Why do SGI members and especially leaders fall pray to more affliction and death and their roads [in general] are paved with broken dreams?
“Answer: It is the way of scholars these days to assert that only those who possess superior wisdom and strenuously exert themselves in the practice of meditation have the capacity to benefit from the Lotus Sutra, and to discourage persons who lack wisdom from even trying. But this is in fact an utterly ignorant and erroneous view. The Lotus Sutra is the teaching that enables all living beings to attain the Buddha way. Therefore, the persons of superior faculties and superior capacity should naturally devote themselves to contemplation and to meditating on the Law. But, for persons of inferior faculties and inferior capacity, the important thing is simply to have a heart of faith. Hence the sutra states: “If there are good men or good women who . . . believe and revere it with pure hearts and harbor no doubts or perplexities, they will never fall into hell or the realm of hungry spirits or of beasts, but will be born in the presence of the Buddhas of the ten directions.” One should have complete faith in the Lotus Sutra and look forward to being born in the presence of the Buddhas in one’s next life.” — Questions and Answers on Embracing the Lotus Sutra – 1263
“Answer: It is the way of scholars these days to assert that only those who possess superior wisdom and strenuously exert themselves in the practice of meditation have the capacity to benefit from the Lotus Sutra, and to discourage persons who lack wisdom from even trying. But this is in fact an utterly ignorant and erroneous view. The Lotus Sutra is the teaching that enables all living beings to attain the Buddha way. Therefore, the persons of superior faculties and superior capacity should naturally devote themselves to contemplation and to meditating on the Law. But, for persons of inferior faculties and inferior capacity, the important thing is simply to have a heart of faith. Hence the sutra states: “If there are good men or good women who . . . believe and revere it with pure hearts and harbor no doubts or perplexities, they will never fall into hell or the realm of hungry spirits or of beasts, but will be born in the presence of the Buddhas of the ten directions.” One should have complete faith in the Lotus Sutra and look forward to being born in the presence of the Buddhas in one’s next life.” — Questions and Answers on Embracing the Lotus Sutra – 1263
“Thus faith is the basic requirement for entering the way of the Buddha.” –The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra – 1266
“Finally the Buddha was ready to preach the Lotus Sutra, the revelation section of his entire body of teachings, and stated, “The World Honored One has long expounded his doctrines and now must reveal the truth.” He also warned, “[In the Buddha lands of the ten directions there is only the Law of the one vehicle], there are not two, there are not three, except when the Buddha preaches so as an expedient means,” and he taught, “honestly discarding expedient means” and “not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.” Thus, ever since that time, the Mystic Law, “the Law of the one vehicle” of Buddhahood, has been the only teaching that enables all people to become Buddhas. Although no sutra other than the Lotus Sutra can provide even the slightest benefit, the scholars of the Latter Day claim that all sutras must lead to enlightenment because they were expounded by the Thus Come One. Therefore, they arbitrarily profess faith in any sutra and follow whatever school they choose, whether True Word, Nembutsu, Zen, Three Treatises, Dharma Characteristics, Dharma Analysis Treasury, Establishment of Truth, or Precepts. The Buddha said of such people, “If a person fails to have faith but instead slanders this sutra, immediately he will destroy all the seeds for becoming a Buddha in this world. . . . When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell.” Thus the Buddha himself concluded that one’s practice accords with the Buddha’s teachings only when one bases one’s faith firmly on the standard of these sutra passages, believing fully that “there is only the Law of the one vehicle.” –On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings – 1273
“Do the other sutras reveal that the Buddha originally attained enlightenment numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago? Do they tell how the people formed a bond with the Lotus Sutra when it was expounded major world system dust particle kalpas ago? What other sutra teaches that one can gain immeasurable benefit by arousing even a single moment of faith in and understanding of it, or that incalculable benefits will accrue even to the fiftieth person who rejoices upon hearing of it? The other sutras do not claim that even the first, second, third, or tenth listener can obtain such great benefit, let alone the fiftieth.” — Teaching Practice and Proof – 1274
“On the other hand, if you believe these doctrines, you will become a Buddha of perfect enlightenment. How, then, are you to go about nurturing faith in the Lotus Sutra? For if you try to practice the teachings of the sutra without faith, it would be like trying to enter a jeweled mountain without hands [to pick up its treasures], or like trying to make a thousand-mile journey without feet. The answer is simply to examine the proof that is close at hand, and thus to take hold of faith that is far off.” — Letter to Horen – 1275
“But if we are weak in faith, we will never reach that wonderful place.” — Fourteen Slanders – 1276
“And because our wisdom is inadequate, he teaches us to substitute faith for wisdom, making this single word “faith” the foundation. — On The Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice – 1277
“If the beginner tries to practice the five paramitas at the same time that he embraces the Lotus Sutra, that may work to obstruct his primary practice, which is faith.” (Ibid.)
“It will no doubt depend on the strength of your faith.” — The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon – 1277
“Later he repented of it, revered the Great Teacher T’ient’ai, and put his faith in the Lotus Sutra; so he escaped the path of evil.” — Letter to Shomitsu-bo – 1277
“As for other types of people, it would appear that, even if they do not understand the meaning of the Lotus Sutra and are ignorant but have earnest faith, then they will invariably be reborn in a pure land.” — How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood Through the Lotus Sutra – 1277
“One would therefore expect to find more victims of the epidemic among Nichiren’s followers than among the believers of Nembutsu, or priests of the True Word, Zen, and Precepts schools. For some reason, however, there is less affliction and death among Nichiren’s followers. It is indeed mysterious. Is this because we are few in number, or because our faith is strong?” — The Treatment of Illness – 1278
As far as citing the death and misfortune of SGI [or NST] leaders and members who I have known or those whose misfortunes have been documented, not one event can be proven false. It is either punishment or the Three Obstacles and Four Devils. Since only those who practice as the Lotus Sutra preaches encounter the Three Obstacles and Four Devils, their misfortune is due solely to punishment [since they practice(d) in opposition to the teachings of the Sutra].
From the perspective of the Lotus Sutra, the top SGI leaders, in particular, suffer(ed) punishment as an effect of bad causes and misdeeds against the Law and its votaries. I am as dispassionate as the effect itself. I am neither sad nor gleeful regarding the misfortunes of the enemies of the Law. Regarding my friends who were innocent victims of the warped SGI and NST faith and practice, of course I am saddened.
To those here who are innocent victims of SGI and NST, believing the lies and distortions of these evil leaders and priests, I encourage you to stop listening to them and begin listening to Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin through the Lotus Sutra and Gosho. Believe with your whole heart that the Mystic Law, the Law of the one vehicle of Buddhahood, has been the only teaching that enables all people to become Buddhas.
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