How to grow Sensei's precious SGI organization for all eternity

1). Lose your individuality.

2). Follow no matter what.

3). Lie a lot.

4). Employ ornate rhetoric and meaningless talk.

5). Abandon Shakyamuni Buddha for Sensei.

6). Abandon the Lotus Sutra for the Human Revolution.

7). Follow Sensei not Nichiren Daishonin.

8). Embrace the SGI teachings on interfaith not the exclusive faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra.

9). Abandon critical thinking.

10). Organization first, Law second, and Buddha, a distant third. 

Conflict between Study Department and Soka Gakkai Leaders regarding changes in doctrine (August 2015) translated by infinitegratitude

I was going through some files on my computer earlier today and came across this. I'm not sure where it came from (possibly an NST member). Apologies if it's already been posted. However, it makes for interesting reading. Here's an organisation that's apparently working for 'kosen-rufu'!!!

The Gohonzon of So-honbu (general headquarters) 2015-08-17 11:19:31 テーマ：ブログ

The Gohonzon of So-honbu (general headquarters) and issues connected with the Statute of the Nichiren World School - Soka Gakkai (Soka Seka Shu)

I: The Plan to change the doctrine of the Gohonzon and to enact the Statute

We will part from the so-called “Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan” (The Dai-Gohonzon located at the Taisekiji temple) and we will instead let the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” (the resident Gohonzon located at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters building) become the Soka Gakkai’s fundamental Dai-Gohonzon. Such a plan to greatly transform the doctrine is proceeding. This great transformation will be announced as “Ikeda Sensei’s intention” at the time when the [Soka Gakkai] general headquarters’ building will be completed. And on the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” (the resident Gohonzon at the Soka Gakkai HQ) it is now clearly written as “the Dai-Gohonzon” and over the inscription of Ikeda Sensei it will be inserted “Kosen-rufu DaiSeido” (the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu), which is the general headquarters’ building.

Moreover, under the notion of completing its structure as a world religion, a “Statute of Nichiren World School - Soka Gakkai (the Statute of the World Soka Gakkai) “ --that is the statute of Soka Gakkai in the whole world-- will be enacted and at the same time the statute of the Soka Gakkai is going to be changed. In the statute, the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” (the resident Gohonzon at the Soka Gakkai HQ) and “Kosen-rufu Dai- Seido” (the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu) will be indicated as the base of faith. And the article mentioning “the president of Japanese Soka Gakkai” will be changed to the post of “the president of World Soka Gakkai”. It means that in such a new structure only one person will be “the president of the Japanese Soka Gakkai” and will control all the doctrine, the human resources, the finance and the policy of the SGI in the world. This plan lacks enough consideration and preparations but it is being rushed. Such a situation constitutes an emergency for the Soka Gakkai for the following reasons:

1) If the plan will be realized, the faith of members in Japan and abroad will be upset at its root, the organization will be confused, and the relationship between Japan and the other countries will worsen. As a result of this the Soka Gakkai will surely decline. 2) As everything will be announced as the intention of Ikeda Sensei, the history and achievements of Ikeda Sensei will certainly be tainted. This because only Ikeda Sensei will be blamed for all the confusion created. The [Soka Gakkai] Study Department has been saying that someday we would surely have to solve the issue about “the Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan”.

However, it also noted that the Soka Gakkai has respected it for decades in the past, and therefore we should engage on this issue as carefully as possible, not hastily promote it and be careful not to confuse the faith of members. But such advice was easily pushed aside by the leaders of the faction that wants to promote the changes. They said “No matter if some members cannot follow it, we will accept a little bleeding.” We were constantly threatened with the words “the top ordered you, then you must do as you were ordered.”

On September 25th a meeting was held gathering the leaders of the main SGI countries in the world [and the changes were announced]. SGI country leaders hesitated to show dissent in front of Japanese leaders. But many SGI leaders were uncomfortable and anguished and some said: “I cannot explain such changes in my own country.” Especially the representatives of Taiwan who have been oppressed in their country under the accusation that: “Soka Gakkai is a Japanese religion” expressed strong anxiety and mistrust for a change that places Japan at the center.

The Soka Gakkai leaders who promoted this plan first decided that the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” (the resident Gohonzon at the Soka Gakkai HQ) must be “the Dai-Gohonzon” instead of “the Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan (Taisekiji temple)” and they insisted to completely separate from “the Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan (Taisekiji temple)”. To do so they thought “this can be proof that we closed the priesthood issue.” They were excited to change the whole meaning of “Shusse no honkai “of Nichiren Daishonin (the purpose of his advent in this world) and the interpretation of the Gosho sentence: “It has been twenty-seven years since I first proclaimed this teaching...” (English Gosho p.996/ Japanese Gosho p.1189) from “Shounin Gonanji (On Persecutions Befalling the Sage).” However, they could not give an answer to the numerous objections by the Study Department that the fundamental structure of the theory would be broken by such a change and it would become a big issue. Then later their arguments weakened. In “The Statute of the Nichiren World School - Soka Gakkai “ they also decided in the first draft that the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” (the resident Gohonzon at the Soka Gakkai HQ) is “The Dai-Gohonzon for Kosen-rufu” but they later abandoned this concept and the current draft went back to “The Dai Gohonzon for Kosen-rufu.”

On the other hand, in the draft-statute about “the Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan” (the Dai-Gohonzon at Taisekiji temple) the following is written: “(this organization) believes in ‘the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, which was bestowed upon the entire world ”, in accordance with it they decided to change the article of the Soka Gakkai statute which says that [we] ‘believe in the Dai-Gohonzon of The Three Great Secret Laws, which was bestowed upon the entire world and’ and also the silent prayer of the Gongyo book which reads as: “I devote myself to the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws which was bestowed upon the entire world”. The word “Dai” of “Dai-Gohonzon” is only one word but it has a very important meaning in the doctrine. Earlier “the Statute of the Soka Gakkai” was revised once in 2002. Then, Mr. Saito, who was the Director of the [Soka Gakkai] Study Department, commented as follows: “it is written (in the statute) that we ‘believe in the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, which was bestowed upon the entire world’. This shows that the true meaning ‘faith in the Dai-Gohonzon’ penetrated into the Soka Gakkai.”

Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon to fulfill the purpose of his advent in this world on October 12th, 1279 when farmers showed “self-sacrificing devotion” to their faith during the Atsuhara persecution. The Daishonin responded to the heart of ordinary people who showed strong seeking faith for happiness and peace. He then inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon with the great wish to save people, build the Buddha land and realize Kosen-rufu to save all ordinary people for over 10,000 years during the latter day of the law, as the purpose of his advent in this world. This strong faith that leads us to respond to the heart of Nichiren Daishonin, have his great vow for Kosen-rufu and advance the movement to save ordinary people is the same faith of Soka Gakkai. But they want to change the statute in the opposite direction after only 11 years since their last decision of 2002. Moreover, in the revised statute, there is the article “believe in the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, which is bestowed upon the entire world” and the issue is whether the reference includes “the Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan” (the Dai-Gohonzon at Taisekiji temple) or not. About that president Harada said: ”it is included” but chairman Akiya said: “it is not included”.

The opinions among the leaders that are promoting this change are quite different. Furthermore, chairman Akiya said that the “Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan” is not the object that we should believe in”, and insisted saying that: “Anyway, president Harada should widely announce the fact that: “’The Dai-Gohonzon of Kaidan’is not the object that we should believe in and after that it is the duty of the Study Department to make up a good explanation.”

And in the original Ikeda Sensei’s inscription with the words “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” (the resident Gohonzon at the Soka Gakkai HQ), the word “Dai-Gohonzon” is now clearly inscribed. The one word “Dai” was inserted following the strong wish of president Harada. By adding the one word “Dai” the attack by priests of Taisekiji will 100% certainly be directed at Ikeda Sensei. The Study Department repeatedly submitted a petition since this July and said “If we describe the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” as “the Dai-Gohonzon” then we would surely trouble Ikeda Sensei. Therefore we want to change the inscription (plan) in any way”. As there was not enough time till the November 23rd deadline, the same petition was submitted to president Harada by the interpreters and the translators. President Harada agreed once to modify it but then he changed his position again on November 24th and decided to keep the word “Dai”. Although, it was decided not to add the word “Dai” in all documents mentioning the “Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon”, we [Soka Gakkai Study Department] sincerely worry about its effects as it may appear that only Ikeda Sensei inserted the word “Dai”.

II/ Effect of the plan

We now consider the issues that will arise once the definition of the Gohonzon and the [Soka Gakkai] statute will be changed, and their effect.

All issues that may arise can be summarized in two points: 1) It will trouble Ikeda Sensei; 2) The members in Japan and abroad will be confused. “The Gakkai Jouju Gohonzon” which will be enshrined at the Soka Gakkai general HQ is the transcription of “The Kaidan no Gohonzon” [the Dai-Gohonzon at Taisekiji temple] by the high priest Nissho. The “Okatagi (printed) Gohonzon” which members worship day and night is also a transcript of “The Kaidan no Gohonzon” by the high priest Nichikan. The words “I transcribed this” (on The Kaidan no Gohonzon) were clearly written on all the Gohonzons which were transcribed. Then, if we specifically deny “The Kaidan no Gohonzon”, it means that we are directly denying the basis of the existence of all Gohonzons which were transcribed. If the basis of the Gohonzon that the members worship day and night will be shaken, the faith of members will be greatly upset. Once we change the doctrine, we will not be able to turn back. If we change it, then to the least we would need validation and proof of theory. If we fail in that, then we will pay a tremendous price at one point in the future. Surely there has not been enough preparation to now enact the change of doctrine. We are afraid that the executive leaders who are promoting this change, are easily underestimating the related risks, thinking instead that somehow they can start such an action without consideration.

We are also afraid that the member’s faith in the Gohonzon will be shaken. As the Gohonzon is ‘the basic object of worship’, once the doctrine of the Gohonzon will be shaken, then the basis of faith of the members will be shaken too. If such doubt as: ‘The thing in which I have believed was wrong. Although I have practiced for decades, there was no meaning.” will spread, it will bring a crisis that will threaten the very existence of the Soka Gakkai. As the levels of the members’ understanding of the doctrine are different, all members will not be able to immediately accept the change of the doctrine. As a result, futile controversies about the Gohonzon will occur and the organization will be split. Moreover different factions may arise in the organization. We are afraid that ‘The golden three years’ may then change into the ‘Three years of great conflicts”. Especially, the members abroad will evaluate the new doctrine in much stricter terms than the Japanese members. Then we worry that the situation that may arise will exceed by far the capacity of the Study Department to cope with it. Until now there is no preparation and plan at all to allow members in Japan and abroad to reasonably understand this plan.

This hasty change of doctrine will provide a good opportunity for the Nikken Sect to attack the Soka Gakkai. Until today, the Soka Gakkai has denounced the ex-high priest Nikken’s declaration which denied “the Kaidan no Gohonzon” [Dai-Gohonzon] and his order to destroy the Sho-hondo, as mortal sins against the universal law. But we will break such a rationale ourselves. In fact, we can forecast that the [Nichiren Shoshu] priests and the Hokkeko (the people who practice with Nichiren Shoshu) will take advantage of the opportunity and attack our frontline members. The incident with Shumon (Nichiren Shoshu) itself will be changed when the view that: ”the corrupted and deviated Shumon excommunicated the Soka Gakkai which protected the justice of Nichiren Daishonin.” will instead become the view that: “the Soka Gakkai that easily changed the doctrine was excommunicated by Shumon which strictly protected the doctrine. We believe that there is no way to really separate from Shumon except in the way of: ‘We thoroughly protect the justice of Nichiren Daishonin.’

There are a lot of issues with ‘The Statute of the Nichiren Sekai Shu (Nichiren World School) – Soka Gakkai’. For example, the article of ‘the president’ is changed into ‘the president of Soka Gakkai in Japan takes up the post of president of the Sekai (World) Soka Gakkai.” As the Soka Gakkai of Japan has accumulated a huge experience, and it actually manages the organization, then it is quite easy for it to lead the promotion of Kosen-rufu in the world. [SGI] leaders abroad understand that too. But it will be more difficult for them to understand when it will be ‘clearly written’ in the Statute. For example, there are no women who are vice president in the Soka Gakkai in Japan, although the statute does not say that: ‘a woman cannot be vice president.’ And also, that a woman staff member will have to retire from Soka Gakkai after her marriage although the employment contract does not say that: “a woman staff member must retire after her marriage.” These are “unwritten rules” that are “customary practice” [in Japan] and are widely accepted. However, if we adopt in writing such unwritten rules, we will then be accused by wider society to be a “discriminatory” organization. As the ‘Nichiren Sekai Shu (Nichiren World School)’ aspires to become a world religion, then ‘international sensibility’, ‘universality’ and ‘equality’ are very important. If we are asked “Why there is such an article where the [Soka Gakkai] president in Japan takes up the post of president of the world [Soka Gakkai]? Wouldn’t this be against the spirit of equality of Buddhism?” Then we would not be able to answer at all.

