Dedicated to the elephants and whales

Hold on tight to your dreams!

ELO

We can be heros

We go hideaway in daylight
We go undercover when under sun
Got a secret side in plain sight
Where the streets are empty
That’s where we run

Everyday people do
Everyday things but I
Can’t be one of them
I know you hear me now
We are a different kind
We can do anything

We could be heroes
We could be heroes
Me and you
We could be heroes
We could be heroes
Me and you
We could be

We could be

We could be
Ooh ooh ooh
We could be
Ooh ooh ooh

Anybody’s got the power
They don’t see it
'Cause they don’t understand
Spin around and round for hours
You and me we got the world in our hands

Everyday people do
Everyday things but I
Can’t be one of them
I know you hear me now
We are a different kind
We can do anything

We could be heroes
We could be heroes
Me and you
We could be heroes
We could…

"Our worth does not depend on an organization"

YES!

Even the deceased...

...are counted among active SGI members in their statistics, not to mention those who participated in even one meeting.

Germany, Belgium, and France: "Soka Gakkai is a dangerous cult"

Seriously?

Would Nichiren Daishonin be asked to speak at the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue?

They ruined the perfect recipe for Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment.

The SGI cult manufactures its history to suit its own narrative and it's narrative, doctrines, and practice has changed several times. The truth is always spun in the SGI cult. They fail to believe in the Lotus Sutra which teaches the principle of thusness [or suchness]. It is useless to rely on the teachings of such people for benefit, let alone for Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra document has not changed for 2000 years. The theoretical foundation of the Lotus Sutra has not changed for 1500 years thanks to Tientai the Great; and the practice of the Lotus Sutra has not changed for more than 750 years thanks to Nichiren. But in one fell swoop, the Soka Gakkai changed the very doctrines and practice of the Lotus Sutra. 

The clam brained non-salaried gaijin SGI senior leaders

What they do is perform a type of MLM (multi-level-marketing) whose product is "peace", [Japanese] "CULTure", and "education" to enrich Ikeda and his top leaders. They are as phony as a counterfeit North Korean hundred dollar bill. But the clam brained non-salaried and low paid gaijin senior leaders are too dumb or brainwashed to see things as they really are.

Strong faith or no faith are the two greatest determinants for leaving the Soka Gakkai.

Question: Is it easy or difficult to leave the Soka Gakkai?
Answer: That depends: General member, leader, amount of time in the organization; correct, incorrect, or no faith in the Lotus Sutra, the Gohonzon, the doctrines of Soka Gakkai, the doctrines of Nichiren, etc; strong or weak SGI practice; friends in and out of the organization; relationship with leaders; mood; state of mind; family in or out of the organization; interests outside of the organization; studied or not; obstacles or perceived punishment; value placed on honesty; hopes and desires...

On this last point. Suppose you desire a copy of a Nichiren inscribed Gohonzon. if your desire was strong, you have absolutely no choice but to leave the organization since copies of Nichiren inscribed Gohonzons are verboten. Depending on the strength of your desire [to practice as the Daishonin taught] it can be easy or difficult to leave the organization. Where there is no faith in the Lotus Sutra, it is easy to leave. Where there is strong faith but little study, it can be very difficult [because one has been brainwashed and propagandized to believe that only the Soka Gakkai upholds the Lotus Sutra]. 

Faith in the doctrines of the Soka Gakkai was simultaneously one of my biggest impediments to an easy transition and the source of my determination to leave the Soka Gakkai. Let me explain. Having been indoctrinated that Soka Gakkai activities was the source of both Enlightenment and the only way to realize the widespread propagation of the Lotus Sutra [Kosen Rufu], for years, I threw myself into activities at the expense of my profession, my family, my personal development etc yet it was still very difficult to determine to leave because my Great Wish was stronger than my "smaller wishes". On the other hand, my unrealizable "small wishes" [because of the time allotted to SGI activities] made it very easy to decide to leave, especially after studying deeply the writings of Nichiren Daishonin and comparing them to the SGI teachings.

If one is "happy", it is extremely difficult to leave the SGI despite the inconsistencies of their doctrines and their failure to act as they speak. Who cares if Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra teach that Shakyamuni is the Original Eternal Buddha, there is no proof that Nichiren inscribed the DaiGohonzon, that there is no place for interfaith practice, or the fact that a living master in the seat of Law is not a cardinal doctrine, let alone THE cardinal doctrine of the Lotus Sutra?  "I'm happy." It may take a great faith in the teachings in the face of the winds of pleasure, prosperity, praise, and honor to leave the SGI. 

Strong faith in the teachings and in Nichiren or no faith whatsoever, are the two greatest determinants for leaving the Soka Gakkai.  

The reason for Nichiren's persecutions

"But now the 4,589,659 people of this country of Japan have been deceived by the great heavenly devil in the person of men such as Shan-tao, Eshin, Yōkan, and Hōnen, who have led them to cast aside Shakyamuni and take Amida Buddha as their object of devotion. And in their madness, they have gone so far as to seize the fifteenth day of the second month [the day when Shakyamuni passed away] and declare it to be the day of Amida Buddha’s passing; and the eighth day of the fourth month [when Shakyamuni was born] they claim to be the birthday of Medicine Master Buddha. Their hatred of Shakyamuni, who is the father of us all, is so intense that they insist that Great Bodhisattva Hachiman is a manifestation of Amida Buddha. In doing so, they mean to pay honor to Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, but in fact they become enemies of Great Bodhisattva Hachiman.

If I understood nothing of all this, that would be the end of the matter. But in fact for the past twenty-eight years I have endeavored to dispel these mistaken beliefs by quoting the passage [from the Lotus Sutra in which Shakyamuni Buddha states]: “But now this threefold world [is all my domain, and the living beings in it are all my children].” If people failed to believe me, they could at least have left it at that. But instead they shot arrows at me, slashed me, attempted to kill me, exiled me, or drove me away. For that reason Great Bodhisattva Hachiman has set fire to his dwelling and ascended to the heavens." [1280]

The SGI and the Nichiren Shoshu also hate Shakyamuni Buddha. They destroy the great matter of Nichiren's declaration of Shakyamuni Buddha as Original Eternal Buddha and the very reason for the persecutions befalling him.

Why Nichiren's commentaries trumps Daisaku Ikeda's commentaries

"But when debating these matters with followers of other schools, one should confine the discussion to matters dealing with general principles. Thus, for example, one should point out that if T’ien-t’ai’s Great Concentration and Insight were not based on the Lotus Sutra, then it should be summarily discarded. Why? Because the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai himself stated emphatically, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” The Great Teacher Dengyō said, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.” The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom of Nāgārjuna says that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely on those that distort the sutras. And Shakyamuni, the lord of teachings, said, 'Rely on the Law and not upon persons.'”

The Ten Worlds (highlighting the World of Buddhahood)

Hell: Gastric Cancer; Multiple life threatening trauma; severe depression; a tooth ache; fighting/warring; losing a loved one, migraine headache; torture. 

Hunger: Never satisfied; Failing to allow others to listen to our sermons; starvation. Greedy men and women.

Animality; instinctual; unthinking; sleeping much, lashing out to the mildest affront; eating, defecating; big dog, little dog; fawning

Anger: quick tempered; yelling and screaming. Thinking oneself better than others;

Tranquility: a day at the beach; watching television; a stroll through the garden; resting

Rapture; hitting the Lottery; orgasm; the birth of a child. Fleeting usually and it is taught, Hell lies around the corner from Rapture

Learning: studying; utilizing the teachings of others; self reflection; self satisfied understanding; attaining a type of Therevadan Enlightenment through the teachings of other.s

Absorption: Creating something, music, architecture, surgery, self satisfied understanding; having a personal goal; Attaining a type of Theravadan Enlightenement by seeing the utter transience of the world all by oneself.

Bodhisattva: single pointed caring and love for a child, spouse, parent; love of humanity; sharing the teachings of the Buddha and Nichiren; selflessness;

Buddha: Supremely and perfectly Enlightened:

1. The One That Has Come (Tathagata) - This refers to the One that comes down to this world from the realm of the absolute spiritual reality to enlighten living beings (and then reenters Nirvana, returning back to that absolute reality).

2. Worthy of Offerings or Worthy of Worship (Arhat) 

3. Truly Omniscient (Samyak Sambuddha) - Having the ‘Wisdom of All’, awakened to the oneness of all things. Seeing beyond duality and yet understanding how all things properly fit in to the great fabric of the one reality. This is understanding the three truths.

4. Perfect in Illumination and Conduct (Vidya-carana-sampanna) - Perfection in both spiritual understanding (of Nirvana, selflessness, and impermanence, the 3 seals of the Dharma) as well in one’s actions (thoughts, words and deeds).

5. Well Departed (Sugata) - The opposite of ‘The One That Has Come’ (Tathagata) - One who leaves this world a better place upon leaving it.

6. Understanding the World (Lokavit) - Understanding cause and effect, karma and retribution, the destiny of all paths, the past, present and future, and the Saha world, the mortal realm of Life & Death (Samsara).

7. Supreme (Anuttara) - Unexcelled, peerless. It is often used in conjunction with ‘Truly Omniscient’. When they are paired, it refers to the total blending of the three truths, the perfection of enlightenment.

8. Tamer of Men (Purusa-damya-sarathi) - Like the tamer of elephants and lions, the Buddha is able to bring the emotional distress (klesas) of others under control and make them serene and illumined.

