The common person is NOT the original most ancient Buddha

FORGERY: HONGAKU (Original Innate Enlightenment) IS NOT NICHIREN'S DOCTRINE by Graham Lamont

(Here Lamont refutes Rev. Yasahara's view of Hongaku)

It is has been stated that opposition to hongaku (innate original enlightenment) is wrong and that the “Matter of the Ten Thusnesses” (Junyoze no koto) is a genuine work simply because it is recorded in the “Rokunai gosho” collection. 

1) The “Rokunai” catalogue is not any guide to authenticity; although at one time it was a slightly better standard for genuine works than the “Rokuge” collections, the naive belief that it was compiled on the first anniversary of Nichiren’s death has long since been discredited; it is a catalogue from long after. (“Nichiren Shonin Ibun jiten”, 1212c); as far as I can see the first reference to such collection is by Honjobo Nichijitsu of the Nakayama Lineage in 1461. Clearly given the state of Nichiren Buddhism then under the influence of the most corrupt monistic tendencies of the Medieval Tendai (chuko Tendai) establishment, the “Rokunai mokuroku” is by no means any guarantee of authenticity; in light of the sophisticated studies done in modern times when access to texts of various sects and lineages became easier, to cling to the notion that any document in this collection is ipso facto reliable and genuine is the height of ignorance and naivete. 

[Note: in Maltz’s so-called “Kempon Hokke Vision, v. 3, no. 6, p. 7, Yashuhara admits that this was compiled not later than 120 years after Nichiren; plenty of time for all sort of forgeries to be admitted to the canon.] 

Of all the forgeries under Nichiren’s august name, this particular document is perhaps the most egregious fake, because it can be shown to be derived from a work FALSELY attributed to Genshin (Eshin sozu: 942 1017) and included in “Eshin sozu zenshu”, v. 3, the “Essential Notes on Attaining Buddhahood in this Very Body by the ‘Hokke’” (“Hokke sokushin jobutsu yoki”); the “Junyoze no koto” itself was long ago a subject of dispute even in traditional times and was once regularly attributed to (of all people) Jikaku Daishi (Ennin: 794-864), a man whose errors Nichiren sharply attacked! As to the 

“Essential Notes on Attaining Buddhahood in this Very Body by the ‘Hokke’”, of which this work is clearly a revision or adaptation, at various times it was also attributed to Kakucho (960 1034); textual studies by Shigyo Kaishu showed decades ago that the present “Junyoze no koto” and the “Essential Notes on Attaining Buddhahood in this Very Body by the ‘Hokke’” are extremely close. (See Asai Yorin, “Nichiren kyogaku no kenkyu”, pp. 275-277, 303); this conclusion, far from being overturned in recent years has been adopted by standard reference works: (See“Nichiren Shonin Ibun jiten”, 503c) Moreover, even the editors of the “Showa Teihon” in the Nichiren Sect, who were not very strict in separating out forgeries decided to put this “Junyoze no koto” in the Continuation Section (zokuhen) which is reserved for questionable texts. (v. 3, 2030-2033; no.3) [Note, even if one were to concede that this work is by Nichiren, it  is supposedly from the year (Shoga 2 = 1258) and thus would have less significance than the Sado and post-Sado writings.] 

Let us now turn to the assertion that Honda Nissho was a fervent believer in this hongaku monism, so beloved of Maltz and other “ex” Gakkai “New Agers”. From the Kanjin Honzon-Sho, Nichiren Dai Shonin (trans. Kyotsu Hori), Chapter 4 (Upholding the Lotus Sutra and Attaining Buddhahood), Pages 88-96 

"Question (20): You have not responded to the serious question raise earlier regarding the Buddha residing in our minds, have you? 

Answer: It is said in the Sutra of Infinite Meaning (Muryogi-kyo), an introductory teaching to the Lotus Sutra: "though unable to perform the six kinds of practice leading to Buddhahood: charity, observing precepts, perseverance, effort, meditation and wisdom, upholders of this sutra will inevitably receive merits from practicing them." The second chapter of the Lotus Sutra states: "We wish to hear the way to perfection;" and in the Nirvana Sutra it is said: "'Sad' in the Saddharmapundarika (Lotus Sutra) means 'perfection'." Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says in his great Wisdom Discourse (Daichido-ron) that "sad" means "six" while the Annotations on the Four Mahayana Treatises (Wu-i wu-te ta-cheng ssu-lun hsuan-i chi) by Hui-chun of T'ang China means "perfection" in India. The Annotations on the Meaning of the Lotus Sutra (Fa-hua i-su) by Chi-tsang states that "sad" is translated as "perfection"; whileGrand Master T'ien-t'ai states in his Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra (Fa-hua hsuan-i) that "sad" is a Sanskrit term which is translated as "miao" (wonderful) in China. 

I fear that I may debase these passages if I try to interpret them, but I dare do so in order to answer your question. The gist of these passages is that Sakyamuni Buddha's merit of practicing the bodhisattva way leading to Buddhahood, as well as that of preaching and saving all living beings since His attainment of Buddhahood are altogether contained in the five words of myo, ho, ren, ge, and kyo (Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma) and that consequently, when we uphold the five words, the merits which He accumulated before and after His attainment of Buddhahood are naturally transferred to us. Thus, it is stated in the Lotus Sutra (chapter four, "Understanding by Faith) that four great sravaka such as Kasyapa rejoiced in their understanding of the teaching of the Lotus Sutra enabling sravaka to attain Buddhahood, and reported to the Buddha that they had been given invaluable jewels without asking for them. This represents the attainment of Buddhahood by the sravaka realm contained in our minds.

Not only the sravaka but also Sakyamuni Buddha is within us. For we encounter such a statement like this in the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra: "It was my (Sakyamuni's) original vow to let all beings become like Myself. My vow has now been fulfilled. I have helped them all enter the way of the Buddha." Does this not mean, that Sakyamuni Buddha, who has attained Perfect Enlightenment, is our flesh and blood, and all the merits He has accumulated before and after attaining Buddhahood are our bones? 

Moreover, the eleventh chapter of the Lotus Sutra "Appearance of the Stupa of Treasures", states: "Those who uphold the teaching of this sutra are deemed to serve me, Sakyamuni, and Taho Buddha. They also serve Buddhas in manifestation here who adorn and glorify their respective worlds." This means that Sakyamuni Buddha, Taho Buddha, and all the Buddhas in manifestation are in our minds, and that we, upholders of the Lotus Sutra, will follow their steps and inherit all the merits of those Buddhas. 

This is the meaning of the passage in the tenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra,"The Teacher of the Dharma", which reads: "Those who hear of this Lotus Sutra even for a moment, will instantly attain Perfect Enlightenment." A passage in the sixteenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra, "Duration of the Life of the Buddha", contends: "It has been many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayuta of kalpa (an incalculably long period of time) since I have attained Buddhahood." It means that Sakyamuni buddha, within our minds, is an ancient Buddha without beginning, manifesting Himself in three bodies, and attained buddhahood in the eternal past described as 500 dust-particle kalpa ago. 

In the same chapter, another passage reads: "The duration of My life, which I obtained through the practice of the way of bodhisattvas, has not yet expired. It is twice as long as the length of time stated above: 500 dust-particle kalpa." This reveals the bodhisattva-realm within our minds. The bodhisattvas described in the fifteenth chapter, "Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground", who have sprung out of the great earth, as numerous as the number of dust-particles of 1,000 worlds, are followers of the Original Buddha Sakyamuni who resides within our minds. 

They are like T'ai-kung-wang and Duke of Chou, retainers of King Wu of the Chou dynasty in ancient China, who at the same time served the King's young son, King Ch'eng; or Takeuchi-no Sukune of ancient Japan, a leading minister to Empress Jingu, who concurrently served her son, Prince Nintoku. Just like them Bodhisattvas Jogyo, Muhengyo, Jogyo and Anryugyo, the four leaders of those bodhisattvas sprung up from the earth, are simultaneously followers of the Original Buddha and Bodhisattvas who reside in the minds of us, ordinary people. 

Therefore, Grand Master Miao-le has declared in his Annotation on the Mo-ho chih-kuan (Mo-ho chih-kuan fu-hsing-chuan hung-chueh): "You should know that both our bodies and the land on which we live are a part of the 3,000 modes of existence which exist in our minds. Consequently, upon our attainment of Buddhahood, we are in complete agreement with the truth of '3,000 existences contained in one thought', and our single body and single thought permeate through all the worlds in the universe." 

