Robin "Nichiren" Buddhist of the Ikeda Sect responds to the post, The Soka Gakkai is a Destructive Cult by Definition:

 1). Destructive cults actively recruit new members, often through deceptive “front” organizations.

Robin: Many thanks for responding to my post. I’ll try and respond to your points as best I can. I’ve had a quick look at your blog to try and familiarize myself with your beliefs.

I found it a little difficult to search around your site though and while some people may look forward to all the SGI / IKEDA posts, I have enjoyed reading the articles I’ve come across that focus specifically on the LOTUS SUTRA and would genuinely like to know more about the BASICS of Kempon Hokke, but as the blog seems predominantly anti-SGI, it’s hard to find the basics of your faith and practice. As a gentle suggestion, it might be an idea to add labels to your posts, so that people can find SGI, LOTUS or KEMPON posts more easily.

Mark: The basics of the Kempon Hokke are the same Three Treasures and Three Great Secret Laws as taught by Nichiren Daishonin and the principle of the Transmission Through the Scrolls of the Sutra [Gohonzon and Twenty--Eight Chapter Lotus Sutra] and Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. We Chant the Daimoku, Namu Myoho renge kyo and recite the Second and 16th Chapters of the Lotus Sutra as prescribed by Nichiren:

Robin: Personally, as an enquiring mind, I would much rather have the facts of your religion and then decide for myself what to believe in rather than just be continually told why I shouldn’t believe in something else.

Mark: The writing, Establishment of the Correct Law for the Peace of the Land teaches, "Rather than offering up ten thousand prayers for remedy, it would be better simply to outlaw this one evil."

The facts of our religion are easy to research and readily appreciated through our faith and practice. Outlawing the "one great evil" of the Soka Gakkai is a difficult endeavor. Our struggle with the Fuji sects is no less serious and profound than Nichiren's struggle with the Pure Land and Shingon. 

Robin: While the anti-SGI stuff may attract a lot of support from like-minded people, it may turn off some people that are actually interested in learning the differences between the Nichiren Sects and deciding for themselves which one is teaching the true Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra. Countless examples of why the SGI is wrong, is not proof that Kempon Hokke is right and may turn away the very audience you are hoping to reach.

Mark: Several points: At this time, we are far more concerned about quality and preserving the correct teachings than we are with numbers. The spread of the true teachings will last as long as the Latter Day, for ten thousand years and more and the number of faithful believers, according to Nichiren [at least for the forseeable future], will be less than the amount of dirt that can fit on a fingernail; we are growing at a rate of hundreds of percent a year and our members are not drawn solely from the SGI, the Nichiren Shoshu, and the Nichiren Shu. We are attracting new members, with little or no background in Nichiren's Lotus Sutra Buddhism who are as fresh as the first blossoms of spring. I advise you to worry more about the deeply flawed teachings of the Ikeda Cult that is hemorrhaging members than the Pure and Perfect teachings of the Kempon Hokke that is experiencing steady growth.

1). The SGI has the Boston Research Center, the Institute for Oriental Philosophy, and others where their affiliation to SGI is rarely if ever mentioned.

Robin: The Boston Research Center is now called the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue and the Institute for Oriental Philosophy mentions its association with the SGI on its UK homepage and the history page of the IOP Japan page. Maybe these have just been updated since your post on May 12.

Mark: The SGI also has dozens, if not hundreds, of deceptive front organizations, some that you might be familiar with, such as Victory Over Violence, and others that I'm sure even you are not familiar with, for example: SGI has several charter schools in the United States where even some of the teachers don't know that they are funded and sponsored by the Soka Gakkai; Artists for Peace and Justice; the Japanese equivalent of our 7/11 chain; travel agencies; recording studios; iShining and Phiten products; PCE International; and The Shachokai, a group which consists of CEOs from SG front companies; the World Poetry Society; and here's a list of Soka Gakkai owned companies:

http://antisgi.blog124.fc2.com/blog-entry-4.html

Not to mention their association [cemetary business, banking etc.] with the largest defense contractor in Japan, the Mitsubitchi corporation.

2).Destructive cults claim to offer absolute Truth. Their teachings are not (to them) mere theory or speculation. The most effective cult doctrines are those which are unverifiable and unevaluable.

Mark: The SGI claims that their believers are the only Nichiren Lotus Sutra believers capable of obtaining Buddhahood, going so far to claim that all SGI members are Buddhas while those of the Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke are “deluded Shakyamuni worshippers”.