We also worry that, within countries where there were victims of Japanese aggressive wars, the security authorities and mass communication outlets will recognize our organization as Japanese supremacy. This, will specifically concern, members in South Korea and Taiwan, who have already been oppressed under the accusation that [the Soka Gakkai] ‘is a Japanese religion’. As the relationship between Japan and South Korea as well as the relationship between Japan and China have increasingly deteriorated, [these changes] will make the situation worse, and will increase the possibility [that the SGI members of South Korea and Taiwan] will be oppressed and persecuted again.

In ‘the Statute’ there is not even one article which restricts the power of the president of Soka Gakkai in Japan. This means that the authority of the president of Sekai (World) Soka Gakkai is not specified at all. However, as long as Ikeda Sensei exists there is no problem with this. In ‘the previous Statute of Soka Gakkai’ there is also no article that restricts the power of the [Soka Gakkai] president in Japan or defines how to dismiss the president. However Ikeda Sensei gives strict guidance from above therefore it is almost the same situation as if the authority is de facto restricted. But when we consider the far ahead future, it would be a very dangerous system in which one person will have absolute powers to control all important matters such as the doctrine, human resources, finance, policies, etc. Even in ‘the twenty six admonitions of Nikko (Nikko yuikai okimon)’ which was written 700 years ago, there are rules to restrict both ‘the high priest’ and the ‘common people’. For example one rule says: “Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha’s law and propounds his own views.” and another one says: “Even if a view is set forth unanimously by a conference (of believers), the high priest should repudiate it if it goes against the Buddha’s Law.” Each leader of SGI countries has strong anxiety and fear about the anti-democratic, conservative, and authoritarian content of the [new] ‘Statute’.

III/ The plan’s effect on Ikeda Sensei

Everything will be announced in the world as “Ikeda Sensei’s strong intention”. Therefore only Ikeda Sensei will bear all responsibility about the unsound doctrine, the upset of faith of the members and the confusion in the organization. Then Ikeda Sensei will be under intensive attack. Ikeda Sensei’s history and achievements could be denied. His faithful inheritance from the first and the second president, the victory against the Nichiren Minobu School at the Otaru debate, the building of the Sho-hondo, the battle against the Taisekiji temple and the reformation accomplishment -- all his great accomplishments in the history of Kosen-rufu will be denied.

A lot of books written by Ikeda Sensei will not be used like before. The books that will be published from now on could be corrected but it is impossible to correct all the books published in the past. As a result Ikeda Sensei’s contradictions will be engraved in history. There are about 450 mentions of the Dai-Gohonzon in “Daisaku Ikeda complete works” already published and about 250 mentions in “The Human Revolution” and “The New Human Revolution”. We will have to carefully consider what we should do about this. Because Ikeda Sensei’s books must be eternally the fundamental guidance for Kosen-rufu. But leaders that promote [these changes] say without any respect: “We will start anew. Past is past. We should just treat such things as the previous things.”

Any way, it is quite clear that if leaders rush to promote things without consideration, the minuses will clearly outweigh the pluses. If this goes on, I am afraid that the “Establishment of a System of World Religion” will lead to the “Collapse of a System of World Religion”. We, at the [Soka Gakkai] Study Department are determined in our resolve not to trouble Ikeda Sensei and the members.

SGI's "casserole lady" principle

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clark-strand/nones-are-coming-of-age_b_5246746.html

The "casserole lady" principle sounds nice but it's less filling. There is neither protection nor faith support in the Gakkai because their faith is warped and their practice is lame. Better to tackle a serious problem on one's own with the Gohonzon and Nichiren as guide than to rely on the encouragement of one million SGI devils. Also, the truth of the matter is that during severe storms, the so-called "SGI casserole ladies" [and gents], are nowhere to be found. When my friend Nat Dames was well and threw a party, you practically couldn't get through the door to his apartment but when he was dying of colon cancer he had nary a visitor. They can spew their BS in the Huffington Post but they dare not come here to speak.

The Gooseberry (for those who don't yet chant Namu Myoho renge kyo)

The way to evaluate any phenomena, philosophy, or religion is through the Three Proofs. The first proof is documentary proof. The phenomena, philosophy or religion must exist through matter, energy and/or ideas. An example of a phenomena is a rock, an example of a philosophy is the Critique of Pure Reason by Emmanuel Kant, an example of a religion is the religion based on the Lotus Sutra. We know that these phenomena, philosophies and religions exists. It has been documentated that they exist.

Theoretical proof means that the phenomena, philosophy or religion can be evaluated by reasoning or scientific evidence.  A rock has a certain weight, composition, structure etc. that can be measured. The Critique of Pure Reason can be evaluated through science and other philosophical works as to its classification(idealism), its structure(epistomology), its development etc.

Actual proof is the function of the rock, that it can be used in weights and measures, used to knock down an attacker, or ground up to become an abrasive. Reguarding religion and philosophy, actual proof is the measure that a philosophy or religion can change the individual or society.

The Chinese Gooseberry is a delectable fruit. It exists in the mid to southern latitudes. Its color varies from lime green to orange-yellow. It has a unique taste with hints of honey, ginger, cinnamon and coriander, strawberry and banana.

Can you imagine how it tastes? Let me give you some more information about this sublime fruit. It has 400 specialized enzymes that convert the nitrates, proteins and fats in the soil into various types of carbohydrates. The Chinese Goosebberry plant also uses photosynthesis to convert water and carbon dioxide into other sugars and carbohydrates that, thanks to this multitude of enzymes, are more varied and complex than in any other plant. The sugars and carbohdrates travel up and down the plants vascular system called the phloem and are concentrated in the fruit. The concentration of the various carbohydrates are 10.000% this and 12.567% that, 9.641% this and 49.210% that, and 1.879 % this… The Chinese Gooseberry is also chock full of phytonutrients and antioxidants like, flavins, tannins, lycopenes, Vit. A, C, and E. The Chinese Gooseberry tastes nothing like, rasberry, strawberry, blueberry, melon, apple, grapefruit, avocado, or the angostora bitter. These fruits too are composed principally of carbohydrates and are full of phytonutrients and vitamins but composed of vastly different types and in vastly different proportions. Can you now tell me how the Chinese Gooseberry tastes?