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Let us take a look at Honda’s “Hokekyo kogi” (“Lectures on the Lotus Sutra”); commenting on the “Chapter of the Measure of Life of the Tathagata”: in volume 2, p. 215, he  specifically states in commenting the first line of the central “Jiga ge”: 

“The saintly patriarch relying on the vast numbers preaches the innumerable, and therewith judges it to reveal the Beginningless Really-existing Original Buddha of Concrete (or Tangible) Character of the Enjoyment and Response [Bodies], when as he says it ‘is the Beginningless Ancient Buddha of kalpas as many as the dust of countries touched or not by the dust of five hundred of tens of trillions of nayutas of asamkheyas of great trichiliocosms (gohyaku jinden gô) and so on to the Three Bodies that are revealed’, it is this. Although in discussing this Original Buddha there are those who cull out the Buddha Who practiced and manifested the Effect and point to the Ideality (Abstraction) of Unmanifest Original Enlightenment (hongaku no ritai) and take this Abstract Buddha (ributsu) that is the unenlightened worldling (bombu) to be the Original Buddha (hombutsu) and take the Actual Buddha (jibutsu) as the Manifestation Buddha (shakubutsu);" 

"This is by no means (kesshite) the conclusion of the faith and practice of [the Bodhisattva] Converted by the Original Buddha (honge). However, among the Saint’s latter lineages they frequently assert this doctrine and advocate that it is the sublime doctrine revealed by the ‘[Chapter] of the Measure of Life’ alone and the Ultimate Theory exceeding the {Bodhisattva] Converted by the Original Buddha (honge); the ignorant heedlessly would follow suit. Alas! This child is to be pitied !” The passage is reasonably clear: in interpreting this central part of the “Lotus Sutra” Honda makes it clear that the Buddha spoken of in Chapter Sixteen is of a concrete or tangible character (gutaikaku) relating to the Enjoyment and Response Bodies (hojin and ojin) and he utilizes a phrase from the “Kanjin honzon sho” to describe this Buddha; although there are some who have tried to twist the phrase to mean something else Honda is fairly clear: he believes in the “Actual Buddha” (ji butsu) and dismisses the theory of the Abstract or Ideal (ritai) Original Enlightenment, which, as every scholar should know, is oriented towards the Dharma Body (hosshin) of the Buddha

(See the comparison between the two views, the “Beginningless Ancient Buddha” and the “Hongaku Uncreate Three Bodies” in Asai Yorin, “Nichiren kyogaku no kenkyu”, pp. 287-315, especially the summary on p. 295) 

It should be noted that Honda’s description tallies with the idea found in the “Kaimoku sho” (STN, v. 1, 5536-8) where Nichiren says the feature that separates the “Hokekyo” from all other Mahayana Sutras is the concept of the “revelation of the original” (kempon) of the Enjoyment Body (hojin) and of the Response Body (ojin). (Shigyo Kaishu, “Nichiren no ‘Kanjin honzon sho’ no busshin ron ni tsuite” p. 181, cites this “Kaimoku sho” passage to show Nichiren was NOT oriented towards the Hosshin based hongaku view of the Buddha

Significantly Honda then goes on to criticize in no uncertain terms those ignorant people who willy-nilly follow those who take ri hongaku to be the Original or Fundamental Buddha and take the Actual Buddha to be a a mere Manifestation Buddha. (This hongaku doctrine is clearly expressed in “On the Reality of the Dharmas” (Shoho jisso sho) (STN, v. 1, 724 l. 11)), a work much praised by Taisekiji and the Soka Gakkai. Surely this fact is significant: the position vehemently proclaimed by the Fuji Branch is the very position which Honda condemns as being by no means the final doctrine of Nichiren Shonin; he then continues by noting the prevalence of this view among the latter-day religious groups of the Nichiren movement he pities the children who blindly take this view point. Could there be a better description of Maltz and his Soka Gakkai followers? Truly they are to be pitied !

As for Yasuhara’s claim that Honda cited the “Junyoze no koto” in the“Daizokyo yogi” (“Essential Doctrine of the Great Sutra Store”), I do not doubt it; but in what context did he use it? Moreover, as the title implies this appears to be an over-all view of the Buddhist canon, not the quintessential Truth of all Truths, the “Lotus Sutra”. 

Nor again can Yasuhara wriggle out of the charge of promoting Medieval Tendai by saying that the Medieval Tendai (Chuko Tendai) idea required no practice; of course, the people who introduced this sort of thought into the Nichiren canon tack on chanting the Daimoku and so on in order to make their fundamental alteration of Nichiren’s world view more acceptable and plausible.

Moreover, even some Chuko Tendai works included some kind of nod in the direction “practice”. The sin here is to twist Nichiren’s doctrine of an actually-existing Buddha into this abstract Hongaku in which the worldling is the Original Buddha. 

In fact, those people who passed off such works as these as genuine writings of Nichiren fundamentally changed the metaphysics behind his religion from the concept of an objective, actual Eternal Buddha Who is omnipresent and even in our minds and Who out of Great Compassion grants us His merit through the Daimoku into that of a highly subjective monistic view in which the Buddha Body is reduced to a mere projection of ourselves. (Again: see the writings by Shigyo and Asai cited above.) 

Despite attempts by various groups (such as the forerunners of themodern so-called Nichiren Shu) to reconcile the two concepts of the Buddha Body, they are fundamentally different and the people who combined them always gave the Hongaku view precedence. Because of the relative complexity of some of the issues I will defer this. (Again: see the writings by Shigyo and Asai cited above.) 

I have to say Maltz’s recent statements seem to bear out my belief that he and his followers really do not understand the difference between hongaku thought and the historical Nichiren’s hommon thought. 

The terms “hombutsu” (original Buddha) or “hondo” (original land) do not of themselves imply the hongaku monistic world view. Likewise the concept of the Buddha in our minds does not imply the Tathagata of  Original Enlightenment. [Likewise on rare occasions “hongaku” can be synonym for the actual Original Buddha but this appears to be a relatively rare usage and that is clearly not what is meant in these forgeries attributed to Nichiren.] Denying “Hongaku” is not equivalent to denying the Original Buddha (hombutsu). Quite the contrary it is defending and giving honor to the Original Buddha Shakyamuni! 

There is much more I could say and possibly will say on this subject but I want to make the following observations: First: Maltz has declared on the basis of one passage in Stone’s book that every one who dares to oppose his Soka Gakkai Hongaku philosophy is “out of bounds” and “in the penalty box”. Who gave him authority to cut off rational discussion in this preemptive and dictatorial way? 

Cannot anyone see what is happening here? Not only is he chiming in with the Gakkai/Taisekiji metaphysical view (he only differs from them where he needs a hook to pull in their members or ex-members to build his own organization) but he is acting like an absolute ruler in cutting off discussion! 

Well, let us see who is in the “penalty box” with me: Most of the Old Jumonryu (followers of Nichiju) before the lineage began to decline. (Unless, of course, Kubota and Yasuhara want to show me that these men were gung-ho for “Ri hongaku”.) 

The above cited scholars, Asai Yorin and Shigyo Kaishu, two of the best historical and textual scholars of the mid-twentieth century, Tamura Yoshiro, author of the monumental work, “Kamakura Shin Bukkyo no kenkyu” (“A Study of the New Buddhism of Kamakura”), Miyazaki Eishu (I believe he is an acquaintance of Rev. Kubota) who says in his excellent little reference work “Nichiren jiten” p. 261, where he labels the “Ongi kuden” and “Onko kikigaki” forgeries and notes that if Nichiren used these concepts it was as a warning and was exceptional, for Hongaku was not really part of the original Tendai doctrinal system."

Nichiren Shu priests are enemies of the Lotus Sutra

"As for priests who are thought well of by others, who go along with other people’s desires and so come to be revered, one should regard them as the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and as evil influences to the world. A sutra passage likens persons of this type to a hunter who spies sharply about him as he stalks a deer, or to a cat who hides its claws as it creeps up on a mouse. In just such a way, we are told, do they flatter, deceive, and mislead the lay men and women.

In addition, the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter mentions three groups of people who are enemies of the Lotus Sutra. The first group consists of laymen and laywomen. These lay men and women will hate and curse the votaries of the Lotus Sutra, beat them, put them to the sword, drive them from their dwellings, or slander them to the authorities so that they are exiled to distant places. They behave toward them with pitiless enmity.

