Thursday, July 4, 2013
Pretzel twisting the mind
"The trouble is, it’s harmless fun if you see it for what it is. But if you start really believing stuff this nonsensical you have to twist your mind into shapes it wasn’t designed for. It truly messes you up after a while. I know, I’ve been there. That’s true even if the topic was something completely secular, like politics. But if you do this kind of pretzel twisting of your brain around SGI religious beliefs, it’s even more damaging." -- Mick
"Daisaku Ikeda was also instrumental in having President Obama elected first African-American President"
"Mentor also predicted that we would one day have a black President. He saw racism in Chicago and chanted for equality in America and President Obama was elected." -- Tom proud SGI member in response to "Tear that wall down".
"Tear down that wall" -- Ronald Reagan or Daisaku Ikeda?
“During the Cold War—of which the Berlin Wall was the most potent symbol—I strove wholeheartedly to carry on Mr. Toda’s ideals as his true disciple, and engaged in dialogue with people around the globe to promote peace, culture, and education—an endeavor in which all of you have joined me.
More than five decades have passed since I first embarked on that effort. Today, a vast humanistic network, founded on solid trust and friendship that no adversity can shake, extends throughout Europe and the entire world. The spirit of the first three Soka Gakkai presidents will live on forever in these strong and beautiful heart-to-heart bonds of fearless individuals.” — Part of Daisaku Ikeda’s Message for the 53rd SGI Headquarters Leaders Meeting ["November 6, 2011"]
Since Daisaku Ikeda takes credit for everything, he should take credit for the Tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster too. He [they] has no sense of shame. The great mentor is the living Wizard of Oz.
More accurately, it is his gutless high salaried Japanese senior leech disciples that are the Wizards of Oz since there is no way he composed this. Ravaged as he is, having suffered a major stroke, it is these lowlives who are now pulling the strings and writing his messages.
Capacity, position, titles, robes, honors, and awards are meaningless
“The Former and Middle Days are almost over, and the Latter Day is near at hand. Now indeed is the time when the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra will prove how perfectly it fits the capacities of all people.”
The Gohonzon itself is the Buddha's pure and far reaching voice
"The Buddha’s pure and far-reaching voice, which once vanished, has reappeared in the visible form of written words to benefit the people." -- Opening of the Eyes of Wooden and painted images
Re: SGI business suited priests..
It is utterly futile to look for salvation in the next life by giving alms to SGI high salaried business suited priests.
The rise of the Soka Gakkai in Italy: SGI and Kaneda bring good fortune to Italy
"Myoho renge kyo is the entity of the Buddha" -- Mistaken SGI leader
"The Buddha who is the entity of Myoho-renge-kyo, of the “Life Span” chapter of the essential teaching, who is both inhabiting subject and inhabited realm, life and environment, body and mind, entity and function, the Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies— he is to be found in the disciples and lay believers of Nichiren."
It is the Buddha of the Lifespan Chapter who is the entity of Myoho renge kyo and he is to be found in the disciples and lay believers of Nichiren
It is the Buddha of the Lifespan Chapter who is the entity of Myoho renge kyo and he is to be found in the disciples and lay believers of Nichiren
Repost: How to Home Visit Proof Your Home
And now, with winter closing in, all those senior leaders have their beady eyes trained on you, an easy mark for the May Contribution Campaign. Your house is prime territory for a home visit. When they come sniffing around, keep ‘em moving with the critter proofing methods on this page. A lot of it comes down to nothing more than a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha or Nichiren Daishonin in front of the Gohonzon.
Who are the infiltrators? According to the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin: They are those who claim to have attained what they have not; those whose ego is so big that think themselves wise enough to instruct Nichiren and his disciples; those conceited men and women who think that somehow, without their guidance, the Daimoku and Gohonzon is insufficient for you to attain Buddhahood; those looking to increase their Chapter’s or Area’s numbers; those looking to climb up the ladder to Chapter Chief, Area, or Territory Leader.
It is usually not necessary to call professionals to remove them but, of course, it’s always easier to keep them out in the first place than to remove them when they’re in. Either way, it helps to know your enemy.
Those who claim to have attained what they have not:
Sometimes they crawl down chimneys or gnaw and claw their way through your front door. Threat: They weaken rather than strengthen your faith. As with most SGI intruders they can best be kept at bay with a strong association with your Kempon Hokke friends or by blocking possible pathways into the house. If you fail to remove them, in the case of these slanderers, they may require either professional removal [very large mean housemember] or calling 911.
Those whose ego is so big that think themselves wise enough to instruct Nichiren and his disciples:
People think these senior leaders are smart, but what they are is tenacious, says Tientai, a home visit control specialist in Canton China, and a spokesman for the disciples and believer's of Nichiren Daishonin. “These Gakkai leaders with big egos are capable of climbing a downspout and pulling loose a soffit or ripping off a roof shingle to get inside”, he says. WD Leaders are liable to use your messy house or intimate guidance sessions as an excuse to laud themselves over you. Those who think themselves wise enough to instruct Nichiren are bad enough in the living room but never show them your den. They might get comfortable and stay for another hour or two. Never feed them or offer them tea or coffee. You can fend off these nuisances by getting a protective Pit Bull or Rotty. Try also, not to have just finished cooking a tasty meal or have delicious dainties lying about. The bad thing about these unwanted guests, usually they are so into themselves that they don’t really care what you are doing, your needs, or exigencies. You can prearrange a friend to call fifteen minutes after these pests arrive and tell them you have an emergency. Alternatively, you can chant Namu Myoho renge kyo while they are leading Daimoku and chanting Nam Myoho renge kyo. Remember, these Ikedabots don’t play nice when cornered or trapped.
