Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism by Professor Aaron Profit

American Buddhist Study Center

27K views 3 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What do you already know about Buddhism in Japan?
When you hear “Nichiren Buddhism,” what topics do you expect in an introduction?
What kinds of things might a professor include in a short overview lecture on a religious tradition?

Up Next

30 SUPER COMMON phrasal verbs | You can use them every day! Arnel's Everyday English
100 Action Verbs in English With Sentences |First Words for Babies |English Vocabulary for Beginners Happy Toddler Learning
The Big Bang Theory Story: Episode 1 Adapted for Beginners (Nivel A1) StoryVerse English
THE BEST ENGLISH CONVERSATION FOR BEGINNERS || ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS Podcast || Daily English
Acqua di Gio vs. 360 Red for Men (Can You Save $33?) Besuited Aroma

Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

…

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism by Professor Aaron Profit

Who Nichiren was and how medieval Buddhism worked (00:00 – 07:55)

Transcript will load here…

1. How does the speaker describe Buddhism in the medieval period compared to today?

It was divided into completely separate schools with little overlap.
It overlapped a lot, and people studied multiple approaches over time.
It was mostly focused on Zen and ignored texts.

2. What does the speaker say Tendai was in many ways during early medieval Japan?

A comprehensive approach to Mahayana Buddhism
A form of Buddhism that rejected devotion and focused only on logic
A small, secretive movement limited to one temple

3. According to the speaker, what practice did Nichiren promote as a key practice?

Recitation of the title of the Lotus Sutra (the daimoku)
Silent sitting meditation only
Pilgrimage to Mount Koya as a requirement

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism by Professor Aaron Profit

Daimoku, exclusive devotion, and conflict in a ‘world in chaos’ (07:55 – 16:05)

Transcript will load here…

1. What does the speaker say “namu” can mean in this context?

A musical instrument used in rituals
A type of temple building
“I take refuge in” / “I pay homage to”

2. Which place does the speaker say Nichiren treats as a kind of trans-temporal ‘pure land’ connected to the Lotus Sutra?

Mount Hiei in Japan
Vulture Peak in India
Sukhavati (Amitabha’s pure land)

3. Why does the speaker say writing open criticism of the government in Nichiren’s time was extremely risky?

Because printing was illegal
Because only monks were allowed to write texts
Because it could be treated as a death sentence

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism by Professor Aaron Profit

Practice objects, key doctrines, and modern diversity (16:05 – 30:32)

Transcript will load here…

1. What does the speaker say the “honzon” means in this Nichiren context?

A holiday celebrating ancestors
A mandalic depiction used as an object of devotion
A pilgrimage route

2. In the speaker’s description, what is especially emphasized in Nichiren practice compared with some Pure Land traditions?

Neither study nor practice matters
Study and practice are emphasized
Only study matters, not practice

3. What statistic does the speaker mention about modern Japanese new religions?

70% of new religions are Lotus Sutra–based
Only 7% of new religions are Lotus Sutra–based
Most new religions reject the Lotus Sutra

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism by Professor Aaron Profit

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the central text and focus that the speaker repeatedly connects to Nichiren Buddhism?

The Avatamsaka Sutra only
The Pali Canon only
The Lotus Sutra

2. What broader historical situation does the speaker use to explain why strong reform movements developed in the Kamakura period?

A long era of total peace with no conflict
A period when Japan had no contact with any other cultures
A time of social and political instability and rapid change

3. Which idea helps explain why people looked for a single ‘most effective’ teaching or practice in the speaker’s account?

The belief that all texts were equally easy to master
The belief that chanting was forbidden
The belief in the end of the Dharma age (mappo) and declined capacities

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism by Professor Aaron Profit

The speaker suggests that medieval Buddhist traditions often overlapped rather than being strictly separate. Do you see similar “overlap” in modern religion or modern identity (e.g., mixing traditions)?
Nichiren is presented as both inspiring and harshly critical of other traditions. When, if ever, is strong criticism useful in religious or political reform movements?
What do you think makes communal recitation feel “powerful” for participants? Can you compare it to any non-religious group activities (sports crowds, concerts, protests, etc.)?
The speaker connects social instability and end-times thinking with a desire for a single essential practice. How do crises influence the way people choose beliefs or routines today?