The second group consists of monks. These men are arrogant at heart, and though they have little true understanding, they pretend to be very wise and are looked upon by the people of the world as great authorities. When these men see the votaries of the Lotus Sutra, they hate and envy them, treat them with contempt and scorn, and speak evil of them to others as if they were inferior to dogs or foxes. In their opinion, they alone have truly understood the Lotus Sutra.

The third group is made up of monks living in secluded places. These monks have all the outward signs of being holy men. They possess only the prescribed three robes and one begging bowl, and live in seclusion in a quiet spot in a mountain forest, so that everyone looks up to them as though they were the arhats living at the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, and all people revere them as though they were Buddhas. When these men see the monks who read and uphold the Lotus Sutra in accordance with its teachings, they hate and envy them, calling them great fools or holders of grave erroneous views, claiming that they are completely lacking in compassion, and that they preach non-Buddhist doctrines. And because the ruler looks up to such men and believes what they say, everyone down to the common people gives alms to them as though they were Buddhas. Thus the Buddha taught that persons who read and uphold the Lotus Sutra in accordance with its teachings will invariably be hated by these three types of enemies."

“Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.”

"The fifth volume of Great Concentration and Insight states, “There is a type called Zen men, but their masters and disciples are blind [to the truth] and lame [in practice], and both masters and disciples will fall into hell.” In the seventh volume we read: “[There are ten ways necessary for understanding and practicing Buddhism correctly. Of these, except one], the nine ways have nothing in common with the ordinary priests of the world who concentrate on the written word, nor do they have anything in common with the Zen masters who concentrate on practice. Some Zen masters give all their attention to meditation alone. But their meditation is shallow and false, totally lacking in the nine ways. This is no empty assertion. Worthy persons of later ages who have eyes to see will understand the truth of what I say.” 

The seventh volume of On “Great Concentration and Insight” states: “‘Priests who concentrate on the written word’ refers to men who gain no inner insight or understanding through meditation, but concern themselves only with characteristics of the doctrine. ‘Zen masters who concentrate on practice’ refers to men who do not learn how to attain the truth and the corresponding wisdom, but fix their minds on the mere techniques of breath control. Theirs is the kind of [non-Buddhist] meditation that fundamentally still retains outflows. ‘Some Zen masters give all their attention to meditation alone’ means that, for the sake of discussion, T’ien-t’ai gives them a certain degree of recognition, but from a stricter viewpoint they lack both insight and understanding. The Zen men in the world today value only meditation [as the way to realize the truth] and have no familiarity with doctrinal teachings. In relying upon meditation alone, they interpret the sutras in their own way. They put together the eight errors and the eight winds, and talk about the Buddha as being sixteen feet in height. They lump together the five components and the three poisons, and call them the eight errors. They equate the six sense organs with the six transcendental powers, and the four elements with the four noble truths. To interpret the sutras in such an arbitrary manner is to be guilty of the greatest falsehood. Such nonsense is not even worth discussing.” — The Opening of the Eyes 

SGI members go to toso after toso, chanting one million Daimoku after another, yet they sometimes assert that the prime point of the Lotus Sutra is the oneness of SGI mentor and disciple or that the Lotus Sutra teaches interfaith and other times they assert that the prime point of the Lotus Sutra is the Buddha-nature possessed by all beings. They know nothing of the doctrines contained in the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra and the Opening of the Eyes. They lack both insight and understanding. In the end, they are guilty of the greatest falsehoods. 

There are several reasons for the slanders and distortions which characterize SGI’s teachings: 

1). Except for Makiguchi, the SGI members have not experienced martyrdom. They have had a relatively easy go with propagation and have, on occasion, resorted to bullying tactics themselves, something a Buddhist who has experienced severe persecutions first hand would never resort to. 

2). The way of the Samurai and Bushido [way of the warrior], remnants of the retainer/lord relationship, the principle of saving face, and the Zen Buddhist model of master/disciple relationship characterizes the Soka Gakkai 

3). Possibly the greatest digression from the Way of Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin is the zennification of the SGI. The Buddha stated: “be a lamp unto yourself” and the Buddha as well as the Daishonin taught that we should follow the Law and not persons. It should be obvious that the SGI exhortations to seek guidance, going so far as to have a Guidance Division, is actual proof of this distortion. Those who embrace the highest Law and the Supreme Object of Worship, need never be impelled to seek guidance and develop what is virtually a master/disciple relationship with anyone, even one deemed a senior in faith.

In Zen Buddhism, whatever the master says is followed without hesitation or question. In SGI, one often hears, “Follow no matter what.” I have heard such arbitrary non-Buddhist opinions as, “‘If you sincerely follow the guidance of your leaders, even if they are wrong, you will gain tremendous benefit.” Such teachings are endemic in the Soka Gakkai and in Zen. This is not the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin. 

Even if the SGI were to adopt the Object of Worship of the Original Doctrine and admit that the identity of the Original Eternal Buddha was Lord Shakya, it will take many generations to purge the SGI of the Way of the Samurai, Bushido values, the way of lords and retainers, and the insidious master/disciple teachings of Zen. 

The Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin trump the worldly ephemeral successes of the two mentors. The ten million Soka Gakkai converts, by virtue of their false mistaken faith and practice based on the Taisekaji teachings mixed with value creationism, Yui Yoga, and Bushido, have become demons who will destroy True Buddhism in no time. Nichiren states in the writing, Happiness In This World: 

“There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by “peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.”” 

He further states in Embracing the Lotus Sutra: 

“Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banner of your arrogance, cast aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra. Worldly fame and profit are mere baubles of your present existence, and arrogance and prejudice are ties that will fetter you in the next one. Ah, you should be ashamed of them! And you should fear them, too!” 

One million times zero equals zero. Since the Soka Gakkai rejects the Lotus Sutra teachings and Buddha Shakyamuni of the Juryo-hon Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, how can SGI member’s happiness be anything but an ephemeral happiness? SGI members’ happiness is based on worldly fame and profit, not unlike the zenmen. 

We hear over and over about what SGI, "achieved” but what did they really achieve? Nichiren states, quoting the Nirvana Sutra:

“Kashyapa, because [in the past] I devoted myself to the correct teaching, I have been able to achieve this diamond-like body that abides forever and is never destroyed.” 

In the USA there are perhaps twenty or thirty million new evangelical believers in the last ten years. They espouse great happiness but Nichiren states, “because [in the past] I devoted myself to the correct teaching…” We should ask ourselves, are the Soka Gakkai teachings the correct teachings? Is it correct to abandon Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra? The ten million Soka Gakkai adepts faith and practice is based on a dream or more appropriately termed a nightmare, the nightmare of the Taisaekaji teachings expounded by Toda and Ikeda: 

“…the Gohonzons that we recieve are also the living flesh of the Original Buddha whose eyes have been opened according to the principles of the actual Ichinen Sanzen in the passages depths of the Juryo Chapter and the true attainment of Buddhahood by plants and trees. Why would this very Gohonzon not be the true aspect of the eye opening of wooden and painted images? This is absolutely not found in the heretical sects outside of Nichiren Shoshu, and is a profoundly secret doctrine which only Nichiren Shoshu possesses.”– Daisaku Ikeda Soka Gakkai Daibyaku Renge 

“….He knew all too well that the age of the Latter Day of the Law had already come, when prophecy foretold a decline in the power of Shakyamuni’s Buddhism; he knew it would have been entirely inappropriate to bring back Shakyamuni’s Buddhism as a new set of beliefs. He was able to bring the people a totally new kind of Buddhism because he was convinced of his identity and missions to save all people in the Latter Day of theLaw.” — Daisaku Ikeda (pg. 212 Selected Lectures on the Gosho)

The Lotus Sutra admonishes him: 

“Shame on such monks! — they will preach their own fictions.”

And Nichiren states: 

“I had gone to many centers of the religion during those twenty years, in the quest of Buddhist truths. The final conclusion I arrived at was that the truth of Buddhism must be one in essence. Many people lose themselves in the labyrinth of learning and studies, through thinking that every one of the diverse branches might help to the attainment of Buddhist ideals.” — Works pp 1770-71 

And again in Myoho Bikuni Go-henji: 

“According to the Zen Sect, the true teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are not transmitted through sutras. They say that sutras including the Lotus Sutra are like a finger to point at the moon or a ferry to cross a river; and that it is no use after seeing the moon or crossing the river. Zen Buddhists say such a thing as they learned, without thinking what they say. But they are actually slandering Shakyamuni Buddha and preventing propagation of the Lotus Sutra. Thus, the people in this country are all committing a grave sin, more serious than the Five 

Evils, without realizing it.”

