Charge of the Light Brigade and the Terror of Normandy

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.

Robin "Nichiren" Buddhist of the Ikeda Sect Responds (3)

3).Destructive cults reduce everything to a bi-polar attitude: “for us, or against us.”

Robin: "Within the UK, I’ve never come across this “for us or against us” attitude, but I’ve certainly met wise people that criticise the SGI and the Lotus Sutra as well as foolish people that praise the SGI.

"Daisaku Ikeda’s words show his compassion for people being deceived by priests, which is again common among all religions. Going back to your website, you have the same view that SGI members are being deceived by Daisaku Ikeda as well as criticising Rissho Kosei-Kai and Gene Reeves.

On March 25 you say “If one accepts the transgressions of the Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu and Shingon without discriminating between the correct and incorrect, can they really be considered disciples of Nichiren Daishonin?”. Surely this is a “for us or against us” statement in which you either are or aren’t a disciple of Nichiren? Also, is this your quote? Most of the Kempon webpage refers to Nichiren as Shonin not Daishonin or are the two interchangeable in Kempon Hokke?"

Mark: It might have been instructive to point out what I wrote to prove the point.

Anyone who criticizes the SGI, no matter how wise, is a fool and anyone who praises the SGI, no matter how foolish, is wise:   http://www.mindspring.com/~sonoda/yamaz.htm

Here is another example:

“Seven years have passed since then. The outcome of the struggle of good and evil and the workings of the law of cause and effect have been strict and uncompromising. The decline of the crazed and destructive Nichiren Shoshu is clearly apparent. The victims, unfortunately, are the la ybelievers who practice with the temple, who are not aware of Nichiren Shoshu’s evil and have been deceived by the priests.” -- Daisaku Ikeda

The Kempon Hokke, on the other hand, accepts criticism from whatever quarter as long as it is based on the Lotus Sutra, writings of Nichiren Daishonin, and the truth. We also are not above criticizing our own, be they priest or laymen, should they deviate from the Lotus Sutra and teachings of Nichiren.

In the case of the Soka Gakkai it IS us against them:

"We, ourselves, cannot produce the Gohonzon. Since it's the
enlightened entity of Nichiren Daishonin, no one has the authority
other than the successive high priests who have been the sole heirs
to the heritage of the True Law. We take no part in this. Therefore,
the objects of worship inscribed by those in the Butsuryu and Minobu
factions [of the Nichiren sect] are absolutely powerless. They are
worthless because they are fake. In fact, they contain the power of
evil spirits. That is why they are dangerous." Former SGI president,
Josei Toda, Daibyaku Renge, 98, p. 98.

"Members of the Minobu school of the Nichiren sect chant daimoku.
They have the Gosho Their recitation of the sutra also includes the
Hoben and Juryo chapters. And, in the Shoshinkai, which consists of
ex-priests of Nichiren Shoshu , and the portions of the sutra they
recite and the daimoku that they chant are identical to the practice
we observe. Though their religion may seem the same as ours, they
lack the single, unbroken heritage of the law recieved directly from
Nichiren Daishonin. If one's faith is not based on this line of
inheritance, it is worthless to embrace any Gohonzon, for no benefit
will be forthcoming. That is to say, "Without the lifeblood of faith,
it would be useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra." " Daisaku Ikeda,
Buddhism in Action, vol 3, p 254

I suggest also that you search out the SGI Bible of Shakubuku:

Here are a few excerpts and my responses as a Kempon Hokke member.
The SGI Bible of Shakubuku (1951), supervised by Daisaku Ikeda,
was published by the Soka Gakkai to train believers. The Soka
Gakkai  no longer publishes the Bible of Shakubuku because it
promotes the Nichiren-Shoshu. Nevertheless, SGI's fundamental
doctrines have not changed except for denying that the heritage of
the Law is transmitted through the person of High Priest of Nichiren
Shoshu. Now they claim that the heritage is only transmitted through
the Successive Presidents of the Soka Gakkai.

"Shakyamuni's dharma is the dharma of the past and no longer
 beneficial". (page 63, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra is the only teaching
to be spread in the Latter Day.

"It is necessary to realize that we no longer have a connection
 to Shakyamuni's Buddhism." (page 65, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that we are the direct disciples of the Original
Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni.

"You should know that Nichiren Daishonin is the only true Buddha
 because Shakamuni's Buddhism is useless." (page 67, The Bible of
 Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that Shakyamuni Buddha is the Original Eternal Buddha
and we can not even discard the Theoretical Section of the Lotus Sutra,
let alone the Essential Section.

"Buddha Shakamuni is inferior to the true Buddha Nichiren." (page
316, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that all Buddhas throughout the past, present,
and future, are emanations of Shakyamuni Buddha. He also taught
that those who abandon Shakyamuni will fall into the Avici hell.

"The Lotus Sutra which is the long-cherished wish of Buddha
 Shakamuni is no longer valid in this era, not in the least." (page93,
The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren says the Lotus Sutra is the ultimate teaching of the past,
present, and future

"If you don't worship the Gohonzon of NST (SGI), you will know no
well-being in the age of Mappo." (page70, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Yet, the deluded SGI members criticize us for pointing out that the
Nichikan Gohonzon breeds evil men.

'If you worship the Honzon of a wicked religion, you will naturally
experience misfortune (page280, The Bible of Shakubuku).

The misfortune of the SGI senior leaders and their family members,
is actual proof that they worship a Honzon of a wicked religion and
the tremendous good fortune of the believers in the Kempon Hokke
is proof of the righteousness of our Honzon and the goodness of our
religion.

"All other sects except NST (SGI) are wicked religions and are a
negative influence on society. (page280, The Bible of Shakubuku)

The reality is that wherever the SGI has spread, the people have
suffered every manner of misfortune and even their own members
obtain neither merit nor virtue.

"The teachings of Buddha Shakamuni is as useless as last year's
calendar. If you are guided by his teachings, your life will surely
fail as a logical result." (page303,The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then why so many unrealized dreams among the Soka Gakkai
members and why such wonderful benefits in the life of the Kempon
Hokke believers who embrace the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha?

"Every person who doesn't worship the Gohonzon of Fuji-Taiseki temple
(SGI) are bad people who slander the true dharma.' (page314, The Bible
of Shakubuku)

Then the SGI members are bad because, according to their own criteria,
they slander the "true dharma" of Fuji-Taisekaji temple. The reality is
that they are bad people, especially their high salaried leaders, for
other real and serious transgressions: For abandoning the Lotus Sutra
and Lord Shakyamuni Buddha and exploiting the Dharma for personal
gain.