The Chinese Gooseberry is like the Lotus Sutra (Myoho renge kyo). It exists, this we know. We have abundant documentary proof of this. They both can be analyzed (see above for the Chinese Gooseberry). The Lotus Sutra contains the teachings of the Ten Worlds, Ten Factors, Three Realms, and 3000 Worlds in a Momentary Existence of Life. These teachings can be evaluated through science and through reason just as the gooseberry. Science and reason gives us a great deal of information as to the nature of the Chinese Gooseberry. Its form, it’s composition, its structure. However, as far as its taste, despite knowing all these things, our brains are too small to analyze all the data and experience the taste. Likewise, our brains are too small to analyze the data of 3000 Worlds in a Momentary Existence of Life to know exactly its ability to change the individual (become Buddha) and/or society (Buddha’s Land).

We must taste the Chinese Gooseberry, to know its taste (BTW, the Chinese Gooseberry is the Kiwi fruit). We can only taste the Lotus Sutra by chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo with one’s whole heart. We can only understand Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism by practicing as the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren teach.

Chris Roman shaped the pseudo-Buddhist doctrines of the Soka Gakkai

When the Bodhisattvas Never Despise of this era tell them, "you will all become Buddhas", SGI members say, "we are already Buddhas. We don't need your false predictions."

Cris Roman helped shape the doctrines of the SGI in the sixties and early seventies. His essay, Ethics and Morality in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, for example, has numerous errors but it is not completely erroneous. That is the danger of the Soka Gakkai: It mixes the clean with the unclean and the correct with the incorrect. For this reason, SGI members are confused and fail to obtain the fruit of the Nichiren faith.

Cris begins: 

1). "Ultimately the goal, at least for me, is to arrive at a point where personal suffering is minimized so that more and more of my finite energy as a single human can be exerted in relieving the suffering of others."

Response:

In pre-Lotus Sutra or provisional Buddhism, suffering (specifically the Lower Six Worlds and generally, the Nine Worlds excepting Buddhahood) can be eliminated or 'minimized". On the other hand, the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren, and Tientai teach that the infinite and eternal Nine Worlds exist in the infinite eternal World of Buddhahood and visa versa.

Nichiren teaches, "In suffering awake to the nature of suffering; in joy rejoice. Realizing both suffering and joy as they really are [tathata], chant Namu Myoho renge kyo." and "relatively minor hardships, such as exile, imprisonment, torture and execution." One who is practicing the Lotus Sutra, yet trying to eliminate or diminish suffering (which is neither eliminable nor diminishable), is destined for a rude awakening and they may abandon their faith. Nichiren prepared his disciples for the best of times and the worst of times. There is also the matter of the Eight Winds (prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering, and pleasure). As Nichiren teaches, " a truly wise man will not be carried away by the Eight Winds." Of course, actual proof in the real world, as accomplished by Shijo Kingo, is important but his change in circumstance was a product of his striving ever more in faith and not his striving to diminish his sufferings. Nichiren Daishonin writes in the Kaimoku Sho which he entrusted to Shijo Kingo:

"You people, why then do you not also strive for the sake of the Law?"

He did not say "strive to end or diminish suffering."

In Letter to Yorimoto (Shijo Kingo) he writes:

"Even though I myself have been able to withstand attacks with sticks of wood or tiles and stones, vilification, and persecution by the authorities, how could people such as lay believers, who have wives and children, and are ignorant of Buddhism, possibly do the same? Perhaps they would have done better never to have believed in the first place. If they are unable to carry through with their faith to the end, and uphold it only for a short while, they will be mocked by others. So thinking, I felt pity for you. But during the repeated persecutions I suffered and throughout my two sentences of exile, you have demonstrated your resolve. Though that has been wondrous enough, I have no words sufficient to praise you for having written a pledge to carry through with your faith in the Lotus Sutra, in spite of your lord’s threats and at the cost of your two fiefs."

Hardly was Shijo Kingo striving to eliminate suffering or acquire new lands.

2). Cris continues:

"Buddhism does not promise the annihilation of all suffering. Sakyamuni's teachings began when he perceived suffering as an inevitable aspect of life. What Sakyamuni intended and what Nichiren perfected was a way to totally illuminate my Buddha nature, thereby providing me the wisdom and strength to eternally transform all the sufferings of life and death into fundamental joy. Daimoku provides the wisdom, strength and opportunity while the Bodhisattva ideal supplies the moral imperative."

Response:

The Lotus Sutra does not promise the annihilation of any suffering, not one iota. It promises Buddhahood. There is no transformation whatsoever. There is no human revolution. There is only awakening to the true nature of life and the joy derived from the Law. I'm not sure what he means by, "...the bodhisattva ideal supplies the moral imperative", so I won't say much except that, moral imperative is a Buddhist, Confucian and Christian concept of the World of Tranquility [Humanity], not the World of Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattvas imperative is faith in the Lotus Sutra, actions to put into practice the words of the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin, and the vow to awaken all beings.

The SGI doctrines are so distorted that hearing them makes me realize the true meaning of suffering. If in fact, I am correct that Cris Roman was formative or even merely a vessel for the propagation of the erroneous SGI doctrines, then he should prostrate himself on the ground and apologize to those he hurt and continues to hurt. Also, like Vasubandu, he should write dozens of essays and thesis, both refuting their previous mistaken doctrines while praising and expounding the truth of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin's teachings.

Cris continues:

3). Through Buddhist practice, I can elevate my perspective to a place where I recognize my suffering as a lack of some sort of support from an infinite universe with which I am one and to which I am inextricably and eternally bound.

Response:

Here we see a mixture of Lotus Sutra Buddhism, New Age, and Value Creation philosophy. Suffering is not a lack of anyTHING. It is being attached to wrong views and things. It is the beginningless and endless Nine Worlds that is as much a part of us (and Buddhahood) as our heart and liver, the dying of a child and the blooming of a flower. The Lotus Sutra states:

"At that time the four groups

Were devoted to (material) things." (Chapter 20, Bunno)

"The Four types of devotees at that time

Were attached to [wrong views]" (ibid. Hurvitz)

Those delusional people who persecuted Bodhisattva Never Despise and who hadn't met the Buddha in India must have been reborn as SGI members in Mappo. Here they assert the very same thing as the "four groups", only they are more arrogant. When the Bodhisattvas Never Despise of this era tell them, "you will all become Buddhas", they say, "we are already Buddhas. We don't need your false predictions."

