http://www.sgi-usa.org/leaders/Media_library/v.php?v=http://www.sgimedia.net/video/nationalconferences/wd_jan2012/
"Respect the dignity of every single human life", coming from the mouth of a death sentence prosecutor, rings more hollow than tapping on the head of a puppet.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
On $GI Moneychangers or Daisaku Ikeda and Ted Morino are FOS [This is a top ten most important post]
Ted Morino: “After Shakyamuni’s death, his followers split into two groups. One group was the Theravada school (Teaching of the Elders), which consisted of old, conservative monks emphasizing monastic practice and strict adherence to precepts and literal interpretation of doctrine. This school was later introduced to Sri Lanka and became known as Southern Buddhism or Hinayana Buddhism. Another group was established around the first century BC and the beginning of the first century AD, by believers who were dissatisfied with what they saw as the self-complacency and monastic elitism of the earlier schools. The new group aimed at the salvation of all people based upon the bodhisattva practice, and called their teaching the Mahayana School. Coincidentally, it was the time when Jesus appeared in Jerusalem and emphasized the salvation of all people through his bodhisattva-like behavior.”The Lotus Sutra was compiled by the Mahayana group.”
Mark: Ted Morino, echoing his mentor Daisaku Ikeda, praises the early lay movement led by Mahadeva, in order to deprecate and diminish the Buddhist order of elders [monks]. The inference is that the Soka Gakkai's “glorious achievments” in this era can be likened to those of the early Buddhist lay movement and can be contrasted to the inglorious failures of Nichiren priests and the early Buddhist monastics [elders]. Another purpose of his essay is to rationalize the acceptance of alms by laymen. Still another purpose is to put into doubt the preaching of the Lotus Sutra by Shakyamuni Buddha, a particularly devious and insidious assertion, in light of Nichiren Daishonin’s and Tientai’s teachings and the latest scholarship.
Daisaku Ikeda and Ted Morino are wrong in light of history, actual facts, and the opinion of Nichiren Daishonin.
The actual Buddhist heros of that era were, in fact, the group composed of elders [monks].
The relation of the Soka Gakkai to early Buddhist history:
The idea of professional Buddhists was taken up as early as the second Buddhist council. One group argued that it was OK to accept monetary donations and the other group believed it would corrupt the Sangha. Guess who won out? Right, those who argued for accepting money won out after purportedly bribing the groups from the west, north, and the local monks. Anyway, the group who argued against taking money was banished, ended up in Kashmir, and became known as the Sarvisthatins. Mahayana probably arose from the influence of the Sarvisthatins (the non-money acceptors) in Kashmir. The money accepting monks became known as the Madhyamika which was led by Mahadeva who persecuted the Sarvisthatins. Daisaku Ikeda lavishes praise on Mahadeva and his movement in his book, “Buddhism the First Millenium.” Nichiren Daishonin, on the other hand, writes:
“Beside them, evil men such as Devadatta and Kokalika are as nothing. In fact they are in a class with Mahadeva and the Great Arrogant Brahman. And those who put faith in the teachings of such men— they too are a fearful lot indeed.” — Repaying Debts of Gratitude
He also states:
“True priests are those who are honest and who desire little and yet know satisfaction” — The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood
How far Daisaku Ikeda and the salaried Soka Gakkai leaders have strayed from the true spirit of Buddhism and Nichiren Daishonin!
Ted: It is conceivable that this new group, who aimed to revolutionize the conservative teachings of the elite Theravada School, must have met numerous persecutions. The persecutions befalling the votary of the Lotus Sutra as described in the 13th and 20th Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, and repeated emphasis to persevere against these persecutions, may be the accounts of their own experiences. In other words, Lotus Sutra had been kept added with new experiences and interpretations.”
Mark: The Sarvisthatin elders of Kashmir suffered a myriad of persecutions at the hands of the Mahadevan lay group. All faithful Buddhist practitioners suffer persecutions at the hands of the corrupt, whether these enemies of Buddhism be laymen, laywomen, monks, or nuns. However, this has nothing to do with the origin of the Lotus Sutra [from the golden mouth of Shakyamuni Buddha]. He puts forth a particularly weak argument here, citing the false history and imaginary persecutions of the lay believers at the hands of the monks. SGI is always making up history to suit its evil self-serving agenda, so we shouldn’t be surprised.
To say that Shakyamuni Buddha was no stranger to persecution is an understatement. Shakyamuni Buddha suffered more persecutions than the entire Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai in their scurrilous seven hundred year history. You would think that Ted Morino never heard of the Nine Great Persecutions of Shakyamuni. Of course, it is impossible that he doesn’t know the Nine Great Persecutions but it is inconvenient for his false argument that other(s) than Shakyamuni composed and preached the Lotus Sutra. Ted Morino and the other leaders of the Soka Gakkai will fall into the Hell of Incessent Suffering for far longer than those who persecuted Bodhisattva Neverdespise.
