It must be very dehydrating giving guidance to the faithless.

"I have  nothing but admiration for Daisaku Ikeda. Yet, I can understand how some might have the preception that the SGI is an authoritarian cult. SGI has become very obsessed with "leaders". I say this with experience practicing in Beverly Hills Hdqts and Salt Lake City and having traveled all over for large conventions. People would talk about how many feet they had stood from Pres. Ikeda or whether or not they got to shake hands with Mr. Williams. I had to arrange the "white cadillac" car  rental for Mr. Williams when he visited our new kai kan. I was sternly told it must be a white cadillac. I even had a hdgts leader throw a fit one time when she arrived at a chapter mtg and someone else had parked in the driveway. She made it very clear, that should be her spot only so that she wouldnt have to walk so far." --Teresa, SGI member 

And making a big deal of offering ice water only to the senior leader during the meeting. Who cares if the members are parched? It must be very dehydrating giving guidance to the faithless.

Believe me, there are no greater double tongued back stabbers in the entire world than top SGI leaders

"There can be no argument that in Nichiren Shoshu, the original foundation of faith is the Face to Face Bestowal, from Golden Mouth to Golden Mouth, of the Living Essence of the Law upon the successive generations of High Priests. (omission)  We believe that the actions of the members of the Shoshinkai who, under the circumstances, quite simply denied the foundation of Nichiren Shoshu, the inheritance of the Living Essence of the Law by the High Priest, and moreover, very graciously instigated legal proceedings against the High Priest, are not only the height of insanity, but are also nothing more than the actions of people possessed by evil demons, for which they must be most severely censured as human beings."  -- Former SGI President Einosuke Akiya,December 13, 1990 

Why does the priest Tsuchiya promote meditation, going against the teachings of Nichiren?

"We can not observe the precepts, We can not practice meditation. We can not obtain the wisdom of the Buddha. The only way to enlightenment is to believe in the Buddha. Our belief in the Buddha is expressed by the chanting of the Sacred Title Namu Myoho renge kyo." (Shishin-gohon-sho) -- Nichiren

Nichiren on chanting lots of Daimoku

Reply to Lord Matsuno 

- Matsuno-dono Gohenji - 

I have received one kan of coins, one sho of oil, a robe and ten writing brushes. I cannot adequately express my appreciation for the sincerity that you have always shown me, so I will leave it to the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha to praise you. 

Just as I have said before, as a layman, you should singlemindedly chant Namu-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, day and night, and then witness the results at the last moment of your life. [At that time,] hasten up the mountain of wondrous enlightenment and look around you in all directions. You will see that the entire universe is the Land of Tranquil Light. The ground will be of lapis lazuli, and the eight paths will be set apart by golden ropes. Four kinds of flowers will rain down from the heavens, and music will resound in the air. All Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be present, caressed by the breezes of eternity, happiness, true self and purity. We, too, will surely count ourselves among their number. The Lotus Sutra is indeed this splendid! 

As I am in a hurry, I cannot go into details. 

With my deep respect, 

Nichiren 

Daimoku is Dharma, not Buddha

"Kanjin Honzon Sho. "Entrustment means: it is this Sutra that is only entrusted to the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang Forth From the Direction Below . . ." (STN, v. 1, 717)   

The meaning is clear.  The Daimoku is the Dharma entrusted to the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth.  Such an interpretation agrees entirely with the Sutra, and is reasonable.  The Eternal Buddha, who is ever present but hides His Presence, entrusts His Dharma, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" to his own disciples from the most distant past. 

Daimoku is Dharma, not Buddha 

On Rebuking Slander and Eradicating Sins (Kashaku hobo metsuzai sho) says, "During this period of twenty-two hundred and more years, worthy rulers and sage rulers have honored painted images of Shakyamuni, the lord of teachings, as their principle object of devotion. But although they have made depictions of the Buddhas of the Hinayana and the Mahayana teachings; of the Flower Garland, Nirvana, and Meditation sutras; of the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra and of the Universal Worthy Sutra; of the Mahavairochana and the other True Word sutras; and of the Buddhas Shakyamuni and Many Treasures of the Treasure Tower chapter, the Shakyamuni Buddha of the Life Span chapter has never been depicted in any mountain temple or monastery anywhere..."*

The Object of worship, not yet actually installed in Buddhist temples, is to be none other than the Eternal Lord Shakya. The Dharma is the Daimoku and the ones who are entrusted with that Dharma are the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth.       

