buddhism has been hijacked by ikeda and the sgi. now sgi has its own lotus sutra. david and martin are ignorant of the teachings. i started to throw up about the six minute mark. so far, sensei, makuguchi, toda and the general transmission, but no nichiren. what's wrong here?
too bad, too sad. due to the perversion of the right teachings, although, to a degree, myoho renge kyo has spread, what we see is the effects of slander(japan/the world). the first stage of propagation in the saha world possibly is the poison drum. which nichiren has fully established. good job! as the world continues to decline, won't the foolish, those who truthfully have no faith, begin to slowly realize the medicine for the ills, has always been here. the poison has penetrated deeply.
So several observations, the main thrust of the start of this video is to legitimate the term "mentor" in terms of the Buddha. Because the current SGI has carefully conflated it's "3 Presidents" and particularly Daisaku Ikeda by also referring to them as "Mentor", this has the effect of legitimising them by association with the Buddha.
The rationale is obvious, the Buddha entrusted these Bodhisattva 's with the mission to spread the Lotus Sutra and they accepted that mission but the Buddha isn't around anymore so in modern times who fulfills that "mentor" function....(drum roll, flash of light and stage smoke)...step forward Mr Ikeda - this is the mentor for modern times (just look at how much he has done - wild applause from the slightly stunned, wide eyed masses of the masses ranks of SGI disciple - patronising, inappropriate misplaced parent ideation, triple head pat from the Guru Ike coming up).
Of course it all falls apart if one stops for a micro second to think that these Bodhisattvas et al in the Sutra have already made their vow, just as the Boshisattvas of the Earth made theirs. Therefore, they are born with that mission and that vow coded into their very fabric, mind, body and spirit. They do not need to receive that transmission a second time nor make a great vow to a "mentor for thus age". Ikeda or otherwise. The Buddha is quite sufficient, thank you very much.
Also, another sleight of hand, now the implication is these are the rest of the Boshisattvas not the Boshisattvas of the Earth. No doubt paving the way for legitimising a two tier hierarchy in the SGI, where it's leaders are the BoE and the 'rank and file are all the rest. The BoE get the specific transmission and the rest get the general transmission. Crafty.
No doubt we can see the stage being set for the next stage of the SGI project to try and undermine the spread of the Sutra and Nichiren's teaching on it.
To them I paraphrase the Buddhas words to remind them "leave off good men. There is no need for you (the SGI) to protect and uphold this Law" the Buddha has already trained 'immeasurable multitudes who are actually equal to this task, they have already been entrusted with it and have undertaken to carry it out.
And they will appear in ranks or small groups or singly to do just that, always appearing in the right place at the right time, throughout eternity to do their work. They need no other "'mentor" they are led from within, they always find their way and help each other, naturally. How can get not? Or did the SGI forget about karma?
And right on cue, the next bit of the video complete that conflation, so the "Mentor" is the Buddha at the beginning, then it shifts into associating it with the SGI, it's their path of mentor-disciple and theirs alone.
Notice how its always a struggle and giving up your time, money and good sense supporting a corrupt and evil organisation, which naturally results in a kick back from ones life to try and warn and stop you, should be born with a smile, those protective functions dismissed. Yep, it's a cult alright.
And the video then focused in on one with Sensei, the real purpose of the elaborate conflation of Buddha with Mr Ikeda, to legitimise his authority and exert control.
Looking at those young people, so misguided, so led astray to be used, abused and then cast away (as will inevitably happen when the Org. has no further use for them), I felt profoundly sad.
It's easy to laugh at the oxymoron Ikeda Wisdom but when you see it in action, so carefully crafted and cynical, it becomes deadly serious.
"When I'm sharing Buddhism I feel like I lack compassion"
Err, well you do. Because A) your not sharing Buddhism and B) your sharing a grotesque and evil teaching, attempting to draw innocents into something profoundly corrupt. "What should I do?"
Listen to your life, stop immediately and resign from the Org. placing as much distance between you and it as possible and warning others not to go near. That's what you should do.
"I think as young men compassion is a pretty foreign concept"
Err, since when? Maybe in SGI land but in the rest of the world it's not and certainly in the early years of my practice I wouldn't have heard such a statement. Remind me again, when did Nichiren conceive the vow to become the wisest man in Japan and why? Oh that right 15 years old and because he wanted to address the suffering he saw all around him. Hmm, when did he pit that into action? through the rest of his teens and twenties. When did he first declare his teaching?... he did all of that as a young man and many others do too. So yes for SGI Young Men, it maybe a pretty foreign concept but see the points above for why, nothing to do with age...
I'm a NICHIREN SHOSHU temple member and in my heart I truly believe that Shakyamuni is the eternal Buddha. Yes that makes NICHIREN a bodhisatva that's why he signs his Gohonzon as Jogyo NICHIREN. It is a fault at times of some NICHIREN SHOSHU members who say that NICHIREN is the true Buddha but this is often rare. The r reality is this topic is not always discussed in NICHIREN SHOSHU, frankly priests don't care. Because you cannot refute the fact that NICHIREN did claim himself as Jogyo bodhisattva and no temple member would deny Shakyamuni his rightful place as the Buddha. The only intense statements we hear is that NICHIREN did actively campaign for the lotus sutra during his degenerate timeline, and that Shakyamuni did not truly advocate practicing enlightenment FOR OTHERS during his time making his other sutras so called "provisional". To me that makes sense, but I sincerely believe that Shakyamuni is the eternal one just as he stated many times in the lotus sutra. If other people want to believe nichirennwas a Buddha too, yes I can agree to some point but this is a pointless discussion. In the end, Buddhahood is unknowable unless you have reached that realm and what is important is activating nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
Dirham, so what are you representing in this post and in your others? And why have you started commenting again in response to an SGI video and not any of the Nichiren Shoshu threads? Because this video and analysis and comment on it is dangerous to SGI. Therefore SHO damage limitation goes into action, dig out the "Dirham the confused, angry, flippant NS member" profile and start posting on the thread that presents the danger. I don't have much time for NS in terms of belief or doctrine but where are those SGI members most likely to go when they wake up? Especially those who need community or are young? And especially in the USA? Shu and Shoshu. Hence the way your posts are constructed to disparage both whilst presenting yourself as such and acting completely unreasonably. Now that is smoke and mirrors. Please go back to your SGI media relations strategists and tell them the jig is up, the "Dirham" profile isn't working anymore, it's cover has been blown.
As for the poor suffering SGI members who are fed this equally crafty manipulation, the best way is to distance yourself from an org that increasingly uses cult tactics, get close to the Gosho, keep yourself informed and make your decision based on your own life, trusting your own Daimoku and after conducting careful research of all the players in the Nichiren, Lotus Sutra landscape. Personally, I'd advise keep away from involving yourself deeply in any sect or org. until you've stepped back for 6 months to a year and focussed solely if Daimoku, faith, practice and study and have got a good grasp of the various Nichiren sects and orgs. Be a light unto yourself. Then if you have to practice with a community, choose wisely and don't allow yourself to get suckered in (again).
To such SGI members who are having their lives, lifeforce, and finances diverted for others enrichment and gain, I wish you well in your escape and search.
Please remember, all it takes is to "become upright gentle and peaceful and yearning to see the Buddha" if you do that, if you free up your brain space by disengaging from the cult videos, manipulative cult promotion materials ("books", "lectures", "Guidance" etc.) as well as from its activities and you simply focus on Daimoku and gosho study with that yearning to see the Buddha, without fail he will appear and start teaching you the Law. Keep doing that, soon you will leave the bad dream behind and will be able to help others. :)
This doesn't make me a hypocrite I know what SGI teaches also, but it goes to show that temple members have their own beliefs and understanding of the Gosho and us studying lotus sutra daily.. We have brains not sheep like Soka Gakkai chanting abracadabra nammohoogengekoo like zombies on Ritalin but don't delve on the NICHIREN SHOSHU doctrines that they inherited from the temple. Members think for themselves, yes we tow the party line because our doctrines are hardcore but even members disagree with kotos in Hokkeko meetings and this is OK!!!!
Regarding the Dai Gohonzon it is PROHIBITED to ask material benefits from the high sanctuary of the essential teachings. The LIES that Soka Gakkai have told people we chant for material benefits is an SGI INVENTION. Humility and piety is highly valued in our religion but Soka Gakkai thinks having big houses and Mercedes Benz constitute permanent happiness... It is prohibited to ask the Dai Gohonzon material benefits! Any priest who says this is to be admonished by the laity. It goes to show Daisaku Ikeda will do anything for money, if poor temple members or kids don't have money, Shakyamuni said you can offer 3 ways... Body, mind and law.,. When you help the priest or make physical contributions by Gongyo. Or assisting at services or volunteering at temple book shop or cleaning temple in weekends, this is already good karma and good offering. Why SGI members tell us you can ask Gohonzon for mortgage and rent money is horribly scandalous!
Regarding documentary proof of NS High Priests having direct lineage to Nichiren Daishonin, they were forged.
Why would anyone choose to belong to any group that has altered and fabricated teachings that give its leaders or priests a status they do not actually have, according to the teachings of Nichiren?
That has nothing to do with my comment. My comment regards the asking for material benefits to the Dai Gohonzon. If you have problems questioning the authenticity of the potentiality of the Dai Gohonzon and NICHIREN SHOSHU's lineage, do us all a favor and WRITE a letter of complaint to Taisekiji. Geez Louise.
Sorry? I am responding to your comment, actually. Wondering why anyone would consider the Soka Gakkai's LIES anymore egregious than Nichiren Shoshu's LIES -- In fact, you are pretty much in the same boat so far as altering and fabricating teachings goes.
In any case, PROHIBITIONS in Nichiren's own writings, that NS and SGI have ignored apparently have escaped your notice--.. But that could be because you are waiting for one of your priests to tell you which PROHIBITIONS the Soka Gakkai are ignoring. LOL ~Katie
LOL Are you Retarded or Autistic? If you don't have the common sense to pay attention to the specific topic of my comment, don't waste my time making vague general comments that are UNRelated to what I talk about. I don't respond to comments that cannot remain what I ME MY talk about. Get that through your mushy head.
Furthermore, accusing me of Fabricating? What? I stated correctly what Taisekiji has said. If you don't like it, go send a complaint to Japan. As far as prohibitions, I did not give you permission to tell me what or whatnot my priests have told me. You dont know me in my personal life and you have no knowledge on what my priests have told me in real time. You are just another mouth making stupid assumptions about people you know nothing about. Please go seek clinical therapy.
dirham, there is no doubt that the sgi abuses the real teachings. so has the shoshu. who prohibites material prayers to the dai gohonzon? the priesthood? when did they start teaching that?
The only problem we have with NICHIREN Shu is that they keep putting esoteric practices from other Budhdist sects into their beliefs which has been a conflict even when NICHIREN Daishonin was alive. It seems that NICHIREN shu will never change their ways and it is OK. We don't mind they have the material goods Nichiren used when he was alive. We can permit our temple members and priest to visit their shrines because of historical value. What we will not tolerate is the desecration of NICHIREN conviction that mixing esoteric religions with NICHIREN SHOSHU is permissible. It is not. So if they don't want to change, then don't. In addition their head priests dare to use our Tsurumaru crane symbol on their uniform with different colors trying to copy our style. I know this sounds petty but NICHIREN SHOSHU is territorial about its doctrines. Why NICHIREN Shu keeps adding and adding and adding foreign religious and other Buddhist practice in their beliefs is beyond my mind. They should be buddhist Unitarian but it's OK... We can tolerate because even though it is mixed Buddhism at least they know how to properly recite Daimoku. Statues are OK, this is already a longstanding tradition. We have statues inside Taisekiji too. Not an issue as long as we don't offer incense to the physical representation of a Buddha... Only calligraphic is OK.
You know Dirham, here I've criticized Nichiren Shoshu mercilessly and no less the Nichiren Shu. Very few people actually follow Nichiren and none of the sects.
I see that Mark. That's fine and you are entitled to criticize "mercilessly" not that your criticisms have any solid effect on Temple members... SGI members for sure, but NICHIREN SHOSHU members are solid and devoted to their religion. So criticize away.
Many who post here and several people on ARBN [alternate religion of Buddhism Nichiren] were temple members and are now disciples and believers of Nichiren thanks to my efforts and the efforts of others. Your religion is heterodox to the core and a disgrace. You shame Nichiren and Shakyamuni Buddha.
You only converted these people because They were only temple members resulting of the split from SGI. They were embittered by the Shohondo and the excommunication decree and will Never recover from this emotional trauma. Regardless, These people are old now in their 50s and 60s and 70s and are a fecal byproduct by the schism of NICHIREN Shoshu and SGI. At this point, we ALL regret what happened and I will agree with that SGI member who told you to MOVE ON MAN MOVE ON!!!!
Actually Dirham, I have been mostly independent for the past 28 years, discovering "Eagle Peak" just recently, I deeply appreciate the spirit of converting to practicing as Nichiren's disciples- so revolutionary, yet so down to earth.
- " These people " you claim are convert material for Mark's blog participants... because they, as you say ,"are old now in their 50s and 60s and 70s and are a fecal byproduct by the schism of NICHIREN Shoshu and SGI"-- , yeah, about these people, Dirham. I am 62, so like it or not, I guess you are talking about me-- ?
