The third of Three Powerful Enemies in the twenty-first century

Nichiren writes,

"However, they do not look like those referred to in the sutra: “monks who wear robes and stay in tranquility.” People do not suppose that they are “revered by the people as though they were arhats with Six Super human Powers.” Or, should I say that they are those who are “more cunning and less likely to reveal their faults?”

It is of vital importance to determine who are these cunning monks. Think carefully. Who could be more cunning than a Monk who states, "I am not a monk, I am a layman”. From the perspective of this age, time, and circumstance, we have to conclude that it is Daisaku Ikeda and the business suited lay vice presidents of the SGI who are the third and most powerful enemies of the Lotus Sutra. They are those who are looked up to as living Buddhas or having Superhuman Powers: “He could read my thoughts.”; “how could anyone but a living Buddha collect so many awards and honors?”; “who but Daisaku Ikeda could write three hundred books.” Discounting of course, Ikeda's dozens of well paid ghost writers and the vast sums of money SGI spends to curry the favors of the institutions who bestow upon him his many honors and awards.

Nichiren goes on to elaborate how to determine who is the third of the Three Powerful enemies. Here he uses the Zen monks as an example:

“Monks who study only the writings refer to those who are concerned only with the scholastic aspects without understanding the true meaning of the scriptures through wisdom; and Zen monks who are concerned only with formality refer to those who are concerned with the conventions of meditation without firmly grasping the fundamentals. This is the same as the meditation of Brahmans, who will never gain complete freedom from delusions and evil passions. T’ien-t’ai’s statement that some Zen monks concentrate only on meditation is an understatement sypathetic to them. In actuality, they lack both practice in meditation as well as wisdom to understand the doctrine. Those who practice Zen consider only the meditation important and pay little attention to the study of doctrines. They interpretate sutras from the viewpoint of meditation in such an absurd way as to say that the eight-fold Evil Path and the Eight Winds make the sixteen-feet tall Buddha, and the Five Elements of all existences and the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and stupidity make the Eight-fold Evil Path. They confuse the six sensory organs with the Six superhuman Powers, or confuse the basic elements of the material world (earth, water, fire, and wind) with the Four Noble Truths. That such interpretations of the sutras are the worst of all is beyond question, an absurdity not worthy of discussion.”

If you have spoken to the top leaders of SGI, you will know that they are no different than the Zen monks, confusing the very basic concepts of Buddhism with meaningless but ornate rhetoric. They are also like Sammibo, a former disciple of Nichiren Daishonin who became arrogant thus distorting his teachings. If you haven’t spoken to the top leaders, here are some examples:

“In the November 9, 1992 World Tribune (WT) p. 5, the late Richard Causton, former general director of the SGI-UK stated:

“We must deeply understand that the heritage of the Universal Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can only be transmitted through organizations joined in unity, based on faith in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and the principle of the oneness of master and disciple.” (emphasis added). Mr. Causton also explains his reference to “the oneness of master and disciple” as follows: “All of us who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which our ultimate master, Nichiren Daishonin, taught us, can develop the eyes of the Buddha; but it is President Ikeda, our master in life, who guides us through the rocks and shoals of this life, with pride and gratitude. President Ikeda has taught me everything. “The article also states: “Hence, the master gives his guidance based on his interpretations of the Gosho in contemporary terms and his experience of action, both for his own human revolution and for guiding the movement for kosen-rufu. We as disciples, must then set out to prove its validity for ourselves .

Please note the focus on President Ikeda and not Namu myoho Renge kyo, the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha, nor even Nichiren Daishonin .

An editorial in the WT of November 16, 1992, p. 2, stated:

“One way [of making 'sincerity' real in our lives] is to constantly renew our determination to live with sincerity by putting President Ikeda’s guidance into action every day . . . It’s important to study Nichiren Daishonin’s writings and the guidance of President Ikeda, but unless we put all these words into action, they are meaningless.”

It is implied that President Ikeda’s guidance is superior to the guidance of the Gohonzon, Buddha Shakyamuni. and Nichiren Daishonin.

In the January 11, 1993 WT, p. 4, Mr. Ikeda stated:

“Since the Buddhist way of mentor and disciple is the ultimate way for humanity, it is impossible to grasp even the tiniest fragment of it if your efforts are only half-hearted. How faithfully did Mr. Toda follow and protect Mr. Makiguchi? And how faithfully did I follow and protect Mr. Toda? To a degree nearly unimaginable by people today. I could not hope to serve that great leader of Buddhism, Mr. Toda, without a determination to give up my own life if necessary. In that fierce determination we find the very essence of what it is to be human.”

The Daishonin’s master was the Eternal Shakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra. Over and over he states to rely on the Law and not on persons.

