"I was very Gakkai"

"My Experience".... 

I was a member of SGI-USA for 25 years and for 20 of those 25 years I was very Gakkai. All I wanted was to be close to my master President Ikeda and attain enlightenment. Of course in the Gakkai the only way to accomplish this is to follow without question the guidance of your leaders starting with your immediate leader. I did my best to follow the direction I was given. I gave my heart, our money and all my time but it was never enough. I was never quite good enough even though I put the Gakkai first and my husband and family second. How much more could I give. 

I was a Chapter Women Division Chief and Headquarters, Territory, and Joint Territory Publications Cho. I was always in charge of the Territory Art Committee, & always a key person for the Jt. Terr. Art Committee. I did the Chapter banking and the HQ publications banking. I was usually in charge of the "People Movers" for all the movements: Conventions, Training Meetings, Guidance Meetings, Lectures, etc. I was in the 1972 WD Brass Band and I was a Bulgarian Dancer for Conventions. There were various other responsibilities associated with being a Chapter leader also, not to mention meetings 6 days a week and sometimes 2 or 3 meetings a day. And the G.A.C. (Gohonzon Acceptance Ceremony) campaigns were an absolute frenzy. 

The reason I mention all this is to make clear my devotion faith and trust in the Gakkai all those years and to emphasis the point that I did not leave the Gakkai on a whim nor did I take it lightly. I thought I was on the fast road to enlightenment. 

However, even though I thirsted for Buddhism there was never any sense that I was truly connected to the Buddha. My feeling toward Nichiren was of reverence but also unapproachability bordering on fear. It was a strange attitude that I believe is attributable to the general attitude of leaders toward members in the Gakkai. But of course I was trained well to suppress doubts. To have doubt was to have weak faith. Slowly a distance developed between me and the Gakkai and I became less and less able to accept the status quo. I was after all miserable. My husband and I were separated far 7 months because the Gakkai movement had caused such a strain on our marriage. You can imagine my despair when I realized I was not practicing real Buddhism but participating in an endless stream of organizational goals in order to support the Soka Gakkai or Value Creation Society. We believed we were achieving 'Kosen-Rufu", and guaranteed Buddhahood.. 

I think its important to focus on the name Soka Gakkai or Value Creation Society for a moment. It is my experience that the greatest emphasis was placed on 'material benefit" they may say otherwise but it was always the "bottom Line" that was supreme. After all we did create value, far things, for prestige, for money for results!!! The irony is that none of these things are permanent. Attachment to things does not lead to enlightenment and enlightenment is the purpose of Buddhism. So what were we doing? The vast majority of people we dragged to receive the Gakkai Gohonzon are no longer there and probably have a very bad impression of Buddhism. 

It took some real self induced deprogramming and recovery to realize that there was no reason for guilt because of my withdrawal from activities. I anguished for 5 years with guilt over letting down the Gakkai and ruining my changes for Buddhahood. 

Reason won out over my anguish.

1. The Lotus Sutra is the teaching that leads to Buddhahood and should not be considered "dead in Mappo". "The nation of Japan today has turned its back on the Lotus Sutra and cast aside Shakyamuni Buddha." (MW vol 6, Letter to Ichinosana Nyudo, pg 99) 

2. Shakyamuni is the Eternal Buddha as revealed in the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren always Shakaymuni as the Eternal "Shakyamuni is the father, sovereign and teacher of all other Buddhas and all gods, of the whole assembly of men and heavenly beings and of all sentient beings". (MW vol 1, Letter to Nikke, pg 257) 

3. Nichiren is Bodhisattva Jogyo "I Nichiren received the Buddha's Edict and was born in this land..." 

4. Nichiren chanted "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" not Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. 

Of course there are many more instances of gross distortions that I won't go into. This passage from the MW vol 7, pg 154, reminds me of them:

"And so, when I, neither hesitating to speak out nor fearing others, tell them frankly that they are stupid persons who have misunderstood the true meaning of the Buddhist teachings, and that they are slanderers of the Law; when I deliver a sharp rebuke to them, mindful of the Buddha's golden words "then that monk is betraying Buddhism" and trusting in the passage of scripture that reads, 'We will be envoys of the World-Honored One, facing the assembly without fear"; when I do this, censuring those who "suppose they have attained what they have not attained, being proud and boastful in heart." Then how can they fail to turn upon me with hatred and jealously?" 

We started chanting "Namu Myo Renge Kyo" in February this year and received our Gohonzon on April 25". 