Cris continues:

[3). continued] "At this point, simple Newtonian physics would have me understand that if I wish energies to be directed toward my being, I need to create forces that emanate outward from my life. This is similar to the attitude of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," which resonates with the Bodhisattva ideal."

Response:

Here he is mixing Buddhism with New Age and Christianity. Being a Bodhisattva is not "wishing energies" to us like selfish beggars but to follow the mandate of the Buddha of the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra and Bodhisattva Jogyo (Nichiren).

Further down we read:

4)."Similarly, the concept of the Middle way is bound up in the determination of what the proper approach to a given situation may be. Just as an artist might draw the line in the pictogram at either end or in the middle, according to his or her individual propensity, so too does the finding of the Middle Way imply that, under certain circumstances, it may indeed involve going to an extreme."

and

"In seeking the Middle Way, the Buddhist invokes Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and uses the wisdom that naturally wells up within to make the appropriate causes at the appropriate times. Even our seeming mistakes are made so we can learn. The promise of the Lotus Sutra is that life will not end before we have realized our absolute power."

Response:

Here Cris mixes more New Age, Value Creationism, provisional Buddhism, and true Buddhism. The first paragraph directly above fails to go beyond the Hinayana view of precepts, the Mahayana practice of the paramitas, the conventional view of cause and effect, and the teachings according to the capacities of the people (rather than according to the teachings that befit the time). Strategy boils down to the faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra, not the faith and practice of proper approaches. That is why SGI members run around like cats chasing their tails, wasting precious time with the "proper approach" to promoting the World Tribune, the mentor disciple relationship, and employing every strategy other than the Lotus Sutra, statistics, for example. How can you strategize for an exile or an attempt on your life? Only through deep faith in the Lotus Sutra, the Gohonzon, and Shakyamuni Buddha are we neither influenced nor frightened by them. The character myo is endowed with all sorts of meritorious benefits. Nichiren states that the character Myo signifies perfect endowment. He also states it means to open and to revive.

In the second paragraph above, he somewhat corrects himself but then boasts:

"The promise of the Lotus Sutra is that life will not end before we have realized our absolute power."

Nichiren writes, however:

"Is any single great matter to be found in the other sutras? The Lotus Sutra contains twenty outstanding principles. Among those twenty, the most vital is the “Life Span” chapter’s revelation that the Buddha first attained enlightenment numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago. People may well wonder what this revelation means. Explain that it teaches that common people like ourselves, who have been submerged in the sufferings of birth and death since time without beginning and who never so much as dreamed of reaching the shore of enlightenment, become the Thus Come Ones who are originally enlightened and endowed with the three bodies. That is, it reveals the ultimate principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life. From this perspective, you should firmly establish that the Lotus Sutra is the most profound among all the Buddha’s teachings.

You may bring forth this point in an official debate, but not during personal discussions. Should you indiscriminately mention it to whomever you meet, on any occasion or at any time, you will certainly incur punishment from the Buddhas of the three existences. This is the doctrine that I have always referred to as my own inner realization."

In their ends justify the means marketing approach, they go around indiscriminately preaching, "We are Buddhas, you are a Buddha.", contrary to the guidance of Nichiren

Cris Roman's writing, Ethics and Morality in Nichiren's Buddhism, cites principally, one Writing of Nichiren Daishonin, On Attaining Buddhahood In This Very Life. Despite his few correct insights based on this writing, I would be remiss in failing to point out that this writing is a disputed text and at the very most, an early writing of Nichiren. We too, from time to time, use the disputed texts but such texts as The True Aspect of All Phenomena, On the Treasure Tower, and the Ongi Kuden for example, are the SGI's bedrock foundation. Why? Because their erroneous distorted doctrines such as, "Nichiren as True Buddha", "we are Buddhas just as we are", "the Lotus Sutra has lost its power in the Latter Age", etc., are not found in the authentic texts. You will notice that Cris relies heavily on the commentary of Mr. Matsuda. He would have done better relying on the Lotus Sutra itself and the commentaries of Nichiren Daishonin. There are additional commentaries on the Ethics and Morality of the Lotus Sutra that are more in depth and more in line with the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin than this writing. For a further discussion of this topic, Google search is a good place to start.. One such article, Ethics in the Lotus Sutra, a collection of papers, states:

"As you will see on reading the papers, no consensus on any ethical issue was reached. There was not even an agreement on whether or not the Lotus Sutra taught an "ethics." In discussion, Gene Reeves argued that "ethics" could be understood in three ways. First, in the philosophical sense of the word, it is the systematic study of the principles of right and wrong, and in this sense, is absent from the Lotus. The second sense of "ethics" as a list of moral principles to be followed is also lacking. However, Reeves argued, the Lotus Suutra does contain "ethics" in the third sense of a telos or a guide for doing good.

Damien Keown countered that none of the three senses captures the essence of the Lotus. Keown suggests that it focuses on the nature of the Buddha and his Dharma, and only touches on ethics tangentially. There is no ethical analysis or discussion in the text, and it would miss the point to derive an ethics from it. The parables cannot support such an effort. In my view, Reeves is probably right. At any rate, followers of the Lotus Sutra, like members of Rissho Kosei Kai, certainly look to it as a practical guide to ethical life."

Cris continues:

4)."With the Daishonin's Buddhism, people who do not have the capability for such reflection -- the vast majority -- need simply to chant daimoku in order to manifest the reality of the ultimate life entity. This makes Buddhism infinitely more accessible, and rather than indulging in only internal, reflective, somewhat selfish meditative behaviors, the Buddhist can make real causes for the creation of global peace and harmony."

Response:

The SGI would be a much less slanderous organization if all they promoted was the chanting of the daimoku. But they say daimoku isn't enough, you have to follow the living mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, "The prime point of the Lotus Sutra", according to these heretics. Worse, they go around slandering the other practitioners who chant the daimoku. They don't meditate but the leaders rigorously promote "reflective behaviors". For example, if one disputes a leader or asks too many questions, one is apt to hear from a leader, "You lack faith. You should reflect upon it, chant Daimoku about it" (about disputing the leader or the act of asking too many questions). This promotes a trivializing of the daimoku, making it into all those things Cris criticizes about meditation. Finally, here, he equates accesability with making the causes for global peace and harmony. Certainly the SGI has made Nam(u) Myoho renge kyo accesable but there is no more disruptive organization of Nichiren believers in the past, present, and probably the future. Why? Because the daimoku they chant is the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra in name only. Even a parrot can chant the daimoku. It is not merely the mouth that chants the Daimoku that accrues merit but the heart and one's behavior as a human being.