9. Teacher of Gods and Men (Sasta deva-manusyanam) - The Buddha is able to teach of morality to gods (devas) and men (manusyas) to keep them from evil and is also able to teach them of liberation from the mortal realm of Life & Death.

10. The World Honored Enlightened One (Buddha-Bhagavan or Buddha-Lokanatha) - The Enlightened or Awakened One (Buddha) refers to the one who is awakened to the true Nirvana, who recognizes that this enlightenment dwells in all living beings and who is determined to awaken this in all living beings. When revealed in this world, this enlightened one (Buddha) is honored by all living beings.

Theoretical and Actual Ichinen Sanzen (Three Thousand Realms in a Momentary Existence of Life)

Three Thousand Realms (or Worlds) In a Momentary Existence of Life 

Each of the Ten Realms [Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture, Learning, Self Realization, Bodhisattva, and Buddha] is manifest from moment to moment and contains Ten Realms which are latent. This makes One Hundred Realms. Each of the One Hundred Realm contains Ten Factors (appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, relation, latent effect, manifest effect, and their consistency from beginning to end). This makes One Thousand Realms. Each Realm also contains the Three Principles of Individuation [the Realm of the Individual, the Realm of the Society of Beings and the Realm of the Environment. This makes Three Thousand Realms. 

In general, a Bodhisattva [selfless being] manifests primarily Bodhisattva from moment to moment and always quickly returns to Bodhisattva when manifesting one of the other realms. The Bodhisattva has the Appearance, Nature, Entity, Power, Influence, Cause, Condition, Latent Effect, Manifest Effect, and Consistency from Beginning to End of a Bodhisattva. Both the society or collection of beings in which the Bodhisattva resides and the environment [land] of the Bodhisattva manifest predominantly the Realm of Bodhisattva. 

In general, a cat manifests primarily Animality from moment to moment and always quickly returns to Animality when manifesting one of the other realms. The cat has the Appearance, Nature, Entity, Power, Influence, Cause, Condition, Latent Effect, Manifest Effect, and Consistancy from Beginning to End of an animal. Both the society or collection of beings in which the cat resides and the environment of the cat manifest predominantly the Realm of Animality. 

A Bodhisattva will manifest Animality for periods of time when, for example, he experiences the urge to sleep or defecate.

A cat will manifest Bodhisattva for periods of time when, for example, it acts selflessly towards its kittens or its owner. 

Tientai asserted that every being has the potential to elevate its central life tendency [or the Realm or Realms to which it gravites] through the principle of Ichinen Sanzen. For example, a cat can create the causes and conditions for Bodhisattva by either very strongly [for a moment] or habitually acting selflessly. Intent, according to Tientai, is far less important than actuality or suchness in elevating [or lowering] one's central life tendency. 

The practice advocated by Tientai was meditation directed towards perceiving the Three Thousand Realms In a Momentary Existence of Life. He recited the title of the Lotus Sutra ten thousand times a day for his personal practice but since the time and the people's capacity were not ripe for the widespread propagation of the principle practice of the Lotus Sutra, he refrained from advocating this practice for others. 

Nichiren Daishonin taught Actual Ichinen Sanzen or one moment of exceptionally profound faith and joy in Namu Myoho renge kyo and its continuous recollection is itself Buddhahood.

The Three Realms of Existence

"The sahā world Shakyamuni Buddha revealed in the “Life Span” chapter is the eternal pure land, impervious to the three calamities and to the cycle of the four kalpas. The Buddha neither has entered into extinction in the past nor will be born in the future. And the same is true of his disciples. This means that their lives are perfectly endowed with the three thousand worlds, that is, with the three realms of existence*."

*The Realm of the Individual, the Realm of the Society of Beings, and the Realm of the Environment.

As a Buddhist warrior, I think I inherited my father's courage

"Let each and every one without exception who would name themselves my disciples never think of acting cowardly. Do not think of parents, wives, children, nor have regards for domains. For immeasurable kalpas there have been more instances than the dust atoms of the Great Earth that they have abandoned their lives for the sake of parents, children, and domains but never yet once have they abandoned their lives for the sake of the Lotus Sutra. Although they fully practice the Lotus Sutra, when such events occur, they turn, backslide, and stop. For example, it is like putting boiling water into cold water or attempting to start a fire and failing to succeed. Let each one be resolved. Exchanging this body for the Lotus Sutra is exchanging rocks for gold or dung for rice. As an auspicious sign that the Five Characters Myo ho ren ge kyo which are the Essence of the Lotus Sutra and the Eyes of the Buddhas and which even Kashyapa, Ananda and so on, Ashvaghosa, Nagarjuna and so on, Nan Yueh, Tientai and so on, Miao-le, Dengyo and so on have not yet spread during the more than twenty-two hundred and fifty years after the Buddha's Extinction, they are going to spread at the beginning of the Age of the Latter Dharma. I, Nichiren, have taken the lead. My party, together with the second and third battle lines and continuing on are, indeed, superior even to Kashyapa and Ananda and go beyond Tientai and Dengyo. If they are terrified when the rulers of a mere little island nation threaten, what shall they do about the torments of King Emma? Those naming themselves, 'messengers of the Buddha' yet who act cowardly are the vilest of people." -- Letter on His Various Acts (Shuju Furumai Gosho)

My father was a master sergeant in World War II. He was a machine gunner and received a bronze medal and four purple hearts for his campaigns in North Africa, Omaha Beach, Sicily, Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge. As a Buddhist warrior, I think I inherited his courage.

