Another person asked me to post my testimonial on Stand Together Nichiren Buddhists. I repost it here with a few additions.
My life is tenuous but wonderful. I've been on dialysis for seven years, have generalized atherosclerosis, had kidney cancer and have a chronic infrarenal dissecting aortic aneurysm. I take 5 blood pressure meds. I have been married to my wife for 33 years. We chant together and she takes care of me. Fortunately I found a traditional wife. I tell nearly everyone I meet about Namu Myoho renge kyo and invite them to my house to meet the Gohonzon and talk about the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Nichiren. I am an antinuclear activist. I have two successful children, one of whom chants the Daimoku when she has a problem or feels down and I have three grandchildren. My daughter had an easy delivery of a fortune baby several days ago (she had to push only two times). I was a physician for 35 years but the internal revenue, treasury dept, and medical bills have rendered us broke. We desire little. I have two of the most gentle very high content grey wolves, Fluffy is 5 years old and his daughter, Namu White Wolf is 14 months old. We also have Myoho the Great Pyrenees who is a big girl at 170 pounds, and Twinkle, a Springer Spaniel. My animals are also our children. We live in a rural area on top of a mountain, lots of deer, coyotes, eagles, and we even saw two pumas. I should have died at least five times in my life, two times by avoiding unavoidable accidents and three times with peritonitis. During one bout of peritonitis, I had a mild heart attack and during another, I had a major bleed in one kidney. 2 years ago, they took out this same kidney because of stage 2 kidney cancer. I am vital despite my illnesses and worked nearly full until last May. Several of my patients continue to see me and those without insurance, I charge them $35.00 unless they request disability determinations. I also continue to see patients for medical marijuana licenses and counseling about the known indications for the various strains of marijuana. I myself smoke, perhaps, 5 times per year. I consider myself a lay priest. I guess you could say, I tonsured myself. Namu Myoho renge kyo and Gohonzon are the reason I'm still here. Life is the greatest benefit of all.
You left out how you use your blog to target, demean and mock believers who chant Myoho Renge Kyo, evoke animosity towards the Japanese, Muslims, and currently the most admired leader of the free world, President Zelensky.
ReplyDeleteDon’t forget to boast about posting comments that violate women - ( slut, whore) ; inciting conflict -
fueling it and reveling in your control over what is known about the people you either like or dislike.
What you are known for, isn’t included in your resume?
BTW, “ fortune baby” is a SGI term of endearment — and of course you would boast about your daughters easy delivery , living in a state with one, if not , the highest rate of maternal/ infant mortality and child poverty!
BTW, “ telling everyone you meet about daimoku “ is also a SGI practice as is marginalizing and demeaning critics, a strictly “ top leader” trait!
Still, SGI members I know are more engaged and more actively caring for and about EVERYONE than you appear capable of ! And though I choose to practice independently, I too devote myself to caring for others and don’t ascribe to wholesale, generalized hate campaigns against any group!
You have not attained what you claim, but then what you claim yourself to be , a superior / authority on Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra is simply not in the cards for any of us ! One day , soon, I hope, you will get a grip, Doc 🙏
~ Katie
So, what is it you are doing for society and your community? You just talked about how you make a living and how fortunate you are to be alive .
ReplyDeleteOh, and marriage is traditionally about spouses taking care of one another. All of us married folks vowed to do this - and have careers , children and pets— all stuff we do- that’s the “tradition”of marriage, BTW.
What does your antinuclear activism entail? Internet chatting ?
If you’re a lay priest, why are you spewing mean spirited and publishing gossipy scandalous stuff about anyone ? Self tonsured ?
Is that an actual thing ?
Shijo Kingo, who actually was Nichiren’s disciple - prospered after a few decades following Nichiren. Would you call him greedily and craven ? Or do you reserve such criticism just for SGI/NST , etc. ?
~ Katie
Greg Romero
ReplyDeleteNovember 3, 2013 ·
Shared with Public
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REAL NICHIREN BUDDHIST STUDY TIME: "the mystic principle that is the essential nature of phenomena possesses two aspects, the defiled aspect and the pure aspect. if the defiled aspect is operative, this is called delusion. if the pure aspect is operative, this is called enlightenment. enlighten constitutes the realm of buddhahood. delusion constitutes the realms of ordinary mortals." -nichiren.
Since there are no enlightened common mortals, it seems like there should not be any believers who would even attempt to elevate themselves to the role of judging, condemning and marginalizing other believers. Actually Nichiren did teach / warn his followers not to abuse one another. This is our unique struggle/ challenge - to transcend differences and prove the power of Myoho Renge kyo — We cannot accomplish this with nasty, petty infighting - especially on a public forum, lest we want to convey that there is nothing special about embracing/ reciting the daimoku — we can just join the ranks of hypocrites following lesser teachings , who do not practice what they preach !
