddhism is precisely the “world religion” capable of resolving the various problems facing humanity.

“Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee always kept his gaze fixed on the future of humanity. He continually considered what is necessary for the survival of humankind, and where the power lies to confront and overcome the various evils that threaten it. A religion that can open the way to humanity’s future must necessarily embody both the ‘eternal wisdom’ inherited from the past and a ‘radical newness’ that responds to the demands of the present age.

Our Soka Gakkai, true to its name of ‘value creation,’ has, based on the correct teaching, ceaselessly advanced a dynamic and fresh movement in response to the needs of each era. The Buddhism of Nichiren is the highest world religion, endowed with universal principles and great power sufficient to resolve the problems facing humanity and to revitalize civilization.”

(The Complete Works of Daisaku Ikeda, Vol. 80, pp. 64–65, translated by this website editor)

In Arnold J. Toynbee, Change and Habit: The Challenge of Our Time (London: Oxford University Press, 1966), 161–83, “The Significance of World Religions,” (Chapter IX) three conditions that higher religions must reform in order to survive in the future. I would like to examine each of these in turn.

They have to change their attitude and conduct towards each other from hostility and rivalry to love and co-operation (ibid., 177).

Daisaku Ikeda devoted many years to interfaith dialogue, engaging with organizations such as the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the King International Chapel at Morehouse College—the alma mater of Martin Luther King Jr.—as well as with the Iranian-born peace scholar Majid Tehranian, among others.

Although a meeting with the Pope, once scheduled for May 1975, did not take place due to obstruction by the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood, it is evident—such as in the meeting held in May 2024 in Vatican City between Minoru Harada and Pope Francis (then serving as Pope)—that the Soka Gakkai continues to act in cooperation across religious differences to address the issues shared by humanity.

The second change that is required of the historic religions is that they should concern themselves with the crucial issues of the times (ibid., 178).

The Preamble to the “Social Charter” (enacted in 2021) of the Soka Gakkai states as follows:

In the face of multiple, interlocking crises, it is clear that humanity’s survival and flourishing must be a shared, cooperative undertaking founded in an awareness of our intimate connections with all forms of life. Everyone’s contribution is needed, and no one must be left behind.

We believe that the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism offer a means for each of us to manifest within the realities of daily life the unlimited capacity for wisdom, courage and compassion we all possess. We therefore seek to foster individuals who are empowered to take on the daunting challenges we face and are committed to building a more just and sustainable world for future generations.

We, the respective organizations of the Soka Gakkai, raising high the banner of global citizenship, the spirit of active tolerance and respect for human dignity, and determined to confront the threats facing humankind based on an unwavering commitment to nonviolence and the culture of peace, hereby adopt this charter, affirming the following purposes and principles.

Furthermore, ten items are set forth under the “Purpose and Code of Conduct,” within which principles of action are clearly articulated, including engagement with the critical issues facing humanity in the contemporary age. A few examples may be cited.

4. The Soka Gakkai will, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religious and philosophical traditions, engaging in dialogue and working together with them toward the resolution of the fundamental challenges confronting humankind.

6. The Soka Gakkai will work for peace and a world free from nuclear weapons and will promote just and sustainable development.

9. The Soka Gakkai is committed to building a sustainable world for future generations, addressing the climate crisis, and protecting and caring for the ecosystems of Earth.

The Soka Gakkai has collaborated in efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons as an international partner of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. It has also been actively engaged, in a multifaceted manner, in promoting the United Nations-adopted Sustainable Development Goals and in initiatives aimed at achieving these goals.

The Soka Gakkai has also addressed the issue of refugees, engaging in awareness-raising activities as well as providing support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In this way, as articulated in its Social Charter, the Soka Gakkai has undertaken a wide range of proactive initiatives in response to the major challenges facing the contemporary world.

Following his dialogue with Daisaku Ikeda, Arnold J. Toynbee appears to have received various private communications expressing different reactions from those around him. In response to a piece of advice from a certain intellectual, he candidly expressed his own thoughts as follows:

“I believe that religion is the most important thing in human life, and I agree with Soka Gakkai, as represented by President Ikeda, on this fundamental point as well as on particular important ethical endeavours that are bound up with it: e.g. opposition to militarism and war, to corruption in public life, and to the use of drugs, and the positive aim of bringing the whole human race together in some form of effective cooperation.” (AJT letter dated 9 July 1974)

The third change that the historic religions have to make is to strip off from their essence the accretions that have overlaid it in the course of time. (ibid., 179).

Toynbee also refers to the same idea in An Historian’s Approach to Religion (London: Oxford University Press, 1956), 262.

Here, he explains the “non-essential practices and propositions” of higher religions—that is, the need to separate what is incidental from what is essential—by using the analogy of winnowing, the process of separating the husk from the grain.

Thus, in our society in our time, the task of winnowing the chaff away from the grain in Mankind’s religious heritage is (...) a perennial task, with which the adherents of every higher religion are confronted all the time. (...) their historic harvest is not pure grain.

It may be said that, through the “Heisei-era religious reformation,” the Soka Gakkai sifted away various nonessential and accreted doctrines and practices that had come to be associated with the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood—such as a discriminatory view of human beings that places priests above lay believers, a mystical notion of lineage and faith in the high priest that bears no relation to the teachings of Nichiren, and a narrow dogmatism exemplified by criticizing the Soka Gakkai’s choral performances of Symphony No. 9 as “praising heresy.” In doing so, it realized what Arnold J. Toynbee termed the “shedding of nonessentials,” and may be understood to have transformed itself into a “world religion” to be practiced, looking toward the future, across all regions of the globe, including the United States.