"True happiness is true happiness. Because of this fact I find your doctrinality and motive outlandish and mostly irrelevant. True Buddhism has nothing to do with doctrinality and courses of distinction.
True Buddhism is simply faith and practice in calling forth the Buddha nature in ones own life, hearing it, listening with intent, taking to mind, reciting, contemplating, recalling and declaring to others.
This practice is simply wondrous beyond compare. With this practice the mind and body come to know their true form. This is because the mind / body / environment is the actual form of the Universal Law. And this universal law is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
You would appear to want to usurp this and take this truth from us in the SGI. A foolish and ridiculous quest indeed. In fact it is very strange, very strange.
But rather, let me offer Peace and Blessings to You and Your family and hoping the New Year allows you to accumulate that much more blessings of the Lotus Sutra. " --
Eric Toro SGI senior leader
NMRK[/QUOTE]
I have a few comments Mr. Etoro. Nothing is more important to Nichiren than a correct doctrine. I suggest you plug in "doctrine", "doctrines", "doctrinal", etc. in the SGI Library major works search engine and read the more than NINE HUNDRED references to doctrine. Here are some examples:
"They are persons who have abandoned a great doctrine and instead chosen lesser doctrines. If we judge from examples in the past, they will probably suffer for countless kalpas in the three evil paths. It is persons such as these that T’ient’ai meant when he said, “If they encounter an evil friend, they will lose their true mind.” (On the Four Stages of Faith).
"They cling to incomplete doctrines and are attached to receiving alms and being treated with deference; they recognize only false doctrines, distance themselves from good friends, approach with familiarity such slanderers who delight in attachment to the teachings of the lesser vehicle, and do not believe in the great vehicle. Therefore they slander the Law of the Buddhas."
A person of wisdom should not fear enemy households, snakes, the poison of fire, the god Indra, the roll of thunder, attacks by swords and staves, or wild beasts such as tigers, wolves, and lions. For these can only destroy one’s life, but cannot cause one to fall into the Avichi hell, which is truly terrifying. What one should fear is slander of the profound teaching as well as companions who are slanderers, for these will surely cause one to fall into the frightful Avichi hell. Even if one befriends evil companions and with evil intent spills the Buddha’s blood, kills one’s own father and mother, takes the lives of many sages, disrupts the unity of the Buddhist Order, and destroys all one’s roots of goodness, if one fixes one’s mind on the correct teaching, one can free oneself from that place. But if there is someone who slanders the inconceivably profound teaching, that person will for immeasurable kalpas be unable to obtain emancipation. However, if there is one who can cause others to awaken to and take faith in a teaching such as this, then that person is their father and mother, and also their good friend. This is a person of wisdom. After the Thus Come One’s passing, that person corrects false views and perverse thoughts, and causes people to enter the true way. For that reason, he has pure faith in the three treasures, and his virtuous actions lead others to enlightenment.” (The Problem to be Pondered Night and Day)
"It is a rare thing to be born as a human being. And if, having been born as such, you do not do your best to distinguish between the correct doctrine and the incorrect so that in the future you may attain Buddhahood, then you are certainly not fulfilling your true worth as a human being." (On Prayer)
Not sharing Nichiren's doctrines on the Lotus Sutra and Eternal Buddha, the SGI member's happiness, which is based on provisional teachings, can only be considered an ephemeral happiness.
Nichiren quotes Tientai: "To liberate oneself from the [three-fold] world by means of the provisional [teachings] is called an ephemeral liberation." (Third Doctrine)
and
"...T’ien-t’ai and Miao-lo are commenting on this passage. In this passage of the sutra, all the teachings, from the Flower Garland Sutra, which was expounded immediately after the Buddha’s enlightenment and which combines both specific and perfect teachings, to the fourteen chapters that comprise the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra, are termed “inferior teachings.” Those who delight in them are called people “meager in virtue and heavy with defilement,” and the liberation achieved through them is shown to be an ephemeral liberation." (ibid. Third Doctrine)
The peaceful practices of the Soka Gakkai, engaging the provisional Buddhists, the Christians and the Muslims, in "warm and constructive dialogue" are those practices of the first fourteen chapters of the Lotus Sutra.
"There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by “peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.”" (Happiness in this World)
"Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banner of your arrogance, cast aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra. Worldly fame and profit are mere baubles of your present existence, and arrogance and prejudice are ties that will fetter you in the next one. Ah, you should be ashamed of them! And you should fear them, too!" (Embracing the Lotus Sutra)
Teaching childen the mere baubles of how to become Trillionaires through chanting the Daimoku, is hardly the faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra. Other examples of SGI mistaken Buddhist teachings are too numerous to count.
You say that I want to usurp and take this truth (the wondrous reality of the Mystic Law) away from you. I seek only to take away your mistaken beliefs as a strong wind blows away the clouds to reveal the crystal clear moon.