Thanks for reminding me that Tyco drums and linen robes aren't much of a disguise for the law devouring hungry spirits that waged this "religious" battle that lead to the schism with SGI's caldron headed demons.
Some people now and some later. Most convert themselves when they truly investigate the teachings of Nichiren, believe in them, and compare them to the teachings of the modern sects to which I am familiar. Probably, there is a small branch of the Fuju Fuse sect that believes and practices as Nichiren teaches. Nichiren Shoshu is among the least faithful.
Soka Gakkai members who join our temple are so IGNORANT... Just ignorant beyond belief. We will not be surprised one day if they declare Ikeda Daisaku to be a Buddha for worship or bodhisatva with the right to transcribe his own Gohonzon. And you people tolerate SGI like friends... They are not friends, they corrupt Buddhism by removing traditions to suit the world... At what expense? So they can conquer the world with a false and distorted sense of kosen Rufu? This is deplorable.
I respect you all as independent because your foreign atheism is very strong and this is OK. The world is round and everyone is entitled to agree to disagree. I'm not born into this religion but it makes sense to me so you have to do what makes sense to you too. But if you think Soka Gakkai is leading people into happiness you are WRONG. SGI is a money leeching monster intent on destroying any trace of traditional Buddhism and not just NICHIREN SHOSHU but any religious aspect in the world. They think that they can lotus sutra to gain followers but their enemy IS traditional religious Buddhism because we can point out their flaws when exposed.
Says YOU. Who died and made you the judge of good and evil? You don't sit on a throne, you are just an armchair expert. You are no priest, and you are not the high priest of NICHIREN SHOSHU. Your words have no weight except in this blog you share in the Internet.
Furthermore, WTF is black and white? Evil and good? Yin and Yang? Thelma and Louise? Please do NOT waste my time with vague generalities. I give respect by getting into specifics, so if you dislike what I have to say---Specify! Don't follow that other retarded commenter.
Do you know who Nichiren entrusted with his two most important writings? Hint, it wasn't Nikko. It wasn't even a priest. Nichiren teaches:
"For example, it is said that at the beginning of a kalpa of formation one of the Brahmā kings descended from the heavens and gave birth to the various beings who inhabit the six paths.3 Just as Brahmā is then the parent of all those beings, in the same way Shakyamuni Buddha is parent to all living beings in this world. Shakyamuni is the enlightened teacher for all the living beings in this country of ours as well. It is thanks to our teacher that we can know who our parents are; it is owing to Shakyamuni Buddha that we can distinguish black from white."
Because you have your head stuck up so far the High Priests ass, rather than a deep and abiding reverence for Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren, you can not distinguish between black and white.
Also, Nichiren taught that ignorance IS evil, so aren't you an extremely evil man?
Ha!!!! I am an excellent judge of character and I am very sharp and academically accomplished with crude blunt personality. I always call it like I see it and let me tell you Mister! Our NICHIREN SHOSHU priests are kind, humble, compassionate and thoroughly and consistently FIRM with our Buddhist doctrines. If they tried to play BS on me or my members, I have NO problem telling you or any stranger on an open platform. More importantly, if there was an ounce of arrogance in our priests, I would NOT be a Nichiren Shoshu temple member. So QUIT that BS about evil boogeyman priests. You have enough credibility to not over generalize clerics by lumping all apples into one basket. SGI leaders on the other hand defy gravity by making Ikeda daisaku into a golden calf criticizing ANYONE who dares to question his honorary degrees or faked humanism speeches.
On August 20, 1966, the groundbreaking ceremony for the first Nichiren Shoshu temple was conducted in Hawaii on land donated by President Ikeda. The following year, on May 13, 1967, the Gohonzon Enshrining Ceremony was conducted by High Priest Nittatsu Shonin.
The third priest to arrive at the temple was Chief Priest Gensho Nishino. Mr. Nishino had a pet bird that he loved very much. There were times when the bird got out of the cage and flew all over the Gohonzon room. I was very surprised at Mr. Nishino's careless attitude toward keeping the Gohonzon room clean.
On August 18, 1979, the Soka Gakkai donated a new temple located in Kaneohe, Hawaii. The Gohonzon enshrining ceremony held there was conducted by the fourth chief priest, Mr. Sugano. In 1980, Nikken and twenty-four priests visited Honsei-ji on their way back to Japan after a trip to the mainland.
After evening gongyo, the priests went to change their clothes. The conversation overheard among the priests was surprising. They said things to each other like: "Hey! You stupid bald head! Throw my clothes to me!" Here you go, you dumb priest!" I could not believe my ears. I never imagined priests spoke to each other with such disrespect. That night there was a dinner party for the priests and I was very surprised to see the amount of liquor they were drinking. It was then that I lost all respect for the priesthood.
In 1983, my husband and I moved to the island of Maui as managers for the Maui Community Center. The fifth chief priest, Tokudo Takeda, visited Maui several times for the Gohonzon conferral ceremony. He didn't want to stay at any of the convenient hotels, saying they were too cheap. He chose to stay in the most luxurious hotel on Maui. He also requested the best restaurants for meals.
My husband made it a point to always be at the airport early whenever Mr. Takeda came to Maui. On one occasion, the plane arrived earlier than scheduled and unintentionally my husband was a few minutes late. As soon as Mr. Takeda saw my husband, he yelled at him. "I was about to find a taxi!" My husband was very surprised at his impatience and rudeness regarding this situation.
In 1984, Shido Takahashi was assigned to Hawaii. On one occasion, while visiting Maui, he became inebriated. He then began boasting about a situation that had recently occurred. "Last month, I got a speeding ticket in my sports car. I enjoy racing cars," he said, "so as soon as I'm in my car I'm tempted to speed." As he drank a little more, he talked about how he enjoyed karaoke and suggested having a karaoke party during Christmas. He said he had purchased expensive karaoke equipment soon after he had arrived in Hawaii.
On another occasion, one early morning my husband and I went to the hotel to pick up Mr. Takahashi as he was to conduct the Gohonzon conferral ceremony. Upon our arrival, Mr. Takahashi said, "I overslept this morning," and went to the car with his face unwashed. We thought he would go directly to the site of the ceremony, but instead, he insisted on eating breakfast first. After the ceremony, on the way back to the hotel, he went shopping. I wondered when he planned to do morning gongyo.
Mr. Takahashi became deeply involved with ham radios. He even brought his radios to the Maui Community Center and made the members set up an antenna so he could communicate with other operators.
In my opinion, his behavior was like a spoiled son of a rich family playing with his toys and spending his time and money on his hobby.
One day Mr. Takahashi talked to my husband and me about his car, which was only a year old: "I'm bored with my sports car. I'll sell it to you for a good price. How about $10,000?" It was like a dream for us, since we were driving a ten-year-old dilapidated car. We really wanted it but didn't have the money. He said, "How about you pay me whenever you have the money?" We declined the proposal. I still can't understand his easygoing attitude toward money.
When the present priesthood problem arose, we had already moved back to Honolulu. At a temple service on January 13, 1991 Mr. Takahashi said to the audience: "As you may know, there is a conflict in the relationship between the priesthood and the Soka Gakkai. It is you who had the hardest time without a temple, and it is you who know this difficulty best."
The atmosphere in the room became serious and gloomy. Indeed, there was a time when there had been no temple in Hawaii, and a priest would visit once or twice a year from California to perform ceremonies.
Then he said, "You have supported this temple for a long time and I feel grateful. Therefore, I'll protect you even risking my own life. No matter what may happen between the priesthood and the Gakkai, at least in Hawaii, let's advance together in unity." We felt moved by his words but the truth was, he had previously mailed out hundreds of letters to the members of Hawaii slandering President Ikeda and instructing them to leave the SGI. When I found out about this, I became angry. I thought, "What did he mean by 'even risking his life' he would protect the members of Hawaii?" It is the Gakkai members and President Ikeda who have been protecting the temple and supporting various services at the temple, as well as donating money.
Now Mr. Takahashi is working steadily to increase his temple members through phone calls and letters without much success.
[This experience is from a book titled "Voices of the New American Renaissance. Vol. 6]
Contrast their behavior to the Daishonin's or Reverend Kubota's. When we met in Oregon we all stayed at the same motel, ate the same food, and discussed nothing but Buddhism. In New York, he stayed at our house for four days. He did gongyo every morning at 6:00 am and then again when we woke up at 7:00 or 8:00 am and he was 79 years old. His clothes, though impeccably clean, were 40 years old. When we went out together he always chose to eat the least expensive thing on the menu, first looking to see what everyone else ordered so as to not be extravagant. When we went out to the street fares, he would eat Pizza and hot dogs along side of us. The "gourmet" food he most enjoyed in New York was bagles and lox. He was as overjoyed as a child to receive trinkets such as the empire state building and the statue of liberty and he had presents for everyone. When John Watt had a baby, he sent him two hundred dollars. He would try his best to shakabuku everyone, the concierges, the people in the street, the porters, our friends and neighbors. Rev. Kubota is a true priest and a humble human being.
It is very Easy to answer your question, and you can apply this same answer the rest of your spiritual grievances against NICHIREN SHOSHU.
As NICHIREN SHOSHU members, we abide by the guidance and interpretation of the temple priesthood regarding Buddhist doctrines. Simple and clean.
Now if you need that retranslated for you, please see the Oxford dictionary. If you have a problem with the dictates and edicts of Organized Religion, go complain to POPE FRANCIS.
What is there to lament? Organized religion is a useless concept to a true believer and disciple of Nichiren.
Correcting your erroneous beliefs that really boil down to you being hoodwinked in terms of what NS claims is authentically related to Nichiren or his teachings-- is not a spiritual grievance...it is practicing as Nichiren taught.
Dirham, is your "beautiful Mac's" Retina screen playing up again? I think it must be if you think we treat SGI like friends or think they lead people to happiness. Try cleaning your screen then re read the blog and comments carefully. And a clean screen will make your "beautiful Mac" even more shiny and desirable.:)
Hello Dirham , I joined NST for a bit after Nikken excommunicated --whomever--from the SGI. The differences between the two are superficial, the similarities are substantial.
Sorry you don't see NS flaws there, where you are sitting, but from here your nit picky criticisms and rudeness look like you are suffering from the same poison SGI is drinking.
I don't give a rats àss if you were an ex temple or an Ex SGI member. Your membership is VOID and is useless to NICHIREN SHOSHU. The only poison you are spreading is your inability to stay on topic of what I talk about. If you have your emotional grievances against High Priest Nikken, you ought to know it TAKES BALLS to excommunicate the Sokoto of SGI members. The fact that he did that and we have our doctrines intact and preserved WITH the Dai-Gohonzon in our hands and growing membership speaks our victory against the bleeding SGI. You are the emotional casualty of the NSA/SGI temple split. I suggest you find another religion, become an atheist or join Unitarians. Whatever you choose, find some happiness in your life before you turn Seníle.
Dirham, professed NST member, having just as much trouble sharing the teachings of his illegitimate Nichiren sect- with compassion-- as the two young men in this video from Ikeda Wisdom Academy claimed was their greatest obstacle to shakubuku--
The only difference Dirham, may be that you won't admit you are doing shakubuku with weapons-- not the teachings of Nichiren and damned sure without an ounce of compassion--.
The ill effects of these no-honzons inscribed by High Priests of NS are beginning to look like a syndrome--
Dirham, does your priest speak English? If so, or even if his English is not great, invite him to come here to discuss the teachings with my priest, Shinkei Marcheso.
"It's easy to laugh at the oxymoron Ikeda Wisdom but when you see it in action, so carefully crafted and cynical, it becomes deadly serious." ... Frightening!
I'm having flashbacks of Guy Mccloskey's dramatizations of the "oneness of mentor and disciple"-- from 1989 at the kai kan in Washington D.C.
He was pumped for a lengthy monologue every time he returned from Japan, where he was still aglow from spending quality time with "Sensei--"-- walking through cemeteries, for instance.
Did you know that "Sensei" shares the Mystic Law with the deceased-- even though he never met them when they were alive and doesn't particularly notice their names on their grave markers. Guy McCloskey wiped the grin off of my face when he said, in a deadly serious manner, " We can barely grasp the theoretical teachings , but "Sensei" is connected on an "essential" level, that transcends even death." --- and a hush fell over the audience.
Then there was the time he got all choked up talking about how he had worked in some capacity with the U.S. department of Defense-- or maybe it was in relation to weapons? The details escape my memory, but, the message Guy drove home, as tears welled up in his eyes, I will never forget. He claimed that he owed the greatest debt of gratitude to "Sensei" for awakening him to the horrors of war, and encouraging him to challenge his *cape of fear*, which had something to do with a career change.
I don't remember Guy talking much about the Gosho, Nichiren or the Lotus Sutra when he was Jt. Territory Chief in the Washington D.C./ Maryland area. He and his wife Doris were transferred to Chicago around the time of the split with NST... When I emailed him in 1998 in regards to the disbanding of my district here in the Boston area, I appealed to his "bond" with "sensei", telling him how devoted I had been to realizing "sensei's" vision regarding community level districts becoming visible and supportive of their communities. My district's town had finally acquired an Arts center, and I was prohibited from giving the experience about our district members hosting an Arts festival and promoting the town's culture departments vision for the Arts center. I was told this is NOT an SGI activity-- and furthermore, I was the 'poison" that made it necessary to disband my district. Guy replied, "Trust your leaders, and support the central figure." Oh well--
This installment of Ikeda Wisdom Academy was filmed at the Chicago Culture Center. -- I can see Mr. McCloskey's signature leadership style has impressed these two young impressionable men.
