Nichidatsu Fujii's failure to follow Nichiren contributed to the Kumamoto earthquake

Nichidatsu Fujii, the founder of the Nipponzon-Myohoji sect was born in Kumamoto. He erected his first peace pagoda there.

One in a million people can attain Buddhahood through the practice of Fujii's Nipponzon Myohoji. In this case, it was Nichidatsu Fujii who made the religion great, not the religion that made Nichidatsu great. Very few people in the Latter day can live like Nichidatsu. Even his monk and nun disciples have difficulty following his example. Also, the world is a far more dangerous place with the ascendancy of Islamic Fundamentalism and factionalism. His believers would surely be killed on the streets of Riyadh or in Yemen. Absolute pacificism is not the teaching of the Lotus or Nirvana Sutra.

Nichidatsu wrote:

"We have come to an age when we must have mutual trust to survive. To trust -- this is a religious civilization. To save others and to save the world --- these are the tasks of a spiritual civilization."

"The outcome obtained with the spirit of compliance in edifying the people on the teachings is much more beneficial than any argument or intellectual dialogue. When compliance and fawning are treated at the same level, it results in both oneself and others losing the merits of the Dharma."(ibid.)

"It means to comply with the correct teachings. It is at the same time a practice not to go against any person. A Bodhisattva should not cast a sidelong glance at the deeds and conducts of the people and deride their bewilderment, but rather should have the mindset of bouncing a ball when coming across a child, and listening to the old reminisce."(ibid)

"The seventh category of ju-ekou is a level called tou-zui-junichi-issai-shujou-ekou. It means to equally accept and follow (zuijun) all people with an impartial mind. What is the reason for even impartially following the unenlightened who engages in evil and knows no virtue? It is a practice of enveloping all people with great compassion. It is akin to a mother’s heart that gives what her child seeks and together rejoices."(ibid.)

"The practice of shakubuku by The Bodhisattva Who Never Despises wastangyo-raihai (the sole practice of worshiping the Buddha within others). Shakubuku, it is nothing more than the practice to follow others without confronting them. When we talk of shakubuku, it somehow seems to evoke aggressiveness to the surface. This should never be the case."(ibid.)

The gentle practices are futile in this period of the Age of Decay. This is why I think the legacy of Nipponzan Myohoji will remain limited and the great desire of Nichidatsu will remain unfulfilled through the gentle practices. Some people can't be trusted. Those who strap explosives to mental defectives in order to blow up a pet market teaming with people can't be reasoned with. They must be broken and subdued. "Chant the Daimoku for peace and security in this very life," will not resonate with these men. They only will understand the sharp words of the Lotus Sutra that condemns them to the hell of incessant suffering if they don't reform the perverted tenets in their heart. Motherly love will not reform the errant sons of Islam. The strictness of our father Sakyamuni Buddha of the Juryo Chapter is what is required today.

Nichiren Daishonin would never comply with evil men or evil doctrines. I don't think he would have approved of Nichidatsu's spirit of interfaith cooperation with Gandhi, even in an effort to realize world peace.