The Daimoku is especially formed as the Essence of the Sutra by the Buddha, Lord Shakya, and he has specifically summoned the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth and given His Own Inner Realization (the unity of Wisdom and its Field or Object) in the form of "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" to them to spread at the beginning of this age of the Latter Dharma. 

It is obvious then: 

1)  The source of the Daimoku which contains the Buddha's Inner Realization is Lord Shakya.

2)  That same Lord Shakya transfers this Daimoku to the Bodhisattva Jogyo and his fellow Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth; 

3)  This transfer has already taken place as described in an undeniable Sutra text referring to forming the Essence and its Entrusment.  In other words, the doctrine is Sutra -based; 

4)  Nichiren Shonin modestly denies that he is actually that Bodhisattva but indicates he is at least their forerunner. 

Despite Nichiren Shonin's modesty, it is obvious from the other documents cited above that he and his immediate followers identified him as being precisely that  Bodhisattva, who had received the Daimoku from Lord Shakyamuni." -- Graham Lamont

*Here I substituted the translation from the WND for Mr. Lamont's because it is more fluid.

"Oh come now, Mr. Eagle, the 50 members of your tiny little sect cannot be wrong can they?" -- SGI leader

We are not equal to your Sensei who is always right.

SGI is a confused throng

"Do not dispute great truths with a band of monkeys, do not seek to distinguish right and wrong in the midst of a confused throng." (Ota Dono Gari Gosho) 

Are you?

"All of them [Bodhisattvas of the Earth] are at the Stage of non- retrogression." -- Lotus Sutra Chapter 15

"Their doctrines are no more than private opinions that have been dressed up and glorified." -- Nichiren

Shingon, Nichiren Shoshu, Soka Gakkai, or all three?

The SGI and Nichiren Shoshu keep you in the dark to control you.

"Showing Gohonzon openly as you do is a total disgrace.  And I promise you that you will answer to it, at the moment of death.  Do Zange and get away from the Kempon Hokke as soon as  possible. It is rotting your mind.....you have no idea what you are doing....!!!!" -- proud member of the Ikeda sect

Since you refuse to study the various Gohonzon, it is you who knows not what he is doing. The "Scrolls of the Sutra" are Gohonzon and Nichiren Daishonin taught that one who merely sets his eyes on it will never fail to attain Buddhahood. If the Gohonzon couldn't be photographed, there would be no way for anyone to study Gohonzon, the quintessence of his teachings. You are the ignorant and superstitious ones thanks to the Soka Gakkai and your Sensei. You should rather study everything you can get our hands on pertaining to Gohonzon. The SGI and Nichiren Shoshu keep you in the dark to control you.

"The thing that makes this Gohonzon so special"

"The truth is the Gakkai reveres the Dai-Gohonzon far more than the Nikken sect ever has. We honor the inscription on it -- the thing that makes this Gohonzon so special -- "For the sake of all living beings." -- Kathy Ruby SGI leader

Then, by all means Kathy, you should honor the other 95 Nichiren Gohonzon that have the same or similar inscriptions instead of slandering them like your Sensei. You should also send me your Nichikan No-Honzon and I will mount the beautiful Gohonzon for the Transmission of the Dharma for you, "The Great Mandala that was never known in the whole of Jambudvipa for the 2200 years since the Buddha's paranirvana."

HBS for a comfortable and error prone faith and practice

"Let me be absolutely clear here:  I speak only for myself here. There may be many many things I say that Marc or other HBS members may disagree with. When you do not belong to a mind controlling cult, such diversity is allowed. It's quite a comfortable experience to be able to discuss, rather than parrot." -- HBS member

It must be very comfortable to know that you will not be corrected for your errors. Is that because their priests make so many errors of their own?

