Robin "Nichiren" Buddhist of the Ikeda Sect Responds (4)

4).Destructive cults generate some kind of external “pet devil” with which to threatentheir members if they should doubt, or fail, or ever leave the group.

The SGI has dozens of “pet devils”. Those who leave will have misfortune on their jobs, in their families, in the social lives,have accidents, fall into hell, etc. President Toda stated: “If you keep this up, you’re going to cometo a pitiful end in life.” and “Betraying the Soka Gakkai is betraying the Daishonin. In the end, they’llreceive the punishment of the Buddha, you’ll see.” Ikeda says, “To take action to fight againstwhatever forces appear as the enemies of the Soka Gakkai is our most noble mission.” Matilda Bucksays, “How tragic it would be for even one person to have found the great means of bringing forth Buddhahood only to be diverted to another, seemingly similar, path that is incapable of leading that individual to his or her deepest happiness.” This is the jist of the Gakkai’s attempt to chain themembers to the Gakkai way of life. The Biggest ”pet devil” is Nikken of the Nichiren Shoshu:

“When Buddhism speaks of “devilish functions,” what does that really mean? These represent whatever tries to prevent us from advancing in our Buddhist practice. In a sense, they are frightened when we expand the Buddha?s forces, because the realm they want to control will be changed into a pure land. In our case right now, this function is being manifested in the current high priest of Nichiren Shoshu.”

Robin: Again, as far as I can tell this is the same with all Nichiren sects with “Ikeda” being the “pet devil”. I used to hate all the demonizing of Nikken and felt the SGI should move on and focus on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and the Gosho (which they now seem to do in the UK), but most Nichiren sects seem more obsessed with President Ikeda than you say SGI members are. 

Mark: I guess you are not familiar with the SGI UK Soka Spirit. I suggest you do a google search. A component of Fascism are those “WHO ARE URGED TO ENGAGE IN A HEROIC COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO ATTAIN A METAPHYSICAL GOAL against the machinations of a SCAPE GOATED DEMONIZED ADVERSARY”: [from Scruton]. For your benefit, I have included my commentary proving that the Soka Gakkai has features of Fascism

The following passages with capitalized words are from Scruton along with commentary proving that the SGI has the essential features of Fascism :

“[Fascism is] more notable as a political phenomenon on which diverse intellectual influences converge than as a distinct idea; as political phenomenon, one of its most remarkable features has been the ability to win massive popular support for ideas that are expressly ANTI-EGALITARIAN.”

Despite their rhetoric, there is a huge chasm between general members and their religious leaders in the Soka Gakkai. If a general member or lower level leader disagrees with a higher level leader, it is always the general member who lacks faith or should reflect. If a leader visits the home of a member, the leader invaraibly leads prayers even if the member has been practicing many years more than the leader.

"Fascism is characterized by the following features (not all of which need be present in any of its recognized instances"): nationalism; HOSTILITY TO DEMOCRACY,” TO EGALITARIANISM”

Not one leader has ever been elected in the Soka Gakkai but they call themselves, “the flower of Buddhist democracy”. Whenever members like the IRG group or individuals bring up elections of leaders, the higher level leaders, questions their faith or spins it that, “the SGI is already a Buddhist democracy, of what use are elections.” A leaders term is indefinite and the higher level leaders serve at the whim of the unelected “President”. Some leaders have been Vice General Directors, General Directors, or Vice Presidents for decades.

‘and to the VALUES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT” [The Age of Reason]:

Another name for this age is the Age of Free Thought. As we have seen there is no free thought in the Soka Gakkai. See how far one gets in the organization were one to take Shakyamuni, Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, or Michio Kaku as their mentor instead of Daisaku Ikeda. Free thought extends to the sphere of freedom of study. One can not even study the various extant Gohonzons in the Soka Gakkai because it is forbidden to photograph the Gohonzon. Even an independent study of the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin is frowned upon. One must utilize the commentaries of the mentor. There were dozens of debating societies during the Age of Enlightenment. There is no debate in the Soka Gakkai. It is the mentors way or the highway and they are loathe to debate the other Nichiren sects, particularly the Kempon Hokke.

“The CULT OF THE LEADER,”

One need only observe the 20 foot banners, monuments, plaques and reliefs of Ikeda to know that the Soka Gakkai is a cult of personality. The teaching of the Oneness of Mentor and Disciple too is evidence. The memorizations ["fusing with", "burning into ones life"] of Ikeda’s guidances, aphorisms and poems, is another example. Naming dozens of parks, buildings, schools, and monuments after Ikeda, is yet another example.

