Nichikan, Nichiki, Nissatsu, Makiguchi, Toda, and Ikeda

“The founders who first established these sects failed to discern the true meaning of the sutras upon which they based their teachings. They proceeded only in a shallow manner, employing the sutras in a way that fitted with their own ideas. In doing so, they went against the Lotus Sutra, which means that their teachings were not in accord with the true intention of the Buddha. They were unaware of this, however, and as they proceeded to propagate their doctrines, both the rulers of the nation and the common people came to believe in them. In addition, these doctrines spread to other countries, and many years have gone by since they were first propagated. As a result, the scholars of this latter age, unaware that the founders of these sects were in error, look up to those who practice and propagate their teachings as men of wisdom. If the source is muddy, the stream will not flow clear; if the body is bent, the shadow will not stand upright.” — Letter to Ichinosawa Nyudo Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 6, p. 95.

"Nichiren's" Problematic Works

http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/publications/jjrs/pdf/548.pdf

Essential Services of the Nichiren Lotus Sutra Faith

The Essential Services of the Nichiren Lotus Sutra Faith

Essential Services Auxiliary Practice [Part A Hoben-pon]

Note... Must chant Parts A and C or Parts A, B, and C at least once a day. May also chant any or all parts as many times as one wishes. May be chanted either in English or Sino-Japanese.

Part A

Myo-ho Ren-ge Kyo

Sublime Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra

Ho-ben-pon Dai-ni

Chapter Two, Expedient Means

Ni-ji Se-son

At the time the World Honored One peacefully and

Ju san-mai an-jo no ki

quietly arose from Samadhi and annonced to

Go Shari-hotsu Sho-but-chi-e

Shariputra, "The Wisdom of the Buddhas is Most Profound

jin jin mu-ryo Go chi-e mon

and immeasurable. The Gate of Their Wisdom is difficult to

nan-ge nan-nyo is-sai sho-mon

understand and difficult to enter. It is something that none

byaku-shi-butsu sho fu no chi

of the Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas can understand

Sho I sha ga

What is the reason?

Butsu zo shin-gon hyaku

The Buddha formerly approached hundreds of thousands

sen man-noku mu-shu sho-butsu

of myriads of tens of millions of numberless Buddhas

Jingyo sho-butsu

exhaustively practiced

mu-ryo do-ho

the immeasurable Dharma Paths of the Buddhas,

Yu-myo sho-jin

being bold and effortful,

Myo-sho fu mon

and His Renown was Universally Heard.

Jo-ju jin jin mi zo u ho

It is difficult to understand the import of what He, having

Zui gi sho setsu

achieved the Most Profound, Unprecedented Dharma,

I-shu nan-ge

has preached following what is appropriate.

Shari-hotsu. Go ju jo butsu i rai

Shariputra. Since I attained Buddhahood, I have by

Shu-ju in-nen shu-ju hi-yu

various sorts of causes and conditions and various sorts of

Ko-en Gon-kyo

parables widely expounded the teaching expressed in

Mu-shu ho-ben

words, and by numberless expedients

In-do shu-jo

I have guded the masses of beings,

Ryo-re sho-jaku

causing them to leave attachments.

shi i sha ga Nyo-rai

What is the reason? The Tathagata

ho-ben chi-ken hara-mitsu

is fully possesses of all the

Kai i gu-soku

Paramitas of Knowledge and Vision and of expedience

Shari-hotsu. Nyo-rai chi-ken

Shariputra. The Knowledge and Vision of the Tathagata

Ko dai jin-mon

is vast and great, profound and far-reaching.

Mu-ryo mu-ge riki

Having the Immeasurable, the Unhindered, the Powers,

Mu sho i zen-jo ge-das-sam-mai

Fearlessness, Trance, Liberation, and Samadhi,

Jin nyu musai

He has profoundly entered the unbounded

Jo-ju is-sai mi zo u ho

He has achieved all the Unprecedented Dharmas.

Shari-hotsu. Nyo-rai

Shariputra. The Tathagata

no shu-ju fum-betsu

can variously assign

gyo setsu sho-ho

and skillfully preach the various dharmas,

Gon-ji nyu-nan

with words that are gentle and soft,

Ek-ka shu shin

causing the mass of minds to rejoice.

Shari-hotsu. shu yo gon shi

Shariputra. If we speak of it in essence, it is all

Mu-ryo mu-hen mi zo u ho

of the immeasurable, unlimited, unprecedented dharmas

Bus-shitsu jo-ju Shi. Sharihotsu.

that the Buddha has achieved. I will stop. Shariputra.

Fu shu bu setsu Shi i sha ga.

I should not preach any further. What is the reason?

Bus-sho jo-ju

That which the Buddha has achieved

Dai-ichi ke u nan-ge shi-ho

Is the rarest, difficult to understand Dharma.

Yui Butsu yo Butsu

Only a Buddha with a Buddha

Nan no ku-jin

can exhaustively penetrate

sho-ho jis-so

the Reality of the Dharmas.

[Sho i sho-ho

That is to say, the various Dharmas

Nyo ze so. Nyo ze sho. Nyo ze tai.

are Thus the Appearance, Thus the Nature, Thus the Essence,

Nyo ze riki. Nyo ze sa. Nyo ze in

Thus the Power, Thus the Action, Thus the Cause,

Nyo ze en. Nyo ze ka. Nyo ze ho.

Thus the Condition. Thus the Effect. Thus the Retribution

Nyo ze hom-matsu ku kyo to.]

and Thus the Ultimate Equality of the Original and the Last

[From Sho i sho-ho, to hom-matsu ku kyo to, it is repeated three times.]

Essential Services Auxiliary Practice [Part B Ju-ryo hon] -- optional

Myo-ho Ren-ge Kyo

Sublime Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra

Nyo-rai ju-ryo hon Dai ju-roku

Chapter Sixteen, the Measure of Life of the Tathagata

Ni-ji Butsu go

At that time the Buddha announced to the various

sho bo-satsu gyu is-sai dai shu

bodhisattvas as well as all the great assemblies

Sho zen nan-shi nyo-to

"Good sons. You should believe and understand

shin-ge Nyo-rai jo-tai shi go

the Tathagata's words of sincerity and truth."

Bu go dai-shu

Again he announced to the great assemblies,

Nyo-to shin-ge

"You should believe and understand

Nyo-rai jo-tai shi go

the Tathagata's words of sincerity and truth."

U bu go sho dai-shu

And again He announced to the various great assemblies,

Nyo-to shin-ge

"You should believe and understand

Nyo-rai jo-tai shi go

The Tathagata's words of sincerity and truth,"

Ze-gi bo-satsu dai-shu

At this time the great assembly of the bodhisattvas

Mi-roku i shu

with Maitreya at their head

gas-sho byaku butsu gon

pressed their palms together and addressed the Buddha,

Se-son Yui gan ses-shi

"World Honored One. We only pray that You would preach

Ga-to to shin-ju Butsu go

them. We will receive with faith the words of the Buddha."

Nyo-ze sam-byaku i

Having thus addressed Him thrice, they

Bu gon Yui gan ses-shi

again said, "We only pray that You would preach them.

Ga-to to shin-ju Butsu go

We will receive with faith the words of the Buddha."

Ni-ji Se-son

At that time the World Honored One

Chi sho bo-satsu

knowing that the various bodhisattvas

San sho fu shi

had thrice invited him without ceasing,

ni go shi gon Nyo-tai cho

announced to them, "You hear clearly about

Nyo-rai hi-mitsu jin-zu shi riki

the Tathagata's Hidden Secret Divine Pervasive Powers.

Is-sai se-ken ten-nin

The humans and devas

gyu a-shu-ra kai i

as well as asuras of all the worlds say,

Kon Shaka-muni Butsu

"The present Shakyamuni Buddha,

Shus-shaku-shi gu

having once gone forth from the palace of the Shakya Clan,

ko Ga-ya jo fu on

not far from the town of Gaya,

za o do-jo toku a-noku-ta-ra

seated at the palace of Enlghtenment

sam-myaku sam-bo-dai

has obtained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi."

Nen zen nan-shi

However good sons.

