The three kinds of messengers

"In general, there are three kinds of messengers. The first kind is extremely clever. The second is not particularly clever but is not foolish, either. The third is extremely foolish but nevertheless reliable.

Of these three types, the first will commit no error [in transmitting the message]. The second, being somewhat clever but not quite as clever as the first type, will add his own words to his lord’s message. Thus he is the worst possible type of messenger. The third type, being extremely foolish, will not presume to insert his own words and, being honest, will relay his lord’s message without deviating from it. Thus he is a better messenger than the second type, and occasionally may be even better than the first."

The Mystic Principle of Responsive Communion

The Mystic Principle of Responsive Communion is embraced by the Soka Gakkai*, the "orthodox" Nichiren sects, Tientai, and Nichiren Daishonin. In the SGI, it refers to the believers' relationship with Daisaku Ikeda and for Tientai, the "orthodox" sects, and Nichiren Daishonin, it refers to the believers' relationship with Shakyamuni Buddha.

*See article by SGI study chief Dr Mikio Matsuoka published in The Journal of Oriental Studies, Vol 15, 2005 http://www.sgi.org/resource-center/study-materials/the-buddhist-concept-of-the-human-being-from-the-viewpoint-of-the-philosophy-of-the-soka-gakkai.html

Nichiren and his disciples live here in the Eagle Peak Blog

http://www.kuniyoshiproject.com/Illustrated%20Abridged%20Biography%20of%20Koso.htm

One of the forty-two levels of ignorance

"The next level is accepting Daisaku Ikeda as my mentor" [the weirdness begins at the 3:02 mark]

Is that one of the fifty-two stages of Bodhisattva practice http://simplybuddhist.blogspot.com/2007/11/detail-of-52-stages-of-bodhisattva.html, one of the four stages of faith and five stages of practice, or one of the forty-two levels of ignorance? It is the latter.

"We are the Thus Come Ones of Original Enlightenment" -- Easydaimoku SGI YMD senior leader

Shakyamuni Buddha: "I would like to mentor the children of the elementary and junior high school division."

Ethan Gelbaum SGI Vice General Director: "Have you signed the SGI code of conduct for leaders?"

Mixed Martial Arts and the Lotus Sutra

Someone wrote: "Figuring out what to practice and how is a MAJOR challenge."

I think you can approach it like you would choosing a martial art. You might pick several months to completely immerse yourself in the practice of the various grappling [judo, wrestling, jiu jitsu, aikido] and striking [boxing, muay tai, kenpo, kung fu] arts against a similar weight and competent competitor of another art.

Likewise. when choosing a Buddhist spiritual path, you might spend one month chanting the Nembutsu, one one month performing Zen meditation, another performing Tibetian and Theravadan meditation, and one month chanting the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, lets say for an hour of concentrated effort each day.

There is an important difference however, in both investigative approaches. Mixed Martial Arts is patently a superior fighting method than any one martial art while the superiority of a mixed Buddhist practice is unproven, each Buddhist school claiming superiority as a path to Pure and Perfect Enlightenment. Were this true [which I believe is true in the case of the Lotus Sutra] even were one proficient in many methods, it would be as if a master mixed martial artist flyweight of 125 lbs were to take on a 300lb Muay Thai or Jiu Jitsu master who was at least familiar with the various martial arts. If, as many schools teach, the concept of attaining Buddhahood in this very body is true and if it is true that one path is superior than the others in reaching that goal, you should be able to figure out which path to follow [what to practice] in order to attain Buddhahood in this very life. Of course, it would be better if you were to immediately take up the Lotus Sutra on my advice but this is an alternative way to arrive at the truth for a select few. I know several people who investigated various Buddhist faiths and practices and who have come to the conclusion that the Lotus Sutra is superior.

The SGI cult mindset [Please read for your (SGI) sake]

Greg Martin in his lecture on The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon, at one point, discusses the Seven Jewels or Seven Treasures: 1). Hearing the correct teaching he interprets as "seeking guidance" 2). Believing in it he equates with "the unity of SGI believers" 3). Keeping the precepts he asserts are "Soka Spirit* activities" 4). Engaging in meditation he interprets as "calming the mind and self mastery" 5). Practicing assiduously "is doing SGI activities"; 6). Renouncing one's attachments too, "is tirelessly performing SGI activities"** 7). Reflecting on oneself "is doing human revolution". 

