Hokkeko

Hokkekō (法華講, Hokke kō^?) is a lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shōshū school of Japanese Buddhism and the name most Nichiren Shoshu temple congregations are known by. It traces its origins in the martyred disciples of Atsuhara persecutions and in a more recent tradition between 1726 and 1829 claims surviving family lineages who have historically protected the Dai-Gohonzon over the centuries.

The word Hokke is a reference to the Lotus Sutra (妙法蓮華経 Myōhō-Renge-Kyō or 法華経 Hokekyō), the Buddhist scripture Nichiren Shoshu bases its teachings on, and kō (講^?) in this usage means "lay group" or "congregation". Based on the word Hokke Shu inscribed on the Dai Gohonzon, another translation is "Lotus believers".

The Hokkeko lay memberships are headed by local leaders called Koto and is not affiliated with any political organization. Hokkeko members meet in respective residential homes and hold a local chapter each year to plan their Tozan religious pilgrimages to the head temple, Taisekiji.

Prior to 30 September 1997, lay members of the Soka Gakkai were still canonically considered by Nichiren Shoshu to be Hokkeko members, entitled to participate in meetings and see the Dai-Gohonzon, allowing a 7 year span before officially ending their sectarian membership.

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