Ga jitsu jo-butsu i-rai

since I truly attained Buddhahood

Mu-ryo mu-hen

it has been immeasurable, limitless

hyaku sen man-noku

hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions

na-yu-ta ko

of nayutas of kalpas.

Hi nyo go-hyaku

For example, it is like five hundreds

sen man-noku

of thousands of myriads of tens of millions

na-yu-ta a-so-gi

of nayutas of asamkheyas

san-zen dai-sen se-kai

of great trichiliocosms

ke-shi u nin

and supposing there is a person

mat-chi mi-jin

who pulverizes them into dust atoms,

ka o to-bo

and having passed in the eastern direction

go-hyaku sen man-noku

five hunreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions

na-yu-ta a-so-gi koku

of nayutas of asamkheyas of countries,

nai ge ichi jin

he then drops one atom

nyo-se to gyo

and thus proceeding to the east

jin ze mi-jin

he would exhaust these dust atoms;

sho zen nan-shi o i un ga

you good sons, what is in your minds?

ze sho se-kai

Could one,

ka toku, shi-yui kyo-ke

reflecting on and calculating these worlds,

chi go shu fu

know their number or not?"

Mi-roku Bo-satsu to

The Bodhisattva Maitreya and the others

ku byaku butsu gon

together addressed the Buddha,

Se-son. Ze sho se-kai

"World Honored One. These various worlds

Mu-ryo mu-hen

are immeasureable and limitless; they are not something

Hi san-ju sho chi

which numerical reckoning understands; likewise they

Yaku hi shin riki sho gyu

are not something which the power of the mind can reach.

Is-sai Sho-mon Byaku-shi Butsu

All Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas

I mu-ro chi

reflecting with their Wisdom-Without-Outflow

fu no shi-yui chi go gen shu

cannot know their numerical limit.

Ga-to ju

Though we abide

A yui ot-chi ji

in the stage of Avivartika(Non-backsliding),

o ze ji chu

in this matter

yaku sho fu datsu se-son.

It is something we cannot attain to. World Honored One

Nyo-ze sho se-kai

Worlds such as these

mu-ryo mu-hen

are immeasurable and limitless."

Niji Butsu go

At that time the Buddha announced

dai bo-satsu shu

to the assembly of great bodhisattvas,

Sho zen nan-shi

You good sons,

Kon to fu-myo

Now I am going to proclaim

sen-go nyo-to ze sho se-kai

to you with clarity: Of these various worlds,

nyaku jaku mi-jin

if one took the ones to which atoms adhered

gyu fu jaku sha

as well as those to which they did not adhere

jin-ni i jin

and completely made atoms of them

ichi jin ik-ko

with one atom as one kalpa,

ga jo-butsu i-rai

the time since I attained Buddhahood

bu ka o shi

surpasses these

hyaku sen man-noku

by hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions

na-yu-ta a-so-gi ko

of nayutas of asemkheyas of kalpas.

ji ju ze rai ga jo zai shi

since then I have been ever in this

Sha-ba se-kai sep-po kyo-ke

Saha World preaching the Dharma and convertiing.

yaku o yo sho

Likewise elsewhere

hyaku sen man-noku

in hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions

na-yu-ta a-so-gi koku

of nayutas of asemkheyas of countries

do-ri shu-jo

I have guided and benefitted the mass of beings. You good

Sho zen nan-shi O ze Chu-ken

sons. During this intermediate time I have preached

Ga setsu Nen-to But-to

as the Buddha Nento(Dipamkara) and others. And,

U bu gon go nyu o ne-han

furthermore, I have also said they have entered Nirvana.

nyo-ze kai i ho-ben fum-betsu

All such as these I have distributed by expedients

Sho zen nan-shi nyaku u shu-jo

You good sons. If there are beings

rai shi ga sho

who come to where I am,

ga i Butsu gen

I contemplate by means of the Buddha Eye

kan go shim to

the sharpness or dullness

sho kon ri don

of their various faculties of faith and so on

zui sho o do

and, in accordance with how they should be saved,

sho-sho ji setsu myo-ji fu do

everywhere I preach my name to be different

nen-ki dai sho

and my age to be great or little,

yaku bu gen gon

and, furthermore, I also manifest myself and say

to nyu ne-han

'I am going to enter Nirvana',

u i shu-jo ho-ben

and, furthermore by various types of expedients

setsu mi-myo ho

preaching the Subtle Dharma

no ryo shu-jo

I have been able to cause the mass of beings

kok-kan-gi shin Sho zen nan-shi

to give rise to joyful minds. You good sons.

Nyo-rai ken sho shu-jo

When the Tathagata sees that the masses of beings

gyo o sho-bo

are those who rejoice in the Lesser Dharma,

toku hatsu ku ju sha

poor in virtues, heavy with defilement,

i ze nin setsu

for these people I preach

ga sho shuk-ke toku a-noku-ta-ra

that when I was young I went forth from the household life

sam-myaku sam-bo-dai

and obtained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

Nen ga jitsu jo-butsu i-rai

But the time since I really attained Buddhahood

Ku on nyaku shi

is as long ago and distant as that.

tan-ni ho-ben kyo-ke shu jo

It is just in converting the mass of beings by expedients

ryo nyu Butsu-do

and causing them to enter the Buddha Way

sa nyo ze setsu Sho zen nan-shi

that I create such a preaching as this. You good sons.

Nyo-rai sho en kyo-den

The Sutra Canons which the Tathagata expounds

kai i do datsu shu-jo

are all for saving and liberating the mass of beings.

waku setsu ko shin

I either preach my own body

waku set-ta shin waku ji ko shin

or preach the body of another or show my own body

waka ji ta shin waku ji ko ji

or show the body of another or show my own matter

waku ji ta ji sho sho gon-setsu

or show the matter of another. The various words I preach

kai jip-pu ko sho i sha ga

are all true and not empty. What is the reason?

Nyo-rai nyo jit-chi ken

The Tathagata knows and sees the appearance

san-gai shi so

of the Three Worlds in accordance with reality:

mu u sho-ji

there is no Birth-and-Death,

nyaku tai nyaku shutsu

whether backsliding or emerging;

yaku mu zai se

likewise there is neither existence in the world

gyu metsu-do sha hi jitsu hi ko

nor extinction; they are not real; they are not void,

hi nyo hi i

they are not thus; they are not different.

fu nyo san-gai

It is not as the Three Worlds

ken-no san-gai nyo shi shi ji

see the Three Worlds. In such a matter as this

Nyo-rai myo ken

the Tathagata sees clearly

mu u shaku-myo i sho shu-jo

and is without error. Because the various beings

u shu-ju sho

have distinctions of various types of natures

shu-ju oku-so fun-betsu ko

and various types of recollections, I, desiring

yoku ryo sho sho zen-gon

to cause various good karmic roots to be produced

i nyak-kan in-nen

by means of considerable causalities,

hi-yu gon-ji shu-ju sep-po

parables, and words, preach various kinds of dharmas:

sho-sa butsu-ji

The work of the Buddha which I perform

mi zo zam-pai

I have never once abandoned even for a brief time.

nyo-ze ga jo-butsu i-rai

Thus the time since I attained buddhahood

jin dai ku on ju-myo mu-ryo

is very great, long and distant. My life is immeasurable

a-so-gi ko

asemkheyas of kalpas

jo-ju fu metsu

and I abide forever and am not extinguished.

sho zen nan-shi

You good sons. The life which I

ga hon gyo bo-satsu do

achieved by originally practicing the bodhisattva way

sho jo ju-myo kon yu mi jin

is not yet extinguished

bu bai jo shu

and it is twice the above number.

nen gon hi jitsu metsu-do

However, though it is not now real extinction,

ni ben sho gon to shu metsu-do

yet I thereupon proclaim, I am going to take extinction.'

