Yup! "SGI Buddha" - explained to me by a senior leader in Boston (2010), as the sacred nature of the Soka Gakkai imbued by Josei Toda. Therefore, the organization in the U.S. was an *entity*-- and as I pointed out to this leader, the individual members were judged according to their *suitability* for membership in this sacred sangha. The WD leader nodded and smiled. She lost her smile when I asked this question:
"So, the individual human being, chanting the mystic law, who has the world of Buddahood within his/her life is no longer revered in the spirit of bodhissatva Never Disparaging ?"
She replied sternly, "Our mission is to protect the SGI..."
ME: "But wait a minute, the organization IS the members--means ALL members are deserving of respect and protection..."
WD Leader:" You need to chant to Gohonzon to accept and have faith in SGI Buddha"
ME: "There is something wrong here -- it really seems like denying the basic Teaching of the Lotus Sutra to disregard believers this way-- How can the organization be called, "Buddha" if "it" [leaders] does not uphold and practice the BASIC TEACHING ??
WD Leader: "You do not have the wisdom to understand this profound teaching, but having faith in it is the only way to practice correctly. this is Sensei's guidance... "
In 2010 I could not articulate what made me feel queazy hearing this-- Now I see clearly how concepts of "Pure lineage" and usurping authority to add or change the Buddha's teaching was passed on from NShoshu to SGI.
Watching the "Ikeda Wisdom Academy" video, I am filled with sadness and fear.
What comes to mind immediately, after having read "The Day the Mirror Cracked" earlier, and reflecting on my own experiences -- my district was disbanded 1998; prohibited from practicing in my community district 2003; threatened disciplinary action- suspension/termination of my SGI membership 2012; all of these dehumanizing actions by leadership in SGI USA amount to "Protecting SGI Buddha" from members who make leaders feel uncomfortable. The egregious violations of basic human rights of members-- verbal and emotional abuse inflicted upon them, is justified by the insanity of "SGI Buddha" -- the strict admonishment and banishment practices of leaders who protect "the organization"
"[Among the five impurities,] the impurity of thought is such that as the former and Middle Days of the Law gradually pass, people transmit an insignificant heretical teaching while destroying the unfathomable True Law. It therefore follows that more people fall into the evil paths because of errors with respect to Buddhism than because of secular deed."
"... because the impurity of thought prevails,more people fall into the evil paths with the intention of creating good causes than they do by committing evil... thus they adhere to lesser good and do not realize that in so doing they bring about major evil." (Encouragement to a sick Person, MW vol 6, p. 24-25)
What seems to have been completely forgotten is that so long as one does not enter the path to enlightenment, one will have the Devil of the 6th Heaven as his parent. The King Devil rewards those who recant their faith in the True teaching adorning them with treasures from the realm of thought and desire.
Will either of those sincere young people open their eyes to the arrogance displayed by leaders? Will they notice how they and their fellow members REALLY treat other people ?? Will they accept the made up teaching "SGI Buddha" as the justification for slandering the Law and those who believe in and chant the Mystic Law?
I have worked with youth throughout my 40 year nursing career and supported community youth arts activities as a dance teacher. My experience has led me to maintain hope in the natural capacity of young people to spot a hypocrite--
~Katie
nice katie. put simply, as nichiren says -"because to a man/woman people turn their backs on what is right, the spirits(crazy thinking) run rampant". incorrect teachings(sgi/nst) are the seeds of wrong thought and are consistant with bad effects. in truth, many, many people have left the sgi/nst, however, most don't or won't speak out. too bad.
ReplyDeleteGreg, I totally agree with your lucid explanation for "spirits (crazy thinking) run rampant". From my own experience, I have to add, that though it is possible to notice wrong thoughts, ideas expressed in the guidance given by leaders, it is difficult to process them through the *correct teachings*, because ---well, there is only the SGI party line, which is taught as *the one and only Correct teaching/practice." When this is the atmosphere in which a member practices... there are many bad effects. The worst, imo, is the feeling of *being crazy* whenever I could not accept a leader's "guidance in faith."
DeleteCase in point, admitting my own crazy thinking while chanting with SGI - *people*. Only years after that conversation I shared above (which is recorded in a journal I kept-- "For the sake of my own Sanity"), I realized that I let this WD leader have the last word--:
WD Leader: "You do not have the wisdom to understand this profound teaching, but having faith in it is the only way to practice correctly. this is Sensei's guidance... "
WHY didn't I challenge this? Sensei's guidance is NOT based on the teachings of Nichiren. There is no reason why anyone should press palms together, seeking wisdom to understand "Sensei's guidance"! But I didn't begin to question Ikeda's leadership until very recently, and I am only now seeing the significance of his revision of "The three Treasures of Buddhism"--
It is hard for many of us to speak out about what most of us cannot make sense of... especially the part where we confront all the red flags we dismissed...
