This is not a formal debate in which Nichiren teaches to refrain from such language and please remember, for every curse sent to SGI we receive dozens of curses from them. As there are degrees of killings, there are degrees for the sin of vilification. To vilify an honorable person, a votary of the Lotus Sutra who practices as the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren teach, is far more terrible than vilifying a slanderer. Some claim that Nichiren never vilified a single person who chanted the Daimoku. This is false, many Tendai priests chanted the Daimoku and Nichiren sternly rebuked them, sometimes with harsh language.
Referring to Ota Jomyo, a disciple of Nichiren:
"This doctrine concerning the theoretical and essential teachings is not my own [but was expounded by the Buddha]. Those who would distort it can only be possessed by the heavenly devil, or Pāpīyas (Devil Kings), and will topple others along with themselves into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. How foolish they are!" - The Four Bodhisattvas as the Object of Devotion
"They are like dogs that tag after the servants [forgetting their master]. They pay honor to apes and monkeys, considering them like the god Shakra; they revere shards and rubble, looking on them as bright gems. With such ignorant and benighted persons, how can one discuss the way?” -
The relative Merit of Reviting the daimoku and Amida's Name
"There was something very strange about Sammi-bō. Nevertheless, I was concerned that any admonition would be taken by the ignorant as mere jealousy of his wisdom, and so I refrained from speaking out. In time his wicked ambition led to treachery and, finally, to his doom. If I had scolded him more strictly, he might have been saved. I have not mentioned this before because no one would have understood it. Even now the ignorant will say that I am speaking ill of the deceased. Nevertheless, I mention it so that others can use it as their mirror. I am sure that our opponents and the renegades are frightened by the fate of Sammi-bō." - On Persecutions Befalling the Sage
And regarding people like SGI people:
"In the same way, the renegade disciples say, “Though the priest Nichiren is our teacher, he is too forceful. We will spread the Lotus Sutra in a more peaceful way.” In so asserting, they are being as ridiculous as fireflies laughing at the sun and moon, an anthill belittling Mount Hua, wells and brooks despising the river and the ocean, or a magpie mocking a phoenix. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo." -Letter from Sado
Regarding Tendai adherents:
"The Jikaku and Chishō factions war with each other incessantly; the latter-day followers of Kōbō in the head temple on Mount Kōya and those of Shōgaku-bō in Dembō-in [on Mount Negoro],26 Mount Hiei and Onjō-ji temple, wrangle back and forth like asura demons, fight like so many monkeys and dogs."
In Letter to The Tonsured Layman Soya (Soya nyudo sho), we read:
“They entirely look up to groups of icchantikas and rely on them as leaders and, reverencing slanderers against the Dharma, make them national teachers (ie: Ikeda). Taking up the Classic Filial Piety of Confucius, they beat their parents’ heads and, while chanting the Lotus Sutra of Lord Shakya with their mouths, they go against the Master of teachings.” Nichiren, quoting Dengyo states, “Although they praise the Hokkekyo, on the contrary, they kill the heart of the Hokke.”