Those conceited men and women who think that somehow, without their guidance, the Daimoku and Gohonzon is insufficient for you to attain Buddhahood:
These severely deluded Soka men and women can talk your ear off, are quite charming, and are inveterate liars. They always have some experience about Sensei, how they overcame mesothelioma or premature ejaculation by seeking and following Sensei. Prevention is the best policy in the case of these arrogant borderline psychotic individuals. A heavy metal door with seven or eight Yale locks works quite well. Lights out and being very quiet is another good strategy. If they succeed in getting you to open up the door, you can prepare yourselves nicely with ear plugs or miniature radio receivers so you can listen to your favorite program while they drone on about Sensei, more Sensei, Rock the Era, or the importance of statistics to Buddhist practice. If you don’t have ear plugs or a miniature radio receiver, then your only course may be to have read the Lotus Sutra several times and the Five Major Works over and over again. Prepare yourself however, for the obligatory, “Sharihotsu” or “you lack faith” comment. Short of threatening them with a Samurai sword or an AR15 rifle, you may not be able to cut off THAT conversation and feeling oh so small. If you are chanting a lot of Daimoku you can intuit when the conversation is about to turn to slander of you as a person, and you can suddenly claim to have the worst migraine of your life. But, just as those senior leaders who think themselves wise enough to instruct Nichiren, these leaders who think that their guidance is more important than Shakyamuni’s and Nichiren’s, are quite tenacious. Blood capsules may be carefully and stealtfully utilized by pinching them against the skin of the upper lip, just below the nostril. A “nosebleed” always has a big impact, even on the most thoughtless Gakkai leader.
The nastier ones, those who have been going to non stop meetings and home visitations for the last several weeks may, due to lack of daily showering and good personal hygiene, bring in fleas, lice, or ticks. Once you succeed in getting them to go home, be sure to have some extra strength Raid and air freshener on hand.
The last two unwanted guests may be lumped together: Those looking to increase their Chapter’s Area’s, or Territory’s numbers and those looking to climb up the ladder to Chapter, Area, or Territory Leader.
These shallow leaders aren’t really into home visits. Almost any excuse, immediately after Gongyo will do. However, if they bring a junior leader along, they may feel constrained to make a show of caring and compassion. If you don’t mind touching them, you can gently grab the arm of the junior leader and briskly walk him to the door. Since he has no way of getting home without his senior, usually the senior will follow. Other senior leader removal techniques are Taiko drum beats to the Daimoku or even clackers. Having a copy of a Nichiren inscribed Gohonzon too, is often quite effective. Installing steel window screens may be necessary.
Response to "you are a manic depressive" by an SGI member
Calling me a manic depressive, demeaned me? You're way off. I’m bipolar.
"My life is an open book" .....
"....now that I tore out pages 38- 133 [on Mr. Williams], 202-451 [on the Kawabe memo], 703-1101 on my [relationship with the NST priesthood] and rewrote chapters 2 [The Ogasawara Incident], 4 [The Bible of Shakubuku], 7 [The Gakkai Pen trial], 8 [My Relationship with Chou En-lai], and 13 [My Relationship with Manuel Noriega]" -- Daisaku Ikeda
"Our Sensei is a man of the people."
“Our Sensei is so humble. He lives in a small little house in Tokyo.” Yes, when he is not living in his giant mansion in Hachiouji and his luxury apartment in the second annex of the Soka Gakkai Headquarters. Then, there are his luxury Soka Gakkai apartments in every Soka Gakkai community center in the world [which he never uses] and the luxurious Villas in Malibu, Trets, Florence, Taplow, and at the Ikeda nature-center in Brazil [which he too never uses].
Sensei only stays in the Holiday Inn Express when he’s not staying in one of his villas...........NOT. Actually, he only stays in five star hotels. He is a real man of the people.
SGI's specious reasoning
The SGI asserts that only through the SGI teachings can one become Enlightened but the Mystic Law is timeless and unbound.
Nichiren Daishonin’s Lotus Sutra Buddhism is more than 750 years old while the Soka Gakkai is a mere 80 years old. By their specious reasoning, Enlightenment could only be realized within the last 80 years and only among a select group.
SGI and NST slanders the Law of the Buddhas
“They cling to incomplete doctrines and are attached to receiving alms and being treated with deference; they recognize only false doctrines, distance themselves from good friends, approach with familiarity such slanderers who delight in attachment to the teachings of the lesser vehicle, and do not believe in the great vehicle. Therefore they slander the Law of the Buddhas.” — Nichiren
Ornate rhetoric [Human Revolution] and meaningless talk [Oneness of living Mentor and Disciple]
“These evil men will read and recite this sutra, but they will ignore and put aside the profound and vital principles that the Thus Come One has expounded in it and replace them with ornate rhetoric and meaningless talk.” -- ND
Happy are we who follow Nichiren Daishonin
So happy are we who follow Nichiren Daishonin and the Lotus Sutra and not Daisaku Ikeda, Nichinyo, nor Shamon Tsuchiya.
“On the other hand, when I proclaim that the practitioners of the Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering or declare that the Zen and True Word schools are likewise in error, people may think I am uttering harsh words, but in fact I am speaking truthful and gentle words. As an example, I may point to the fact that Dozen-bo has embraced the Lotus Sutra and fashioned an image of Shakyamuni Buddha, actions that came about because I spoke harshly to him. And the same thing holds true for all the people of Japan. Ten or more years ago, virtually everyone was reciting the Nembutsu. But now, out of ten persons, you will find that one or two chant only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, while two or three recite it along with the Nembutsu. And even among those who recite the Nembutsu exclusively, there are those who have begun to have doubts and so in their hearts believe in the Lotus Sutra; some have even begun to paint or carve images of Shakyamuni Buddha. All this, too, has come about because I have spoken harsh words.
