With Open Arms

Are you thinking about joining us or do you have any questions about our faith?
We are here for you.

The pressures of everyday life are many and never-ending. They grind us down and distort our understanding of ourselves and the world.

We’re here to walk with you on a unique spiritual journey – to find a new way of inner peace and fulfilment. To find meaning in helping others and caring for our common future.

Whether you want to practise Buddhism as a vocation or simply learn more,

Rissho Kosei-kai promotes interreligious cooperation. Our interpretation of the Lotus Sutra is inclusive and integrates other teachings of Buddhism.
Download Welcome PDF

Do you recognise yourself?

We all need to heal, grow, prosper and give.

There are many reasons why someone decides to seek more truth as a member.
We embrace and give a warm welcome to all people whatever your ethnic group, sexual or national identity or religious background.
You’re part of humanity and you’re in good company.
Here are a few background stories of some of our family members.

Spiritual training that has changed my life

The power to live that I found through sutra recitation

Realising the importance of putting compassion into action

Finding your flow

We are not robots. One size doesn’t fit all.

The practice of Buddhism is not limited to one path alone. Each person has a different background, life circumstances and character and desires.

RK recognises the preciousness and uniqueness of each individual and promotes tailored practices for personal spiritual growth.

What remains constant is that we will always honour and recognise the eternal value of the chanting of O-daimoku and the other three basic principles, which we encourage all members to put into practice:

  1. O-daimoku chanting
  2. Sutra recitation
  3. Reaching out to others
  4. Dharma study.

To learn about our traditional practices, please read here.
For more info about events, click here.

Events

Sunday service

Sunday Service is an occasion where we can be grateful for the events of the last week and make vows to diligently practise in the upcoming days as the new week begins. The service also includes sutra recitation, reading Dharma passages, and Hoza (Dharma circle).

Lunchtime daimoku chanting

Chanting meditation for prayer and empowerment. We chant ‘Namu Myoho Renge-kyo’ keeping an empty mind or praying for world peace or the happiness of people close to us. This practice will make us empowered and purify both our mind and body.

Joint study session with transatlantic Sangha

Enhance our learning and understanding of the Dharma with the broader online communities. Now, this session offers lectures on basic and Mahayana Buddhis, meditation, Hoza (a Dharma circle) and Dharma journey talks appropriately.

Buddhist Centre

RKUK has opened a Buddhist centre in West London in 2020. Please feel free to visit us for practice and prayer as well as merely for the library and a preliminary inspection.

Online Programmes

Some events are offered on Zoom. You are recommended to take advantage of them in the case of living far from London or being unable to visit the Centre. Please check what events have online sessions and how to participate at respective contents of the Practice and Events pages.

You’ve found your family

There are more than 240,000 Buddhists in the UK. But none of us will grow spiritually in isolation.

We would love to get to know you better, for you to connect with the Buddha and live among our peaceful community of practitioners. Here is a link to our member information. If you’d like to make a personal visit or talk to someone individually, call or email us.

Once you have decided to be part of our family, for only £1 a month you can become a member of our centre in Ealing − a sanctuary in the busy heart of West London. You can pay your fee monthly or yearly, by PayPal (talk to us if you have difficulty paying). We use this money to be present in our community.

To learn about the cost of other activities, please read here.

It’s OK to change your mind. You can withdraw your membership and cancel your ongoing payments at any time. Just please tell us in advance. We ask you to return your installed Gohonzon at home. However, talk to us if you wish to keep it installed.

Taking refuge in the Three Treasures

Buddhists devote themselves to the practice of taking refuge in the Three Treasures.

  1. Buddha −our great benevolent teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha
  2. Dharma − the enlightened teachings of Buddha
  3. Sangha − the community of practitioners who follow Buddha’s teachings.

These have been the fundamental principles of Buddhism for more than 2,000 years.

We believe this makes you a better person.

Members’ Vow

We ask our members to take this vow and take steps to live out its truth.

We members of  Rissho Kosei-kai
Take refuge in the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni
And recognise in Buddhism a true way of liberation
Under the guidance of our revered founder, Nikkyo Niwano
In the spirit of lay Buddhists, we vow to perfect ourselves
Through personal discipline and leading others
And by improving our knowledge and practice of the faith
We pledge ourselves to follow the bodhisattva way
To bring peace to our families, communities, and countries
And to the world.

To learn more about our Members’ Vow, read here.

Gohonzon and Sutra recitation

What happens next?

If you are new to the ways of Buddhism, as a basic first step we encourage our members to install the Gohonzon (the focus of our devotion) at your home altar and recite the Kyoten (which contains excerpts from the Lotus Sutra that you can read every morning and evening).

If you have any difficulty installing the Gohonzon and or practising the sutra recitation, you don’t have to stick to the traditional form. Talk to us about adapting things to suit you.

You can buy a three-piece set for sutra recitation from our online shop.

Ask us anything!

Here are a few FAQs

No. RKUK does not advise you to leave any other religious group that you may already be a part of. You are free to explore the adventure of other spiritual practices.

RKUK will not necessarily advise you to remove them.

Our membership fee is only £1 per month. This is to cover some of our core costs, such as building maintenance and rents, and staff and utility costs. As we grow as an organisation/movement, we will also use this to fund community outreach.

Apart from the membership fee, we are not looking for your money or any other worldly possessions. All donations are voluntary.

There are some other small expenses. You may need a three-piece set for sutra recitation (prayer beadssash and Kyoten), which costs £30.30 for the most affordable beads.

If you want to study, books are available for around £5 to £40, but there is no obligation to buy. Our library is home to all the titles you need.

Our biannual magazine Dharma World costs £4.92 per issue (excluding postage).