"The family which believes in the so-called Nichiren-shu will have
children who have deformities, mental retardation or madness."
(page321, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then why do so many children of SGI top senior leaders never make
it past their twenty first birthday while most Nichiren Shu priests' and
believers' children not only survive but thrive? The reason is that the
SGI's leaders curses and particularly Ikeda's curses have returned to the
originator. For slandering votaries of the Lotus Sutra they or their SGI
family members suffer everymanner of disease and death before they grow
old.

"All other sects except NST (SGI) are false heresies  who exert a
bad influence on society." (page323, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then why does France label the SGI a dangerous cult and has
Daisaku Ikeda never once received an award or honor from his
own people, the Japanese? Why did the Komeito suffer such a
brutal beating in the last election? Because they are a good
influence to society?

It is not we of the Kempon Hokke against others, it is we who are united with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the universe and Nichiren and those who aren't from whatever quarter. We also acknowledge Nichiren's teachings on complicity with evil and who is and who isn't a good spiritual friend. From the vast corpus of writings of Ikeda and the Soka Gakkai, it is apparent that SGI members and, especially leaders, are poor spiritual friends.

Robin "Nichiren" Buddhist of the Ikeda Sect Responds (2)

2).Destructive cults claim to offer absolute Truth. Their teachings are not (to them) mere theory or speculation. The most effective cult doctrines are those which are unverifiable and unevaluable.

Mark: The SGI claims that their believers are the only Nichiren Lotus Sutra believers capable of obtaining Buddhahood, going so far to claim that all SGI members are Buddhas while those of the Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke are “deluded Shakyamuni worshippers”.

Robin: First, all religions (Christian, Islam, Judaism and even their subdivisions Catholic vs Protestant, Orthodox vs unorthodox, etc) claim that they are the one true path to heaven, the promised land, etc and the others are deluded, so this doesn’t automatically indicate a cult.

Mark: There are two general schools of thought within most religions, pluralism and exclusivism. The SGI is neither animal nor bird, it is a bat. Privately it eschews other religions but publically it celebrates interfaith, contrary to the teachings of Nichiren. It is their claim to absolute truth at the expense of the Nichiren Gohonzon and the orthodox believers that distinguishes it as a cult. More importantly the lack of actual proof in the lives of SGI leaders and members, despite your unverifiable and unevaluable testimonials, proves that it is a cult.

Robin: Second, from a brief look at most Nichiren sects (including your blog) there seems to be the same view that people should quit the SGI as they won’t find enlightenment under these false teachings and instead follow the correct Buddhism of our sect.

Mark: True about quitting the Soka Gakkai and joining the Kempon Hokke, and "from a brief look at my blog", it might seem that we endorse all disciples and believers of Nichiren to join the Kempon Hokke. From a deeper look and what the Kempon Hokke actually teaches, it is not the Nichiren sect one belongs to but the doctrines upheld and the behavior of the individual. It is a stretch to call the Soka Gakkai a Nichiren sect or SGI members Nichiren Buddhists since you fail to follow many of the tenets of Nichiren and as a group, especially SGI top leaders, you exhibit extremely poor behavior.

Robin: Finally, you have a new post on May 12 that says SGI teachings are dangerous to kids because an online SGI quiz asks “Who is a Buddha?” with the answer “Everyone”. Surely to support this 2nd cult point, the answer should be “Only SGI members”.

Mark: This was not the point of the article although I do indeed possess statements by Ikeda and his leaders where it is either explicit or implied that SGI members are Buddhas to the exclusion of others. The point of the article was that teaching children that "everyone is a Buddha" is dangerous because it will place an indiscriminately trusting child in danger. Were it even true that all SGI members were Buddhas, why the background checks of those who would lead and teach children?

From the Kempon Hokke Archives

Thanks for your thorough reply:

A few things... You could say that ("imitao dei"). St Francis was quite
successful with this methodology although his movement became corrupted
because only he could follow to the letter the Christian precepts. As far as
Nichiren Daishonin, following his manner of reading the Sutra, it too has become
corrupted because it too is difficult to practice as Nichiren did.

Everyone wishes to be liked and believes his way is the best and only
way. Nichiren states,

"It is said that good medicine tastes bitter. Similarly, this sutra dispels
attachments to the five vehicles and establishes the one supreme teaching. It
reproaches common mortals and censures saints, denies Mahayana and refutes
Hinayana... All those who are repudiated persecute the believers in the Lotus
Sutra."

We only care that that his teachings are maintained and transmitted perfectly
which is not easy for imperfect beings. The more we model ourselves on Nichiren
rather than Daisaku Ikeda, Nichinyo, Nissei, Nichidatsu, Nichiki and Nissatsu,
the more Nichiren's life is reflected in our own lives and the more perfectly we can
maintain and transmit his teachings.

The transmission in the Latter Day is chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo to an
authentic Gohonzon. Nichiren doesn't advocate a model based on "The Patriarchal
Transmissions", "The Patriarchal Transmission of the Golden Mouthed Ones" or "
The Patriarchal Transmission Through Current Masters." What does the Nirvana
Sutra say about the Transmission of the Buddha's teachings in the Latter Day:
"In the Latter Dharma there is a group of 120,000 great bodhisattvas who keep
the Dharma, ensuring that it will not perish." If we are numbered among these
Bodhisattvas, the Law will long endure

"More on the Transmission. 'One should consider the fact that, if the Buddha had
not attained enlightenement in the distant past, there could not have been so
many people converted to his teachings......'"(Kaimoku Sho)

Thus the Buddha is the source of both the Specific and the General transmission.
The Gohonzon, though a text, is the the reality of the Buddha.. The Gohonzon is
the entity of Ninpo-ika. Those who look upon it merely as a text lack faith. The
Maka Shikan says: "If one lacks faith in the Lotus sutra he will object that it
pertains to the lofty realm of the sages, something far beyond the capacity of
his own wisdom to comprehend. If one lacks wisdom, he will become puffed up with
his own arrogance and will claim to be the equal of the Buddha."(Kaimoku Sho).