For my arab friends

http://markrogow.blogspot.com/

د Anonymous يو تیریدلو

"دا ټول انسانان دي د Shakyamuni د بودا د مریدانو. راهیسې د بېلابېلو بودا پخپله د Shakyamuni بودا emanations، دا زموږ د لمر، سپوږمۍ او ستوري، چې د بېلابېلو بندګۍ پرته وايي چې د دوی د مریدانو باید د Shakyamuni مريدانو وي د کورس ته ځي. او په تېرو کې له بې شمېره عمرونو په نړۍ کې اوسېدل بايد ورته د Shakyamuni د بودا د مريدانو وي. " "(MW ټوک 2، Ibid، الین 152)

How to dive into the teachings

"Just a suggestion but would it be possible to post more info on how to really dive into the teachings for a new be coming into the Nichiren fold?there isn't much info out there other than by "those that shan't be named." or others with there own agenda. would it be possible to maybe post some things that show how one can begin, continue and develop their practice for the long haul and integrate into everyday life from an authentic point not from a watered down, mixed point like what is being peddled as Nichiren Buddhism." -- Josh

To begin to dive into the teachings, determine to chant Namu Myoho renge kyo for, at least, 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. Choose a clean area of your home and set up an altar with blank wall, altar table, covered water cup [to change the water daily], vase for fresh flowers or evergreens [which should never be left on to wither and die], food bowl for offering fresh fruit [and try never to let the fruit rot], bell, insense dish, and candle holder. Initially, you may place a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha on the altar [be sure that it is Guatama or Shakyamuni and not Amida] and place a copy of the Lotus Sutra before it. In order to continue, make a great indestructible vow to continue chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo until the last moment of your life. To help you to continuously renew and strengthen your vow, it is necessary several things: To study the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin on a daily basis if possible; to take as your teachers Shakyamuni Buddha of the Original Doctrine [Shakyamuni of the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra] and Nichiren Daishonin, the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra]. Integrating the teachings into your daily life is to chant the title of the Lotus Sutra with the same faith as Nichiren. When your vow is firm, you may ask your friend or family member who introduced you to the faith and practice to bestow upon you a mandala Gohonzon or you may print off a mandala Gohonzon and either frame it or mount it on a blank wall scroll. The Gohonzon should be placed on the wall above seated eye level or placed in a cabinet called a Butsudan. You may continue to have your statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and the copy of the Lotus Sutra on the altar and you may also place a statue of Nichiren Daishonin on the altar. Usually, the statues and copy of the Lotus Sutra are placed in the middle in front of the Gohonzon but this is not a hard and fast rule. Nichiren was not absolutely clear as to the structure of a valid object of worship [devotion], be it a painted [or inscribed] or statue arrangement. This accounts for the different styles and arrangements of the objects of worship of the various sects. You can't go wrong with a copy of a Nichiren inscribed Gohonzon. 

There are two types of practice: The practice for oneself and the practice for others. The practice for oneself is to chant Namu Myoho renge kyo. We may also chant parts of the 2nd and 16th Chapters of the Lotus Sutra. The practice for others can be further broken down into the peaceful practices and the forceful practices. Only the priests must perform both practices. Laymen and laywomen may or may not perform the forceful practices depending on their abilities. Nichiren performed principally the peaceful practices regarding his disciples and believers and principally the forceful practices regarding believers and practitioners of other faiths. 

You will develop and integrate your faith and practice by following the Master Nichiren and adopting his manner of reading the Lotus Sutra [a bodily reading]. 

Nichiren on rebuking the enemies of the Lotus Sutra

"[If] even one with deep faith does not rebuke the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, no matter what great good he may produce, even if he recites and copies the Lotus Sutra a thousand or ten thousand times, or perfects the way of contemplating the three thousand realms in one thought-moment, if he fails to rebuke the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, then it will be impossible for him to realize enlightenment. To illustrate, even if one has served the court for ten or twenty years, if, knowing of the ruler’s enemies, he fails to report them or to oppose them himself, then the merit of his service will all be lost and he will instead be guilty of a crime. You must understand that the people of today are slanderers of the Dharma." (Nanjõ Hyõe Shichirõ-dono gosho, STN 1: 321–22)20