"We should use the sutras as our eyes and give precedence to the wisdom of the Buddha. Surely, however, if this standard is made clear, people will become enraged and be filled with resentment. Let them do as they will. What matters most is that we honor the Buddha’s words. As a rule, people in the world value what is distant and despise what is near, but this is the conduct of the ignorant. Even the distant should be repudiated if it is wrong, while what is near should not be discarded if it accords with the truth. Even though people may revere [their predecessors’ doctrines], if those doctrines are in error, how can we employ them today?"
excellent.....so beautiful !
ReplyDelete"We should use the sutras as our eyes and give precedence to the wisdom of the Buddha. Surely, however, if this standard is made clear, people will become enraged and be filled with resentment."
ReplyDeleteI think this is a pretty clear acknowledgement of the arrogance of mind that is the hallmark of the slander that would create the karma of "disbelief".
I cannot explain fully why I accepted the words I read in the Gosho -- meaning I did not try to apply any type of critical reasoning or analysis to Nichiren's words-- but I know that from the very beginning of my practice, I was experiencing *something* that the members around me were not-- and I realized that what was called, benefit were fleeting moments of rapture.
I do not now what karma I had created that exempted me from the usual course of introduction to the SGI or NSA as it was in 1988. I received Gohonzon three days after first chanting daimoku. The person who sponsored me responded immediately to my requests for Nichiren's writings and translations of the sutra passages I was learning to recite. I was told many times that I "missed out" on the benefit of learning about the "organization" -- that my seeking Nichiren directly was detrimental to my "attaining full benefits" -- and absolutely the cause of the *doubts* I expressed were all regarding Nichiren being the original Buddha and the deep meaning of the Dai-gohonzon -- on the basis of these things NOT being spoken about by Nichiren himself.
I do understand how it is that I could not be brain washed by SGI/NST-- but I cannot fully understand how anyone who was actually part of the organization managed to glean the truth of the most crucial matters of SGI's and NST's slander -- because there remain many whom i have engaged over the past year who simply cannot READ-- it is beyond the cognitive dissonance explanation for these folks-- they are, I contend, deeply damaged and totally unaware of the failing of their minds to work properly !
I also realize for that those who challenged and rebuked SGI and NST's slander of the true teachings, their course has been more agonizing than my own -- but very obviously fruitful in terms of the joy of their faith-- so much greater than my own, which I assert is the greatest of all joys!
I deeply appreciate all that I don't know that amounts to the power of one's unwavering faith in the true teachings --
With my deep gratitude for Eagle Peak!
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo !
~Katie
i have learned a lot from you katie higgins. thank you.
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