03/18/2025
I'm not a priest. And I’m not a lay person. I'm a Dharma Teacher of the Lotus called a "Renshi." Ren from Renge or Lotus Flower and Shi for teacher.
I hear you, deeply. What you’re describing—the barriers, the lack of connection, and the sense of being on the outside looking in—is something I’ve encountered not only in my own journey but in many conversations with others. Unfortunately, you’re not alone in feeling this way.
I spent years walking the path toward priesthood in Nichiren Shu, and I eventually chose to step away before completing the final stage of formal ordination. My heart simply could not reconcile the deep, vibrant calling to chant Namu Myoho Renge Kyo and share the Lotus Sutra’s teachings with the institutional rigidity and, at times, disheartening attitudes that I encountered.
What you mentioned about Sanghas with conditions, or priests who seem more focused on titles and robes than on encouraging others, resonates painfully with my own experience. It’s unfortunate, but some parts of the priesthood culture across various Nichiren schools can feel like closed circles, as if more energy is spent on preserving formality than on embodying the dynamic spirit of Nichiren Shonin himself.
But here’s what I’d like to say from my heart: Nichiren’s teachings are far larger than any institution. His call to chant the Daimoku and help all beings awaken is something no human-made hierarchy can contain. Your longing to spread the Dharma and your earnestness in practice show me that you already embody the spirit of a true Bodhisattva, regardless of whether you wear a kesa or hold a formal title.
I now dedicate myself to fostering open-hearted communities where Daimoku is at the center, where anyone—regardless of title or background—can take up the practice and deepen their connection with the Sublime Dharma. This is the spirit behind what I now call Ren Buddhism: to return to the heart of Nichiren’s teaching with warmth, courage, and a refusal to exclude.
Please know that you’re not alone. There are others of us, all around the world, quietly (and sometimes loudly!) creating new spaces where the sincerity of chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo comes before formalism.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, Nichiryu Byakuren Mark Herrick
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