Now all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together and making sense. I feel a much deeper understanding and joy in Buddhism. I love Shakyamuni Buddha and I am astounded by Nichirens'' compassion. I am so proud to be a member of the samgha, a word I never heard before coming to Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism Ironically, the merits I strove for in the Gakkai are now coming true. When we think of our many friends in the Gakkai that are suffering and confused, we can't help but share this teaching with them. My husband and I are looking forward to going to Japan and visiting many of the places associated with Nichiren Daishonin such as Minobu, Tatsunokuchi, and Sado Island. I hope that many other American believers will also be able to go, if not now, someday. 

I am so happy to finally live the words "Rely an the Law and not on persons" and truly be assured of enlightenment.

We are all disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha

"All these beings are disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Since the various Buddhas themselves are emanations of Shakyamuni Buddha, it goes without saying that their disciples must be disciples of Shakyamuni. And of course the various deities of the sun, moon and stars, who have dwelt in the world from countless ages in the past must likewise be disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha." "(MW vol 2, Ibid, pg 152)

The forceful practices in the Latter Age

It is important to determine how and when the gentle [shoju] and forceful preaching  [shakubuku] methods  are to be performed. Nichiren writes:

"There are monks who preach the Dharma in various ways, but still they are not able to utter 'the lion's roar' and refute evil persons who deny the Dharma. Monks of this kind can bring no merit either to themselves or to the populace. You should realize that they are in fact shirkers and idlers. Though they are careful in observing the precepts and maintain spotless conduct, you should realize that they are incapable of attaining Buddhahood." (Opening of the Eyes)

The SGI, the Nichiren Shu, and the Nichiren Shoshu argue that the shoju method is the predominant preaching method to be employed  at this time in the USA because the USA is merely a passively evil country:

"When the country is full of ignorant or evil persons, then shoju is the primary method to be applied, as described in the Anrakugyo chapter. But at a time when there are many persons of perverse views who slander the Law, then shakubuku should come first, as described in the Fukyo chapter." (ibid)

"...This is because there are two kinds of countries, the country that is passively evil, and the kind that actively seeks to destroy the Law. We must consider carefully to which category Japan at the present time belongs."(ibid).

They cite as proof that the USA is merely passively evil because we are allowed to practice and spread the True Law throughout the United States. 

On the other hand, Nichiren teaches in the Gift of Rice:

"The sixth volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, 'No affairs of life or work are in any way different from the ultimate reality'" 

and 

"The true path of life lies in the affairs of this world." 

Here are some ways the USA is actively evil: 1). It is engaged in war after war. 2). It has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world. 3). It is the greatest source of global pollution. 4). It is the most glaring example of greed is good and other perverse views 5). It is the most powerful Christian country in the world. Since, at the very least, the USA has killed, is killing, and will kill many potential votaries of the Lotus Sutra, it actively seeks to destroy the Law. 

Nichiren teaches that, if we are incapable of uttering the lion's roar, we will fail to attain Buddhahood.

"When the time is right to propagate the supreme teaching, the provisional teachings become enemies. If they are a source of confusion, they must be thoroughly refuted from the standpoint of the true teaching. Of the two types of practice, this is shakubuku, the practice of the Lotus Sutra. With good reason, T-ien-t'ai stated: 'The practice of the Lotus Sutra is shakubuku, the refutation of the provisional doctrines.'  The four easy practices in the Anrakugyo chapter are shoju. To carry them out in this age would be as foolish as sowing seeds in winter and expecting to reap the harvest in spring." (On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings)

There are three aspects to attaining Buddhahood through the power of the Lotus Sutra. The first is faith, the second is practice, and the third is study. Practice encompasses practice for oneself and practice for others. There are two methods of practice for others, the shoju method (gentle approach) and the shakabuku method (forceful approach). We can liken the two approaches to the gentle compassion of a mother and the strict compassion of a father. If a child's problem behavior is not overly serious the mother, through gentle caring and guidance can assist the child. If a child's problem behavior is totally out of control, the child carrying a gun to school, for example, the strict and stern admonishments of a father is appropriate to alter the destructive course of the child. The two methods of propagation are like this.

In the world, during the times of Shoho (~ 3000-2000 years ago) and  Zoho (~ 2000-1000 years ago), society and individuals (as a whole) exhibited only mildly abherent and abhorant behaviors, so the shoju method was the principle and appropriate method to employ to awaken the people. From approximately 1000 years ago to the present, individuals and society became so steeped in the Three Poisons (Anger, Avarice and Stupidity) that shakabuku became the principle and appropriate method of propagation.

