Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices

Listening to the transformative experiences of Black Nichiren Buddhists in this podcast series reminds us that Black people have confronted extraordinary levels of oppression over centuries and have survived. These practitioners ask, ‘how do we confront this onslaught beyond expressing fear and outrage?’We are encouraged by these practitioners—by their wisdom and stamina, by their singing and chan...

This final episode explores the connection between self-improvement and justice. Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, believed that Buddhism only has meaning when it effects positive change in society. Rima Vesely-Flad speaks with Michael Belton , a founding co-architect of the association, Buddhists of African Descent, about how this teaching has helped him develop throughout his...

“Nam Myoho Renge Kyo,” the title of the Lotus Sutra, is also known as the Daimoku. In this episode, Rima Vesely-Flad speaks with a decades-long practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism, Jacci Thompson-Dodd, about the significance of chanting and other practices of the association, Buddhists of African Descent. Jacci Thompson-Dodd has practiced Nichiren Buddhism for 50 years. She supports women healing fr...

Study is a core practice for Nichiren Buddhists, who dive deeply into the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin as a way to cultivate their inherent Buddha-nature. Mahazi Roundtree has been a Nichiren practitioner for 38 years. She is a study leader in the Nichiren Buddhist association, Buddhists of African Descent, and she lives in Harlem, New York, where she is a corporate paralegal...

This and the next three episodes feature conversations with members of the association, Buddhists of African Descent (aka BAD) which engages in connecting traditional systems of African spirituality with the basic tenets and principles of Nichiren Buddhism. Thembi is one of the founding co-architects of BAD. She speaks with Rima Vesely-Flad about the significance of Buddhahood for herself and othe...

One compelling teaching of Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of the Nichiren Buddhist tradition, is that each person is responsible for contributing to world peace and justice. He believed that the daily practice of chanting was an essential form of committing to compassionate action, and could generate benefits for society. Bishop Myokei Caine-Barrett Shonin is the first American woman and the firs...

One tenet of Nichiren Buddhism known as “faith in action” is used consistently in the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of the tradition. The use of the word “faith,” though seldom associated with Buddhism, has helped a number of practitioners in the West make connections between their Christian heritage and their Buddhist practice. Ben Harris, is one such practitioner who has made the...

Buddha-nature refers to the innate potential for every living being to attain enlightenment, and one of the most compelling aspects of Nichiren Buddhism is the teaching that this is already present in every being. The realization of this inherent truth is called “Buddhahood.” In this episode, Rima Vesely-Flad speaks with Dr. Kamilah Majied about using hardship as fuel for reaching the state of min...

The distinctive teachings of Nichiren Buddhism are deeply compelling for Black practitioners throughout the United States. To start this exploration of the significance of this practice for Black Americans, Rima Vesely-Flad speaks with Dr. Ralph Craig about the famous Black Buddhist singer Tina Turner, and her relationship to Nichiren practices such as chanting the Lotus Sutra. Dr. Ralph Craig is...

Buddhist teachings have always been adapted to the environments in which they're transmitted. This is true of Buddhism as it is embraced by Black people in the United States, as Black Buddhists bring distinctive interpretations of the dharma to our communities. One of the Buddhist lineages that has garnered exceptional attention is a Japanese based lineage, Nichiren. The chanting practices of...