Nyo-rai i ze ho-ben

the Tathagata thus converts

kyo-ke shu-jo sho i sha ga

the masses of beings by expedients. What is the reason?

nyaku butsu ku ju o se

If the Buddha were to abide for a long time in the world,

haku toku shi nin fu shu zen-gon

people of poor virtue would not plant good karmic roots

Bin gu ge sen

Being poor and lowly

ton jaku go yaku

and greedily attached to the five desires

nyo o oku-so

they would fall into the midst of the net of thought

mo ken mo-chu nyak-ken Nyo-rai

and wrong views. If they saw the Tathagata

jo zai fu metsu

ever present and not extinguished

ben ki kyo shin

they would then give rise to arrogant licentiousness

ni e en dai fu no sho o

and nourish a disdainful idleness and could not produce

nan-zo shi so

the thought that I am difficult to encounter

ku-gyo shi shin ze ko nyo-rai

nor the mind of reverence. For this reason the Tathagata

I ho-ben zetsu bi-ku to chi

preaches by expedience. The Bhikshus should know:

sho-butsu shu-se

it is difficult to encounter

nan ka chi-gu

the Buddhas' coming forth in the world."

sho i sha ga sho haku toku nin

What is the reason? Of the various people poor in virtue,

ka mu-ryo

having passed through immeasurable hundreds of

hyaku sen man-nok-ko

thousands of tens of thousands of tens of millions of

waku u ken butsu

kalpasthere are those who see the Buddha

waku fu ken sha i shi ji ko

and those who do not see. Because of this fact

ga sa ze gon sho bi-ku

I say these words: Bhikshus!.

Nyo-rai nan ko tok-ken

It is difficult to be able to see the Tathagata."

shi shu-jo to mon nyo ze go

These beings having heard such words

hit-to sho o

will necessarily produce

nan-zo shi zo

the thought that I am difficult to encounter

shin-ne rem-bo katsu-go

and nourish affectionate longing in their hearts

o butsu ben shu sen-gon

and adoring the Buddha, will then plant good karmic roots.

ze ko Nyo-rai sui fu jitsu metsu

For this reason although the Tathagata is not extinct

ni gon metsu-do u zen nan-shi

yet He says that He is extinct. Furthermore, good sons,

sho-butsu nyo-rai

with the various Buddhas, the Tathagatas,

ho kai nyo ze

the Dharmas all are thus.

i do shu-jo

Because they are for saving the masses of beings

kai jip-pu ko

they are all true and not empty.

Hi nyo ro i chi-e so datsu

It is like an excellent Physician, wise and perspicacious.

myo ren ho-yaku

evidently practiced in prescriptions

zen ji shu byo go nin

and skillful in curing the multitude of illnesses.

ta sho shi-soku nyaku ju ni ju

that person has many sons whether ten, twenty,

nai-shi hyaku shu

and even as much as a hundred or more

i u ji en

Because there are conditions in his affairs,

on shi yo koku sho shi o go

he goes far off to another country. The children later

on ta doku-yaku

drink another's poison drugs, the poison

yaku hotsu mon-ran

becomes evident and they are in agony and confusion,

en-den u ji ze-ji go bu

rolling over on the ground. At this time the father

ken rai ki ke

comes back and returns to his house.

sho shi on doku

Among the children, having drunk the poison,

waku ship-pon shin

there are some who have lost their original minds

waku fu shis-sha

and some who have not lost them

yo ken go bu kai dai kan-gi

Seeing their father from afar, they all rejoice greatly

hai ki mon jin

and, bowing and kneeling, made inquiry:

zen-nan-non ki

'Well have you returned in safety.

ga to gu chi

We are foolish and stupid

go buku doku yaku

and by mistake have swallowed poison drugs.

gan ken ku-ryo kyo shi ju-myo

We request that you cure us and give us further life.'

bu ken shi to ku no nyo ze

The father seeing the children in agony like this,

e sho kyo-bo

seeks according to various prescriptions

gu ko-yaku so shiki ko mi mi

good medicinal plants which all are fully endowed

kai shitsu gu soku

with color, fragrance, and beautiful taste,

to shi wa go

and pounding and sifting, he combines them

yo shi ryo buku

and gives it to his children and has them swallow it,

ni sa ze gon shi dai ro yaku

pronouncing these words: This great excellent medicine

shiki ko mi mi

is all fully endowed

kai shitsu gu soku

with color, fragrance, and beautiful taste.

nyo-to ka buku

You should swallow it.

soku jo ku no

It will rapidly eliminate your agonizing sufferings

mu bu shu gen

and you will have no sorrows." Those

go sho sho chu fu shis-shin ja

among the various children who have not lost their minds

ken shi ro yaku shiki ko gu ko

see that this excellent medicine is good in both color and

soku ben buku shi

fragrance and at once swallow this,

byo jin jo yu

their illness is completely eliminated and they are cured.

yo shis-shin ja

As to the remainder who have lost their minds,

ken go bu rai

although on seeing their father coming

sui yaku kan-gi mon jin

they also rejoice and make inquiries

gu shaku ji byo

and request him to heal their illness,

nen yo go yaku

yet when he gives them the medicine,

ni fu ko buku

they are unwilling to swallow it.

shi i sha ga

What is the reason? It was

dok-ke jin nyu

because, since the influence of poison has penetrated

ship-pon shin ko

deeply and has made them lose their original minds, they

o shi ko shiki ko yaku

said to themselves about this medicine with good color

ni i fu mi bu sa ze nen

and fragrancethat it is not beautiful. The father forms this

shi shi ka min i doku sho chu

thought: 'These children should be pitied, ruined by the

shin kai ten-do

poison, their minds are all wrong-headed.

sui ken ga ki

Although they saw me and rejoiced

gu shaku ku ryo

and sought to be saved and cured,

nyo ze ko yaku

a good medicine such as this

ni fu ko buku

they were not willing to swallow.

ga kon to setsu ho-ben

I now am going to set up an expedient

ryo buku shi yaku

to cause them to swallow this medicine.'

soku sa ze gon

Thereupon, he speaks these words:

nyo to chi ga kon sui ro

'You should know i am now decrepit and old

shi ji i ji

and the time of my death has already arrived.

ze ko ro yaku kon ru zai shi

This good, excellent medicine now I leave here. You should take and swallow it.

mot-tsu fu sai

Do not worry that you will not be cured.'

sa ze kyo i

Having given these instructions,

bu shi ta koku

he again goes to another country.

ken shi gen go

He sends a messenger to return and announce:

nyo bu i shi ze ji sho shi

Your father is already dead.' At that time the children

mon bu hai so

having heard that their father has departed in death,

shin dai u no ni sa ze nen

are greatly troubled in mind and form this recollection:

nyaku bu zai sha ji min ga-to

'If our father were here, he would take pity upon us

no ken ku go kon ja sha ga

and save and protect us. Now he has left us

on sa ta koku

and died in another country far away.'

ji yui ko ro

They think themselves to be orphaned and exposed

mu bi ji ko

and to have no further refuge.

jo e hi kan shin zui sho go

Ever nourishing sad feelings, their minds at last awaken

nai chi shi yaku

and they recognize this medicine

shiki ko mi mi

was beautiful in color and fragrance, and taste

soku shu buku shi

and at once take and swallow it.

doku byo kai yu

The illnesses from the poison are all cured.

go bu mon shi

When the father hears that the children

chi toku sai jin ben rai ki

were already able to be cured, he then comes back shortly

gen shi ken shi sho zen nan-shi

all lets all of them see him. Good sons!.

o i un ga ha u nin no

How is it in your opinions: could there be a person who

ses-shi ro i

could declare this excellent physician

ko mo zai fu hot-cha se-son

guilty of vain falsehood or not?' 'No World Honored One.'

Butsu gon ga yaku nyo ze

The Buddha said, 'I am also like this:

jo-butsu i rai

since I attained Buddhahood,

mu-ryo mu-hen

it has been immeasurable, boundless

hyaku sen man-noku

hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions

na-yu-ta a-so-gi ko

of nayutas of asamkheyas of kalpas.

i shu-jo ko i ho-ben riki

For the sake of beings, by the power of expedience

Gon to metsu-do

I say, 'I am about to become extinct.'

yaku mu u no

Yet again there are none who can

nyo ho setsu ga

declare according to the Dharma

ko mo ka sha

that I am guilty of vain falsehood."

ni-ji se-son

At that time the World Honored One,

yoku ju sen shigi

desiring to expound again this doctrine,

ni setsu ge gon

preached verses saying:

Essential Services Auxiliary Practice [Part C Jiga-ge]

Myo-ho Ren-ge Kyo

Sublime Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra

Nyo-rai ju-ryo hon Dai ju-roku

Chapter Sixteen, the Measure of Life of the Tathagata

ji ga toku butsu rai

Since I obtained Buddhahood the number

sho kyo sho kos-shu

of kalpas that have passed is immeasurable

mu-ryo hyaku sen man

hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of

oku sai a-so-gi

millions of quintillians of asemkheyas. I have

jo sep-po kyo-ke

ever been preaching the Dharma, teaching and

mu-shu oku shu-jo

converting numberless tens of millions of beings,

ryo nyu o butsu-do

Causing them to enter the Buddha Way;

ni-rai mu-ryo ko

Since then it has been immeasurable kalpas.

