Ongi Kuden (7)

Kempon Hokke Commentary on the Ongi Kuden Chapter 16 (7). 

Continuing to refer to the following passage from the Ongi Kuden, the passage most cited by the Soka Gakkai: 

Ongi Kuden: 

"The word ji [interpreted as the pronoun 'one' or 'one's'] marks the beginning of the Jigage section, and the word shin ['self' or 'body'] in 'quickly acquire the body of a Buddha' marks the end. It starts and ends with 'oneself,' and the words in between the 'receiving' and 'use' of this body. In other words, the Jigage section elucidates the 'self that is freely received and used,' or the Buddha of absolute freedom." (Gosho Zenshu p. 758-759) 

Kempon Hokke: 

"Pu-k’ung makes a number of other errors as well. Thus, in his translation The Rules of Rituals Based on the Lotus Sutra, which deals with the Lotus Sutra, he defines the Buddha of the “Life Span” chapter as the Buddha Amida, an obvious and glaring mistake. He also claims that the “Dharani” chapter of the Lotus Sutra should follow immediately after the “Supernatural Powers” chapter and that the “Entrustment” chapter should come at the very end, views that are not even worth discussing.' (The Selection of the Time) 

The Soka Gakkai makes an equally glaring mistake in taking the above passage of the Ongi Kuden (general teaching) as the specific teaching, asserting that Nichiren and his disciples are the Buddha of the Juryo Chapter. How can the Treasure of the Sangha be confused with the treasure of the Buddha? Only in the topsy turvy worlds of the Soka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shoshu. 

“...If there are those who possess differing ideas concerning the three treasures, then truly you should know that these people can no longer hope to take refuge in, or rely upon, the three pure treasures. They will never gain benefit from any of the precepts, and in the end, they will fail to obtain the fruits of the voicehearer, the cause-awakened one, or the bodhisattva.” This passage is clearly referring to [the essential point of ] the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra..." (The Third Doctrine) 

"The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai, who was present on Eagle Peak when the Lotus Sutra was preached and heard it in person, writes, “The word ‘this’ [of ‘This is what I heard’] indicates the essence of a doctrine heard from the Buddha.” And the Great Teacher Chang-an writes, “The transcriber [Chang-an] comments on T’ien-t’ai’s explanation of the title of the Lotus Sutra, saying, ‘Hence [his explanation of the title in] the preface conveys the profound meaning of the sutra. The profound meaning indicates the heart of the text.’ ” (Repaying Debts of Gratitude) 

"Heard from the Buddha' not Ikeda, Greg Martin, Nichinyo, or Nichikan. 

Nichiren admonishes those like Kobo who call Shakyamuni Buddha of the Lifespan Chapter an ordinary person: 

"In his Precious Key to the Secret Treasury he claims that the Shakyamuni Buddha of the ‘Life Span’ chapter of the Lotus Sutra is an ordinary person, and in his Comparison of Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism he calls the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai a thief." (Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra) 

"The Great Teacher Kobo of Japan states, “The Lotus Sutra is inferior even to the Flower Garland Sutra, and so of course it cannot compare with the Mahavairochana Sutra.”4 He also says: “The Lotus Sutra was preached by Shakyamuni, while the Mahavairochana Sutra was preached by the Thus Come One Mahavairochana. These sutras were thus taught by two different Buddhas. In addition, the Thus Come One Shakyamuni is a mere messenger of the Thus Come One Mahavairochana. He preached the exoteric doctrines, which represent no more than the first step toward the esoteric doctrines.” And again he states: “The Buddha of the ‘Life Span’ chapter, which is the heart of the Lotus Sutra, is a Buddha in terms of the exoteric teachings; but from the point of view of the esoteric teachings, he is no more than a common mortal who is bound by and entangled in illusions and desire.” Letter to Shomitsu-bo 

The Soka Gakkai and the Ongi Kuden teach the same thing. "The Buddha of the Juryo Chapter, the Thus Come One, is "I, oneself", the common mortal entangled with the delusions of thoughts and desires who endowed Shakyamuni Buddha with the Three Properties." 

I now admonish The Soka Gakkai as Nichiren Daishonin admonished Kobo (see the last two paragraphs of Part 1" 

"In the entire land of Jambudvipa, there has never before been a hall or pagoda that produced the image of Shakyamuni Buddha of the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra." (The Unmatched Blessings of the Law) 

Please note it doesn't say an "image of Daisaku Ikeda, Guy McClowsky, or Danny Nagashima." 

The Ongi Kuden concludes: 

The culmination of this chapter is the attainment of Buddhahood in the remote past. 'Far distant past' means unmoving, uncreated in its original state. All in all, the ultimate [teaching] of the Juryo chapter does not lie in subjugating delusions one-by-one in order to attain enlightenment. You should realize that [the Juryo Chapter's] significance is to gain enlightenment as you are, remaining as the entity of a common mortal. (Gosho Zenshu p. 759) 

Let us never forget the Original Father, Teacher, and Sovereign, Shakyamuni Buddha of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, without whom we could never attain Buddhahood." 

Kempon Hokke: 

it would seem that in the very last sentence the author of this treatise became remorseful, so , in one final act of repentance, he reverses himself and declares, the True Teachings. I pray that the Soka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shoshu keep this in mind the next time they say, "Shakyamini Buddha and the Lotus Sutra have lost their power in Mappo."