Ever heard this from Daisaku Ikeda or an SGI senior leader?
"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."
Be like Kumarajiva and Nichiren Daishonin not Nichikan and Daisaku Ikeda
"[Of all the translators,] Kumarajiva is the only one who did not mix his personal views with the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni's scriptures."
Nichiren on raising one faithful individual
"Even a single seed, when it is planted, will grow and produce many seeds."
SGI and Nichiren Shoshu members are ignorant and simple minded people
"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.
Daisaku Ikeda is NOT the focus of the Latter Day
"The Latter Day is the focus of the Lotus Sutra, and Nichiren is the focus of the Latter Day." -- Nichiren
Nichiren the Buddhist Prophet on drones and cowardly generals
"[The generals in a tumultuous age] develop strategy behind drawn curtains, and victory is decided thousands of miles away [from the field of battle]."
The Buddha saves people through Daisaku ikeda?
"The Buddha saves people through words [of the sutras]." -- Nichiren
On the fate of Daisaku Ikeda and the Dalai Lama
"It is owing to their great slander of the Law that the final moments of persons held to be wise and enlightened fall short of their expectations." -- Nichiren
Belief is the currency to purchase wisdom
"Belief is like [the money equal to] the price and wisdom is like the treasure [to be bought with it]." -- Nichiren
"Only priests need perform the forceful practices" -- lazy fearful follower of fake priests
"Lay people, without having any special wisdom or practice, can escape from the sufferings of birth and death, [that is, attain Buddhahood] through the benefit that comes from reprimanding persons of slander." -- Nichiren
Daisaku Ikeda and Nichinyo Shonin men of wisdom?
"... But the founders who first established these sects failed to discern the true meaning of the sutras upon which they based their teachings. They proceeded only in a shallow manner, employing the sutras in a way that fitted with their own ideas. In doing so, they went against the Lotus Sutra, which means that their teachings were not in accord with the true intention of the Buddha. They were unaware of this, however, and as they proceeded to propagate their doctrines, both the rulers of the nation and the common people came to believe in them. In addition, these doctrines spread to other countries, and many years have gone by since they were first propagated. As a result, the scholars of this latter age, unaware that the founders of these sects were in error, look up to those who practice and propagate their teachings as men of wisdom."
From letter to Ichinosawa Nyudo:
They spit in our father's face
“…but Shakyamuni [by bestowing upon us the character myo] has granted us as many benefits as if we ourselves had fulfilled all the practices of the six paramitas. This precisely accords with his statement, “Now this threefold world is all my domain, the living beings in it are all my children.” (MW vol 3, Letter to Nichimyo Shonin, pg 48-49).
Nichiren on why to speak out
“I had not felt that i should speak in this way ; but I, too , cannot be exempt from the Buddha’s warning that, if one sees a misguided priest sending others into hell with his evil teachings and fails to reproach that priest and expose his errors, then one is oneself betraying the Buddha’s teaching”.
Soka Gakkai tax evasion cover up, SGI spokesperson's response on my former blog, and my reply
http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=859.
Ric Dexter, SGI senior leader and writer for the Dallas Morning News Texas Faith Forum replies:
Ric Dexter, SGI senior leader and writer for the Dallas Morning News Texas Faith Forum replies:
Mark,
Check your sources, Shukun Shinpo has many times been shown to violate the truth in their “reporting”. These violations are not just in those stories related to the SGI. They at least correctly report that in this whole “tax evasion” audit, in 1991, there was little found in procedural violation of the tax laws of Japan. Digging up old opinion statements like this does little to enhance your credibility. There are so many opinions based on incorrect rumors and assumptions in this article they are hardly worth mention.
If you are truly interested in promoting “truth” stick to your interpretations of the teachings of Nichiren.
For those interested in how the money is spent in SGI-USA go to their corporate report at
Reply:
It will take more than a blanket denial to refute the specific allegations mentioned in the report. You are naive to believe the SGI-USA corporate statement. Let them make their books available for review by an independent auditor. You would make a good presidential press secretary.
"Shakyamuni is a cast off junk Buddha" -- Nichikan
“Again, in the Nirvana Sutra the Buddha says, `When my teachings are transmitted to other countries, many errors are bound to be introduced.’ Even if among sutra passages we were to find the Lotus Sutra characterized as useless or Shakyamuni Buddha described as a Buddha who was lost in a realm of darkness, we should inquire very carefully to see whether the text that makes such statements belongs to the provisional or the true teaching, to the Mahayana or the Hinayana, whether it was preached in the earlier or the later part of the Buddha’s life, and who the translator was.” — Nichiren Daishonin
Do not be fooled by charlatans who don’t have even a mustard seed of faith.