I do sho-jo ko

For the sake of the masses of beings

ho-ben ge ne-han

By expedience manifest Nirvana,

ni jitsu fu metsu-do

Yet in reality I do not become extinct;

jo ju shi sep-po

I ever abide here preaching the dharma,

ga jo ju o shi

Although I ever abide here,

I sho jin-zu riki

By various Divine Pervasive Powers

ryo ten-do shu-jo

I cause the wrong-headed masses of beings,

sui gon ni fu ken

Though close by, not to see me.

shu ken ga metsu-do

The masses see My Extinction,

ko kuyo sha-ri

And widely make offering to my relics,

gen kai e rem-bo

And all of them, nourishing affectionate longing,

ni sho katsu-go shin

Produce the mind of adoration. When the masses

shu-jo ki shim-buku

of beings have already submitted and believed,

shichi jiki i nyu nan

Are simple and upright with minds gentle and pliant

is-shin yoku kem-butsu

and with single mind desire to see the Buddha,

fu ji shaku shim-myo

Not sparing their bodily lives, At that time I as

ji ga gyu shu so

well as the assemblies of monks together come

ku shutsu Ryo-ju-sen

forth at the Spiritual Eagle Mountain(Ryojusen)

ga ji go shu-jo

I at that time say to the masses of beings,

jo zai shi fu metsu

'I am ever here, not extinguished.'

I ho-ben riki ko

Yet by the power of expedience

gen u metsu fu metsu

I manifest extinction and non-extinction.

yo koku u shu-jo

When in other countries there are masses of

ku-gyo shin-gyo sha

beings, those who reverence and believe

ga bu o hi chu

with joy. I likewise among them

i setsu mu-jo ho

preach the Supreme Dharma for their sake.

nyo-to fu mon shi

You, not hearing this,

tan-ni ga metsu-do

Merely say to yourselves that I am extinguished,

ga ken sho shu-jo

When I see the masses of beings,

motsu zai o ku kai

They are drowning in the sea of suffering.

ko fu i gen-shin

Therefore I do not manifest My Body,

ryo go sho katsu-go

To cause them to produce adoration.

in go shin rem-bo

Because of their hearts' affectionate longing

nai shutsu i sep-po

Then I come forth and preach the Dharma for

jin-zu riki nyo ze

them. My Divine Pervasive Powers are like this

O a-so-gi ko

For Asemkheya[countless number] of kalpas

jo zai Ryo-ju-sen

I have ever been at the Spiritual Eagle Mountain(Ryojusen).

gyu yo sho ju-sho

As well as at various other abodes,

shu-jo ken ko jin

The masses of beings see the kalpas exhausted,

dai ka sho sho ji

When they are burned by the great fires;

ga shi do an-non

This land of mine is peaceful and secure;

ten nin jo ju-man

Gods and humans ever fill it. corrects

on rin sho do kaku

and forests and various halls and pavilions,

shu-ju ho sho-gon

With various types of jewels adorned; On the

ho ju ta ke ka

jewelled trees many flowers and fruit, Wherein

shu-jo sho yu raku

the masses of beings take their pleasure

sho ten kyaku ten ku

and rejoice. The gods strike the celestial drums,

jo sa shu gi-gaku

Ever making instrumental music.

u man-da-ra ke

Raining mandara flowers. Scattering them

sam-butsu gyu dai-shu

Over the Buddha and the great assemblies.

ga jo-do fu ki

Though My Pure Land is not destroyed,

ni shu ken sho-jin

Yet the masses see it burned up,

u-fu sho ku-no

Worrisome fears and agonizing sufferings

nyo ze shitsu ju-man

And such things all filling it up. These

ze sho zai shu-jo

beings of various sins, Because of the causes

i aku go in-nen

and conditions of their evil karma, Though

ka a-so-gi ko

they pass through asemkheyas of kalpas,

fu mon sam-bo myo

Do not hear the name of the Three Jewels.

sho u shu ku-doku

Those who have performed merit,

nyu-wa shichi jiki sha

Who are gentle and pliant, simple and upright,

sok-kai ken ga shin

Then all see my body.

zai shi ni sep-po

Staying here, preaching the Dharma.

waku ji i shi shu

Sometimes for these masses I preach the

setsu butsu ju mu-ryo

Buddha's Life is immeasurable. To those who

ku nai ken bus-sha

see the Buddha only after a long time, I preach

I setsu butsu nan chi

for them the Buddha is difficult to encounter.

ga chi riki nyo ze

The power of My Wisdom is like this;

e-ko sho mu-ryo

The illumination of the Light of My Wisdom is

ju-myo mu-shu ko

immeasurable; My Lifespan is immeasurable

ku shu go sho toku

kalpas; It is what I obtained by performing the

nyo-to u chi sha

karmas for a long time. You those who have

mot-to shi sho gi

wisdom, Do not produce doubts about this. You

To dan ryo yo jin

should cut them off and cause them to end forever:

Butsu go jip-pu ko

The Buddha's Words are true and not empty.

nyo i zen ho-ben

It is like the physician by skilled expedience

i ji o shi ko

for the sake of curing his children gone mad,

jitsu zai ni gon shi

Though in reality he exists, yet he says he dies,

mu no sek-ko mo

and there are none who can declare it is a vain

ga yaku i se bu

lie: I likewise am the Father of the World. The

ku sho ku gen sha

One who saves from the various sufferings and

I bom-bu ten-do

travails. Because the unenlightened worldlings are

jitsu zai ni gon metsu

wrong-headed, though in reality I exist, I say I am

I jo ken ga ko

extinguished; because by seeing my constantly,

ni sho kyo-shi shin

They would produce an arrogant and licentious

ho-itsu jaku go yaku

mind, Self-abandoned, attached to the five

da o aku-do chu

desires, And would fall among the Evil Ways of

ga do chi shu-jo

Rebirth. I ever know the masses of beings

gyo do fu gyo do

Proceeding on the Way or not proceeding on the

zui o sho ka do

Way; according to what will save them,

i ses-shu-ju ho

I preach for them all sorts of Dharmas.

mai ji sa ze nen

I Myself ever form this thought:

i ga ryo shu-jo

'By what shall I cause the masses of beings

toku nyu mu-jo do

To be able to enter the Supreme Way

soku jo-ju bus-shin

And rapidly achieve the Buddha Body?'

The Essential Services of the Kempon Hokke [The Principle Practice]

Namu Myoho renge kyo

Namu Myoho renge kyo

Namu Myoho renge kyo

(Chanting the Daimoku Namu Myoho renge kyo with utmost devotion for two minutes to three days or more at the believer's discretion)

(We may initiate and/or conclude the service by reciting aloud various passages of the Lotus Sutra and/or writings of Nichiren Daishonin).

Can You Believe it?

A high ranking Ikeda sect member, Tim Janakos-Kobayashi, invited me to  "Free Energetic Emotional Healing Sessions.". I wrote him back, asking him if he stopped chanting the Daimoku. Myo is to revive. Of what use is a lantern when the sun rises? SGI is nothing but a new age claptrap of a religion which appropriates the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra but which breeds deluded men.

