For example, the Great Teacher Chia-hsiang wrote a work in ten volumes entitled The Treatise on the Profundity of the Lotus Sutra in which he praised the Lotus Sutra. But Miao-lo criticized the work, saying, “There are slanders in it—how can it be regarded as sincere praise?”
Chia-hsiang was in fact an offender against the Lotus Sutra. Thus, when he was defeated by T’ien-t’ai and served him, he no longer lectured on the Lotus Sutra. “If I were to lecture on it,” he said, “I could not avoid falling back into the paths of evil.” And for seven years, he made his own body a bridge [for T’ien-t’ai to walk on].
Similarly, the Great Teacher Tz’u-en wrote a work in ten volumes entitled Praising the Profundity of the Lotus Sutra in which he praised the Lotus Sutra, but the Great Teacher Dengyō criticized it, saying, “Though he praises the Lotus Sutra, he destroys its heart.”
If we consider these examples carefully, we will realize that, among those who read the Lotus Sutra and sing its praises, there are many who are destined for the hell of incessant suffering. Even men like Chia-hsiang and Tz’u-en were actually slanderers of the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra. And if such can be said of them, it applies even more to men like Kōbō, Jikaku, and Chishō, who displayed open contempt for the Lotus Sutra.
There are those like the Great Teacher Chia-hsiang, who ceased giving lectures, dispersed the group of disciples that had gathered around him, and even made his body into a bridge for T’ien-t’ai. But in spite of these actions, the offense of his earlier slanders of the Lotus Sutra was not, I expect, so easily wiped out. The crowd of people who despised and abused Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, although they later came to believe in his teachings and became his followers, still carried the burden of their former actions and had to spend a thousand kalpas in the Avīchi hell as a result.
Accordingly, if men like Kōbō, Jikaku, and Chishō had lectured on the Lotus Sutra, even if they had repented of their errors, they would still have had difficulty making up for their former grave offenses. And of course, as we know, they never had any such change of heart. On the contrary, they completely ignored the Lotus Sutra and spent day and night carrying out the True Word practices and morning and evening preaching the True Word doctrines.
Who might those be, they who praise and practice the Lotus Sutra today who destroy its heart? I would say, the biggest offenders are the Soka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shoshu
Never forget the gratitude we owe to Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin.
ReplyDeleteThe character Myo is the rain of the Law. Even in the depths of hell Myo is the rain that puts out the great fires of suffering and delusion. Everything changes save for the eternal nature of the Law and the Buddha. Jihi or Buddhist mercy is the essential nature of Myo. Buddha Shakyamuni displayed his mercy by confronting the nine great persecutions for the sake of people and Nichiren overcame five great persecutions. Both these great men renounced a life of luxury for the sake of the Law. Both could have been or done anything they chose, monarch, adviser to the nation; entrepreneur, physician, or general. They chose to preach the Law, living in the open under the stars or in thatched hermitage. Neither was respected by the powers that be. Ajatashatru loosed a herd of wild elephants on the Buddha and Hojo Takenobu sentenced Nichiren Daishonin to death. Never let those impoverished SGI leaders who claim to have attained what they have not degrade your faith or your efforts for the Law. You will see in ten or fifteen years who is being tormented by the guards of hell and who is enjoying the boundless benefit of the Law. The rain of Myo benefits all equally, not just "holy" leaders or priests who are anything but holy or true priests. You yourself are a Bodhisattva of the Earth, exalted beings who drink the life sustaining rain of the Law. Never forget this. Never forget the gratitude we owe to Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin.
NICHIREN SPEAKS: "exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. without practice and study, there can be no buddhism. you must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. both practice and study arise from FAITH. teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase.wnd386.
ReplyDeleteWho might those be, they who praise and practice the Lotus Sutra today who destroy its heart? I would say, the biggest offenders are the Soka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shoshu.
ReplyDelete