"The old fox never forgets the hillock where he was born; the white turtle repaid the kindness he had received from Mao Pao. If even lowly creatures know enough to do this, how much more should human beings!"
Repaying Debts of Gratitude is one of Nichiren Daishonin's most important writings. Nichiren Shonin left it to us for posterity. It a compass to help us grasp the essence of the Lotus Sutra, Namu Myoho renge kyo, and the Master of Teachings, Lord Shakya of the Original Doctrine (Gohonzon). These are the opening lines of Repaying Debts of Gratitude. Nichiren Daishonin spends quite alot of energy in clarifying them and stressing their importance. He further states:
"Those who learn and practice the teachings of the Buddha should never forget the kindness of their parents, masters and sovereign....."
He is referring, in general, to those closest to us, whether they be practitioners of Buddhism or not. Specifically, he is referring to the Buddha (Parent, Teacher, and and Sovereign). The Daishonin goes on to say:
"What is the best way for Buddhists to express their gratitude for the unfathomable kindness which they have received? Mastering Buddhism completely and to be sagacious is the way."
This is very explicit. He then expands on the above passage:
"How can anyone guide blind persons across a bridge, if he himself is blind?"
SGI leaders and members abandon or ignore many of the core doctrines of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin and replace them with their own self-serving and distorted doctrines unique to the Fuji sect. Ignoring the crystal clear doctrine that the Eternal Original Buddha is Shakyamuni is to be blind. Ignoring that Nichiren Shonin never taught the doctrine of the so-called DaiGohonzon is to be blind. Ignoring that the Lotus Sutra (Myoho renge kyo) is what we devote ourselves to is to be blind. Ignoring that the Daishonin selected several heirs is to be blind and ignoring that our masters are none other than the Original Eternal Buddha, the Law, and Nichiren Daishonin, is to be blind. To believe that the Human Revolution "is the Gosho of the modern age" is to be blind and to believe that the writings of Nichiren Daishonin has supplanted the Lotus Sutra too, is to be blind.
The Daishonin subsequently states:
".... Mastering Buddhism, however, remains impossible without enough time to absorb it. And if you are to have enough time to study, it is impossible to obey one's parents, masters and sovereign. Those who aim at attaining Buddhahood cannot afford to be obedient to parents masters and sovereign until they reach the ultimate way to cut the chain of birth and death....
"Time to absorb it" is impossible with the many counterproductive and worthless activities of the SGI which do not afford one the time to absorb Buddhism. If we are to absorb Buddhism, we should not obey even our parents, teachers and sovereigns, let alone our friends, or those who would take away our precious time to master Buddhism and attain Buddhahood. We "cannot afford to be obedient" to those who distract us from our great vow. President Ikeda and the SGI would have us spend our precious time on World Tribune promotion, leaders meetings, statistics, "study" meetings, reading the Human Revolution, the New Human Revolution, the Newest Human Revolution, the many writings of Ikeda, and reading the World Tribune. This is at the expense of reading the Lotus Sutra, the Gosho, the Nirvana Sutra, the provisional sutras and other religious and important secular works (in order to convert the provisional Buddhists and non-Buddhists and to "protect what the Buddha has entrusted to us" which is the Lotus Sutra and the authentic teachings of Nichiren Daishonin). After we have mastered Buddhism and obtained Buddhahood, then and only then can we be said to be obedient to our parents, sovereign, and masters.
The Daishonin shows us the virtue of abandoning those who would hinder our attainment of Buddhahood.
"Most people consider disobeying ones parents and sovereign to be against the morals of society and wishes of the Buddha. In one of the Confucian canons, however, it is stated that sometimes one can remain loyal to one's lord and filial to his parents even if he does not obey them and even if he admonishes them."
This is the relationship orthodox practitioners of Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism have with the SGI and NST practitioners.
Nichiren Daishonin restates this point:
"A Buddhist Sutra states: 'The true way of recompensing indebtedness to parents is to stop obeying them and enter the true way of Buddhism...."
Having a correct object of worship, revering the Original Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, revering the Lotus Sutra, and doing shakabuku in this dreaded age, as did Nichiren, is to enter the true way of Buddhism.
The Daishonin then cites the example of Shakyamuni:
"In Buddhism, prince Siddhartha, who disobeyed his father, king Suddhodana, became the most filial son in the the triple world."
Chapter 15 of the Lotus Sutra explains that we are the Buddha's foremost disciples from the infinite past and have a profound connection to the Sutra (Myoho renge kyo). We will encounter Myoho renge kyo wherever we find ourselves. It is not due to the SGI that we have encountered Buddhism. It is due to Shakyamuni Buddha. We were introduced to the teachings in the infinite past and have been practicing them ever since.
In order to repay our debt of gratitude to our brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers in and out of the SGI we have no choice other than to leave "home", obtain Buddhahood, and to open their blind eyes so that they too may reach the other shore.
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