Let us teach the Honmon Butsuryu Shu the True Buddhism

The canon of Nichiren reveals that Nichiren is Bodhisattva Jogyo, the leader of

the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra: 

"Then the Buddha declared, "There are my true disciples whom I have hidden at
the bottom of the earth since gohyaku-jintengo. I will entrust it to them." So
saying, the Buddha summoned those bodhisattvas led by Jogyo in the Yujutsu
chapter and entrusted them with the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, the
heart of the essential teaching of the sutra, [in the Jinriki chapter]."(ibid.
Reply to Niiama) 

Please note, "..led by Jogyo." 

Why would anyone want to chant to a Gohonzon inscribed by  Nissen rather than
Jogyo? Why would anyone want to lecture extensively on Nissen rather than
Nichiren?: 

"Priests of HBS deliver sermons (Gohomon) mostly quoting Nissen Shonin’s Gokyoka 
[poems] and expounding the correct meaning that these poems intend to give.( from 
The Teachings of Honmon Butsuryushu by Nisso Fukuoka). Then why doesn't HBS 
follow the HBS teachings? Why do they appropriate the teachings of the orthodox 
sects and teach the faith and doctrines of Nichiren?  I'll tell you why. Because both 
they and the HBS teachings are shallow, slanderous and heretical. 

It is self-evident that Nichiren had the requisite faith and practice to
inscribe the Supreme Object of Worship and to properly open its eyes. It is
also self evident that there are as many deluded and misguided priests in Mappo
as there are blades of grass on the pampas. We should have no faith in Nissen
while we must have strong faith in Nichiren, the Supreme Votary of the Sutra.
Chapter 21 of the Lotus Sutra states, "This man" which obviously refers to
Nichiren Daishonin. Nichiren Daishonin states: 

"That I, Nichiren have written out an Object of Worship, which will protect
you, can not be inferior to the Lion's Roar."(Reply to Kyoo) 

 Nichiren also states, "This Gohonzon, "This mandala", or"I am entrusting you 
with the Gohonzon for the protection of your young child.This Gohonzon is the 
heart of the Lotus Sutra and the eye of all the scriptures. It is like the sun and 
moon in the heavens, a mighty ruler onearth, the heart in a human being, the 
wish-granting jewel among treasures and the pillar of a house. 

When one embraces this mandala, all Buddhas and gods will gather around him,
accompanying him like a shadow, and protect him day and night, as warriors
guard their ruler, as parents love their children, as fish rely on water, as
trees and plants crave rain, or as birds depend on trees. You should trust in
it with all your heart."(Upholding Faith in the Gohonzon). 

Thus we see that "This man", in the Lotus Sutra, refers to Nichiren and "This
Gohonzon" or "This Mandala", in Nichiren's Gosho, refers to the Gohonzon. 

 Now if the Lotus Sutra had said, "These men" or Nichiren had stated: "Any
Gohonzon", I might give the HBS and the other heretical sects the benefit of
the doubt. However, in Mappo, the road is too tenuous and the path too narrow
to rely  the Objects of Worship inscribed and eye opened by anyone but
Nichiren. Even with Nichiren's Gohonzon there is a difference if one goes
against the intent of the Sutra (not having faith that the Object of Worship is
the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of the Original Doctrine). 

We read on many of the 130 or so extant Nichiren Gohonzon, the laudatory text, 

"This Object of Worship I have dedicated to the people of Jambudvipa." 

If you confuse the general with the specific even in the slightest, you will never be able to attain enlightenment

"The Lotus Sutra states that Bodhisattva Jogyo and the other Bodhisattvas of the Earth will appear in the first five hundred years of the Latter Day of the  Law to propagate the Mystic Law, the crystallization of reality and wisdom. This sutra makes it perfectly clear. Who could possibly dispute it? I, Nichiren, am neither Bodhisattva Jogyo nor his messenger, but I was the first to begin the propagation of the Mystic Law and have already taught it extensively. Bodhisattva Jogyo received the water of wisdom of the Mystic Law from Shakyamuni Buddha to let it flow into the wasteland of the people's lives in the evil period of the Latter Day. That is the function of wisdom.  