In Shakyamuni's and Nichiren's True Buddhism, there is neither an oral nor a
patriarchal transmission of the teachings. This is why the Succession through
the Scrolls of the Sutra reigns supreme and is the true meaning of exoteric
Mahayana Buddhism. Nichiren writes:

"Are persons who receive instruction orally from their teacher invariably free
from error, while those who appear in later ages and who seek and investigate to
be regarded as worthless? If so, then should we throw away the sutras and
instead follow traditions handed down from the four ranks of bodhisattvas?
Should a man throw away the deed of transfer received from his father and mother
and instead rely upon oral transmissions? Are the written commentaries of the
Great Teacher Dengyo so much trash, and the oral traditions handed down from the
Great Teacher Jikaku the only guide to truth?" (Gosho Zenshu, p.1258)

"Putting all this aside, I will point out the truth for the sake of my
followers. Because others do not choose to believe it now, they are persons who
thereby form a reverse relation. By tasting a single drop, one can tell the
flavor of the great ocean, and by observing a single flower in bloom, one can
predict the advent of spring. One does not have to cross the water to faroff
Sung China, spend three years traveling to Eagle Peak in India, enter the palace
of the dragon king the way Nagarjuna did, visit Bodhisattva Maitreya [in the
Tushita heaven] the way Bodhisattva Asanga did, or be present at the two places
and three assemblies when Shakyamuni preached the Lotus Sutra, in order to judge
the relative merits of the Buddha’s lifetime teachings. It is said that snakes
can tell seven days in advance when a flood is going to occur. This is because
they are akin to dragons [who make the rain fall]. Crows can tell what lucky or
unlucky events are going to take place throughout the course of a year. This is
because in a past existence they were diviners. Birds are better at flying than
human beings. And I, Nichiren, am better at judging the relative merits of sutras
than Ch’eng-kuan of the Flower Garland school, Chia-hsiang of the Three Treatises
school, Tz’u-en of the Dharma Characteristics school, and Kobo of the True Word
school. That is because I follow in the footsteps of the teachers T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo.
If Ch’eng-kuan and the others had not accepted the teachings of T’ien-t’ai and
Dengyo, how could they have expected to escape the sin of slandering the Law?

I, Nichiren, am the richest man in all of present-day Japan. I have dedicated my
life to the Lotus Sutra, and my name will be handed down in ages to come. If one
is lord of the great ocean, then all the gods of the various rivers will obey
one. If one is king of Mount Sumeru, then the gods of the various other
mountains cannot help but serve one. If a person fulfills the teaching of “the
six difficult and nine easy acts” of the Lotus Sutra, then, even though he may
not have read the entire body of sutras, all should follow him." (Opening of the
Eyes)

Nichiren is also a more accomplished master than the men I cited above.

"The Great Teacher Dengyo was disparaged by the priests of Nara, who said,
“Saicho has never been to the capital of T’ang China!” (ibid.)

"The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai trusted and obeyed Shakyamuni and worked to uphold
the Lotus school, spreading its teachings throughout China." (On the Buddha's
Prophecy).

"In the Tendai school, however, there appeared a priest known as the Great
Teacher Miao-lo. Though he lived more than two hundred years after the time of
the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai, he was extremely wise and had a clear
understanding of the teachings of T'ien-t'ai..." (Repaying Debts of Gratitude).

Who credentialed or certified Tientai, Miao-lo, or Nichiren? Nichiren gave
himself the Buddhist name Nichi-Ren. Who ordained Shakyamuni Buddha? The
nonsense of seeking a living master stifles growth and development as a direct
disciple of the Original Buddha. It is the evil priestly and monastic agenda to
coerce you into accepting them as teachers and offering them alms, rather than
the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin. This is not True
Mahayana (exoteric Buddhism) which is based on the Succession Through the
Scrolls of the Sutra and the Authentic writings of Nichiren. The Lotus Sutra and
Nichiren Daishonin teach that we are direct disciples of the Original Eternal
Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddhism is accessible to all with or without a "face to
face" transmission. Nichiren states:

"While the Great Teacher Jikaku was in Japan, he made a thorough study of the
teachings of both Dengyo and Kobo, and he spent a period of ten years in China
studying under the eight distinguished priests, including the Tripitaka Master
Pao-yüeh of southern India, learning all the loftiest and most secret doctrines.
On this basis, he completed his commentaries on the two sutras. In addition, he
prayed to the image of the Buddha, and awoke from dreaming that he had seen the
arrow of wisdom strike the sun of the Middle Way. So great was his joy that he
requested Emperor Nimmyo to issue an edict acknowledging Mount Hiei as a center
of the True Word practice.

Though he was the chief priest of the Tendai school, he virtually became a True
Word prelate, declaring that the three True Word sutras were the works that
would ensure peace and protection of the nation. It has now been more than four
hundred years since he spread these doctrines. The eminent leaders who have
accepted them are as numerous as rice and hemp seedlings, and the fervent
believers who have embraced them are as plentiful as bamboo plants and rushes.

As a result, of all the temples established throughout Japan by Emperor Kammu
and the Great Teacher Dengyo, there is not one that has not become a propagator
of the True Word doctrine. Both courtiers and warriors alike invite True Word
priests to attend to their religious needs, look up to them as their teachers,
confer offices upon them, and place them in charge of temples. And in the
eye-opening ceremony carried out at the consecration of wooden and painted
Buddhist images, the priests of all the eight schools of Buddhism now use the
mudras and mantras of the Thus Come One Mahavairochana and the honored one
Buddha Eye! (Repaying Debts of Gratitude)

Look what happened to Buddhism. Jikaku studied under, "the Eight Distinguished
Teachers", every one of them certified, credentialed, ordained, honored,
or distinguished. Also, adopting a priestly or living mentor diminishes one
faith in the Supreme Law affirmed by all Buddhas (Myoho renge kyo).

Question: When it comes to those who maintain that the Lotus Sutra is superior
to the True Word teachings, should they try to make use of these commentaries by
Jikaku, or should they reject them?
Answer: Shakyamuni Buddha laid down a rule for future conduct when he said that
we should “rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says
that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely
on those that distort the sutras. T’ien-t’ai states, “That which accords with
the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in
anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” And the Great Teacher Dengyo
says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in
traditions handed down orally.”(The Selection of the Time)

"Instead of wasting all those supplies and making work for other people by
insisting upon traveling all the way to China, they should have made a more
careful and thorough study of the doctrines of the Great Teacher Dengyo, who was
their own teacher!. " (Repaying Debts of Gratitude)

"But after he went to China at the age of forty, though he continued to call
himself a disciple of Dengyo and went through the motions of carrying on
Dengyo’s line, he taught a kind of Buddhism that was wholly unworthy of a true
disciple of Dengyo." (ibid.)

Although I am merely an ignorant layman, I think that those like Makiguchi,
Toda, Daisaku Ikeda, High Priest Nichinyo and Nittsu, should have made a more
careful and thorough study of the doctrines of Nichiren. Then they wouldn't be
teaching a kind of Buddhism that is wholly unworthy of true disciples of
Nichiren. Daisaku Ikeda, in particular, has shackled his disciples to himself
like a sick siamese twin and will eventually end up killing both himself and his
sibling.

"At that time, after the great assembly had heard the Buddha speak of the
great length of his life-span, incalculable, limitless asamkhyeyas of
living beings gained a great advantage. At that time, the World-Honored
One declared to the bodhisattva-mahasattva Maitreya: "O Ajita!
When I preached on the great length of the life-span of the Thus Come
One, living beings to the number of sands in six hundred and eighty
myriads of millions of nayutas of Ganges rivers gained acceptance of
[the doctrine of] the unborn dharmas. Again, a thousand times this
number of bodhisattva-mahsattvas heard and were enabled to take hold
of the gateway of the dharanis. Again, bodhisattva-mahasattvas equal
to the number of the atoms in one world-sphere gained joy in preaching
and unimpeded eloquence. Again, bodhisattva-mahasattvas equal in
number to the atoms in one world-sphere gained the dharani that can
be turned to a hundred thousand myriads of millions of incalculable
[uses]. Again, bodhisattva-mahasattvas equal in number to the atoms
in the thousand-millionfold world were enabled to turn the unreceding
Wheel of the Dharma. Again, bodhisattva-mahasattvas equal in number
to the atoms in two thousand middle lands were enabled to turn the
pure Wheel of the Dharma. Again, bodhisattva-mahasattvas equal in
number to the atoms in a minor thousand of lands were destined
after eight rebirths to gain anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Again, bodhi­
sattva-mahasattvas equal to four times the number of atoms under
four heavens were destined after four rebirths to gain anuttarasamvak­
sambodhi. Again, bodhisattva-mahasattvas equal in number to three
times the number of atoms under four heavens were destined after three
rebirths to gain anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Again, bodhisattva-maha-
sattvas equal in number to twice the atoms under four heavens
were destined after two rebirths to gain anuttarasamyaksambodhi."
(Lotus Sutra Chapter 17, Leon Hurvitz)

Nan-yueh:

"The Daigo shojin Sutra says: ‘Ordinary beings and the Thus Come One share a
single Dharma body. Being pure and mystic beyond comparison, it is called
Myoho-renge-kyo.’"(Entity of the Mystic Law)

Nan-yueh:

"Those who practice the Lotus Sutra are pursuing through this single act of
devotion the mind that is endowed with all manner of fortunate results. These
are present simultaneously and are not acquired gradually over a long period of
time. This is like the blossom of the lotus which, when it opens, already
possesses a large number of seeds or results. Hence such persons are called the
people of the one vehicle."(ibid)

Nichiren:

"In essence, the entity of Myoho-renge-kyo is the physical body that the
disciples and followers of Nichiren who believe in the Lotus Sutra received from
their fathers and mothers at birth. Such persons, who honestly discard expedient
means, put faith in the Lotus Sutra alone and chant Namu myoho renge kyo, will
transform the three paths of earthly desires, karma and suffering into the three
virtues of the Dharma body, wisdom and emancipation. The threefold contemplation
and the three truths will immediately become manifest in their minds, and the
place where they live will become the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. The
Buddha who is the entity of Myoho-renge-kyo, of the Juryo chapter of the
essential teaching, who is both inhabiting subject and inhabited realm, life and
environment, body and mind, entity and function, the Buddha eternally endowed
with the three bodies--he is to be found in the disciples and followers of Nichiren.
Such persons embody the true entity of Myoho-renge-kyo; these are the meritorious
workings that the spontaneous transcendental powers inherent in it display. Could
anyone venture to doubt it? Indeed it cannot be doubted! (ibid. Entity)

"Thereupon Shakyamuni Buddha rose from the seat of the Dharma, and by great
supernatural powers, put his right hand on the heads of the innumerable
Bodhisattva-mahasattvas, and said: "For many hundreds of thousands of billions
of asamkhyas of kalpas, I studied and practiced the Dharma difficult to obtain,
and [finally attained] Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Now I will transmit the Dharma
to you. Propagate it with all your hearts, and make it known far and wide."
[Lotus Sutra, Chapter 22 Transmission]

The merit of the Buddha comes from the Buddha. After the close of Chapter 22,
the replicas of Shakyamuni Buddha never appear. They went back to their home
worlds at the end of this chapter. So where does the transmission of Buddhahood
come from? The Original Buddha Shakyamuni. Here are the words of Nichiren, from
the "Ho'on Jo", enumerating the three great secret dharmas ("san dai hi ho"):

"The first is the object of worship (honzon). All the people in Japan as well
as the rest of the whole world should revere the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni
(Original and Eternal Buddha) revealed in the essential section (honmon) of the
Lotus Sutra as the object of worship (honzon)..." Then again in the "Kanji
Honzon Sho", Nichiren says: "Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lord preacher of this pure
land, has never died in the past, nor will He be born in the future. He exists
forever throughout the past present and future." In the "Senji Sho", Nichiren
says, regarding his ability to make the prediction about the forthcoming Mongol
invasion: "It was not I, Nichiren, who made these three important predications.
I believe it was solely the spirit of Shakyamuni Buddha, entering my body, who
made them."

Within these chapters of transmission, the four stages of faith and five stages
of practice expounded in the in Fumbetsu Kudoku chapter represent the most
important essential in the practice of the Lotus Sutra, a mirror to persons
living in the time of the Buddha and after his passing.

Ching-hsi writes: "'To produce even a single moment's faith and understanding'
represents the beginning in the practice of the essential teaching." Of these
various stages, the four stages of faith are intended for those living in the
Buddha's lifetime, and the five stages of practice for those living after his
passing. Among these, the first of the four stages of faith is that of
producing even a single moment's faith and understanding, and the first of the
five stages of practice is that of rejoicing on first hearing the Lotus Sutra.
These two stages together form a casket containing the treasures of the
"hundred worlds and thousand factors" and the "three thousand realms in a
single life-moment"; they are the gate from which all Buddhas of the ten
directions and the three existences emerge.