He then goes on to say:

5)."I want to reiterate that Middle Way does not mean that you seek the middle. It refers to the entity of life at the center or core of all existence that projects the light which we see -- as well as the shadow we do not -- upon the movie screen of our daily lives."

Response:

It is bad enough that the SGI has turned the Lotus Sutra into some new age philosophy. Worse, they promotes the Buddha as the Law (Dharma) Body, misunderstanding and misappropriating the teaching of the Three Buddha Bodies stating that, "the entity of life at the center or core of all existence that projects the light which we see -- as well as the shadow we do not -- upon the movie screen of our daily lives." Where can we find this doctrine? In the Avatamsaka (Flower Garland or Kegon) Sutra and the Buddha of Universal Life Sutra, not in the Lotus Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren. 

Nichiren writes:

"The sutras which came before the Lotus Sutra taught that all phenomena derive from one's mind. The mind is like the earth, and phenomena are like the plants growing in the earth. But the Lotus Sutra teaches that the mind is one with the earth and the earth is one with its plants. The provisional sutras say that a tranquil mind is like the moon and a pure heart is like a flower, but the Lotus Sutra states that the flower and moon are themselves heart and mind." (A Gift of Rice)

Nothing is "projected". We are the earth, moon and plants.

In conclusion, Cris writes: 

6). "So what of homosexuality, abortion, capital punishment, infidelity, gun control and all the other issues that have become buzz words in our national obsession to define morality?"

Buddhism would say each man and woman must determine for him or herself what the proper take on each of these subjects may be, and encourage people to make their decisions based on the deepest wisdom they find within.

Response:

He goes on to do the very thing he rails about, he promotes various agendas. As long as homosexuals [or heterosexuals] chant the daimoku, "they will surely attain Buddhahood". However, according to Nichiren, those who chant the daimoku but destroy it's intent do not attain Buddhahood in this life.

"One should only perform the forceful practice method of propagation". - Nichiren

“In past times the world was honest, people were upright, and there were no erroneous teachings or erroneous doctrines. Therefore, one could behave in a proper manner and carry out one’s religious practices peacefully and amicably. There was no need to take up staves and berate others, no occasion to attack erroneous teachings.

But the present age is a defiled one. Because the minds of people are warped and twisted, and provisional teachings and slander alone abound, the correct teaching cannot prevail. In times like these, it is useless to practice the reading, reciting, and copying [of the Lotus Sutra] or to devote oneself to the methods and practices of meditation. One should practice only the shakubuku method of propagation, and if one has the capacity, use one’s influence and authority to destroy slander of the correct teaching, and one’s knowledge of the teachings to refute erroneous doctrines."

Why favor the many (Soka Gakkai) and despise the few (us)?

"In both secular and religious realms, as is plain to see, good persons are rare while evil persons are numerous. Why, then, do you insist upon despising the few and favoring the many? Dirt and sand are plentiful, but rice and other grains are rare. The bark of trees is available in great quantities, but hemp and silk fabrics are hard to come by. You should put the truth of the teaching before everything else; certainly you should not base your judgment on the number of adherents.” (pg. 125)

“Many such examples of slander are also found among Nichiren’s disciples and lay believers.” (pgs 626-627)

"According to the above passage of the Great Teacher T'ient-t'ai, in this latter age the persons who are lacking in good roots are many, and those who possess them are few. Therefore, many people are doubtless destined for the evil paths in their next existence. And if they are destined for the evil paths in any case, then one should preach the Lotus Sutra to them forcefully and thereby allow them to create a 'poison-drum relationship' with the sutra. Hence there can be no doubt that this latter age is the proper time in which to preach the Lotus Sutra to all people, thus enabling them to create a reverse relationship to it by slandering it." (pg 394)

"SGI organizations outside of Japan will have no involvement whatsoever in political activities" - SGI District Leaders Handbook

SGI PRESIDENT DAISAKU IKEDA

HON. HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR.

OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES"

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker

Whereas, SGI President Dr. Daisaku Ikeda visited Chicago in 1960, witnessed the discriminatory mistreatment of an African-American boy in Lincoln Park, and made a vow in his heart, ‘‘I promise you that I will build a societ truly worthy of your love and pride!’’; and

Whereas, this year marks 49 years of Dr. Ikeda’s dedication to the peace and happiness of all humanity through peace, culture and education; and pledge to construct a peaceful world where individuals from all walks of life feel safe and secure while developing their fullest potential for the sake of their families and the greater good of society; and

Whereas, on January 19th we honor and celebrate a noble and heroic life of Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy was to secure not only civil rights but human moral rights for all people as expressed in his own words, ‘‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’’

Whereas, 40 years after the passing of Dr. King, we witness on this day the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as 44th President of the United States, filled with confidence in the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the prayers and efforts of countless ordinary heroes

who believed that this day would one day be possible, expressed in President Obama’s words, ‘‘This is your victory!’’

Whereas, in my capacity as a member of the United States Congress, I would like to acknowledge these behind the scenes efforts of one such extra-ordinary hero by recognizing, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, as an Emissary peace and justice."

Typhoon Jebi then Trami battered Japan. Chant for Soka Gakkai to disband!

Josei Toda's view and Nichiren's view are night and day

"In any great undertaking, nothing is more important than public opinion. Take a careful look at history. No matter how rightful one's actions may be, nothing can be accomplished without support from the people."  --  Josei Toda

"In matters of doctrine, to fear others or stand in awe of society’s opinion and not expound the true meaning of the scriptural passages in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching is the height of foolishness." -- Nichiren Daishonin 

Soka Gakkai members have stayed too long in the outhouse

"The host, smiling, restrained his guest and said: Insects that live on smartweed forget how bitter it tastes; those who stay long in privies (outhouse) forget how foul is the smell. Here you listen to my good words and think them wicked, point to a slanderer of the Law and call him a sage, mistrust a correct teacher and take him for an evil priest. Your confusion is great indeed, and your offense anything but light. Listen to my explanation of how this confusion arose, and let us discuss the matter in detail."

What is the difference between a Nichikan and Nichiren Gohonzon?

The Gohonzon for the Transmission of the Dharma is a ten world expanded style Gohonzon. The SGI Gohonzon is missing some representatives of the Ten Worlds, for example, it is missing Devedatta and the Nijo (the men of Learning and Absorption).

