In Memory of the Reverend Nikkyo Niwano

In Memory of the Reverend Nikkyo Niwano

by Chiara Lubich

When the history of the dialogue among religions is written, one of the eminent figures to emerge will be the founder of Rissho Kosei-kai.

I cannot think of our friendship, which began more than twenty years ago, without a deep sense of warmth and gratitude, nor can I forget the honor Rev. Nikkyo Niwano bestowed on me through sharing the great ideals of peace and harmony among people that animated his heart.

It is thanks to him that our two movements began to work together and have seen the fruits of this collaboration.

But here I would like to recall something regarding his personality, the way he lived out his faith, and his doctrine, which was rooted in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and which opened new paths to the understanding and practice of the Buddha's message.

In 1987 he wrote to me: "We should not read the scriptures mechanically or interpret them as mere metaphysics. Buddhism has a vast canon, said to total some 84,000 works; yet in the end, even they are of no use to our salvation unless we read them in conjunction with religious practice in our daily lives. We should not play with the words of God and the Buddha, but should incorporate them within our lives."

Here, I believe, lies the secret of all his work: being anchored in the spirit of sacred scriptures and making them a perennial spiritual resource for concrete actions, rich in fruits.

This is one of the teachings I discerned in the life of Rev. Niwano, and in this I felt a deep union with him. The Focolare Movement is also based on Sacred Scriptures, not just meditated upon and studied, but also put into practice, and we are convinced that the Words of God are Words of Life that, through our witness, bring to others the Life that comes from God.

Rev. Niwano's thoughts on the three treasures of Buddhism--the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha--were also very illuminating for me. He wrote: "Of the three, the Sangha is the greatest treasure, as far as Buddhists are concerned. Just as members of the Focolare Movement stress the importance of communal life, so do we in Rissho Kosei-kai value the Sangha, for it is virtually impossible for a person to fathom the truth alone. Within the community of the Sangha, we can encourage one another, support one another, enlighten one another. Even those who are weak, to begin with, can arrive at the right way of living."

In his beautiful biography of Shakyamuni Buddha he quotes the Lotus Sutra: "Only a buddha together with a buddha can fathom the Reality of all Existence." It is an affirmation that struck me because there is great affinity with the experience of our movement. We say that unity among those who try to reflect Christ in their lives (to be, as much as possible, another Christ) can give us the Wisdom and Strength we need to stand up to the entire world, for as Jesus said in the Gospel: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, am I there in the midst of them" (Mt 18:20). It is the presence of God in the community that gives Christians the strength to bear all the difficulties and to bring--with a smile--joy, peace, pardon, consolation, and the flame of love that binds people together in communion and that enlightens the path of their existence.

With his youthful spirit, Rev. Niwano was able to interpret the expectations of young people in the areas of interest closest to their hearts, such as care for the environment, responsibility for the world of the future, love for life in any form, and solidarity. One of the actions I most appreciated was fasting in order to set up a fund to help people in need. And it is wonderful to see how the youth of Rissho Kosei-kai responded to this appeal, which flowed from the heart and wisdom of their leader.

I would also like to highlight my esteem and gratitude toward Rev. Niwano for having brought into existence the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), together with other farsighted persons. When he first spoke to me about this, I admired the way he had intuited the role of religions in creating conditions for peace in the world. From that time on, the Focolare Movement, in answer to his invitation, has collaborated with the WCRP in various initiatives. This collaboration has continued for more than twenty years.

To conclude these words, all too brief, in memory of Rev. Niwano, I would like to once again express a conviction of mine.

When the history of the dialogue among religions will be written, I believe that one of the eminent figures to emerge, one who contributed efficaciously as a pioneer, will be Rev. Nikkyo Niwano. His farsightedness, his sensitivity, his personal contact with another great personality of the world of religion, Pope Paul VI, who was a source of inspiration and encouragement for him, make Rev. Niwano a great protagonist not only in dialogue between Christians and Buddhists, but in the encounter of all the great world religions.

His wisdom, his smile, which so deeply impressed me, are always with me, in my thoughts and in my prayers.

I perceive our friendship as something that has not been interrupted by his departure.

Chiara Lubich is founder and president of the Focolare Movement, the worldwide Catholic movement that has members and friends in over 180 countries. She received the Templeton Foundation Prize for Progress in Religion in 1977.

This article was originally published in the April-June 2006 issue of Dharma World.


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