Ikeda SGI Thinks They Are Better and Wiser Than Nichiren

http://www.google.com/search?pq=soka+gakkai&hl=en&ds=yt&cp=22&gs_id=18&xhr=t&q=soka+gakkai+interfaith&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4LENN_en___US469&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&ion=1&biw=1058&bih=496&wrapid=tljp1328672171729020&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=vi&ei=sO0xT6WxKMSKsQLwgPXYBg

We Will Lead Others By Correcting Their Mistakes

Following in the Footsteps of Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin [A Response to an SGI Member Regarding Interfaith]

“On the other hand, when I proclaim that the practitioners of the Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering or declare that the Zen and True Word schools are likewise in error, people may think I am uttering harsh words, but in fact I am speaking truthful and gentle words. As an example, I may point to the fact that Dozen-bo has embraced the Lotus Sutra and fashioned an image of Shakyamuni Buddha, actions that came about because I spoke harshly to him. And the same thing holds true for all the people of Japan. Ten or more years ago, virtually everyone was reciting the Nembutsu. But now, out of ten persons, you will find that one or two chant only Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, while two or three recite it along with the Nembutsu. And even among those who recite the Nembutsu exclusively, there are those who have begun to have doubts and so in their hearts believe in the Lotus Sutra; some have even begun to paint or carve images of Shakyamuni Buddha. All this, too, has come about because I have spoken harsh words.

This response is like the fragrant sandalwood trees that correct among the groves of foul-smelling eranda trees, or lotus blossoms that rise from the mud. Thus, when I proclaim that the followers of the Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering, the “wise men” of our day, who are in fact no wiser than cattle or horses, may venture to attack my doctrines. But in truth they are like scavenger dogs barking at the lion king, or foolish monkeys laughing at the god Shakra.”

We can include Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam along with the Nembutsu, True Word, Zen, and Therevada. SGI can not make the connection because they follow the devilish slanderer Ikeda rather than Nichiren. Even the Daimoku can not penetrate the hearts of such slanderers. As long as they remain in the SGI, they will never gain a correct view. Their Object of Worship is mistaken. Their faith is lame.

“If, knowing the best path, one sees one’s parents or sovereign taking an evil path, can one fail to admonish them? If a fool, crazed with wine, is about to drink poison, can one, knowing this, not try to stop him? In the same way, if one understands the truth of the Buddhist teachings and knows the sufferings of fire, blood, and swords, can one fail to lament at seeing someone to whom one owes a debt of gratitude about to fall into the evil paths? Rather one should cast away one’s body and lay down one’s life in an effort to save such a person.”

“How reassuring, that those who respect the monks of the correct teaching and admonish those who are evil and in error receive such blessings as these!.”

“You should read again and again the previous letter in which I explained that one should of course obey one’s teacher, sovereign, and parents, but should they commit wrongs, admonishing them is in fact being loyal to them,” (The Three Obstacles and four Devils)

“How could I ever feel distantly toward any of you? Even in the case of the Nembutsu priests, the Zen priests, and the True Word teachers, and the ruler of the nation and other men of authority, all of whom bear me such hatred— I admonish them because I want to help them, and their hatred for me makes me pity them all the more.” (Reply to the lay Priest Takahashi)

“The Classic of Filial Piety states, “[In a case of moral wrong,] a son must admonish his father, and a minister must admonish his lord.” (The Letter of Petition from Yorimoto )

Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus slander Shakyamuni Buddha and the votaries of the Lotus Sutra, not even aware that their gods follow the Buddha and the votaries .

“The Great Teacher Dengyo states, “In general, where unrighteousness is concerned, a son must admonish his father, and a minister must admonish his lord.” (ibid.)

“Yet not only do they fail to remonstrate with them, but they criticize one who does confront the Nembutsu school, which is strange indeed! As for Daishin-bo, as I wrote you before, please strongly admonish him by letter.” (The third Doctrine)

The SGI leaders, far from admonishing these heretics and heretical philosophies and religions, pander to them through their interfaith activities. The only ones they admonish are the True Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. It will be no small occurrence if they don’t suffer some great loss for acting contrary to the Lotus Sutra and teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

“It stipulates that, no matter how learned one may be, if one sees an enemy of the Lotus Sutra but fails to admonish that person out of fear, one will fall into the hell of incessant suffering.” (Letter to Akimoto)

We can only conclude that the SGI fails to speak and act as Nichiren Daishonin out of fear and cowardice.

“The high minister Pi Kan, seeing that the Yin dynasty was on the path to ruin, strongly admonished the ruler, though it cost him his head.” (Opening of the Eyes)

The entire world is based on Chistianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism. They are paths to war and ruin. But SGI seeks support and guidance from these slanderers and give them support and succor.

“But because Kuan Lung- feng remonstrated with King Chieh of the Hsia dynasty and Pi Kan admonished King Chou of the Yin dynasty, their names have been handed down in history as those of worthies.” (op cit. Letter of Petition to Yorimoto)

That is why Nichiren Daishonin and his true disciples will be remembered for ten thousand years and more and Ikeda and his disciples will be forgotten.

“Nichiren, who admonishes them for their evil, is father and mother to the ruler, and the teacher of all living beings.” (The Royal Palace)

And we too are fathers and mothers to the rulers and the Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and provisional Buddhist religious leaders. Why? Because we admonish them for not embracing the Lotus Sutra and chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo. If you chant the Daimoku but you don’t like Nichiren Daishonin or Nichiren Daishonin’s way, you are not true to yourself and your words are hollow.

“Is not a person of wisdom one who admonishes the ruler when the country is endangered or corrects others’ mistaken views? But in your case, no matter what error you may see, you will no doubt refuse to correct it for fear of society’s reaction.” (op. cit. Yorimoto)

“In the Lotus Sutra, it is stipulated that those who bear a grudge against its votary are destined to fall into the Avichi hell. The fourth volume states that the offense of harboring malice toward a votary of the Lotus Sutra in the latter age is graver than that of reviling the Buddha for an entire medium kalpa. The seventh volume teaches that people who disparage the votary will suffer in the Avichi hell for a thousand kalpas. The fifth volume states that after the Buddha’s passing, when the Latter Day of the Law arrives, a votary of the Lotus Sutra will certainly appear, and that at that time, in that country, an immeasurably great multitude of monks who either uphold or violate the precepts will gather and denounce the votary to the ruler of the country causing him to be banished and ruined.”

Do you think these persecutions happened to Nichiren Daishonin for holding interfaith conferences with the Nembutsu, Zen, Ritsu, and Shingon? Or do you think that he underwent these trials for correcting their errors? Do you think Nichiren Daishonin would compromise with the Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Brahmins? I will not compromise the teachings for a pat on the back and an award or two.

“Question: What eye of wisdom allows you to perceive that the Nembutsu, Zen, and other schools of our time are the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and evil companions who are ready to mislead all people?

Answer: I do not state personal opinions, but merely hold up the mirror of the sutras and commentaries so that the slanderers of the Law may see their ugly faces reflected there and perceive their errors. But if they are incurably “blind,” it is beyond my power.

In the “Treasure Tower” chapter in the fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra we read: “At that time Many Treasures Buddha offered half of his seat in the treasure tower to Shakyamuni Buddha . . . At that time the members of the great assembly [saw] the two Thus Come Ones seated cross-legged on the lion seat in the tower of seven treasures . . . And in a loud voice he [Shakyamuni Buddha] addressed all the four kinds of believers, saying: ‘Who is capable of broadly preaching the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law in this saha world? Now is the time to do so, for before long the Thus Come One will enter nirvana. The Buddha wishes to entrust this Lotus Sutra to someone so that it may be preserved.’

This is the first pronouncement of the Buddha. Again the chapter reads: “At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying: ‘This holy lord, this World-Honored One, though he passed into extinction long ago, still seats himself in the treasure tower, coming here for the sake of the Law. You people, why then do you not also strive for the sake of the Law? . . . In addition, these emanations of my body, Buddhas in immeasurable numbers like Ganges sands, have come, desiring to hear the Law . . . Each has abandoned his wonderful land, as well as his host of disciples, the heavenly and human beings, dragons, and spirits, and all the offerings they give him, and has come to this place on purpose to make certain the Law will long endure. . . . as though a great wind were tossing the branches of small trees. Through this expedient means they make certain that the Law will long endure. So I say to the great assembly: After I have passed into extinction, who can guard and uphold, read and recite this sutra? Now in the presence of the Buddha let him come forward and speak his vow!’