In the November 16, 1992 WT, p. 5, Mr. Ikeda stated:

“Those who think that the times when the SGI is facing terrible persecutions has nothing to do with themselves will receive no benefits. They have nothing to commend themselves; they have no faith. But those who fight with the conviction that they are personally being persecuted possess truly great faith. Those who can maintain their faith until the last moment of their lives –even if they are thrown in jail because of their faith for 20 or 30 years — are true Buddhists, true ‘revolutionaries’ directly linked to the Daishonin.”

Is the SGI being persecuted for the sake of the Law or for their questionable social and political activities or their bastardization of the Lotus Sutra and teachings of Nichiren Daishonin?

In the September 12, 1994 WT, p. 5, Senior Vice General Director David Kasahara stated:

” . . . The more we strictly follow the Law, including, in my mind, President Ikeda’s guidance, the more capable we become at being flexible in our awareness of what others need for their happiness. . . .”

The Law is President Ikeda’s guidance according to the SGI. They chant Nam(u) Myoho renge kyo with their mouths but Nam(u) Daisaku Ikeda and Namu Daisaku Ikeda’s guidance with their hearts. Next, he will have his guidance inscribed on the Gohonzon.

In the May 3, 1996 WT, p. 10, Mr. Ikeda stated:

“Ultimately, Buddhism comes down to the person. I did not wait to place my trust in President Toda until I had learned about the Daishonin’s teachings. Rather, I came to trust Buddhism because I first believed in the person, Josei Toda.”

Rely on the person and not on the Law is the teaching of the Soka Gakkai. Is this not destroying the Law, the Lotus and Nirvana Sutras, and the writings of Nichiren?

In the SGI May study preparation lecture on Letter to Misawa by the head of the SGI study department, Greg Martin, we read, “through faith in the oneness of mentor and disciple, faith that the disciple is one with the Buddha, Daisaku Ikeda (specifically and our seniors in faith, generally), we can prevent the Devil of the Sixth Heaven from entering into our lives and organization”. He also explained,

Don’t drop “oneness” when entrusting yourself to Ikeda or a senior or even when discussing the mentor disciple relationship (obviously a very very important point because he made it several times).

Don’t succumb to the tantalizing temptation for power and authority except when it comes to the mentor Daisaku Ikeda and your seniors in faith, was another example of double-speak. He goes on to teach, select a mentor (someone like Ikeda and your seniors in faith) who has defeated the Devil of the Sixth Heaven and substitute wisdom for faith, faith in the mentor and your seniors. These Soka Gakkai teachings are contrary to the teachings of Buddhism, “Follow the Law and not persons”.

Then he goes on to teach the importance of the SGI organization [one reed can't stand alone] while simultaneously talking about self reliant faith and practice. “self reliant faith and practice and “rely on SGI” comes out of both sides of his crooked mouth.

He also said, we can transform ourselves through reading and putting president Ikeda’s guidance into practice but he never touched upon the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and the Shingon priests and their teachings, or the nun Usabusa and the principle of not begrudging one’s life, all imortant concepts discussed in letter to Misawa. He talked little about the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Daishonin. Of course, he did mention the priests of the Nichiren Shoshu as enemies of Buddhism. He mentioned the Daimoku and teaching others several times but his conclusion was that the one vehicle to realize the widespread propagation of the Law (Kosen Rufu) is the teaching of mentor (Daisaku Ikeda) and disciple.

The SGI maintains, like the Zen school:

“The Lotus Sutra is a finger pointing to the moon

while the Zen [SGI] School is the moon itself. After

grasping the moon there is no need for the finger

to point at it. Zen is the heart of the Buddha while

the Lotus Sutra is merely His words. Having finished

preaching all the sutras, including the Lotus, the Buddha

picked up a bunch of flowers and gave it to Kasyapa

because he alone understood what the Buddha

meant. As proof the Buddha entrusted him with His

kesa (vestment), which had been handed down through

twenty-eight patriarchs of Buddhism in India to six

patriarchs of Buddhism in China.”

To them, the Lotus Sutra is a finger pointing to the moon of Daiskaku Ikeda. They assert either that the Lotus Sutra has lost its power or it is too difficult to understand without the instruction of Daisaku Ikeda.

As a matter of course, we of the Kempon Hokke do not spare our voices to protect the teachings of the Daishonin while the SGI does not spare it’s voice in slandering and distorting the sacred teachings. The truth will be disseminated despite the power, money and prestige of Daisaku Ikeda and the SGI. We of the Kempon Hokke are determined to follow in the footsteps of Shakyamuni Buddha, Nagrjuna, Vasubandu, Nan Yueh, Chang-an, Tientai, Miao-lo, Dengyo, Nichiren Daishonin, and Nichiju Shonin and admonish those who would seek to destroy the Sublime Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra.

One need look no further than the SGI leaders and specifically Daisaku Ikeda as the third and most dangerous of the Three Powerful Enemies in this present age.