I'm with Greg, nauseated, about to throw up :-/ ~Katie
dirham, you are howling at the moon. there is absolutely no way that the sgi/nst can debate/argue the lotus sutra /nichirens teachings. you look at the gakkai and you find it very easy to see how far they have strayed from the true teachings. no secret here. the priests and the temple members know fully well that it is pointless to engage the sgi membership in any kind of honest discussion about buddhism. actually, everybody finds that out and has that experience. the nichiren shoshu stopped trying to talk to the sgi leaders/members 20 years ago. they gave up and snuggled in their temples. whats absurd here is that nichiren shoshu can't see that, in essence, they are the same as the gakkai. the shoshu has had 650 years to create their own version of what nichiren taught, but the problem is that what they teach(nst) does not match what the buddha or nichiren taught. the sgi is the product of shoshu and they are no different, except possibly more aggressive. .shoshu was a tiny little/poor sect in japan until the birth of the gakkai. the shu , who clings to provisional teachings, has always been much larger. at least they chanted a correct daimoku. the shoshu sent their young priest wanna be's to study in shu schools. the gakkai has ikeda and its politics. shoshu has the dai gohonzon and the authoritarian high priest. nichiren promoted nothing like that. neither cult follows shakyamuni buddha or his emissary(teacher) for the latter age, nichiren. regarding buddhism and its teachings, arbitrary opinion does not fly here. so if you post comments be sure to back them up with using the teachings. both sgi and the shoshu are guilty of, "nichiren said this, but really meant that". nichiren meant exactly what he said. so lets discuss it and see what shakes out. don't be like the sgi. if, like them you cannot honestly discuss the teachings, you don't belong here. if what you say goes against what nichiren taught, it won't fly here. feel free to invite jeff silver(koto) and the head priest in los angeles as well. cheers!
dirham, your comments are starting to sound like the response of the nembutsu when nichiren shakubukued them. settle down. lets take this opportunity to have a good discussion of what has been taught. if your priests don't follow nichiren, nichiren has told you not to follow them. yes?
Dirham,you do well at expressing the delusions and arrogance of you cult. How many of your priests do you actually know? Do you understand thd Fourfold Rise and Fall? It is the basis of your theology. If you dont know what it means then how is it you consider yourself able to discuss Nichiren's teachings? Can you read kanji? Have you read the more than 100 gosho that are not in english or other languages? You are in a religion that you have a very minimal understanding of,yet think you are all knowing re the doctrine. Wake up! Gassho 信恵本朝沙門
I note my earlier comment has been deleted but I would urge caution.
I observe the following what has Dirham presented and what messages have been conveyed? This is my take.
Nichiren Shu is a "sect" with homogeneous beliefs rather than an umbrella with a range of doctrinal positions. All of it mixes "occult and witchcraft" with Nichiren's teaching.
Nichiren Shoshu tolerate a range of positions, the True Buddha isn't really that important, members can believe Shakyamuni if they want.
Shoshu is also likely to be a hostile place for SGI members thinking of moving across. Their members are the kind of people like Dirham who will use language like "are you retarded or autistic".
Independents are misguided or don't really know their stuff but they're insignificant.
Where has all this occurred? In a thread about SGI mentor-disciple teaching, directly critical to SGI.
When did that activity ramp up? When an analysis that tracked that manipulative narrative appeared.
So who benefits? And more importantly, who is the intended audience?
I will leave others to draw their conclusions. I have drawn mine.
"Shoshu is also likely to be a hostile place for SGI members thinking of moving across. Their members are the kind of people like Dirham who will use language like "are you retarded or autistic".
Some of the NST members were very similar in the way Dirham speaks and others were quite diplomatic and thoughtful in their choice of words while communicating their ideas. We cant lump them all into the same basket as they all have different temperaments like anywhere else
Mike the Troll moderator of the NST debate club cut off all communication with me with the excuse that he didn't have proof that my name was Noel.
He runs the NST Lotus Sutra debate club (don't know if he still does at it was over a year ago) and unlike Mark he doesn't listen to others opinions, just pontificates the ugliest aspects of the authoritarian Shoshu dogma .
I was asking for proof of the authenticity of the Dai Gohonzon which really infuriated him and other NST bloggers, that's the real reason he gave me red card.
I didn't refuse to talk to them because they couldn'y prove to me the authenticity of their Dai Gohonzon. I think I have the moral high ground on this one for a change
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If you don't believe me about what they are like go there and find out for yourself how nice and nasty they can be but perhaps you don't need to as you have already drawn your conclusion
I don't know what category I fit into, or what label I have earned by participating in this very unique shakubuku opportunity, but I appreciate this venue for practicing shakubuku. It is a difficult practice, for me, the most challenging aspect of practicing Nichiren's teachings.
I think it is beneficial to practice the practice of shakubuku on-line as opposed to face to face. I appreciate the reduction in emotional input and the learning opportunity in this group. Mark, Greg and Shinkei are obviously more practiced and polished than I am, with better command of the teachings and less affected by the horrific, nasty, mean spirited personal attacks.
First time I have joined in a group or community of believers uniting for the sake of protecting the Law. I appreciate how really inept I am at rebuking slander, though having this discussion thread to read and study, I see clearly that my shortcomings are mostly due to being distracted by the harsh words and insults of this NST member and how that influenced my tone and my responses more toward the personal and not correctly directed at asserting the correct teaching and concisely pointing out his errors--as Mark, greg and shinkei so eloquently demonstrated.
Shakubuku, as Nichiren practiced it had an element of sharing and processing the debate or the remonstration, etc. This is apparent in letters Nichiren wrote to his strongest disciples.And this can be done in this on-line venue, I believe., as you have initiated a critique of this fiery debate.
In. "The Teaching That Accords With The Buddha's Mind", Nichiren writes:
"And so, when I, neither hesitating to speak out nor fearing others, tell them frankly that they are ignorant persons who have misunderstood the true meaning of the Buddhist teachings, and that they are slanderers of the Law; when I deliver a sharp rebuke to them, mindful of the Thus Come One's golden words "You should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha's teaching" and trusting in the passage of scripture that reads, "we will be envoys of the World-Honored One facing the assembly without fear"; when I do this, censuring those who "suppose they have attained what they have not attained, being proud and boastful in heart", then how can they fail to turn upon me with hared and jealousy?"
I keep firmly in mind that Nichiren emphasized that one could not hope to attain enlightenment without rebuking slander of the Law, as this is the only way we expiate our own sins of slander---
So, I found this very beneficial and valuable for anyone with a seeking mind who encounters this site, or is directed to it :-)
real buddhism teaches: when the law is in danger of being lost(perish), at a great risk one should do everything one can to not allow this happen. even though, to a degree, myoho renge kyo has spread. what we see is not the upholding of the law, but the slander of it. in other words what we see in the world today is not the benefit, but the punishment. not the buddhas land, but the opposite. long story short, it is very difficult for people to uphold real buddhism. not because of rules and regulations, and unnecessary prodigal , but because one has to stand up straight and face the world as it really is, and while doing so, people will say mean/untrue/ugly things about you. difficult to believe and difficult to understand. this is in fact, the teachings. there is land for a temple. right now, the sangha/temple is the internet. right now this blog is the lions roar. planting seeds, planting seeds. just thinking.
the buddha was no liar when he foretold about the hostility toward the lotus sutra and its upholders in the latter age. why so? because the lotus sutra censors wrong thought/behavior/provisional teachings. i forget the exact quote, but it is all there. my experience with either the sgi, or the shoshu, has been, as long as one follows the party-line regardless of what the teachings say, all is fine. bahh, bahh! , snore. truth: under a bright light, both ikeda and his brain-dead, the priesthood and its lambs for slaughter, are petty and mean. neither are capable of an honest discussion about the teachings. the sgi will talk to you until you see it their way. until you confess to something you didn't do. then go pat themselves on the back. if that doesn't work , the threats begin. if you behave yourself, the shoshu may grant you an audience with a 16 year old priest-wanna-be. after that , its their way or the highway. both; what they practice is not faith in the lotus sutra as nichiren did. instead what they practice is doubt in the sutra and doubt in yourself. take a hard look dirham. cheers.
I don't know what category I fit into, or what label I have earned by participating in this very unique shakubuku opportunity, but I appreciate this venue for practicing shakubuku. It is a difficult practice, for me, the most challenging aspect of practicing Nichiren's teachings"
I arise and greet you from afar (as I would the Buddha), does that answer your question? Likewise, Mark, Greg, Noel and Shinkei or any other contributors who have sincere seeking mind and the compassion to try and get people to embrace and follow the Law and get them closer to Nichiren's teaching, and help them develop correct faith in the Sutra.
My caution was urged because I simply don't think Dirham is as he presents himself. That is my view based on his tone, style, inconsistency with what I know about NS practice and doctrine.
What is clear is that his contribution diverted discussion away from the specific topic thread away from mentor madness. Again others may disagree but do I think that is coincidental? No.
If it is not, then who benefits? And who then is the intended audience for his posting?
I'm with you on the value of this blog and it's contributors but like Nichiren, those who are threatened will use any means to attack it. Some attacks are obvious, others not so obvious. In Nichiren's time enemies ambushed or spread false rumours.
The words that keep repeating in my head are "credible alternative". It seems to me that if one can disparage other avenues, then one can create a situation where believers who are trapped in an organisation (and it could be any of them) have no credible alternative, therefore they will stick where they are.
Perhaps it's just something we all need to bear in mind to ensure discussion doesn't go too far of track from the topic without squashing discussion.
I always want there to be a credible alternative and this to be it. To do that we need to use our collective experience, knowledge and wisdom but also ensure that we are not hijacked by the agendas of others, be they individual or organisational trolls.
Maybe my backstage years skews my perception. I'm sensitive to misdirection and things that seem too coincidental as Dirham posting in SGI related threads does. In such a situation, I wonder what's going on backstage.
The question in my mind is for those young people in the video and all the others who are influenced, what do they do if they start to realise the narrative has been carefully crafted and start to have doubts? What happens if they are reading this thread and it's comments?
How might you react if you were an SGI member, bearing in mind the video, and then someone threw out a 'them and us' challenges like Diram's:
"because our doctrines are hardcore" or
"you are entitled to criticize "mercilessly" not that your criticisms have any solid effect on Temple members... SGI members for sure, but NICHIREN SHOSHU members are solid and devoted to their religion."?
Especially if you're a YMD member, would this not be likely to push you back into SGI tribalism?
And if so, what are you going to do? Remember, this is supposedly coming from an organisation (NS) that you have been taught is evil and is the direct opposition that is out to attack you and your org. Would not defense response take over?
If so, you're probably going to try prove that poster wrong, how do you do that? By embracing more firmly the Gakkai line. And any thoughts you had about listening to Independents, well your not going to do that now because you've been dared by your opponent, who has already trivialized and disparaged them.
Are you really going to take note of Independents when the evil Shoshu poster won't? Remember this is a competition if your in tribal mode...
..And go back, look at the capitalisation in Diram's posting. What trigger words are being emphasised, where is attention being directed?
Look at this:
"Soka Gakkai is leading people into happiness you are WRONG"
Why is it there? Nobody said that, they didn't even hint it, Diram can read, so why is it there and who is that intended for?
It's not forum contributors, that seems clear.
So what job is it designed to do?
Others may disagree but I don't think this is innocent careless posting, I also don't think it's coincidental that Durham's activity went stratospheric after the post that analysed the video's narrative.
Notice how he didn't refer to that at all in subsequent posts? He took the discussion away from the video content.
So I'm looking backstage to see what's going on and to my eye, strings are bring being pulled, attention is being focussed where Dirham wants it.
It's too stagey, too rehearsed, all too cued for my liking. It's easy to misdirect an audience if you make enough noise and whip up emotions. It's well to be aware don't you think?
Mudpie, it seems me that Dirham's identity and motivation for commenting here , all of the personal stuff about him/her is a distraction from the glaring distortions of Nichiren's teachings/ practice he/she posted here. Disrupting or attempting to disrupt the sincere practice of genuine disciples of Nichiren is the goal of those who have not been able to take faith in the True teachings . To witness this kind of attack on "Eagle Peak" is mind blowing - for me. I have been through the disbanding of my district - and recently read an experience here that mirrored mine - ( the day the mirror cracked)
For me this is definitely a indication that there is a real sangha here - one dedicated to the teachings of Nichiren in practice . Not just in theory . The response to Dirham was a crucial aspect of Nichiren's practice / shakubuku - the real version .
I did notice that not only did Dirham appear just after your critique of the content of the video - very specific descriptions of his off these kids are and the effects of practicing false doctrines and following Ikeda- and the response to your first comment -"SHUT UP" Pretty obvious this was probably evoked by what you posted before Dirham showed up .