This is the second proclamation of the Buddha. The passage continues: “The Thus Come One Many Treasures, I myself, and these emanation Buddhas who have gathered here, surely know this is our aim. . . . All you good men, each of you must consider carefully! This is a difficult matter—it is proper you should make a great vow. The other sutras number as many as Ganges sands, but though you expound those sutras, that is not worth regarding as difficult. If you were to seize Mount Sumeru and fling it far off to the measureless Buddha lands, that too would not be difficult. . . . But if after the Buddha has entered extinction, in the time of evil, you can preach this sutra, that will be difficult indeed! . . . If, when the fires come at the end of the kalpa, one can load dry grass on his back and enter the fire without being burned, that would not be difficult. But after I have passed into extinction if one can embrace this sutra and expound it to even one person, that will be difficult indeed! . . . All you good men, after I have entered extinction, who can accept and uphold, read and recite this sutra? Now in the presence of the Buddha let him come forward and speak his vow!”

This is the third admonition from the Buddha. The fourth and fifth admonitions are found in the “Devadatta” chapter, and I will deal with them later.” (op. cit. Opening of the Eyes)

“Adherents of the various schools may attempt to attack you by citing the passage from The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom that states, “If one denounces the teachings others follow out of love for one’s own, then even if one is the practitioner who observes the precepts, one will never escape the pains of hell.” Ask them whether they know why Nagarjuna wrote this admonition, and if Nagarjuna could possibly have been ignorant of how serious an offense it is to slander the true teaching by clinging to provisional teachings. He stated, “The various sutras are not secret teachings; only the Lotus Sutra is secret.” He declared that the Lotus Sutra alone is the seed of enlightenment, likening it to a great physician who can change poison into medicine. Is it possible that he later regretted having said these things, and therefore wrote that, if one denounces the teachings others follow out of love for one’s own, one will be destined to fall into the evil paths? If so, he would have been directly contradicting the truthful words of the Lotus Sutra, in which the Buddha states, “Honestly discarding expedient means” and “Not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.” This is hardly conceivable. Nagarjuna was a bodhisattva who appeared in accordance with Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction, as well as a scholar in the direct lineage of the Buddha’s teaching. He may well have written this admonition in his treatise because he foresaw that such priests as Kobo and T’an-luan would slander the Lotus Sutra, the teaching that befits this age of the Latter Day of the Law. You should scoff at your opponents for not knowing the meaning of the words they cite. Tell them: “Are you yourselves not followers of those destined to fall into the evil paths? How pitiful! Are you not to be counted among those who will suffer for countless kalpas to come?” (Teaching Practice and Proof)

“He agonized over what course to take, but in the end, fearful of violating the Buddha’s admonition, made known his views to Emperor Kammu.” (Selection of Time)

“The Nirvana Sutra states: “If even a good monk sees someone destroying the teaching and disregards him, failing to reproach him, to oust him, or to punish him for his offense, then you should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if he ousts the destroyer of the Law, reproaches him, or punishes him, then he is my disciple and a true voice-hearer.”

This admonition urged me on, and I spoke out against slander in spite of the various persecutions I faced, because I would have become an enemy of the Buddha’s teaching if I had not.Slander can be either minor or serious, however, and sometimes we should overlook it rather than attack it. The True Word and Tendai schools slander the Lotus Sutra and should be severely rebuked. But without great wisdom it is hard to differentiate correctly between their doctrines and the teachings that Nichiren spreads. Therefore, at times we refrain from attacking them, just as I did in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.

Whether or not we speak out, it will be difficult for those who have committed the grave offense of slander to avoid retribution. Our seeing, hearing, and making no attempt to stop slander that, if we spoke out, could be avoided, destroys our gifts of sight and hearing, and is utterly merciless.

Chang-an writes, “If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, one is in fact his enemy.” The consequences of a grave offense are extremely difficult to erase. The most important thing is to continually strengthen our wish to benefit others.” (The Embankments of Faith)

“The heart of all these passages is the admonition to embrace and believe in the Lotus Sutra in this Latter Day of the Law.” (The Embankments of Faith)

“Nevertheless, I was concerned that any admonition would be taken by the ignorant as mere jealousy of his wisdom, and so I refrained from speaking out.” (On Persecution Befalling the sage)

“Then the unenlightened man said: “Listening to the teachings and admonitions of a sage like you, I find that the misunderstandings I have labored under in recent days are all suddenly dispelled.” (op. cit. Conversations Sage)

“The third volume of the Nirvana Sutra says: ‘If even a good monk sees someone destroying the teaching and disregards him, failing to reproach him, to oust him, or to punish him for his offense, then you should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if he ousts the destroyer of the Law, reproaches him, or punishes him, then he is my disciple and a true voice-hearer.’

“The meaning of this passage is that, if a person striving to propagate the correct teaching of the Buddha should hear and see others propounding the teachings of the sutras in a mistaken manner and fail to reproach them himself or, lacking the power to do that, fail to appeal to the sovereign and in this way take measures to correct them, then he is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if, as the sutras direct, he is not afraid of others but censures these slanderers himself and appeals to the sovereign to take measures against them, then he may be called a disciple of the Buddha and a true priest."

Yet the SGI teaches that the Zen, Nembutsu, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus of today are somehow different. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of sharing the dais with them you should be correcting their errant views.

“Being therefore determined to avoid the charge of ‘betraying the Buddha’s teaching,’ although I have incurred the hatred of others, I have dedicated my life to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, extending compassion to all living beings and rebuking slanders of the correct teaching. Those who cannot understand my heart have tightened their lips and glared at me with furious eyes. But if you are truly concerned about your future existence, you should think lightly of your own safety and consider the Law above all. Thus the Great Teacher Chang-an states, ‘ “[A royal envoy . . . would rather], even though it costs him his life, in the end conceal none of the words of his ruler” means that one’s body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. One should give one’s life in order to propagate the Law.’

“This passage is saying that, even if one must give up one’s life, one should not conceal the correct teaching; this is because one’s body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. Though one’s body be destroyed, one should strive to propagate the Law.” (ibid.)

Doesn’t the SGI conceal the True Teaching of the exclusive faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra by holding these interfaith dialogue. Never once do they utter the lion’s roar as did Nichiren during these conferences.

“And what of these admonitions of mine? Because people regard them with suspicion and refuse to heed them, disasters such as those we now face occur.” (Three Tripitaka Masters Pray For Rain)

“Now this great evil True Word doctrine has spread to Kamakura, deceiving the members of the ruling clan and threatening to bring about the destruction of Japan. This is a matter of the gravest import, and I have not discussed it even with my disciples. Instead I have dissembled, pretending ignorance and filling their ears only with attacks upon Nembutsu and Zen. But since my admonitions continue to go unheeded, without begrudging even my life, I will also tell my disciples what the true situation is.

“When I do so, they will be even more perplexed, saying that, no matter how admirable or worthy of respect Nichiren may be, he can scarcely surpass Jikaku and Kobo. I fear I will never succeed in banishing all their doubts. How can I dispel them?” (op. cit. Takahashi)

“It is a grave offense to go against these admonitions, and though invisible to the eye, the error piles up until it sends one plummeting to hell.” (Fourteen Slanders)

“My admonitions have surpassed even those set forth in the yüeh-fu poems of Po Chüi, and my prophecies are not inferior to those of the Buddha. ” (The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra)

“In ancient China, King Chou of the Yin dynasty refused to heed the admonitions of his loyal minister Pi Kan and instead cut out Pi Kan’s heart.” (ibid.)

“But just as a high wind creates great waves, or a powerful dragon brings forth torrential rains, so my admonitions called forth increasing animosity.” (ibid.)

“However, he did not heed my admonitions, but rather began to persecute me even more harshly, so there was nothing further I could do. (op. cit. no Safety Threefold World)

“I, Nichiren, fearing these admonitions of the Buddha, accordingly accused all those throughout the nation who were deserving of it, and more than once I was condemned to exile or to death.” (Letter to Akimoto)

“Thus, although Shan-wu-wei, Hsüantsang, Kobo, Jikaku, Chisho, and the others put forth a variety of clever arguments, they could produce no passage of scripture proving the Lotus Sutra to be inferior to the Mahavairochana Sutra. Their whole argument rests solely on the question of whether the sutra includes mudras and mantras. Rather than writing hundreds of volumes of argument, traveling back and forth between China and Japan with their unending schemes, and arranging for the promulgation of imperial edicts in order to intimidate people, they would have been better off producing some clear passage of proof in the sutras themselves. Who then could have doubted their assertions??

