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is a Japanese new religious movement founded in 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma. Rissho Kosei Kai is organized as a lay Buddhist movement, which branched off from the older Reiyukai, and is primarily focused around the Lotus Sutra and veneration of ancestors. ==History== Rissho Kosei-kai was founded on March 5, 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma, both former members of the Buddhist sect Reiyūkai. Rev. Niwano met Ms. Naganuma while he was engaged in missionary work with Reiyukai and the two became close friends. In 1938 they attended a Reiyukai meeting in which its president made remarks that lectures and study of the Lotus Sutra were out of date. After hearing this and consulting with each other, they determined that they could not support such ideas and left Reiyukai.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.rkhawaii.org/rkhistory.htm )〕 It was then that they decided to form a new organization. The first meeting was held at Mr. Niwano's house and some 30 people joined at that time. The organization grew quickly and by 1941 membership had reach 1,000. For a short period between 1949 and 1950 Rissho Kosei-kai served as a lay auxiliary organisation of Nichiren Shū, but Niwano could not stem the, what he considered to be, liberal policies of Nichiren Shū.〔Montgomery, Daniel (1991). Fire in the Lotus, The Dynamic Religion of Nichiren, London: Mandala, ISBN 1852740914, p. 237〕 No longer able to meet at Rev. Niwano's house, construction on a new headquarters began. However, as membership continued to grow the new headquarters also became too small and work on the Great Sacred Hall, or , began in the late 1950s'. Myoko Naganuma, who had been serving as Vice-President, died before the Great Sacred Hall was completed, dying on September 10, 1957. Seven years later it would be completed. It was also during this time that Rissho Kosei-kai began to become active in interfaith co-operation. Nikkyo Niwano had a private audience with Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council in 1965 and later attended the 20th world congress of the IARF in 1969. In 1970 Rev. Niwano helped to form the World Conference of Religions for Peace and became a leader of the WCRP.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://rk-world.org/timeline.html )〕 In 1991 Nikkyo Niwano stepped down as President and his son, Nichiko Niwano, who had been appointed successor and was at that time serving as Vice President, took over as President in a special ceremony.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://rk-world.org/presidentniwano.aspx )〕 Nichiko Niwano had been designated his successor in 1960. In 1994, Nichiko's eldest daughter, Mitsuyo Niwano, was made Vice President and designated successor.〔 She was given the Buddhist name Kosho by her father and grandfather and is known to members as “Kosho-sama” with “Sama” being an honorary title. Nikkyo Niwano continued to engage in interfaith activities and participate in Rissho Kosei-kai activities even though he handed over the presidency in 1991. He died on October 4, 1999. In 2008 Rissho Kosei-kai International of North America was established due to growth of interest in the group in America and Canada and in the summer of 2009 the United States celebrated 50 years, holding a gathering in Las Vegas, Nevada, which President Niwano attended.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://rk-world.org/news09aug_us_50th.aspx )〕 As of 2010 there are over 240 churches and centers in 20 countries.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://rk-world.org/contactlist.aspx#japan )〕 Membership currently stands at 6.5 million members,〔 with the majority living in Japan. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Risshō Kōsei Kai」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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