Don Gropp: "The SGI knows what the correct object of worship is, and I believe the clue to this puzzle is found in "the one great reason."
As far as "can't be proven," I'd say the Nikko - Nichiko lineage is the one thriving and growing today, just like it did in Nikko's area after the Daishonin died. The experiences and stories of millions and millions of diverse individuals worldwide testify to fulfilling "the one great reason." That's proof of fact."
Don hasn't had an original thought about Buddhism in more than 45 years. Interfaith and deprecating the Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha certainly IS proof of actual fact: Proof of the Gakkai's slander of Myoho renge kyo, the one great reason. They link the one great reason with the advent of Makiguchi, Toda and Ikeda as explained in the Human Revolution rather than Shakyamuni Buddha's preaching of Myoho renge kyo as explained in the Gosho. They are very confused. Their experiences are those of usurpers and slanderers of the Law. Their stories are just that, stories.
Don: "SGI has the most diverse demographic population in history, and a slew of youth who are coming out of where-ever (beneath the earth?). The youth, especially,more than 30 years are very active tweetin,' textin,' facebookin;' you name it now, with i-pads, i-phones and whatever's next. They seem even more united and pure than the youth of the "old days."
Me: Islam and Christianity is far more diverse than SGI and the SGI top leaders are all old Japanese men. SGI is about as diverse as the Catholic College of Cardinals. Whatever the SGI youth are tweeting it is not Buddhism. If it is true that they are energized, they are energized about Ikedaism not the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.
Don: The following letter to a believer seems something of a warning about failing to understand "this one great reason." I think that is the primary requisite by Nichiren, passed on by Nikko, which the other schools deny, instead, devoting themselves to "eternal Shakyamuni."
Me: Certainly devoting one's self to Eternal Shakyamuni is more in line with the Lotus Sutra and writings of Nichiren than devoting one's self to Daisaku Ikeda. Who is Don kidding? He is kidding himself and every person stupid enough to follow him and the Soka Gakkai rather than the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren.
Don: I've often seen Nichiren Shu altars with statues of Shakyamuni placed in the middle, concealing the character for "Nichiren." In reality, in the other Nichiren schools, you can practice in just about any way you'd wish. If a ceremony happens the parishioners have priests.
Me: Sour grapes. No real Nichiren priest would sign on to SGI's perversion of Buddhism. Nichiren himself enshrined his Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha From the Sea and he approved of the statues fashioned by his disciples such as Toki Jonin, Shijo Kingo, and even his former teacher Dozenbo..
Don: I've recently heard a lecture that explained each of the characters, and where we see the character for 'Nichiren,' that is where we put our own names. To put a statue or any other obstruction there is probably not a good cause, especially since the Daishonin say So I'm not into covering or concealing one's true name; Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, _ _ _, but I see it quite frequently in the Fuji schools.
Me: Hehe, Don would have a statue or picture of Don or Ikeda in front of the Gohonzon would it not seem so tacky. Don is so confused. SGI is a Fuji school. His logic is so poor. We hear SGI parrot Nichiren that the Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of those who chant the Daimoku, failing to acknowledge that the Gohonzon is covered in blood, bones, urine, and excrement but he would begrudge us a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha or Nichiren Daishonin.
Don: SGI teaches much about the multiple meanings of each of the bold characters of the invocation written down the center of the Gohonzon. "Nam corresponds to the paramita of happiness" is what Ikeda taught. He said Myoho corresponds to the paramita of true self, renge corresponds to the paramita of purity, and kyo corresponds to the paramita of eternity
Me: SGI are not much different than the Zenmen in Nichiren's day.. Nichiren writes:
"....The Zen men in the world today value only meditation [as the way to realize the truth] and have no familiarity with doctrinal teachings. In relying upon meditation alone, they interpret the sutras in their own way. They put together the eight errors and the eight winds, and talk about the Buddha as being sixteen feet in height. They lump together the five components and the three poisons, and call them the eight errors. They equate the six sense organs with the six transcendental powers, and the four elements with the four noble truths. To interpret the sutras in such an arbitrary manner is to be guilty of the greatest falsehood. Such nonsense is not even worth discussing.”
Don confuses the Four Virtues of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth with the Paramitas. SGI interprets the Sutra and Namu Myoho renge kyo in their own way based on the writings of Daisaku Ikeda. We interpret the Sutra as did Nichiren Daishonin.
Don: I'm beginning my 45th year, and when I read this a couple of years ago, I felt refreshed, learning an ideal meaning of Nam, happiness - first - of course. Why didn't I think of that before???
Anyway, to make a long story very much shorter, from the Gosho:
"As I have stated many times before, the scholars in the world today assert that they have studied the Buddhist doctrines and acquired wisdom. But their whole lifetime is wasted, passed in a dream, as it were, simply because they fail to understand 'this one great reason.' You should be absolutely clear on this point, absolutely clear! Take care, take care. - Nichiren Reply to Sadashige (WND-2,1086)
Me: "The Lotus Sutra describes itself as representing the one great reason for which the Buddhas make their appearance in the world because it is a scripture that contains these Three Great Secret Laws."
Lacking a clear mirror, Don can not see himself. He has wasted a whole lifetime in the Soka Gakkai learning and teaching Ikedaism rather than the Lotus Sutra.
