Even if you're not a buddhist (and even if you're an atheist), I think you'll find it fascinating that a layman's religious organization (a corporation, no less) not only rebelled against its priesthood which resulted in its excommunication, but this same corporation (the SGI - Soka Gakka International) now claims to be the legitimate authority on matters of faith. This is a truly unique distinction, which raises questions about the legitimacy of both parties.
General Introduction
Today's post is the tenth installment in my "TO: SGI" series, which is primarily addressed to current and former members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI). Of course, anyone else is invited to read and ponder this post, but please keep in mind that it would be helpful if you are familiar with the details of SGI Buddhism's practices and terminology. This link will connect you to the homepage of my Lotus Sutra Champions blog so you can access links to other essays I've posted and so you can read a general introduction to this new site:
http://lotussutrachampions.blogspot.com/2013/07/lotus-sutra-champions.html
The Two Major Forces
There are two major forces vying for the loyalty of SGI members:
- The Nichiren Shoshu priesthood, which demands that the lay organization (SGI) follow the high priest in much the same way as Catholics are supposed to follow the Pope;
- The SGI leadership, which called the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood heretical, starting with now-retired High Priest Nikken Abe, who retired in 2005. Nikken's counterpart in the SGI, Daisaku Ikeda (though also in his 80's) has not retired and is still its president.
QUOTE:
At first, when I heard the Buddha's preaching, there was great astonishment and doubt in my mind. Is this not a devil pretending to be the Buddha, trying to vex and confuse my mind? I thought.
[and]
The world-honored one preaches the true way. [Devils] would not do that. Therefore I know for certain this is not a devil pretending to be the Buddha.
:UNQUOTE.
My comment on the above quote:
The most important point is, Shariputra had to reach his conclusion on his own, not by relying on some outside authority. How could he have done otherwise? He couldn't have asked (what appeared to be the Buddha), "Are you really the Buddha or are you a devil pretending to be the Buddha?" And so it must be with current followers of the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood as well as SGI members. You're on your own here, trying to figure out who's right.
And you might feel unequal to the task. After all, Shariputra was considered the wisest of the voice hearers, yet he admitted in the above quote "At first, when I heard the Buddha's preaching, there was great astonishment and doubt in my mind." The "preaching" being referred to is Shakyamuni's revelation of the profound doctrines in the Lotus Sutra's preceding chapter (Ch 2). Yet, upon hearing this "preaching," Shariputra did not respond with faith and understanding, but with "astonishment and doubt."
Can we lay persons hope to do any better than the wise Shariputra? At this point, I wish to offer my conclusion that this issue (of whom to follow) is actually quite easy to resolve. The points I'm about to raise are derived from my having recited the entire Lotus Sutra** over 150 times over the past seven years. You might not be impressed by that, but humor me by hearing me out and then see if you can refute my words.
Before I deal with SGI vs. Nichiren Shoshu, indulge me as I comment further on this same quote, which I'll repeat for your convenience:
QUOTE:
At first, when I heard the Buddha's preaching, there was great astonishment and doubt in my mind. Is this not a devil pretending to be the Buddha, trying to vex and confuse my mind? I thought.
[and]
The world-honored one preaches the true way. [Devils] would not do that. Therefore I know for certain this is not a devil pretending to be the Buddha.
:UNQUOTE.
Why would Shariputra immediately ask, "Is this not a devil pretending to be the Buddha?" Why "a devil?" There is yet another possibility listed on page 337:
"If the form of a buddha will bring salvation, he immediately manifests a buddha form and preaches the law."
Shakyamuni spoke those words to Bodhisattva Flower Virtue, speaking about Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound. Maybe, instead of a devil trying to vex and confuse the Great Assembly, what appeared to be Shakyamuni Buddha wasn't a devil but was instead a shape-shifting bodhisattva who couldn't manage to preach in a way that would immediately leave no doubts in Shariputra's mind. As it turned out, it was Shakyamuni himself who couldn't preach in that way. But, as Shariputra continued to listen to Shakyamuni's preaching, he concluded that it was indeed Shakyamuni who was doing the preaching.
Again, Shariputra had to reach that conclusion by himself, for himself. And so must we, concerning the issue of whom to follow and (more broadly) what to believe.
My side note regards Shariputra's statement (above), "The world-honored one preaches the true way." In order to make his determination of whether the preaching he heard was from a devil pretending to be the Buddha or from the Buddha himself, he would have had to have known what the true way was. How did he know that?
Whom to follow - SGI, Priests, or...?
Nikken Abe is flawed because...
...he ordered the destruction of the shohondo. This temple was meant to fulfill the third of the Three Great Secret Laws, to serve as the sanctuary for the Dai-Gohonzon. This temple was built on land owned by the Nichiren Shoshu with money donated (mostly) from the Soka Gakkai. And let's be quite clear about this: Nikken Abe had approved this construction and then, for no good reason, ordered this destruction.
