Shukan Shincho ~ 9/22/94
(Even though I am no longer with the SGI, in complete and total contrast to Yukio Maytsudo's otherwise excellent book "The Instant Enlightenment of Ordinary People: Nichiren Buddhism 2.0 for the 21st Century", I found this a truly shocking account of what the SGI is/has become, written by seemingly a sincere leader, Tsugio Ishida, who at one time was tipped under Toda as the future leader of the organisation... ! I would like to add this note since there's been so much controversy about exactly what happened after Toda died. The account held in the Human Revolution has been hugely disputed by several Gakkai members who were very active during Toda's tenure; especially regarding the events of when Daisaku Ikeda first met Toda ~ and exactly when the poem; "Emerging from the Earth was written"? This is a far more detailed version by someone few of us have ever heard of ~ indeed, the person who claims he was supposed to have been the Third President of the SGI! A fascinating read that smacks of authenticity although with frustration ~ but understandably so... - Murrysberg Bodhisattva
What's so strange about the SGI is the fact that, on one hand, you have the members' blindness and enthusiastic support, and yet, on the other hand, there is no end to the defections of those who have been in long service, as well as those who have been in Ikeda's entourage?
"The undemocratic methods of the "absolute monarch" Daisaku Ikeda are slowly coming to light ~ but among those who have defected ~ the absolute pioneer of such defectors would have to be Tsugio Ishida, the elder brother of Komeito Chairman Koushiro Ishida. At one time, Tsugio Ishida was the leading candidate ahead of Daisaku Ikeda to become the third president of the Soka Gakkai. He passed away in his bed in February 1992 at the age of 66
However, just before he died, he wrote an immense manuscript titled; "The Remonstration [Kangen-no-sho]".
One passage from Tsugio Ishida's manuscript reads;
"Ikeda never forgets to exact revenge against those under whom he has served in the past or those who have bullied him. He definitely exacts revenge. To get revenge is his unparalleled joy. That's because he has the heart of Ashura...
I cannot help but think that once the weight of Toda Sensei was removed, his Ashura nature, which is wholeheartedly anti- enlightenment, grew obese. His jealousy and suspicions, which are growing both inside and out, are the result of his ambition for retainers to supplant lords, as well as his Ashura nature. This is his strongest and greatest garbage that he holds in his bankrupt heart."
The "Toda Sensei" in the text refers to the Soka Gakkai's second president, Josei Toda. It goes without saying that the "Ikeda" Tsugio Ishida mentions refers to the current Soka Gakkai Honorary President Daisaku Ikeda. This manuscript, laced with fairly difficult to understand terms such as "the heart of Ashura" and "retainers supplanting lords," is a "remonstration" to Ikeda, a remonstration which Tsugio Ishida worked on continuously, irrespective of day or night, for three years before he passed away.
There are approximately 700 pages in the original manuscript, which finally saw the light of day, two and a half years after his death.
In October 1994, a group of former Gakkai members who dearly loved the elderly Ishida ~ and regularly came to listen to his lectures ~ published this immense manuscript at their own expense and present it to the world.
The late President Toda said of Tsugio Ishida;
"Ishida's my eldest son, Daisaku's my second son."
Tsugio Ishida was the elite of the elite in the Gakkai, and was nominated to be the third president ahead of Daisaku. According to the journalist Kunio Naito, who had profoundly intimate relations with the deceased, who stated the following;
"Tsugio's mother was the Soka Gakkai Women's Division Chief when Josei Toda was president. His younger sister is the wife of current President Einosuke Akiya. His younger brother, needless to say, is the current Komeito Party Chairman. The Ishida family is known as being far and away the most elite family within the Soka Gakkai. Among other things, after graduating from Shiura Engineering College (now called Shiura Engineering Institute), he was designated in 1951 by President Toda to be the first editor of the Seikyo Shinbun, and then the chief of the First Unit of the Youth Division. It's said that at an early age Tsugio Ishida was the leading candidate to succeed to the presidency. He was unsurpassed in study and theory, and no one within the Gakkai could compare with him from that standpoint."
Ishida was three years older than Daisaku Ikeda and enjoyed the deep trust of president Toda. After filling the above posts, he became the first Lower House Diet member, but he was obliged to recuperate from tuberculosis, and so Daisaku became the third president.