The next time a so-called "Nichiren" priest or Gakkai leader deprecates you, insisting that you receive “training” or “guidance” from them or Ikeda, you may cite the following:
“The Buddha, replying to Maitreya’s doubts, said: “Ajita, these bodhisattvas . . . whom you have never seen before in the past—when I had attained supreme perfect enlightenment in this saha world, I converted and guided these bodhisattvas, trained their minds, and caused them to develop a longing for the way.” -- Opening of the Eyes
The Bodhisattvas of the Earth have been trained by the Original Buddha and are reminded of his guidance by the venerable Daishonin:
“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.” — The True Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind
“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. nevertheless, seemingly knowledgeable men of such provisional schools of Buddhism as Ch’eng-kuan of the Hua-yen, Chia-hsiang of the San-lun, Tz’u-en of the Fa-hsiang, and Kobo of the shingon tried to extoltheir own canons by stating: “The Lord of the Flower Garland Sutra represents the reward-body (hojin) of the Buddha wheras that of the Lotus Sutra the accomodative body (ojin);” or “the Buddha in the sixteenth chapter of the Lotus is an Illusion; it is the great Sun Buddha who is enlightened.” clouds cover the moon and slanderers hide wise men. When people slander, ordinary yellow rocks appear to be of gold and slanderers seem to be wise. Scholars in this age of decay, blinded by slanderous words, do not see the value of a gold in the “Lifespan of the Buddha” chapter. Even among men of the Tendai school some are fooled into taking a yellow rock for gold. They should know that if Sakyamuni had not been the Eternal Buddha, there could not have been so many who received GUIDANCE from Him. ” — The Opening of the Eyes
Were a "Nichiren" priest or SGI leader then to assert, "the Eternal Buddha is Original Enlightenment", you may bring up the principle of individuation, the personification and behavior of the Master of Teachings Lord Shakyamuni Buddha, the Original Three Bodied Tathagata. You may then argue, “Of what use is your training and guidance? I have been trained by the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin.” and yoy may cite the following passages:
“When we come to the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, then the belief that Shakyamuni first obtained Buddhahood during his present lifetime is demolished, and the effects of the four teachings are likewise demolished. When the effects of the four teachings are demolished, the causes51 of the four teachings are likewise demolished. Thus the cause and effect of the Ten Worlds as expounded in the earlier sutras and the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra are wiped out, and the cause and effect of the Ten Worlds52 in the essential teaching are revealed. This is the doctrine of original cause and original effect. It reveals that the nine worlds are all present in beginningless Buddhahood and that Buddhahood is inherent in the beginningless nine worlds. This is the true mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, the true hundred worlds and thousand factors, the true three thousand realms in a single moment of life.” — The Opening of the Eyes
and
“Answer: The “Expedient Means” chapter in volume one of the Lotus Sutra states, “The Buddhas wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings.” This refers to the world of Buddhahood inherent in the nine worlds. The “Life Span” chapter states: “Thus, since I attained Buddhahood, an extremely long period of time has passed. My life span is an immeasurable number of asamkhya kalpas, and during that time I have constantly abided here without ever entering extinction. Good men, originally I practiced the bodhisattva way, and the life span that I acquired then has yet to come to an end but will last twice the number of years that have already passed.” Here the sutra refers to the nine worlds inherent in Buddhahood.” — The True Object of Worship
And finally, to drive home your point:
“Even though one neither reads nor studies the sutra, chanting the title alone is the source of tremendous good fortune. The sutra teaches that women, evil men, and those in the realms of animals and hell— in fact, all the beings of the Ten Worlds— can attain Buddhahood in their present form. [This is an incomparably greater wonder than] fire being produced by a stone taken from the bottom of a river, or a lantern lighting up a place that has been dark for a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand years. If even the most ordinary things of this world are such wonders, then how much more wondrous is the power of the Buddhist Law! We ordinary beings are fettered by evil karma, earthly desires, and the sufferings of birth and death. But due to the three inherent potentials of the Buddha nature— innate Buddhahood, the wisdom to perceive it, and the actions to manifest it— we can without doubt reveal the Buddha’s three bodies— the Dharma body, the reward body, and the manifested body. The Great Teacher Dengyo states, “Through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law they can do so in their present form.” He is referring to the example of the dragon king’s daughter, who achieved Buddhahood in her reptilian form through the power of the Lotus Sutra. Do not doubt this in the least. Please tell your husband that I will explain this in detail when I see him.”
Nichiren doesn’t say, “by the power of a living mentor, teacher, or priest.” He doesn't state, "by the power of the golden mouthed ones" [Nichiren Shoshu High Priests]. He says, “through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law.” Do not be fooled by charlatans who don’t have even a mustard seed of faith.
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