~Katie
hello katie, and thanks for your excellent reply and input. nichiren teaches that if ones words/opinion match the real buddhist teachings, they are not arbitrary opinion, but in fact are the teachings. this is how we can see through the clear mirror of the lotus sutra and judge our thoughts and our actions to be correct or incorrect. by your posts, i think you already know this. nichiren tells us that "it is a lack of courage that prevents one from attaining buddhahood" even if we encounter the lotus sutra many times. generally, those that stay too long in the sgi/nst lose their own true mind and succumb to increasingly wrong thought. put bluntly, they can no longer smell the piss and shit. today, in the latter age, real buddhism has been hijacked by the devil of the sixth heaven and the threat of the true law(buddhas dharma) is in real jeopardy of being lost. then again, the L.S foretells that in the latter age, very,very few will be able to practice and uphold this teaching correctly, and those that slander it and abuse it will be many. i joined nsa/sgi/nst, in los angeles, in 1967 and played a fairly large part in its early growth. walked into the headquaters building in santa monica in 1987 and told them i could no longer pledge allegiance to this org. because they did not practice or teach nichirens buddhism. now i do my best to speak out for the real teachings to support the leader of the B.O.E. and repay for the bad karma i may have accrued for supporting sgi/nst. really, buddhism in japan has long become just a business(all of it i think). you have found this blog and it is the only site i know of that tries to stand tall and upright for the correct teachings..apparently you have left the past behind. the buddhas must be smiling. you are free to follow your own heart. we are all equal here and no one is special. while striving for a correct faith and practice, one receives protection. just do your best, don't worry about the past. however, difficult to believe and difficult to understand, but buddhahood lies in the balance. if this helps a little, i am happy. gassho, and cheers!
DeleteVery helpful!
DeleteThank you, Greg :-)
~Katie
Spot on Katie, thanks for sharing. I first spotted this in the 2009 lecture on Heritage of Ultimate Law (but not alas in 2009) and wondered what it was. I had no idea it went so deep. It follows on from the mystic transmission through mentor-disciple bit I've quoted elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI very much doubt it came from Toda, despite the claim, I've seen a clear statement about what Toda's faith was and I suspect even if he had have wanted that, he'd have been severely rebuked by NS. It's only Daisaku Ikeda who seems to get censured on erroneous faith grounds (though Toda was censured for his behaviour towards the priest he blamed for Makaguchi's death). Course when one's established oneself as the disciple, rather than one of the disciples (when most of the others have died off), one can say anything one likes about "your" mentor believed and said.
How long before Daisaku Ikeda becomes at one with and the personification of the Buddha of the SGI? Logical next step I think, the last stage in his apotheosis. And the munchkins will accept it because in true Toy Story fashion "Ooh...we're not worthy" as they worship the big grab hand from the SGSky that comes to scoop up their tiny insignificant lives for others gain and amusement. For such people who've been systematic belittled and cheated out of the means to actually manifest and recognise their own buddhahood, who wouldn't want to know or claim to follow a real live "Buddha"? It maybe fake and phoney but it's the best they think they can get. That's truly sad.
:(
I hope the wake up soon and realise there is a much better way and that what they're hooked into is nothing more than a money making vanity project born of one man's deep and lasting inferiority complex, which others have ridden until they could get him out of the way, take over the reigns and steer it to their greater enrichment. If it wasn't so serious it would almost be laughable but it is and so it's not. Real people get exploited, damaged and then dumped. It's truly awful.
Hi Mudpie,
DeleteI actually thought that the "mystic transmission through mentor disciple" was based on Nichiren's relationship to Shakyamuni-- that it is possible though faith to develop this bond.No need to be personally acquainted with and in constant company with "the mentor"-- I believed that Makiguchi had established this bond with nichiren-- and Today through Makiguchi--Ay yi yi !! I was such a fool... I applaud your ability to pick this up in 2009!
"I very much doubt it came from Toda, despite the claim, I've seen a clear statement about what Toda's faith was and I suspect even if he had have wanted that, he'd have been severely rebuked by NS."
All references to "the organization" as sacred were attributed to Toda's shared experiences and observations of his attitude, according to Daisaku Ikeda. Both the story of Toda's "enlightenment" in prison and his mission to establish the Soka Gakkai, have been a focus of Ikeda's declarations about the supreme importance of the organization that "meant more to my mentor than his own life". So, I assume that Ikeda fulfilled his mentor's vision, based on Toda's view of himself, or Ikeda created the story that fostered his own agenda.
The most disturbing realizations for me have been how deeply I got sucked into the swamp of "Sensei's sacred guidance". I appreciate the effort required to see the light, and how dark it can get before dawn arrives.
Most of all, it is deeply gratifying to know I am not alone.
~Katie
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ReplyDeleteI agree Katie, while Sgi preaches Human Rights at the same time they violate those very rights that they are supposed to represent by crushing the freedom of speech of those who say anything about the administration and teachings of the organisation that disagree with their everchanging authoritarian nonsence without having dialogue
ReplyDeleteI once suggested to some SGI leaders that they should have a complaint box at the SGI centres as an "opportunity for growth" so that the organisation could improve itself through constructive criticism like some successful organisation do. How naïve was I at the time when I still believed in them, it must of gone down like a lead Balloon. They were probably howling with laughter, saying "doesn't he know by now that you should always do as your told, keep your opinions to yourself and don't ask any questions"
Nonsensical authoritarian dictates of the SGI needs to be always challenged for the sake of ones own mental health but doing this will consequently result in suspension and termination which is a blessing in disguise since it is the best thing that could ever happen to you. Being free of a deceptive oppressive force that has been eating away at our lives can only be experienced after coming out from under its covering.
ReplyDeleteWe can only see objectively when we are no longer subjected to the illusions that have been thrust upon us by those greedy so and so's that only seek their own prestige, power and wealth. It's not even about the organisation when you get down to it, that's just their cover. The organisation equals the some of its parts. And when we get enough greedy, power hungry, selfish individuals this is the result