But it wasn't long before Tsugio Ishida revolted against Ikeda, successively filling the posts of the Komeito Shinbun, Managing Editor, and then the Managing Director of the Seikyo Shinbun ~ he drew a line between himself and Ikeda.
During that time, he lived quietly in Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture. He was a leading figure in the Soka Gakkai, who was one of the few to know about the early days of the Ikeda Soka Gakkai, revealing all just before he died in this immense "remonstration" to Daisaku Ikeda.
Desecration of the Teacher
"My husband said that he began to understand Buddhism when he turned fifty."
The person speaking in the quiet voice is Ishida's wife, Eiko (71).
Eiko herself is known as an elite who served as the Gakkai's first Young Women's Division Chief...
"When my husband was young, he was told by Toda Sensei that he (Tsugio Ishida) was going to be the third president, but at that time he didn't understand Buddhism very well, and had a weak constitution, so he declined. So Daisaku became president in place of my husband.
However, up until the time Daisaku became president, he seemingly held up my husband as his 'older brother,' but just after he became president, he openly attacked and ridiculed my husband in public. From then on my husband and Daisaku walked different paths ~ but from the time Daisaku made those counterfeit objects of worship in 1977, he began thinking he 'had to do something' about Daisaku."
Eiko says that at the very end of his life, Tsugio displayed an unearthly tenacity in writing this manuscript;
"My husband felt that the criticism of Daisaku which he was presenting to the world would not be understood immediately. He felt that he had to write it for the sake of the future 50 or 100 years hence.
When we were shopping or when we went for walks, the manuscript completely filled his thoughts. Whenever I started talking to him, he'd say, 'Be quiet,' or 'You're interrupting my thoughts.' He was often in front of his desk even in the middle of the night. In 1987 he had three- fourths of his stomach removed because of a stomach ulcer, so afterwards, he could not be sure about when his body would fail him. His sole desire was to get the manuscript into shape as soon as possible, so he worked with all his strength."
The finished document was a 700-page posthumous manuscript. Ishida is said to have been an exacting theorist for the Gakkai. His writing, as shown in the opening paragraph of this article, overflows throughout with difficult to understand Buddhist terms, but he unceasingly denounces the haughty attitude of Ikeda, who created counterfeit objects of worship and displays an arrogant attitude toward the sect in a manner unbecoming to a man of religion.
Tsugio Ishida wrote;
"Ikeda made eight counterfeit objects of worship (So far, at least eight that have been confirmed). The creation of counterfeit objects of worship can only be done by one whose heart has deviated away from Nichiren Shoshu. It is definitely a tremendous backslide (taiten)... Except for those done by another sect, for seven hundred years there are no examples of believers themselves making counterfeit Nichiren Shoshu objects of worship."
He further stated;
"Ikeda completely bullied Nittatsu Shonin, who was in a relatively weaker position, by making him dependent upon Ikeda's power and money. An intelligence network surrounded the High Priest without interruption 24 hours a day. They were watching for the High Priest's weaknesses and opportunities they could exploit. The goal was to control the sect. Even proceeds which should have gone to the Head Temple were dammed up and siphoned away from all the priests under the High Priest. Listening devices were installed in the inner recesses of Taisekiji, and the High Priest himself discovered them quite by chance when he placed his hands under a table and touched one of them....
Once Ikeda arrogantly shouted at the High Priest, and the High Priest, his body trembling, said;
"He treated me just like an errand boy!"
Nittatsu Shonin was at once insulted, angry and sad.... Such is the true nature of Ikeda's faith."
Daisaku despised the sect in a way totally unbecoming of a believer. Ishida censures him for this with his vehement writing style. In addition, Ishida indicates that Daisaku directed that attitude not only toward the sect, but also at the family of second president Josei Toda, to whom he should have felt a profound debt of gratitude;
"Within ten days of the death of our honoured teacher, Josei Toda, Ikeda proceeded to the Toda home, and without handing over the condolence gift of a little over $100,000 which he had taken with him, he took from Ikuko, the wife of Toda Sensei, various articles which had belonged to Toda Sensei. Among those items, he borrowed the long samurai sword which had been in the possession of Toda Sensei."
However, afterwards, that sword was displayed as a priceless treasure of the Soka Gakkai;
"The explanatory note read, 'This is the sword which President Ikeda received from Toda Sensei while Toda Sensei was alive.'"