In Those Initially Aspiring to the Way, he writes: 

“…As for other types of people, it would appear that, even if they do not understand the meaning of the Lotus Sutra and are ignorant but have earnest faith, then they will invariably be reborn in a pure land. For it says in the Lotus Sutra, “They will be born in the presence of the Buddhas of the ten directions,” and “She will immediately go to the World of Peace and Delight.” These passages give clear proof that one who has faith in the Lotus Sutra will be reborn in a pure land. 

Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra states: 

“Whether during the Buddha’s lifetime

Or after his extinction

If there be any who slander

Such a sutra as this,

Who, seeing those who read and recite,

Write or hold this sutra, scorn and despise, hate and envy them

And bear them a tenacious grudge.

Concerning the recompense of such people’s sin,

After their lifetimes end

They will enter into the Avici hell.” 

Although neither the evangelicals nor the SGI members have faith in the Lotus Sutra, it is better to be an evangelical who doesn’t slander the Lotus Sutra than an SGI member who slanders both the Lotus Sutra and the true believers of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Their holier than thou pronouncements based on the heretical SGI teachings are a castle built on sand.

As far as SGI’s assertions that the SGI teachings frees one from birth and death, that is not possible if one is to believe Nichiren Daishonin that the Lotus Sutra is the means: 

“What I call the Heritage of the Great Thing Concerning Life and Death is nothing else than the Scripture, the Lotus of the Perfect Truth. Fo rthe Sacred Title of the Lotus was handed down from the two Buddhas, Sakyamuni and Prabhuta-ratna (Taho or “Many Treasures”), to the Boddhisattva Visista-caritra (Jogyo or “Emminent Conduct”), when the Buddhas appeared in the Heavenly Shrine, and from eternity the heritage has been kept without interruption.”

In another writing, we read, 

“Then to utter the Sacred Title of the Lotus with the conviction that the three are one — the three, that is, Sakyamuni, the Buddha who from eternity has realized Buddhahood; the Lotus Sutra, which leads all beings without exception to Buddhahood; and we, beings in all the realms of existence.” 

How can you be one with Buddha Shakyamuni who from eternity has realized Buddhahood if you reject Him? Chanting mechanical daimoku with no conviction in Shakyamuni is not the way to free oneself from the fetters of birth and death. 

On Establishing the Correct Teaching states; 

“The host said: There are numerous passages that could be cited and a wide variety of proofs. For example, in the Golden Light Sutra we read: “[The four heavenly kings said to the Buddha], ‘Though this sutra exists in the nation, its ruler has never allowed it to be propagated. In his heart he turns away from it, and he takes no pleasure in hearing its teachings. He neither makes offerings to it, honors it, nor praises it. Nor is he willing to honor or make offerings to the four kinds of Buddhists who embrace the sutra. In the end, he makes it impossible for us and the other countless heavenly beings who are our followers to hear this profound and wonderful teaching. He deprives us of the sweet dew of its words and cuts us off from the flow of the correct teaching, so that our majesty and strength are drained away. Thus the number of beings who occupy the evil paths increases, and the number who dwell in the human and heavenly realms decreases. People fall into the river of the sufferings of birth and death and turn their backs on the road to nirvana.” 

The Selection of the Time states: 

“The Buddha says determining the future, “Depend upon the teaching, not upon the people. Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says, “If one depends upon the scripture it is a correct argument; if one does not depend upon the scripture it is an incorrect argument.” T’ien-t’ai says, “Again, if it conforms to the scripture, quote and use it. If there is no corresponding sentence or corresponding meaning, then one should not believe and accept. ” Dengyo says, “Depend upon what the Buddha taught, not upon the oral tradition.” If one follows these scriptures, treatises and commentaries, then one should not base oneself on dreams. Once should only treasure the passages in the scriptures and treatises…” 

Since the SGI abandons the scriptures, treatises, and commentaries, what is it that they have faith in? The words and the oral teachings of Toda and Ikeda? I don’t see anything about a mentor being necessary for attaining Buddhahood nor that new car or raise.

Nichiren writes: 

“The essential key to Nichiren’s disciples and followers is, namely, adherence to the Lotus Sutra.” 

The Lotus Sutra states: 

“But if one, after the Buddha’s extinction,

In the midst of an evil world

is able to preach this sutra, this is indeed hard…..(LS Ch.11) 

What the Soka Gakkai teaches is not “this Sutra”. 10,000,000 million SGI believers or 1,500,000,000 Muslims, are not equal to one Nichiren believer that has faith in the golden words of the Sutra. Most SGI members haven’t even read the Lotus Sutra. They go by the hearsay of the mentor, the Human Revolution, or the World Tribune. The SGI teachings on the Master-disciple relationship, value creation, receiving and giving guidance, no worth or role for solitary Bodhisattvas, the practice of shoju in this degenerate evil age, are all hearsay and oral teachings which Nichiren completely rejected. How sad for them. How sad that SGI members confuse Anger or Rapture for Buddhahood. 

Nichiren states: 

“Then what teaching should the country of Japan learn if its people are to free themselves from the sufferings of birth and death? As for this question, the Lotus Sutra states, “After the Thus Come One has entered extinction, I will cause it [the Lotus Sutra] to be widely propagated throughout Jambudvipa and will see that it never comes to an end.” 

Note, it doesn’t say to cause "Value Creationism”, “Human Revolution”, or “Taisekaji Mysticism” to spread.

In the Opening of the Eyes, we also read: 

“It is also laid down that one should “rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.” We must therefore look carefully among the sutras to determine which are complete and final and which are not, and put our faith in the former. Bodhisattva Nagarjuna in his Commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra states, “Do not rely on treatises that distort the sutras; rely on those that are faithful to the sutras.” The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai says, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” The Great Teacher Dengyo says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.” Enchin, also known as the Great Teacher Chisho, says, ‘In transmitting the teachings, rely on the written words [of scriptures]. ‘”

SGI's relies on the inferior teaching of the Human Revolution and those Nichiren Shoshu teachings that distort the Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. They depend more on the preaching of Daisaku Ikeda than they do on the preachings of the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin and they hardly rely on the written words of the Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin. They are far more evil than the Zen men who make no pretense of practicing what the Buddha taught.

Hehe..."The New Human Revolution is the Lotus Sutra of the modern age" - Soka Gakkai leader

"When, based on the sutras, I speak in general terms of such matters, only I, of all the 4,994,828 men and women in Japan, am thought strange, and the other 4,994,827 persons all regard me as their enemy. Strangely enough, they do not follow Shakyamuni, who is their sovereign, teacher, and parent. What is more, they curse and strike me, drive me away, and, by resorting to slander, cause me to be sentenced to exile or execution. It is the way of the world that the poor fawn upon the rich, the lowly revere the noble, and the few follow the many. So even those persons who chanced to put their faith in the Lotus Sutra are intimidated by society and fear others, and many of them fall into hell. This is most pitiful.

But, perhaps because of Nichiren’s ignorant outlook or some past karma, when I read the statements that “the Lotus is the foremost,” that “among the sutras I have preached, now preach, and will preach, this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand,” and that “I am the only person who can rescue and protect others,” I take them to be the golden words of the Thus Come One himself. They are not my own words at all.

The people of today, however, believe the pronouncements of their own teachers to be the golden words of the Thus Come One. Thus they place such pronouncements on the same level as the Lotus Sutra, considering the two to be of equal authority; or they regard these teachings as superior to the Lotus Sutra; or they reason that though their teacher’s pronouncements are inferior they are well suited to the capacity of the people."

Re: Your boss

"Worthy persons deserve to be called so because they are not carried away by the eight winds: PROSPERITY, DECLINE, DISGRACE, HONOR, PRAISE, CENSURE, SUFFERING, and PLEASURE. They are neither elated by prosperity nor grieved by decline. The heavenly gods will surely protect one who is unbending before the eight winds. But if you nurse an unreasonable grudge against your lord, they will not protect you, not for all your prayers."

So true!

"Ignorant and simple-minded people have failed to look to the clear, correct dictates of the sutras and have vainly believed instead in the secret transmissions that have been orally handed down from master to disciple. Though they claim to be practicing the prayer of the 'Secret Law,' there is no real proof of its efficacy." - Nichiren

Terrible false Soka Gakkai teaching

"Buddhism is a teaching that is conveyed through the mentor-disciple relationship. The oneness, our shared commitment, of mentor and disciple forms the essence of Buddhist practice. If we forget the mentor-disciple relationship, we cannot attain Buddhahood" -- Soka Gakkai teaching

What does Nichiren mean?

