Difficulties

“There are two ways of contemplating the three thousand realms in a single moment of life. One is theoretical, and the other, actual. What T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo practiced was theoretical, but what I practice now is actual. Because what I practice is superior, the difficulties attending it are that much greater. The doctrine of T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo was the three thousand realms in a single moment of life of the theoretical teaching, while mine is that of the essential teaching. These two are as different as heaven is from earth. You should grasp this deeply when the time comes to face death.”

Truthfully, no one wants to hear that one will encounter so many difficulties if one practices Buddhism correctly so SGI lies and almost exclusively talks about benefits. That is one reason 95% of those who ever practiced with the SGI in the U.S. abandoned their faith. They were not prepared to meet difficulties. 

Question: Then one might inquire, how is it that practicing incorrectly as does SGI calls upon so many difficulties? 

Answer: The SGI faith, practice, and teachings cannot even sustain minor difficulties that all people are destined to encounter, let alone the difficulties encountered by the votaries of the Lotus Sutra. The difficulties encountered by SGI members pale in significance to those of the votaries of the Lotus Sutra who prove their faith by encountering and overcoming even the obstacle of hatred and persecution by governmental authorities.