Yes of course, doctrinaire games trump "great love" for Nichiren.
ReplyDelete" young and ignorant,
They were attached to their amusement
When the elder heard this,
He entered the burning house with alarm
To skillfully rescue them and
Prevent their being burned."
[Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3 - A Parable]
Jesus taught great love yet millions died by the Christian's sword. http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/search?languageNavi=English&bookTypeNavi=LSOC&resultFlgNavi=1&searchFrom=search&searchInputNavi=doctrine&searchSubmit=Navi&findtext=&languageNavSp=English&bookTypeNavSp=LSOC&resultFlgNavSp=1&searchFrom=search&searchInputNavSp=&findtext=
ReplyDeleteI must now teach them
so they can gain the fruits of the way!”
Immediately for their sake he employs an expedient means,
preaching the true doctrine of nirvana:
“Nothing in this world is lasting or firm
but all are like bubbles, foam, heat shimmer.
Therefore all of you must quickly
learn to hate it and be gone!”
When the people hear this doctrine,
all are able to become arhats
endowed with the six transcendental powers,
the three insights, and eight emancipations.
But the fiftieth person
who hears one verse [of the Lotus Sutra] and responds with joy
gains blessings that are far greater,
beyond description by simile or parable.
And if one who has had the teachings passed along to him
receives blessings that are immeasurable,
how much more so one who in the Dharma assembly
first hears the sutra and responds with joy.
Suppose someone encourages another person,
urging him to go and listen to the Lotus,
saying, “This sutra is profound and wonderful,
p.291hard to encounter in a thousand, ten thousand kalpas!”
And suppose, as urged, the person goes to listen,
even though he listens for just a moment.
The blessings that the first person gets in reward
I will now describe in detail:
Age after age, no afflictions of the mouth,
no teeth missing, yellow or blackened,
lips that are not thick, curled, or defective,
no hateful features,
a tongue not dry, black, or too short;
nose high, long, and straight,
forehead broad, smooth, and well shaped,
face and eyes all properly aligned and impressive,
the kind people delight to look at,
breath free of foul odor,
a fragrance of blue lotus flowers
constantly emitted by the mouth.
Suppose one goes to the monks’ quarters
expressly to listen to the Lotus Sutra
and listens with joy for just a moment—
I will now describe one’s blessings.
In existences to come among heavenly and human beings
one will acquire wonderful elephants, horses, carriages,
palanquins adorned with rare jewels,
and will mount to the palaces of heaven.
If in the place where the Law is expounded
one encourages someone to sit and hear the sutra,
the blessings one acquires will enable one
to gain the seat of Shakra, Brahma, and the wheel-turner.
How much more so if one listens single-mindedly,
explains and expounds the meaning,
and practices the sutra as the sutra instructs—
one’s blessings will know no bounds!
http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/search?languageNavi=English&bookTypeNavi=LSOC&resultFlgNavi=1&searchFrom=search&searchInputNavi=loving+kindness&searchSubmit=Navi&findtext=&languageNavSp=English&bookTypeNavSp=LSOC&resultFlgNavSp=1&searchFrom=search&searchInputNavSp=&findtext=&language=English&bookType=LSOC&searchInput=doctrine&searchInputModal=&searchInputMainSp=doctrine&languageMainSp=English&bookTypeMainSp=LSOC&resultFlgMainSp=1&searchFrom=search&searchOptions=Introductions&searchOptions=Texts-Contents&searchOptions=Texts-Background&searchOptions=Texts-Notes&searchOptions=Appendix&searchOptions=Glossary&resultFlg=1&pageNumHidden=4&bookTypeHidden=LSOC&languageHidden=English&searchInputHidden=doctrine&searchOptionsHidden=Introductions&searchOptionsHidden=Texts-Contents&searchOptionsHidden=Texts-Background&searchOptionsHidden=Texts-Notes&searchOptionsHidden=Appendix&searchOptionsHidden=Glossary&sortTypeHidden=weight-desc&resultFlgHidden=1
ReplyDeleteNamu Myoho renge kyo, the Lotus Sutra itself is the only means to actually live a life of loving kindness. No other doctrine is purposeful.
ReplyDeleteI have horses,thanks, but Not for consumption along with cows, pigs, chickens, etc. Meat eaters will never understand loving kindness, no matter what mantra they attach themselves to.
ReplyDelete"When Jesus had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, 'Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.' Then His disciples came and said to Him, 'Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?' But He answered and said, 'Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.' Then Peter answered and said to Him, 'Explain this parable to us.' So Jesus said, 'Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.'"
DeleteHitler was vegetarian, Nichiren was a vegetarian, Mother Theresa ate meat, Stalin ate meat. There is no correlation between meat eating and loving kindness. For your information, I am ostensibly a vegetarian, though my addiction to meat has been difficult to overcome completely.
ReplyDelete