The Buddhist genius Ashvaghosa annihilates the Hinayana doctrine of no-self

In The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, Ashvaghosha writes: 

"As the World-honored one, considering the inferior intellectual caliber of Shravakas (Men of Learning) and Pratyekabuddhas (Men of Self Realization), taught them only the doctrine of the non-personal atman, [and did not make any further demonstration of the doctrine], the people have in the meantime formed a fixed idea of the transitoriness of the five skandhas, and being terrified of the thought of birth and death, have fanatically craved for Nirvana. 

In order that this clinging may be eliminated, be it clearly understood that the essence of the five skandhas is uncreate, there is no annihilation of them; that since there is no annihilation of them, they are in their [metaphysical] origin Nirvana itself."

Nichiren Shoshu's lame excuse for altering the teachings and SGI's lame excuse for their anything goes behavior and teachings.

"This is Mappo"

Why Devedatta and Daisaku are excellent teachers

They are excellent teachers because they teach us how not to behave.

SGI leaders are nothing more than smiling backstabbing liars.

"I told my Joint Territory Chief  on my opinions about dishonesty and how people who toady to Ikeda or treat him as if he were a faultless living Buddha are parasites in the Lion's bowels and not fit to call themselves his disciples much less disciples of Nichiren. He agreed with me. I would say exactly the same thing to any of the others -- at this point including the senior Japanese ones. I lost my fear and awe of the "senior Leaders" when I realized that the new crop were my age or younger." 

Not three months later, this brave Bodhisattva was excommunicated. So much for dialogue in the Soka Gakkai. So much for his Joint Territory Chief actually agreeing with him. SGI leaders are nothing more than smiling backstabbing liars.

Not relying on the opinions of Daisaku Ikeda and the High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu

"The Nirvana Sutra declares, "Rely on the dharma, not on the man; rely 
on the chi, not on the shiki." "Rely on the dharma" in this passage 
means [to rely on] the eternal dharma preached in the Lotus-Nirvana 
Sutras. "Rely not on the man" means [not to rely on] those who do not 
believe in the Lotus-Nirvana Sutras. Those who do not have faith in the 
Lotus Sutra, even Buddhas and bodhisattvas, are not teachers reliable 
for us [in the Latter Age], not to mention commentators, translators and 
teachers [after the extinction of the Buddha] who do not believe in the 
Lotus-Nirvana Sutras. "Rely on the chi" means to rely on [the wisdom 
of] the Buddha. "Rely not on the shiki" means [not to rely on the 
opinions of] bodhisattvas in the highest stage and below."   
           
Shugo Kokka-run (Noppa Translation, page 38) 

The blind man Paul

"To me, it would seem difficult, if not impossible to practice this sort of relgion in a totally different cultural setting. Especially with regards to unquestioning support of a lama and the performance of manual labor." -- SGI Paul 

Do you mean like cleaning urinals and toilets, building floats and stages, and loading and driving 18,000 lb trucks for Sensei? There is nothing like authentic Buddhist practice for real manly men like myself. We need to incorporate some manual labor into the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Nichiren. All this chanting, studying, and shakabuku when we could be out there building community centers for Nichiren like in the Middle Day [Age of Temple Building] or cleaning toilets for Nichiren.

You better not disturb us when we're chanting

What doesn't resemble Buddhism?

A transubstantiated plank that the Lotus Sutra never alludes too and which Nichiren never once mentions.

Nichiren Shoshu ranks among the ugliest manifestestation of religion in the world.

>>>Just the act of putting the Gohonzon in a copy machine gives me the creeps.>>> --  Nichiren Shoshu member

I  guess Nittatsu and Nikken personally copied the 500,000 + american Gohonzons that were either destroyed or placed in sock drawers? Is being a hypocrite a requirerment for membership in the Nichiren Shoshu? Is having a cloudy mirror a requirement? Doing STP? Outing or lying that  people have AIDS? Is blind faith a requirement? Nichiren Shoshu ranks among the ugliest manifestestation of religion in the world.