"This doctrine concerning the theoretical and essential teachings is not my own [but was expounded by the Buddha]. Those who would distort it can only be possessed by the heavenly devil, or Pāpīyas (Devil Kings), and will topple others along with themselves into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. How foolish they are!" - The Four Bodhisattvas as the Object of Devotion
"They are like dogs that tag after the servants [forgetting their master]. They pay honor to apes and monkeys, considering them like the god Shakra; they revere shards and rubble, looking on them as bright gems. With such ignorant and benighted persons, how can one discuss the way?” -
The relative Merit of Reviting the daimoku and Amida's Name
"There was something very strange about Sammi-bō. Nevertheless, I was concerned that any admonition would be taken by the ignorant as mere jealousy of his wisdom, and so I refrained from speaking out. In time his wicked ambition led to treachery and, finally, to his doom. If I had scolded him more strictly, he might have been saved. I have not mentioned this before because no one would have understood it. Even now the ignorant will say that I am speaking ill of the deceased. Nevertheless, I mention it so that others can use it as their mirror. I am sure that our opponents and the renegades are frightened by the fate of Sammi-bō." - On Persecutions Befalling the Sage
And regarding people like SGI people:
"In the same way, the renegade disciples say, “Though the priest Nichiren is our teacher, he is too forceful. We will spread the Lotus Sutra in a more peaceful way.” In so asserting, they are being as ridiculous as fireflies laughing at the sun and moon, an anthill belittling Mount Hua, wells and brooks despising the river and the ocean, or a magpie mocking a phoenix. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo." -Letter from Sado
Regarding Tendai adherents:
"The Jikaku and Chishō factions war with each other incessantly; the latter-day followers of Kōbō in the head temple on Mount Kōya and those of Shōgaku-bō in Dembō-in [on Mount Negoro],26 Mount Hiei and Onjō-ji temple, wrangle back and forth like asura demons, fight like so many monkeys and dogs."
In Letter to The Tonsured Layman Soya (Soya nyudo sho), we read:
“They entirely look up to groups of icchantikas and rely on them as leaders and, reverencing slanderers against the Dharma, make them national teachers (ie: Ikeda). Taking up the Classic Filial Piety of Confucius, they beat their parents’ heads and, while chanting the Lotus Sutra of Lord Shakya with their mouths, they go against the Master of teachings.” Nichiren, quoting Dengyo states, “Although they praise the Hokkekyo, on the contrary, they kill the heart of the Hokke.”
"In the world now, however, everyone says that he is familiar with the Lotus Sutra. That is why practitioners of the Lotus Sutra abound. But let us discuss the sutra known as the Lotus in terms of a disease that is passed on to one’s children.
ReplyDeleteConcerning the disease that is passed on to one’s children, though it may be rare for children to resemble their parents in every particular, this kind of disease will most certainly be passed on to them. For example, a mother dog’s way of barking is passed on to her pup, and a mother cat’s movements are passed on to her kitten, which then catches mice in just such a manner as the mother.
Japan is made up of sixty-six provinces and two islands.2 Within its boundaries lie 11,037 temples dedicated to Buddhas. The priests and nuns residing on their grounds number three thousand, ten thousand, one thousand one hundred, ten, or one person. But they all trace their roots to the Great Teacher Kōbō, the Great Teacher Jikaku, and the Great Teacher Chishō: they are the disciples of these three great teachers. The chief priest of Mount Hiei, the supervisors of Tō-ji, Omuro, and the seven major temples of Nara, the chief official of Onjō-ji, and the superintendents of temples and shrines such as Izu, Hakone, Nikkō, and Jikō, are all in the lineage of these three great teachers." - A Disease Passed on to One's Children
Can you not find relevance of Nichiren's teachings regarding the country you live in?
ReplyDeleteAdvanced practitioners should be living in the 21st century- at least. right?
This is the Latter Degenerate Age. It is even more degenerate than during Nichiren's time.
ReplyDelete“Shōju is to be practiced when throughout the entire country only the Lotus Sutra has spread, and when there is not even a single misguided teacher expounding erroneous doctrines. At such a time, one may retire to the mountain forests, practice meditation, or carry out the five, the six, or the ten practices. But the time for shakubuku is very different from this. It is a time when many different sutras AND TEACHINGS spring up here and there like so many orchids and chrysanthemums, when the various schools command a large following and enjoy renown, when truth and error stand shoulder to shoulder, and when Mahayana and Hinayana dispute which is superior. At such a time, one must set aside all other affairs and devote one’s attention to rebuking slander of the correct teaching. This is the practice of shakubuku."
Regarding advanced practitioners, Nichiren taught that he, as a common mortal, was at the stage of first hearing the name of the Law (myoji-soku) from the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, the stage where one first hears the true Law and understands that all phenomena are the Mystic Law. Having heard the Law in the remote past, Nichiren is an "advanced practitioner". Having heard the Law more recently, I could not say in all honesty that I was an advanced practitioner.
