Total Pageviews

Monday, April 18, 2016

Real Buddhism versus SGI "fishing" Buddhism [listen up Jamie Lee Silver] -- Author unknown

"The motive of our lives is accomplishing enlightenment, it is accomplished through soku shin jobutsu. Becoming enlightened as we are. The Buddha is called Buddha of musa sanjin, which means the quintessence of the three properties of the Buddha from the original past without adjustment," so words that indicate astonishing change, are not admissible and not complimentary with the teaching of Nichiren

SGI is fishing Buddhism, the Believer goes fishing for benefits and believes as long as they catch fish. No fish!..... Gee, Buddhism isn't working, I quit." 

Faith and enlightenment have to do with the eternal, ageless part of one's being. People who think that bonno soku bodai means one develops enlightenment through chanting for desires or wishes are deceived; they have been misdirected. 

Transformations one perceives on the marvelous level of life may be the fruit of faith, but they are not the seed of enlightenment. We can agree that the unchanging center of life, amala-shiki, the ninth consciousness, affects all other levels of realization and exhibits through the Ten Factors, but we must again confess that we can comprehend neither our own karma nor anyone else's, so we cannot say for certain what the changes or episodes in our lives mean ultimately. What we can say is that enduring with the Gohonzon through the Daimoku absolutely affects one's life. 

Believers think of enlightenment as soku shin jobutsu [attaining Buddhahood in one's present form]. Believers center on believing in and having faith in the Gohonzon and believing in Namu Myoho Renge Kyo primarily; difficulties, heartaches and ecstasy are secondary. This is not because believers are magnanimous, but because the Gohonzon is absolute and happenings that cause joy and suffering are phenomenal and therefore, transitory.

If your dreams are realized, if your worries change dramatically, that's great, but it doesn't mean you have faith, it doesn't mean you are enlightened. If you think incredible benefit or gain is proof of pure faith, then you should ask yourself: How does faith in Buddhism, in Lord Shakyamuni Buddha, differ from faith in other religions, whose adherents also attribute the phenomenal changes in their lives to their faith? 

If the function of the Gohonzon is to bring spectacular change and benefit to the believer, then how does Buddhism differ from the many human potential and positive thinking movements that espouse the same intent, and provide abundant testimony of satisfied participants? If benefits are evidence of pure faith, then how about the benefits that appear in the lives of people without religious faith? 

Today's highly developed material civilization and extravagant material lifestyle are unprecedented in the history of mankind. However, if we contemplate the global picture, we see that the sufferings of living beings have only increased. Wars, famines, droughts, and other manmade and natural disasters are occurring everywhere. The nations of the world invest great amounts of money and employ endless strategies in an attempt to solve these problems, but they can only provide temporary relief. They have no way to remove the ultimate cause of people's suffering. Our faith and practice offers a solution." -- Author unknown

4 comments:

  1. Everything I have read that you've posted makes sense to me (on Google + and here). I joined SGI in January and came across your blog etc a couple days later. I expressed my concerns about joining SGI to a leader who talked me into "trying" it. I like the peace I feel when I chant, I like what I am manifesting (mostly in terms of interior things) but I do not like what I am experiencing this month of contributions. What I call "spiritual blackmail". Nor can I deal any longer with them condemning any other Buddhist faction other than their own. This "holier-than-thou" attitude sticks in my throat.

    How can I learn more about this kind of Buddhism and not be part of SGI? Listen, I am sorry to clutter up your blog, so if you want to delete my comment, I understand. I tried to find an alternative way to contact you but this is all I could find.

    I don't even know where to look or what to google. I will likely just read your blog from top to bottom in hopes of finding where to go. Thank you for this. Your blog confirmed a lot for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi NTM. Keep chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo, teach others to the best of your ability and study the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren. If you have any questions and i mean ANY questions, someone here on this blog will do their best to answer them for you. How fortunate you are that you didn't send 20, 30, or 40 years in the Soka Gakkai as we. You must have made some extraordinary causes in the past. No one here will ask you for even the tiniest contribution. We are laymen, except for Shinkei, who can accept donations but he too will never ask for a donation.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh thank you so much. I was involved with Tibetan Buddhism for many years and SGI simply did not pass the sniff test.

    I do have a couple of questions:

    Is there a book you can recommend as a good starting point? Can I use the Lotus Sutra with the 2 chapters in it from SGI or do I need a new one? Can I chant for my happiness and courage and for the happiness and courage of others?

    Okay, it was 3 questions. The questions of a neophyte. Thanks again. I feel a lot of relief from your response.

    W

    ReplyDelete
  4. 28 chapter Lotus Sutra and Nichiren's Five Major Works, both Nichiren Shu and SGI translations. You may use the SGI sutra book but not SGI's silent prayers. I recite my prayers and vows out loud after reciting the 2ndd and 16th chapters. I choose my prayers directly from the Lotus Sutra and writings of Nichiren. I will send you an alternative Sutra book [several]. illarraza@yahoo.com Nichiren stated that he chanted for Buddhahood and for the sake of others. When in crisis [financial, health, parents health, for example] we can chant for anything.

    ReplyDelete