At first he tried to say, the shohondo's roof might collapse during an earthquake, killing any members who might be inside or (at least) possibly damaging the Dai-Gohonzon itself. Of course, I'm forced to ask a number of questions:
- Why was the shohondo built in the first place in an area (allegedly) known to be prone to earthquakes?
- Before construction commenced, wasn't some kind of building permit required from the secular authorities which (presumably) issued their approval knowing about the possibility of earthquake damage?
- Even if an earthquake did occur, wouldn't the power of the Dai-Gohonzon itself prevent the roof collapsing? Nikken, Nikken, where's your faith?
Next, Nikken Abe tried to say that the Dai-Gohonzon should not be housed in a temple built (mostly) by means of the financial contributions of slanderers - that is, of SGI members, the vast majority of whom did not choose to abandon SGI in favor of Nikken. This is where Nikken made his critical error of judgment. He should have kept the shohondo intact, so as to allow SGI members to reap the benefit of their contributions mostly by standing as a beacon to entice their return to the Nichiren Shoshu fold.
As for contributions from slanderers being bad, we're all slanderers or had been in some past life to some degree or other. Accepting money from tainted sources should be seen as a way to show mercy, thereby allowing less-than-perfect human beings a chance (by means of such almsgiving) to create a cause for their own eventual attainment of buddhahood.
As for contributions from slanderers being bad, we're all slanderers or had been in some past life to some degree or other. Accepting money from tainted sources should be seen as a way to show mercy, thereby allowing less-than-perfect human beings a chance (by means of such almsgiving) to create a cause for their own eventual attainment of buddhahood.
Daisaku Ikeda is flawed because...
...he allowed his name to be added to the silent prayers as follows:
QUOTE: [from the current version of the third silent prayer]:
I acknowledge my debt of gratitude and offer appreciation to the three founding presidents — Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda — for their eternal examples of selfless dedication to the propagation of the Law.
:UNQUOTE.
In my view, it is the height of arrogance for one to say, in effect: "You should worship me because I'm in a position of power to add my name to your prayers, even though I'm still alive and could conceivably act in a way to sully my own previously admirable reputation." To me, this is the most egregious example of self-service by the powerful. Two other examples come to mind:
- Daisaku Ikeda is constantly reminding us of how many academic honors (including honorary doctoral degrees) that are constantly being bestowed upon him. Apologists will claim that he brandishes these degress for the sake of the members - but I doubt that, since it's not really necessary for the purpose of attaiming kosen-rufu. But it might be necessary to shore up the ego of a man who never attained any type of college degree at all and likes the sound of being called "Dr. Ikeda."
- Daisaku Ikeda can't seem to let go of power. Even though Nikken Abe, his priestly rival, retired years ago after he reached 80, Daisaku still clings to the title of SGI President well into his 80's.
So, who shall we follow?
That's an easy question to answer - we should follow Shakyamuni Buddha himself, who is still alive and with us now. He did not die nor was he cremated over 2,000 years ago in India, even though this is what "everybody" says and is what history teaches us. Apparently, I'm the only one who makes this claim, which I base on two factors:
- A question: How could Shakyamuni, master of cause and effect and "one who sees all things and knows all things," have possibly unknowingly eaten food that poisoned him?
- Even if he had eaten something poisonous, the Lotus Sutra makes clear that an enlightened person cannot be killed or even injured this way, even after having ingested something deadly.
I hope this quote from the Lotus Sutra* (page 270) will give you cause for reconsideration in this matter:
QUOTE:
In order to save living beings,
as an expedient means I appear to enter nirvana
but in truth I do not pass into extinction.
I am always here, preaching the Law.
I am always here,
but through my transcendental powers
I make it so that living beings in their befuddlement
do not see me even when close by.
:UNQUOTE.
It's up to each of us to open our hearts to Shakyamuni's preaching, even though we can't see him. Only he can save us from the temptation to follow leaders who we can see and who we have formed attachments to.
When I first joined SGI (then known as NSA) in the early 70's, a lot of my fellow members were impressed by the unbroken chain of High Priests who propagated Nichiren's Buddhism ever since the time of his death in 1282. Now that members find Ikeda and Nikken being cast in dubious lights, we're actually free to use our own wisdom (inspired of course by Shakyamuni) and make up our own minds. Even though we can't see or hear Shakyamuni, we can build a path toward him by doing what is urged in the Lotus Sutra: We should practice by reading, reciting, pondering, and teaching to the best of our ability the Lotus Sutra - the entire Lotus Sutra, and not just (as both the SGI and Nichiren Shoshu urge) the 2nd and 16th chapters therein.
