SGI-Philippines Study Department

INTRODUCTORY EXAMINATION
November 24, 2019

Seat No. ____ Name: _____________________ Division:______ Place: _________

Section A: “Life of Nichiren Daishonin” and “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo”

Instruction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1&2. On April 28, 1253, Nichiren Daishonin declared his teaching and chanted (a. Namu
Amida Butsu b. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) for the first time to propagate it in the (a. Middle Day
of the Law b. Latter Day of the Law).

3. Choose the best explanation about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

a) Nam-myoho-renge-kyo exists in all human beings regardless of any differences.
b) Nam-myoho-renge-kyo exists only in the life of selected individuals.

4. Choose the best answer for our attitude or mindset while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
a) We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as if asking for the supernatural powers outside of our
lives.
b) We should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the belief that this great Law actually
exists within our lives.

5. Nichiren Daishonin established his teaching because he had wanted all people to attain the
supreme life state of the Buddha regardless of any differences existing between us. His
purpose in life was fulfilled when (a. Komatsubara Persecution b. Atsuhara Persecution)
occurred in which ordinary farmers demonstrated the same commitment for kosen-rufu as
his own.

6. One of the most significant persecutions that the Daishonin had undergone was
(a. Tatsunokuchi Persecution b. Matsubagayatsu Persecution) because he was able to cast
off his transient being as an ordinary person, and reveal his true identity as the Buddha of
the beginningless past.

Section B: “The Ten Worlds”

Instruction: Enumerate the correct answer.

What are the Six Lower Worlds?

7._______________________Hell
8._______________________Hunger
9._______________________Animality
10.______________________Anger
11.______________________Humanity
12.______________________Heaven

What are the Four Noble Worlds?

13.______________________Learning
14.______________________Realization /Absorption
15.______________________Bodhisattva
16.______________________Buddhahood

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Section C: “Faith, Practice, and Study”

Instruction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

17. Our Buddhist practice has two practices which compared to the two wheels of a cart. What
are these practices that we must do to advance kosen-rufu?
a. Practice for almsgiving and practice for meditation
b. Practice for oneself and practice for others

18. “Faith” is the most basic element of our Buddhist practice. But what does it mean by
“having faith”?
a) To be dependent upon the beneficial powers of Buddhist gods and goddesses
b) To have a deep conviction in the Gohonzon as the sole object of devotion

Section D: “Faith for Overcoming Obstacles”

Instruction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

19. Choose the correct combination of the “three obstacles” from the “Three Obstacles and
Four Devils.”
a) Obstacle of earthly desires, obstacle of karma, and obstacle of retribution
b) Obstacle of karma, obstacle of temptation, and obstacle of distraction
20. Among the “four devils,” the most formidable of all is the “hindrance of the devil king.”
Choose the correct explanation of this hindrance.
a) It is a demon king who resides in the underground world and brings with him in the
afterlife all those who committed crimes.
b) It is the innate human tendency called “fundamental ignorance or darkness” that leads
us not to believe in or trust our own potentials.

Section E: “History of the Soka Gakkai / SGI”

Instruction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

21. Which of the following statement is correct?

a.) On May 3, 1951, Josei Toda became the third president of the Soka Gakkai.
b.) On May 3, 1960, Daisaku Ikeda became the third president of the Soka Gakkai.

22. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, the two educators established the Soka Kyoiku
Gakkai (The Society for Value-Creating Pedagogy; forerunner of the Soka Gakkai) on
a.) July 3, 1945
b.) November 18, 1930

23. What is the meaning of “Soka Gakkai”?

a.) Value Creation Society
b.) School

24. On March 16, 1958, Toda Sensei entrusted the accomplishment of kosen-rufu with the
youth division. This day is commemorated every year by all SGI members as _____.
a. Day of the Youth
b. Kosen-rufu Day

25. In 1963, President Ikeda began writing his first novel, which details President
Toda’s struggle to reconstruct the Soka Gakkai and foundation of kosen-rufu in
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Japan. Then, in 1993, President Ikeda wrote its sequel that chronicles his journey for
the realization of worldwide kosen-rufu.
What are the titles of these novels that we, SGI members, read and apply in our
daily life?
a.) The Human Revolution and The New Human Revolution
b.) Pag-Asa

Section F: “Soka Spirit”

Instruction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

26. On “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”, it states “Rather than
offering up ten thousand prayers for remedy, it would be better simply to outlaw this one
evil”? Who is “this one evil”?
a. Hungry spirit
b. Ryokan of the True Word School

27. The Nichiren Shoshu priesthood’s doctrine of the supremacy or infallibility of its high
priest, that the high priest must be followed despite any error, runs counter to the statement
of Nikko Shonin in his “Twenty Six Admonitions”: “Do not follow even the high priest if
he goes against _________ and propounds his own views.”
a.) The law of the land
b.) The Buddha’s Law

Section G: “Gosho”

Passage 1: "The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra"

“My disciples, form your ranks and follow me, and surpass even Mahakashyapa or
Ananda, ! If you quail before the threats of the ruler of this little island country
[and abandon your faith], how will you face the even more terrible anger of Yama, the lord of
hell? If, while calling yourselves the , you give way to fear, you will be the most
despicable of persons!” (WND-1, Vol. 1, 765)

Instructions: Please encircle the correct answer.

1. Choose the correct answer for the first box.

a) Honen or Ryokan
b) T’ient’ai or Dengyo

2. Choose the correct answer for the meaning of the underlined phrase.
a) Blindly following whatever our mentor instructs us is the way of mentor and disciple.
b) It’s important for us to have the same resolve for kosen-rufu as our mentor.

3. Choose the correct answer for the second box.

a.) Buddha’s messengers
b.) Emperor’s messengers

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4. In the passage, the Daishonin urges his disciples to never “give way to fear”. What the
Daishonin wants to convey to us as his disciples?
a.) We should never give way to cowardice and persevere in our faith.
b.) To feel fear and doubtful is normal in our Buddhist practice.

5. Who is the votary of the Lotus Sutra that stands against the corrupt authorities in 13th
century Japan?
a.) Nichiren Daishonin
b.) Hojo Tokimune

Passage 2: "The Three Kinds of Treasures"

“Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that Nakatsukasa Saburō
Saemon-no-jō is diligent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his
concern for other people. More valuable than are the , and
the are the most valuable of all.”(WND-1, Vol. 1, 851)

Instructions: Please provide the correct answer for the boxes in chronological order.

6.__________________________
7.__________________________
8.__________________________

9. Who is the recipient of the Gosho passage above?

a.) Shijo Kingo
b.) Abutsubo

10. Choose the correct answer for the meaning of the underlined sentence. (Please encircle the
letter.)
a) Winning trust from others as a “good citizen” is indeed the actual proof of our Buddhist
practice.
b) We should always be conscious of what others need and please other people.

-Nothing Follows-

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