"We who have the same mind as Nichiren do not need priests."
Straight from the SGI playbook, it is nothing other than "self satisfied understanding" and it is one of the 14 slanders. This belief will not result in Enlightenment. -- Shinkei Marcheso Disciple of Nichiren Daishonin.
agreed. if nichiren was here today, the sgi/nst and others would be pissing all over him. this saha world is indeed the land of slander.
ReplyDeletethe slanderers cannot bare to hear the real teachings. what a pity, what a shame. indeed, they refuse the medicine.
"We who have the same mind as Nichiren do not need priests."
ReplyDeleteIs it a coincidence that this is PART of a comment I posted on ABRN on July, 22nd?
You be the judge, this is my statement-- hardly from the SGI playbook:
"We who have the same mind as Nichiren do not need priests , leaders , or Mentors who have attained wealth and worldly status . "
Priests who have attained wealth and worldly status are those I have had met in the NST-- they are the originators of the heretical doctrines that SGI has further subverted into the Mentor/Disciple doctrine-- now considered by SGI as Requisite for attain Buddha hood.
My entire comment-- which should be taken in the context of refuting an Ikedabot who continuinally bashes sincere followers of Nichiren.
"There is no need for a "sect"- those who have the same mind as Nichiren can transcend differences and unite to propagate the Law- each in their own locale, environment. With this technology , we never have to meet face to face, much less establish temples , community centers , culture centers or found institutions , schools--nor do we need marketing experts or fundraising professionals or tax exempt status!
We who have the same mind as Nichiren do not need priests , leaders , or Mentors who have attained wealth and worldly status .
Nichiren and his followers are the Treasure of the Order for this latter age. Those who have selflessly devoted their abilities to procuring authentic Gosho, Nichiren Gohonzons, and correct translations of Nichiren's writings are most praise worthy.
SGIkeda represents the foremost amongst all heretical sects in committing grave slander of the Law.
Namu-Myoho- Renge-Kyo,
~Katie
Followers of Nichiren are familiar with his strictness regarding *good/correct teachers* and *good priests*-- "who is free from any fault in secular affairs, who never fawns over others even in the slightest, who desires and is satisfied with little, and who is a compassionate priest who reads and upholds the Lotus Sutra precisely as it teaches and encourages and leads others to embrace it. Such a priest the Buddha has praised among all priests as the finest teacher of the Law." )"Those Initially Aspiring to The Way")
I have not met a priest who is in any way different from the leaders I have known the past 28 years in SGI. I was specific in my comment. -
The slander in the SGI is so much deeper than their *Soka Spirit* propaganda-- The roots are deeply in a complete subversion of the teachings of Nichiren. Ironically, SGI and NST members are only correct when they point out the non-Buddhist behavior of each others' *leaders/priests*-- which essentially, are the same.
~Katie
I agree, when referring to the false Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu, Nipponzan Myohoji, and Honmon Butsuryu priests. However, as cited from the Nichiren Canon, there are Nichiren "disciples" [priests], "followers", "supporters", and "patrons'[laymen]. There is no Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism without a respected, faithful, and learned priestly class. Men [and women] who devote themselves one hundred percent to the Dharma without the "distraction" of work and family.
ReplyDeleteWho is *this priestly class* you are referring to? I have not met them, and still I experience agonizing ordeals for my devotion to the Lotus Sutra. Should I view my own practice as *lacking validity* because I am not in association with this so-called "priestly class"?
Delete~Katie
You may want to re read the four debts of gratitude and repaying debts of gratitude again.
ReplyDeleteHi Shinkei,
ReplyDeleteI deeply regret offending you in previous posts, and though I do not want to diminish the sincerely of my apology, I feel it is important to put my *views* into proper context.
By nature I am not one to categorize or label people. My 40 year nursing practice has helped me develop and refine genuine respect for individual differences. Unfortunately, I have only first hand experience with duplicitous Nichiren Shoshu priests-- and one reformed one who joined the SGI. Since my practice always centered on Nichiren's teachings, I rely on his *guidance* regarding *persons*-- even *priests* who claim to be good teachers of the Lotus Sutra, Even considering the teachings in the Gosho, "Repaying Debts of Gratitude", I do not find Nichiren teaching that one is venerable due to status and title alone.
I have worked over 20 years with adolescents who were confined to locked units due to authorities judging them to be at risk for harming themselves or others. These young people, imo, were, legitimately, *anti-authoritarian*. I employed my faith and practice to connect with them, as their anger and resentment against authority figures had made them their own worst enemy. I had to earn their trust. I had to earn their respect-- being compassionate and respectful in an unyielding manner through their testing me, was part of that. I share this only to establish the point that if one is determined to demonstrate the difference between herself and the category to which she belongs, it is her responsibility to distinguish herself.
I concede that I am a lay follower not a disciple by your definition. But, I am a true follower of Nichiren and take seriously all of his admonitions regarding appearances and nature of priests, monks, teachers in this latter age.
I did wonder why you posted only the first part of my comment on ABRN and left out the context? It appears as though you have ill feelings toward my perspective-- or for me, but I assure you there is no reason for this-- I regret that earlier comments i made on this site gave you cause to feel personally attacked. I was responding to a tone of condescension-- calling me "madam" etc. I am over it..
I hope you are, too.
~Katie
great conversation.
ReplyDeleteMaybe some SGi members would like to join in.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if there was more content addressing the role of priests a discussion might ensue. This post, for example, is a partial quote taken out of context from a comment I posted on ABRN. Shinkei did not respond to my questions about this, instead, he suggested I read the Gosho "The Four Debts of Gratitude"- again.