I also wonder if it is part of the agenda of both NST & SGI - to focus on fuel on the feud between these kissing cousins - as a distraction from everything that is more about really practicing Nichiren's teachings.
Funny - they both think they are superior / and that they are the only choices --
Dr. Seuss wrote a story , " The Zax" - pretty much what NST & SGI looks like from Eagle Peak. . It has a brilliant ending.
Thanks Katie, you're right and I'd never really thought of the "kissing cousins" angle. What I do see is that both reflect each other and then fight with their reflections.
They make the other the bad guy to try wrestle believers who have accepted the central fallacy that runs through both organisations, transmission through a human lineage, to their respective sides.
Both are wrong in terms of Nichiren 's teaching and the transmission fallacy s exactly that. One simply needs faith in the correct object of worship. It solely depends on what each person does in their own life to develop correct faith, deepen it and put it into practice.
The only source we need to do that is Nichiren and the only thing we need to do is practice and study, which as Nichiren points out, arises from faith.
Get that going and it becomes a virtuous cycle, practice and study deepen faith and broaden understanding, which in turn makes study and practice more effective, which then deepens faith and broadens understanding, which in turn deepens faith further...
It's the story of Nichiren 's life is it not, it's one of the things he showed us. All the while lifestate improves, though obstacles and devilish functions naturally arise, which Nichiren also warns about. When they do, they are asking to be overcome and transformed through practice of the Lotus Sutra, poison into medicine.
Again, all one needs to handle that is Nichiren and ones own sincerity, faith, practice and study.
It's a glorious teaching and effective too. Simple enough for anyone to grasp, the difficulty lies in the depths of one's resolve and determination to stick with it and master it. But that's the same with anything isn't it? We don't really need gyms and most membership go under used, very simple exercises and a daily routine that naturally incorporate physical activity are much cheaper and more effective. But some people love to belong to a gym. Maybe they think that bringing to one, even though they don't use it, will make them fitter and healthier just by virtue of the money going out of their bank account each month. Even those who do use their gym could get just as much benefit by taking responsibility for learning a good routine well and then using and improving it regularly. Or simply by living a more active life.
That's something no gym is likely to tell you and just as they bank on not everyone who they've sold a membership subscription to actually turning up regularly.
Nichiren Shoshu and SGI are just like gyms. They're not going to tell their members they could do better on their own, they're even going to get them to do harmful routines to sell something unique and keep their brand adherence. They don't really care about their membership, just make a show that they do, just so long as the monthly subscriptions roll in.
"Both are wrong in terms of Nichiren 's teaching and the transmission fallacy s exactly that. One simply needs faith in the correct object of worship. It solely depends on what each person does in their own life to develop correct faith, deepen it and put it into practice.
The only source we need to do that is Nichiren and the only thing we need to do is practice and study, which as Nichiren points out, arises from faith"
Mudpie , I think this is why Dirham wanted you to, "SHUT UP"-- Your comment, the "analysis that tracked the manipulative narrative", exposed, rather than merely criticized SGI's main attraction, The Mentor/Disciple relationship.LOL
I remember pondering what it was like for followers of Nichiren in his time, to begin their practice and continue. They were not harassed into attending weekly meetings, monthly KR Gongyos, home visits from leaders, subscribing to WT and Living Buddhism. They weren't grilled about how twice daily Gongyo, how much daimoku they chanted, and reminded about personal goals they had not yet achieved and wouldn't IF they dropped out of "the organization".- AND their, Nichiren's original followers, questions were answered!!!
It wasn't long before I began to relate more to Shijo Kingo and Lady Nichimyo than my fellow members, as I could see many of my own traits in them and realized that though we were separated by hundreds of years and vastly different cultural influences, we were all born in The Latter Day. Konichi-bo--and the many other recipients of Nichiren's letters asked the questions that I was seeking answers to. Not only were Nichiren's followers able to develop pure faith, but they shared their direct connection to Nichiren, his letters, having also developed a faith based view of the future. I wanted only to be a part of Nichiren's *original* community of believers -- and one day I simply asked myself this question:
IF Nichiren could form a bond with Shakyamuni, under similar logistical barriers that separated me from Nichiren and his followers-- thru his correct faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra--WHY can't I form a bond with Nichiren and his followers?? Thus, the quest for correct faith and practice. There is no other obstacle. ~Katie
I am grateful to SGI for the opportunity to hear about The Law and having access to Nichiren's writings. In the same spirit Nichiren taught, I will strive to repay this debt of gratitude by attaining Buddhahood -- which is as impossible within SGI/NST as *teacher* as was impossible for Nichiren to practice the Lotus Sutra under Dozen-bo's instruction. Attaining Buddhahood entails rebuking the slander of SGI, and exposing their erroneous teachings.
What makes this so difficult??
SGI/NST are completely lacking in humility - neither can defer to Nichiren as the True Votary of the Lotus Sutra in The Latter Day, who FIRST recognized the great compassion of Shakyamuni Buddha and the supremacy of his teaching, The LS. Theirs is a circular self defeating logic that elevates Nichiren to a status he never claimed to have and demotes Shakyamuni, the Buddha Nichiren worshipped, and followed.
It is as though SGI/NST are saying :
"We are led by superior human beings who have become enlightened to the truth Nichiren left out of his *explicit* writings/teachings." Yikes!
"We possess the secret teaching through a pure lineage that Nichiren did not reveal in his *explicit* writings. " Yeah right..
"What is our secret teaching? Nichiren is the Original Buddha! " How bizarre.
"HE, Nichiren, was too humble to admit it." Maybe you should strive to develop some of the humility Nichiren, your original buddha demonstrated ?--just saying'
"Come join us as we disregard what this Buddha wrote and the life he lived--in the not so distant past." Huh?
" But, please don't ask us (leaders/priests) any questions about the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni and the personal letters Nichiren wrote to his followers. None of this is relevant to achieving personal gain, comfortable circumstances and world peace." So much for their enlightened wisdom...Maybe they are off on the secret teachings stuff, too?
" If you persist in asking these irrelevant questions, we will insist that you abide by our answers. "-- or-- else... "don't ask about that either"
"We aren't living in Nichiren's time - our challenges are different and thus we have created the practice that best accords with our time." PR from SGI/NST--
Duh? Aren't we still in The Latter Day of the Law?? 10,000 years long, I think-- right>> Hey! Come back here, I don't get the "living in a different time" thing you just said...
" if you persist in asking questions about the *actual* teachings.."
"I remember pondering what it was like for followers of Nichiren in his time, to begin their practice and continue. They were not harassed into attending weekly meetings, monthly KR Gongyos, home visits from leaders, subscribing to WT and Living Buddhism. They weren't grilled about how twice daily Gongyo, how much daimoku they chanted, and reminded about personal goals they had not yet achieved and wouldn't IF they dropped out of "the organization".- AND their, Nichiren's original followers, questions were answered!!!"
What a great take, I also try to imagine the same. In fact it's one if the guides I use "If I asked Nichiren, how would he react?". In that, his letters to his followers consistently demonstrate gratitude, warmth, care, respect and flexibility. He seems to tailor each letter with that person in mind, always encouraging correct faith and pointing out any errors and distortions that could damage faith & practice. He dispenses good advice but in a respectful way. Marvelous! :)
I'm glad you mentioned Shigo Kingo, I'm likewise pulled by his characteristics and the relationship with Nichiren. Abutsu Bo and his wife are others who I relate to.
I think you can develop a direct relationship as you mentioned, which is also partly SGI's current line. The problem for them is that they then reintroduce the lineage concept and work hard to create the gateway of the "3 Presidents" and "Mentor" Ikeda and funnel everyone through it as the only way (in their words) to attain enlightenment.
Of course that doesn't fit with Nichiren's teaching, method, process or life. So to support their position they have to interpret both Gosho and Sutra Gosho to try and make it fit. The rest is history, selectively quoted Gosho passages, quoted out of context, heavy reliance in the Ongi Kuden, heavy reliance on sweeping (and often erroneous assertions "Sensei says", prioritisation of "guidance" over Gosho and interpreted Gosho and Sutra over direct reading.
You picked it all out so well in your second post.
Oh and of course - "Don't ask questions"...
I really liked your reminder of Dozen Bo, a Gosho that is selectively quoted, out of context, to death by both NST and SGI. Yet if read from the beginning and in its entirety, it becomes impossible to sustain the organisational claims of NST/SGI. I'm surprised SGI haven't done a damage limitation interpretive "lecture" on it as the did with On Attaining Buddhahood (2007), "Opening of the Eyes" (2009), and Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life (2009). Lool maybe they're working on it now they've got the Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra rolled out but they'll have to be quick Daisaku Ikeda is 88! Or maybe not, I guess they can always dig up some "unpublished" lectures that he'd "completed" bit were "undiscovered" in the bottom draw of his bedside cabinet (which nobody thought to look in before).
Lool the priests have always been up to it, they just have lots of oral teachings that were secret before but now it's OK to un-secret them. "He said but he really meant...yada, yada, yada," yawn.
Lool NST/SGI they do make a pair don't they? I can't get "kidding cousins" out of my head now, they're like peas in a pod.
I hope their respective believers make it out of those respective burning houses before they get consumed. I think you're a great help in getting them to the exit safely. :) Thanks.
Nichiren predominantly practiced shakubuku with his enemies and shoju with his disciples and believers. $GI predominantly practices shoju with the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and shakubuku with their own members. Everything is topsy turvy in the $GI.
"$GI predominantly practices shoju with the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and shakubuku with their own members." Shakabuku with its own members? Lool, how's teaching them erroneous doctrines and directly damaging their faith and practice shakabuku? Sounds more like reverse-shakabuku to me "bend and break" attachment to correct doctrines (and replace the with third rate New Age provisional fads.
I think there might be a place for the likes of David Icke on the SGI Board yet!
I'm sure drawing an unbroken line back to the reptilian aliens that originally colonised the Earth (according to Icke) might seem very attractive once the profit margins on the Nichiren market start to plummet. Plus Icke & Ike has a ring about it and they've got a lot in common.
Guru Ike(da)'s almost a Buddha for this age (well according to lots of his followers and he doesn't do much to counter that view, unless he really really has to).
At the moment he's just the eternal mentor for kosen rufu (along with the other 2 Presidents) - see humble eh! Not a Buddha yet, well not in public anyway...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Icke
"In In March 1991 Icke held a press conference to announce that he was a "Son of the Godhead" – a phrase he said later the media had misunderstood."
(Funny, the same year Guru Ike was wickedly and desperately excommunicated by naughty Nikken for trying to change the faith, well that and maybe playing just a tad too much Ode to Joy at a religious service and other sundry made up stuff and it was made up, Guru Ike has not changed faith or decline one iota since being kicked out...well maybe a micro iota but nothing big like the Gohonzon...well not yet anyway)
Guru Ike is also misunderstood by the media What a coincidence!
And they both find themselves in situations where other people start laughing at them through no fault of their own! "Icke said that a subsequent appearance on BBC's Wogan changed his life, turning him from a respected household name into a public laughing stock."...
"The headlines attracted an invitation to appear on Terry Wogan's BBC primetime chat show, Wogan, on 29 April 1991. When asked if he was claiming to be the son of God, Icke did not disagree and, amid laughter from the studio audience, he surmised that natural disasters would occur as the earth dispersed accumulated negative energy." That could almost be a line from one of Guru Ike's books on mentor-disciple!"
And they both write books! (Well Guru Ike has books written for him according to some but it's the same thing, his name is on the book covers).
So maybe the future for $GI is safe yet if the bottom drops out of the Nichiren market or it gets too expensive to keep up with the competition, there's always another way...just got to have a plan and move slow enough not to "confuse the members"...hmm do you think that was what Ode to Joy was all about a trial run to gauge reactions and feasibility, I hear the Evangelical market is booming right now... ;)
buddhism has been hijacked by ikeda and the sgi. now sgi has its own lotus sutra. david and martin are ignorant of the teachings. i started to throw up about the six minute mark. so far, sensei, makuguchi, toda and the general transmission, but no nichiren. what's wrong here?
ReplyDeleteNo shame in altering the teachings. Sick!
ReplyDeletetoo bad, too sad. due to the perversion of the right teachings, although, to a degree, myoho renge kyo has spread, what we see is the effects of slander(japan/the world). the first stage of propagation in the saha world possibly is the poison drum. which nichiren has fully established. good job! as the world continues to decline, won't the foolish, those who truthfully have no faith, begin to slowly realize the medicine for the ills, has always been here. the poison has penetrated deeply.
ReplyDeleteWhat is disgusting is that they don't even mention Nichiren or Shakuson...
ReplyDeleteAll smokes and mirrors, no wonder their young members fall for this cráp. There is NO Buddhism in Soka Gakkai!!!
yep !!! all cults are the same.
DeleteSo several observations, the main thrust of the start of this video is to legitimate the term "mentor" in terms of the Buddha. Because the current SGI has carefully conflated it's "3 Presidents" and particularly Daisaku Ikeda by also referring to them as "Mentor", this has the effect of legitimising them by association with the Buddha.