This response is like the fragrant sandalwood trees that correct among the groves of foul-smelling eranda trees, or lotus blossoms that rise from the mud. Thus, when I proclaim that the followers of the Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering, the “wise men” of our day, who are in fact no wiser than cattle or horses, may venture to attack my doctrines. But in truth they are like scavenger dogs barking at the lion king, or foolish monkeys laughing at the god Shakra.”
We can substitute Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, or Islam for Nembutsu. Can you not see this? Why can’t the Daimoku penetrate your heart to obtain a correct view? Could it be that your Object of Worship is in error?
“If, knowing the best path, one sees one’s parents or sovereign taking an evil path, can one fail to admonish them? If a fool, crazed with wine, is about to drink poison, can one, knowing this, not try to stop him? In the same way, if one understands the truth of the Buddhist teachings and knows the sufferings of fire, blood, and swords,79 can one fail to lament at seeing someone to whom one owes a debt of gratitude about to fall into the evil paths? Rather one should cast away one’s body and lay down one’s life in an effort to save such a person.”
“How reassuring, that those who respect the monks of the correct teaching and admonish those who are evil and in error receive such blessings as these!.”
“You should read again and again the previous letter in which I explained that one should of course obey one’s teacher, sovereign, and parents, but should they commit wrongs, admonishing them is in fact being loyal to them,” (The Three Obstacles and four Devils)
“How could I ever feel distantly toward any of you? Even in the case of the Nembutsu priests, the Zen priests, and the True Word teachers, and the ruler of the nation and other men of authority, all of whom bear me such hatred— I admonish them because I want to help them, and their hatred for me makes me pity them all the more.” (Reply to the lay Priest Takahashi)
“The Classic of Filial Piety states, “[In a case of moral wrong,] a son must admonish his father, and a minister must admonish his lord.” (The Letter of Petition from Yorimoto )
What could be more immoral from a Buddhist standpoint than Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism that trample on the dignity of Shakyamuni Buddha and human life? Their gods follow the Buddha and the Votaries of the Lotus Sutra but their practitioners go against their own deities.
“The Great Teacher Dengyo states, “In general, where unrighteousness is concerned, a son must admonish his father, and a minister must admonish his lord.” (ibid.)
“Yet not only do they fail to remonstrate with them, but they criticize one who does confront the Nembutsu school, which is strange indeed! As for Daishin-bo, as I wrote you before, please strongly admonish him by letter.” (The third Doctrine)
The SGI leaders, far from admonishing these heretics and heretical philosophies and religions, pander to them through their interfaith activities. The only ones they admonish are the True Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. It will be no small occurance if they don’t suffer some great loss for acting contrary to the Lotus Sutra and teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.
“It stipulates that, no matter how learned one may be, if one sees an enemy of the Lotus Sutra but fails to admonish that person out of fear, one will fall into the hell of incessant suffering.” (Letter to Akimoto)
We can only conclude that the SGI fails to speak and act as Nichiren, out of fear and cowardice.
“The high minister Pi Kan, seeing that the Yin dynasty was on the path toruin, strongly admonished the ruler, though it cost him his head.” (Opening of the Eyes)
“The high minister Pi Kan, seeing that the Yin dynasty was on the path toruin, strongly admonished the ruler, though it cost him his head.” (Opening of the Eyes)
The entire world is based on Chistianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism. They are paths to war and ruin. But SGI seeks support and guidance from these slanderers and give them support and sucor.
“But because Kuan Lung- feng remonstrated with King Chieh of the Hsia dynasty and Pi Kan admonished King Chou of the Yin dynasty, their names have been handed down in history as those of worthies.” (op cit. Letter of Petition to Yorimoto)
That is why Nichiren Daishonin and his true disciples will be remembered for ten thousand years and more and Ikeda and his disciples will be forgotten.
“Nichiren, who admonishes them for their evil, is father and mother to the ruler, and the teacher of all living beings.” (The Royal Palace)
And we too are fathers and mothers to the rulers and the Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and provisional Buddhist religious leaders. Why? Because we admonish them for failing to embrace the Lotus Sutra and to chant Namu Myoho renge kyo. You who don’t like Nichiren Daishonin or Nichiren Daishonin’s Way are not true to yourselves and your words are hollow.
“Is not a person of wisdom one who admonishes the ruler when the country is endangered or corrects others’ mistaken views? But in your case, no matter what error you may see, you will no doubt refuse to correct it for fear of society’s reaction.” (op. cit. Yorimoto)
“In the Lotus Sutra, it is stipulated that those who bear a grudge against its votary are destined to fall into the Avichi hell. The fourth volume states that the offense of harboring malice toward a votary of the Lotus Sutra in the latter age is graver than that of reviling the Buddha for an entire medium kalpa. The seventh volume teaches that people who disparage the votary will suffer in the Avichi hell for a thousand kalpas. The fifth volume states that after the Buddha’s passing, when the Latter Day of the Law arrives, a votary of the Lotus Sutra will certainly appear, and that at that time, in that country, an immeasurably great multitude of monks who either uphold or violate the precepts will gather and denounce the votary to the ruler of the country causing him to be banished and ruined.”