ReplyDeleteThe Five Stages of Practice are:
1). Stage of first hearing the name of the Law (myoji-soku)– having heard the name of the truth and understanding that one has the potential for Buddhahood
2). Stage of observation and practice (kangyo-soku) – perceiving the truth within and having no contradiction between perception and action
3). Stage of having purified the six sense organs (soji-soku) – outwardly resembling a Buddha)
4). Stage of eradicating fundamental darkness (funjin-soku) – partial awakening to the truth
5). Stage of perfect enlightenment (kukyo-soku, or the ultimate level).
The Four Stages of Faith:
The Four Stages of Faith are:
1). To believe in and understand the sutra even for a moment. 2). To generally understand the import of the words of the sutra.
3). To expound the teaching of the sutra widely for others, and 4). To realize with deep faith the truth expounded by the Buddha.
Regarding advanced practitioners, Nichiren taught that he, as a common mortal, was at the stage of first hearing the name of the Law (myoji-soku) from the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, the stage where one first hears the true Law and understands that all phenomena are the Mystic Law. Having heard the Law in the remote past, Nichiren is an "advanced practitioner". Having heard the Law more recently, I could not say in all honesty that I was an advanced practitioner.
ReplyDeleteThe Five Stages of Practice are:
1). Stage of first hearing the name of the Law (myoji-soku)– having heard the name of the truth and understanding that one has the potential for Buddhahood
2). Stage of observation and practice (kangyo-soku) – perceiving the truth within and having no contradiction between perception and action
3). Stage of having purified the six sense organs (soji-soku) – outwardly resembling a Buddha)
4). Stage of eradicating fundamental darkness (funjin-soku) – partial awakening to the truth
5). Stage of perfect enlightenment (kukyo-soku, or the ultimate level).
The Four Stages of Faith:
The Four Stages of Faith are:
1). Stage of believing in and understanding the sutra even for a moment.
2). Stage of generally understanding the intention of the words of the sutra.
3). Stage of expounding the sutra widely for others.
4). Stage of deep faith in the truth of the Buddha's Mystic Law.
you cannot compare tendai priests to the SGI members or anyone you attack. they were well educated in the Buddha’s teachings and Buddhism in general. Nichiren held them to a higher standard and rightly so.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Those who chant Namu Myoho renge kyo are superior to Tendai priests and should know better, especially the leaders. I don't admonish the Bodhisattva neophtes but the Japanese top senior leaders earning mid six-figure salaries for "teaching the dharma" are fair game. Likewise slanderers as yourselves.
ReplyDeleteIf you truly care about these top leaders’ influence , then I would suggest you engage them directly.
ReplyDeleteYour accusation that I am a slanderer makes me “ fair game”? Odd choice of characterizing a very serious endeavor.
Yes, when I tried, they called the cops. When I requested to debate them, Al Albergate and Greg Martin refused. When they were up to the task of discussing the teachings online, after one or two engagements, they ran away with their tail between their legs because they couldn't cite the teachings to support their Ikeda worship and abandoning Shakyamuni Buddha.
ReplyDeleteCorrect, when you engage in the Fourteen Slanders towards me or anyone who is striving to have the same faith and practice as Nichiren, you are fair game.
your failures are noteworthy-- perhaps your focus on other's as the problem, rather than your own "tactics" is *your* error?
ReplyDeleteNichiren withdrew after 3 attempts to "correct" the erroneous beliefs of prominent opponents of his teachings.
referring to the "believer" who holds differing views from yours as, "fair game", or "engaging in the 14 slanders" gives the appearance of your demeaning the "person" rather than defending your own views. IMO
Because Nichiren never realized his dream to convert the Bakufu, he was a failure? You are blind.
ReplyDeleteBecause you attack people while degrading the true teaching yourself, you are blind to the root causes of your own failures.
ReplyDelete