"In terms of the practices to be adopted, there are shoju and shakabuku. It is a mistake to practice shakabuku at time when shoju is called for, and equally erroneous to practice shoju when shakabuku is appropriate. The first thing to be determined, therefore, is whether the present period is the time for shoju or the time for shakabuku." (Conversations between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man).

"The methods of shoju and shakubuku are also like this. When the True Law alone is propagated and there are no erroneous doctrines or misguided teachers, then one may enter the deep valleys and live in quiet contentment, devoting his time to reciting and copying the Sutra and to the practice of meditation...But when there are provisional sects and slanderers of the Law  in the country, then it is time to set aside other matters and devote oneself to rebuking slander...One should practice shakubuku...."(ibid)

"Shoju is to practiced when throughout the entire country only the Lotus Sutra has spread, and when there is not even a single misguided teacher expounding erroneous doctrines.

We live in a horrendous time.

In his treatise, The Establishment of the Right Law to Save the Country, Nichiren states:

"We should rather eliminate heretical teachings than perform ten thousand prayers."

"But the present age is a defiled one. Because the minds of people are warped and twisted, and provisional teachings and slander alone abound, the True Law cannot prevail. In times like these, it is useless to practice the reading, reciting and copying [of the Lotus Sutra] or to devote oneselves to the methods and practices of meditation. One should practice ONLY shakabuku, and if one has the capacity, use his influence and authority to destroy slander of the Law, and his knowledge of teachings to refute erroneous doctrines."(ibid).

The Daishonin states in another Gosho, "All teachings are ultimately the revelation of Buddhist truth". Shakabuku is the method for refuting teachings when they are a source of slander or confusion. Included among these teachings are the the omniscience of science and Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and occult theology. All these teachings lead to suffering and their adherents all assert that their teachings are equal or superior to those of the Lotus Sutra. These teachings and their adherents must be taken severely to task, as Aryasinha did, even at the cost of his life. Do you think Aryasinha lost his life for practicing shoju?

There is a balance between the preservation of the purity of the teachings and a liberal interpretation of the teachings in order to convince others to convert. If you compromise the teachings in your eagerness to be everything to everybody, you end up being nothing to nobody. in effect you are doing neither shoju nor shakabuku but merely destroying the teachings. Is this not the case with the Soka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shu today?

In those few cases when a person is either readily ammenable to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra or when a Lotus Sutra adherent's faith and practice is basically correct and one's faults not overly serious, no strict admonishments are necessary. In this case, the shoju method may be employed. Having faith in Jesus while praying to the Gohonzon, is a serious transgression. Another example is studying the Human Revolution at the expense of studying the Lotus Sutra.

Speaking about Brahamanism, Nichiren writes:

"Erroneous teachings such as these are too numerous to be counted. Their adherents pay as much respect and honor to the teachers who propounded them as the various deities pay to the God Taishaku or the court ministers pay to the ruler of the empire But not a single person who adheres to these ninety five higher or lower teachings ever escape from the cycle of birth and death." (Opening of the Eyes)

In reference to Taoists he declares:

"But since such a man knows nothing about the past or the future, he can not assist his parents, his sovereign or his teacher in making provisions for their future lives, and he is therefore guilty of failing to repay the debt he owes them. Such a person is not a true wise man or sage."(ibid)

We would never employ gentle practices with the Hindu or Taoist adherents, why should we with Christian adherents?

The Lotus Sutra states, "In the whole universe there are not even two vehicles, how much less a third."(LS Ch. 2).

Nichiren Daishonin was a very strict teacher out of great compassion for humanity. In one of his Five Major Writings, "Establishing the Right Law to Save the Country", he  teaches that the cause of personal, societal, and environmental problems are mistaken ideas, false views, false religions, and false beliefs. He asserted, whether to use one or the other methods (gentle or assertive), depends not on the inborn capacity of the individual, not on the land, and not on the order of propagation [of the teachings] but rather on the time and the teachings themselves. During the Former and Middle Days, one gained emancipation through shoju but today in Mappo, the defiled degenerate age, one gains emancipation through the shakabuku method. Only the most powerful medicine will do for the most serious illnesses: Nuclear weapons, war having killed hundreds of millions of people in the twentieth century alone, pollution, famine, , massive earthquakes, floods, nuclear accidents,  new deadly strains of disease, the destruction of the rain forests, massive and growing dead zones in the sea..., problems one would expect to encounter in this Defiled Age. Nichiren  Daishonin taught these are caused by the rampancy of misleading philosophies and religions incapable of transforming the Three Poisons [Greed, Anger, and Animality] into the Three Noble Attributes of the Buddha, Dharma Body, wisdom, and emancipation.