Do you think these persecutions happened to Nichiren Daishonin for holding interfaith conferences with the Nembutsu, Zen, Ritsu, and Shingon? Or do you think that he underwent these trials for correcting ther errors? Do you think Nichiren Daishonin would compromise with the Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Brahmins? I will not compromise the teachings for a pat on the back and an award or two.
“Question: What eye of wisdom allows you to perceive that the Nembutsu, Zen, and other schools of our time are the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and evil companions who are ready to mislead all people?
Answer: I do not state personal opinions, but merely hold up the mirror of the sutras and commentaries so that the slanderers of the Law may see their ugly faces reflected there and perceive their errors. But if they are incurably “blind,” it is beyond my power.
“Question: What eye of wisdom allows you to perceive that the Nembutsu, Zen, and other schools of our time are the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and evil companions who are ready to mislead all people?
Answer: I do not state personal opinions, but merely hold up the mirror of the sutras and commentaries so that the slanderers of the Law may see their ugly faces reflected there and perceive their errors. But if they are incurably “blind,” it is beyond my power.
In the “Treasure Tower” chapter in the fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra we read: “At that time Many Treasures Buddha offered half of his seat in the treasure tower to Shakyamuni Buddha . . . At that time the members of the great assembly [saw] the two Thus Come Ones seated cross-legged on the lion seat in the tower of seven treasures . . . And in a loud voice he [Shakyamuni Buddha] addressed all the four kinds of believers, saying: ‘Who is capable of broadly preaching the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law in this saha world? Now is the time to do so, for before long the Thus Come One will enter nirvana. The Buddha wishes to entrust this Lotus Sutra to someone so that it may be preserved.’
This is the first pronouncement of the Buddha. Again the chapter reads: “At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying: ‘This holy lord, this World-Honored One, though he passed into extinction long ago, still seats himself in the treasure tower, coming here for the sake of the Law. You people, why then do you not also strive for the sake of the Law? . . . In addition, these emanations of my body, Buddhas in immeasurable numbers like Ganges sands, have come, desiring to hear the Law . . . Each has abandoned his wonderful land, as well as his host of disciples, the heavenly and human beings, dragons, and spirits, and all the offerings they give him, and has come to this place on purpose to make certain the Law will long endure. . . . as though a great wind were tossing the branches of small trees. Through this expedient means they make certain that the Law will long endure. So I say to the great assembly: After I have passed into extinction, who can guard and uphold, read and recite this sutra? Now in the presence of the Buddha let him come forward and speak his vow!’
This is the second proclamation of the Buddha. The passage continues: “The Thus Come One Many Treasures, I myself, and these emanation Buddhas who have gathered here, surely know this is our aim. . . . All you good men, each of you must consider carefully! This is a difficult matter—it is proper you should make a great vow. The other sutras number as many as Ganges sands, but though you expound those sutras, that is not worth regarding as difficult. If you were to seize Mount Sumeru and fling it far off to the measureless Buddha lands, that too would not be difficult. . . . But if after the Buddha has entered extinction, in the time of evil, you can preach this sutra, that will be difficult indeed! . . . If, when the fires come at the end of the kalpa, one can load dry grass on his back and enter the fire without being burned, that would not be difficult. But after I have passed into extinction if one can embrace this sutra and expound it to even one person, that will be difficult indeed! . . . All you good men, after I have entered extinction, who can accept and uphold, read and recite this sutra? Now in the presence of the Buddha let him come forward and speak his vow!”
This is the third admonition from the Buddha. The fourth and fifth admonitions are found in the “Devadatta” chapter, and I will deal with them later.” (op. cit. Opening of the Eyes)
“Adherents of the various schools may attempt to attack you by citing the passage from The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom that states, “If one denounces the teachings others follow out of love for one’s own, then even if one is the practitioner who observes the precepts, one will never escape the pains of hell.” Ask them whether they know why Nagarjuna wrote this admonition, and if Nagarjuna could possibly have been ignorant of how serious an offense it is to slander the true teaching by clinging to provisional teachings. He stated, “The various sutras are not secret teachings; only the Lotus Sutra is secret.”30 He declared that the Lotus Sutra alone is the seed of enlightenment, likening it to a great physician who can change poison into medicine. Is it possible that he later regretted having said these things, and therefore wrote that, if one denounces the teachings others follow out of love for one’s own, one will be destined to fall into the evil paths? If so, he would have been directly contradicting the truthful words of the Lotus Sutra, in which the Buddha states, “Honestly discarding expedient means” and “Not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.”31 This is hardly conceivable. Nagarjuna was a bodhisattva who appeared in accordance with Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction, as well as a scholar in the direct lineage of the Buddha’s teaching. He may well have written this admonition in his treatise because he foresaw that such priests as Kobo and T’an-luan would slander the Lotus Sutra, the teaching that befits this age of the Latter Day of the Law. You should scoff at your opponents for not knowing the meaning of the words they cite. Tell them: “Are you yourselves not followers of those destined to fall into the evil paths? How pitiful! Are you not to be counted among those who will suffer for countless kalpas to come?” (Teaching Practice and Proof)
“He agonized over what course to take, but in the end, fearful of violating the Buddha’s admonition, made known his views to Emperor Kammu.” (Selection of Time)
“The Nirvana Sutra states: “If even a good monk sees someone destroying the teaching and disregards him, failing to reproach him, to oust him, or to punish him for his offense, then you should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if he ousts the destroyer of the Law, reproaches him, or punishes him, then he is my disciple and a true voice-hearer.”