“AND ADMIRATION FOR HIS SPECIAL QUALITIES”:

His voluminous and often ghost written books, his hundreds of paid for honorarium; “his ability to read minds and know what others are thinking.”; “‘The sun always shining when he comes to visit.”; His fidelity; loyalty; sincerity; never erring on religious or secular matter; the list literally goes on and on.

“A RESPECT FOR A COLLECTIVE ORGANIZATION, AND A LOVE OF THE SYMBOLS associated with it, such as UNIFORMS, PARADES and ARMY DISCIPLINE”:

One finds dozens of claims of the inability of people to attain Buddhahood outside the SGI organization. Every Division has their own flag and special symbols. The SGI has its own flag and symbol. Uniforms were a big part of the USA organization for years and are still worn in Japan. Uniformity, especially among the young men’s division is highly valued. Many fail to move up the organizational ladder if they have a moustache or beard. They have grandiose parades and their young men’s and young women’s divisions are run with military inspired discipline.

“The ultimate doctrine contains little that is specific, beyond AN APPEAL TO ENERGY AND ACTION”:

“Victory or defeat”; “ever victorious”; “life condition”; “take action today”; “It is essential for our members to raise their voices and take action.”; “Develop the will and spiritual energy to guide your members.”; give your very life for the Soka Gakkai.” “A lion is fearless. A lion is never defeated. A lion never laments. A lion is swift. A lion roars. A lion runs. And, above all, a lion wins without fail.”

“Another way to look at fascism is as a movement of extreme racial or CULTURAL NATIONALISM, combined with ECONOMIC CORPORATISM and AUTHORATARIAN AUTOCRACY”:

The Soka Gakkai is a country within the countries to which it has spread. There most definitely is a culture of Soka. The minor differences in the organizations of the various countries is window dressing rather than a true cultural assimilation. We would not be wrong to say it is an organization based on the Japanese cultural baggage of Bushido or way of the warrior [fierce loyalty, honor, feudalism]. They are one of the largest multi-national religious corporations in the world.

“masked during its rise to state [world] power by PSEUDO-RADICAL POPULIST appeals to overthrow a conspiratorial elitist regime”:

Anyone who opposes the goal of “world peace” based on the Soka “value creation” philosophy are elitists, intellectuals, or priest-like.

“SPURRED BY A STRONG CHARISMATIC LEADER”:

Duh!

“WHOSE REACTIONARY IDEAS ARE SAID TO ORGANICALLY EXPRESS THE WILL  OF THE MASSES”:

Nothing could be more reactionary than the autocratic pyramidal structure of the Soka Gakkai formulated by Three Presidents and perfected by Daisaku ikeda, “The Buddha of the modern age who looks upon the people as his children”.

“WHO ARE URGED TO ENGAGE IN A HEROIC COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO ATTAIN A  METAPHYSICAL GOAL against the machinations of a SCAPE GOATED DEMONIZED ADVERSARY”:

Daisaku Ikeda’s Concept of Peace Cosmology is an example of SGI’s grandiose metaphysical goal. It doesn’t even limit the metaphysical goal to the earth but the entire cosmos. 

In his internal speeches since 1991, and in the latest Human Revolution series, we come to see that the evil Nichiren Shoshu priests and the the other evil Nichiren sects, in general, are the only thing preventing the realization of the worldwide actualization of Soka peace cosmology or the spread of the true teachings [Kosen Rufu].

“In any case, in most definitions of fascism the themes of conspiracism and a NEEDED SCAPEGOAT emerge”:

The Nichiren priests, in general and the Nichiren Shoshu, specifically, according to the SGI are the Third of the Three Powerful Enemies, to be crushed. They can’t even see that their high paid business suited lay leaders are what Dengyo terms, nominal Bhikksus or priests.

The parallels between fascism and the Soka Gakkai are conclusive. Other parallels are, elitism, xenophobia and drive for control, for example. Then there is the false propaganda and propagandists, those like yourself.

Daisaku Ikeda is not our pet devil nor is he even the reincarnation of Devedatta. He is our best friend in the entire World because without Ikeda and his organization, there would be no way to contrast the SGI with the Kempon Hokke.