The varieties of religious experience in the Soka Gakkai: a comparative analysis with Jamesian theory

Religious experiences in the Soka Gakkai (SG) are less 'mystical' than those William James described. Daisaku Ikeda teaches that everyone should fully dedicate themselves to resolving their problems. The doctrine of 'voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma' (gan-ken-o-go) reframes suffering as a mission to help others by proving the power of the Mystic Law. While James argued that belief in an 'unseen spiritual world' sustains action for pessimists, Ikeda holds that lives in suffering are worth living because those circumstances were chosen to be overcome. SG members exemplify a strenuous attitude toward difficulties, paralleling James's view of saints as exemplars of human potential. However, strong faith-based communities can harbor negative aspects from a 'spirit of corporate dominion,' and individualization threatens SG's close-knit communities.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study examines the features of religious experience in the Soka Gakkai (SG) compared with William James’s theory. Religious experiences in the SG are not as ‘mystical’ as those James describes. Daisaku Ikeda asserts that everyone should dedicate their full effort to resolving the problems they face. The doctrine of ‘voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma’ (gan-ken-o-go) reconceptualizes suffering as a mission to help others by proving the power of the Mystic Law. Based on this teaching, SG members answer the question, ‘Is life worth living?’ While James emphasizes that a belief in an ‘unseen spiritual world’ allows the pessimist to retain a commitment to action, Ikeda states that the lives of individuals in the midst of suffering are worth living because their circumstances were chosen specifically to be overcome. Within their close-knit communities, SG members serve as exemplars of a strenuous attitude toward overcoming difficulties, paralleling James’s assertion that the practices of saints serve as exemplars of the potential for human development. However, a strong faith-based community can harbor negative aspects stemming from the ‘spirit of corporate dominion’ that James criticized. Furthermore, the rise of individualization, which James foresaw, threatens to erode the SG’s close-knit communities.