That is not the only desecration against his teacher;
"Ikeda created unnecessary cemeteries here and there throughout the country.... These cemeteries reeked of spiritual fraud, but in imitation of the monuments to the Three Masters, each time a cemetery was created, there would definitely and arbitrarily be created tombs for the three presidents, Makiguchi, Toda and Ikeda. These were created quite arbitrarily by him. The Makiguchi and Toda families were unable to decline their being built. Ikeda would then request cemetery plot maintenance fees from the Makiguchi and Toda families for those monuments....
Ikeda is not only a troubling existence for both of those families, but he has also employed high-pressure salesmanship against both those families in regard to the path of Master and Disciple, in which he himself is the Master....
Essentially, he used both of those families according to his own situation. What he has done is like ordering that 'The foot be moulded to fit the shoe.'"
In this posthumous manuscript, Ishida thoroughly censures the attitude of Daisaku, whom his teacher never considered to be a teacher;
"Toda's Last Will and Testament Is a Fabrication"
However, the highlight of this manuscript is the passage which deals with the "forged last request" put forth by Daisaku when he was chosen to become the third president.
Ikeda said that on March 16, 1958, he was told by President Josei Toda in an elevator;
"I leave everything to you."
In the same manner, he says that on the 29th of the same month, he was told by President Toda just before the latter's death;
"Don't retreat a single step. Don't loosen your grip on the chase."
At the present time, this is presented as the "authentic history" of the Gakkai. In juxtaposition to that, Ishida gives the following account;
"The last request which I received occurred just before 4:00 p.m. on March 16, 1958. Toda said;
"The next president will be determined by all of you. So be on good terms with each other."
All of the attendees received this with feelings of total confidentiality. This was received not just by me myself but there were also just under 50 people in attendance, including General Director Koizumi.
All of these people were attendees of the party held in celebration of the completion of the Grand Lecture Hall. Ikeda, as the Chief of Staff, was responsible for outside (on the grounds) and was not present.
The above meeting took place in the tatami mat hall on the fourth floor of the Grand Lecture Hall....
If events had happened according to Ikeda's account, then Toda Sensei would have deceived the General Director, the Directors, the Chapter Chiefs, the Standing Committee members, the Women's Division Chief, and the Young Men's and Young Women's Division Chiefs. Think about it.
Could such an important matter concerning the entire Gakkai have been conducted within an elevator? That would be horrifying to everyone, would it not?"
Ishida concludes that topic with his comments concerning the "last will and testament (of Josei Toda)" of March 29;
"On the 18th, High Priest Nichijun Shonin paid a visit to Toda Sensei's sickbed.... (Toda Sensei) was unable to answer the High Priest. The visit lasted for 30 minutes, and all during that time, he was capable only of repeatedly responding with 'Hai, hai' ('I understand, I understand'). And that was done with only the weakest of voices....
After March 20th, he was incapable of rising from his bed, even with the help of others. His physical condition declined precipitously, and he was unable to speak....
In spite of that, how is it that around that time he could twice draw only Ikeda close to his bedside? How did Ikeda twice receive voiced directions from Sensei, who was incapable of speech? What did he do? Hear Sensei's voiceless speech with the ears in his mind?... It's all a fabrication."
Ishida affirms that;
"Ikeda fabricated the last will and testament of his Master."
We have related previously how those two were rivals for the position of the third presidency. But even beyond that, Ishida was in a position to give guidance within the Gakkai from the standpoint of theory.
In juxtaposition to this, Daisaku rose from being a "claims collector" for the financial companies President Toda managed, and was part of an "actual practice" faction. Aside from that, they had completely different dispositions.
But Ishida came to look coldly upon Daisaku, who had designs for the presidency regardless of appearances;
"Toda Sensei said, 'Don't take money.' This was the thrifty philosophy of someone concerned with financial administration and financial relief carried out on a nationwide basis. Zaimu [financial affairs] members were limited to one-tenth of the total membership....
Ikeda is a 'Buddha' who chooses to manage affairs according to his own convenience....
Evidence of this are his nice promises that, 'If you bring me money and valuables, then your good fortune will increase,' and 'If you value what you send to me, then your good fortune will increase.' But, is that true?....
Toda Sensei said, 'The Gakkai will eternally advance in poverty.' But Ikeda reads that statement as, 'The Gakkai will eternally advance in opulence.'
