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Friday, May 20, 2016

Cultivating Charisma: Ikeda Daisaku’s Self Presentations and Transformational Leadership

http://www.globalbuddhism.org/15/chilson14.pdf

"Follow the Law not persons" -- Nichiren

13 comments:

  1. Central to the image of Ikeda as a global Buddhist leader, is the issue of the Buddhism he claims to practice. Yet, there is no significant commentary published for a wide audience, that addresses the grave offenses Ikeda and his *mentors* (SGI presidents, Makiguchi and Toda) committed, subverting the True teachings of Nichiren. From the perspective of the True Buddha's teachings in the Lotus Sutra, the SGI was founded and is perpetuated on teaching that says, so long as one does not embark on the path to perfect enlightenment, he will have the Devil King of the 6th heaven as a parent.

    The meaning is clear. The ruler over the material, three fold world, that is steeped in the poisons of greed, anger and foolishness , this Devil King rewards those who disregard the Lotus Sutra with wealth, status and the *appearance* of men and women of virtue.

    The third powerful enemy, arrogant false sages are very difficult to perceive and equally adept in eluding confrontation and exposure. (Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin). The SGI's legacy is linked to the exemplary behavior of two educators who courteously opposed the Japanese government during WWII, which could be called acts of treason.

    These two Japanese dissidents claimed that their arrest and imprisonment was due to upholding the teachings of Nichiren. Nothing could be more erroneous. Nichiren remonstrated with the ruler of Japan out of deep concern for the state of Japanese society and in accordance with repaying his debt of gratitude to the sovereign of his country. Nichiren rebuked the slander of the Lotus Sutra committed by the predominate Buddhist sects of his time, citing slander of Shakyamuni's highest teaching as the cause for the misery of the Japanese people. Nichiren continued to remonstrate and publicly refute the doctrines of the slanderous schools of Buddhism of his time, despite exile and being sentences to execution for upholding the Lotus Sutra, for over 20 years.

    Makiguchi and Toda protested their governments ideological and philosophical foundations, which promoted the imperialist, militaristic actions of Japan and relegated the people to *slaves of the state*. Not accepting the state religion, Shinto, refusing to accept the talisman, was just one of many actions taken by Makiguchi and Toda in protest of the Japanese government's repression of their human rights. These political dissidents sacrificed two years of freedom for their crimes. Neither addressed Japan's slander of the Law, which would have entailed a thorough refutation of Nichiren Shoshu, the Buddhism they actually practiced!

    There is profound significance in the actions of the SGI 3 presidents. While appearing to be men of virtue and social conscience, they have distorted the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Ikeda and the SGI has prospered and gained *recognition in society* by exploiting the ignorance of the masses on all matters that Nichiren devoted his life to clarifying, in terms of True Buddhism.

    Ikeda can be called a transformational leader to the extent that he has transformed the profound meaning and purpose of Nichiren's teachings into his own claim to fame and fortune. Any true follower of Nichiren, can discern Ikeda's true identity as the destroyer of the Law, the parasite in the bowels of True Buddhism, and a grave danger on a global scale. --

    ~Katie

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    1. yes, the reality: it is not just ikeda and bunch of bad leaders who are the enemies of buddhism, it is the people of the latter age in the saha world who cannot wake up from their deep doubt and slander. people believe in many things, ikedaism, nichiren shushit, new wave, provisional buddhism, trump, jesus, george williams/nsa, but very few can hear the eternal buddha when he says the key to it all is faith in the lotus sutra. such a pity. nichiren created the poison drum relatioship, so there is hope.

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    2. With regard to *the poison drum relationship*, I think that widely declaring the true teaching is the crux of the matter-- is that your understanding ? And the true teaching encompasses refuting erroneous teachings and rebuking slander of the Lotus Sutra, does it not?

      Widely declaring that Daisaku Ikeda is NOT a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra, and in fact has created a heretical sect that has serious, negative implications on a global scale, seems more urgent and more realistic as a focus for *the poison drum relationship*. Ikeda's divergence from the teachings of Nichiren, and the bogus claims made by the founders of the SGI are easier to expose and more relevant to kosen fufu than any personal attributes Ikeda demonstrates and all other forms of erroneous beliefs combined.