This admonition urged me on, and I spoke out against slander in spite of the various persecutions I faced, because I would have become an enemy of the Buddha’s teaching if I had not.Slander can be either minor or serious, however, and sometimes we should overlook it rather than attack it. The True Word and Tendai schools slander the Lotus Sutra and should be severely rebuked. But without great wisdom it is hard to differentiate correctly between their doctrines and the teachings that Nichiren spreads. Therefore, at times we refrain from attacking them, just as I did in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.
Whether or not we speak out, it will be difficult for those who have committed the grave offense of slander to avoid retribution. Our seeing, hearing, and making no attempt to stop slander that, if we spoke out, could be avoided, destroys our gifts of sight and hearing, and is utterly merciless.
Chang-an writes, “If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, one is in fact his enemy.” The consequences of a grave offense are extremely difficult to erase. The most important thing is to continually strengthen our wish to benefit others.” (The Embankments of Faith)
“The heart of all these passages is the admonition to embrace and believe in the Lotus Sutra in this Latter Day of the Law.” (The Embankments of Faith)
“Nevertheless, I was concerned that any admonition would be taken by the ignorant as mere jealousy of his wisdom, and so I refrained from speaking out.” (On Persecution Befalling the sage)
“Then the unenlightened man said: “Listening to the teachings and admonitions of a sage like you, I find that the misunderstandings I have labored under in recent days are all suddenly dispelled.” (op. cit. Conversations Sage)
“The third volume of the Nirvana Sutra says: ‘If even a good monk sees someone destroying the teaching and disregards him, failing to reproach him, to oust him, or to punish him for his offense, then you should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if he ousts the destroyer of the Law, reproaches him, or punishes him, then he is my disciple and a true voice-hearer.’
“The meaning of this passage is that, if a person striving to propagate the correct teaching of the Buddha should hear and see others propounding the teachings of the sutras in a mistaken manner and fail to reproach them himself or, lacking the power to do that, fail to appeal to the sovereign and in this way take measures to correct them, then he is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if, as the sutras direct, he is not afraid of others but censures these slanderers himself and appeals to the sovereign to take measures against them, then he may be called a disciple of the Buddha and a true priest.
Yet the SGI teaches that the Zen, Nembutsu, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus of today are somehow different. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of sharing the dais with them you should be correcting their errant views.
“Being therefore determined to avoid the charge of ‘betraying the Buddha’s teaching,’ although I have incurred the hatred of others, I have dedicated my life to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, extending compassion to all living beings and rebuking slanders of the correct teaching. Those who cannot understand my heart have tightened their lips and glared at me with furious eyes. But if you are truly concerned about your future existence, you should think lightly of your own safety and consider the Law above all. Thus the Great Teacher Chang-an states, ‘ “[A royal envoy . . . would rather], even though it costs him his life, in the end conceal none of the words of his ruler” means that one’s body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. One should give one’s life in order to propagate the Law.’
“This passage is saying that, even if one must give up one’s life, one should not conceal the correct teaching; this is because one’s body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. Though one’s body be destroyed, one should strive to propagate the Law.” (ibid.)
“Being therefore determined to avoid the charge of ‘betraying the Buddha’s teaching,’ although I have incurred the hatred of others, I have dedicated my life to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, extending compassion to all living beings and rebuking slanders of the correct teaching. Those who cannot understand my heart have tightened their lips and glared at me with furious eyes. But if you are truly concerned about your future existence, you should think lightly of your own safety and consider the Law above all. Thus the Great Teacher Chang-an states, ‘ “[A royal envoy . . . would rather], even though it costs him his life, in the end conceal none of the words of his ruler” means that one’s body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. One should give one’s life in order to propagate the Law.’
“This passage is saying that, even if one must give up one’s life, one should not conceal the correct teaching; this is because one’s body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. Though one’s body be destroyed, one should strive to propagate the Law.” (ibid.)
Doesn’t the SGI conceal the True Teaching of the exclusive faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra by holding these interfaith dialogue. Never once do they utter the lion’s roar as did Nichiren during these conferences.
“And what of these admonitions of mine? Because people regard them with suspicion and refuse to heed them, disasters such as those we now face occur.” (Three Tripitaka Masters Pray For Rain)
“Now this great evil True Word doctrine has spread to Kamakura, deceiving the members of the ruling clan and threatening to bring about the destruction of Japan. This is a matter of the gravest import, and I have not discussed it even with my disciples. Instead I have dissembled, pretending ignorance and filling their ears only with attacks upon Nembutsu and Zen. But since my admonitions continue to go unheeded, without begrudging even my life, I will also tell my disciples what the true situation is.
“When I do so, they will be even more perplexed, saying that, no matter how admirable or worthy of respect Nichiren may be, he can scarcely surpass Jikaku and Kobo. I fear I will never succeed in banishing all their doubts. How can I dispel them?” (op. cit. Takahashi)
“It is a grave offense to go against these admonitions, and though invisible to the eye, the error piles up until it sends one plummeting to hell.” (Fourteen Slanders)
“My admonitions have surpassed even those set forth in the yüeh-fu poems of Po Chüi, and my prophecies are not inferior to those of the Buddha. ” (The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra)
“In ancient China, King Chou of the Yin dynasty refused to heed the admonitions of his loyal minister Pi Kan and instead cut out Pi Kan’s heart.” (ibid.)
“But just as a high wind creates great waves, or a powerful dragon brings forth torrential rains, so my admonitions called forth increasing animosity.” (ibid.)