More importantly the Nichikan Gohonzon's eyes have been opened by devils. The Gohonzon for the Transmission of the Dharma's eyes have been opened by Nichiren and his disciples and believers.

The practices of the Lotus Sutra are applicable to both laymen and priests

http://markrogow.blogspot.com/2015/09/q ... f-one.html

These teachings are applicable to everyone. The Opening of the Eyes, for example, was entrusted to a layman. Shakubuku (the forceful practices) is a way of life whether on a street corner or in a formal debate at the head temple on mount Hiei.

Soka Gakkai and George Orwell's Animal Farm

"All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others" -- George Orwell's Animal Farm

"We are all Buddhas" Yet SGI teachings on personal guidance is a perfect example on how SGI is a mirror of Animal Farm that all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. Another example is, in disputes between general members and leaders or disputes between lower level leaders and more senior leaders, invariably the lower level member's argument is overturned, despite the righteousness of their claim.

Question: Why do you say that Daisaku Ikeda, the president and eternal mentor of the Soka Gakkai and his disciple leaders are meager in virtue? 

Answer: The SGI teachings on interfaith, mentorism, "beauty, goodness, and gain" [rather than beauty, goodnesss, and truth], and the SGI's authoritarian, autocratic, pyramidal structured organization, deprecates and debases the Lotus Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. Their teachings are not found in Myoho renge kyo, least of all in the "one chapter and two halves". The Soka Gakkai's teachings are even inferior to the non-Buddhist teachings from which they derive. Failing to recognize and revere their true father, teacher, and sovereign, Shakyamuni Buddha, they beseech everyone to honor and revere the apostate heretic Daisaku Ikeda. They are no better than birds, beasts or Nembutsu believers who exort us to revere Amida Buddha. Lastly, they strive to keep their members away from the true disciples and believers of Nichiren by lying about us, lying about the true teachings of the Lotus Sutra, and lying about the actual import of the teachings which is that each one of us is a Bodhisattva of the Earth or Buddha in his or her own right, not one sole individual. They are greedy pigs. Nichiren says of such men:

"The hearts of the people are like those of birds and beasts; they recognize neither sovereign, teacher, nor parent. Even less do they distinguish between correct and incorrect in Buddhism, or good and evil in their teachers. But I will say no more of these things."

"All the teachings other than the “one chapter and two halves” are Hinayana in nature and erroneous. Not only do they fail to lead to enlightenment, but also they lack the truth. Those who believe in them are meager in virtue, heavy with defilement, ignorant, poor, solitary, and like birds and beasts [that do not know their own parents].

Most of all, Ikeda teaches them to abandon the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya for his beastlike animal self:

"Nevertheless, the schools of Buddhism other than Tendai have gone astray concerning the true object of devotion. The Dharma Analysis Treasury, Establishment of Truth, and Precepts schools take as their object of devotion the Shakyamuni Buddha who eliminated illusions and attained the way by practicing thirty-four kinds of spiritual purification. This is comparable to a situation in which the heir apparent of the supreme ruler of a state mistakenly believes himself to be the son of a commoner. The four schools of Flower Garland, True Word, Three Treatises, and Dharma Characteristics are all Mahayana schools of Buddhism. Among them the Dharma Characteristics and Three Treatises schools honor a Buddha who is comparable to the Buddha of the superior manifested body. This is like the heir of the supreme ruler supposing that his father was a member of the warrior class. The Flower Garland and True Word schools look down upon Shakyamuni Buddha and declare the Buddha Vairochana and the Buddha Mahavairochana to be their respective objects of devotion. This is like the heir looking down upon his own father, the supreme ruler, and paying honor to one who is of obscure origin simply because that person pretends to be the sovereign who abides by the principles of righteousness. The Pure Land school considers itself to be most closely related to the Buddha Amida, who is an emanation of Shakyamuni, and abandons Shakyamuni himself who is the lord of teachings. The Zen school behaves like a person of low birth who makes much of his small achievements and despises his father and mother. Thus the Zen school looks down upon both the Buddha and the sutras. All of these schools are misled concerning the true object of devotion. They are like the people who lived in the age before the Three Sovereigns of ancient China and did not know who their own fathers were. In that respect, the people of that time were no different from birds and beasts."

Daisaku Ikeda and his leaders may be likened to pigs who devour their physically, spiritually, or psychologically, wounded members, leaving not even skin nor bones. Their spiritual corruption through profligate wealth and power too, is not unlike a tame pig released into the wild and which becomes a vicious dangerous feral pig, growing tusks and attacking both man and beast. Pigs, though naturally clean animals, have the karma to live and thrive in filth and they will eat almost anything. SGI's interfaith is not unlike the pig's indiscriminate eating of filth. The SGI has thrived through their associations with filth: An example is SGI's association with the Mitsubishii corporation which builds and manufactures weapons of mass destruction. Pigs will literally eat themselves to death if given unrestricted access to food.

The SGI mentor and senior leaders have given themselves unrestricted access to money and power through SGI's "planned giving", their hard sell contribution campaigns, and inserting their most loyal members into all facets of Japanese government through stealth and the New Komeito political party. This, along with their lack of financial transparency, reveals the true nature of the mentor and the Soka Gakkai, that of greedy pigs.

How does our faith and practice differ from the Soka Gakkai's?

We share the same faith as Nichiren Daishonin and follow the Wonderful Scripture of the Fine Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra; SGI follows the aphorisms of an unenlightened mentor.

The Twenty Important Principles of the Lotus Sutra

1. Giving the prophecy of enlightenment in near future to the men of the two vehicles (chap. 3)
2. Showing (or Opening ) Buddha's original enlightenment and his immeasurable life span (chap 16)
3. Praising that benefits that will accrue even to the fiftieth person who rejoices upon hearing of it (chap 18)
4. Persons who merely hear the name the Lotus Sutra may attain Buddhahood in this lifetime (chap 17)
5. Shakyamuni showing that Devadatta was his teacher in a past life (chap 12)
6. Manjushiri showing that the eight-year-old dragon king's daughter was his student in a past life (chap 12)
7. The promise that anyone who hears only one phrase of the LS shall attain Buddhahood (chap 10)
8. Anyone who protects the name of the LS will receive innumerable benefits (chap 26)
9. Women who hear the chapter of Medicine King shall never be reborn as women (chap 23)
10. Anyone who hears, reads and recites the LS shall know neither old age nor death (chap 23)
11. Those who carry out five practices shall get to the stage of resemblance to enlightenment (chap 19)
12. Those who carry out the four Peaceful Practices shall get into copper-wheel in their dream (chap 14)
13. Those who vex or trouble the practitioners of the LS will have their heads split into seven pieces (chap 26)
14. Those who give alms to the practitioners of the LS will enjoy good fortune surpassing the ten honorific titles (chap 10)
15. Among the sutras Shakyamuni has preached, now preach, and will preach, the LS is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand. (chap 11)
16. Offering ten similes to praise the teachings of the LS. (chap 23)
17. Maitreya not knowing any single one of Bodhisattvas of the Earth. (chap 15)
18. The Omen of Lotus in the east which even Manjushiri didn't understand (chap 24)
19. Teaching major world system dust particle kalpas to bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching. (chap 07)
20. Giving a metaphor of numberless major world system dust particle kalpas to show the original enlightenment (chap 16)