      In my humble opinion...
      ~Katie

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    3. yes it is.
      nichiren identified with bodi never disparaging(fukyo), and fukyo's practice in the never disparaging chapter of the lotus sutra. the nst does not speak of it, and the sgi, as usual, teaches it wrong and disregards the main point of this chapter. it has been used by sgi leaders to try and discredit rogow, eagle peak blog, myself and others who use the real buddhist teaching's to point out and expose their errors. their big claim is that if we were real buddhists we should show respect for all life in all its forms and manifestations and especially the great work of ikeda and the sgi, and that by speaking harshly(honestly) to them, we go against the teachings by the buddha in the never disparaging chapter and therefore we are disqualified as real buddhists. interesting that the only chapter they mention is the never disparaging chapter since long ago they promoted the erroneous idea that the myoho renge kyo is separate and different from the actual lotus sutra. the never disparaging chapter does teach that all life is respect worthy but not all behavior/words are worthy of respect, not all actions are worthy of respect. lying to and manipulating people is not showing respect. the point of that chapter was the poison drum relationship practice of fukyo that nichiren understood. the latter day is for planting seeds as fukyo did. not many can uphold what has been entrusted. today, what we see in the world is not the upholding of the law but the slander of it. however, it is still, only the beginning. its easy to see who upholds it and who does not. who can possibly disagree with your humble opinion?

      nichiren said he had to be born in japan because that is were the deepest slander exists. can anyone imagine the negative karma ikeda has created for himself. i feel sorry for him.

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    4. RE: Fukyo and comparisons made by Nichiren.

      1) Propagating the True teaching at the correct time, will incite hostility, animosity.

      2) Forbearance, and never retreating is the correct response to the *hatred and jealousy* evoked. This is the correct practice for expiating one's own sins of slander.

      SGI & NST misunderstand the first point. Their *peaceful practices* do NOT evoke the response that validates they are practicing correctly. They respond with *jealousy and hatred* toward practitioners who are upholding the correct teaching.

      SGI NST commit slander, respond with animosity when exposed; slander the True practitioners of the Law--.

      What have they discarded? Nichiren's multiple admonitions regarding the *bitter destiny* that awaits one who proclaims that believing in and upholding the Lotus Sutra is the One and Only practice to attain Buddhahood. SGI & NST have denounced Nichiren's practice and in effect it is Nichiren who is the main target of their *hatred and jealousy*.

      ~Katie

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    5. 3. and that because of fukyo's/nichiren* efforts/practice, the people he touched, later became his followers. most important.

      *not saying they were the same person,just the same practice.

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    6. They hate Nichiren by changing his teachings.

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  2. Yes, any true follower of Nichiren sees clearly the ugly face of ikeda.

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    1. I have never worshipped or idolized Ikeda, but I was unable to perceive the evil he embodies until I began to chant correct daimoku, discard my counterfeit no-honzon and fully embrace the teachings that I have always deeply believed. I am no longer confused or conflicted about the SGI or NST-- This has been my greatest benefit.

      Becoming a true follower of Nichiren is viewed as a violation of the very core doctrines of SGI and NST---.

      ~Katie

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    2. Another reason you righted the ship of the correct teachings, I believe, is that you never worshiped nor idolized Ikeda, It is very difficult to right the ship if you worship or idolize Ikeda. So many SGI members will never right their ship.

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  3. The person centered practice of the SGI is no different than the priest centered practice of the NST-- Neither of these organizations could have developed, grown and amassed wealth IF correct faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra occupied their minds for even a moment.

    The inception of organized religion as the vehicle for propagating the Lotus Sutra is error ridden, proving that the intention was not based on reverence for the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni and the teachings of Nichiren.

    In the Latter Day, the True teaching is particularly distasteful as it debunks the premise for all of the means by which people have been divided, classified , ruled, controlled, exploited and disposed of.

    Even in Nichiren's time, Shakyamuni was discarded and the testimony of all the Buddha's from the 10 directions was dismissed, in favor of accepting Buddha's who did not teach the means by which ALL people could attain perfect enlightenment. Buddha's who did not vow to save all living beings and Buddha's who view all living beings as their children were preferred by the prominent Buddhist monks when Nichiren lived.

    The aversion to our mutual possession of the same potential as the True Buddha Shakyamuni is strong. How many Nichiren sects reassign Shakyamuni to a temporal status? Isn't this just another way of saying; " NO WAY am I going to accept that Shakyamuni is the Way, instead, I will aspire to something more lofty, more esoteric less connected to human existence in the threefold world."

    How many sects of Buddhism claim that the True reward is found in another world; that this one is full of defilement and unsuited for a Buddha?

    Consider-- the *peaceful realm* of the SGI and the NST is maintained via expulsion of anyone who challenges them or refutes them--. Is there any more blatant example of the hatred these organizations harbor for the True teaching and Shakyamuni?

    ~Katie

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  4. correction: "Buddha's who view all living beings as their children were preferred by the prominent Buddhist monks when Nichiren lived. "

    meant to convey:

    Buddha's who did NOT view all living beings as their children---

    ~Katie

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