“However, he did not heed my admonitions, but rather began to persecute me even more harshly, so there was nothing further I could do. (op. cit. no Safety Threefold World)
“I, Nichiren, fearing these admonitions of the Buddha, accordingly accused all those throughout the nation who were deserving of it, and more than once I was condemned to exile or to death.” (Letter to Akimoto)
“Thus, although Shan-wu-wei, Hsüantsang, Kobo, Jikaku, Chisho, and the others put forth a variety of clever arguments, they could produce no passage of scripture proving the Lotus Sutra to be inferior to the Mahavairochana Sutra. Their whole argument rests solely on the question of whether the sutra includes mudras and mantras. Rather than writing hundreds of volumes of argument, traveling back and forth between China and Japan with their unending schemes, and arranging for the promulgation of imperial edicts in order to intimidate people, they would have been better off producing some clear passage of proof in the sutras themselves. Who then could have doubted their assertions??
Dewdrops accumulate to form a stream, and streams accumulate to form the great ocean. Particles of dust accumulate to form a mountain, and mountains accumulate to form Mount Sumeru. And in the same way, trifling matters accumulate to become grave ones. How much more so in the case of this matter, which is the gravest of all! When these men wrote their commentaries, they should have exerted themselves in examining both the principles and documentary evidence of the two teachings, and when the court issued imperial edicts, it, too, should have delivered its admonitions after thoroughly investigating both sides and citing some clear passage of proof.
Not even the Buddha himself could repudiate his statement that, among all the sutras he has preached, now preaches, and will preach, [the Lotus Sutra stands supreme]. How much less, then, can scholars, teachers, and rulers of states use their authority to do so! This statement [of the Buddha] has been heard by Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings, and duly recorded in their respective palaces.
So long as the people truly did not know of this statement, it seems that the false interpretations of the teachers I mentioned spread without anyone incurring retribution. But once a person of forceful character has come forward to make this sutra passage known in a bold and uncompromising fashion, then grave matters are certain to occur. Because people have looked down on this person and cursed him, struck him, sent him into exile, or attempted to take his life, Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings have risen up in anger and become that votary’s allies. Thus unexpected censures have come down from heaven, and the people are about to be wiped out and the nation destroyed.
Though the votary of the Lotus Sutra may be of humble background, the heavenly deities who protect him are fearsome indeed. If an asura tries to swallow the sun or moon, its head will split into seven pieces. If a dog barks at a lion, its bowels will rot. And as I view the situation today, the same sort of retribution is happening here in Japan.
On the other hand, those who give alms and support to the votary will receive the same benefit as though making offerings to the Lotus Sutra itself. As the Great Teacher Dengyo says in his commentary, “Those who praise him will receive blessings that will pile up as high as Mount Calm and Bright, while those who slander him will be committing a fault that will condemn them to the hell of incessant suffering.”
The person who offered a humble meal of millet to a pratyekabuddha became the Thus Come One Treasure Brightness. He who offered a mud pie to the Buddha became the ruler of Jambudvipa. Though one may perform meritorious deeds, if they are directed toward what is untrue, then those deeds may bring great evil, but they will never result in good. On the other hand, though one may be ignorant and make meager offerings, if one presents those offerings to a person who upholds the truth, one’s merit will be great. How much more so in the case of people who in all sincerity make offerings to the correct teaching!” (The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings)
Nichiren's compassion and protection towards the believers in the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha was in no way inferior to that of a lioness for her cubs. Towards those who would harm the Law and his disciples he was fearless and uncompromising.
“… But even bodhisattvas with their great compassion, if they make offerings to the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, are certain to fall into the hell of incessant suffering. On the other hand, even those who commit the five cardinal sins, if they show animosity toward those enemies, will definitely be reborn in the human or heavenly world. King Sen’yo and King Possessor of Virtue, who had destroyed, respectively, five hundred and countless enemies of the Lotus Sutra, became ShakyamuniBuddha in this world. His disciples such as Mahakashyapa, Ananda, Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, and other countless followers were people who, at that time, were in the vanguard, defeating the enemy, or killing them, injuring them, or rejoicing in the fight. The monk Realization of Virtue became Kashyapa Buddha. He was a votary of the Lotus Sutra of great compassion who, at that time, urged King Possessor of Virtue to attack the enemies of the sutra as if they were the ones who had betrayed his father and mother in a previous lifetime.” (On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord and Avoiding the Offense of Complicity in Slander)
By making offerings to slanderers through interfaith activities you destine yourselves to hell. To have the same mind as Nichiren takes courage.
We are disciples of the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra. We live his words while others offer lip service to the Daishonin or use him to gain credibility. We will not withhold anything of Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings because he lived the Sutra and those who criticize his way are nothing but barking dogs. The teachings we embrace are The Succession Through the Scrolls of the Sutra. No intermediary like a special priest or Daisaki Ikeda is necessary. The SGI should immediately disband and humbly approach the us to receive a True Object of Worship so that they can lessen the karmic retribution they have brought upon themselves. They are not true believers. At best they are parrots of “the Daimoku of SGI”. To chant Namu Myoho renge kyo while abandoning and causing others to abandon the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha and expect to attain Buddhahood is as futile as entering a treasure mountain without hands. There is no benefit chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo with one’s mouth while chanting Namu Daisaku Ikeda or Namu SGI with one’s heart. If it were possible to attain Buddhahood without confronting evil, the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin would be great liars. Here is what Nichiren says about those who chant the Daimoku but go against the Sutra:
“They entirely look up to groups of icchantikas and rely on them as leaders and, reverencing blasphemers against the Dharma, make them national teachers. Taking up the Classic Filial Piety of Confucious, they beat their parents’ heads and, while chanting the Lotus Sutra of Lord Shakya with their mouths, they go against the Master of teachings.'
