Nichiren writes,
"However, they do not look like those referred to in the sutra: “monks who wear robes and stay in tranquility.” People do not suppose that they are “revered by the people as though they were arhats with Six Super human Powers.” Or, should I say that they are those who are “more cunning and less likely to reveal their faults?”
It is very important to determine who are the cunning monks. Think carefully. Who could be more cunning than a monk who states, "I am not a monk, I am a layman." From the perspective of this age and time, we would have to conclude that it is the business suited lay vice presidents and President of the SGI who are these cunning monks. Those who are looked up to as living Buddhas or having Superhuman Powers ("He could read my thoughts.", "How could anyone but a living Buddha collect so many awards and honors?", "Who but Daisaku Ikeda could write three hundred books." -- discounting of course his dozens of ghost writers) - that is who is the most cunning of the cunning monks.
Nichiren goes on to reveal another way to determine who is in fact the third of the Three Powerful enemies. Here he uses the Zen monks as an example:
"Monks who study only the writings refer to those who are concerned only with the scholastic aspects without understanding the true meaning of the scriptures through wisdom; and Zen monks who are concerned only with
formality refer to those who are concerned with the conventions of meditation without firmly grasping the fundamentals. This is the same as the meditation of Brahmans, who will never gain complete freedom from delusions and evil passions. T'ien-t'ai's statement that some Zen monks concentrate only on meditation is an understatement sypathetic to them. In actuality, they lack both practice in meditation as well as wisdom to understand the doctrine. Those who practice Zen consider only the meditation important and pay little attention to the study of doctrines. They interpretate sutras from the viewpoint of meditation in such an absurd way as to say that the eight-fold Evil Path and the Eight Winds make the sixteen-feet tall Buddha, and the Five Elements of all existences and the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and stupidity make the Eight-fold Evil Path. They confuse the six sensory organs with the Six superhuman Powers, or confuste the basic elements of the material world (earth, water, fire, and wind) with the Four Noble Truths. That such interpretations of the sutras are the worst of all is beyond question, an absurdity not worthy of discussion."
If you have spoken to the top leaders of SGI, you will know that they are not much different than the Zen monks, confusing the very basic concepts of Buddhism with meaningless but sometimes ornate rhetoric. They are also like Sammibo, a former disciple of Nichiren Daishonin who became arrogant thus distorting his teachings. If you haven't spoken to the top leaders, here are some examples.
"In the November 9, 1992 World Tribune (WT) p. 5, the late Richard Causton, former general director of the SGI-UK, stated,
"We must deeply understand that the heritage of the Universal Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can only be transmitted through organizations joined in unity, based on faith in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and the principle of the oneness of master and disciple." (emphasis added). Mr. Causton also explains his reference to "the oneness of master and disciple" as follows: "All of us who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which our ultimate master, Nichiren Daishonin, taught us, can develop the eyes of the Buddha; but it is President Ikeda, our master in life, who guides us through the rocks and shoals of this life, with pride and gratitude. President Ikeda has taught me everything. "The article also states: "Hence, the master gives his guidance based on his interpretations of the Gosho in contemporary terms and his experience of action, both for his own human revolution and for guiding the movement for kosen-rufu. We as disciples, must then set out to prove its validity for ourselves . .
Please note the focus on President Ikeda and not on the Eternal Shakyamuni, Namu myoho Renge kyo, the Lotus Sutra, nor the Daishonin.
"An editorial in the WT of November 16, 1992, p. 2, stated:
"One way [of making 'sincerity' real in our lives] is to constantly renew our determination to live with sincerity by putting President Ikeda's guidance into action every day . . . It's important to study Nichiren Daishonin's writings and the guidance of President Ikeda, but unless we put all these words into action, they are meaningless."
In the September 12, 1994 WT, p. 5, Senior Vice General Director David Kasahara stated:
” . . . The more we strictly follow the Law, including, in my mind, President Ikeda’s guidance, the more capable we become at being flexible in our awareness of what others need for their happiness. . . .”
The Law is President Ikeda’s guidance according to SGI. SGI members chant Nam(u) Myoho renge kyo with their mouths but Nam(u) Daisaku Ikeda and Nam(u) Daisaku Ikeda’s guidance with their hearts. Next, he will have his guidance inscribed on the Gohonzon.