Shakyamuni entrusted this teaching to Bodhisattva Jogyo, and now Nichiren propagates it in Japan. IN GENERAL, this transfer was made to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, BUT SPECIFICALLY, to Bodhisattva Jogyo himself. If you confuse the general with the specific even in the slightest, you will never be able to attain enlightenment and will wander through endless lifetimes of suffering."

The HBS round Gohonzon is the banner of Mara.

They trick sick, deluded, and ignorant children into giving up their treasure of a Nichiren Gohonzon for a powerless Nissen Gohonzon. If all Gohonzon are equal, according to the HBS, they would let their converts keep their Nichiren Gohonzon. Of course, they don't. Then they compound their slander by kindling the aspiration to eventually receive a special HBS round Gohonzon which isn't even modeled after a Nichiren Gohonzon. At least, the ugly and ineffectual standard Nissen Gohonzon is modeled after a Nichiren Gohonzon, albeit a primitive Nichiren Gohonzon. The HBS round Gohonzon is the banner of Mara.

Likewise Nichiren's disciples and believers

"You may rest assured that nothing, not even a person possessed by a powerful demon, can harm Nichiren, because Bonten, Taishaku, the gods of the sun and moon, the Four Heavenly Kings, Tensho Daijin and Hachiman are safeguarding him."(On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha). 

People will only hate us for speaking the truth.

"And so, when I, neither hesitating to speak out nor fearing others, tell them frankly that they are stupid persons who have misunderstood the true meaning of the Buddhist teachings, and that they are slanderers of the Law; when I deliver a sharp rebuke to them, mindful of the Buddha’s golden words "then that monk is betraying Buddhism" and trusting in the passage of scripture that reads, "We will be envoys of the World Honored One, facing the assembly without fear"; when I do this, censuring those who "suppose they have attained what they have not attained, being proud and boastful in heart," then how can they fail to turn upon me with hatred and jealousy?"(The Teachings in Accordance With the buddha's Mind). 

"Although I try to point out that this country is full of people who would like to do away with the Lotus Sutra, no one understands me, and so they merely go on committing errors of stupidity. And now, in addition, a votary of the Lotus Sutra has made his appearance, so that the people of Japan, on top of their stupidity, give way to anger, favoring erroneous teachings and viewing the correct teaching with hatred. In a country where the three poisons [of greed, anger and stupidity] prevail to such a degree, how can there be peace and stability?" (The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings). 

"And yet, the people of today, both the distinguished and the lowly, look with contempt upon Shakyamuni Buddha, their father in the present world, and instead revere Amida or Dainichi, who are strangers to them, persons with whom they have no connection at all. In doing so, are they not lacking in filial piety? Are they not slanderers of the Law? When I say this, however, all the people of Japan join together in reviling me. 

And it is quite natural that they should, for the crooked piece of wood hates the straightness of the carpenter’s string, and the dishonest man is not pleased with the honest administration of government." (The Teaching In Accordance with the Buddha's Mind) 

"However, because there was no one who understood this situation, it has been impossible to remedy it. I am generally aware of these matters, and therefore try to repay the debt of gratitude I owe my country [by speaking the truth], but people only hate me for it." (White Horses and White Swans). 

Nichiren would be ridiculed by the Honmon Butsuryu Shu

"Reciting the Lotus Sutra is now senseless." -- "Saint" Nissen from The Teachings of the Honmon Butsuryu shu by Nisso Fukuoka  

Daisaku Ikeda states his disciples are "unthinking masses"

"When democracy is put into practise by the unthinking masses, liberty will be misinterpreted as license; rights will be claimed while duties remain unfulfilled; and the loss of order will allow evil to become rampant" -- Complete Works of Daisku Ikeda p. 176 

Why we offer water and fruit to the Gohonzon

The rationale for offering water and fruit to the Gohonzon is that the Gohonzon is a representation of a being, not a representation of the Law. Only a being requires food and water. The Gohonzon is a representation of the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of the Original Doctine. From a more profound perspective the Gohonzon is Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of the Original Doctrine and is the Buddhist Law [not merely representations].