The varieties of religious experience in the Soka Gakkai: a comparative analysis with Jamesian theory
Cogent Arts & Humanities July 11, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1080/23311983.2026.2694217 via DOAJ
Summary
Religious experiences in Soka Gakkai (SG) differ from William James's mystical emphasis, focusing instead on overcoming personal suffering as a chosen mission. The doctrine of 'voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma' reinterprets hardship as an opportunity to help others by demonstrating the Mystic Law's power. SG members find life worth living because they believe their circumstances were selected for them to overcome. While SG communities serve as exemplars of a strenuous attitude, paralleling James's view of saints, they risk negative aspects of 'corporate dominion' and face erosion from individualization.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Soka Gakkai's religious experiences are less mystical than James's account, with suffering reconceptualized as a chosen mission to help others, but the community faces risks of corporate dominion and erosion by individualization. |
Abstract
This study examines the features of religious experience in the Soka Gakkai (SG) compared with William James’s theory. Religious experiences in the SG are not as ‘mystical’ as those James describes. Daisaku Ikeda asserts that everyone should dedicate their full effort to resolving the problems they face. The doctrine of ‘voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma’ (gan-ken-o-go) reconceptualizes suffering as a mission to help others by proving the power of the Mystic Law. Based on this teaching, SG members answer the question, ‘Is life worth living?’ While James emphasizes that a belief in an ‘unseen spiritual world’ allows the pessimist to retain a commitment to action, Ikeda states that the lives of individuals in the midst of suffering are worth living because their circumstances were chosen specifically to be overcome. Within their close-knit communities, SG members serve as exemplars of a strenuous attitude toward overcoming difficulties, paralleling James’s assertion that the practices of saints serve as exemplars of the potential for human development. However, a strong faith-based community can harbor negative aspects stemming from the ‘spirit of corporate dominion’ that James criticized. Furthermore, the rise of individualization, which James foresaw, threatens to erode the SG’s close-knit communities.