To drive home his points, he quotes Ikeda, "All of these are encompassed in the word faith. They are all included in SGI activities." Ikeda thus equates faith with SGI activities.***

Most importantly, Martin fails to mention the most profound meaning of the Seven Treasures, that they are, according to Nichiren, "Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo". Is it because, in the Soka Gakkai, there are only six treasures, Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo?

SGI is a money making cult that only survives by mixing the impure teachings of Taisekaji, Makiguchi, Toda, and Ikeda with the pure teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin.

*Soka Spirit according to SGI leader Harsh Mishra, "is a crucial focus in our practice by which we protect SGI member’s process of becoming happy from any confusing forces and reach out to dialogue and encourage those who mistakenly have drifted into the erroneous path of the priesthood or the temple. Soka Spirit is about protecting Daishonin’s teaching from subtle yet profound distortions of Nichiren Shoshu priesthood."

** Instead of selfishly devoting oneself to, for example, developing a happy and harmonious family or establishing one's career? Here we clearly see the reality of SGI, the cult mindset of devoting oneself entirely to the SGI and Ikeda without the window dressing of "faith equals daily life".

***no matter how SGI activities veer from the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, for example SGI interfaith and mentor worship.] Of course, there is no mention of the Buddha.

SGI members exist to serve Daisaku Ikeda

"Men shall make the right religion prosperous, but the right religion shall not make men prosperous." -- Dengyo the Great

"Religion exists to serve people, people do not exist to serve religion." -- Daisaku

The reality is that SGI members exist to serve Daisaku Ikeda and his well paid lieutenants. We serve the Lotus Sutra and the people out of a sense of gratitude. This is the import of Dengyo's statement.

"This won't change that many Youth are still turned off" -- Rebecca SGI Young Woman's Division Area leader

On SGI reorganizational structure:

"This won't change that many Youth are still turned off

I like the idea of concentrating on the districts, but it won't create new leaders. We still have very few youth leaders in general.  I'm an area ywd leader. In my few months in the position I've seen many ywd leaders burn out from the burden of so many meetings, responsibility of bringing in more youth, along with creating careers, and starting relationships and life. If you can't cut it you don't have enough faith.  (I devoted almost a year of my life to Rock the Era. I barely kept a job. My development in other areas stood still while I devoted every spare minute to Rock the Era.)  

The reason this Big Shift won't work is because SGI-USA still is Japanese in its structure.

Good in it's emphasis on helping individual members and behind-the-scenes efforts. Bad in the emphasis on sacrificing your time , and silent unquestioned acceptance about certain things, like about Soka Spirit fervor, adoring "Sensei" Average American youth doesn't want all that.  Example, as YWD, we have to sing:  

"Thank you Sensei....

Like a father you cheer us on

Undefeated OUR HEARTS ARE ONE

True disciples FOR ETERNITY

Ikeda Kayo-kai"  So much focus on President Ikeda! Why isn't the song about us and our own power? Why is it about "Sensei"? It turns young people off, because it feels weird. But questioning such adoration in SGI is tacitly unacceptable.  I read recently read:  "Mr. Toda also used to say, 'When you go to Eagle Peak, you should proudly declare, "I am a disciple of Josei Toda, the leader of kosen-rufu."' He told us to remain confident and assured even in the interval between this life and the next." May 2012 LB, 33  

Isn't my experience at death from my own merits? The experience of our buddhahood is what is important and works to transform us.  Mr. Ikeda places Mr. Toda and himself on a high pedestal - we call to them after death? For ETERNITY? Hey, Mr. Ikeda says wonderful things, but he's asking for a lot. And most wonderful things he says are interspersed with copious requests to connect to him spiritually and to spread the word. NON-STOP SPREADING.

I'm lying here getting over pneumonia and thinking about my role in the organization. This Big Shift is shifting things in me."

To those turned on by the Ikeda love fest

"In response to the first portion of your post – the SGI is regarded as a cult by the media. Take a look at the articles that Time and Forbes put out a few years ago. I recently said bye-bye to the org after almost choking on my own vomit at a district meeting. I just couldn’t stomach the M/D talk any longer. The district leader had told us that the Daimoku chanted with Sensei in our hearts was so much more powerful than just chanting. This comment forced me to swallow my own vomit. Someone made a reference to Lisa Jones. I always suspected that she was being harassed with a lawsuit into silence. The SGI is an absolutely vile organization. I am so very glad I left and I can’t understand how anyone who is exposed to the teachings of Shakyamuni and Nichiren (away from the SGI publications) can stay in the org unless they are either very arrogant and turned-on by the Ikeda love fest or very needy for authoritarian religion." -- Aaron

Nichikan's mind differed from Nichiren's.