"The One Buddha Shakya" for SGI Tim Janakos

"Although the Tathagata Shakya came forth into the world with the intent to preach the Hokekyo, he, at first, hid the name of the Hokekyo and established the expedient teachings of the Hokekyo from age thirty until more than seventy and at age seventy-two called out the Title for the first time. Therefore, one cannot compare the titles of the other Sutras to the Title of the Lotus Sutra. The doctrines of "One thought Is Three Thousand Realms" and the "True Attainment of Buddhahood in the Distant Past" are derived from the Chapters of Expedience and the Measure of the Life. They are the very essence of the Hokekyo and are the Two Characters "Myo Ho" (Sublime Dharma). 

"Now, because the Hokekyo gathers the sutras of the more than forty years (of the Buddha's Lifetime) into the One Sutra and gathers together the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three ages perfectly endowed with the Three Bodies and speaks of them as Branch (Divided) Bodies [of the One Buddha Shakya], the One Buddha is all Buddhas. Therefore, the Buddhas [as well as the Sutras] are all gathered into the Two Characters "Myo Ho" (Sublime Dharma). That being the case [that the Buddhas and the Titles of the Sutras are opened and assimilated by the Hokekyo and the Myo Ho (Sublime Dharma) is precisely that which opens and assimilates], one should chant the Title (the Daimoku) of the Hokekyo." -- Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, pg 203 

Sad but true

If I announced that I had free drugs and nude dancing at my house, I would have a throng of people surrounding the house every night willing to pay a quarter of their salary to get in for an hour or two. If I announce that one can receive a Nichiren Gohonzon for the "small" price of faith, no one responds.

Hehe "Mitsubishi Buddhists in the unemployment line"

"Charles, the Shoshu and SGI discard the Original Buddha Shakyamuni like junk. Neither adhere to the principles of the Lotus Sutra, false thinking, false sect, false teaching. 

Before Shakyamuni passed into Nirvana he refused to appoint a successor, Nichiren asked six priests to carry on propagation, no leader was appointed, face the facts, all the sects today appointed themselves as the leader. Take away the sects and you have a bunch of priests out of business, and disband the SGI and you have Mitsubishi Buddhists in the unemployment line." -- Former KHS believer

Your choice

48.  [In the Soka Gakkai,] they say, "Even as far as the contents of the 
bequeathal of the lifeblood are concerned, right now the transfer documents 
have been made public to the outside world, so there are no doctrines 
transmitted to only the High Priest."  (Seikyo Shimbun, 9/8/93)  Is this true? 

Contemptuous of the truth, the Soka Gakkai cynically put forth this view to
deny the "bequeathal of the lifeblood received by only a single person."  High
Priest Nikken Shonin, teaching about the bequeathal, stated: 

"The 'bequeathal of the Golden Utterance to the direct successors' actually
includes the entire bequeathal.  Part of it exists as the golden writings in
the form of the Minobu and Ikegami 'Two Bequeathals.'  It also indicates the
contents of the Golden utterance that have been left over time in the form of
the golden writings."  (Dai-Nichiren, No. 560, p. 19) 

He cites as  proof the instructions from the Masters in the "Kechu Sho (The
Internals of Nichiren Shoshu)":  "Speaking in terms of the specific, it is a
doctrine consisting of twelve items."  (Seiten, p. 695)  He makes clear the
existence of these golden writings. 

Of course, since these are secret transmissions received by only a single
person, there is no reason to expect that we would understand their contents.
Fifty-sixth High Priest Nichio Shonin as well stated, "Even at the time of
Kosen-rufu, the specific lifeblood bequeathal documents are not to be perused
by others."  (Research and Education Books, Vol. 27, p. 456)  He instructs us
that the specific bequeathal of the entity of the Law is a secret transmission
which others are not permitted to peruse.  We must obediently receive the High
Priest's instruction, which accords with the times, and advance in the faith
and practice of the attainment of Buddhahood. 

