Neo-Buddhist practices in the context of cultural transformation: a study of the Sakhalin experience of Rissho Kosei-kai

this article analyzes the activities of the Nichiren Buddhist organization Rissh? K?sei-kai in Russia, with an emphasis on the functioning of its local branch on Sakhalin. The focus is on the process of adaptation of the Japanese Buddhist tradition to Russian social, cultural and linguistic conditions. Religious practices, cult texts, educational programs, and strategies for preserving religious identity in the context of intercultural interaction are considered. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of doctrinal provisions and practices under the influence of the local context, as well as the role of the local community in the interpretation and reproduction of religious experience. The study is based on field observations, text analysis, interviews and participant observation, which allows for a deeper understanding of the specifics of the inculturation of a religious organization operating at the intersection of Japanese and Russian cultures. The study uses qualitative methods: participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis of religious texts and educational materials used within the Rissh? K?sei-kai community on Sakhalin. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the first systematic description of the religious activities of Rissh? K?sei-kai in the Russian context. The work demonstrates how the universalistic doctrine of Japanese Buddhism is transformed in the context of the local religious and cultural landscape. It is shown that the community faces a number of challenges: from the shortage of translated materials to the difficulties of maintaining the identity of new participants. Nevertheless, due to the flexible system of religious education, orientation towards practical morality and emphasis on personal spiritual experience, the organization demonstrates adaptability. The importance of studying such transnational religious movements for understanding religious dynamics in multicultural societies is also emphasized. The results of the study can be useful not only for religious scholars, but also for specialists in the field of migration processes, cultural adaptation and the sociology of religion.

Buddhism, Japan, Rissho Kosei-kai, Nichiren, Sakhalin