Dewdrops accumulate to form a stream, and streams accumulate to form the great ocean. Particles of dust accumulate to form a mountain, and mountains accumulate to form Mount Sumeru. And in the same way, trifling matters accumulate to become grave ones. How much more so in the case of this matter, which is the gravest of all! When these men wrote their commentaries, they should have exerted themselves in examining both the principles and documentary evidence of the two teachings, and when the court issued imperial edicts, it, too, should have delivered its admonitions after thoroughly investigating both sides and citing some clear passage of proof.

Not even the Buddha himself could repudiate his statement that, among all the sutras he has preached, now preaches, and will preach, [the Lotus Sutra stands supreme]. How much less, then, can scholars, teachers, and rulers of states use their authority to do so! This statement [of the Buddha] has been heard by Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings, and duly recorded in their respective palaces.

So long as the people truly did not know of this statement, it seems that the false interpretations of the teachers I mentioned spread without anyone incurring retribution. But once a person of forceful character has come forward to make this sutra passage known in a bold and uncompromising fashion, then grave matters are certain to occur. Because people have looked down on this person and cursed him, struck him, sent him into exile, or attempted to take his life, Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings have risen up in anger and become that votary’s allies. Thus unexpected censures have come down from heaven, and the people are about to be wiped out and the nation destroyed.

Though the votary of the Lotus Sutra may be of humble background, the heavenly deities who protect him are fearsome indeed. If an asura tries to swallow the sun or moon, its head will split into seven pieces. If a dog barks at a lion, its bowels will rot. And as I view the situation today, the same sort of retribution is happening here in Japan.

On the other hand, those who give alms and support to the votary will receive the same benefit as though making offerings to the Lotus Sutra itself. As the Great Teacher Dengyo says in his commentary, “Those who praise him will receive blessings that will pile up as high as Mount Calm and Bright, while those who slander him will be committing a fault that will condemn them to the hell of incessant suffering.”

The person who offered a humble meal of millet to a pratyekabuddha became the Thus Come One Treasure Brightness. He who offered a mud pie to the Buddha became the ruler of Jambudvipa. Though one may perform meritorious deeds, if they are directed toward what is untrue, then those deeds may bring great evil, but they will never result in good. On the other hand, though one may be ignorant and make meager offerings, if one presents those offerings to a person who upholds the truth, one’s merit will be great. How much more so in the case of people who in all sincerity make offerings to the correct teaching!” (The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings)

Regarding believers in the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha, Nichiren’s compassion and protection was in no way different than a lioness for her cubs. Towards those who would harm the Law and his disciples, he was fearless and uncompromising.

“… But even bodhisattvas with their great compassion, if they make offerings to the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, are certain to fall into the hell of incessant suffering. On the other hand, even those who commit the five cardinal sins, if they show animosity toward those enemies, will definitely be reborn in the human or heavenly world. King Sen’yo and King Possessor of Virtue, who had destroyed, respectively, five hundred and countless enemies of the Lotus Sutra, became Shakyamuni Buddha in this world. His disciples such as Mahakashyapa, Ananda, Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, and other countless followers were people who, at that time, were in the vanguard, defeating the enemy, or killing them, injuring them, or rejoicing in the fight. The monk Realization of Virtue became Kashyapa Buddha. He was a votary of the Lotus Sutra of great compassion who, at that time, urged King Possessor of Virtue to attack the enemies of the sutra as if they were the ones who had betrayed his father and mother in a previous lifetime.” (On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord and Avoiding the Offense of Complicity in Slander)

By making offerings to these slanderers through your interfaith activities you destine yourselves to hell. To have the same mind as Nichiren takes courage.

We of the Kempon Hokke are disciples of the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra. We live his words while others offer lip service to the Daishonin or use him to gain credibility. We will not withold anything of Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings because he lived the Sutra and those who criticize his way are nothing but barking dogs. The teachings of the Kempon Hokke are The Succession Through the Scrolls of the Sutra. No intermediary like a special priest or Daisaku Ikeda is necessary. The SGI should immediately disband and humbly approach the Kempon Hokke to receive a True Object of Worship so that they can lessen the karmic retribution they have brought upon themselves. They are not true believers. At best they are parrots of “the Daimoku of SGI”. To chant Namu Myoho renge kyo while abandoning and causing others to abandon the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha and expect to attain Buddhahood is as futile as entering a treasure mountain without hands. There is no benefit chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo with one’s mouth while chanting Namu Daisaku Ikeda or Namu SGI with one’s heart. If it were possible to attain Buddhahood without confronting evil, the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin would be great liars.

Here is what Nichiren says about those who chant the Daimoku but go against the Sutra:

“They entirely look up to groups of icchantikas and rely on them as leaders and, reverencing blasphemers against the Dharma, make them national teachers. Taking up the Classic Filial Piety of Confucious, they beat their parents’ heads and, while chanting the Lotus Sutra of Lord Shakya with their mouths, they go against the Master of teachings.

As far as converting others, Nichiren teaches in, On Establishing the Correct Law for the Peace of the Land:

“How can we do any good thing without criticizing them?”

“We should rather eliminate (this one sided teaching) than perform ten thousand prayers.”

“You should stop the fountainhead, you should cut out the root.”

“If you wish to realize the peace of our country quickly, you should eliminate them (mistaken doctrines) from our country.”

“If the four kinds of devotees of all the countries of the world stop making offerings to the bad priests and take refuge in the Good Law, no calamity will take place.”

and finally, in conclusion (very last sentences).

“I will not satisfy myself with the pleasure of believing the Right Law. I will lead others by correcting their mistakes.”

This is not just a call for the leaders of the country but a call for his disciples and believers. That is why so many copies of this treatise was circulated. Thanks to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, we of the Kempon Hokke will overcome the oppression of the Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Christians and the provisional Buddhists in the west and in India and Southeast Asia.

Now let me say a little bit about defilement and mixing:

“The third is being defiled, which means that the contents can be contaminated. Though the water itself may be pure, if filth is dumped into it, then the water in the vessel ceases to be of any use.’

By exchanging ideas with the heretics in a friendly congenial manner, rather than break and subdue, we ourselves become defiled. Tientai states, “From the indigo, an even deeper blue.” When we dilute the indigo through interfaith we get a pale facsimile of the indigo.

“Or we may be the kind of practitioners of the Lotus Sutra whose mouths are reciting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo one moment, but Namu Amida Butsu the next. This is like mixing filth with one’s rice, or putting sand or pebbles in it. This is what the Lotus Sutra is warning against when it says, “Desiring only to accept and embrace the sutra of the great vehicle and not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.”

Not accepting a single verse of the other sutras, means not accepting a single verse of the Koran, Bible, Torah or Vedas, let alone the Agamas, the Pure Land, and the Collection Of Wisdom Sutras.

“The learned authorities in the world today suppose that there is no harm in mixing extraneous practices with the practice of the Lotus Sutra, and I, Nichiren, was once of that opinion myself. But the passage from the sutra [that I have just quoted] does not permit such a view. Suppose that a woman who had been the consort of a great king and had become pregnant with his seed should then turn round and marry a man of common stature. In such a case, the seed of the king and the seed of the commoner would become mixed together, and as a result, the aid and assistance of heaven and the protection of the patron deities would be withdrawn, and the kingdom would face ruin. The child born from two such fathers would be neither a king nor a commoner, but someone who belongs not to the human realm.

This is one of the most important points in the Lotus Sutra. The doctrine of the sowing of the seed and its maturing and harvesting is the very heart and core of the Lotus Sutra. All the Buddhas of the three existences and the ten directions have invariably attained Buddhahood through the seeds represented by the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. The words Namu Amida Butsu are not the seeds of Buddhahood, nor can the mantras or the five precepts act as such seeds. One must be perfectly clear about this point, because this is the fault referred to as being mixed.”

