Katie, the Soka Gakkai, and Mark on attachments

Katie: What is meant by the word, "attachment"? And what does it look like to "abandon attachments to ...even friends and family"? Nichiren's deep concern and compassion for his followers and references to his parents and hometown are beautifully expressed in his writings as are the heartfelt prayers that encouraged and uplifted those suffering from illness and grief. I think we should put a finer point on this concept by noting that 1) We owe a debt of gratitude to our parents, and ALL living beings, and 2) "Abandoning" friends and family members does not reflect human values and proper conduct that are the heart of our culture, our society and our kinship with literally all living beings.

Mark: You misconstrue gratitude and appreciation for our friends family members, and all living beings to attachment. The following will be long because you have learned many wrong principles, not related to the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Nichiren, from the Soka Gakkai. It is too bad that you never questioned nor come to realize SGI's non-Buddhist teachings regarding desire and attchments:

https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2014/07/attachments-and-meager-benefits-of-sgi.html

Katie: So, maybe this is not a "teaching"? After all, it is our hearts that "matter most" and our concern for others, our caring and commitment to bringing benefit to others through our faith that is "exemplary" bodhisattva practice.

Mark: Yes, the heart that believes in the Lotus Sutra and authentic writings of Nichiren, not the heart that believes in Sensei, the High Priest, or the Secret..

Katie: There could be translation issues as well as the historical and cultural context that should be considered before just taking the above literally as a "teaching".

You are referring to my assertion, "Authentic Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism teaches us to abandon attachments to wealth, land, physical beauty, enemies, even friends and family members (realizing that all to which we are attached is ultimately ephemeral)."

Please read my essay on attachments above, especially the passages by Nichiren and the alternate translations of Earthly Desires are Enlightenment.

Katie: Maybe, at the end of our lives, IF we attain Buddhahood this "ephemeral" aspect of all phenomena will be clear-- but while we are living and embracing myoho renge kyo, I think that we have to stay grounded in the truth of the interconnection of ALL living beings and the special significance of those closest to us. ~Katie

Mark: Everyday I pray, "May all beings wake up from delusion and attain enlightenment. May they escape form life and death at once and attain the Great Bodhi. And also, may all sentient beings, the myriad souls of the Dharma Realm benefit equally". That includes you and the SGI members who I criticize for their beliefs that are contrary to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Lastly, I refer you to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra on "attachments":

https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/search?searchInput=attachments&language=English&bookType=LSOC&searchOptions=Introductions&searchOptions=Texts-Contents&searchOptions=Texts-Background&searchOptions=Texts-Notes&searchOptions=Appendix&searchOptions=Glossary&sortType=weight-desc&resultFlg=1&searchFrom=search&pageNum=1