Robin: First, all religions (Christian, Islam, Judaism and even their subdivisions Catholic vs Protestant, Orthodox vs unorthodox, etc) claim that they are the one true path to heaven, the promised land, etc and the others are deluded, so this doesn’t automatically indicate a cult.

Mark: There are two general schools of thought within most religions, pluralism and exclusivism. The SGI is neither animal nor bird, it is a bat. Privately it eschews other religions but publically it celebrates interfaith, contrary to the teachings of Nichiren. It is their claim to absolute truth at the expense of the Nichiren Gohonzon and the orthodox believers that distinguishes it as a cult. More importantly the lack of actual proof in the lives of SGI leaders and members, despite your unverifiable and unevaluable testimonials, proves that it is a cult.

Robin: Second, from a brief look at most Nichiren sects (including your blog) there seems to be the same view that people should quit the SGI as they won’t find enlightenment under these false teachings and instead follow the correct Buddhism of our sect.

Mark: True about quitting the Soka Gakkai and joining the Kempon Hokke, and "from a brief look at my blog", it might seem that we endorse all disciples and believers of Nichiren to join the Kempon Hokke. From a deeper look and what the Kempon Hokke actually teaches, it is not the Nichiren sect one belongs to but the doctrines upheld and the behavior of the individual. It is a stretch to call the Soka Gakkai a Nichiren sect or SGI members Nichiren Buddhists since you fail to follow many of the tenets of Nichiren and as a group, especially SGI top leaders, you exhibit extremely poor behavior.

Robin: Finally, you have a new post on May 12 that says SGI teachings are dangerous to kids because an online SGI quiz asks “Who is a Buddha?” with the answer “Everyone”. Surely to support this 2nd cult point, the answer should be “Only SGI members”.

Mark: This was not the point of the article although I do indeed possess statements by Ikeda and his leaders where it is either explicit or implied that SGI members are Buddhas to the exclusion of others. The point of the article was that teaching children that "everyone is a Buddha" is dangerous because it will place an indiscriminately trusting child in danger. Were it even true that all SGI members were Buddhas, why the background checks of those who would lead and teach children?

3). Destructive cults reduce everything to a bi-polar attitude: “for us, or against us.”

Robin: "Within the UK, I’ve never come across this “for us or against us” attitude, but I’ve certainly met wise people that criticise the SGI and the Lotus Sutra as well as foolish people that praise the SGI.

"Daisaku Ikeda’s words show his compassion for people being deceived by priests, which is again common among all religions. Going back to your website, you have the same view that SGI members are being deceived by Daisaku Ikeda as well as criticising Rissho Kosei-Kai and Gene Reeves.

On March 25 you say “If one accepts the transgressions of the Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu and Shingon without discriminating between the correct and incorrect, can they really be considered disciples of Nichiren Daishonin?”. Surely this is a “for us or against us” statement in which you either are or aren’t a disciple of Nichiren? Also, is this your quote? Most of the Kempon webpage refers to Nichiren as Shonin not Daishonin or are the two interchangeable in Kempon Hokke?"

Mark: It might have been instructive to point out what I wrote to prove the point.

Anyone who criticizes the SGI, no matter how wise, is a fool and anyone who praises the SGI, no matter how foolish, is wise: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20050506210048/http://www.mindspring.com/~sonoda/

Here is another example:

“Seven years have passed since then. The outcome of the struggle of good and evil and the workings of the law of cause and effect have been strict and uncompromising. The decline of the crazed and destructive Nichiren Shoshu is clearly apparent. The victims, unfortunately, are the la ybelievers who practice with the temple, who are not aware of Nichiren Shoshu’s evil and have been deceived by the priests.” -- Daisaku Ikeda

The disciples and believers of Nichiren, on the other hand, accept criticism from whatever quarter as long as it is based on the Lotus Sutra, writings of Nichiren Daishonin, and the truth. We also are not above criticizing our own, be they priest or laymen, should they deviate from the Lotus Sutra and teachings of Nichiren.

In the case of the Soka Gakkai it IS us against them:

"We, ourselves, cannot produce the Gohonzon. Since it's the enlightened entity of Nichiren Daishonin, no one has the authority other than the successive high priests who have been the sole heirs to the heritage of the True Law. We take no part in this. Therefore, the objects of worship inscribed by those in the Butsuryu and Minobu factions [of the Nichiren sect] are absolutely powerless. They are worthless because they are fake. In fact, they contain the power of evil spirits. That is why they are dangerous." Former SGI president, Josei Toda, Daibyaku Renge, 98, p. 98.

"Members of the Minobu school of the Nichiren sect chant daimoku. They have the Gosho Their recitation of the sutra also includes the Hoben and Juryo chapters. And, in the Shoshinkai, which consists of ex-priests of Nichiren Shoshu , and the portions of the sutra they recite and the daimoku that they chant are identical to the practice we observe. Though their religion may seem the same as ours, they lack the single, unbroken heritage of the law recieved directly from Nichiren Daishonin. If one's faith is not based on this line of inheritance, it is worthless to embrace any Gohonzon, for no benefit will be forthcoming. That is to say, "Without the lifeblood of faith, it would be useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra." " Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhism in Action, vol 3, p 254

I suggest also that you search out the SGI Bible of Shakubuku: Here are a few excerpts and my responses as a believer in Nichiren. The SGI Bible of Shakubuku (1951), supervised by Daisaku Ikeda, was published by the Soka Gakkai to train believers. The Soka Gakkai no longer publishes the Bible of Shakubuku because it promotes the Nichiren-Shoshu. Nevertheless, SGI's fundamental doctrines have not changed except for denying that the heritage of the Law is transmitted through the person of High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu. Now they claim that the heritage is only transmitted through the Successive Presidents of the Soka Gakkai.

"Shakyamuni's dharma is the dharma of the past and no longer beneficial". (page 63, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra is the only teaching to be spread in the Latter Day.

"It is necessary to realize that we no longer have a connection to Shakyamuni's Buddhism." (page 65, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that we are the direct disciples of the Original Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni.

"You should know that Nichiren Daishonin is the only true Buddha because Shakamuni's Buddhism is useless." (page 67, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that Shakyamuni Buddha is the Original Eternal Buddha and we can not even discard the Theoretical Section of the Lotus Sutra, let alone the Essential Section.

"Buddha Shakamuni is inferior to the true Buddha Nichiren." (page 316, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren taught that all Buddhas throughout the past, present, and future, are emanations of Shakyamuni Buddha. He also taught that those who abandon Shakyamuni will fall into the Avici hell.

"The Lotus Sutra which is the long-cherished wish of Buddha Shakamuni is no longer valid in this era, not in the least." (page93, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Nichiren says the Lotus Sutra is the ultimate teaching of the past, present, and future

"If you don't worship the Gohonzon of NST (SGI), you will know no well-being in the age of Mappo." (page70, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Yet, the deluded SGI members criticize us for pointing out that the Nichikan Gohonzon breeds evil men.

'If you worship the Honzon of a wicked religion, you will naturally experience misfortune (page280, The Bible of Shakubuku).

The misfortune of the SGI senior leaders and their family members, is actual proof that they worship a Honzon of a wicked religion and the tremendous good fortune of the believers in the Kempon Hokke is proof of the righteousness of our Honzon and the goodness of our religion.

"All other sects except NST (SGI) are wicked religions and are a negative influence on society. (page280, The Bible of Shakubuku)

The reality is that wherever the SGI has spread, the people have suffered every manner of misfortune and even their own members obtain neither merit nor virtue.

"The teachings of Buddha Shakamuni is as useless as last year's

calendar. If you are guided by his teachings, your life will surely

fail as a logical result." (page303,The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then why so many unrealized dreams among the Soka Gakkai members and why such wonderful benefits in the life of the Kempon Hokke believers who embrace the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha?

"Every person who doesn't worship the Gohonzon of Fuji-Taiseki temple (SGI) are bad people who slander the true dharma.' (page314, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then the SGI members are bad because, according to their own criteria, they slander the "true dharma" of Fuji-Taisekaji temple. The reality is that they are bad people, especially their high salaried leaders, for other real and serious transgressions: For abandoning the Lotus Sutra and Lord Shakyamuni Buddha and exploiting the Dharma for personal gain.

"The family which believes in the so-called Nichiren-shu will have children who have deformities, mental retardation or madness." (page321, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then why do so many children of SGI top senior leaders never make it past their twenty first birthday while most Nichiren Shu priests' and believers' children not only survive but thrive? The reason is that the SGI's leaders curses and particularly Ikeda's curses have returned to the originator. For slandering votaries of the Lotus Sutra they or their SGI family members suffer everymanner of disease and death before they grow old.

"All other sects except NST (SGI) are false heresies who exert bad influence on society." (page323, The Bible of Shakubuku)

Then why are there more severe calamities wherever Soka Gakkai has widely spread? Then why does France label the SGI a dangerous cult and has Daisaku Ikeda never once received an award or honor from his own people, the Japanese? Why did the Komeito suffer such a brutal beating in the last election? Because they are a good influence to society?