Those not included in the specific bequeathal of the entity of the Law must
strictly refrain from arbitrarily commenting upon it. 

[c. 1996, Nichiren Shoshu Temple] 

Nichiren Shoshu power and control or the absolute freedom of Nichiren True
Buddhism? Your choice..

Faithful Daimoku or SGI fighting Daimoku

The World of Buddhahood or the World of Anger?

How to set up a Nichiren Buddhist altar

Thank you for your question about the Buddhist altar. Let me first outline those things that comprise the altar of our sect: 

1). The Object of Worship which is The Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra at the moment of transmission of Namu Myoho renge kyo or the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon may be housed in a cabinet called a butsudan or, if in a protected environment, attached directly to the wall.

2). An altar table 

3). A water cup for offering water(the most fundemental substance) to the Buddha. The water is drunk and changed daily. The cup is left covered on the altar. 

4). A Bowl of fresh fruit or other slowly perishable food which too is an offering to the Buddha. It signifies the sense of taste. It also signifies the tasting of the True Teachings. 

5). A candle holder and candle for offering the Light of the Dharma (teachings) to the Buddha. The candle also signifies giving light to all sentient beings. It also signifies the sense of vision. 

6). A bell and striker for offering music to the Buddha. The bell also signifies spreading the True Teachings with one's voice. It also signifies the sense of hearing 

7). An incense burner to offer beautiful aromas to the Buddha. It is also to purify the air for the Buddha. It also symbolizes the sense of smell. 

8). A vase for offering fresh flowers or evergreens to the Buddha. 

Any vow taken while the party eliciting the vow is perpetuating a fraud is null.

Your Nichiren Shoshu Gojukai vow is null and void. Do not be anxious.

Let's help Nichiren Daishonin

               "When the spirit of Buddhism is lost or hidden 
          away, people will all let their body hair and nails grow 
          long.   Worldly ethics and laws will be forgotten and 
          ignored.  Loud noises will come from the sky and the 
          world will shake and move, as though it was on a 
          spinning waterwheel.  The walls of the cities, houses 
          and dwellings, will collapse.  The medicinal properties 
          of plants will vanish.  All but the highest five regions 
          in the world of form and desire, will no longer possess 
          the seven flavors of the tongue or the three good powers 
          of the earth: worldly law, natural law and the Buddhist 
          law.  Eventually everything will die.  All the positive 
          teachings that lead to freedom will disappear.  Flowers 
          and fruits will hardly grow and all become sour. 
          Waterwells, springs and ponds will turn to dust and the 
          earth will buckle and open into dark and ugly rifts. 
          Mountains will burn.  The rain dragon will not bring 
          rain so the crops will wither and die.  All life will 
          disappear; even grass will not grow.  Even the sun and 
          moon will no longer shed their light! 
             
               Throughout the four directions, drought and evil 
          omens will prevail.  The ten kinds of evil behavior, 
          especially greed, anger and stupidity, will be 
          predominant.  People will not honor their fathers or 
          mothers any more than do lower animals.  All beings will 
          slowly vanish and their life span will decrease, so too 
          will any enjoyment or pleasure they may once have had in 
          life.  Gradually all beings will enter into even lower, 
          more evil life-states. 
             
               The evil rulers and priests will destroy the True 
          Law of Buddhism until no one can be born as a human 
          being or a god.  The protective deities and godly kings 
          who normally take pity on human beings will abandon them 
          forever and depart to other realms." -- Daijuku Sutra often
          quoted by Nichiren

And in the Gosho the Daishonin writes: 

    "This  is the time which is meant by the phrase  the  "Latter days 
of the Law";   the three powerful enemies have appeared  and the  eighty 
myriads of millions of nayutas of bodhisattvas  cannot be seen 
anywhere.   It is like a dried up lake,  lacking water,  a moon  on  the 
waning side yet to be full.   Clear  water  reflects the moon's image, 
if trees are grown, then the birds have a place to nest.   For this 
reason, I, Nichiren am spreading this Sutra in the place of those 
eighty myriads of bodhisattva.  I request that those bodhisattvas offer 
me their help and bestow upon  me  their protection.   (Excerpt from 
Nichiren Daishonin's,  "Letter to Toki Jonin,"  October 22, 1271 
The Lotus Sutra states: 

               "When the beings see the kalpa ending, 
                And  being consumed by a great fire, 
                 This land of mine is perfectly safe." 