The SGI Gohonzon may have the appearance of an authentic Nichiren Gohonzon but the Nichiren Gohonzon [or one based on the Nichiren Gohonzon] assists one to quickly attain Buddhahood while the Nichikan Gohonzon assists one to fall into the Four Lower Worlds. 

The word Japan causes one to visualize all the people, customs, wars, tsunamis, mountains, rivers, and animals of Japan. Similarly, the Nichikan Gohonzon causes one to visualize the entire slanderous religion of Nichikan. Whether symbolic or actual, whether metaphor or entity, the Nichikan Gohonzon is not the same as the Nichiren Gohonzon because Nichikan's mind differed from Nichiren's.

Nichikan was fond of forged Goshos and secret oral teachings.

http://www.sokaspirit.com/content/matsuoka/chapter05.html

Feel free to ask any questions about the history or writings used by the Soka Gakkai Study Chief to refute both the Nichiren Shoshu and the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. Suffice it to to say that even some of the Goshos used by Matsuoka in this series of essays has been subsequently affirmed to be forgeries by Matsuoka himself, for example, On the First Bath, The 106 Articles, and On the True Cause. These are Nichiren Shoshu forgeries. Nichikan, in particular, was fond of forged Goshos and secret oral teachings.

Save yourselves from creating the bad karma of believing the false SGI teachings.

One of the main points of the SGI video lecture On The Treasure Tower by Greg Martin SGI study department chief is the purpose of Nichiren Daishonin's advent. For seventy years, the Soka Gakkai taught that the purpose of Nichiren's advent was the inscription of the DaiGohonzon. With this lecture, the Soka Gakkai reverses its position and draws the same conclusion as we: The purpose of Nichiren's advent was in developing the unwavering faith of his followers. SGI has read and taken to heart the true teachings, incorporated them, and called them their own. Do not be fooled by their cheap knock-off of the Nichiren faith. Go to the source, the scrolls of the Lotus Sutra and writings of Nichiren Daishonin. Save yourselves from creating the bad karma of believing the other false SGI teachings.

Calling all SGI Thus Come Ones

who run to their territory leaders for guidance.

Calling Clarence SGI Thomas

1. Clarince ThomasMarch 14, 2014 at 2:52 PM

   Benefit is not derived from the "Gohonzon" but rather from faith in it as a reflection of the Buddha nature inherent in all human beings otherwise people without Gohonzons would be wasting time chanting and yet they still receive benefits of chanting NMRK. This attitude of Mark Rogow, claiming to posses what he does not is fairly amusing but the negative karma he creates trying to float between criticizing the truth of the "Bodhisattva's of the Earth" and the organization it has manifested as is silly at best. His lack of understanding ruptures out at you as 10 jealous women reading "elle" magazines. Swooning over concepts he has no understanding of and then regurgitating his own half baked ideas like a dog barking at the moons brightness. I would suggest more study before continuing on these poorly substantiated rants on the SGI.

   ReplyDelete
2. 
   Mark RogowMarch 15, 2014 at 11:24 AM

   Our Supreme Court justice weighs in. Faithless and unlearned member of the judiciary is he, failing to recognize the Four Powers. Certainly he is no Abundant Treasures Buddha. Appearing, he comes here not to validate and praise the teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha, the True Votary of the Lotus Sutra, and their disciples but to destroy the true teachings of Ichinen Sanzen and Dependent Origination and to slander the votaries.

Really? "It’s not a matter of eradicating attachments but of seeing them clearly." -- Daisaku Ikeda

"The fundamental cause of people’s unhappiness lies in their tendency to develop attachments of various kinds. Attachments are fetters on one’s heart—earthly desires, cravings and so on. In the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, Shakyamuni taught people the path for freeing themselves from such attachments. The spirit of the Lotus Sutra, however, is not to eradicate earthly desires. When we base ourselves on the Buddhist Law, we can transform earthly desires—just as they are—into enlightenment. This is the principle of “earthly desires are enlightenment.” It’s not a matter of eradicating attachments but of seeing them clearly. Rather than causing us to abandon our earthly desires and attachments, our Buddhist practice enables us to discern their true nature and utilize them as the driving force to become happy. The truth is that we could not in fact eradicate our attachments even if we so wished." -- Daisaku Ikeda

