Hi John. I welcome you too. You said something very interesting, "although in the end I found it hard to accept the strictures of any organisation and ever since the mid 90s my practice has largely been solitary."
I find the Nichiren Buddhist organizations, every last one, save perhaps the Nipponzan Myohoji, to be based on ego, power, and the World of Anger, not unlike the organizations of all or most governments. Nichiren advocated a type of "theocracy" yet he also spoke about following those with even a slight bit more wisdom. Here's the rub. First of all, there are no Wheel Turning Kings alive today. Secondly, it is difficult to ascertain whether one possesses more wisdom than another and even if that is so, wisdom is fluid. One day one may have more wisdom than another and the next day or even next moment the relationship is reversed, Thirdly, Nichiren also talked about good friends in the dharma or equals. It seems to me that without a shadow of a doubt Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin have more wisdom than I. Therefore, I always feel safe taking them as my teachers and choose to look at others who practice more or less in accord with Shakyamuni Buddha's and Nichiren Daishonin's teachings as good friends. For me, this obviates both a restrictive faith and allows for a loosely structured organization of equals. What do you think?
i think the key to it all is faith in what they taught. not understanding , or like or dislike. it is all really very simple, yet the human heart in the time of mappo, mostly cannot do it. what shakyamuni and nichiren promoted with their whole life was FAITH in the highest truth - the lotus sutra. not much else. really it is simple, and yet, extremely profound. it is the heart of the people of mappo that is the problem. nothing else.
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