Hokkekō

is the mainstream lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shōshū. It traces its origins to three martyr disciples who were arrowed and later beheaded in the Atsuhara persecutions and a more recent tradition of family lineages between 1726 and 1829 who have historically protected the Dai-Gohonzon over the centuries.

The word Hokke is a reference to the Lotus Sūtra (妙 法 蓮 華 經 Myōhō-Renge-Kyō or 法 華 經 Hokekyō), the Buddhist scripture Nichiren Shōshū bases its teachings on, and in this usage means "lay group" or "congregation". Based on the word Hokke Shu inscribed on the Dai Gohonzon, another translation is "Lotus believers". As part of its official doctrine, the same sect teaches that Nichiren designated this term for his own followers during his lifetime.