"However, there is a difference if one chants the daimoku while acting against the intent of this sutra. There are various stages in the practice of this sutra [and various forms of slander exist accordingly]. Let me sum them up by quoting from volume five of The Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra”: “In defining the types of evil, The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra states briefly, ‘Expound among the wise but not among the foolish.’ One scholar enumerates the types of evil as follows: ‘I will first list the evil causes and then their effects. There are fourteen evil causes: (1) arrogance, (2) negligence, (3) wrong views of the self, (4) shallow understanding, (5) attachment to earthly desires, (6) not understanding, (7) not believing, (8) scowling with knitted brows, (9) harboring doubts, (10) slandering, (11) despising, (12) hating, (13) envying, and (14) bearing grudges."* -- Nichiren Daishonin

*The Fourteen Slanders are found in Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra

Daisaku Ikeda is NOT my co-pilot by Kevin Richardson

Sensei is my Co-Pilot

I got Mark's blessing on bogarting this site and this will be my only post so don't be alarmed...

I'd offered Mark a little "tech support" in doing some minor changes to his blog. Mark's posting about July 3rd being "Mentor Disciple Day" really got under my skin for some odd reason. Before I move on, a quick history lesson involving Mark and I - I followed his old blog at Fraught With Peril - I believe my first posting made some sarcastic reference towards the SGI and he initially thought I was a kool-aid sipping troll - I was drawn into Mark's blog because I had recently skirted the Gakkai and I wasn't ready to give up on the Nichiren faith. Not giving up however doesn't mean that I have abandoned my reserved skepticism.

 

Of course that doesn't come with a grain of salt for there has been a bit of a ideological struggle with the  dilemma I have with Mark on this debate. I am not one who will use my belief in the Lotus Sutra to refute the SGI for the SGI is most undeserving to be refuted in that manner. Maybe I'm bit more hardcore with my dealings of the SGI.

They are two essential teachings of the SGI that I've long detested which is the main reason why my stay within SGI was short:

1) I never bought that Shakyamuni was a provisional Buddha. So they say that Shakamyni - the founder of Buddhism - was never the real Buddha? In Christian terms, that's like saying Jesus was a provisional messiah - That leaves a lot of wiggle room in that chain of thought. So Jesus wasn't the real Messiah. The real Messiah was Charles Manson? Jim Jones? David Koresh? or is he amongst the other wackos that could be found on a Rick Ross Cult website claiming the title?

2) I do not and I will never accept Daisaku Ikeda as my "mentor" I hope I don't have to get into grave detail to how frivolous that idea is...

Does a person without feet really need shoes? Point being, SGI doesn't have a leg to stand on with regard to Nichiren study but yet they are offered shoes. The above mentioned reasons are the heart and foundation to the Soka mind frame. The provisional Buddha only fits to be exploited by the Ikeda cult of personality. Mentor = Messiah = Buddha = Ikeda.

So they say that earthly desires leads to enlightenment.

Despite no SGI member has effectively been able to point out where in the writings of Nichiren or the Lotus Sutra that is stated, could only be attributed to the teachings of the SGI and no where else. SGI chanting is a bastardized concept borrowed from Western styled religions. Chanting for desires (i.e. cars, money, girlfriends, etc.) is a complete deviation from the 4 Noble Truths of Buddhism itself. Even Western religions considers the idea of praying for material things to be a lack of spiritual maturity. Could it be argued that chanting the SGI way is nothing more than a mechanism to keep the mind aligned with greasing the Ikeda Dharma Wheel?

There comes a point of stagnation in the practice of the general SGI member. He or she becomes frustrated for the attainment of their desires are not being fulfilled. They have not come close to Buddhahood from the time they started practicing. They are told they are Bodhisattvas of the Earth but they are considerably depressed. The balance of there so-called "life condition" have not panned out. They continue to drift between the 6 Lower Worlds. How could this be?

The a-typical SGI meeting is a sick game of Keeping Up with the Joneses' (peer pressure) where members give praise to the hospices of faith and a karma checklist of the acquisition of who has the most benefits. They are given two paths. Give in to the vicious circle and rededicate their efforts to make their contribution of the orgs self-preservation. Of course the most daunting would to simply quit and move forward toward their own spiritual path.