It is not we of the Kempon Hokke against others, it is we who are united with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the universe and Nichiren and those who aren't from whatever quarter. We also acknowledge Nichiren's teachings on complicity with evil and who is and who isn't a good spiritual friend. From the vast corpus of writings of Ikeda and the Soka Gakkai, it is apparent that SGI members and, especially leaders, are poor spiritual friends.

4).Destructive cults generate some kind of external “pet devil” with which to threaten their members if they should doubt, or fail, or ever leave the group. 

The SGI has dozens of “pet devils”. Those who leave will have misfortune on their jobs, in their families, in the social lives,have accidents, fall into hell, etc. President Toda stated: “If you keep this up, you’re going to cometo a pitiful end in life.” and “Betraying the Soka Gakkai is betraying the Daishonin. In the end, they’llreceive the punishment of the Buddha, you’ll see.” Ikeda says, “To take action to fight againstwhatever forces appear as the enemies of the Soka Gakkai is our most noble mission.” Matilda Bucksays, “How tragic it would be for even one person to have found the great means of bringing forth Buddhahood only to be diverted to another, seemingly similar, path that is incapable of leading that individual to his or her deepest happiness.” This is the jist of the Gakkai’s attempt to chain themembers to the Gakkai way of life. The Biggest ”pet devil” is Nikken of the Nichiren Shoshu:

“When Buddhism speaks of “devilish functions,” what does that really mean? These represent whatever tries to prevent us from advancing in our Buddhist practice. In a sense, they are frightened when we expand the Buddha?s forces, because the realm they want to control will be changed into a pure land. In our case right now, this function is being manifested in the current high priest of Nichiren Shoshu.”

Robin: Again, as far as I can tell this is the same with all Nichiren sects with “Ikeda” being the “pet devil”. I used to hate all the demonizing of Nikken and felt the SGI should move on and focus on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and the Gosho (which they now seem to do in the UK), but most Nichiren sects seem more obsessed with President Ikeda than you say SGI members are. 

Mark:

I guess you are not familiar with the SGI UK Soka Spirit. I suggest you do a google search. A component of Fascism are those “WHO ARE URGED TO ENGAGE IN A HEROIC COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO ATTAIN A METAPHYSICAL GOAL against the machinations of a SCAPE GOATED DEMONIZED ADVERSARY”: [from Scruton]. For your benefit, I have included my commentary proving that the Soka Gakkai has features of Fascism

The following passages with capitalized words are from Scruton along with commentary proving that the SGI has the essential features of Fascism :

“[Fascism is] more notable as a political phenomenon on which diverse intellectual influences converge than as a distinct idea; as political phenomenon, one of its most remarkable features has been the ability to win massive popular support for ideas that are expressly ANTI-EGALITARIAN.”

Despite their rhetoric, there is a huge chasm between general members and their religious leaders in the Soka Gakkai. If a general member or lower level leader disagrees with a higher level leader, it is always the general member who lacks faith or should reflect. If a leader visits the home of a member, the leader invaraibly leads prayers even if the member has been practicing many years more than the leader.

"Fascism is characterized by the following features (not all of which need be present in any of its recognized instances"): nationalism; HOSTILITY TO DEMOCRACY,” TO EGALITARIANISM”

Not one leader has ever been elected in the Soka Gakkai but they call themselves, “the flower of Buddhist democracy”. Whenever members like the IRG group or individuals bring up elections of leaders, the higher level leaders, questions their faith or spins it that, “the SGI is already a Buddhist democracy, of what use are elections.” A leaders term is indefinite and the higher level leaders serve at the whim of the unelected “President”. Some leaders have been Vice General Directors, General Directors, or Vice Presidents for decades.

‘and to the VALUES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT” [The Age of Reason]:

Another name for this age is the Age of Free Thought. As we have seen there is no free thought in the Soka Gakkai. See how far one gets in the organization were one to take Shakyamuni, Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, or Michio Kaku as their mentor instead of Daisaku Ikeda. Free thought extends to the sphere of freedom of study. One can not even study the various extant Gohonzons in the Soka Gakkai because it is forbidden to photograph the Gohonzon. Even an independent study of the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin is frowned upon. One must utilize the commentaries of the mentor. There were dozens of debating societies during the Age of Enlightenment. There is no debate in the Soka Gakkai. It is the mentors way or the highway and they are loathe to debate the other Nichiren sects, particularly the Kempon Hokke.