"If Shakyamuni is likened to the moon in the heavens, the multitude of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are comparable to the moon's reflection on all bodies of water." -- Nichiren

Question: What does Nichiren mean?

Answer: He means what he says.

Soka Gakkai is wrong about the Treasure of the Buddha

The entire thrust of the Rissho Ankoku Ron is that the Treasure of the Buddha is Shakyamuni and the Treasure of the Law is Myoho renge kyo (Lotus Sutra). 

Nichiren says in "Reply to Lady Nichinyo" also known as The True Aspect of the Gohonzon: "I for the first time reveal, as a banner of the spread of the Hokkekyo, the Great Mandala which even Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and so on, and Tendai, Myoraku, and so on did not reveal. This is not at all something which I, Nichiren made myself. It is the Object of Worship which is from the print block of the Great Muni, the World Honored One within the Stupa of Taho and the Separate-Body Buddhas."

Clearly, the Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon as taught to him by the Great Muni. 

"Thus it was revealed that Shakyamuni had long been the Buddha since the eternal past, and it became clear that various Buddhas in other worlds were all manifestations of Shakyamuni Buddha..[ ] now, however, as Shakyamuni was proved to be the Eternal Buddha, those Buddhas in the Flower Garland Sutra, or Buddhas in the Hodo, Hannya, or Great Sun Buddha sutras all became subordinates of Shakyamuni Buddha." (Kaimoku Sho, p. 174, translated by Kyotsu Hori, 1987) 

Same quote in the MW's:

"When Shakyamuni Buddha revealed that he had gained enlightenment in the far distant past and had since then been constantly in the world, it became apparent that all the other Buddhas were emanations of Shakyamuni....but now it became apparent that Vairocana Buddha of the Kegon Sutra and various Buddhas of the Hodo, Hannya and Dainichi sutras are in fact all followers of Shakyamuni Buddha." (MW V.2, p.149) 

"But now since it has been revealed that Shakyamuni is the Eternal Buddha....etc."(Kaimoku Sho, translated by Kyotsu Hori) 

"...Shakyamuni Buddha, within our minds, is an ancient Buddha without beginning, manifesting Himself in three bodies, he attained Buddhahood n the eternal past......( Kanjin Honzon Sho, translated by Kyotsu Hori P.94) 

"...the Bodhisattvas (who sprang from underneath the ground), as described in the 15th chapter, are followers of the Original Buddha Shakaymuni who resides within our minds."(Ibid pg 94) 

"The "honzon" at the scene of this transmission of "Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo" from the Eternal Buddha to His Original Disciples is....suspended in the sky above the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni's Saha-world is a stupa of treasures, in which Shakyamuni Buddha and Taho sit to the left and right of "Myo Ho Renge Kyo". (ibid. P.102) 

"Since Sakyamuni Buddha is eternal and all other Buddhas in the universe are His manifestations, then those great bodhisattvas converted by manifested Buddhas are also disciples of Lord Sakyamuni Buddha. If the "Life Span of the Buddha" chapter had not been expounded, it would be like the sky without the sun and moon, a country without a king, mountains and rivers without gems, or a man without a soul. (Noppa, pg. 176, Kaimoku Sho)" 

and from Kanjin Honzon-Sho (NOPPA) page 56 

"In fact Sakyamuni began to preach, planting the seed of Buddhahood in the eternal past... Sakyamuni Buddha continued to guide His disciples until they were all sure to attain Buddhahood during the preaching of the Lotus Sutra in His present life, completing the series of His preaching which began in the eternal past." 

and

"This means that Sakyamuni Buddha, Taho Buddha, and all the Buddhas in manifestation are in our minds, and that we, upholders of the Lotus Sutra, will follow in their steps and inherit all the merits of those Buddhas." 

"It means that Sakyamuni Buddha, within our minds, is an ancient Buddha without beginning, manifesting Himself in three bodies, and attaining Buddhahood in the eternal past described as 500 dust-particle kalpa ago. 

"In the same chapter, another passage reads: ‘The duration of My Life, which I obtained through the practice of the way of bodhisattvas, has not yet expired. It is twice as long as the length of time stated above: 500 dust-particle kalpa.’ This reveals the bodhisattva-realm within our minds. The bodhisattvas described in the fifteenth chapter, ‘Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground,’ who have sprung out of the great earth, as numerous as the number of dust-particles of 1,000 worlds, are followers of the Original Buddha Sakyamuni who resides within our minds."

Kanjin Honzon-Sho (NOPPA) page 94: 

"Now , when the Eternal Buddha was revealed in the essential section of the Lotus Sutra, this world of endurance (Saha-world) became the Eternal Pure Land, indestructible even by the three calamities of conflagration, flooding, and strong winds, which are said to destroy the world. It transcends the four periods of cosmic change: the kalpa of construction, continuance, destruction and emptiness. Sakyamuni Buddha, the Lord-preacher of this pure land, has never died in the past, nor will He be born in the future. He exists forever throughout the past present and future. All those who receive His guidance are one with this Eternal Buddha." 

"Nevertheless, the sects of Buddhism other than Tendai have gone astray concerning the true object of worship. The Kusha, Jojitsu, and Ritsu sects take as their object of worship the Shakyamuni buddha who elliminated illusions by practicing thirty-four kinds of spiritual purification. This is comparable to a situation in which the heir apparent of the supreme ruler of a state mistakenly believes himself to be the son of a commoner. The four sects of kegon, Shingon, Sanron, and hosso are all Mahayana schools of buddhism. among them the Hosso and Sanron sects worship a Buddha who is comparable to the Buddha in the superior -property-of-action aspect. This is like the heir of the supreme ruler supposing that his father was a member of the samurai class The Kegon and Shingon sects look down upon Shakyamuni buddha and declare that Mahavairochana or Dainichi buddha should be the true object of worship. This is like the heir looking down upon his own father, the supreme ruler, and paying honor to one who is not even related to him by blood simply because that person pretends to be the Dharma king.

The Jodo sect considers itself to be most closely related to the buddha Amida, who is an emanation of Shakyamuni, and rejects Shakyamuni himself. The Zen sect behaves like a person of low birth who makes much of his own achievments and despises his father and mother...."

Kaimoku Sho: 

The men of these sects who are ignorant of the teachings of the Juryo Chapter are similarly like beasts...." 

In the Nirvana Sutra, Bodhisattva Kasho posed thirty-six questions to the Buddha, but even these cannot compare to the question concerning the bodhisattvas who appeared from the earth. If the Buddha had failed to dispel the doubts concerning this matter, the sacred teachings of his entire lifetime would have amounted to no more than froth on the water, and the members of the multitude would have remained tangled in the snare of doubt. That was why is was so important for him to preach the Juryo chapter. 

Later, when the Buddha preached the Juryo chapter, he said: "All the human and heavenly beings and the ashuras at present believe that Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, sat in the place of meditation not far from the city of Gaya and there attained the supreme enlightenment." This passage expresses the view held by all the great bodhisattvas from the time when Shakyamuni first attaned enlightement until the preaching of the Anrakugyo chapter of the Lotus Sutra. 

"However, men of devout faith," the Buddha continued, "the time is limitless and boundless -- a hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, nayuta aeons since I in fact attained Buddhahood." 

Three places in the Kegon Sutra the Buddha said: "I have attained enlightenment for the first time in India." In the Agon sutras he speaks of having "for the first time attained enlightenment"; in the Vimalakirti Sutra he says, "For the first time the Buddha sat beneath the tree"; in the Daijuku Sutra, "It is sixteen years since the Buddha first attained enlightenment"; in the Dainichi Sutra, "Some years ago when I sat in the place of meditation"; in the Ninno Sutra, "twenty-nine years since my enlightenment"; in the Muryogi Sutra, "previously I went to the place of meditation"; and in the Hoben chapter of the Lotus Sutra, "when I first say in the place of meditation." But now all these passages have been exposed as gross falsehoods by this single pronouncement in the Juryo chapter. 

When Shakyamuni Buddha revealed that he had gained enlightment in the far distant past and had since then been constantly in the world, it became apparent that all the other Buddhas were emanations of Shakyamuni. When the Buddha preached the earlier sutras and the theoretical chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the other Buddhas present were pictured as practicing various religious austerities and disciplines side by side with Shakyamuni Buddha.

Therefore the people who pay devotion to one or another of these Buddhas as the object of worship customarily look down on Shakyamuni Buddha. But now it becomes apparent that Vairochana Buddha of the Kegon Sutra and the various Buddhas of the Hodo, Hannya and Dainichi sutras are all in fact followers of Shakyamuni Buddha. 