It is also implied that President Ikeda's guidance is superior to the guidance of the Gohonzon, Buddha Shakyamuni, and Nichiren Daishonin.
"In the January 11, 1993 WT, p. 4, Mr. Ikeda stated:
"Since the Buddhist way of mentor and disciple is the ultimate way for humanity, it is impossible to grasp even the tiniest fragment of it if your efforts are only half-hearted. How faithfully did Mr. Toda follow and protect Mr. Makiguchi? And how faithfully did I follow and protect Mr. Toda? To a degree nearly unimaginable by people today. I could not hope to serve that great leader of Buddhism, Mr. Toda, without a determination to give up my own life if necessary. In that fierce determination we find the very essence of what it is to be human."
The Daishonin's master was the Eternal Shakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra. Again, again and again he stated to rely on the Law and not on the person.
In the May 3, 1996 WT, p. 10, Mr. Ikeda stated:
"Ultimately, Buddhism comes down to the person. I did not wait to place my trust in President Toda until I had learned about the Daishonin's teachings. Rather, I came to trust Buddhism because I first believed in the person, Josei Toda."
Rely on the person and not on the Law is the teaching of the Soka Gakkai
while Nichiren teaches in On Repaying Debts of Gratitude:
In a scripture called the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha says, “Rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Relying on the Law here means relying on the various sutras. Not relying upon persons means not relying on persons other than the Buddha, such as the bodhisattvas Universal Worthy and Manjushrī or the various Buddhist teachers I have enumerated earlier.
In the SGI May study preparation lecture on Letter to Misawa by the head of the SGI study department, the jist of Greg Martin's lecture was that, through faith in the oneness of mentor and disciple, faith that the disciple is one with the Buddha, Daisaku Ikeda (specifically and our seniors in faith, generally), we can prevent the Devil of the Sixth Heaven from entering into our lives and organization. Don't drop "oneness" when entrusting yourself to President Ikeda or a senior or even when discussing the mentor disciple relationship. Obviously this was a very very important point because he made it several times).
Another "important" point he made, was not to succumb to the tantalizing temptation for power and authority [except in relation to the mentor, Daisaku Ikeda and your seniors in faith]. This was another example of double speak.
Select a mentor (someone like Ikeda and your seniors) who has defeated the Devil of the Sixth Heaven . Substitute wisdom for faith (faith in the mentor and your seniors). About the organization he said, one reed can't stand alone which is double talk because one moment earlier he discussed self reliant faith and practice and in the next moment, reliance on SGI.
Greg Martin went on in his lecture on the Letter to Misawa to say that we can transform ourselves through reading and putting president Ikeda's guidance into practice but he never touched upon those enemies of the Lotus Sutra, such as the Shingon priests and their teachings nor did he discuss the principle of not begrudging one's life for the Lotus Sutra. Neither did he mention Nichiren having contrasted strong faith with the weak faith of the Nun Usabusa. He also talked very little about the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Daishonin. However, he did mention the Daimoku and teaching others to the best of their ability but his conclusion was that the one vehicle to realize the widespread propagation of the Law (Kosen Rufu) is the teaching of mentor and disciple. The reality is, this important writing of Nichiren Daishonin has nothing to say about anything that remotely resembles the SGI teachings on mentor and disciple.
In general the SGI maintains, like the zen school,
"The Lotus Sutra is a finger pointing to the moon while the Zen School is the moon itself. After grasping the moon there is no need for the finger to point at it. Zen is the heart of the Buddha while the Lotus Sutra is merely His words. Having finished preaching all the sutras, including the Lotus, the Buddha picked up a bunch of flowers and gave it to Kasyapa because he alone understood what the Buddha meant. As proof the Buddha entrusted him with His kesa (vestment), which had been handed down through twenty-eight patriarchs of Buddhism in India to six patriarchs of Buddhism in China."
They assert either that the Lotus Sutra has lost its power or it is too difficult to understand without the instruction of their mentor Daisaku Ikeda.
Depreciating the Daishonin, the Lotus Sutra, and especially the Gohonzon, (the representation of the Law and Eternal Buddha), Daisaku Ikeda and the top SGI leaders prove themselves, the Third of the Three Powerful Enemies of this present age. In fact, Daisaku Ikeda, attempting to usurp the rightful position of Shakyamuni Buddha of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin, is worse than Devedatta.
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