Nichiren Goes on to say,

Answer: This is a very important question, and so I will be referring to the
text of the sutra in answering you.. In describing the first, second and third
of the five stages of practice, the Buddha restricts those at these stages from
practicing precepts and meditation, and places all emphasis upon the single
factor of wisdom.. And because our wisdom is inadequate, he teaches us to
substitute faith, making this single word "faith" the foundation. Disbelief is
the cause for becoming an icchantika and for slander of the True Law, while
faith is the cause for wisdom and corresponds to the stage of myoji-soku.

And again,

Answer: Such persons are restricted from practicing almsgiving, the keeping
of the precepts, and the others of the five paramitas, and are directed to chant
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo exclusively. This practice corresponds to the capacity
of persons at the stages of "producing even a single moment's faith and
understanding" and "rejoicing on first hearing the Lotus Sutra." It represents
the true intention of the Lotus Sutra. "

And further along:

Question: When your disciples, without any understanding, simply recite with
their mouths the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, what level of attainment do
they reach?
Answer: Not only do they go beyond the highest level of the four tastes or the
three teachings as well as that attained by practitioners of the perfect teaching
set forth in the sutras that precede the Lotus Sutra, but they surpass by millions
and billions of times the founders of the Shingon and various other schools of
Buddhism--men such as Shan-wu-wei, Chih-yen, T'zu-en, Chi-tsang, Tao-hsuan,
Bodhidharma and Shan-tao."

This can be said about the learned priests and laymen of the Kempon Hokke.

KUDEN HOMON
Nichiren departed from the tradition of kuden homon, or oral transmission.
Tendai emphasized the idea of Dharma transmission passed in a direct lineage
from master to disciple. Kechimayku literally means -- blood vessel -- and is
used to indicate the transmission from master to disciple, and also the content
of the transmission. Nichiren viewed _kechimayku_ as the transmission of the
Dharma that makes it possible to escape the suffering of birth and death.
At times the notion of kechimyaku, with the image of the flow of blood, was
taken so literally that priests endeavored to pass on their lineage only to
their own sons (jisshi sojo). Nichiren, on the other hand departed from this
concept of the master and disciple relationship. Nichiren had no one person
contemporary to himself that he looked up to throughout his life as "master".
(Nichiren: sono kodo to shiso, p.32)

Nichiren, according to his writings, did retain lifelong feelings of gratitude
and affection for Dozen-bo in Awa, where Nichiren had taken the tonsure at
sixteen. But, Nichiren left Dozen-bo's mode of Amida Buddhist practice and
understanding. Nichiren also showed no special allegiance to anyone at Mount
Hiei or any of the other major Buddhist centers where he studied from 1238-1253.
It is obvious that Nichiren, based on his own writings, saw himself as standing
in a line that begun with the Historical Shakyamuni and passed to Chih-I, Saicho
and himself. We can conclude from Nichiren's writings that he believed that he
had received a spiritual transmission directly from the Eternal Shakyamuni.

"Although Nichiren dwells in such a remote and forlorn retreat [Minobu], within
the heart of his fleshly body he holds concealed the secret Dharma of the sole
great matter (ichidaiji) transmitted by the Eternal Shakyamuni, master of
teachings, on Vulture Peak." (Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro-dono gohenji)

The Dharma is not something handed down from a master to a disciple, but
directly accessible to anyone at any moment via a personal relationship formed
with the Buddha and the Lotus Sutra by chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo."

From the "Kanjin no-honzon sho":

"..the Eternal Lord Shakyamuni's practices undertaken as the cause (for
attaining Buddhahood), and his virtues acquired as their effect, are completely
contained within the five characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo. When we receive and
hold these five characters, he will spontaneously transfer to us the merit of
his causes and effects."

To conclude, when we chant Namu Myoho renge kyo with faith and reverence
for the Gohonzon, the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, the Daimoku, and spread
the teachings to the best of our abilities, we are Bodhisattvas of the earth, requiring
no intercession by either priest or layman. Of course, since we may not have
trained ourselves to do shakabuku (break and subdue practice) and certainly not
to inscribe or eye-open Gohonzon, then we can support the priest that has been
trained in these facets of Lotus Sutra Buddhism. This is the phenomenological
concept of the division of labor found in the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren's teachings,
and the world at large. The SGI doesn't teach this, lumping all priests, except
Nikko and Nichiren, as evil and demonic.

Chris, not taking the Lotus Sutra literally, living the Lotus Sutra literally.
Becoming Medicine King Bodhisattva, becoming Bodhisattva Fukyo, becoming
Superior Practices, becoming the Eternal Buddha.

As far as persecutions for the sake of the Lotus Sutra, citing Honen, proves you
aren't reading for content. Many people suffer persecutions, even for political
or socio-economic positions. But only votaries of the Lotus Sutra suffer
persecutions on behalf of the Lotus Sutra. If you adopt Nichiren's manner of
reading the Lotus Sutra you will have no doubts about the origin of your
obstacles and perseutions.

We may have been arguing for ten years or more but for most of those years,
I was arguing exclusively from the standpoint of myself. Now I argue from
the standpoint of Nichiren. Logic is important but the Atsuhara martyrs did
more for Buddhism than a thousand logicians.

Regarding arrogance, Nichiren writes:

"The eighth volume of The Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus
Sutra” comments as follows: “In this passage, three types of arrogance are
cited. First, there is a section that exposes people of mistaken views. This
represents [the arrogance and presumption of] lay people. Next, there is a
section that exposes the arrogance and presumption of members of the Buddhist
clergy. Third is a section that exposes the arrogance and presumption of those
who pretend to be sages. Of these three, the first can be endured.. The second
exceeds the first, and the third is the most formidable of all.. This is because
the second and third ones are increasingly harder to recognize for what they
really are.” Opening of the Eyes)

If arrrogance is so difficult to to recognize, how much more so Buddhahood?

As far as customs, current times, and reality, you put too much emphasis on the
country and capacity while failingy to realize the true nature of the Latter
Day which hasn't changed since the times of Nichiren: Earthquakes, wars,
pestilence, famines, tsunamis, global warming, inflation, deflation, misleading
religions and philosophies, Pure Land, Soka Gakkai...