ReplyDeleteThe rationale is obvious, the Buddha entrusted these Bodhisattva 's with the mission to spread the Lotus Sutra and they accepted that mission but the Buddha isn't around anymore so in modern times who fulfills that "mentor" function....(drum roll, flash of light and stage smoke)...step forward Mr Ikeda - this is the mentor for modern times (just look at how much he has done - wild applause from the slightly stunned, wide eyed masses of the masses ranks of SGI disciple - patronising, inappropriate misplaced parent ideation, triple head pat from the Guru Ike coming up).
Of course it all falls apart if one stops for a micro second to think that these Bodhisattvas et al in the Sutra have already made their vow, just as the Boshisattvas of the Earth made theirs. Therefore, they are born with that mission and that vow coded into their very fabric, mind, body and spirit. They do not need to receive that transmission a second time nor make a great vow to a "mentor for thus age". Ikeda or otherwise. The Buddha is quite sufficient, thank you very much.
Also, another sleight of hand, now the implication is these are the rest of the Boshisattvas not the Boshisattvas of the Earth. No doubt paving the way for legitimising a two tier hierarchy in the SGI, where it's leaders are the BoE and the 'rank and file are all the rest. The BoE get the specific transmission and the rest get the general transmission. Crafty.
No doubt we can see the stage being set for the next stage of the SGI project to try and undermine the spread of the Sutra and Nichiren's teaching on it.
To them I paraphrase the Buddhas words to remind them "leave off good men. There is no need for you (the SGI) to protect and uphold this Law" the Buddha has already trained 'immeasurable multitudes who are actually equal to this task, they have already been entrusted with it and have undertaken to carry it out.
And they will appear in ranks or small groups or singly to do just that, always appearing in the right place at the right time, throughout eternity to do their work. They need no other "'mentor" they are led from within, they always find their way and help each other, naturally. How can get not? Or did the SGI forget about karma?
And right on cue, the next bit of the video complete that conflation, so the "Mentor" is the Buddha at the beginning, then it shifts into associating it with the SGI, it's their path of mentor-disciple and theirs alone.
Notice how its always a struggle and giving up your time, money and good sense supporting a corrupt and evil organisation, which naturally results in a kick back from ones life to try and warn and stop you, should be born with a smile, those protective functions dismissed. Yep, it's a cult alright.
And the video then focused in on one with Sensei, the real purpose of the elaborate conflation of Buddha with Mr Ikeda, to legitimise his authority and exert control.
Looking at those young people, so misguided, so led astray to be used, abused and then cast away (as will inevitably happen when the Org. has no further use for them), I felt profoundly sad.
It's easy to laugh at the oxymoron Ikeda Wisdom but when you see it in action, so carefully crafted and cynical, it becomes deadly serious.
8m07s
Delete"When I'm sharing Buddhism I feel like I lack compassion"
Err, well you do. Because A) your not sharing Buddhism and B) your sharing a grotesque and evil teaching, attempting to draw innocents into something profoundly corrupt. "What should I do?"
Listen to your life, stop immediately and resign from the Org. placing as much distance between you and it as possible and warning others not to go near. That's what you should do.
"I think as young men compassion is a pretty foreign concept"
Err, since when? Maybe in SGI land but in the rest of the world it's not and certainly in the early years of my practice I wouldn't have heard such a statement. Remind me again, when did Nichiren conceive the vow to become the wisest man in Japan and why? Oh that right 15 years old and because he wanted to address the suffering he saw all around him. Hmm, when did he pit that into action? through the rest of his teens and twenties. When did he first declare his teaching?... he did all of that as a young man and many others do too. So yes for SGI Young Men, it maybe a pretty foreign concept but see the points above for why, nothing to do with age...
I'm a NICHIREN SHOSHU temple member and in my heart I truly believe that Shakyamuni is the eternal Buddha. Yes that makes NICHIREN a bodhisatva that's why he signs his Gohonzon as Jogyo NICHIREN. It is a fault at times of some NICHIREN SHOSHU members who say that NICHIREN is the true Buddha but this is often rare. The r reality is this topic is not always discussed in NICHIREN SHOSHU, frankly priests don't care. Because you cannot refute the fact that NICHIREN did claim himself as Jogyo bodhisattva and no temple member would deny Shakyamuni his rightful place as the Buddha. The only intense statements we hear is that NICHIREN did actively campaign for the lotus sutra during his degenerate timeline, and that Shakyamuni did not truly advocate practicing enlightenment FOR OTHERS during his time making his other sutras so called "provisional". To me that makes sense, but I sincerely believe that Shakyamuni is the eternal one just as he stated many times in the lotus sutra. If other people want to believe nichirennwas a Buddha too, yes I can agree to some point but this is a pointless discussion. In the end, Buddhahood is unknowable unless you have reached that realm and what is important is activating nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
ReplyDeleteDirham, so what are you representing in this post and in your others? And why have you started commenting again in response to an SGI video and not any of the Nichiren Shoshu threads? Because this video and analysis and comment on it is dangerous to SGI. Therefore SHO damage limitation goes into action, dig out the "Dirham the confused, angry, flippant NS member" profile and start posting on the thread that presents the danger. I don't have much time for NS in terms of belief or doctrine but where are those SGI members most likely to go when they wake up? Especially those who need community or are young? And especially in the USA? Shu and Shoshu. Hence the way your posts are constructed to disparage both whilst presenting yourself as such and acting completely unreasonably. Now that is smoke and mirrors. Please go back to your SGI media relations strategists and tell them the jig is up, the "Dirham" profile isn't working anymore, it's cover has been blown.
DeleteAs for the poor suffering SGI members who are fed this equally crafty manipulation, the best way is to distance yourself from an org that increasingly uses cult tactics, get close to the Gosho, keep yourself informed and make your decision based on your own life, trusting your own Daimoku and after conducting careful research of all the players in the Nichiren, Lotus Sutra landscape. Personally, I'd advise keep away from involving yourself deeply in any sect or org. until you've stepped back for 6 months to a year and focussed solely if Daimoku, faith, practice and study and have got a good grasp of the various Nichiren sects and orgs. Be a light unto yourself. Then if you have to practice with a community, choose wisely and don't allow yourself to get suckered in (again).
To such SGI members who are having their lives, lifeforce, and finances diverted for others enrichment and gain, I wish you well in your escape and search.
Please remember, all it takes is to "become upright gentle and peaceful and yearning to see the Buddha" if you do that, if you free up your brain space by disengaging from the cult videos, manipulative cult promotion materials ("books", "lectures", "Guidance" etc.) as well as from its activities and you simply focus on Daimoku and gosho study with that yearning to see the Buddha, without fail he will appear and start teaching you the Law. Keep doing that, soon you will leave the bad dream behind and will be able to help others. :)
This doesn't make me a hypocrite I know what SGI teaches also, but it goes to show that temple members have their own beliefs and understanding of the Gosho and us studying lotus sutra daily.. We have brains not sheep like Soka Gakkai chanting abracadabra nammohoogengekoo like zombies on Ritalin but don't delve on the NICHIREN SHOSHU doctrines that they inherited from the temple. Members think for themselves, yes we tow the party line because our doctrines are hardcore but even members disagree with kotos in Hokkeko meetings and this is OK!!!!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Dai Gohonzon it is PROHIBITED to ask material benefits from the high sanctuary of the essential teachings. The LIES that Soka Gakkai have told people we chant for material benefits is an SGI INVENTION. Humility and piety is highly valued in our religion but Soka Gakkai thinks having big houses and Mercedes Benz constitute permanent happiness... It is prohibited to ask the Dai Gohonzon material benefits! Any priest who says this is to be admonished by the laity. It goes to show Daisaku Ikeda will do anything for money, if poor temple members or kids don't have money, Shakyamuni said you can offer 3 ways... Body, mind and law.,. When you help the priest or make physical contributions by Gongyo. Or assisting at services or volunteering at temple book shop or cleaning temple in weekends, this is already good karma and good offering. Why SGI members tell us you can ask Gohonzon for mortgage and rent money is horribly scandalous!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Dai-Gohonzon, it is fake.
DeleteRegarding documentary proof of NS High Priests having direct lineage to Nichiren Daishonin, they were forged.
Why would anyone choose to belong to any group that has altered and fabricated teachings that give its leaders or priests a status they do not actually have, according to the teachings of Nichiren?
~Katie
That has nothing to do with my comment. My comment regards the asking for material benefits to the Dai Gohonzon. If you have problems questioning the authenticity of the potentiality of the Dai Gohonzon and NICHIREN SHOSHU's lineage, do us all a favor and WRITE a letter of complaint to Taisekiji. Geez Louise.
DeleteSorry? I am responding to your comment, actually. Wondering why anyone would consider the Soka Gakkai's LIES anymore egregious than Nichiren Shoshu's LIES -- In fact, you are pretty much in the same boat so far as altering and fabricating teachings goes.
DeleteIn any case, PROHIBITIONS in Nichiren's own writings, that NS and SGI have ignored apparently have escaped your notice--..
But that could be because you are waiting for one of your priests to tell you which PROHIBITIONS the Soka Gakkai are ignoring. LOL
~Katie
LOL Are you Retarded or Autistic? If you don't have the common sense to pay attention to the specific topic of my comment, don't waste my time making vague general comments that are UNRelated to what I talk about. I don't respond to comments that cannot remain what I ME MY talk about. Get that through your mushy head.
DeleteFurthermore, accusing me of Fabricating? What? I stated correctly what Taisekiji has said. If you don't like it, go send a complaint to Japan. As far as prohibitions, I did not give you permission to tell me what or whatnot my priests have told me. You dont know me in my personal life and you have no knowledge on what my priests have told me in real time. You are just another mouth making stupid assumptions about people you know nothing about. Please go seek clinical therapy.
I was referring to this statement by you :
Delete"Regarding the Dai Gohonzon it is PROHIBITED to ask material benefits from the high sanctuary of the essential teachings."
Are you one of Donald Trump's campaign managers? If not, then you have missed your calling...
:-) Katie
dirham, there is no doubt that the sgi abuses the real teachings. so has the shoshu. who prohibites material prayers to the dai gohonzon? the priesthood? when did they start teaching that?
DeleteThe only problem we have with NICHIREN Shu is that they keep putting esoteric practices from other Budhdist sects into their beliefs which has been a conflict even when NICHIREN Daishonin was alive. It seems that NICHIREN shu will never change their ways and it is OK. We don't mind they have the material goods Nichiren used when he was alive. We can permit our temple members and priest to visit their shrines because of historical value. What we will not tolerate is the desecration of NICHIREN conviction that mixing esoteric religions with NICHIREN SHOSHU is permissible. It is not. So if they don't want to change, then don't. In addition their head priests dare to use our Tsurumaru crane symbol on their uniform with different colors trying to copy our style. I know this sounds petty but NICHIREN SHOSHU is territorial about its doctrines. Why NICHIREN Shu keeps adding and adding and adding foreign religious and other Buddhist practice in their beliefs is beyond my mind. They should be buddhist Unitarian but it's OK... We can tolerate because even though it is mixed Buddhism at least they know how to properly recite Daimoku. Statues are OK, this is already a longstanding tradition. We have statues inside Taisekiji too. Not an issue as long as we don't offer incense to the physical representation of a Buddha... Only calligraphic is OK.
ReplyDeleteYou know Dirham, here I've criticized Nichiren Shoshu mercilessly and no less the Nichiren Shu. Very few people actually follow Nichiren and none of the sects.
DeleteI see that Mark. That's fine and you are entitled to criticize "mercilessly" not that your criticisms have any solid effect on Temple members... SGI members for sure, but NICHIREN SHOSHU members are solid and devoted to their religion. So criticize away.
DeleteMany who post here and several people on ARBN [alternate religion of Buddhism Nichiren] were temple members and are now disciples and believers of Nichiren thanks to my efforts and the efforts of others. Your religion is heterodox to the core and a disgrace. You shame Nichiren and Shakyamuni Buddha.
DeleteYou only converted these people because They were only temple members resulting of the split from SGI. They were embittered by the Shohondo and the excommunication decree and will Never recover from this emotional trauma. Regardless, These people are old now in their 50s and 60s and 70s and are a fecal byproduct by the schism of NICHIREN Shoshu and SGI. At this point, we ALL regret what happened and I will agree with that SGI member who told you to MOVE ON MAN MOVE ON!!!!
DeleteActually Dirham, I have been mostly independent for the past 28 years, discovering "Eagle Peak" just recently, I deeply appreciate the spirit of converting to practicing as Nichiren's disciples- so revolutionary, yet so down to earth.
Delete- " These people " you claim are convert material for Mark's blog participants... because they, as you say ,"are old now in their 50s and 60s and 70s and are a fecal byproduct by the schism of NICHIREN Shoshu and SGI"-- , yeah, about these people, Dirham. I am 62, so like it or not, I guess you are talking about me-- ?
Thanks for reminding me that Tyco drums and linen robes aren't much of a disguise for the law devouring hungry spirits that waged this "religious" battle that lead to the schism with SGI's caldron headed demons.
~Katie
Some people now and some later. Most convert themselves when they truly investigate the teachings of Nichiren, believe in them, and compare them to the teachings of the modern sects to which I am familiar. Probably, there is a small branch of the Fuju Fuse sect that believes and practices as Nichiren teaches. Nichiren Shoshu is among the least faithful.