These friendly interfaith meetings are mixing the clean with the unclean. These blasphemers must be remanded to the audience. they may not sit on the platform of Unexcelled Enlightenment with the True Preachers of the Dharma. They are not welcome to preach their heretical Dharma in a Kempon Hokke home or temple: “I’m sorry, you will have to sit down and refrain from positing your heretical views, or you will be asked to leave.” They may ask questions and they my praise the Lotus Sutra and their votaries but they will have to do so from the audience. Debate is a whole other story. These interfaith SGI meeting are a meeting of the minds, a consensus. There is no compromise with evil, according to Nichiren Daishonin. We must never defer to the provisional Buddhist schools let alone those of the non-Buddhists lest we be guilty of complicity like the SGI.

“The scholars of the various schools continue to cling to the mistaken opinions of their respective teachers. Therefore, they declare that Buddhist practices must be accommodated to the people’s capacities, or they defer to the opinions of their founders or try to persuade the worthy rulers of the time to be their allies. The upshot of all this is that in the end they give themselves up wholly to evil intentions, engage in wrangling and doctrinal disputes, and take delight in inflicting injury upon people who are guilty of no fault.” (Letter From Teradomari)

These are the causes and effects, the thoughts, words, and deeds of those who go against the Lotus Sutra. One who has the very same thoughts, words, and deeds of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin can never give themselves up to evil intentions, follow evil teachers, or engage in wrangling and doctrinal disputes since we have the same noble intentions, embrace the very same doctrines, and never delight in injuring people who are guilty of no fault. Those guilty of no fault are members of the the Kempon Hokke. Those guilty of great faults are the Soka Gakkai, the Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Jews.

Nichiren also writes:

“Answer: Chang-an writes: “Hence [T’ien-t’ai’s explanation of the title in] the preface conveys the profound meaning of the sutra. The profound meaning indicates the heart of the text, and the heart of the text encompasses the whole of the theoretical and essential teachings.” And Miao-lo writes, “On the basis of the heart of the text of the Lotus Sutra, one can evaluate all the other various teachings of the Buddha.”

We can also evaluate the non-Buddhist teachings and reveal their fallacies. We can evaluate the devotees of these religions and point out their faults. There is no common ground and there is no compromise. Chant Namu Myoho renge kyo or fall into hell.

Nichiren writes:

“The Great Teacher Chia-hsiang wrote the ten-volume Hokke Genron, and that would under ordinary circumstances have condemned him to fall into the hell of incessent suffering. But he set aside his own manner of reading the Lotus Sutra and served the Great Teacher Tientai, and thus was able to escape the pains of hell.” (Akimoto Gosho)

Is interfaith, Nichiren’s manner of reading the Sutra? Can anyone say so and back up their point of view? In the Opening of the Eyes he takes to task Confucianism, Brahmanism, Taoism, and each and every provisional Buddhist teaching. Were he aware of Christianity and Islam would he not take them to task? Would he join them in prayers [or friendly discussions], even for the sake of peace? Never. He never did nor would he ever and neither will we [unlike the SGI who is so steeped in slander that they can neither distinguish black from white].

Today all the sects, save for the Kempon Hokke, have a different manner than Nichiren Daishonin in the way they read the Lotus Sutra. Their mistaken doctrines and practices are proof that they have their own manner of reading the Sutra. The SGI is so worried about being liked and accepted that they have abandoned the Lotus Sutra and the Supreme Votary. Ikeda is so preoccupied with receiving awards and honors he will compromise with the devil. It is ten thousand, one hundred thousand, one million times better to be hated as Nichiren Daishonin and speak the truth to slanderers:

Among all these men, Nichiren alone deserves to be regarded as the foremost. In what sense is he the foremost?? He is foremost in being hated by men and women…”

He explains why:

“But I, Nichiren, one man alone, declare that the recitation of the name of Amida Buddha is an action that leads to rebirth in the hell of incessant suffering, that the Zen school is the invention of the heavenly devil, that the True Word school is an evil doctrine that will destroy the country, and that the Precepts school and the observers of the precepts are traitors to the nation.”

While the modern “reformers” of the Nichiren sect [who I call blasphemers], Daisaku Ikeda, Arai Nissatsu, and Udai-in Nichiki have changed the Four Dictums of Nichiren to fit in with their limited slanderous worldview, we of the Kempon Hokke include Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism too, as falling under the Four Dictums:

“Because we contemplate the Buddha, ceaselessly devils are quieted; because our words are true, traitors who would destroy the nation are subdued.” –Nissatsu

“The modern significance of the four dictums is not limited to the simple refutation of Japanese Buddhist schools, but in fully developing the positive power of human life. This is the Mystic Law of the simultaneity of cause and effect inherent in human life, and to embrace it is to create boundless value.”– Ikeda

Nichiren’s life and death struggle was a mere “simple refutation” to Daisaku Ikeda. Then he goes on with a non sequitor to change the subject which is offensive to his slanderous ears. This is what all the SGI do when I perform Nichiren Daishonin’s practice of Shakabuku, as if it is divorced from Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. It is the very heart of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and our practice for the sake of others.

We of the Kempon Hokke embrace Nichiren Daishonin’s Four Dictums and expand them to make Eight Dictums, Twenty Eight Dictums, One Thousand Dictims, such as Christianity is the teaching of heavenly demons, Islam is the teaching of blind heretics, Hinduism is the teaching of parasitic worms, and Judaism is the teachings of misanthropes.

I will conclude with more words from Letter to Akimoto:

“Because I do so, from the sovereign on down to the common people, all people fear me more than they would an enemy of their parents, an enemy from a past existence, a plotter of treason, a night raider, or a bandit. They rage, they curse, they strike at me. Those who slander me are given grants of land, while those who praise me are driven from their areas or fined, and the people who desire to kill me are singled out for rewards. And on top of all this, I have twice incurred the wrath of the authorities.

I am not only the strangest person alive in the world today; in the ninety reigns of human sovereigns,6 in the more than seven hundred years since the Buddhist teachings were first introduced to Japan, there has never been such a strange person. I, Nichiren, am like the great comet of the Bun’ei era (1264), a disorder of the heavens such as had never happened in Japan before that time. I, Nichiren, am like the great earthquake of the Shoka era (1257), a freak of the earth that had never before occurred in this land.

In Japan since the history of this country began, there have been twenty- six perpetrators of treason. The first was Prince Oyama, the second was Oishi no Yamamaru, and so on down to the twenty-fifth, Yoritomo, and the twenty-sixth, Yoshitoki. The first twenty-four of these men were struck down by the imperial forces and had their heads put on display at the prison gate, or their corpses left to rot in the mountain fields. But the last two succeeded in overthrowing the sovereign and gaining complete control of the nation, and at that time the imperial rule came to an end.

And yet these various perpetrators of treason are less hated by the mass of people than is Nichiren. If you ask why that should be, I will tell you. The Lotus Sutra contains a passage declaring that that sutra is first among all the sutras. However, the Great Teacher Kobo declares that the Lotus Sutra ranks third, while the Great Teacher Jikaku declares that the Lotus Sutra ranks second, and the Great Teacher Chisho agrees with Jikaku. Hence at present, when the priests of Mount Hiei, To-ji, and Onjo-ji look upon the Lotus Sutra, they read the passage that says the Lotus Sutra is first, but what they understand when they read it is that the Lotus Sutra is second or third in standing.

Neither the nobility nor the warrior clans have any detailed information about this matter. But since the eminent priests in whom they place their faith all subscribe to this opinion, the laity share the same view as their teachers.”

In like manner, the disciples and believers of Daisaku Ikeda share their mentor's view that the Lotus Sutra has lost its power in the Latter Age. To support this mistaken view, they cite one or both passages from the writings of Nichiren Daishonion that an ignorant might take as proof, ignoring his more than three thousand citations that exalt the Lotus Sutra. We know why the Soka Gakkai makes such claims while ignoring the vast majority of the writings of Nichiren ... Were their members to embrace the Lotus Sutra and the entirety of the writings of Nichiren Daishonin, they would realize that there is no need for a living mentor in the seat of the Law or an organization that teaches contrary to the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin.