From the SGI blog, Nichiren Daishonin’s Gosho:
Repaying Our Debt of Gratitude Constitutes Achieving Victory in Kosen-Rufu – On Repaying Debts of Gratitude
The old fox never forgets the hillock where he was born; the white turtle repaid the kindness he had received from Mao Pao. If even lowly creatures know enough to do this, then how much more should human beings! Thus Yu Jang, a worthy man of old, fell on his sword in order to repay the debt he owed his lord Chih Po, and the minister Hung Yen for similar reasons cut open his stomach and inserted the liver of his dead lord, Duke Yi of Wei. What can we say, then of persons who are devoting themselves to Buddhism? Surely they should not forget the debts of gratitude they owe their parents, their teachers and their country. (Passage from “On Repaying Debts of Gratitude”, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p690-745)
The main point of this lecture on the above passage and the next to the last paragraph reads:
“SGI President Ikeda said, “Those who cherish a mentor in their hearts are strong; such people can tap a wellspring of inexhaustible wisdom. Those who never forget the debt they owe their mentor are eternallybeautiful. Betrayal is ugly. One who betrays others suffers for alltime. I have carried the message of Mr Makiguchi and Mr Toda to theentire world. I am working unceasingly to repay my debt of gratitudeto them. This is the path of mentor and disciple. This is the life I choose when I was still a young man. In this spirit lies the true essence of the SGI.”
Let us look at this passage in context. Nichiren goes on, directly from the above passage:
“But if one intends to repay these great debts of gratitude, one can hope to do so only if one learns and masters Buddhism, becoming a person of wisdom. If one does not, one will be like a man who attempts to lead a company of the blind over bridges and across rivers when he himself has sightless eyes. Can a ship steered by someone who cannoteven tell the direction of the wind ever carry the traveling merchantsto the mountains where treasure lies?
If one hopes to learn and master Buddhism, then one cannot do sowithout devoting time to the task. And if one wants to have time to spend on the undertaking, one cannot continue to wait on one’s parents, one’s teachers, and one’s sovereign. Until one attains the road that leads to emancipation, one should not defer to the wishes and feelings of one’s parents and teachers, no matter how reasonable they may be.
Many people may think that counsel such as this runs counter to secular virtues and also fails to accord with the spirit of Buddhism. But in fact secular texts such as The Classic of Filial Piety make clear that there are times when one can be a loyal minister or a filial child only by refusing to obey the wishes of one’s sovereign or parents. And in the sacred scriptures of Buddhism it is said, “By renouncing one’s obligations and entering the Buddhist life one can truly repay those obligations in full.” Pi Kan refused to go along with his sovereign’s wishes and thereby came to be known as a worthy man. Prince Siddhartha disobeyed his father King Shuddhodana and yet became the most outstanding filial son in all the threefold world. These are examples of what I mean.
Once I had understood this and prepared to cease deferring to my parents and teachers and instead to delve into the truths of Buddhism, I found that there are ten clear mirrors that reflect the sacred doctrines of the Buddha’s lifetime of teachings…”
These subsequent passages completely contradict the message and interpretation of the SGI proffered passage which is taken out of context.
This is how the SGI subverts the teachings and brainwashes its followers, regardless of what Ikeda, Patrick, CL, L, Chas, Richard, or your Territory Chief say.
Chant Daimoku and read the Goshos from beginning to end without the SGI footnotes and explanations and you will get a true feeling for the teachings.
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