DeleteSoka Gakkai members who join our temple are so IGNORANT... Just ignorant beyond belief. We will not be surprised one day if they declare Ikeda Daisaku to be a Buddha for worship or bodhisatva with the right to transcribe his own Gohonzon. And you people tolerate SGI like friends... They are not friends, they corrupt Buddhism by removing traditions to suit the world... At what expense? So they can conquer the world with a false and distorted sense of kosen Rufu? This is deplorable.
ReplyDeleteI respect you all as independent because your foreign atheism is very strong and this is OK. The world is round and everyone is entitled to agree to disagree. I'm not born into this religion but it makes sense to me so you have to do what makes sense to you too. But if you think Soka Gakkai is leading people into happiness you are WRONG. SGI is a money leeching monster intent on destroying any trace of traditional Buddhism and not just NICHIREN SHOSHU but any religious aspect in the world. They think that they can lotus sutra to gain followers but their enemy IS traditional religious Buddhism because we can point out their flaws when exposed.
ReplyDeleteSays YOU. Who died and made you the judge of good and evil? You don't sit on a throne, you are just an armchair expert. You are no priest, and you are not the high priest of NICHIREN SHOSHU. Your words have no weight except in this blog you share in the Internet.
DeleteFurthermore, WTF is black and white? Evil and good? Yin and Yang? Thelma and Louise? Please do NOT waste my time with vague generalities. I give respect by getting into specifics, so if you dislike what I have to say---Specify! Don't follow that other retarded commenter.
Do you know who Nichiren entrusted with his two most important writings? Hint, it wasn't Nikko. It wasn't even a priest. Nichiren teaches:
Delete"For example, it is said that at the beginning of a kalpa of formation one of the Brahmā kings descended from the heavens and gave birth to the various beings who inhabit the six paths.3 Just as Brahmā is then the parent of all those beings, in the same way Shakyamuni Buddha is parent to all living beings in this world. Shakyamuni is the enlightened teacher for all the living beings in this country of ours as well. It is thanks to our teacher that we can know who our parents are; it is owing to Shakyamuni Buddha that we can distinguish black from white."
Because you have your head stuck up so far the High Priests ass, rather than a deep and abiding reverence for Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren, you can not distinguish between black and white.
Also, Nichiren taught that ignorance IS evil, so aren't you an extremely evil man?
Ha!!!! I am an excellent judge of character and I am very sharp and academically accomplished with crude blunt personality. I always call it like I see it and let me tell you Mister! Our NICHIREN SHOSHU priests are kind, humble, compassionate and thoroughly and consistently FIRM with our Buddhist doctrines. If they tried to play BS on me or my members, I have NO problem telling you or any stranger on an open platform. More importantly, if there was an ounce of arrogance in our priests, I would NOT be a Nichiren Shoshu temple member. So QUIT that BS about evil boogeyman priests. You have enough credibility to not over generalize clerics by lumping all apples into one basket. SGI leaders on the other hand defy gravity by making Ikeda daisaku into a golden calf criticizing ANYONE who dares to question his honorary degrees or faked humanism speeches.
DeleteMany of Nichiren Shoshu's doctrines are a fabrication of evil minded priests, exactly who the Lotus Sutra warns us about. Wake up!
DeleteBy Katsuko Metzger
DeleteHahalu'u, Hawaii
On August 20, 1966, the groundbreaking ceremony for the first Nichiren Shoshu temple was conducted in Hawaii on land donated by President Ikeda. The following year, on May 13, 1967, the Gohonzon Enshrining Ceremony was conducted by High Priest Nittatsu Shonin.
The third priest to arrive at the temple was Chief Priest Gensho Nishino. Mr. Nishino had a pet bird that he loved very much. There were times when the bird got out of the cage and flew all over the Gohonzon room. I was very surprised at Mr. Nishino's careless attitude toward keeping the Gohonzon room clean.
On August 18, 1979, the Soka Gakkai donated a new temple located in Kaneohe, Hawaii. The Gohonzon enshrining ceremony held there was conducted by the fourth chief priest, Mr. Sugano. In 1980, Nikken and twenty-four priests visited Honsei-ji on their way back to Japan after a trip to the mainland.
After evening gongyo, the priests went to change their clothes. The conversation overheard among the priests was surprising. They said things to each other like: "Hey! You stupid bald head! Throw my clothes to me!" Here you go, you dumb priest!" I could not believe my ears. I never imagined priests spoke to each other with such disrespect. That night there was a dinner party for the priests and I was very surprised to see the amount of liquor they were drinking. It was then that I lost all respect for the priesthood.
In 1983, my husband and I moved to the island of Maui as managers for the Maui Community Center. The fifth chief priest, Tokudo Takeda, visited Maui several times for the Gohonzon conferral ceremony. He didn't want to stay at any of the convenient hotels, saying they were too cheap. He chose to stay in the most luxurious hotel on Maui. He also requested the best restaurants for meals.
My husband made it a point to always be at the airport early whenever Mr. Takeda came to Maui. On one occasion, the plane arrived earlier than scheduled and unintentionally my husband was a few minutes late. As soon as Mr. Takeda saw my husband, he yelled at him. "I was about to find a taxi!" My husband was very surprised at his impatience and rudeness regarding this situation.
In 1984, Shido Takahashi was assigned to Hawaii. On one occasion, while visiting Maui, he became inebriated. He then began boasting about a situation that had recently occurred. "Last month, I got a speeding ticket in my sports car. I enjoy racing cars," he said, "so as soon as I'm in my car I'm tempted to speed." As he drank a little more, he talked about how he enjoyed karaoke and suggested having a karaoke party during Christmas. He said he had purchased expensive karaoke equipment soon after he had arrived in Hawaii.
continued...
DeleteOn another occasion, one early morning my husband and I went to the hotel to pick up Mr. Takahashi as he was to conduct the Gohonzon conferral ceremony. Upon our arrival, Mr. Takahashi said, "I overslept this morning," and went to the car with his face unwashed. We thought he would go directly to the site of the ceremony, but instead, he insisted on eating breakfast first. After the ceremony, on the way back to the hotel, he went shopping. I wondered when he planned to do morning gongyo.
Mr. Takahashi became deeply involved with ham radios. He even brought his radios to the Maui Community Center and made the members set up an antenna so he could communicate with other operators.
In my opinion, his behavior was like a spoiled son of a rich family playing with his toys and spending his time and money on his hobby.
One day Mr. Takahashi talked to my husband and me about his car, which was only a year old: "I'm bored with my sports car. I'll sell it to you for a good price. How about $10,000?" It was like a dream for us, since we were driving a ten-year-old dilapidated car. We really wanted it but didn't have the money. He said, "How about you pay me whenever you have the money?" We declined the proposal. I still can't understand his easygoing attitude toward money.
When the present priesthood problem arose, we had already moved back to Honolulu. At a temple service on January 13, 1991 Mr. Takahashi said to the audience: "As you may know, there is a conflict in the relationship between the priesthood and the Soka Gakkai. It is you who had the hardest time without a temple, and it is you who know this difficulty best."
The atmosphere in the room became serious and gloomy. Indeed, there was a time when there had been no temple in Hawaii, and a priest would visit once or twice a year from California to perform ceremonies.
Then he said, "You have supported this temple for a long time and I feel grateful. Therefore, I'll protect you even risking my own life. No matter what may happen between the priesthood and the Gakkai, at least in Hawaii, let's advance together in unity." We felt moved by his words but the truth was, he had previously mailed out hundreds of letters to the members of Hawaii slandering President Ikeda and instructing them to leave the SGI. When I found out about this, I became angry. I thought, "What did he mean by 'even risking his life' he would protect the members of Hawaii?" It is the Gakkai members and President Ikeda who have been protecting the temple and supporting various services at the temple, as well as donating money.
Now Mr. Takahashi is working steadily to increase his temple members through phone calls and letters without much success.
[This experience is from a book titled "Voices of the New American Renaissance. Vol. 6]
Contrast their behavior to the Daishonin's or Reverend Kubota's. When we met in Oregon we all stayed at the same motel, ate the same food, and discussed nothing but Buddhism. In New York, he stayed at our house for four days. He did gongyo every morning at 6:00 am and then again when we woke up at 7:00 or 8:00 am and he was 79 years old. His clothes, though impeccably clean, were 40 years old. When we went out together he always chose to eat the least expensive thing on the menu, first looking to see what everyone else ordered so as to not be extravagant. When we went out to the street fares, he would eat Pizza and hot dogs along side of us. The "gourmet" food he most enjoyed in New York was bagles and lox. He was as overjoyed as a child to receive trinkets such as the empire state building and the statue of liberty and he had presents for everyone. When John Watt had a baby, he sent him two hundred dollars. He would try his best to shakabuku everyone, the concierges, the people in the street, the porters, our friends and neighbors. Rev. Kubota is a true priest and a humble human being.
It is very Easy to answer your question, and you can apply this same answer the rest of your spiritual grievances against NICHIREN SHOSHU.
DeleteAs NICHIREN SHOSHU members, we abide by the guidance and interpretation of the temple priesthood regarding Buddhist doctrines. Simple and clean.
Now if you need that retranslated for you, please see the Oxford dictionary. If you have a problem with the dictates and edicts of Organized Religion, go complain to POPE FRANCIS.
What is there to lament? Organized religion is a useless concept to a true believer and disciple of Nichiren.
DeleteCorrecting your erroneous beliefs that really boil down to you being hoodwinked in terms of what NS claims is authentically related to Nichiren or his teachings-- is not a spiritual grievance...it is practicing as Nichiren taught.
~Katie
Here hear!
DeleteDirham, is your "beautiful Mac's" Retina screen playing up again? I think it must be if you think we treat SGI like friends or think they lead people to happiness. Try cleaning your screen then re read the blog and comments carefully. And a clean screen will make your "beautiful Mac" even more shiny and desirable.:)
ReplyDeleteShut up I don't have time for your childish insults.
ReplyDeleteHello Dirham ,
DeleteI joined NST for a bit after Nikken excommunicated --whomever--from the SGI. The differences between the two are superficial, the similarities are substantial.
Sorry you don't see NS flaws there, where you are sitting, but from here your nit picky criticisms and rudeness look like you are suffering from the same poison SGI is drinking.
~Katie
I don't give a rats àss if you were an ex temple or an Ex SGI member. Your membership is VOID and is useless to NICHIREN SHOSHU. The only poison you are spreading is your inability to stay on topic of what I talk about. If you have your emotional grievances against High Priest Nikken, you ought to know it TAKES BALLS to excommunicate the Sokoto of SGI members. The fact that he did that and we have our doctrines intact and preserved WITH the Dai-Gohonzon in our hands and growing membership speaks our victory against the bleeding SGI. You are the emotional casualty of the NSA/SGI temple split. I suggest you find another religion, become an atheist or join Unitarians. Whatever you choose, find some happiness in your life before you turn Seníle.
DeleteWell, there it is!! Actual proof--
DeleteDirham, professed NST member, having just as much trouble sharing the teachings of his illegitimate Nichiren sect- with compassion-- as the two young men in this video from Ikeda Wisdom Academy claimed was their greatest obstacle to shakubuku--
The only difference Dirham, may be that you won't admit you are doing shakubuku with weapons-- not the teachings of Nichiren and damned sure without an ounce of compassion--.
The ill effects of these no-honzons inscribed by High Priests of NS are beginning to look like a syndrome--
~Katie
Dirham, does your priest speak English? If so, or even if his English is not great, invite him to come here to discuss the teachings with my priest, Shinkei Marcheso.
Delete"It's easy to laugh at the oxymoron Ikeda Wisdom but when you see it in action, so carefully crafted and cynical, it becomes deadly serious." ... Frightening!
ReplyDeleteI'm having flashbacks of Guy Mccloskey's dramatizations of the "oneness of mentor and disciple"-- from 1989 at the kai kan in Washington D.C.
DeleteHe was pumped for a lengthy monologue every time he returned from Japan, where he was still aglow from spending quality time with "Sensei--"-- walking through cemeteries, for instance.
Did you know that "Sensei" shares the Mystic Law with the deceased-- even though he never met them when they were alive and doesn't particularly notice their names on their grave markers.
Guy McCloskey wiped the grin off of my face when he said, in a deadly serious manner, " We can barely grasp the theoretical teachings , but "Sensei" is connected on an "essential" level, that transcends even death." --- and a hush fell over the audience.
Then there was the time he got all choked up talking about how he had worked in some capacity with the U.S. department of Defense-- or maybe it was in relation to weapons? The details escape my memory, but, the message Guy drove home, as tears welled up in his eyes, I will never forget. He claimed that he owed the greatest debt of gratitude to "Sensei" for awakening him to the horrors of war, and encouraging him to challenge his *cape of fear*, which had something to do with a career change.
I don't remember Guy talking much about the Gosho, Nichiren or the Lotus Sutra when he was Jt. Territory Chief in the Washington D.C./ Maryland area. He and his wife Doris were transferred to Chicago around the time of the split with NST... When I emailed him in 1998 in regards to the disbanding of my district here in the Boston area, I appealed to his "bond" with "sensei", telling him how devoted I had been to realizing "sensei's" vision regarding community level districts becoming visible and supportive of their communities. My district's town had finally acquired an Arts center, and I was prohibited from giving the experience about our district members hosting an Arts festival and promoting the town's culture departments vision for the Arts center. I was told this is NOT an SGI activity-- and furthermore, I was the 'poison" that made it necessary to disband my district. Guy replied, "Trust your leaders, and support the central figure." Oh well--
This installment of Ikeda Wisdom Academy was filmed at the Chicago Culture Center. -- I can see Mr. McCloskey's signature leadership style has impressed these two young impressionable men.
I'm with Greg, nauseated, about to throw up :-/
~Katie
dirham, you are howling at the moon. there is absolutely no way that the sgi/nst can debate/argue the lotus sutra /nichirens teachings. you look at the gakkai and you find it very easy to see how far they have strayed from the true teachings. no secret here. the priests and the temple members know fully well that it is pointless to engage the sgi membership in any kind of honest discussion about buddhism. actually, everybody finds that out and has that experience. the nichiren shoshu stopped trying to talk to the sgi leaders/members 20 years ago. they gave up and snuggled in their temples. whats absurd here is that nichiren shoshu can't see that, in essence, they are the same as the gakkai. the shoshu has had 650 years to create their own version of what nichiren taught, but the problem is that what they teach(nst) does not match what the buddha or nichiren taught. the sgi is the product of shoshu and they are no different, except possibly more aggressive. .shoshu was a tiny little/poor sect in japan until the birth of the gakkai. the shu , who clings to provisional teachings, has always been much larger. at least they chanted a correct daimoku. the shoshu sent their young priest wanna be's to study in shu schools.
ReplyDeletethe gakkai has ikeda and its politics. shoshu has the dai gohonzon and the authoritarian high priest. nichiren promoted nothing like that. neither cult follows shakyamuni buddha or his emissary(teacher) for the latter age, nichiren.
regarding buddhism and its teachings, arbitrary opinion does not fly here. so if you post comments be sure to back them up with using the teachings. both sgi and the shoshu are guilty of, "nichiren said this, but really meant that". nichiren meant exactly what he said. so lets discuss it and see what shakes out. don't be like the sgi. if, like them you cannot honestly discuss the teachings, you don't belong here. if what you say goes against what nichiren taught, it won't fly here.
feel free to invite jeff silver(koto) and the head priest in los angeles as well. cheers!
We won't call the cops [like them].
Deletedirham, your comments are starting to sound like the response of the nembutsu when nichiren shakubukued them. settle down. lets take this opportunity to have a good discussion of what has been taught. if your priests don't follow nichiren, nichiren has told you not to follow them. yes?
ReplyDeleteDirham,you do well at expressing the delusions and arrogance of you cult.
ReplyDeleteHow many of your priests do you actually know? Do you understand thd Fourfold Rise and Fall? It is the basis of your theology. If you dont know what it means then how is it you consider yourself able to discuss Nichiren's teachings? Can you read kanji? Have you read the more than 100 gosho that are not in english or other languages? You are in a religion that you have a very minimal understanding of,yet think you are all knowing re the doctrine. Wake up!
Gassho
信恵本朝沙門
I note my earlier comment has been deleted but I would urge caution.
ReplyDeleteI observe the following what has Dirham presented and what messages have been conveyed? This is my take.
Nichiren Shu is a "sect" with homogeneous beliefs rather than an umbrella with a range of doctrinal positions. All of it mixes "occult and witchcraft" with Nichiren's teaching.
Nichiren Shoshu tolerate a range of positions, the True Buddha isn't really that important, members can believe Shakyamuni if they want.
Shoshu is also likely to be a hostile place for SGI members thinking of moving across. Their members are the kind of people like Dirham who will use language like "are you retarded or autistic".
Independents are misguided or don't really know their stuff but they're insignificant.
Where has all this occurred? In a thread about SGI mentor-disciple teaching, directly critical to SGI.
When did that activity ramp up? When an analysis that tracked that manipulative narrative appeared.
So who benefits? And more importantly, who is the intended audience?
I will leave others to draw their conclusions. I have drawn mine.
Hi MPB
Delete"Shoshu is also likely to be a hostile place for SGI members thinking of moving across. Their members are the kind of people like Dirham who will use language like "are you retarded or autistic".
Some of the NST members were very similar in the way Dirham speaks and others were quite diplomatic and thoughtful in their choice of words while communicating their ideas. We cant lump them all into the same basket as they all have different temperaments like anywhere else
Mike the Troll moderator of the NST debate club cut off all communication with me with the excuse that he didn't have proof that my name was Noel.
He runs the NST Lotus Sutra debate club (don't know if he still does at it was over a year ago) and unlike Mark he doesn't listen to others opinions, just pontificates the ugliest aspects of the authoritarian Shoshu dogma .
I was asking for proof of the authenticity of the Dai Gohonzon which really infuriated him and other NST bloggers, that's the real reason he gave me red card.
I didn't refuse to talk to them because they couldn'y prove to me the authenticity of their Dai Gohonzon. I think I have the moral high ground on this one for a change
DEBATE CLUB POLICIES:
1 This is an open group and all applicants are accepted.
2.When approved as a member, please introduce yourself briefly including the name of your Buddhist school or sect you belong to, where you live, etc.
3. Spamming of any kind is disallowed. Two warnings will be issued and on the third offense the offender will be deleted and permanently banned without further notice.
4. This is a friendly group. Please maintain an attitude of respect and speak in a polite and dignified manner.. Do not use insulting words in reference to individuals or the particular sect(s). Trolls will be given the same two warnings given in rule 3.
'Welcome to Debate Club for Lotus Sutra. Thank you for your participation and cooperation.'
If you don't believe me about what they are like go there and find out for yourself how nice and nasty they can be but perhaps you don't need to as you have already drawn your conclusion
Hi Mudpie,
DeleteI don't know what category I fit into, or what label I have earned by participating in this very unique shakubuku opportunity, but I appreciate this venue for practicing shakubuku. It is a difficult practice, for me, the most challenging aspect of practicing Nichiren's teachings.
I think it is beneficial to practice the practice of shakubuku on-line as opposed to face to face. I appreciate the reduction in emotional input and the learning opportunity in this group. Mark, Greg and Shinkei are obviously more practiced and polished than I am, with better command of the teachings and less affected by the horrific, nasty, mean spirited personal attacks.
First time I have joined in a group or community of believers uniting for the sake of protecting the Law. I appreciate how really inept I am at rebuking slander, though having this discussion thread to read and study, I see clearly that my shortcomings are mostly due to being distracted by the harsh words and insults of this NST member and how that influenced my tone and my responses more toward the personal and not correctly directed at asserting the correct teaching and concisely pointing out his errors--as Mark, greg and shinkei so eloquently demonstrated.
Shakubuku, as Nichiren practiced it had an element of sharing and processing the debate or the remonstration, etc. This is apparent in letters Nichiren wrote to his strongest disciples.And this can be done in this on-line venue, I believe., as you have initiated a critique of this fiery debate.
In. "The Teaching That Accords With The Buddha's Mind", Nichiren writes:
"And so, when I, neither hesitating to speak out nor fearing others, tell them frankly that they are ignorant persons who have misunderstood the true meaning of the Buddhist teachings, and that they are slanderers of the Law; when I deliver a sharp rebuke to them, mindful of the Thus Come One's golden words "You should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha's teaching" and trusting in the passage of scripture that reads, "we will be envoys of the World-Honored One facing the assembly without fear"; when I do this, censuring those who "suppose they have attained what they have not attained, being proud and boastful in heart", then how can they fail to turn upon me with hared and jealousy?"
I keep firmly in mind that Nichiren emphasized that one could not hope to attain enlightenment without rebuking slander of the Law, as this is the only way we expiate our own sins of slander---
So, I found this very beneficial and valuable for anyone with a seeking mind who encounters this site, or is directed to it :-)
~Katie
,
katie, cheers to both you and mudpie.
Deletereal buddhism teaches: when the law is in danger of being lost(perish), at a great risk one should do everything one can to not allow this happen. even though, to a degree, myoho renge kyo has spread. what we see is not the upholding of the law, but the slander of it. in other words what we see in the world today is not the benefit, but the punishment. not the buddhas land, but the opposite. long story short, it is very difficult for people to uphold real buddhism. not because of rules and regulations, and unnecessary prodigal , but because one has to stand up straight and face the world as it really is, and while doing so, people will say mean/untrue/ugly things about you. difficult to believe and difficult to understand. this is in fact, the teachings. there is land for a temple. right now, the sangha/temple is the internet. right now this blog is the lions roar. planting seeds, planting seeds. just thinking.
the buddha was no liar when he foretold about the hostility toward the lotus sutra and its upholders in the latter age. why so? because the lotus sutra censors wrong thought/behavior/provisional teachings. i forget the exact quote, but it is all there. my experience with either the sgi, or the shoshu, has been, as long as one follows the party-line regardless of what the teachings say, all is fine. bahh, bahh! , snore. truth: under a bright light, both ikeda and his brain-dead, the priesthood and its lambs for slaughter, are petty and mean. neither are capable of an honest discussion about the teachings.
ReplyDeletethe sgi will talk to you until you see it their way. until you confess to something you didn't do. then go pat themselves on the back. if that doesn't work , the threats begin. if you behave yourself, the shoshu may grant you an audience with a 16 year old priest-wanna-be. after that , its their way or the highway. both; what they practice is not faith in the lotus sutra as nichiren did. instead what they practice is doubt in the sutra and doubt in yourself. take a hard look dirham. cheers.
Thanks for your insights.
ReplyDeleteHi Katie,
Delete"Hi Mudpie,
I don't know what category I fit into, or what label I have earned by participating in this very unique shakubuku opportunity, but I appreciate this venue for practicing shakubuku. It is a difficult practice, for me, the most challenging aspect of practicing Nichiren's teachings"
I arise and greet you from afar (as I would the Buddha), does that answer your question? Likewise, Mark, Greg, Noel and Shinkei or any other contributors who have sincere seeking mind and the compassion to try and get people to embrace and follow the Law and get them closer to Nichiren's teaching, and help them develop correct faith in the Sutra.
My caution was urged because I simply don't think Dirham is as he presents himself. That is my view based on his tone, style, inconsistency with what I know about NS practice and doctrine.
DeleteWhat is clear is that his contribution diverted discussion away from the specific topic thread away from mentor madness. Again others may disagree but do I think that is coincidental? No.
If it is not, then who benefits? And who then is the intended audience for his posting?
I'm with you on the value of this blog and it's contributors but like Nichiren, those who are threatened will use any means to attack it. Some attacks are obvious, others not so obvious. In Nichiren's time enemies ambushed or spread false rumours.
The words that keep repeating in my head are "credible alternative". It seems to me that if one can disparage other avenues, then one can create a situation where believers who are trapped in an organisation (and it could be any of them) have no credible alternative, therefore they will stick where they are.
Perhaps it's just something we all need to bear in mind to ensure discussion doesn't go too far of track from the topic without squashing discussion.
I always want there to be a credible alternative and this to be it. To do that we need to use our collective experience, knowledge and wisdom but also ensure that we are not hijacked by the agendas of others, be they individual or organisational trolls.
Maybe my backstage years skews my perception. I'm sensitive to misdirection and things that seem too coincidental as Dirham posting in SGI related threads does. In such a situation, I wonder what's going on backstage.
The question in my mind is for those young people in the video and all the others who are influenced, what do they do if they start to realise the narrative has been carefully crafted and start to have doubts? What happens if they are reading this thread and it's comments?
How might you react if you were an SGI member, bearing in mind the video, and then someone threw out a 'them and us' challenges like Diram's:
"because our doctrines are hardcore" or
"you are entitled to criticize "mercilessly" not that your criticisms have any solid effect on Temple members... SGI members for sure, but NICHIREN SHOSHU members are solid and devoted to their religion."?
Especially if you're a YMD member, would this not be likely to push you back into SGI tribalism?
And if so, what are you going to do? Remember, this is supposedly coming from an organisation (NS) that you have been taught is evil and is the direct opposition that is out to attack you and your org. Would not defense response take over?
If so, you're probably going to try prove that poster wrong, how do you do that? By embracing more firmly the Gakkai line. And any thoughts you had about listening to Independents, well your not going to do that now because you've been dared by your opponent, who has already trivialized and disparaged them.
Are you really going to take note of Independents when the evil Shoshu poster won't? Remember this is a competition if your in tribal mode...
..And go back, look at the capitalisation in Diram's posting. What trigger words are being emphasised, where is attention being directed?
DeleteLook at this:
"Soka Gakkai is leading people into happiness you are WRONG"
Why is it there? Nobody said that, they didn't even hint it, Diram can read, so why is it there and who is that intended for?
It's not forum contributors, that seems clear.
So what job is it designed to do?
Others may disagree but I don't think this is innocent careless posting, I also don't think it's coincidental that Durham's activity went stratospheric after the post that analysed the video's narrative.
Notice how he didn't refer to that at all in subsequent posts? He took the discussion away from the video content.
So I'm looking backstage to see what's going on and to my eye, strings are bring being pulled, attention is being focussed where Dirham wants it.
It's too stagey, too rehearsed, all too cued for my liking. It's easy to misdirect an audience if you make enough noise and whip up emotions. It's well to be aware don't you think?