When Shakyamuni gained enlightenment at the age of thirty, he seized the saha world away from Bonten and the Devil of the Sixth Heaven, who had ruled it previously, and made it his own. In the earlier sutras and the theoretical of the Lotus Sutra, he called the regions of the ten directions "pure lands" and spoke of the present worlds as an "impure land." But now he has reversed this in the Juryo chapter, revealing that this world is the true land and the so-called pure lands of the ten directions are impure lands, mere provisional lands. [The Opening of the Eyes, MW Vol.2, pages 148-150]

"If Shakyamuni Buddha had actually attained enlightenment for the first time at the age of thirty, then when he preached the Lotus Sutra, Bonten, Taishaku, the gods of the sun and moon and the Four Heavenly Kings who have ruled the present world from countless ages in the past would have been disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha for no longer than a period of forty-some years.

During the eight years when he preached the Lotus Sutra, the beings who assembled to listen to him would have been unable to accept as their master a person who had so recently come to prominence and would have deferred instead to Bonten, Taishaku and the other deities who had from ages past been the lords of this world.

But now that it has become apparent that Shakyamuni attained enlightenment countless aeons ago, then the Bodhisattvas Nikkand o and Gakko, who att nd the Buddha Yakushi of the eastern region, the Bodhisattvas Kannon and Seishi, who attend the Buddha Amida of the western region, along with the disciples of all the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten direction and the great bodhisattvas who are disciples of the Buddha Dainichi as they are shown in the Dainichi and Kongocho sutras --- all of these beings are disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Since the various Buddhas themselves are emanations of Shakyamuni Buddha, it goes without saying that their disciples must be disciples of Shakyamuni. 

And of course the various deities of the sun, moon and stars, who have dwelt in this world from countless ages in the past, must likewise be disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. [The Opening of the Eyes, MW Vol.2, pages 151-152]

From the Hoon Sho, Kempon Hokke Seiten: 

".... Japan and so on to the whole of Jambudvipa should uniformly take the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of the Original doctrine as the Object of Worship". 

In the Kanjin-honzon-sho it says: 

"During the fifty years of his teaching from the time of his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree till his Parinirvana under the Salatree, the Buddha expounded many sutras. In these sutras he described a wide variety of pure lands, such as the Pure Land of Flower-Store, the Pure Land of Esoteric Adornment, the Pure Land of ThreeTransformations, the Pure Land of Peaceful Life, and the Pure Land of Emerald. These pure lands are either the abodes of the followers of the Lesser Vehicle, or of the partially-enlightened Bodhisattvas, or of the perfectly enlightened Bodisattvas.These pure lands are, however, impermanent. They are established on in the kalpa of composition. The expounder of these sutras is the historical Buddha, and the Buddhas of these pure lands are the manifestations of the historical Buddha.

Therefore, when the historical Buddha enters into Parinirvana, the Buddhas of these pure lands pass away, and their pure lands also disappear. But the Saha-World of the Original Buddha is the eternal pure land, free from the three calamities and the four kalpas. In this eternal world the Buddha never disappeared in the past, nor is to appear in the future. All living beings under him are one with him because they have the wisdom of the Buddha in their minds." 

"Having had doubts about the matter, I consulted the passages of the Lotus Sutra, and they reveal why this object of worship has never before appeared. The sutra clearly states that it should not be established before the predicted age of conflict in the Latter Day of the Law. 

Those Buddhist scholars and teachers who appeared in this world during the Former and Middle Days of the Law did not establish this object of worship because they honored the Buddha's prohibition. Had an object of worship of Lord Shakyamuni who attained enlightenment countless aeons before and his attendants ever been made during the Former and Middle Days, it would have been like the sun appearing at night or the moon shining by day Because Bodhisattva Jogyo will establish this object of worship in the first five hundred years of the Latter Day, those four ranks of scholars and teachers who appeared during the Former and Middle Days did not even describe it in words. 

Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu knew of it in their hearts but did not speak to others about it. The Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai Chih-che also knew of it, but, as he was bodhisattva of the theoretical teaching, though he taught it in part, he did not expound its true meaning. He taught it indistinctly, like the cry of a cuckoo which one hears just before waking from a dream. Other Buddhist teachers did not say so much as a single word about it. For at Eagle Peak, Shakyamuni Buddha strictly prohibited those scholars and teachers who were bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching, and who would appear during the two thousand years of the Former and Middle Days, from disclosing even indirectly prior to the Latter Day anything about Lord Shakyamuni of the essential teaching who attained enlightenment in the remote past and the four Bodhisattvas of the Earth led by Jogyo who have accompanied him ever since."(Major Writings, Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 3, pages 293, 294, 295, Four Bodhisattvas.) 

Since SGI is wrong about such a crucial and obvious point what makes you think it is not mistaken about such doctrines as the role of shoju [peaceful practices] and shakabuku [forceful practices], transmission through a sole heir, the master-disciple relationship, actual proof, the role of priests etc. etc.?

SGI relies on inferior teachings

"The fifth volume of Great Concentration and Insight states, “There is a type called Zen men, but their masters and disciples are blind [to the truth] and lame [in practice], and both masters and disciples will fall into hell.” In the seventh volume we read: “[There are ten ways necessary for understanding and practicing Buddhism correctly. Of these, except one], the nine ways have nothing in common with the ordinary priests of the world who concentrate on the written word, nor do they have anything in common with the Zen masters who concentrate on practice. Some Zen masters give all their attention to meditation alone. But their meditation is shallow and false, totally lacking in the nine ways. This is no empty assertion. Worthy persons of later ages who have eyes to see will understand the truth of what I say.” 

The seventh volume of On “Great Concentration and Insight” states: “‘Priests who concentrate on the written word’ refers to men who gain no inner insight or understanding through meditation, but concern themselves only with characteristics of the doctrine. ‘Zen masters who concentrate on practice’ refers to men who do not learn how to attain the truth and the corresponding wisdom, but fix their minds on the mere techniques of breath control. Theirs is the kind of [non-Buddhist] meditation that fundamentally still retains outflows. ‘Some Zen masters give all their attention to meditation alone’ means that, for the sake of discussion, T’ien-t’ai gives them a certain degree of recognition, but from a stricter viewpoint they lack both insight and understanding. The Zen men in the world today value only meditation [as the way to realize the truth] and have no familiarity with doctrinal teachings. In relying upon meditation alone, they interpret the sutras in their own way. They put together the eight errors and the eight winds, and talk about the Buddha as being sixteen feet in height. They lump together the five components and the three poisons, and call them the eight errors. They equate the six sense organs with the six transcendental powers, and the four elements with the four noble truths. To interpret the sutras in such an arbitrary manner is to be guilty of the greatest falsehood. Such nonsense is not even worth discussing.” — The Opening of the Eyes 

SGI members go to toso after toso, chanting one million Daimoku after another, yet they sometimes assert that the prime point of the Lotus Sutra is the oneness of SGI mentor and disciple or that the Lotus Sutra teaches interfaith and other times they assert that the prime point of the Lotus Sutra is the Buddha-nature possessed by all beings. They know nothing of the doctrines contained in the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra and the Opening of the Eyes. They lack both insight and understanding. In the end, they are guilty of the greatest falsehoods. 

There are several reasons for the slanders and distortions which characterize SGI’s teachings: 

1). Except for Makiguchi, the SGI members have not experienced martyrdom. They have had a relatively easy go with propagation and have, on occasion, resorted to bullying tactics themselves, something a Buddhist who has experienced severe persecutions first hand would never resort to. 

2). The way of the Samurai and Bushido [way of the warrior], remnants of the retainer/lord relationship, the principle of saving face, and the Zen Buddhist model of master/disciple relationship characterizes the Soka Gakkai 

3). Possibly the greatest digression from the Way of Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin is the zennification of the SGI. The Buddha stated: “be a lamp unto yourself” and the Buddha as well as the Daishonin taught that we should follow the Law and not persons. It should be obvious that the SGI exhortations to seek guidance, going so far as to have a Guidance Division, is actual proof of this distortion. Those who embrace the highest Law and the Supreme Object of Worship, need never be impelled to seek guidance and develop what is virtually a master/disciple relationship with anyone, even one deemed a senior in faith.