It seems that Ikeda doesn't understand in the least the true intention behind those statements."
In this way, Ishida criticizes the fact that Daisaku is covered with money;
"Three years ago, in my neighbourhood, there was an executive leader with a tragic story. Immediately after giving $10,000, which was all the money he had, he became sick and had no money with which to enter a hospital. It is said; 'Anger understands both evil and virtue.' Become one hundred times angrier, my friend! Those who gave $10,000 should become a hundred times angrier. Those who gave $20,000 should be two hundred times angrier....
Why hasn't Ikeda ever said to those who bring him money and valuables, 'If you have money and valuables to bring to me, offer them to a temple instead.'?
Local leaders (from Saitama Prefecture) once took President Toda some delicious whisky. Right before their very eyes, he threw it out the window of the President's room, and after scolding them, proceeded to give them guidance. Where has Toda Sensei's spirit gone?"
Sometimes in his posthumous work, Ishida kindly admonishes his junior, Daisaku Ikeda. There Is No Freedom within the Soka Gakkai. In addition, with a reverse stroke of his sword, Ishida slices through Komeito's problem of the union of Church and State.
"In the Gakkai, there is no freedom of propagation and no freedom to refuse Ikeda's guidance. There is also no freedom when it comes to 'Master and Disciple.'...
In addition, for the Gakkai general members, there are no voting freedoms. To support a party other than Komeito is no good. Furthermore, there is no freedom of behaviour (because of the restrictions the organization places upon one's time), and there is also no freedom concerning one's disbursements."
"Komeito continues to censure the LDP, pointing to its money- soaked elections. But let's look into the facts. In Japan, which political party has the highest unit cost per each successful candidate and, moreover, makes individuals of other parties one's private property?...
It is Komeito which is money-soaked, with its fees for newspapers and magazines, secret supplies of election funds, gifts and expenses for food, travel and communications. When these and everything else are all totalled, they have the highest unit cost for each successful candidate. They rely 100% upon financial influence."
In this 700-page manuscript written just before his death, Ishida discusses everything from Daisaku's character to the problem of the union of Church and State. At times, he injects humour, and at times, he is extremely harsh. Drawing a comparison with six influential philosophers in central India during the lifetime of Shakyamuni Buddha, he likens Daisaku to the "six non-Buddhist teachers" and concludes that he is a "fraudulent spiritual teacher."
According to the Gakkai PR Department;
"Ishida left the Gakkai and is someone who, in Buddhist terminology, went taiten. Such a person will say various things, and these are always limited to how things should have been done in accordance with his own ideas. The Gakkai has a sixty-year history, and the organization still continues to expand. We have no intention of responding one by one to those who have gone taiten."
On the surface, the Gakkai assumes an attitude of indifference.
However, the journalist Isao Dan interviewed Ishida during his lifetime and divulges his thoughts;
"I've heard that Ishida's 'last will and testament' has come out, but this is the first time I've actually seen it. He gives many knowledgeable descriptions, but he accompanies the episodes that appear throughout with the dates. They are authentic. Isn't it only appropriate for the Gakkai to be quaking? Fifteen years ago, I met with Ishida while he was recuperating from an illness. At first, he denied having any information, but when I went to see him a second time, he had data about which he displayed a defiant attitude, saying, 'Would you care to debate this with me?!' He was as skinny as a crane, but his eyes truly sparkled.
The interview lasted for five hours, but I recall him saying, 'Ikeda doesn't study Buddhism at all,' 'Ikeda's theories are no good,' and 'His specialty lies in mobilizing people.'
At the end of the interview, he said, 'Write this after I die. It'Il be my last will and testament,' so I never published it anywhere until after Ishida passed away.
However, he must have said that to me because he was assiduously writing a true 'last will and testament.'
This is truly priceless material."
In the last years of his life, Ishida, whom the Gakkai regards as having gone taiten, had no contact with his younger brother Koushiro Ishida, the Komeito Party chairman. Chairman Ishida and their younger sister, the wife of President Akiya, did not attend their elder brother's funeral. Why is there no end to the people who are alienated from Ikeda, who is supposed to be a "living Buddha?" It is certain that upon reading Ishida's posthumous manuscript, one will understand the answer to that."
Reposted in October 2018
The Instant Enlightenment of Ordinary People: Nichiren Buddhism 2.0 for the 21st Century
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