Soka Gakkai members, especially Daisaku Ikeda, exhibit the Nine Types of Arrogance

(1) thinking that one surpasses one's equals; (2) thinking that one is equal to those who are superior; (3) thinking that one is only slightly inferior to those who are far superior; (4) assuming false humility in affirming the superiority of those in fact superior to oneself; (5) asserting equality with one's equals; (6) asserting the inferiority of one's equals; (7) thinking that one is not surpassed by one's equals; (8) thinking that one's equals are not equal to oneself, i.e., that they are inferior; and (9) humbly acknowledging the superiority of superiors and vaunting one's inferiority (a form of false humility).

Don't leave your critical thinking at the front door of the Kaikan.

http://cclfaith.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-power-of-daimoku.html

Another SGI experience reads:

"Dr. Kawada treated fourteen people with stage four cancer. Some were not even SGI members. Their doctors had given up on all of them. One even had to be brought in on a stretcher. All fourteen people joined the SGI. They all learned to chant following this guidance of using the right side of their brain to project an image of no cancer intheir bodies. In the U.S., last-stage cancer patients are encouraged to draw a white cell eating a cancer cell. Though this has been shown to help, practicing Buddhism has an even bigger impact. In two months the person on the stretcher overcame their cancer. Then his doctor joined. Eventually all fourteen overcame their cancer." ‎-- Bharat Soka Gakkai

Nichiren teaches in Repaying Debts of Gratitude:

"Answer: I, too, admire and believe in these various accomplishments of his. There are other men of old who possessed such uncanny powers. But the possession of such power does not indicate whether that person’s understanding of the Buddhist teaching is correct or not among the non-Buddhist believers of India there have been men who could pour all the waters of the Ganges River into their ear and keep it there for twelve years, or those who could drink the ocean dry, grasp the sun and moon in their hands, or change the disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha into oxen or sheep. But such powers only made them more arrogant than ever and caused them to create further karma to confine themselves in the sufferings of birth and death. It is men like these whom T’ien-t’ai is referring to when he says, “They seek after fame and profit and increase their illusions of thought and desire.”

The Chinese priest Fa-yün of Kuang-che-ssu temple could make it rain suddenly or cause flowers to bloom immediately, but Miao-lo writes of him, “Though he could bring about a response in this way, his understanding still did not accord with the truth [of the Lotus Sutra].” When the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai read the Lotus Sutra, soft rain began to fall in an instant, and the Great Teacher Dengyō caused sweet rain to fall within the space of three days. However, they did not say that because of such powers their understanding of the truth coincided with that of the Buddha.

Regardless of what unusual powers the Great Teacher Kōbō may have had, he described the Lotus Sutra as a doctrine of childish theory and wrote that Shakyamuni Buddha was still in the region of darkness. Persons of wisdom and understanding should have nothing to do with such writings."

May we see the child's medical records? Was it a missed diagnosis? Was it a syndrome like the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome that naturally gets better over time? What about the fourteen patients with cancer? 

I would be pleased to examine the medical records of all 14 patients. Since they all recovered from Stage IV cancer and they joined the Soka Gakkai, I'm sure they will give their consent to my review. I will pay for the postage.

Sensei and SGI must not have liked Shin Yatomi and Pascual Olivera. Had they been liked, they surely would have been put in contact with Vice President Kawada MD. Every SGI member with Stage IV cancer should seek out Dr. Kawada, I reckon....and where was Dr. Kawada when President Daisaku Ikeda's own favorite son died at 29 of an easily curable stomach ailment?

Would SGI ever lie about such a thing? Hell, they lie about everything, from a rainbow appearing at the opening of the Ikeda World Peace headquarters building to Nichiren being the Eternal Original True Buddha. Please remember the following guidance of Daisaku Ikeda

"This is the time of year when there are sharp fluctuations in daytime and night-time temperatures. Let’s take due care to wisely look after ourselves, for example, by keeping warm at night so we don’t catch a chill while sleeping! Let’s all try to advance in the very best of good health!." -- To My Friends published in the Seikyo Shimbun.

Hehe. Through the SGI practice and faith in the mentor, Stage IV cancer and "incurable" hereditary diseases, whether of the lung, colon, breast, pancreas, esophagus, blood, bones, tongue or brain can be cured in 15 out of 15 instances but Daisaku doesn't want his poor sickly disciples to catch a chill at night. Laughable. Don't leave your critical thinking at the front door of the Kaikan.

Miracle cures in the Soka Gakkai

""Dr. Kawada [SGI Vice President] treated fourteen people with stage four cancer. Some were not even SGI members. Their doctors had given up on all of them. One even had to be brought in on a stretcher. All fourteen people joined the SGI. They all learned to chant following this guidance of using the right side of their brain to project an image of no cancer in their bodies. In the U.S., last-stage cancer patients are encouraged to draw a white cell eating a cancer cell. Though this has been shown to help, practicing Buddhism has an even bigger impact. In two months the person on the stretcher overcame their cancer. Then his doctor joined. Eventually all fourteen overcame their cancer."

Then why didn't top SGI leaders Shin Yatomi and Pascal Oliveira overcome their Stage IV cancers? Perhaps they weren't important enough to be introduced to Dr. Kawada.

SGI faith and practice has no power. They lie through their teeth regarding members' miracle recoveries. 

Two of the Five False views are the bones and marrow of Soka Gakkai members

(4) Adhering to misconceptions and viewing them as truth, while regarding inferior views as superior; and (5) viewing erroneous practices or precepts as the correct way to enlightenment.