Breaking away and further exploring the basics of true Nichiren practice only confirmed the long suspicions harbored towards the cult. The general members enjoy absolutely no real "spiritual autonomy." Any attempt to exercise thought that doesn't conform to the company flow of the Gakkai machine can result in ostrification and ridicule. Those who choose to remain, the concept of religion will forever be intertwined with the politics of the organization. The concept of Buddhism to them (those who continue to work diligently for the SGI) will be like cereal without milk. Until the general member realizes that simple truth they will forever be bounded. SGI enlightenment equates spiritual enslavement. -- By Kevin Richardson

Procedure for receiving and bestowing Gohonzon

You must be chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo and the two essential chapters of the Lotus Sutra [Gongyo] at least daily [preferably twice a day] and you must sign one or both Declarations of Faith and return it to your friend in faith. Once you have signed the Declaration, you may receive and bestow Gohonzon on others and receive the Declaration of Faith from new believers.

DECLARATION OF FAITH 1

I, __________________________________, declare my faith in the doctrine of the Buddha founded sect:

1. I believe and accept the Hokkekyo or Lotus Sutra to be the Supreme Teaching of Buddha (The Jewel of the Dharma).

2. I believe the Eternal Buddha, Shakyamuni, revealed in the sixteenth Chapter of the Hokekyo, to be the True Object of Worship (The Jewel of the Buddha).

3. I accept the teachings of the Messenger of the Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, the Earthly Manifestation of the Bodhisattva Jogyo, just as they are stated in his own writings (Jewel of the Sangha).

4. I accept the Direct Succession of the Dharma through the Scrolls of the Sutra. Having sincere faith in these teachings, I request that a Gohonzon Mandala be bestowed on me and I solemnly undertake to treat it always with proper reverence and, should it become damaged or worn, I will return it to a priest for burning in the proper way.

Date: ___________________ Signed: __________________________

DECLARATION OF FAITH 2

I, ______________, do hereby affirm the following:

“I am a member of Nichiren Lotus Sect of Buddhism, I am chanting the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra (the Primary Practice), as well as, chapters 2 and 16 of the Lotus Sutra (Secondary Practice) on a regular basis (daily).”

“I believe that the Mandala Gohonzon represents the land of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Eternally Enlightened Original Buddha, at the time of His transmission of the Law of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth (Ceremony in the Air).”

“I also make the following renunciations:”

“I hereby completely reject the teachings of all non-Buddhist religions. I hereby reject the teachings of non-Hokke Buddhist religions.”

“I hereby also reject all heretical teachings that have infiltrated Nichiren’s Buddhism, such as the belief that Nichiren is the Eternally Enlightened Original Buddha; belief in the so-called Dai Gohonzon; worship of various supernatural entities as independent beings, etc.”

Signed and dated:

Silly Song pseudo-Buddhism

Three years ago, I listened to two SGI lectures on the Buddha's Prophecy by Daisaku Ikeda, the "Seventh Master of the Three Countries", the "true inheritor" of Buddhsim. The lectures were given by Greg Martin and Phyllis Goodson. The lectures were about "The two Buddhas" of the Latter Day, Nichiren Daishonin and Daisaku Ikeda and Daisaku Ikeda's prophecy about the spread of SGI Buddhism.

In one sense they really don't concern me nor did I learn anything that I didn't already know. What concerns me is the spread of Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism.

Lectures are fine, even those by Nichiren Shoshu priests who have an excellent grasp of Theoretical Ichinen Sanzen. It is too bad their grasp of Actual Ichinen Sanzen is so rudimentary since they adopted the heretical teachings of their predecessors, rather than the authentic teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. It is not ironic that the Nichiren-Tendai sect (the Nichiren Shoshu) has the best grasp of Tientai's teachings. It is wondrous that we have the best grasp of Nichiren's teachings. Nichiren would be proud of our current priests and laymen, we who have shaken up the the world of Nichiren Buddhism and added some credibility to the funeral Buddhism practiced by the majority of the priests of the Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke.

The old guard will soon die and a new generation of energetic, down to earth priests, like Rev. Shinkei, will replace them. In ten years, the SGI will be in an even more rapid decline. Despite SGI's technically advanced media savvy propagation, they are headed towards extinction. Their statistic forms, Investigating Allegations of Misconduct forms, Code of Leadership Conduct forms, Leadership Term Review forms, Screening form for Leaders/Volunteers, Working With the Elementary School Division (ESD) Forms, and their silly songs, are actual proof that they are going the way of North Korea. They should be called Bureaucratic or Silly Song Buddhism. Do you think Nagarjuna and Nichiren sang silly songs?

Practicing as the Buddha and Nichiren teach, your karmic hindrences from the remote past will disappear like dew in the summer sun.

When I see an SGI leader this is what I see