ReplyDeleteLike most of the Goshos I have read these past 28 years, The Four Debts of Gratitude, is a letter to one of Nichiren's followers in response to offerings Nichiren received from, in the case of this Gosho, Kudo Yoshitaka, the lord of Amatsu Awa Province, who had converted to Nichiren's teaching around the same time as Shijo Kingo, (1256).
Addressing this particular follower, while in exile in Ito on the Izu Peninsula, it is clear that Nichiren is teaching thru real time example, the importance of repaying one's debt of gratitude to the priest who is teaching and upholding the Law. Without the support of his followers, Nichiren could not have sustained his *life*. And if Nichiren had not knowingly and willingly undergone persecution for the sake of upholding the Lotus Sutra, the Law, the Great Teaching of the True Buddha would have been lost.
Ultimately every sacrifice one makes for the sake of the Lotus Sutra, crowns his/her life with immeasurable good fortune and causes one to experience tremendous joy. Nichiren's teachings in this Gosho are fundamental to understanding that devotion to correct faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra in this latter age, is always accompanied by hardship and agonizing ordeals--One's attitude towards these dire circumstances is key to gaining the benefit of correct practice. One cannot have the proper attitude without the correct teaching and the example Nichiren displayed.
Nichiren proved he was the true votary of the Lotus Sutra, without a doubt, and also became an infinitely profound example of a *good priest*. To whom am I indebted for having the opportunity to read this Gosho , which I have read many times over the past 28 years? I, like many practitioners of our time, have sustained my faith and deepened my resolve because I can read the correct teaching and persevere with abundant life force during agonizing ordeals. How, then, should I repay my debt of gratitude for the immeasurable benefit of having this treasure in my possession?
Until recently, I assumed that the Gakkai publications of Nichiren's writings were reliable. Now, with a fair understanding of the questionable nature of translations and the clear evidence of forgeries, I find that I was fortunate; that based only on my own faith and practice, I was able to correctly perceive Three Treasures as Nichiren taught-- never believed the Ongi Kuden was his teachings; always doubted the Dai-Gohonzon-- and consistently read the Gosho to correct the distortions propagated by SGI leaders and NST priests I have known--- though in some cases this was a labor and time intensive endeavor. Should I not feel gratitude for all who contributed to my having this opportunity to encounter Nichiren ? By the same token. how can I not feel outrage when confronting the very likely intentional distortions and the clearly evident motive for *selling Gakkai publications* ? I suppose this dilemma rivals in some small way, the paradox of Dozen-Bo-- Nichiren's teacher, for whom he felt immense gratitude while lamenting Dozen-Bo's incorrigible disbelief in the Mystic Law. Dozen-Bo did not stand up to praise and support his disciple, Nichiren. Was it because Nichiren surpassed him in understanding the Lotus sutra? Or did Dozen-Bo fear the persecution he witnessed Nichiren receiving for all of Nichiren's correct understanding, correct beliefs and correct action as a disciple of Shakyamuni? Either fear or arrogance-- from the worlds of anger and animality, explains Dozen-Bo's behavior-- yet, Nichiren never forgot the debt of gratitude he wed his teacher.
To whom do I owe such a profound debt of gratitude?
Sincerely,
~Katie
i am pretty sure, in the end, dozen-bo, due to a strict scolding by nichiren, did chant the daimoku and to some degree did have a change of heart. nevertheless, as you say, nichiren never forgot his depth of gratitude for his teacher. karma?
Deletewe share a debt of gratitude with sgi/nst. no problem. by telling them the truth to the best of our ability, we repay. however hopeless it may seem.
for your consideration.
Thanks for sharing. I try and look at the entire known English canon, often using the SGI Nichiren Library search engine to broaden my initial search for example, "priest", "disciple", "follower", "supporter", "patron" to gain an understanding of Nichiren's teachings on his priest disciples, lay disciples etc. It gives me great encouragement to know that he entrusted such works as Opening of the Eyes to his lay believer Shijo Kingo. On the other hand, he entrusted On Repaying Gratitude to the priest Joken-bo, and the True Object of Worship to the lay priest Toki. Most of his most universally cherished Gohonzons such as his Gohonzon for the Transmission of the Dharma and the Shutei Gohonzon were entrusted to and preserved by priests. I never forget the gratitude I owe to the priests, laymen, and lay priests who embody(ied) and preserve(ed) the Daishonin's teachings.
ReplyDeleteof course history has produced many evil priests. everyone knows this or at least should know this. the lotus sutra predicts this so it should be no surprise.
ReplyDeletewhat separates priest or monks from laymen and laywomen is the profound vow priests pledge allegiance to. the business suited leaders(priests) of the sgi and the phony robed priests who tun their backs on what is right, make or carry through with no such vow. why? because their faith is rotten to the core. to practice as a lay person in the latter age is extremely rough. for a true priest it is excruciating. most cannot.
I don't think the role of the priest today in the propagation of Nichiren's teachings is even understood. It is a vastly unexplored topic- though it seems crucial to understanding how we can develop the correct attitude in faith-- regarding the 4 debts of gratitude.
ReplyDeleteI think the vow to uphold the Lotus Sutra is the source of great good fortune-- the deeper the vow, the greater one's benefit-- I can find no reason to consider anyone's vow in terms of it being more difficult, to uphold etc. It is all a matter of ones past karma-- and the depth of slander one must eradicate-- The Lotus Sutra meets all these needs and conditions-- works in all situations for everyone who makes a vow. The personal side of it-- is personal. To say that one is carrying a heavier burden than another-- is to disgrace the Lotus Sutra
In my humble opinion,
~Katie
buddhism can and has been destroyed from the inside.
ReplyDeletein my humble opinion.
Nichiren taught thus.
ReplyDelete