If we practice correctly, that is - if we practice as the Lotus Sutra says we should, we will acquire the wisdom necessary to know what to do. The hard part, for any Nichiren Buddhist, would be to embrace the practice of "chanting" the entire Lotus Sutra which would mean we would abandon the Gohonzon, gongyo (that is, the chanting of the 2nd and 16th chapers only), and the Daimoku. These should be abandoned since they are nowhere mentioned in the Lotus Sutra and are the inventions of Nichiren - though I'm sure his intentions were good in terms of being expedient means to attract people to engage in some type of a beginner's Buddhist practice.
Members who wish to doggedly cling to their familiar practices would do well to think about the Buddha's words concerning breaking the bonds of attachments.
Some Additional Considerations
Admonition #17 of 26:
The second High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu, Nikko Shonin, wrote 26 admonitions shortly before he died. Since Nikko is still highly regarded by the SGI, since he was claimed to be Nichiren's direct successor, the SGI has cited one of his admonitions (#17) in their war of words with Nikken Abe:
"Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha's Law and propounds his own views." - source:
http://www.sokaspirit.org/resource/living-buddhism/an-explanation-of-nikko-shonins-26-admonitions-part-iiI wish Nikko had better clarified his meaning, perhaps by writing this instead:
"Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha Nichiren's Law and propounds his own view."
I believe Nichiren Shoshu, from as early as Nikko Shonin's day, created unnecessary confusion by insisting on calling him Nichiren Daishonin as broadly and often as it did. Of course, Nichiren himself didn't help matters by denying he was a Buddha, though he had managed to obliquely identify himself as (possibly) a reincarnation of Bodhisattva Superior Practices.
Even though the SGI cites this admonition, it seems to counter the SGI's claim that the priesthood is wrong to claim itself superior to the laity. Since Nikko had written, "Do not follow even the high priest...[my emphasis]...," Nikko seems, by use of the word "even," to be holding the high priest in higher regard than other priests or the laity. Perhaps Nikko was thinking that some devil might appear in the form of a future high priest and try to lead Nichren believers astray.
This does get complicated, doesn't it?
Your role, in light of the "Entrustment" Chapter
Chapter 22 of the Lotus Sutra ("Entrustment," page 319) says:
QUOTE:
At that time Skakyamuni Buddha rose from his Drarma seat and, manifesting his great supernatural powers, with his right hand patted the heads of the immeasurable bodhisattvas mahasattva and spoke these words: "For immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of asamkhya kalpas I have practiced this hard-to-attain Law of supreme perfect enlightenment. Now I entrust it to you. You must single-mindedly propigate this Law abroad, causing its benefits to spread far and wide."
...You must accept, uphold, read, recite, and broadly propagate this Law, causing all living beings everywhere to hear and understand it."
:UNQUOTE.
I can imagine myself (and you) being there as Shakyamuni patted the heads of these "immeasurable bodhisattvas mahasattva," but not patting my head (or yours, either). I can imagine that we were part of this Great Assembly but in some capacity other than these bodhisattvas. I can imagine being excited to be there to witness this entrustment, even though it wasn't directed to me and others like me (and you). I can even suppose that Nikken Abe and Daisaku Ikeda had been there and had their heads patted by Shakyamuni. But I can also imagine my impatience at seeing these two failing to step up to the plate and propagate as Shakyamuni instructed
I can also imagine that I am telling myself, "If the great anointed ones aren't taking action, I guess it's up to the second, third, and fourth stringers (like me) to do something in the name of making even a token effort to lead others to the truth." Even though my understanding of Buddhism is far from perfect, even though I have Stage IV liver cancer with the doctors saying "There is no cure - you have probably have less - a lot less - than five years to live," I hope through my puny efforts (beginning with my blog posts) to inspire the anointed ones to wake up and do what they'd promised Shakyamuni Buddha they'd do.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Steven Searle, just another member of the Virtual Samgha of the Lotus Sutra and
Former Candidate for US President (in 2008 and 2012)
Contact me at bpa-cinc@yahoo.com
Footnotes:
the Lotus Sutra* - There are several English-language translations of the Lotus Sutra widely available. But the version I'm citing in this blog was translated by Burton Watson, upon the Soka Gakkai's request to this translator of world-renown, and published by the SGI in 2009. This nearly 400-page work is entitled The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, the entirety of which is commonly known as the Threefold Lotus Sutra.
the entire Lotus Sutra** - I have recited "the entire [English-language version of the] Lotus Sutra" 150 times, but not exclusively the Burton Watson version and not the Opening and Closing Sutras. However, I included these two sutras as part of my recitation practice after realizing how closely linked they are to the Lotus; these two I've recited approximately 15 times.
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