In Zen Buddhism, whatever the master says is followed without hesitation or question. In SGI, one often hears, “Follow no matter what.” I have heard such arbitrary non-Buddhist opinions as, “‘If you sincerely follow the guidance of your leaders, even if they are wrong, you will gain tremendous benefit.” Such teachings are endemic in the Soka Gakkai and in Zen. This is not the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin. 

Even if the SGI were to adopt the Object of Worship of the Original Doctrine and admit that the identity of the Original Eternal Buddha was Lord Shakya, it will take many generations to purge the SGI of the Way of the Samurai, Bushido values, the way of lords and retainers, and the insidious master/disciple teachings of Zen. 

The Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin trump the worldly ephemeral successes of the two mentors. The ten million Soka Gakkai converts, by virtue of their false mistaken faith and practice based on the Taisekaji teachings mixed with value creationism, Yui Yoga, and Bushido, have become demons who will destroy True Buddhism in no time. Nichiren states in the writing, Happiness In This World: 

“There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by “peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.”” 

He further states in Embracing the Lotus Sutra: 

“Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banner of your arrogance, cast aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra. Worldly fame and profit are mere baubles of your present existence, and arrogance and prejudice are ties that will fetter you in the next one. Ah, you should be ashamed of them! And you should fear them, too!” 

One million times zero equals zero. Since the Soka Gakkai rejects the Lotus Sutra teachings and Buddha Shakyamuni of the Juryo-hon Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, how can SGI member’s happiness be anything but an ephemeral happiness? SGI members’ happiness is based on worldly fame and profit, not unlike the zenmen. 

We hear over and over about what SGI, "achieved” but what did they really achieve? Nichiren states, quoting the Nirvana Sutra:

“Kashyapa, because [in the past] I devoted myself to the correct teaching, I have been able to achieve this diamond-like body that abides forever and is never destroyed.” 

In the USA there are perhaps twenty or thirty million new evangelical believers in the last ten years. They espouse great happiness but Nichiren states, “because [in the past] I devoted myself to the correct teaching…” We should ask ourselves, are the Soka Gakkai teachings the correct teachings? Is it correct to abandon Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra? The ten million Soka Gakkai adepts faith and practice is based on a dream or more appropriately termed a nightmare, the nightmare of the Taisaekaji teachings expounded by Toda and Ikeda: 

“…the Gohonzons that we recieve are also the living flesh of the Original Buddha whose eyes have been opened according to the principles of the actual Ichinen Sanzen in the passages depths of the Juryo Chapter and the true attainment of Buddhahood by plants and trees. Why would this very Gohonzon not be the true aspect of the eye opening of wooden and painted images? This is absolutely not found in the heretical sects outside of Nichiren Shoshu, and is a profoundly secret doctrine which only Nichiren Shoshu possesses.”– Daisaku Ikeda Soka Gakkai Daibyaku Renge 

“….He knew all too well that the age of the Latter Day of the Law had already come, when prophecy foretold a decline in the power of Shakyamuni’s Buddhism; he knew it would have been entirely inappropriate to bring back Shakyamuni’s Buddhism as a new set of beliefs. He was able to bring the people a totally new kind of Buddhism because he was convinced of his identity and missions to save all people in the Latter Day of theLaw.” — Daisaku Ikeda (pg. 212 Selected Lectures on the Gosho)

The Lotus Sutra admonishes him: 

“Shame on such monks! — they will preach their own fictions.”

And Nichiren states: 

“I had gone to many centers of the religion during those twenty years, in the quest of Buddhist truths. The final conclusion I arrived at was that the truth of Buddhism must be one in essence. Many people lose themselves in the labyrinth of learning and studies, through thinking that every one of the diverse branches might help to the attainment of Buddhist ideals.” — Works pp 1770-71 

And again in Myoho Bikuni Go-henji: 

“According to the Zen Sect, the true teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are not transmitted through sutras. They say that sutras including the Lotus Sutra are like a finger to point at the moon or a ferry to cross a river; and that it is no use after seeing the moon or crossing the river. Zen Buddhists say such a thing as they learned, without thinking what they say. But they are actually slandering Shakyamuni Buddha and preventing propagation of the Lotus Sutra. Thus, the people in this country are all committing a grave sin, more serious than the Five 

Evils, without realizing it.”

In Those Initially Aspiring to the Way, he writes: 

“…As for other types of people, it would appear that, even if they do not understand the meaning of the Lotus Sutra and are ignorant but have earnest faith, then they will invariably be reborn in a pure land. For it says in the Lotus Sutra, “They will be born in the presence of the Buddhas of the ten directions,” and “She will immediately go to the World of Peace and Delight.” These passages give clear proof that one who has faith in the Lotus Sutra will be reborn in a pure land. 

Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra states: 

“Whether during the Buddha’s lifetime

Or after his extinction

If there be any who slander

Such a sutra as this,

Who, seeing those who read and recite,

Write or hold this sutra, scorn and despise, hate and envy them

And bear them a tenacious grudge.

Concerning the recompense of such people’s sin,

After their lifetimes end

They will enter into the Avici hell.” 

Although neither the evangelicals nor the SGI members have faith in the Lotus Sutra, it is better to be an evangelical who doesn’t slander the Lotus Sutra than an SGI member who slanders both the Lotus Sutra and the true believers of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Their holier than thou pronouncements based on the heretical SGI teachings are a castle built on sand.

As far as SGI’s assertions that the SGI teachings frees one from birth and death, that is not possible if one is to believe Nichiren Daishonin that the Lotus Sutra is the means: 

“What I call the Heritage of the Great Thing Concerning Life and Death is nothing else than the Scripture, the Lotus of the Perfect Truth. Fo rthe Sacred Title of the Lotus was handed down from the two Buddhas, Sakyamuni and Prabhuta-ratna (Taho or “Many Treasures”), to the Boddhisattva Visista-caritra (Jogyo or “Emminent Conduct”), when the Buddhas appeared in the Heavenly Shrine, and from eternity the heritage has been kept without interruption.”

In another writing, we read, 

“Then to utter the Sacred Title of the Lotus with the conviction that the three are one — the three, that is, Sakyamuni, the Buddha who from eternity has realized Buddhahood; the Lotus Sutra, which leads all beings without exception to Buddhahood; and we, beings in all the realms of existence.” 

How can you be one with Buddha Shakyamuni who from eternity has realized Buddhahood if you reject Him? Chanting mechanical daimoku with no conviction in Shakyamuni is not the way to free oneself from the fetters of birth and death. 

On Establishing the Correct Teaching states; 

“The host said: There are numerous passages that could be cited and a wide variety of proofs. For example, in the Golden Light Sutra we read: “[The four heavenly kings said to the Buddha], ‘Though this sutra exists in the nation, its ruler has never allowed it to be propagated. In his heart he turns away from it, and he takes no pleasure in hearing its teachings. He neither makes offerings to it, honors it, nor praises it. Nor is he willing to honor or make offerings to the four kinds of Buddhists who embrace the sutra. In the end, he makes it impossible for us and the other countless heavenly beings who are our followers to hear this profound and wonderful teaching. He deprives us of the sweet dew of its words and cuts us off from the flow of the correct teaching, so that our majesty and strength are drained away. Thus the number of beings who occupy the evil paths increases, and the number who dwell in the human and heavenly realms decreases. People fall into the river of the sufferings of birth and death and turn their backs on the road to nirvana.” 

The Selection of the Time states: 

“The Buddha says determining the future, “Depend upon the teaching, not upon the people. Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says, “If one depends upon the scripture it is a correct argument; if one does not depend upon the scripture it is an incorrect argument.” T’ien-t’ai says, “Again, if it conforms to the scripture, quote and use it. If there is no corresponding sentence or corresponding meaning, then one should not believe and accept. ” Dengyo says, “Depend upon what the Buddha taught, not upon the oral tradition.” If one follows these scriptures, treatises and commentaries, then one should not base oneself on dreams. Once should only treasure the passages in the scriptures and treatises…” 

Since the SGI abandons the scriptures, treatises, and commentaries, what is it that they have faith in? The words and the oral teachings of Toda and Ikeda? I don’t see anything about a mentor being necessary for attaining Buddhahood nor that new car or raise.

Nichiren writes: 

“The essential key to Nichiren’s disciples and followers is, namely, adherence to the Lotus Sutra.” 