As far as converting other believers, We read, On Establishing the Peace of the Land through the Correct Law;
“How can we do any good thing without criticizing them?”
“We should rather eliminate (this one sided teaching) than perform ten thousand prayers.”
“You should stop the fountainhead, you should cut out the root.”
“If you wish to realize the peace of our country quickly, you should eliminate them (mistaken doctrines) from our country.”
“If the four kinds of devotees of all the countries of the world stop making offerings to the bad priests and take refuge in the Good Law, no calamity will take place.”
and finally, in conclusion (very last sentences).
“I will not satisfy myself with the pleasure of believing the Right Law.
I will lead others by correcting their mistakes.”
This is not just a call for the leaders of the country but a call for his disciples and believers. That is why so many copies of this treatise was circulated. Thanks to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, we of the Kempon Hokke will overcome the oppression of the Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Christians and the provisional Buddhists in the west and in India and Southeast Asia.
Now let me say a little bit about defilement and mixing:
“The third is being defiled, which means that the contents can be contaminated. Though the water itself may be pure, if filth is dumped into it, then the water in the vessel ceases to be of any use.’
By exchanging ideas with the heretics in a friendly congenial manner, rather than break and subdue, we ourselves become defiled. Tientai states, “From the indigo, an even deeper blue.” When we dilute the indigo through interfaith we get a pale facsimily of the indigo.
“Or we may be the kind of practitioners of the Lotus Sutra whose mouths are reciting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo one moment, but Namu Amida Butsu the next. This is like mixing filth with one’s rice, or putting sand or pebbles in it. This is what the Lotus Sutra is warning against when it says, “Desiring only to accept and embrace the sutra of the great vehicle and not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.”
Not accepting a single verse of the other sutras, means not accepting a single verse of the Koran, Bible, Torah or Vedas, let alone the Agamas, the Pure Land, and the Collection Of Wisdom Sutras.
“The learned authorities in the world today suppose that there is no harm in mixing extraneous practices with the practice of the Lotus Sutra, and I, Nichiren, was once of that opinion myself. But the passage from the sutra [that I have just quoted] does not permit such a view. Suppose that a woman who had been the consort of a great king and had become pregnant with his seed should then turn round and marry a man of common stature. In such a case, the seed of the king and the seed of the commoner would become mixed together, and as a result, the aid and assistance of heaven and the protection of the patron deities would be withdrawn, and the kingdom would face ruin. The child born from two such fathers would be neither a king nor a commoner, but someone who belongs not to the human realm.
This is one of the most important points in the Lotus Sutra. The doctrine of the sowing of the seed and its maturing and harvesting is the very heart and core of the Lotus Sutra. All the Buddhas of the three existences and the ten directions have invariably attained Buddhahood through the seeds represented by the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. The words Namu Amida Butsu are not the seeds of Buddhahood, nor can the mantras or the five precepts act as such seeds. One must be perfectly clear about this point, because this is the fault referred to as being mixed.”
These friendly interfaith meetings are mixing the clean with the unclean. These blasphemers must be remanded to the audience. they may not sit on the platform of Unexcelled Enlightenment with the True Preachers of the Dharma. They are not welcome to preach their heretical Dharma in a Kempon Hokke home or temple: “I’m sorry, you will have to sit down and refrain from positing your heretical views, or you will be asked to leave.” They may ask questions and they my prise the Lotus Sutra and their votaries but they will have to do so from the audience. Debate is a whole other story. These interfaith SGI meeting are a meeting of the minds, a consensus. There is no compromise with evil, according to Nichiren Daishonin. We must never defer to the provisional Buddhist schools let alone those of the non-Buddhists lest we be guilty of compicity like the SGI, the Nichiren Shu and the modern Kempon Hokke.
“The scholars of the various schools continue to cling to the mistaken opinions of their respective teachers. Therefore, they declare that Buddhist practices must be accommodated to the people’s capacities, or they defer to the opinions of their founders or try to persuade the worthy rulers of the time to be their allies. The upshot of all this is that in the end they give themselves up wholly to evil intentions, engage in wrangling and doctrinal disputes, and take delight in inflicting injury upon people who are guilty of no fault.” (Letter From Teradomari)
These are the causes and effects, the thoughts, words, and deeds of those who go against the Lotus Sutra. One who has the very same thoughts, words, and deeds of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin can never give themselves up to evil intentions, follow evil teachers, or engage in wrangling and doctrinal disputes since we have the same noble intentions, embrace the very same doctrines, and never delight in injuring people who are guilty of no fault. Those guilty of no fault are those of the same mind as Nichiren Daishonin. Those guilty of great faults are the Soka Gakkai, the Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Jews.
Nichiren also writes:
“Answer: Chang-an writes: “Hence [T’ien-t’ai’s explanation of the title in] the preface conveys the profound meaning of the sutra. The profound meaning indicates the heart of the text, and the heart of the text encompasses the whole of the theoretical and essential teachings.” And Miao-lo writes, “On the basis of the heart of the text of the Lotus Sutra, one can evaluate all the other various teachings of the Buddha.”
We can also evaluate the non-Buddhist teachings and reveal their fallacies. We can evaluate the devotees of these religions and point out their faults. There is no common ground and there is no compromise. Chant Namu Myoho renge kyo or fall into hell.