Nichiren performed the forceful practices towards all save for his own faithful disciples and believers. The heretical sectarians of his day and even some of his "adherents" arrogantly admonished him to cease and desist, that his methods were too confrontational, too difficult to practice. In response to such criticism, he wrote:

"Though I may be a person of little ability, I have reverently given myself to the study of the Mahayana. A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a thoroughbred horse, can travel ten thousand miles....I was born as the son of the one Buddha, Shakyamuni and I serve the king of scriptures, the Lotus Sutra. How could I observe the decline of the Buddhist Law and not be filled with emotions of pity and distress." (Establishing the Right Law for the Peace of the Land)

The provisional Buddhist teachings have sprouted here and there like so many weeds, even in the United States. There are more than one thousand provisional Buddhist denominations and permutations and their evil doctrines are embraced by millions of believers or supporters. Even worse, radical Christian fundamentalism and Bibleism is spreading to all corners of the heartland, its adherents actively working to stifle the sowing of the seeds of Myoho and to destroy our basic human rights of free speech and freedom of religion.

Let us forcefully awaken them to the best of our ability, teaching them of the manifest evil of their misguided beliefs and the workings of the Law of Cause and Effect. It is not the time to employ the gentle practices. We must assiduously practice shakabuku.

SGI leader Tim Janakos...is he wise or foolish?

"Welcome to the English and Japanese website for the award-winning, inspirational singer/songwriter, visionary author of both fiction and non-fiction, certified energy healer, native american, Buddhist activist, Tim Janakos, who is currently living and performing in Northern Japan, where he also hosts a twice-a-week, live, energy healing radio show called, "From Time Without Beginning," where you can call-in and let him perform some real-time magic on you, on the air. How does it get even better than that?" -- Tim Janakos

Nichiren:

"In China the occult evolved from Confucianism, and in India it is found among the non-Buddhist teachings. Yet it does not even approach the Hinayana teachings of the Āgama sutras, much less the connecting teaching, the specific teaching, or the perfect teaching. Therefore, how could it measure up to the Lotus Sutra?

"The non-Buddhist teachings [of India] date from about eight hundred years before the time of the Buddha. At first they centered around the two deities and the three ascetics, but eventually they split into ninety-five schools. Among the non-Buddhist leaders were many wise men and persons endowed with supernatural powers, but none of them was able to free himself from the sufferings of birth and death. Moreover, the people who gave allegiance to their teachings, whether faithful or not all ended by falling into the three evil paths."

"As the Buddha indicated in his dying instructions, there will be teachers who propagate the provisional sutras only and never make any attempt to propagate the true sutra. This is perhaps because from past times they have had very close connections with the provisional sutras and have never looked into the true sutra, or perhaps because they have been led astray by the devil and have thus become able to displaysupernatural powers. But whether they are correct or incorrect in their views is to be judged solely on the basis of the doctrines they expound. It is not to be decided on the basis of whether or not they have keen capacity or can display supernatural powers."

To begin with, if we are to put faith in persons who can exercise supernatural powers, then are we to put faith in non-Buddhists or the heavenly devil? Among the non-Buddhists there are said to have been those who could drink the ocean dry, or could pour the water of the Ganges River into their ear and keep it there for twelve years. And thedevil king of the sixth heaven could imitate all the thirty-two features of a Buddha and manifest himself in the form of a Buddha in such a convincing manner that even the Venerable Ānanda could not tell whether it was the devil or the Buddha. Even if the supernaturalpowers of Shan-tao and Hōnen may be worthy of respect, they are no match for the heavenly devil or non-Buddhists. Furthermore, the Buddha in his dying instructions warned that one was not to regard suchsupernatural powers as of any fundamental importance."

"Question: Among the Chinese Buddhist teachers there were persons such as the Great Teacher Tz’u-en who was said to have been a reincarnation of the Eleven-faced Perceiver of the World’s Sounds and could emit rays of light from his teeth. Or like the Reverend Shan-tao, who was said to have been a reincarnation of Amida Buddha and could produce Buddha figures from his mouth. And there were many other teachers in the world who could manifest supernatural powers, bestow blessing, or enter meditation and attain enlightenment. Why did these persons fail to distinguish between the provisional sutras and the true sutra and to make the Lotus Sutra the basis of their teaching?