The Lotus Sutra states: 

“But if one, after the Buddha’s extinction,

In the midst of an evil world

is able to preach this sutra, this is indeed hard…..(LS Ch.11) 

What the Soka Gakkai teaches is not “this Sutra”. 10,000,000 million SGI believers or 1,500,000,000 Muslims, are not equal to one Nichiren believer that has faith in the golden words of the Sutra. Most SGI members haven’t even read the Lotus Sutra. They go by the hearsay of the mentor, the Human Revolution, or the World Tribune. The SGI teachings on the Master-disciple relationship, value creation, receiving and giving guidance, no worth or role for solitary Bodhisattvas, the practice of shoju in this degenerate evil age, are all hearsay and oral teachings which Nichiren completely rejected. How sad for them. How sad that SGI members confuse Anger or Rapture for Buddhahood. 

Nichiren states: 

“Then what teaching should the country of Japan learn if its people are to free themselves from the sufferings of birth and death? As for this question, the Lotus Sutra states, “After the Thus Come One has entered extinction, I will cause it [the Lotus Sutra] to be widely propagated throughout Jambudvipa and will see that it never comes to an end.” 

Note, it doesn’t say to cause "Value Creationism”, “Human Revolution”, or “Taisekaji Mysticism” to spread.

In the Opening of the Eyes, we also read: 

“It is also laid down that one should “rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.” We must therefore look carefully among the sutras to determine which are complete and final and which are not, and put our faith in the former. Bodhisattva Nagarjuna in his Commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra states, “Do not rely on treatises that distort the sutras; rely on those that are faithful to the sutras.” The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai says, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” The Great Teacher Dengyo says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.” Enchin, also known as the Great Teacher Chisho, says, ‘In transmitting the teachings, rely on the written words [ofscriptures]. ‘”

SGI's relies on the inferior teaching of the Human Revolution and those Nichiren Shoshu teachings that distort the Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. They depend more on the preaching of Daisaku Ikeda than they do on the preachings of the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin and they hardly rely on the written words of the Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin. They are far more evil than the Zen men who make no pretense of practicing what the Buddha taught.

The MOST VISIBLE actual proof that the the Soka Gakke is a cult

"We are Buddhas, everyone is a Buddha"

["except those with bad breath?"]... Shallow SGI pseudo-Buddhists prove that SGI is a phony cult at the 4:46 mark:

Grateful reader I tried to convince 15 years ago proclaims that I was correct. Thanks

"Hi Mark, I'm sure you don't remember me but I used to argue with you and defend the SGI about 15 years ago. I left the SGI over a year ago and I have never been happier. I must concede and would like to publicly announce that you were correct sir. Keep speaking the truth" - Samadhi

The two countries with the most jumbled and dysfunctional response to the coronavirus

Brazil headed by the Trump bum licker, Bolsanaro and the United States lick receiver in chief, Donald J. Trump.

Regarding, utilizing the provisional teachings and other matters

Regarding, utilizing the provisional teachings: One must believe that Nichiren is the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra in order to grasp what he says. Nichiren even taught that there are rare individuals of great capacity who "may" initially be taught the provisional teachings. They are either brought gradually to the Lotus Sutra or they eventually arrive at the Lotus Sutra by virtue of their own awakening and/or their relationship with good friends. 

The very best good friends are Shakyamuni of the Juryo Chapter (Gohonzon) and Nichiren Daishonin.

Failure to acknowledge Nichiren as the Supreme Votary, it will be impossible to accept his teaching as correct because it is most difficult to believe and most difficult to comprehend. Also, i am merely his disciple with a limited faith and understanding. That is why i encourage you to chant Namu myoho renge kyo and to study the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Even then, the culmination of "study", according to Nichiren, is a "bodily reading of the Lotus Sutra". Even an illiterate man can perform a bodily reading of the Lotus Sutra, for example, the Atsuhara martyrs: https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-atsuhara-martyrs.html

Nichiren proved the text through his actual life experiences: https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2014/04/commentary-on-chapter-25-of-lotus-sutra.html

Please stop trying to grasp Lotus Sutra Buddhism through me or anybody besides Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren. Go to the source and find a good friend, be they priest or layman who is doing their best to practice as the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren teach (one who also is performing a bodily reading of the Sutra). If you can't find such a person, be that person yourself or only take Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren as your good friend and you will find the answer to your questions. I have a handful of good friends and many bad friends (who most profoundly, too are good friends).

There was a debate, I think in the 16th century between two factions. One faction was the Itchi and the other was the Shoretsu. The itchi faction taught the equality of the 28 Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the so-called equality of the Theoretical section (first 14 chapters) and the Essential section (latter 14 chapters). These are the Nichiren Shu and the Fuju Fuse people. The Shoretsu faction taught the superiority of the latter fourteen chapters. The Shoretsu faction won the debate according, of course, to the Shoretsu faction and to those who follow Nichiren. They argued from the standpoint of Nichiren that the Essential section is superior to the Theoretical section but the Theoretical section can not be discarded (and it must be understood through the Essential section). Today, those who are Shoretsu are the Honmon Butsuryu Shu (the Eight Chapter school), the Kempon Hokke School (the One Chapter and Two Halves school), the Nichiren Shoshu (claiming to be a Daimoku only school because they follow the priest Nichikan)*, the Soka Gakkai (claiming to be a Daimoku only school because they too follow the teachings of Nichikan), and most independents. I bring this up because, for one to understand the Lotus Sutra THEORETICALLY, he or she must understood it through the eyes of Nichiren. To understand the Lotus Sutra ACTUALLY, one must chant the Daimoku with the same faith as Nichiren. Embracing the forged writings (the majority of writings without Nichiren's colophon (stamp) and signature) and his early writings is fraught with peril.

*I say "claim" because they base their claim primarily on the forged writings that Nichikan embraced: The Ongi Kuden (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings); the Shoho Jisso Sho (the True Aspect of all Phenomena); On the Treasure Tower; the Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimaku Sho (The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life);The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas of the Three Existences regarding the Classification of the Teachings and Which Are to Be Abandoned and Which Upheld; and they conflate Nichiren's early writings such as Issho Jobutsu Sho (On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime) with his definitive works. The Nichiren Shoshu also embraces the forged writings, 106 Comparisons, The First Bath, and On the True Cause, that out of necessity the Soka Gakkai refutes as forged. Also, they rely on some pertinent passages from the major authentic works that they have mis-translated in order to further their doctrinal deviations.

Having discussed these issues with the Soka Gakkai for many years, they argue as the priest Nichikan, "We chant the Hoben-pon (2nd Chapter) to demolish the provisional teachings of the Buddha, we chant the Juryo-hon (16th Chapter) to demolish the Hoben-pon, and we chant the Daimoku to demolish the Juryo-hon". To bolster their argument, they point to the few writings which state "only Namu Myoho renge kyo", "Namu Myoho renge kyo alone", and to those writings that, in effect, teach Namu Myoho renge kyo alone (without placing these passages in context either within a particular writing or within the entire authenticated canon). They ignore the Five Major Writings and the other authentic writings which state; "Embrace the Lotus Sutra AND Chant Namu Myoho renge kyo"; "believe in the Lotus Sutra"; "the Lotus Sutra represents the truth; "the Lotus Sutra is the only bright mirror we should have and that through it we can understand the heart of all the sutras." and hundreds of other similar passages. The bottom line is Nichiren embraced and had faith in the 28 Chapter Lotus Sutra AND Gohonzon and he chanted Namu myoho renge kyo. He also chanted various passages of the Lotus Sutra and on special occasions, the entire Lotus Sutra (5.5 hours at a moderately brisk pace). As discussed above, Nichiren actually performed a literal reading of nearly the entire 28 chapter Lotus Sutra.

They then sometimes argue that the Lotus Sutra changes depending on the time. They teach that the Lotus Sutra at the time of Bodhisattva Never Despise consisted of 24 characters and today it is only the Five or Seven Characters (Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo or Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo). My counter argument is that this is still the Latter Age that Nichiren taught will last for ten thousand years and more. We must have faith in and realize the 28 Chapter Lotus Sutra and chant Namu myoho renge kyo. In fact, we chant Devotion to the Lotus Sutra (Myoho renge kyo) and in many dozens of writings Nichiren teaches of the misfortune of abandoning or discarding the Lotus Sutra. When it comes down to it, the crux of their argument is "Nichiren said that but meant this", "Nichiren said Lotus Sutra but meant Namu Myoho renge kyo."; "Nichiren said Lotus Sutra but meant Gohonzon." No! When Nichiren stated Lotus Sutra, he meant the 28 chapter Lotus Sutra with very very few exceptions. Likewise, when he stated "Shakyamuni Buddha" he meant Shakyamuni Buddha and NOT Buddha-nature nor I Nichiren.