As far as more than one view being worth exploring, lets start by exploring
Nichiren's view before we jump to the Rabbis' views. Everyone has a different
view than Nichiren except me and a handful of other adherents, as

I ask those having an SGI view, a Nichiren Shu view, an HBS view
an independent view, to try and have a Nichiren view, to put yourself in
Nichiren's shoes, refute misleading religions and philosophies and promote the
exclusive faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra. Instead of little Ikedas
running around lets see what happens with little Nichirens. It will shake up the
world. We will be banished again and again, we will be exiled, we will be put to
death. The Lotus Sutra will spread like never before. Nichiren says by suffering
relatively minor hardships, such as exile, death and banishements, the True Law
will spread.

Shakyamuni in his "dhuta" form is one aspect of the Eternal Buddha. Throwing out
the Manifestation Body Buddha is throwing out the Dharma Body Buddha and the
Reward Body Buddha. Throwing out the Eternal Buddha is throwing out all Three
Bodies. No one property (of the Three Properties) of the Buddha is independent
of the others. Nichiren corrected those who saw the "dhuta" body, the
Manifestation Buddha, as the sole property of the Buddha.

Robin "Nichiren" Buddhist of the Ikeda Sect Responds (1)

Robin "Nichiren" Buddhist of the Ikeda Sect responds to the post, The Soka Gakkai is a Destructive Cult by Definition:

1). Destructive cults actively recruit new members, often through deceptive “front” organization

Robin: Many thanks for responding to my post. I’ll try and respond to your points as best I can. I’ve had a quick look at your blog to try and familiarize myself with your beliefs.

I found it a little difficult to search around your site though and while some people may look forward to all the SGI / IKEDA posts, I have enjoyed reading the articles I’ve come across that focus specifically on the LOTUS SUTRA and would genuinely like to know more about the BASICS of Kempon Hokke, but as the blog seems predominantly anti-SGI, it’s hard to find the basics of your faith and practice. As a gentle suggestion, it might be an idea to add labels to your posts, so that people can find SGI, LOTUS or KEMPON posts more easily.

Mark: The basics of the Kempon Hokke are the same Three Treasures and Three Great Secret Laws as taught by Nichiren Daishonin and the principle of the Transmission Through the Scrolls of the Sutra [Gohonzon and Twenty--Eight Chapter Lotus Sutra] and Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. We Chant the Daimoku, Namu Myoho renge kyo and recite the Second and 16th Chapters of the Lotus Sutra as prescribed by Nichiren:

Robin: Personally, as an enquiring mind, I would much rather have the facts of your religion and then decide for myself what to believe in rather than just be continually told why I shouldn’t believe in something else.

Mark: The writing, Establishment of the Correct Law for the Peace of the Land teaches, "Rather than offering up ten thousand prayers for remedy, it would be better simply to outlaw this one evil."

The facts of our religion are easy to research and readily appreciated through our faith and practice. Outlawing the "one great evil" of the Soka Gakkai is a difficult endeavor. Our struggle with the Fuji sects is no less serious and profound than Nichiren's struggle with the Pure Land and Shingon: http://kemponhokke.blogspot.com/2012/01/time-circumstance-and-teachings-kempon.html

Robin: While the anti-SGI stuff may attract a lot of support from like-minded people, it may turn off some people that are actually interested in learning the differences between the Nichiren Sects and deciding for themselves which one is teaching the true Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra. Countless examples of why the SGI is wrong, is not proof that Kempon Hokke is right and may turn away the very audience you are hoping to reach.

Mark: Several points: At this time, we are far more concerned about quality and preserving the correct teachings than we are with numbers. The spread of the true teachings will last as long as the Latter Day, for ten thousand years and more and the number of faithful believers, according to Nichiren [at least for the forseeable future], will be less than the amount of dirt that can fit on a fingernail; we are growing at a rate of hundreds of percent a year and our members are not drawn solely from the SGI, the Nichiren Shoshu, and the Nichiren Shu. We are attracting new members, with little or no background in Nichiren's Lotus Sutra Buddhism who are as fresh as the first blossoms of spring.;I advise you to worry more about the deeply flawed teachings of the Ikeda Cult that is hemorrhaging members than the Pure and Perfect teachings of the Kempon Hokke that is experiencing steady growth.

1). The SGI has the Boston Research Center, the Institute for Oriental Philosophy, and others where their affiliation to SGI is rarely if ever mentioned.

Robin: The Boston Research Center is now called the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue and the Institute for Oriental Philosophy mentions its association with the SGI on its UK homepage and the history page of the IOP Japan page. Maybe these have just been updated since your post on May 12.

Mark: The SGI also has dozens, if not hundreds, of deceptive front organizations, some that you might be familiar with, such as Victory Over Violence, and others that I'm sure even you are not familiar with, for example: SGI has several charter schools in the United States where even some of the teachers don't know that they are funded and sponsored by the Soka Gakkai; Artists for Peace and Justice; the Japanese equivalent of our 7/11 chain; travel agencies; recording studios; iShining and Phiten products; PCE International; and The Shachokai, a group which consists of CEOs from SG front companies; the World Poetry Society; and here's a list of Soka Gakkai owned companies:

http://antisgi.blog124.fc2.com/blog-entry-4.html

Not to mention their association [cemetary business, banking etc.] with the largest defense contractor in Japan, the Mitsubitchi corporation.

The SGI is a Destructive Cult by Definition

The SGI is a Destructive Cult by Definition

1). Destructive cults actively recruit new members, often through deceptive “front” organizations.

The SGI has the Boston Research Center, the Institute for Oriental Philosophy, Human Rights Education Research association, 7/11 [hehe] and others where their affiliation to SGI is rarely if ever mentioned.

2).Destructive cults claim to offer absolute Truth. Their teachings are not (to them) mere theory or speculation. The most effective cult doctrines are those which are unverifiable and unevaluable.

The SGI claims that their believers are the only Nichiren Lotus Sutra believerscapable of obtaining Buddhahood, going so far to claim that all SGI members are Buddhas while those of the Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke, for example, are “deluded Shakyamuni worshippers”.

3).Destructive cults reduce everything to a bi-polar attitude: “for us, or against us.”

Anyone who criticizes the SGI, no matter how wise, is a fool and anyone who praises the SGI,no matter how foolish, is wise. Daisaku Ikeda writes, for example:

“Seven years have passed since then. The outcome of the struggle of good and evil and the workings of the law of cause and effect have been strict and uncompromising. The decline of the crazed and destructive Nichiren Shoshu is clearly apparent. The victims, unfortunately, are the la ybelievers who practice with the temple, who are not aware of Nichiren Shoshu’s evil and have been deceived by the priests.”

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’ll receive the punishment of the Buddha, you’ll see.” Ikeda says, “To take action to fight against whatever forces appear as the enemies of the Soka Gakkai is our most noble mission.” Matilda Buck says, “How tragic it would be for even one person to have found the great means of bringing forthBuddhahood only to be diverted to another, seemingly similar, path that is incapable of leading thatindividual 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 the nbe changed into a pure land. In our case right now, this function is being manifested in the currenthigh priest of Nichiren Shoshu.”

5).Destructive cults lead their members to believe they are somehow superior to all other humans on the earth.

In many of Daisaku Ikeda’s speeches we see how the SGI members are to view themselves:

“Sons of the Gakkai”,

“Inheritors of Myoho”,

“Lions of the Mystic Law”,

“The sole group of true believers”,

“Truly praiseworthy are you who resolve to work hard for kosen-rufu and the SGI. You are the most noble of all people.”

6).Destructive cults put the will of the group above the will of the individual. This is often reinforced with simplistic games or rituals of some type designed to make the individual subservient to the group.

If you search, you will find such quotes from the eternal Soka Gakkai mentor, “the Soka Gakkai is more important than my life.” We also see the special Soka Gakkai holidays like May 3rd, day of mentor and disciple, and such slogans as, “reaffirming the prime point of the Soka Gakkai”

We see inordinate references to Soka Gakkai, SGI, and Ikeda in nearly every experience given by an SGI member. There used to be dress and hair (short) and beard(none) codes for the SGI Young Men’s Division and on saturdays everyone had to dress in whitepants and white tee-shirts.7).

7).Destructive cults teach that the end justifies the means.

How they misuse upaya (expedient means) is a travesty. Flirtatious shakabuku by young women’s division, telling peoplethey can get new cars and even drugs if the chant, teaching people that they will immediatelybecome Buddhas if they join the SGI, and the list goes on and on how they utilize the ends justifythe means philosophy of Machiavelli, the antithesis of the Buddha’s teachings.

8).Destructive cults teach strict obedience to superiors and encourage the developmentof behavior patterns that are similar to those of the leader.

Is there any doubt why the SokaGakkai is known throughout the ten directions as the Ikeda cult? Guidance division, never criticizing leaders, “follow no matter what”, this is so apparent to everyone but the brainwashed SGI memberhimself. Lately, the SGI has abandoned any subtle pretense with such overt youth division guidelinesas, “

Reveal your true identity as Shinichi Yamamoto” and “I want to be ShinichiYamamoto”

9).Destructive cults offer acceptance by the group for good performance, and conversely,withhold it for poor performance.

Moving up the ladder from Jr Group Chief, to Group Chief, toDistrict Chief, to Chapter Chief, to Area Chief, to Territory Chief, to Joint Territory Chief and so on.Busting people from their position or moving them at the leaders will.

10).In destructive cults, fear is a major motivator. Guilt is a close second, and shame isthird. Only the cult leader is perfect, so everyone below is fearful that those above willfind out their shortcomings. Cult members feel constantly guilty for having those real or imagined shortcomings, and are ashamed that they haven’t worked harder to get rid of them.

“Never talk about your problems to the members until they are resolved.”

“Did you know that so and so got hit by a car and is paralyzed. He should have stayed with the Soka Gakkai.”

“She turned in her SGI Gohonzon and lost her job and her house.”

“He committed suicide not soon after joining the Nikken sect.”

11).Destructive cult members swing from emotional highs, to emotional lows regularly. Lows are not long tolerated, and result in more indoctrination, or even ejection from the group if they last too long.

Here are some examples of SGI speech used to control their members: “You have weak faith.”. ‘You had better go for guidance if you want to resolve that problem”. Rumors to stay away from depressed individuals. Not inviting less than enthusiastic members to certain meetings or not telling them about “important” meetings. Lectures about “emotionalism”, [unless the emotion is rapture about the SGI and the mentor]. Every last former SGI cult member will attest to this.

12).Destructive cults tend to re-write their members’ past, manipulate their present, and distort their future. Disrupting time orientation is an honored technique of all such cults.

Human Revolution, New Human Revolution, New New Human Revolution. Need I say more?

13).And, finally, there is never a legitimate reason for leaving a destructive cult. The only reason members leave a perfect system, is because they are imperfect in some respect and will be punished for it.

“He was angry.”

“He was jealous.”

"He couldn’t get along with his leader.”

“He had weak faith.”

(even if "he" continues to chant three hours a day and does shakabuku with the Nichiren Shu or the Kempon Hokke). “No matter which destructive cult you choose, the above 13 items will almost universally apply".

The author of these 13 points [whose name escapes me] then goes on to conclude: Study the methods of est, LaRouche, Transcendental Meditation, Truth Station, Soka Gakkai, TheWay International, Children of God, Temple of Set, Synanon, Scientology ®, The Peoples Temple, Unification Church, Hare Krishnas, House of Judah, Ramtha, Garbage Eaters, Rajneesh, ECK, ChurchUniversal and Triumphant, Elan Vital, Posse Comitatus, or any of the others…. they use the same techniques, even though each of them claims unique and absolute ownership of the “truth.”

They [SGI leaders and Nichiren Shoshu priests] are puffed up with arrogance

Nichiren Daishonin writes:

"Those who call themselves my disciples and practice the Lotus Sutra should all practice as I do. If they do, Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, Shakyamuni's emanations throughout the ten directions, and the ten demon daughters will protect them." On Establishing the Four Bodisattvas as the Object of Devotion WND, 978

Let us put it this passage into context, first with the entierty of this writing and then with the entierty of Nichiren's Gosho. Two salient points of the writing, On Establishing the Four Bodhisattvas as the Object of Worship, I would like to bring out [to validate my assertions about the SGI teachings].

Another passage reads,

"In your letter you asked: "You have told me that an object of

devotion should be made of Shakyamuni Buddha of the essential

teaching, who attained enlightenment in the remote past, attended by

the four bodhisattvas who sprang from the earth and who have been his

disciples since that remote past. If this is correct, when is such an

object of devotion to be established? "

The SGI denies that the object of devotion is is Lord Shakyamuni of the essential teachings. This is not practicing as Nichiren did.

Finally, Ncihiren writes in the concluding paragraphs,

"You also mentioned in your letter that the people connected with

Ota Jomyo are apparently saying that the theoretical teaching of the

 Sutra can in no way lead to enlightenment. They are making a

sLotuserious mistake. Remember this about the theoretical and essential

teachings of the Lotus Sutra: Which is shallow and which profound,

which superior and which inferior, which lenient and which severe,

and which subordinate and which primary must be judged in accordance

with the time and the people's capacity. There are three periods in

which the sacred teachings of the Buddha's lifetime should be

propagated; the people's capacity should be thought of in the same

way.

In the first five hundred years of the Former Day of the Law

following the Buddha's passing, only Hinayana teachings spread, while

in the next five hundred years, provisional Mahayana teachings

spread. The thousand years of the Middle Day of the Law saw the rise

of the theoretical teaching. In the beginning of the Latter Day of

the Law, only the essential teaching spreads, but even so, the

theoretical teaching should not be discarded. Nowhere in the entire

Lotus Sutra do we find a passage suggesting that we should discard

the first fourteen chapters, which comprise the theoretical teaching.

When we distinguish between the theoretical and the essential

teachings on the basis of the threefold classification of the entire

body of the Buddha's teachings, the pre- Lotus Sutra teachings were

to be spread in the Former Day, and the theoretical teaching, in the

Middle Day, but the Latter Day is the time to propagate the essential

teaching. In the present period the essential teaching is primary,

while the theoretical teaching is subordinate. But those who

therefore discard the latter, saying it is not the way to

enlightenment, and believe only in the former, have not yet

understood the doctrine of Nichiren's true intention. Theirs is a

completely distorted view.

This doctrine concerning the theoretical and essential teachings is

not my own [but was expounded by the Buddha]. Those who would distort

it can only be possessed by the heavenly devil, or Papiyas, and will

topple others along with themselves into the great citadel of the

hell of incessant suffering. How foolish they are! Teach this

doctrine to others clearly as I have taught you these many years.

Those who call themselves my disciples and practice the Lotus Sutra

should all practice as I do. If they do, Shakyamuni, Many Treasures,

Shakyamuni's emanations throughout the ten directions, and the ten

demon daughters will protect them. Yet, for all that, [some people

associated with Ota Jomyo distort the teaching]. I cannot fathom what

could be in their minds.

The priest Nichigyo's [Sammibo's] death was indeed pitiful. I recited

the Lotus Sutra and chanted Nam-myoho-renge- kyo for him here in

Minobu, sincerely praying to Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the

Buddhas of the ten directions to receive him on Eagle Peak. I have

not yet recovered from my illness, so I have written only briefly. I

will write to you again."

The SGI teaches the Nichikan doctrine: "We chant the Juryo-hon to smash the Hoben-pon and we chant the Daimoku to smash the Juryo-hon." They also teach, for example:

"Although LS and Gosho are great teachings, they are limited to

certain countries (Asian countries) and certain era (India 6

centuries BC, or 13th century Japan). It may need some explanations

and interpretations in applying their principles to modern times and

to other countries, such as Western countries and Africa. The person

who is doing this unprecedented task is SGI President Ikeda. With

his Ichinen and wisdom, Nichiren Daishonin's teachings has spread

to 14 million people in 128 countries. President Ikeda is the mentor

for our Buddhist practice. There is no other person in the world who

can do this. . . . KHS members assert that LS and Gosho can be

understood clearly by reading and interpreting as they are. This is

an arrogant attitude. When someone falls into arrogance that he/she

can understand everything by him/herself, the individual growth

stops and he/she will fail to attain enlightenment. Buddhism is

profound. No matter how many years we practice, still we always

make new discoveries when we read Sensei's lectures and

speeches."

Nichiren says we can not even abandon the Theroetical section of the Lotus Sutra but here, the SGI teaches that the Lotus Sutra only applies to 6th Century India while the Lotus Sutra itself says it applies to to the entire world [Jambudvipa] and in this time period -- Lotus Sutra Chapters 13, 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23.

In asserting that the Lotus Sutra is too difficult and not applicable to us, this teaching is no different than those of the Nembutsu and Zen founders. In the Opening of the Eyes, Nichiren writes:

"Great Concentration and Insight says: "If one lacks faith [in the

Lotus Sutra], one will object that it pertains to the lofty realm of

the sages, something far beyond the capacity of one's own wisdom to

comprehend. If one lacks wisdom, one will become puffed up with

arrogance and will claim to be the equal of the Buddha."

As far as being puffed up with arrogance, we read:

"...Buddhism is a teaching of mentor and disciple, expounding as it

does the oneness of the Buddha (mentor) and living beings (disciples). "

"Encounter With a Mentor" World Tribune, Jun 25, 1999 PAGE 7

In other SGI writings they make the claim that all SGI members are Buddhas while, in reality, the members are treated as anything but Buddhas by their senior in faith.

There are ten epithets of a Buddha used in the Lotus Sutra: Worshipful. All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Men, Buddha, Tathagata. Would a Buddha say to another Buddha, "you lack faith" or "you ask too many questions, like Sharihotsu"? Why would a Buddha need guidance? Since when do Buddhas receive guidance from other Buddhas? When a Buddha expounds his teachings they are all true without a single exception. Every last Buddha has their own retinue of disciples and believers. Thus there is no need for a centralized organization of Buddhas since each one is autonomous and creates their own organization of believers.

If you compare the way the SGI and the Kempon Hokke treats their members, you will see that the Kempon Hokke comes much closer to the ideal of treating their members as Buddhas, with all the faith, wisdom, and respect accorded to a Buddha.

As promised, here are some similar passages to the one cited by the SGI member at the top of this letter.

"If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva

of the Earth." (The True Aspect of All Phenomena)

"In the same way, one who chants the Daimoku as the Lotus Sutra

teaches will never have a twisted mind." (MW vol 5, Letter to

Myomitsu Shonin, pg 196)

"They entirely look up to groups of icchantikas and rely on them as

leaders and, reverencing blasphemers against the Dharma, make them

national teachers. Taking up the Classic Filial Piety of Confucious,

they beat their parents' heads and, while chanting the Lotus Sutra of

Lord Shakya with their mouths, they go against the Master of

teachings." (Letter to Tonsured Layman Soya).

"Those who practice Buddhism but adhere to distorted views destroy

this loftiest of Sutras." (MW vol 5, Reply to Soya Nyudo, pg 164).