Mudpie, it seems me that Dirham's identity and motivation for commenting here , all of the personal stuff about him/her is a distraction from the glaring distortions of Nichiren's teachings/ practice he/she posted here. Disrupting or attempting to disrupt the sincere practice of genuine disciples of Nichiren is the goal of those who have not been able to take faith in the True teachings . To witness this kind of attack on "Eagle Peak" is mind blowing - for me. I have been through the disbanding of my district - and recently read an experience here that mirrored mine - ( the day the mirror cracked)
ReplyDeleteFor me this is definitely a indication that there is a real sangha here - one dedicated to the teachings of Nichiren in practice . Not just in theory . The response to Dirham was a crucial aspect of Nichiren's practice / shakubuku - the real version .
I did notice that not only did Dirham appear just after your critique of the content of the video - very specific descriptions of his off these kids are and the effects of practicing false doctrines and following Ikeda- and the response to your first comment -"SHUT UP"
Pretty obvious this was probably evoked by what you posted before Dirham showed up .
I also wonder if it is part of the agenda of both NST & SGI - to focus on fuel on the feud between these kissing cousins - as a distraction from everything that is more about really practicing Nichiren's teachings.
Funny - they both think they are superior / and that they are the only choices --
Dr. Seuss wrote a story , " The Zax" - pretty much what NST & SGI looks like from Eagle Peak. . It has a brilliant ending.
~Katie
Thanks Katie, you're right and I'd never really thought of the "kissing cousins" angle. What I do see is that both reflect each other and then fight with their reflections.
ReplyDeleteThey make the other the bad guy to try wrestle believers who have accepted the central fallacy that runs through both organisations, transmission through a human lineage, to their respective sides.
Both are wrong in terms of Nichiren 's teaching and the transmission fallacy s exactly that. One simply needs faith in the correct object of worship. It solely depends on what each person does in their own life to develop correct faith, deepen it and put it into practice.
The only source we need to do that is Nichiren and the only thing we need to do is practice and study, which as Nichiren points out, arises from faith.
Get that going and it becomes a virtuous cycle, practice and study deepen faith and broaden understanding, which in turn makes study and practice more effective, which then deepens faith and broadens understanding, which in turn deepens faith further...
It's the story of Nichiren 's life is it not, it's one of the things he showed us. All the while lifestate improves, though obstacles and devilish functions naturally arise, which Nichiren also warns about. When they do, they are asking to be overcome and transformed through practice of the Lotus Sutra, poison into medicine.
Again, all one needs to handle that is Nichiren and ones own sincerity, faith, practice and study.
It's a glorious teaching and effective too. Simple enough for anyone to grasp, the difficulty lies in the depths of one's resolve and determination to stick with it and master it. But that's the same with anything isn't it? We don't really need gyms and most membership go under used, very simple exercises and a daily routine that naturally incorporate physical activity are much cheaper and more effective. But some people love to belong to a gym. Maybe they think that bringing to one, even though they don't use it, will make them fitter and healthier just by virtue of the money going out of their bank account each month. Even those who do use their gym could get just as much benefit by taking responsibility for learning a good routine well and then using and improving it regularly. Or simply by living a more active life.
That's something no gym is likely to tell you and just as they bank on not everyone who they've sold a membership subscription to actually turning up regularly.
Nichiren Shoshu and SGI are just like gyms. They're not going to tell their members they could do better on their own, they're even going to get them to do harmful routines to sell something unique and keep their brand adherence. They don't really care about their membership, just make a show that they do, just so long as the monthly subscriptions roll in.
Thanks I'll check out "The Zax" :)
Delete"Both are wrong in terms of Nichiren 's teaching and the transmission fallacy s exactly that. One simply needs faith in the correct object of worship. It solely depends on what each person does in their own life to develop correct faith, deepen it and put it into practice.
The only source we need to do that is Nichiren and the only thing we need to do is practice and study, which as Nichiren points out, arises from faith"
Mudpie , I think this is why Dirham wanted you to, "SHUT UP"-- Your comment, the "analysis that tracked the manipulative narrative", exposed, rather than merely criticized SGI's main attraction, The Mentor/Disciple relationship.LOL
I remember pondering what it was like for followers of Nichiren in his time, to begin their practice and continue. They were not harassed into attending weekly meetings, monthly KR Gongyos, home visits from leaders, subscribing to WT and Living Buddhism. They weren't grilled about how twice daily Gongyo, how much daimoku they chanted, and reminded about personal goals they had not yet achieved and wouldn't IF they dropped out of "the organization".- AND their, Nichiren's original followers, questions were answered!!!
It wasn't long before I began to relate more to Shijo Kingo and Lady Nichimyo than my fellow members, as I could see many of my own traits in them and realized that though we were separated by hundreds of years and vastly different cultural influences, we were all born in The Latter Day. Konichi-bo--and the many other recipients of Nichiren's letters asked the questions that I was seeking answers to. Not only were Nichiren's followers able to develop pure faith, but they shared their direct connection to Nichiren, his letters, having also developed a faith based view of the future. I wanted only to be a part of Nichiren's *original* community of believers -- and one day I simply asked myself this question:
IF Nichiren could form a bond with Shakyamuni, under similar logistical barriers that separated me from Nichiren and his followers-- thru his correct faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra--WHY can't I form a bond with Nichiren and his followers?? Thus, the quest for correct faith and practice. There is no other obstacle.
~Katie
I am grateful to SGI for the opportunity to hear about The Law and having access to Nichiren's writings. In the same spirit Nichiren taught, I will strive to repay this debt of gratitude by attaining Buddhahood -- which is as impossible within SGI/NST as *teacher* as was impossible for Nichiren to practice the Lotus Sutra under Dozen-bo's instruction. Attaining Buddhahood entails rebuking the slander of SGI, and exposing their erroneous teachings.
DeleteWhat makes this so difficult??
SGI/NST are completely lacking in humility - neither can defer to Nichiren as the True Votary of the Lotus Sutra in The Latter Day, who FIRST recognized the great compassion of Shakyamuni Buddha and the supremacy of his teaching, The LS. Theirs is a circular self defeating logic that elevates Nichiren to a status he never claimed to have and demotes Shakyamuni, the Buddha Nichiren worshipped, and followed.
It is as though SGI/NST are saying :
"We are led by superior human beings who have become enlightened to the truth Nichiren left out of his *explicit* writings/teachings."
Yikes!
"We possess the secret teaching through a pure lineage that Nichiren did not reveal in his *explicit* writings. "
Yeah right..
"What is our secret teaching? Nichiren is the Original Buddha! "
How bizarre.
"HE, Nichiren, was too humble to admit it."
Maybe you should strive to develop some of the humility Nichiren, your original buddha demonstrated ?--just saying'
"Come join us as we disregard what this Buddha wrote and the life he lived--in the not so distant past."
Huh?
" But, please don't ask us (leaders/priests) any questions about the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni and the personal letters Nichiren wrote to his followers. None of this is relevant to achieving personal gain, comfortable circumstances and world peace."
So much for their enlightened wisdom...Maybe they are off on the secret teachings stuff, too?
" If you persist in asking these irrelevant questions, we will insist that you abide by our answers. "-- or--
else... "don't ask about that either"
"We aren't living in Nichiren's time - our challenges are different and thus we have created the practice that best accords with our time." PR from SGI/NST--
Duh? Aren't we still in The Latter Day of the Law?? 10,000 years
long, I think-- right>> Hey! Come back here, I don't get the "living in a different time" thing you just said...
" if you persist in asking questions about the *actual* teachings.."
Or else, what?
Ok, see ya,Bye!!
~Katie
Thanks Katie. I agree with Mark, great points, brilliantly put! Thanks :)
DeleteHi Katie,
Delete"I remember pondering what it was like for followers of Nichiren in his time, to begin their practice and continue. They were not harassed into attending weekly meetings, monthly KR Gongyos, home visits from leaders, subscribing to WT and Living Buddhism. They weren't grilled about how twice daily Gongyo, how much daimoku they chanted, and reminded about personal goals they had not yet achieved and wouldn't IF they dropped out of "the organization".- AND their, Nichiren's original followers, questions were answered!!!"
What a great take, I also try to imagine the same. In fact it's one if the guides I use "If I asked Nichiren, how would he react?". In that, his letters to his followers consistently demonstrate gratitude, warmth, care, respect and flexibility. He seems to tailor each letter with that person in mind, always encouraging correct faith and pointing out any errors and distortions that could damage faith & practice. He dispenses good advice but in a respectful way. Marvelous! :)
I'm glad you mentioned Shigo Kingo, I'm likewise pulled by his characteristics and the relationship with Nichiren. Abutsu Bo and his wife are others who I relate to.
I think you can develop a direct relationship as you mentioned, which is also partly SGI's current line. The problem for them is that they then reintroduce the lineage concept and work hard to create the gateway of the "3 Presidents" and "Mentor" Ikeda and funnel everyone through it as the only way (in their words) to attain enlightenment.
Of course that doesn't fit with Nichiren's teaching, method, process or life. So to support their position they have to interpret both Gosho and Sutra Gosho to try and make it fit. The rest is history, selectively quoted Gosho passages, quoted out of context, heavy reliance in the Ongi Kuden, heavy reliance on sweeping (and often erroneous assertions "Sensei says", prioritisation of "guidance" over Gosho and interpreted Gosho and Sutra over direct reading.
You picked it all out so well in your second post.
Oh and of course - "Don't ask questions"...
I really liked your reminder of Dozen Bo, a Gosho that is selectively quoted, out of context, to death by both NST and SGI. Yet if read from the beginning and in its entirety, it becomes impossible to sustain the organisational claims of NST/SGI. I'm surprised SGI haven't done a damage limitation interpretive "lecture" on it as the did with On Attaining Buddhahood (2007), "Opening of the Eyes" (2009), and Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life (2009). Lool maybe they're working on it now they've got the Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra rolled out but they'll have to be quick Daisaku Ikeda is 88! Or maybe not, I guess they can always dig up some "unpublished" lectures that he'd "completed" bit were "undiscovered" in the bottom draw of his bedside cabinet (which nobody thought to look in before).
Lool the priests have always been up to it, they just have lots of oral teachings that were secret before but now it's OK to un-secret them. "He said but he really meant...yada, yada, yada," yawn.
Lool NST/SGI they do make a pair don't they? I can't get "kidding cousins" out of my head now, they're like peas in a pod.
I hope their respective believers make it out of those respective burning houses before they get consumed. I think you're a great help in getting them to the exit safely. :) Thanks.
Great points!
ReplyDeleteNichiren predominantly practiced shakubuku with his enemies and shoju with his disciples and believers. $GI predominantly practices shoju with the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and shakubuku with their own members. Everything is topsy turvy in the $GI.
ReplyDelete"$GI predominantly practices shoju with the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and shakubuku with their own members." Shakabuku with its own members? Lool, how's teaching them erroneous doctrines and directly damaging their faith and practice shakabuku? Sounds more like reverse-shakabuku to me "bend and break" attachment to correct doctrines (and replace the with third rate New Age provisional fads.
ReplyDeleteI think there might be a place for the likes of David Icke on the SGI Board yet!
I'm sure drawing an unbroken line back to the reptilian aliens that originally colonised the Earth (according to Icke)
might seem very attractive once the profit margins on the Nichiren market start to plummet. Plus Icke & Ike has a ring about it and they've got a lot in common.
Guru Ike(da)'s almost a Buddha for this age (well according to lots of his followers and he doesn't do much to counter that view, unless he really really has to).
At the moment he's just the eternal mentor for kosen rufu (along with the other 2 Presidents) - see humble eh! Not a Buddha yet, well not in public anyway...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Icke
"In In March 1991 Icke held a press conference to announce that he was a "Son of the Godhead" – a phrase he said later the media had misunderstood."
(Funny, the same year Guru Ike was wickedly and desperately excommunicated by naughty Nikken for trying to change the faith, well that and maybe playing just a tad too much Ode to Joy at a religious service and other sundry made up stuff and it was made up, Guru Ike has not changed faith or decline one iota since being kicked out...well maybe a micro iota but nothing big like the Gohonzon...well not yet anyway)
Guru Ike is also misunderstood by the media What a coincidence!
And they both find themselves in situations where other people start laughing at them through no fault of their own! "Icke said that a subsequent appearance on BBC's Wogan changed his life, turning him from a respected household name into a public laughing stock."...
"The headlines attracted an invitation to appear on Terry Wogan's BBC primetime chat show, Wogan, on 29 April 1991. When asked if he was claiming to be the son of God, Icke did not disagree and, amid laughter from the studio audience, he surmised that natural disasters would occur as the earth dispersed accumulated negative energy." That could almost be a line from one of Guru Ike's books on mentor-disciple!"
And they both write books! (Well Guru Ike has books written for him according to some but it's the same thing, his name is on the book covers).
So maybe the future for $GI is safe yet if the bottom drops out of the Nichiren market or it gets too expensive to keep up with the competition, there's always another way...just got to have a plan and move slow enough not to "confuse the members"...hmm do you think that was what Ode to Joy was all about a trial run to gauge reactions and feasibility, I hear the Evangelical market is booming right now... ;)
True True. I should have stated peaceful practices toward the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and forceful practices towards their own members.
ReplyDelete