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.