ReplyDeleteCreating unity starts with mutual agreement on basic principles. When there are so many issues causing suffering in our country today, every opportunity a believer has to bring the power of Myoho Renge kyo into the forefront of thinking, speaking and acting for the sake of others, is propagating Myoho Renge kyo. Instead of focusing on unity that is based on Myoho renge kyo, this blog focuses on debasing all Nichiren sects and specifically the SGI! Worse, this is accomplished mostly with gossip and scandalous anonymous testimonials ! Rather than develop relationships and conducting civil dialogue , Mark and Greg take cheap shots at long time practitioners with strong faith, like me and Jerry - on this public forum when each of them could engage us personally. They could follow Nichiren’s example of addressing believers - in his letters to his followers, but instead they gravitate toward letters where Nichiren discussed the issues facing them , with regard to the Buddha and the LS in medieval Japan , with followers he knew well. Somehow, Nichiren’s strong opposition to slanderous schools in his time , has become the template for Mark and Greg to attack others who actually embrace and recite Myoho Renge Kyo!
None of us is enlightened — it is the teaching, Myoho Renge kyo that is perfect, not us, and certainly not circumstances in the threefold world. It is our behavior as human beings that reflects our faith, not our ability to quote or copy/paste the Gosho and the Lotus Sutra. Awakening or activating Buddha in our lives, is having the Buddha “ teaching us within our own lives “, which means each of us will have a unique experience and path. What is the point of making comparisons or engaging in competition regarding “ benefits” — when the Buddha and Nichiren assured us ALL who recite/ embrace Myoho Renge kyo will attain benefits , the extent of which even the Buddha could not fully describe? I contend that anyone claiming another’s daimoku is “ worthless” is a liar. There is no such thing as worthless daimoku, though there is the tendency for self doubt and criticism of others— because we are common mortals! The only precept is to recite the daimoku- assiduously, so —- wouldn’t encouraging each other to continue no matter what be the ONLY reasonable , true measure of our faith in Myoho Renge kyo? Isn’t that the exemplary human behavior that would best demonstrate the ultimate teaching
I began to question the “ practice” of trashing fellow believers, extending to all other Nichiren sects, and attachment to differences , to conspiracy theories, etc., over the past year— and immediately became Mark and Greg’s “ enemy”. As they continue their dogma driven trashing of me, I enjoy renewed faith in the Law. As they continue their dogma driven, personal grudge - fueled attacks on me and other believers, I continue to pray for them to open their eyes and become motivated by the opportunity we have to become beacons for those suffering from the excruciating divisiveness in our country. With or without them , the forward momentum to propagate the daimoku via exemplary human behavior is underway —How could it be otherwise? Unless the Buddha and Nichiren were great liars?
No way ! Transcending differences is the challenge — not establishing person based superiority !
Cheers!
~ Katie
You do realize that surviving life threatening circumstances is a benefit shared by many who have a consistent practice?Nothing you shared is not within the experience of many others in every Nichiren sect, and indecent practitioners like Katie. Now consider the following, please :
ReplyDeleteActivism is the hallmark of a liberal democracy . Viewing the crisis that threatens our democratic majority rule society as a trigger for activism , youth division members in Boston would not be inclined to look at your benefits as grounds for joining your tribe. The paradigm shift from personal benefit to focus on results from shared commitment to standing up for others bears fruit in personal growth and even personal benefit, which reinforces practice for others beyond the old paradigm, which was getting others to chant and receive Gohonzon.
I get SGI was not right for you and the same is true of others for sure. But having extricated yourself from the organization and becoming entrenched in tearing it down for 20 years on your blog, you are estranged from the contribution that a whole new generation of youth has brought to SGI.
Here is some hopefully beneficial feedback from dozens of youth division members who read your blog at my suggestion.
The number one response was : “ Mark does not have credible info about us”
Not a personal attack, but a statement of fact.
But none were inclined to participate on your blog noting your attitude towards others who have tried to update you.
From the mouths of babes : “ Mark has to care enough about the truth to do the leg work. Like any responsible journalist. But he looks more like Fox News ratings junkies who are more about scandal and playing the victim than responsible reporting.”
Ouch!
Wonder if you can transform your personal slight suffering with daimoku or will seize on an opportunity for yet another thin skinned attack - this time on these young believers ? I hesitated to share this worried I was just giving you another opportunity to slander believers.:
Marty