Answer: The ascetic Agastya, a non-Buddhist believer, poured the Ganges River into one ear and kept it there for twelve years. The ascetic Vasu transformed himself into the heavenly being Freedom and displayed three eyes. Among the Taoist adepts of China, Chang Chieh exhaled fog and Luan Pa exhaled clouds. It is said [in the Nirvana Sutra] that, after the demise of the Buddha, the devil of the sixth heaven will take on the form of a monk or a nun, a man or a woman lay believer, an arhat or a pratyekabuddha, and expound the sutras preached by the Buddha in the first forty and more years of his preaching life. But this shows simply that these persons possessed supernatural powers; it does not indicate whether they were wise or foolish."

SGI's strategy to deflect criticism

It’s the standard Soka Gakkai/Taisekiji tactic to muddle, confuse and unbalance any logical criticism of their “reading between the lines” approach to Nichiren’s orthodox religion. And if that tactic doesn't work, they resort to smearing the character of their critics. It amounts to “bullying” any and all opposition. It is ironic that the Nichiren Shoshu became the target of SGI bullying since 1990. 

SGI is the perpetrator of the worst Buddhist sins

SGI stresses that disrupting the unity of believers (Ha Wagoso) is the worst Buddhist sin and the principle cause for falling into hell. Nichiren, on the other hand, teaches that slander of the profound teachings and nurturing evil companions is the worst sin:

“A person of wisdom should not fear enemy households, snakes, the poison of fire, the god Indra, the roll of thunder, attacks by swords and staves, or wild beasts such as tigers, wolves, and lions. For these can only destroy one’s life, but cannot cause one to fall into the Avichi hell, which is truly terrifying. What one should fear is slander of the profound teaching as well as companions who are slanderers, for these will surely cause one to fall into the frightful Avichi hell. Even if one befriends evil companions and with evil intent spills the Buddha’s blood, kills one’s own father and mother, takes the lives of many sages, disrupts the unity of the Buddhist Order, and destroys all one’s roots of goodness, if one fixes one’s mind on the correct teaching, one can free oneself from that place. But if there is someone who slanders the inconceivably profound teaching, that person will for immeasurable kalpas be unable to obtain emancipation. However, if there is one who can cause others to awaken to and take faith in a teaching such as this, then that person is their father and mother, and also their good friend. This is a person of wisdom. After the Thus Come One’s passing, that person corrects false views and perverse thoughts, and causes people to enter the true way. For that reason, he has pure faith in the three treasures, and his virtuous actions lead others to enlightenment.” (The Problem To Be Pondered Night and Day)

The SGI, because they correct correct views and compliant thoughts and cause people to enter the false way, stress the lesser evil of breaking the unity of believers (which, in the case of opposing the SGI for their greater evil of distorting the teachings, is actually a great good), second only to the greatest good of practicing as the Buddha Shakyamuni, the Lotus Sutra, and Nichiren Daishonin teach.

The SGI's slander of the correct teachings and true believers is by far the worst offense and the cause for falling into hell. Their teachings on Ha Wagoso is a smokescreen for the Soka Gakkai failing to uphold the golden teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin. Nevertheless, the SGI in chanting Nam Myoho renge kyo [rather than Namu Myoho renge kyo], advancing the Nichiren as True Buddha doctrine, and taking Daisaku Ikeda as the Buddha of the modern age [while throwing out Shakyamuni Buddha of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra], is the worse offender in disrupting the unity of believers.

The cause for falling into hell

The SGI's slander of the correct teachings and their slander of the true believers is, by far, the worst offenses and the cause for falling into hell.

The authentic writings of Nikko are 180 degrees apart from those found in Taisekeji

Regarding the documents that Taisekiji attributes to Nikko, Yamanaka Kihachi, one of the great Nichiren scholars of the twentieth century and an expert on Nikko's authenticated writings, has written an exhaustive study on Nikko. He examined ALL of his writings, including the Taisekiji documents that the Nichiren Shoshu attribute to him. His comments were as follows: "If one examines all the authenticated writings of Nikko and then compares them to the documents that are housed at Taisekiji, the authentic writings are 180 degrees apart from those at Taisekiji. The two sets of writings are mutually incompatible."

"The two sets of writings are mutually incompatible."

Living it up on the member's dime

Who are YOU going to place on your alter?

SGI doctrines too are replete with errors.

"The Buddha’s teaching was transmitted from India to China, and then from China to Japan. The scholars, the Tripitaka masters, the teachers who passed it down from one to another hardly relayed one doctrine in ten thousand in a condition that was free from error. And how much worse is the situation now when scholars of Buddhism put biased views above all else, are swayed by arrogance contend with one another like fire against water, and never reach a conclusion. Even when a scholar appears who happens to relay the teachings as the Buddha proclaimed them, no one will believe or heed him. Hence hardly one person in ten thousand can avoid committing slander against the Law."

Failing to believe Nichiren is a grave slander.

"Nowadays there are few people who are guilty of the five cardinal sins, but a great many who commit the ten evil acts. Sometimes you may find a person who, concerned about his next existence, is careful not to commit any of the ten evil acts and to act as a good person. But because of some quite natural error of ignorance, the person, though good in word and deed, in his heart believes in an evil teacher. Not only does that person himself put faith in the erroneous doctrines expounded by such a teacher, but he incites the rulers of the nation and the common people to embrace these same doctrines, or he persuades his wife and children, his followers, and members of his household to carry out the same religious practices that he does. Thus he prevents them from forming any ties with persons who would instruct them in the correct teaching, and keeps the common people and those related to him from experiencing a mind that responds with joy to that teaching. As a result, both he himself and others become slanderers of the Law, and those who would appear to be practicing good and putting aside evil in fact quite naturally end by committing deeds that lead to rebirth in the Avīchi hell. Cases of this kind are rife in this Latter Day of the Law.

The Venerable Ānanda was a nephew of King Shuddhodana and the son and prince of King Dronodana. He was a younger brother of Devadatta and a cousin of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni. He served the Thus Come One for twenty years, attained the mind-perceiving meditation, and understood all the sacred teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime. After the Buddha entered extinction, King Ajātashatru became a convert to Buddhism under Ānanda’s direction. 

Forty years after the Buddha’s entry into extinction, the Venerable Ānanda was passing through a bamboo grove when he came upon a monk who was reciting a verse of the teaching that went, “Though one be born a human being and live a hundred years, if one has not observed how the waters overflow and dry up, one cannot compare to a person who has lived only one day but has seen these things.”

When Ānanda heard this verse, he said to the monk, “This is not the Buddha’s teaching. You should not be practicing this.”

The monk then asked Ānanda, “What is the Buddha’s teaching?”

Ānanda replied, “‘Though one be born a human being and live a hundred years, if one has not understood the Law of birth and extinction, one cannot compare to a person who has lived only one day but has fully understood that Law.’ This is the Buddha’s teaching. The verse that you were reciting is mistaken in its wording.”

At that time the monk took the verse he had learned from Ānanda to the monk who had taught him originally. But the monk who had been his teacher said, “The verse I taught you is the true teaching of the Buddha. The verse that Ānanda recited is not the Buddha’s teaching. Ānanda is old and senile and says many things that are in error. You should not believe him.”

The monk then discarded Ānanda’s verse and went back to reciting the erroneous one he had recited before. When Ānanda passed through the bamboo grove again and heard him doing so, he realized it was not the verse he had taught the monk and spoke to him about it once more, but the monk refused to heed him.

If errors such as this had already appeared a mere forty years after the Buddha’s passing, how much worse must things be now that over two thousand years have gone by!

The Buddha’s teaching was transmitted from India to China, and then from China to Japan. The scholars, the Tripitaka masters, the teachers who passed it down from one to another hardly relayed one doctrine in ten thousand in a condition that was free from error. And how much worse is the situation now when scholars of Buddhism put biased views above all else, are swayed by arrogance contend with one another like fire against water, and never reach a conclusion. Even when a scholar appears who happens to relay the teachings as the Buddha proclaimed them, no one will believe or heed him. Hence hardly one person in ten thousand can avoid committing slander against the Law."

Daisaku Ikeda is Soka Gakkai's broken bridge. Shakyamuni is our bridge, skipper, and fertile field.

"In the third place, Sakyamuni Buddha is the supreme leader and excellent eyes for all people. He is the bridge that enables them to cross the river of evil passions; He is the skipper who guides them over the sea of life and death; and He is the fertile field in which they plant the seed of merits. The so called Four Sages of Confucianism and Three Hermits of Brahmanism, despite their worthy names, are actually unenlightened men unable to rid themselves of the Three Delusions (all delusions and evil passions). Although their names suggest they are wise men, in reality they are as ignorant as infants, who know nothing of cause and effect. How can we cross the sea of life and death aboard a ship steered by such men? How can we pass through the winding street in the Six Realms of delusion and evil passions over to the world of Nirvana by means of a bridge constructed by such men? (Kaimoku Sho, Noppa Translation)."

The two warring Buddhist factions

"Both the Nichiren Shoshu and the Soka Gakkai suffer from the same ailment. A mass of true believers have lined up behind one man's ideology, one man's charisma, one man's vision. This reeks of the U.S. attitude my country, right or wrong. In this century, we have seen where this kind of an attitude can be devastating.

Both groups assert that they are in the right, that they have the special dispensation to devulge the truth handed to them by Nichiren himself. Yet, if you study the writings of Nichiren, it is obvious that they have gone astray. When confronted, neither group can quote just exactly where Nichiren called himself the Buddha and told us not to chant to Shakyamuni. Neither group can say exactly where Nichiren said that his teachings are the sole property of the Soka Gakkai or Nichiren Shoshu.

The council of christian churches makes more sense than these two warring "Buddhist" factions. Nichiren Dainshonin debated the issues of the day and won victories through his superior knowledge of Buddhist sutras. Both NST and the SGI are too busy fitting the Gosho to their own beliefs to see what it might actually be saying. Anyone who has read Ikeda's "Lectures on the Sutra" should be able to see that clearly with regard to the SGI. Where does the High Priest get the idea that he is the Buddha?

In a reasonable argument, contradictions cause one to think about the consequences of those contradictions. Even little things such as Nichiren carrying a statue of Shakyamuni with him should make a thinking person wonder.

Why does the temple resist verification of the so-called Dai-Gohonzon? Why not settle the issue once and for all? It begs the question, is it a fake? Just exactly who claims that their is a Dai-Gohonzon at all?

When I was young in the NSA, before the split up, I watched them shove Gohonzons on street people like flyers. Often, these Gohonzons were tossed in the trash on the way out of the community center. "Don't let the priest know, he will be angry," was the guidance we received. Is this how to protect the Gohonzon?

The priests should have kept better watch over the laymen. Cause and effect, both are at fault. But the money kept rolling in and it kept SOMEBODY happy. The numbers kept getting higher and it kept SOMEBODY happy. Most of the membership was not happy, they were too busy to be able to think, with the constant meeting schedule.

It was quite a time, the early days in the US. Everything was moving fast. I was told not to worry about my pronunciation of Gongyo, that would come later. Hurry up, follow the beat, and rush along with the rest of us. The peaceful river of the Lotus Sutra became a ride through the rapids then. Study today is like the gongyo of yesterday, listen to the beat, follow the drummer...

The meetings were not about the sutra or the gosho they were about BENEFIT. Buddhism works because I got the car I wanted, or my marriage is off the rocks, or I have a new job. Since the focus was on benefit, since you were ASKED to tell about your benefits, you saw them around every corner. If ND's buddhism could have been reduced to one principle at that time it would be: BENEFIT. I do not believe this attitude was beneficial to Buddhism.

The NSA Buddhist of that time carried the World Tribune, talked to anyone about the practice, rushed through Gongyo, and chanted for that house on the hill until his throat was raw. Now, somewhat older, they have put away childish things and are on the straight-and-narrow path to Enlightenment. So they would have us believe.

Yet, I have difficulty forgetting their past. They have no love for study, they ask few questions, and they accept doctrine as given. Sheep grazing in the field have more freedom than NST and SGI Buddhists. If only they would begin to graze on the Lotus Sutra and the words of Nichiren. Have you ever played the game where you pass a message around a small circle of friends in secret? When the message comes full circle, it is something completely different than the original. If only they would turn from the so-called orally transmitted teachings and turn to the verifiable writings instead.

The trouble is that in a field where there is little grass, the sheep become easily led. By this standard, both the NST and the SGI are full of Baa'd doctrine."

Don David Scott

Polygrsph quesions for top senior leaders.

Q: Did SGI alter Gosho translations?

Q: Does Ikeda himself write all  of his books and guidances?

Q: Have SGI ever paid ghostwriters and asked them to sign non-disclosure agreements?

Q: Had Ikeda ever submitted a copyright application for Nam Myoho renge kyo?

Q: Do all the members donations go towards the purposes to which they are requested?

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Soka Gakkai are a maych made in heaven

"Mitsubishi Heavy Industries say they are going "Green" and a partial weapons list is below. 

The difference with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and SGI is, when MHI tells their "Greenwashing" lies, no rational person is going to believe them and understands its just corporate propaganda to maximize profits and to try to distract the general public who doesn't pay attention.

But with SGI, they try to hide behind "religion" and also work very hard to distract the public from the facts of reality.

Mitsubishi Corporation (Japan), CONTRACTORS

Activities/Services Commercial and military helicopters, military aircraft, aircraft engines, guided missiles and defence electronics. Satellite and space systems...

* Air-Launched Rockets

* Air-To-Air Missiles - Beyond Visual Range

* Air-To-Air Missiles - Within Visual Range

* Air-To-Surface Missiles - Anti-Ship

* Air-To-Surface Missiles - Direct Attack

* Air-To-Surface Missiles - Stand-Off And Cruise

* Analysis

* Analysis - Air-To-Air Missiles

* Analysis - Air-To-Surface Missiles

* Analysis - Automatic Grenade Launchers

* Analysis - Bombs

* Analysis - Country Inventories - In Development

* Analysis - Country Inventories - In Service

* Analysis - Gun Pods And Mountings

* Analysis - Guns

* Analysis - In-Service Combat Aircraft And Their Air-Launched Weapons Capabilities

* Analysis - Mines And Depth Charges

* Analysis - Rocket Launchers

* Analysis - Rockets

* Analysis - Torpedoes

* Analysis - Worldwide In-Service Combat Aircraft

* Bombs - Cluster And Dispenser Munitions

* Bombs - Precision And Guided Munitions

* Bombs - Unguided

* Contractors

* Glossary

* Guns - Integral And Mounted

* Guns - Podded Systems

* Underwater Weapons - Mines And Depth Charges

* Underwater Weapons - Torpedoes

* Underwater Weapons - Unclassified Projects

There are actually reports of SGI and Mitsubishi misdeeds, as well as reports that SGI's main financing bank is The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi. Of course, the problem is SGI keeps all of their finances secret, so only Ikeda and his family know where the money is, and where it went.

[www.culthelp.info]

"In March 1990, a swirl of accusations over a mysterious transaction involving the Soka Gakkai, the Mitsubishi Corp and two Renoir paintings in which nearly 1.5 billion yen had gone missing."

"The organisation operates five cemeteries in Japan through a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corps. In May 1991, Soka Gakkai paid 640 million yen in profits from the sale of gravestones over the three year period ending in March 1990."

[www.caic.org.au]

The spying charges against Soka Gakkai International France, which claims 152,000 members, were further detailed in a recent issue of the Shukan Bunshun. Quoting the newspaper Le Parisien, it reported that a secret network of Soka Gakkai operatives allegedly infiltrated the Mitsubishi group offices in Paris, which were used as cover for intelligence operations. It did not specify whether the secret agents were corporate employees sent from Japan or local hires, or a combination of both.

SGI wants it both ways: Make a show of protecting article 9 of the Japanese constitution while supporting the LDP and Mitsubishi."  -- by anticult

Correcting the Nichiren Shoshu

The Nichiren Shoshu "Lifeblood Received by Only a Single Person" should read,

"Lifeblood Received by Every Single Person".

Good luck with your lawsuit slanderer

• "Notice to Cease and Desist to Mark Rogow from Tim Janakos-VanCampen Mark Rogow, I will be sending a registered copy of this notice to the Wildhorse Family Medical Clinic and Urgent Care Center, 1024 W Cherokee Ave, Sallisaw, OK 74955, US, unless you would like me to send it to your home address instead. If you would prefer I send it to your home address please notify me of that address. In your blog comment of July 30th,2013http://markrogow.blogspot.jp/2013/07/tim-janakos-soka

universitygraduate.html you claim I "hurt people spiritually AND physically" with my energy work. This letter is to request proof that I have harmed someone. 

Please provide me proof my energy healing work has harmed anyone "Spiritually And physically." If you cannot provide me with proof, within 21 days, immediately remove the post and publicly apologize to me for making a false claim against my work, as well as send me a written apology or I I will seek damages. Thank you. I'm looking forward to your quick response. Tim Janakos-VanCampentimjanakos@gmail.comwww.tjmusic.orgHayadori 1-11-32, Konan-ku Niigata-shi, Niigata-ken, Japan 950-0168

Response: As an SGI cult member, by definition, you hurt people physically and spiritually whether you practice Emotional Energy Healing, Reiki, Acupuncture, Qigong, or Western Medicine. Good luck with your lawsuit slanderer. I look forward to seeing you in court.

The bright mirror of the Lotus Sutra and Gosho illuminstes the darkness of SGI

SGI members are the last to know about changes in SGI doctrines and practices. It is very bizarre that when others have known for years about the direction to which they were going, they denied each and every change with every fiber of their being. But once the changes are affirmed by their Sensei, they not only readily accept and laud the changes but state that there are no changes, we have always believed thus. 

Ikeda is the dying Galatian

http://markrogow.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-dying-galatian-of-tokyo.html?m=1