Nichiren writes:
“The Great Teacher Chia-hsiang wrote the ten-volume Hokke Genron, and that would under ordinary circumstances have condemned him to fall into the hell of incessent suffering. But he set aside his own manner of reading the Lotus Sutra and served the Great Teacher Tientai, and thus was able to escape the pains of hell.” (Akimoto Gosho)
Is interfaith, Nichiren’s manner of reading the Sutra? Can anyone say so and back up their point of vie? In the Opening of the Eyes he takes to task Confucianism, Brahmanism, Taoism, and each and every provisional Buddhist teching. Were he aware of Christianity and Islam would he not take them to task? Would he join them in prayers [or discussions], even for the sake of peace? Never. He never did nor would he ever and neither will we [unlike the SGI who is so steeped in slander that they can neither distinguish black from white].
Today all the sects, save for the Kempon Hokke, have a different manner than Nichiren Daishonin in the way they read the Lotus Sutra. Their mistaken doctrines and practices are proof that they have their own manner of reading the Sutra. The SGI is so worry about being liked and accepted that they have abandoned the Lotus Sutra and the Supreme Votary. Ikeda is so preoccupied with receiving awards and honors he will compromise with the devil. It is ten thousand, one hundred thousand, one million times better to be hated as Nichiren Daishonin and speak the truth to slanderers:
Among all these men, Nichiren alone deserves to be regarded as the foremost. In what sense is he the foremost?? He is foremost in being hated by men and women…”
Why?
“But I, Nichiren, one man alone, declare that the recitation of the name of Amida Buddha is an action that leads to rebirth in the hell of incessant suffering, that the Zen school is the invention of the heavenly devil, that the True Word school is an evil doctrine that will destroy the country, and that the Precepts school and the observers of the precepts are traitors to the nation.”
While the modern “reformers” of the Nichiren sect [who I call blasphemers], Daisaku Ikeda, Arai Nissatsu, and Udai-in who have changed the Four Dictums of Nichiren to fit in with their limited slanderous worldview, we the followers of Nichiren include Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism too, as falling under the Four Dictums:
“Because we contemplate the Buddha, ceaselessly devils are quieted; because our words are true, traitors who would destroy the nation are subdued.” –Nissatsu
“The modern significance of the four dictums is not limited to the simple refutation of Japanese Buddhist schools, but in fully developing the positive power of human life. This is the Mystic Law of the simultaneity of cause and effect inherent in human life, and to embrace it is to create boundless value.”– Ikeda
Nichiren’s life and death struggle was a mere “simple refutation” to Daisaku Ikeda. Then he goes on with a non sequitor to change the subject which is offensive to his slanderous ears. This is what all the SGI do when I perform Nichiren Daishonin’s practice of Shakabuku as if it is divorced from Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. It is the very heart of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and our practice for the sake of others.
We embrace Nichiren Daishonin’s Four Dictums and expand them to make Eight Dictums, Twenty Eight Dictums, One Thousand Dictims such as Christianity is the teaching of heavenly demons, Islam is the teaching of blind heretics, Hinduism is the teaching of parasitic worms, and Judaism is the teachings of misanthropes.
I will conclude with more words from Letter to Akimoto:
"Because I do so, from the sovereign on down to the common people, all people fear me more than they would an enemy of their parents, an enemy from a past existence, a plotter of treason, a night raider, or a bandit. They rage, they curse, they strike at me. Those who slander me are given grants of land, while those who praise me are driven from their areas or fined, and the people who desire to kill me are singled out for rewards. And on top of all this, I have twice incurred the wrath of the authorities.
I am not only the strangest person alive in the world today; in the ninety reigns of human sovereigns, in the more than seven hundred years since the Buddhist teachings were first introduced to Japan, there has never been such a strange person. I, Nichiren, am like the great comet of the Bun’ei era (1264), a disorder of the heavens such as had never happened in Japan before that time. I, Nichiren, am like the great earthquake of the Shoka era (1257), a freak of the earth that had never before occurred in this land.
In Japan since the history of this country began, there have been twenty- six perpetrators of treason. The first was Prince Oyama, the second was Oishi no Yamamaru, and so on down to the twenty-fifth, Yoritomo, and the twenty-sixth, Yoshitoki. The first twenty-four of these men were struck down by the imperial forces and had their heads put on display at the prison gate, or their corpses left to rot in the mountain fields. But the last two succeeded in overthrowing the sovereign and gaining complete control of the nation, and at that time the imperial rule came to an end.
And yet these various perpetrators of treason are less hated by the mass of people than is Nichiren. If you ask why that should be, I will tell you. The Lotus Sutra contains a passage declaring that that sutra is first among all the sutras. However, the Great Teacher Kobo declares that the Lotus Sutra ranks third, while the Great Teacher Jikaku declares that the Lotus Sutra ranks second, and the Great Teacher Chisho agrees with Jikaku. Hence at present, when the priests of Mount Hiei, To-ji, and Onjo-ji look upon the Lotus Sutra, they read the passage that says the Lotus Sutra is first, but what they understand when they read it is that the Lotus Sutra is second or third in standing.
Neither the nobility nor the warrior clans have any detailed information about this matter. But since the eminent priests in whom they place their faith all subscribe to this opinion, the laity share the same view as their teachers."
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
SGI member response after posting my ten part series on The Opening of the Eyes [I kid you not]
Dear Mr. Rogow,
It is now perfectly clear to me that you don’t understand the first thing about Buddha’ Way as it is practiced by any sect or by anybody seeking the Way to end the suffering of humankind by any paramita, let alone the painstaking trials that the great Nichiren Daishonin had endured. You are fickle, confused, and a very, very nasty man.
good day sir
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