(from Chapter 16,  Scripture of  the  Lotus Blossom  of  the  Fine 
Dharma  (The  Lotus  Sutra),   Trans: by Leon Hurvitz) '

Let's help Nichiren Daishonin!

Pernicious and malevolent

Many SGI members and every single leader above Chapter Chief are pernicious. Initially, they may be absolutely sincere with the most noble of intentions but they are sincerely wrong and do irreparable damage. The road to hell is paved with the best intentions: For years ecologists and conservationists have been adopting wildland fire prevention strategies that have led to the biggest proliferation of forest fires in history; doctors overprescribing antibiotics in their desire to alleviate suffering has led to antibiotic resistant bacteria that threatens not only the most seriously ill hospitalized patients but the general public; the addition of MTBE [now outlawed] to gasoline to diminish air pollution has led to widespread water pollution; the addition of aggressive non-native species to fix various ecological imbalances have led to ecological disasters; the overuse of pesticides and ever more powerful fertilizers to increase crop yields have led to ever increasing oceanic dead zones...the list goes on and on. We might be able to overlook the behaviors of SGI members were they unaware of their grievous principles and practices. However, most leaders and many members, thanks to the internet, are aware of their sins. By demonstrating their unwillingless to change, they have become not only pernicious but malevolent.

Daisaku Ikeda puffed up with arrogance

                                                           Puffer fish Family SGI genus Ikeda

"If we embrace this Gohonzon and chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, we ourselves become the object of fundamental respect (honzon) [SIC] of ichinen sanzen and embody the founder, Nichiren Daishonin" -- speech by Daisaku Ikeda on April 2, 1993 May 3, 1993 WORLD TRIBUNE

"The Maka shikan says: ' If one lacks faith [in the Lotus Sutra], one will object that it pertains to the lofty realm of the sages, something far beyond the capacity of one’s own wisdom to comprehend. If one lacks wisdom, one will become puffed up with arrogance and will claim to be the equal of the Buddha.'" -- Opening of the Eyes

"The true teaching is the fundamental requirement of a perfect organization" -- Nirvana Sutra

"Of organizations, there are three kinds.  First there are those that are
organized on the basis of the power, wealth or authority of great leaders. 

Second, there are those that are organized because of its convenience of the
members, which will continue to exist as long as the members satisfy their
conveniences and do not quarrel. 

Third, there are those that are organized with some good teaching as its
center and harmony as its very life. 

Of course, the third or last of these is the only true organization, for in
it the members live in one spirit, from which the unity of spirit and
various kinds of virtue will arise.  In such organization there will prevail
harmony, satisfaction and happiness. 

Enlightenment is like rain that falls on a mountain and gathers into
rivulets that run into brooks, and then into rivers which finally flow into
the ocean. 

The rain of the sacred teaching falls on all people alike without regard to
their condition or circumstances.  Those who accept it gather into small
groups, then into organizations, then into communities and, finally find
themselves in the great Ocean of Enlightenment. 

The minds of these people mix like milk and water and finally organize into
a harmonious Sangha. 

Thus, the true teaching is the fundamental requirement of
a perfect organization and, as mentioned above, it is the light which
enables people to recognize one another, to become adjusted to one another
and to smooth out the rough places in their thinking. 

Thus, the organization that is formed on the perfect teachings of Buddha can
be called the Sangha. 

They should observe these teachings and train their minds accordingly.
Thus, the Buddha’s Sangha will theoretically include everyone, but, in fact
only those who have the same religious faith are members. 

(Nirvana Sutra)