The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction

270 CHAPTER TEN

be found for the first. The development of almost all of these movements falls
into the two phases that we have noted in the history ofRissho Kosei-kai.
Niwano, using terminology from the Lotus Sutra, refers to the phases as the
period of expedient truth, in which charismatic leaders provided a personal,
ad hoc kami connection to deal with immediate crises; and the period of ab-
solute truth, in which the larger issues of the perfection of the personality can
be more systematically addressed once the crises have passed. The first phase
represents a revival of the traditional uji in a form least integrated with the rest
of society. The second phase represents a combination of the uji ideal of devo-
tion to the clan and the clan's deity, with congruent elements from neo-Con-
fucianism. Although some of the new religions use Buddhist terminology to
describe their teachings during this phase, the basic pattern of religious life is
Confucian. There is no role for the monastic Sangha, and solitary meditation
is not encouraged except as a means of strengthening the mind in pursuit of
this-worldly ends. Lay people take full responsibility for their ritual obligations
to their ancestors, secular life is the ideal arena for religious practice, and one's
perfection as an individual is to be found by sincerely fulfilling one's social du-
ties so as to bring about the perfection of society as a whole. By adopting this
neo-Confucian pattern, these new ujis have integrated more or less peacefully
with the rest of society and have taken on the status of established religions.
Thus, even when they are nominally Buddhist, they represent-in both phases
of their development-the ascendancy of pre-Buddhist and non-Buddhist el-
ements in Japanese religious life.
There will inevitably be more periods of crisis in the future of Japan, and
further new religious leaders can be expected to formulate creative solutions
in response. Whether they will continue the current trend or bring about a
return to more traditional forms ofBuddhism, only time will tell.