“The CULT OF THE LEADER,”

One need only observe the 20 foot banners, monuments, plaques and reliefs of Ikeda to know that the Soka Gakkai is a cult of personality. The teaching of the Oneness of Mentor and Disciple too is evidence. The memorizations ["fusing with", "burning into ones life"] of Ikeda’s guidances, aphorisms and poems, is another example. Naming dozens of parks, buildings, schools, and monuments after Ikeda, is yet another example.

“AND ADMIRATION FOR HIS SPECIAL QUALITIES”:

His voluminous and often ghost written books, his hundreds of paid for honorarium; “his ability to read minds and know what others are thinking.”; “‘The sun always shining when he comes to visit.”; His fidelity; loyalty; sincerity; never erring on religious or secular matter; the list literally goes on and on.

“A RESPECT FOR A COLLECTIVE ORGANIZATION, AND A LOVE OF THE SYMBOLS associated with it, such as UNIFORMS, PARADES and ARMY DISCIPLINE”:

One finds dozens of claims of the inability of people to attain Buddhahood outside the SGI organization. Every Division has their own flag and special symbols. The SGI has its own flag and symbol. Uniforms were a big part of the USA organization for years and are still worn in Japan. Uniformity, especially among the young men’s division is highly valued. Many fail to move up the organizational ladder if they have a moustache or beard. They have grandiose parades and their young men’s and young women’s divisions are run with military inspired discipline.

“The ultimate doctrine contains little that is specific, beyond AN APPEAL TO ENERGY AND ACTION”:

“Victory or defeat”; “ever victorious”; “life condition”; “take action today”; “It is essential for our members to raise their voices and take action.”; “Develop the will and spiritual energy to guide your members.”; give your very life for the Soka Gakkai.” “A lion is fearless. A lion is never defeated. A lion never laments. A lion is swift. A lion roars. A lion runs. And, above all, a lion wins without fail.”

“Another way to look at fascism is as a movement of extreme racial or CULTURAL NATIONALISM, combined with ECONOMIC CORPORATISM and AUTHORATARIAN AUTOCRACY”:

The Soka Gakkai is a country within the countries to which it has spread. There most definitely is a culture of Soka. The minor differences in the organizations of the various countries is window dressing rather than a true cultural assimilation. We would not be wrong to say it is an organization based on the Japanese cultural baggage of Bushido or way of the warrior [fierce loyalty, honor, feudalism]. They are one of the largest multi-national religious corporations in the world.

“masked during its rise to state [world] power by PSEUDO-RADICAL POPULIST appeals to overthrow a conspiratorial elitist regime”:

Anyone who opposes the goal of “world peace” based on the Soka “value creation” philosophy are elitists, intellectuals, or priest-like.

“SPURRED BY A STRONG CHARISMATIC LEADER”:

Duh!

“WHOSE REACTIONARY IDEAS ARE SAID TO ORGANICALLY EXPRESS THE WILL  OF THE MASSES”:

Nothing could be more reactionary than the autocratic pyramidal structure of the Soka Gakkai formulated by Three Presidents and perfected by Daisaku ikeda, “The Buddha of the modern age who looks upon the people as his children”.

“WHO ARE URGED TO ENGAGE IN A HEROIC COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO ATTAIN A  METAPHYSICAL GOAL against the machinations of a SCAPE GOATED DEMONIZED ADVERSARY”:

Daisaku Ikeda’s Concept of Peace Cosmology is an example of SGI’s grandiose metaphysical goal. It doesn’t even limit the metaphysical goal to the earth but the entire cosmos. 

In his internal speeches since 1991, and in the latest Human Revolution series, we come to see that the evil Nichiren Shoshu priests and the the other evil Nichiren sects, in general, are the only thing preventing the realization of the worldwide actualization of Soka peace cosmology or the spread of the true teachings [Kosen Rufu].

“In any case, in most definitions of fascism the themes of conspiracism and a NEEDED SCAPEGOAT emerge”:

The Nichiren priests, in general and the Nichiren Shoshu, specifically, according to the SGI are the Third of the Three Powerful Enemies, to be crushed. They can’t even see that their high paid business suited lay leaders are what Dengyo terms, nominal Bhikksus or priests.

The parallels between fascism and the Soka Gakkai are conclusive. Other parallels are, elitism, xenophobia and drive for control, for example. Then there is the false propaganda and propagandists, those like yourself.

Daisaku Ikeda is not our pet devil nor is he even the reincarnation of Devedatta. He is our best friend in the entire World because without Ikeda and his organization, there would be no way to contrast the SGI with the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin..