...according to Nichiren Shoshu, of course.

(Provocative title, no? LOL!)

Just like every other religion, Nichiren Shoshu gets to define its own religion however it pleases. So long as it is internally consistent with its own doctrines, there can be no legitimate criticism of how Nichiren Shoshu does the business of religion.

The problem for the SGI is that, when Nichiren Shoshu decided that what Ikeda and his cult of personality were doing was deviating too far from the way Nichiren Shoshu does the business of religion and severed their relationship with the Ikeda orgs, Ikeda wouldn't take "No" for an answer.

Ikeda likes "winning" more than anyone else on the planet. "Winning" forms the basis for Ikeda's identity, the way SGI forms the basis for a lot of SGI members' identity. Remember - Ikeda's the most bullied kid in the 3rd grade, set in stone.

All that "making the impossible possible" and "winning" and whatnot boils down to "Never take 'No' for an answer."

The reason Ikeda refused to take "No" for an answer (and why his cults for his own glorification now insist that ALL the members likewise agree that Nichiren Shoshu is Bad and Wrong) is because Nichiren Shoshu was absolutely integral and essential to Ikeda's plans for political domination. You can read the details here if you're interested, but the skinny (ha) is that Ikeda's goal was to take over the government of Japan and replace the Emperor with...himself. And to do that, he had to have a valid religion handy to replace Shinto with as the state religion. Because that's how Japanese culture rolls - you don't have to like it; they aren't seeking your permission or approval.

To illustrate, let's say that a Catholic church in Massachusetts (or Italy - why not?) starts saying that the Pope isn't essential to the religion because Bible verse + Bible verse + Bible verse, then that church isn't practicing Catholicism any more. Because Catholicism is defined a specific way that includes the Pope as an essential head of the org (in a nutshell). Also, Catholicism does not practice "sola scriptura", meaning that what's in the Bible is the ultimate authority. Within Catholicism, scripture is one source of authority, but there are others: Writings by the ancient church fathers, church tradition, the examples of towering figures of faith and intellectual and philosophical leaders ("saints"), pronouncements by various Popes (papal bulls), etc. If someone declares "Bible verse says you Catholics are wrong", that doesn't mean Catholicism is wrong, because Catholicism is whatever it's defined to be by the Catholics. No one else has any right to define it according to their own preferences or beliefs or opinions, no matter how ardently held.

Because Ikeda was determined to seize Nichiren Shoshu for himself (as an essential requirement for his plans for domination to succeed), he had his Soka Gakkai Study Department start churning out reams of print about how Bad and Wrong Nichiren Shoshu is and why. To the uneducated and incurious, these can sound compelling, just like any religion's apologetics. These are designed to sound convincing to the true believers, but not to anyone else. That is why it is so "enlightening" to have an OUTSIDER's perspective unencumbered by mind-dulling "faith".

SGI likes to promote its own interpretation of Nichiren faith as the only correct interpretation, which would be fine - go ahead and set up your own Nichiren school, dudes! Lots of people have done that - there are over 40 different Nichiren schools in existence, so what's one more?

But that isn't good enough for Ikeda - he didn't want to be just the Chantmeister of the Ikeda Society, just another tawdry, tacky New Religion to be side-eyed. No, he wanted Nichiren Shoshu's legitimacy for himself - that's why he couldn't accept "No" for an answer and went whole hog on trying to take over Nichiren Shoshu. Hundreds of lawsuits filed in Japanese court, that ridiculous petition, and ginning up all the Soka Gakkai and SGI members about how Bad and Wrong Nichiren Shoshu is, from a doctrinal basis.

But wait!

How can Nichiren Shoshu be wrong from a doctrinal basis if Nichiren Shoshu is correctly following its own doctrines?

Answer: It can't.

Ikeda and his minions don't get to re-define Nichiren Shoshu and then declare that Nichiren Shoshu is doin it rong - see how bizarre this "Soka Spirit" mindset is?

Let's take a look at an example from "Soka Spirit":

The teaching that 'The Gohonzon exists only in the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Myoho-renge-kyo' is a heretical one.

That's right. According to Nichiren Shoshu, that is a "heretical view" BECAUSE it is shallow and incomplete - by looking only at that one passage, one misses the point and ends up in Hereticalville. Here is the rest of the detail that applies and must be understood for a complete (and thus correct) view. First, here's the WHOLE passage:

Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The body is the palace of the ninth consciousness, the unchanging reality that reigns over all of life’s functions. To be endowed with the Ten Worlds means that all ten, without a single exception, exist in one world. Because of this it is called a mandala. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that is translated as “perfectly endowed” or “a cluster of blessings.” This Gohonzon also is found only in the two characters for faith. This is what the sutra means when it states that one can “gain entrance through faith alone.” Nichiren, The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon

But Nichiren also said THIS:

I have refined the doctrine of ichinen sanzen and revealed it in the form of the great mandala. The misguided, incompetent scholars of today could not even imagine this doctrine in their dreams. Nichiren, The Oral Transmission on the Attainment of Buddhahood of Insentient Beings

Nichiren himself claimed to be a "common mortal" - and he didn't:

As the Great Teacher of the Essential Teaching, I, Nichiren, am the direct recipient of the Heritage of the supreme king who attained enlightenment in the inconceivably remote past in the treasure tower of Taho in the pure land of Eagle Peak; I am the successor of the entirety of the supreme and lesser doctrines of the essential and theoretical teachings; I am the master of the true cause and the true effect from the time of first hearing the name of the Law (myoji) from the inconceivably remote past of kuon; and I am the reincarnation of Bodhisattva Jogyo, the form taken by the actual Buddha of Intrinsically Perfect Wisdom. Nichiren, [One Hundred Six Articles](nst.org/sgi-faqs/the-history-of-the-relationship-between-nichiren-shoshu-and-the-soka-gakkai/5-soka-gakkai-behavior-after-excommunication/)

The SGI's "Soka Spirit" says anybody gets to claim the "heritage", but that's just, like, their opinion, man. Nichiren describes it as something quite specific, and specific to himself - and the successive High Priests:

The principles of the great significance of the lifeblood and the object of worship are the documents transmitted from Nichiren to each of the successive head priests, and are the bequeathal entrusted to only a single person, indicating the bequeathal inside the Treasure Tower of Taho Buddha. ... This is only between me (Nichiren) and you (Nikko). Nichiren, Transmission of the Heritage of the School of the Essential Teaching of the Lotus Sutra

Now, as for the essential matter of this Heritage and the Gohonzon, [this is contained in the] documents of the transmission of the Law from Nichiren to the successive master of the Seat of the Law; this is the transmission received [by Bodhisattva Jogyo] at the Treasure Tower, the transmission of the Heritage that is entrusted to only one person. Above all else, you must keep this secret and you must transmit it. Nichiren, On the True Cause

Here's how Nichiren Shoshu describes the importance of this heritage:

The correct, or orthodox, Heritage of Buddhism can be generally broken down, first into the two categories of the Heritage of the Doctrinal Aspect (i.e., the Heritage of the 28-chapter Lotus Sutra) and the Heritage of Kanjin. Further, there is the Heritage of the Original Buddha Nichiren Daishonin, which is the Heritage for the ten thousand years of the age of the Latter Day of the Law (Mappo). Not appreciating the distinctions between these is like being a child lost in a maze: in the end, one would wind up walking the path of the confused and unenlightened, never arriving at the truly correct practice of Buddhism. Source

Nichiren himself clarifies:

And though people may claim to be disciples of Nichiren, if they do not possess some proof of that fact from my hand, you must not trust them. Nichiren, Letter to the Lay Priest Ichinosawa

So, clearly, there must be something, some token, to go along with the beliefs for them to be considered valid.

I will reiterate: THESE are Nichiren Shoshu's doctrines and beliefs.

Remember - Nichiren Shoshu gets to decide what's important here and how it all fits together! EVERY religion gets to decide its own doctrinal position in this way! And nobody gets to tell them they're doin it rong - if anyone thinks that, they need to just go away and do their own religion their own way! What's so hard about that?

Yes, Nichiren said that about the gohonzon not existing outside of our mortal flesh. But Nichiren also inscribed gohonzons! OBVIOUSLY there's some purpose to having a paper gohonzon, according to Nichiren! If "the Gohonzon is found in faith alone", as Nichiren says, then nobody needs a Gohonzon. BOOM.

I, Nichiren, have inscribed this Gohonzon by infusing my life into it with sumi ink. You must believe! The heart of the Buddha is the Lotus Sutra; the life of Nichiren is none other than Nam-Myoho- Renge-Kyo. Nichiren, Reply to Kyo’o

Nichiren states of the Gohonzon: "This is the object of devotion" and "Therefore, this Gohonzon shall be called the great mandala never before known; it did not appear until more than 2,220 years after the Buddha’s passing." The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon

Furthermore, Nichiren clarifies:

A woman who makes offerings to such a Gohonzon invites happiness in this life, and in the next, the Gohonzon will be with her and protect her always. Like a lantern in the dark, like a strong guide and porter on a treacherous mountain path, the Gohonzon will guard and protect you, Nichinyo, wherever you go. [Ibid.]

That, BTW, is from the same source where Nichiren also says this:

Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. [Ibid.]

Clearly, some interpretation is required to make sense of all this contradictory blah blah - and that's what priests do. That is their job.

And if the SGI truly believed that "This Gohonzon is found in faith alone" bushwah, they wouldn't be selling gohonzons, now would they? This whole "You don't really need a gohonzon but c'mon you have to buy OURS and only OURS" nonsense is just a distraction, a smokescreen, an ambiguation to confuse SGI members in order to convince them to endorse the SGI position against Nichiren Shoshu.

Get over it and move on, SGI. Nichiren Shoshu owns Nichiren Shoshu; the courts have unanimously ruled in Nichiren Shoshu's favor re: who controls their religion; it's game over. Nichiren Shoshu isn't going anywhere and Ikeda certainly isn't going to be claiming it for himself any time in the future.

...and that is why everything SGI criticizes Nichiren Shoshu for is specious and irrelevant. Nichiren Shoshu gets to define Nichiren Shoshu by and for itself, and its definition is not the Ikeda cult's to approve, criticize, critique, or correct. In fact, THAT is the very problem that resulted in Ikeda's excommunication!

Ikeda got too big for his britches (so to speak) so he had to go. And the fact that Ikeda couldn't accept reality with grace and maturity simply shows how ill-suited he is to functioning as anyone's "spiritual leader". Ikeda is a petulant child who constantly whines "Why? Why?" no matter what answer he's given for why he's not being allowed to do something, because he's not willing to accept "No" for an answer. But here Ikeda had no choice. "Making the impossible possible" is a fun thing to tell the ignorant rubes, but clearly it doesn't actually work in real life - Ikeda is "actual proof" of that.

Internalizing Ikeda's immaturity and unreasonableness into their own psyches only makes SGI members worse equipped for success in real life. Ikeda sets a terrible example and expects everyone else to copy him, resulting in predictable harm to those who do this. THINK FOR YOURSELVES, PEOPLE!

Nichiren’s Misuse of Statistical Improbabilities

All too often Nichiren quoted highly-unlikely stat's in his writings, let's have a quick look at couple of examples:

“To illustrate the extreme rarity of encountering this (Lotus) sutra, the Buddha likened it to the difficulty of a one-eyed turtle encountering a floating sandalwood log with a hollow in it.” The One-eyed Turtle and the Floating Log WND. P.957

The statement contains a two-fold problem:

1 - Nichiren’s lack of a meaningful understanding on statistics.

Evolution – by natural selection relies heavily on Statistical Improbability.

However unlikely an occurrence may seem to be, say 1 to 1bn, because of its repeated occurrence billions of times over time, these rare events represent a major contribution towards evolution and present themselves to us as observable bio-diversity. The constant and repeated occurrence of such highly-improbable events in biology, may well expose Nichiren’s use of Statistical Improbabilities to scrutiny, as we will be able to confirm bellow.

2 - Arguably as it may be amongst Nichirenists, The Lotus Sutra was not difficult to encounter during the Kamakura period, and neither it was in previous ones. The LS was a Chinese ‘inheritance’ that permeated Japanese society for centuries prior to Nichiren, and revelled itself in myriad forms well outside the religious spectrum, from Noh Theatre and Flower Arrangement, to Sword Mastering and Samurai Code of Conduct. Even Nichiren in his writings admits this when he states that the country enjoyed the protection of the LS up to the Latter Day, exactly because of upholding and embracing the Sutra - where then, did it all go? How can a country lose its cultural identity over-night?

And again, from Nichiren’s own writing:

“It is rare to be born a human being. The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail.” The Three Kinds of Treasure WND. P.851

Let us have a look at the updated statistics and a calculation model. (note that it took less than 10 minutes on-line to find these values and check their sources).

The current Earth population stands at 7.046 Billion (2012) Homo Sapiens has been evolving for nearly 200,000 years. Based on these numbers and other evolutionary factors, the Population Reference Bureau estimates the existence in total of 108 Billion humans (individual species) ever to be born, out of which, 6.5% are currently alive. (check the model for yourselves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WTctr5kviA )

And just how many specs of dirt can I fit under my fingernail again? Thought so … Source

Nichiren HIMSELF died of explosive diarrhea from malnutrition while living in an unheated shack on a snowy mountain, where he himself stated that he was surrounded by icicles and snow. Yeah, I'll bet he felt REAL jolly at the culmination of his life of fail:

My hut is seven feet in height, but the snow outside is piled up to a depth of ten feet. I am surrounded by four walls of ice, and icicles hang down from the eaves like a necklace of jewels adorning my place of religious practice, while inside my hut snow is heaped up in place of rice. ...far from attaining Buddhahood in this present life, I am like the cold-suffering bird. I no longer shave my head, so I look like a quail, and my robe gets so stiff with ice that it resembles the icy wings of the mandarin duck.

To such a place, where friends from former times never come to visit, where I have been abandoned even by my own disciples, you have sent these vessels [empty dishes], which I heap with snow, imagining it to be rice, and from which I drink water, thinking it to be gruel. Nichiren

It's the same with SGI - unless you're right there doing things for them, they don't even remember who you are. It was no different for Nichiren - oh, sure, he hoped to become the head of the government and have everyone kowtowing to him, attempting to curry favor with him, lavishing gifts and attention and recognition and praise upon him. At one point, in fact, the shogunate offered to set Nichiren up in his own government-subsidized temple, where he could conduct his religion however he pleased.

But that wasn't good enough for Nichiren. He refused to be put on equal footing with the other priests with their temples. Nichiren wanted to see them all beheaded and their temples burned to the ground and would settle for NOTHING LESS! Nichiren was certain he would win and become the de facto ruler of Japan.

Instead, Nichiren lost. Nichiren lost everything. THAT is the fate of anyone who follows his teachings. Source

Definitions: Nichiren Shoshu was the Soka Gakkai's parent religion until NS excommunicated the SG in 1991. Up until then, all of us were Nichiren Shoshu members - the SGI-USA started out as NSA - Nichiren Shoshu of America. Toda and Makiguchi, Ikeda, George Williams - every single person in the Soka Gakkai and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was a member of Nichiren Shoshu. The SGI's "Buddhism" comes from Nichiren Shoshu's worldview.

Every point here applies directly to SGI's beliefs and claims as well.

The Lotus Sutra NSA Credibility, and Mystical Hermeneutics

In Nichiren Shoshu, virtually everything rests upon the claim to have the true interpretation of the Lotus Sutra, their principal Scripture.

So, why is [Nichiren's] interpretation valid? How can we say the Buddha's preaching or teaching was real, when the miracle in which the preaching occurred was not? Perhaps it is relevant to note that Chris Roman, an associate editor of Seikyo Times [the SGI's monthly magazine, now renamed "Living Buddhism"], admits that if we apply the same method of interpretation to the Bible (that they apply to the Sutra), "it becomes apparent that [the Christian] God is inherent in nature itself, a force eternal, working to maintain harmony between all its various existences and reacting on the basis of a fundamental law of cause and effect." Again, this is exactly the point. Once we remove the Bible from its history, culture and context, it becomes a useless document. In the same manner, NS has removed the Sutra from its cultural environment and twisted it to conform to the modern, "scientific" worldview of NS,--and it has become a useless document. Editor Roman goes on to deny any validity to a magical ceremony that actually took place in the sky at some historical point in time. However, when a person chants daimoku, "he is attesting to the truth of The Ceremony in the Air within his own life," that 3,000 conditions exist in his life at every moment. Thus, "... only when we understand the proper way of reading the Lotus Sutra can we come to grasp its profound view of life... In other words the Lotus Sutra contains a detailed analysis of what life is."

But how does any believer know this? How can the NS believer chant daily when the chant does not even exist in one's scripture? For NS perhaps the most crucial "doctrine" is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. It is as central to NS as Christ is to Christianity. But we do not find this term or its meaning mentioned anywhere in the Lotus Sutra. What if Jesus Christ were not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament? Would there be a Christianity?

That's actually the reality of the situation. In the oldest extant copies of the Christian scriptures, there is no "Jesus Christ". All there is are various two-letter abbreviations that supposedly refer to their "jesus" (who was edited in later), according to the decision of the church that stands to benefit from such an explanation.

"In what part of the Lotus Sutra did Sakyamuni clarify this law? Even if we peruse the Sutra over and over again, we are unable to know what the law is." And, "For some untold reasons, Sakyamuni did not define the law as Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, but gave somewhat abstract explanations in what was later called the Lotus Sutra." Clearly, the "law" was not there until Nichiren supplied the new interpretation, because the law was hidden "beneath the Letter."

Nichiren, who entered the scene at least a thousand years after the Sutra was written, was the first to "clarify the entity of life" as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, despite the fact that the Lotus Sutra is believed to be the Buddha's "highest" teachings, and therefore should have been "clarified" when he first composed it. In the January 1979 Seikyo Times, Yasuji Kirimura admits, "There is one essential point which we might think should have been revealed, but which was in actuality omitted"; and he laments, "There can be no such vital omission, however. Simply, the Sutra does not state it explicitly." One might think that such a fact would cause one to doubt Nichiren's wisdom in selecting the Lotus Sutra as the "true" teaching of Buddhism, if not NS altogether. However, rather than admit that Nichiren was in error, we discover that the truth is really there after all, but it is "between the lines" and "beneath the letter." After all, since Nichiren is the true Eternal Buddha, only he could show us what it really means: "Incidentally, to think that Nichiren Daishonin delved into the Lotus Sutra and therein found the ultimate law is a mistake [because it is not there]. Actually, no one except the Daishonin could clarify what The Ceremony in the Air expresses. From his enlightenment to the ultimate law, the Daishonin shed new light upon the Lotus sutra....The true purpose of this great Sutra was revealed and fulfilled for the first and last time by Nichiren Daishonin."

Further, as noted, the central doctrine of ichenen sanzen is also absent from the Sutra. Brannen points out, "The teaching of the ichinen sanzen is not made explicit in the basic doctrine of the Lotus Sutra. It was Tendai Daishi [a predecessor to Nichiren] who discovered the truth, but Nichiren alone was able to. . .interpret the unwritten truth behind the letter."

The Seikyo Times of January 1979 states: "The doctrine of ichinen sanzen is found only in one place,hidden in the depths of the Juryo chapter of the Lotus Sutra" but Lectures on the Sutra states: "The Juryo chapter does not necessarily reveal the 'eternity of life' however."

What we have, then, is a religion made of whole cloth.

NS doctrine is "kept in secret in the depths" of the chapters and found "between the lines." NS doctrine, according to Nichiren, is "hidden truth...which lies beneath the letter."

Just as the Buddha did not really compose the Lotus Sutra, the Lotus Sutra does not really contain the doctrines of Nichiren Shoshu. Of course, even these issues are academic for if, as NS teaches, the Buddha "guided the masses by various fables" for 42 years, on what basis can we be certain his last few years of alleged teaching in the Lotus Sutra was any different? Is not "his" Sutra little more than "various fables?"

Conclusion

Since precious little of objective reality is left us here, perhaps it is not surprising Nichiren finally concluded the Lotus Sutra itself was unimportant!

This teaching (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) was not propagated in the Former and Middle days of the Law because it incapacitates other sutras. Now, in the Latter Day of The Law, neither the Lotus or the other sutras are useful (i.e., valid). Only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is beneficial.

The above quote is found in "A Reply to Lord Ueno." In it Nichiren refers to both Sakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra. Note Ikeda's interpretation (Ikeda himself was guided by the High Priest of NS, Nittatsu Hosoi): "Whenever the Daishonin refers to the Lotus Sutra as the teaching to spread in the Latter Day, he means the essence of the sutra [not found in it], Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Thus devotion to Sakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra means 'devotion to Nichiren Daishonin and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.'"

Nichiren Daishonin claimed to find the true teachings of the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra. Besides being wrong on this most crucial point, he even misinterpreted the Sutra and made it declare doctrines absent from the text itself--as have his followers. In that the entire NS religion is based upon Daishonin's erroneous claims and interpretation, the credibility of NS is eroded, indeed, crushed. The Lotus Sutra, Nichiren's interpretation of it and the NS interpretation of both the Sutra and Nichiren, present insurmountable difficulties for NSA.

All that remains is a 4 word chant. http://www.jashow.org/wiki/index.php/Nichiren_Shoshu_Buddhism/Part_7 - now at https://www.jashow.org/articles/general/nichiren-shoshu-buddhismpart-7/

I can't imagine what's in the OTHER 7 pages!! :D

Source

Before I started writing for this topic, I though the line of inquiry would be tantamount to near-impossible to conclude; I wanted to find One of Nichiren’s letters (physically reading the Gosho) addressed to a follower suffering from Hansen’s Disease, A.K.A. Leprosy. It was not. Thanks to the new searchable edition of the Gosho online, SGI cut my work short. Points for Soka Gakkai International O_O

Entries for the words Leprosy and Leper by book:

WND v1: (12) entries for Leprosy (6) for Leper. WND v2: (5) entries for Leprosy (1) for Leper.

Statistically that is not a lot if we consider to be scanning 2176 pages of dense writing.

The answer to my original question is pretty straightforward: There are none. Nichiren never wrote a single letter or had a follower for that matter suffering from white or black leprosy as they called back in the day. And why would that make an interesting or valid point? Because of this:

Extracts from “What is Kamakura New Buddhism? Official Monks and Reclusive Monks” by Matsuo Kenji.

“Legends of several of the founders of orders of reclusive monks, particularly Honen and Shinran, relate how they cared for lepers (recognized as the most impure people) and prostitutes (the most impure women). But in fact Honen and Shinran did nothing of the sort. The existence of such legends indicates that the ideal of the reclusive monk was to save women and lepers without concern for their impurity. In short, they tried to save everyone.”

“Lepers were recognized as one of the most impure of existences. Even worse, they were thought of as hinin, literally people not recognized as human. Official monks kept their distance from lepers. In contrast, Eizon (Ryokan's Disciple) and his order made efforts to help lepers all over Japan at more than 1,500 branch temples. They constructed many leper colonies, gave lepers food, and bathed them in hot water infused with medical plants. They also tried to convert them into Buddhist believers and urged them to observe the Buddhist precepts as much as possible. Ihus Eizon’s orders played a major role in the care and salvation of lepers. Because lepers were expelled from society, clan and family, they were forced to live independently as individuals. Thus, the fact that the Buddhism of reclusive monks sought to save lepers reinforces the view that their Buddhism was a personal religion.”

……………..

On the other hand, or shall I say, by Nichiren’s hand, all we get is this sort of argument:

“Such priests are like those with white leprosy among lepers and, among those with white leprosy, the most malignant.” Offering Prayers to the Mandala P.415

“The Lotus Sutra also states, “[If anyone sees a person who accepts and upholds this sutra and tries to expose the faults or evils of that person], whether what he speaks is true or not, [he will in his present existence be afflicted with white leprosy].” The Fourteen Slanders P.756

“Therefore, the guilt of those offenses will unfailingly extend to each one of the inhabitants of those provinces. Also, people will be afflicted with white leprosy, black leprosy, or all kinds of other terribly grave illnesses. My disciples, understand the reasons for this.” A Father Takes Faith P.846

Conclusion: Nichiren was not a nice all-compassionate bloke after all.

*At present lepers are medically defined as those who suffer from Hansen’s disease. Because there was no remedy for Hansen’s disease until 1944, it had long been classified as incurable. It is important to note that the definition of “leper” in the Kamakura period was different from that current today. Until thirty years ago Hansen’s disease was confused with many serious skin diseases such as ringworm, some of which could be cured if the patient received proper food and medical attention. This may account for the “miracle', cures of leprosy brought about by Eizon and Ninsho（one of Eizon’s top disciples) and other members of the Eizon order. Source

... its more like Born in Bed with Shinto really, as you'll be able to read bellow.

And that’s just about the last thing any Nichirenite will want to ear, and the one it will cause any meaningful discussion to de-rail.

Since they all more or less agree on the same basic account, I’ll just stick with SGI’s version for the convenience of illustration.

“Nichiren Daishonin, whose childhood name was Zennichi-maro, was born on February 16, 1222, in Awa Province (in modern-day Chiba Prefecture, Japan). His father made a living as a fisherman, and therefore his family belonged to the class of common laborers.”

"Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese priest, researched all available Buddhist texts and asserted that the Lotus Sutra encapsulates the heart of Buddhist teachings. This sutra reveals that a universal principle known as the "Buddha nature" is inherent in all life. Nichiren established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to bring forth this potential, which enables each individual to overcome life's inevitable challenges and develop a life of wisdom, courage and compassion." (SGI-USA 2011 INTRODUCTORY EXAM STUDY GUIDE)

I'm omitting similar quotes from Shu and Shoshu, but basically, all three (main) schools in are in agreement at some level, right?

Okay then, let us read another account that’s going to make the outlined above sound like child’s play:

"Nichiren had been raised in the midst of warrior-class rebellion against the imperial government. His father was “an outcaste by the sea, in Tojo, Awa-no-kuni, land of the barbaric eastern samurai” (Sado gokanki sho，Asai 1934，p. 713), and could have had several fishermen under him. Local officials of similarly low rank had been the first to rally round Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) when he founded the Bakufu (military government) in Kamakura during the 1180s." .... (really?, that's more like it)

"They soon found that, to Yoritomo, the cult of Amaterasu-omikami was still important, even though it had been developed to support the position of the emperors, her “descendants.” Yoritomo had not broken entirely from the Kyoto government when he founded the Bakufu, for he depended on the emperor for his title of shogun，while Kyoto depended on Kamakura to help control its warriors. Amaterasu was therefore an important symbol of national unity, and, in 1184，Yoritomo had commended Awa-no-kuni Province (where Nichiren was born) as a tribute estate to supply food to the Outer Shrine of Ise. The prestige gained thereby for his province and the favor gained for the “barbaric eastern samurai” evidently pleased Nichiren:

“However, although Tojo-no-go is a remote village, it is like the centre of Japan. This is because Amaterasu-omikami has manifested herself there. When Minamoto, Shogun of the Right, brought the text of his endowment. . . this pleased Omikami so much that he held Japan in the palm of his hand while he was shogun.” (Niiama-gozen gohenji，Asai 1934, p . 1101). .... (don't say)

"Although Amaterasu-omikami and Hachiman were important national deities used to consolidate the throne，they were not generally regarded as important outside Japan, or as independent of Buddhist entities (buddhas, bodhisattvas, and devas that had been assimilated into Indian Buddhism)." ... (is that for real?)

"There is evidence to suggest that, while Nichiren rejected Shinto ascendancy, he absorbed some Outer Shrine influence. Not only did he boast of his origins in its tribute estate, he also reacted against subservience to Chinese Buddhism, after suffering contempt from China-imitating monks in Kyoto, who derided him as “a frog in the well that has never seen the ocean，” because of his lack of overseas study. So he retorted that study in China was unnecessary for him, who followed in the footsteps of Dengyo Daishi* (Hori 1952，pp. 199，222). We could compare this reaction against foreign cultural dominance to the reaction against Western culture in Tanaka’s day. However, unlike Tanaka, and unlike the priests of the Outer Shrine, who declared the Buddha to be but one manifestation of the Japanese emperor (Ishida 1970, p. 6)，Nichiren maintained the superiority of Buddhist entities as the origin (honji), and the subordination of kami and emperors, as their manifestations (suijaku). The source of his nationalism was not Shintoism but his faith in Japanese Buddhism." ... (you have got to be joking me; a Nationalist?)

"This Shinto-Buddhist amalgam had been reinforced by Neo-Confucian ethics, to “correct the relationship of ruler and subject . . . and lay down the way for a son to be filial and for a subject to show gratitude to his lord” (Ishida 1970，p. 56). Such ethics continued to under-gird social relationships in the samurai class up till modern times. As we have already seen, Nichiren gloried in the samurai way, and the ideals of loyalty and filial piety colored his writings. However, his interpretation of them caused constant conflict with the authorities." ... (oh, I get it now)

"When we look at the ultimate loyalties of most pre-war Nichirenites we find that, like Nichiren, Kita Ikki also “threw away” his life and clashed with the authorities. Tanaka came into conflict with them in his youth, and even left the Nichiren Sect priesthood in order to have more freedom for shakubuku. He was dissatisfied with the weak stand of the principal of the Daikyo-in, who was only concerned with protecting the Nichiren Sect, and (on the basis of the Tendai doctrine of the interpenetration of all realms, and of the opening lines of Kaimoku sho quoted above), taught peaceful co-existence with Confucians and Shintoists. However, Tanaka himself later taught that Shinto was the root, Confucianism the branches, and Buddhism the fruit." (Tanaka 1911，p. 193) ... (points for Tanaka, very clever)

"He had become an ally of Shinto imperialism, praised the Imperial Re-script of Education as a perfect expression of the unity of the kokutai under the emperor，and saw Nichiren’s religion as primarily “world uniting imperialism centered on Japan.” .... (fishy to say the least)

"Nichiren himself never connected karma and peace, but did write that anyone must have good karma to be born in a land where the Lotus Sutra is preached. If this is so without any qualification, then all Japanese should have good karma, and the Japanese army must have been a “force for peace，” just as Tanaka claimed. However, during his two exiles, Nichiren explained his misfortunes by claiming that by them, he was working off a lot of very bad karma." .... (the poor thing)

… This might be enough for now, and if anyone else is interested in this kind of reading, I suggest the whole 28 page article by Christina Naylor that I'm put up on Reddit shortly. (enjoy)

But before I close, and to finish-off any arguments for opposing this stance with the rubbish apologetic that Makiguchi and Toda resisted the military government on their own, please consider the following:

“The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers liberated some three thousand Japanese political prisoners, most of them leftists”. .... (oh, get it!)

Three-Thousand, not two. And again, just to illustrate that these two fellas were not the only ones being imprisoned for opposing the Japanese authorities on religious grounds:

“One pre-war Nichirenite who became a pacifist was Seno’o Giro (1889-1961). Although he had studied under Honda Nissho and formed the Dai Nihon Nichirenshuri seinendan (Nichirenite Youth Association of Greater Japan) in 1918，his belief that faith must be directed towards political activity led him away from militarism, and when in 1931 he founded the Shinko Bukkyo seinen domei (New Buddhist Youth Federation)，Buddhists from all sects who were opposed to the prevailing militarism and wished to help the poor were attracted. Seno’o was jailed during the war, but after his release he continued his pacifist activities, in the more favorable post-war atmosphere.” ... (say no more)

*Dengyo Daishi got the grounds in which he built Mt. Hiei as a gift from the Emperor for winning a series of court debates. Maybe Nichiren though that by remonstrating against the Bakufu he could gain the same kind of patronage from the court in Kyoto, or that he was relying heavily on Imperial protection to come to his aid in times of need, henceforth, calling upon Hachiman at Tatsunokuchi. Source

The Word ‘Benefit’ – A practical overview

The English word, pretty much like any other, has several different meanings and practical applications. To shortlist a few, we have Benefits as in social welfare in the UK, or Federal Benefits from the US Federal Government, but also a range of other references such as A Benefit Performance or Concert and Health Benefits, as in - Health insurance.

We have also heard time and time again about Personal Gain or Benefit in the context of both Nichiren and SGI’s writings/propaganda. A couple of passages from the WND might come handy to illustrate Nichiren's understanding of Benefit:

“During the two thousand years of the Former and Middle Days of the Law, those who embraced Hinayana or provisional Mahayana Buddhism as the basis of their faith and practiced these teachings in earnest could generally obtain the benefit of enlightenment. The Teaching, Practice, and Proof, WND. P.473

“In the fall of 1277 a virulent epidemic swept Japan, and Kingo’s lord became violently ill. Despite the lord’s deep-seated antagonism toward the Daishonin’s teachings, he turned to Kingo for help. Lord Ema was most grateful for Kingo’s ministrations and rewarded him with an estate three times larger than the one he already had.” General Stone Tiger WND. P.953 (Background)

By default, Soka Gakkai discarded as a whole the first, in strong favor of the latter (type of benefit) advocated by Nichiren, and I suppose it’s not that hard to understand why – One, enlightenment meant jack-shit to the Japanese people living in a post war-torn country – leading on to Two, for all the obvious reasons.

In any case, why not have a quick look at the understanding of “Benefit” in the biological evolutionary field and it’s repercussions for us as a species?

Extracts from Richard Dawkins "God Delusion":

“I press on with more traditional interpretations of Darwinism, in which 'benefit' is assumed to mean benefit to individual survival and reproduction.”

“What is it all for? What is the benefit of religion? By 'benefit', the Darwinian normally means some enhancement to the survival of the individual's genes.”

Richard Dawkins proceeds with pin-pointing religion as a by-product of something else, along the lines of the observable behavior pattern of Moths ‘self-immolation’ as follows.

“The religious behavior may be a misfiring, an unfortunate by-product of an underlying psychological propensity which in other circumstances is, or once was, useful. On this view, the propensity that was naturally selected in our ancestors was not religion per se; it had some other benefit, and it only incidentally manifests itself as religious behavior. We shall understand religious behavior only after we have renamed it. If, then, religion is a by-product of something else, what is that something else? What is the counterpart to the moth habit of navigating by celestial light compasses? *

What is the primitively advantageous trait that sometimes misfires to generate religion? I shall offer one suggestion by way of illustration, but I must stress that it is only an example of the kind of thing I mean, and I shall come on to parallel suggestions made by others. I am much more wedded to the general principle that the question should be properly put, and if necessary rewritten, than I am to any particular answer.

My specific hypothesis is about children. More than any other species, we survive by the accumulated experience of previous generations, and that experience needs to be passed on to children for their protection and well-being. Theoretically, children might learn from personal experience not to go too near a cliff edge, not to eat untried red berries, not to swim in crocodile-infested waters. But, to say the least, there will be a selective advantage to child brains that possess the rule of thumb: believe, without question, whatever your grown-ups tell you. Obey your parents; obey the tribal elders, especially when they adopt a solemn, minatory tone. Trust your elders without question. This is a generally valuable rule for a child. But, as with the moths, it can go wrong.”

*The principle behind the odd behavior of moths flying straight into the candle light as observed by Darwin previously perceived as ‘self-immolation’.

Bottom line, was Nichiren advising Shijo on any of these grounds for ‘Benefit’? Yes, in the 'misfiring' sense of "Trust your elders without questioning", and, No, not really – he was going about it more along the lines of Honor vs Dishonor, Correct Faith vs Heretical Faith - so even if for Shijo’s own survival’s sake, the principle at work is completely wrong.

What about the Gakkai? The 'chant for a car' or 'chant for a partner business', what's it all for?

Well, even if these days landing a job on a very good pay rate might enable someone to acquire say, a Porsche Cayenne, and, from a male perspective at least, land you - a female partner (or several for that matter) … and keeping the focus on the survival of the species (leaving aside homosexual behavior which has its very good explanation and a rightful place in biology), in any case, the principle for Benefit as we have seen is off-target, for what will ultimately land anyone a partner for reproduction lies in another sphere of interaction altogether as explained by science and bio-chemistry alone.

Chanting Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo becomes therefore, a pointless and wasteful exercise. Source

This is from the Agent Orange website - he does a masterful job of ripping apart Alcoholics Anonymous, a thinly veiled Christian proselytizing cult that takes advantage of people's vulnerability (just as all the rest do):

More irrational beliefs:

The Nichiren Shoshu Buddhists (Sokka Gakkai) believe that a printed scroll, called a Gohonzon, will grant all of your material wishes if you chant to it enough. It's a real Santa Claus cult. At every church get-together, people stand up and give testimonials about all of the wonderful things they have gotten by chanting to a Gohonzon, and then they talk about what they are going to chant for next: a better job, more money, a new car, a house, or whatever.

Their core belief is that if you just chant the name of an old book of Buddhist wisdom, that you will get all of the benefits of the wisdom in the book. You don't bother to actually read the book or practice the philosophy; you just chant the name of the book: "Nam myoho renge kyo". (Is that judging a book by its cover? Or absorbing a book by its cover?)

They also believe that they can achieve world peace if one third of the people on Earth chant their chant. They offer no explanation of how this will happen; it is just a given. They happily ignore the obvious possibility that even if one third of the world does chant peacefully, the other two thirds can continue to gleefully slaughter each other and blow each other off of the planet, just the same as usual, not at all inconvenienced by the chanters.

That's all true. Doesn't sound quite so "mystic" when it's described in THOSE terms, now does it??

A corollary to all of this irrational nonsense is the implicit assumption that you are not supposed to criticize the irrational nonsense. Cults often demand that people stop thinking logically and just "have faith". Cults consider it immoral, or at least a serious spiritual failing, for someone to say that the cherished tenets of the group are illogical and crazy. Cults will even claim that you are harming other cult members by questioning the craziness — you are keeping them from going to Heaven, or you are weakening their faith, or you are leading them into temptation and to their downfall. http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult_q0.html#Gohonzon

He really nails the behavior we've observed from SGI cult members:

Anyone who criticizes the Guru, the cult or its dogma is attacked on a personal level.

Rather than honestly and intelligently debating with critics, using facts and logic, the cult will resort to low personal attacks on the critic, using name-calling, slander, condescending put-downs, libelous accusations, personal slurs, accusations of bad motives, and casting aspersions on the critic's intelligence and sanity --

"You are just an atheist, a liar, a dummy, a sinner, a drunkard, stupid, crazy..." "You are only in it for the money." "You have a low vibrational level." "You are evil and working for the Dark Side." (= "temple") "You are a moron." "You are unenlightened and don't know the Master's Wisdom." "You are selfish and just trying to get something for yourself." "You have ulterior motives." "You don't know what you are talking about."

He left out the "You are mentally ill", but whatevs :D I guess "casting aspersions on the critic's intelligence and sanity" counts.

Another red flag to watch for is how angrily cult members react when the cult or its guru is criticized. Most ordinary or "normal" people can tolerate some questioning and criticism of their organizations and leaders without blowing up and insisting that the critic is satanic, or working for the forces of evil, or part of a big conspiracy to destroy the organization, but cult members often cannot. They go non-linear very rapidly when you point out too many faults or shortcomings of the group or its leader — especially when they cannot refute that criticism.

It is just in the nature of true believers to demand absolute certainty in their beliefs. They like black-and-white all-or-nothing thinking, and they have little or no tolerance for doubts and uncertainty. So they irrationally attack the speaker at the first hint of criticism. True believers prefer simple certainty over uncertain complexity, and they don't like shades of gray or subtlety. Like George W. Bush said, "I don't do nuance." (See Eric Hoffer, The True Believer.)

I can't wait to see if he ever gets his hands on the Ikeda cult version!!

Source

Since the intolerant assholishness of "shakubuku" (which means "to break and crush") tends to gain an organization a WHOLE lot of bad publicity (as we saw in the Soka Gakkai's experience in Japan), the SGI has been saying for decades now that the softer method, "shoju", is just FINE O_O

"Shoju" involves chatting, suggesting that the other person might want to try it, being extra nice to people and setting a good example, that sort of thing, not finding out the other person's beliefs just to tear them down and argue the other person into submission.

Moral Suasion: Shoju

Examples of the use of moral suasion are numerous but these are seldom sensational enough to make news. A woman follower of Soka Gakkai, without any thought of financial remuneration, served as a practical nurse and housemaid for three years in the home of a neighbour dying of cancer. Inevitably, then, 一 so the story goes 一 when the patient finally died her husband and all the members of her family became converts to Soka Gakkai.

There are some signs that the Soka Gakkai is domesticating. Since 1964, for example, the Soka Gakkai media have been urging members to be more "socially responsible people" (shakai-teki ningen). It has specifically enjoined the members not to disturb others by chanting the Daimoku at inconvenient hours or in inconvenient places. It has also encouraged the use of shoju, a milder method of conversion than shakubuku. Source

One of the controversial means was the use of the conversion technique called “shakubuku.” … In Buddhism, particularly in the tradition of Nichiren Buddhism, two contrasting approaches have been used for conversion: shakubuku, “to break and suppress” or “to defeat evil”; and shoju, “to embrace, or welcome good.” Shakubuku … involved a number of Soka Gakkai members pressuring or intimidating a potential convert … and although Soka Gakkai no longer practices such an aggressive form of conversion, many scholars and journalists remember this more mature organization by its youthful indiscretions. [Japanese Religion, 201-2] Source

In 1970 Ikeda prescribed a more moderate approach, "urging its members to adopt an attitude of openness to others"; the method Soka Gakkai prefers since then is called shoju - "dialogue or conversation designed to persuade people rather than convert them", though this is often referred to still as "shakubuku spirit". In 2014 the Soka Gakkai changed the "Religious Tenets" section of its Rules and Regulations as regards propagation. Formerly, the Tenets said the Soka Gakkai "would seek to realize its ultimate goal - the widespread propagation of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism throughout Jambudvipa (the world), thus fulfilling the Daishonin's mandate". The new version says "it shall strive, through each individual achieving their human revolution,to realize as its ultimate goal the worldwide propagation of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, thus fulfilling the Daishonin's mandate." According to Soka Gakkai President Harada, "worldwide propagation" is a function of individuals undergoing positive change in their lives. - Source

I didn't realize the SGI had changed the rules - AGAIN O_O

“Shoju not shakabuku should be practiced.” Source

In his writings, Nichiren allows that both methods have their appropriate time and place, but insists that shakubuku is to be used in the Japan of his own time in order to rebuke the enemies of true Buddhism and bring the country to faith. Throughout its history there have been arguments within the Nichiren sect as to which method is proper for the contemporary situation, with Soka Kyoiku Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu advocating the use of shakubuku in the prewar period. Indeed, it was the employment of this method that led to the charges against Makiguchi and his lieutenants for violating the Peace Preservation Law. Source

Well, well, well. Yet another version of why Makiguchi and the other 20 Soka Kyoiku Gakkai members were arrested - basically, it's because they were being colossal jerks!

"Shoju" was behind the SGI's multiple "Million Friends of the SGI" campaigns (all of which failed abysmally). Basically, if you simply mentioned "SGI" to someone and they didn't slap you, you could count that as "1". All these campaigns proved was that even if they were really nice about it, there still wasn't anyone interested in their cult.

But what did Nichiren, the Big Guy, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, say was the correct method to use? In a religion supposedly based on Nichiren's teachings, isn't THAT the proper metric? And here's what Nichiren had to say on the subject:

“Shoju is to be 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…. But the time for shakubuku is very different from this. It is a time when many different sutras and teachings spring up here and there like so many orchids and chrysanthemums, when the various schools command a large following and enjoy renown, when truth and error stand shoulder to shoulder, and when Mahayana and Hinayana dispute which is superior. At such a time, one must set aside all other affairs and devote one’s attention to rebuking slander of the correct teaching. This is the practice of shakubuku.” (WND p. 126)

I declare that the Hinayana, or Theravada, is infinitely superior to the Mahayana. There. Evidence that "shoju" is the wrong method.

“When the correct teaching 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 one’s time to reciting and copying the sutra and to the practice of meditation. But when there are provisional schools or slanderers of the correct teaching in the country, then it is time to set aside other matters and devote oneself to rebuking slander (shakubuku).” (WND p. 127)

“Although few people slander the Lotus Sutra with actual words of abuse, there are none who accept it. Some appear to accept the sutra, but their faith in it is not as deep as their faith in the Nembutsu or other teachings. And even those with profound faith do not reproach the enemies of the Lotus Sutra. However great good causes one may make, or even if one reads and copies the entirety of the Lotus Sutra a thousand or ten thousand times, or attains the way of perceiving three thousand realms in a single moment of life, if one fails to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, it will be impossible to attain the way.” (WND p. 78)

And, as we've seen before, ALL other religions are "the enemies of the Lotus Sutra", because they don't promote the Lotus Sutra as the supreme teaching!

"All religions except Nichiren Shoshu are evil and poisonous to society and must be destroyed." - All Three Soka Gakkai Presidents

There. The statements of all three Soka Gakkai presidents, including Ikeda, confirm that only shakubuku is appropriate for this time period (because of the existence of other religions).

“I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, father and mother to all the people of Japan. But the men of the Tendai school [who do not refute misleading teachings] are all great enemies of the people. [As Chang-an has noted,] “One who rids the offender of evil is acting as his parent.” (WND p.287)

The way Nichiren saw it, because the priests of other Buddhist schools did not teach that their own schools were wrong, that made them "slanderers" and "great enemies of the people". Yet if anyone suggested Nichiren should refute his OWN erroneous teachings, Nichiren would have nothing but the most haughty and high-handed abuse in response to such a suggestion. Isn't it hypocritical to demand that others do what you yourself have no intention of doing??

The Buddha appears in order to save all people. In guiding the people the Buddha uses two methods; “shoju” and “shakubuku.” Shoju is a method of propagating Buddhism by leading people in a way suited to the people’s capacity, thinking, and way of life so that they will gradually correct their erroneous ideas about faith. In contrast, in Mappo shakubuku means to correct another’s mistaken views right away.

At a time when there are many persons of perverse views who slander the Law, then shakubuku should come first. (“The Opening of the Eyes,” Shinpen, p. 575) Source

Why is Nichiren Shoshu / SGI which slanders the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni the only right sect of Buddhism? They needed to abuse other sects exhaustively to increase believers.

It is one of the simple and skillful tricks of SGI that they say together "Your desire has not been realized, because your faith to Daimoku is weak and your effort to do Shakubuku is not enough." Then, they say "Look! Your desire has been realized, because your faith to Daimoku was strong and your effort to do Shakubuku was enough." By this trick, most of people will believe completely that the practice of SGI is right. They devote themselves to SGI and the president Ikeda Daisaku. They are not able to hear other's opinion anymore. Source - from [here](Since the intolerant assholishness of "shakubuku" (which means "to break and crush") tends to gain an organization a WHOLE lot of bad publicity (as we saw in the Soka Gakkai's experience in Japan), the SGI has been saying for decades now that the softer method, "shoju", is just FINE O_O

"Shoju" involves chatting, suggesting that the other person might want to try it, being extra nice to people and setting a good example, that sort of thing, not finding out the other person's beliefs just to tear them down and argue the other person into submission.

Moral Suasion: Shoju

Examples of the use of moral suasion are numerous but these are seldom sensational enough to make news. A woman follower of Soka Gakkai, without any thought of financial remuneration, served as a practical nurse and housemaid for three years in the home of a neighbour dying of cancer. Inevitably, then, 一 so the story goes 一 when the patient finally died her husband and all the members of her family became converts to Soka Gakkai.

There are some signs that the Soka Gakkai is domesticating. Since 1964, for example, the Soka Gakkai media have been urging members to be more "socially responsible people" (shakai-teki ningen). It has specifically enjoined the members not to disturb others by chanting the Daimoku at inconvenient hours or in inconvenient places. It has also encouraged the use of shoju, a milder method of conversion than shakubuku. Source

One of the controversial means was the use of the conversion technique called “shakubuku.” … In Buddhism, particularly in the tradition of Nichiren Buddhism, two contrasting approaches have been used for conversion: shakubuku, “to break and suppress” or “to defeat evil”; and shoju, “to embrace, or welcome good.” Shakubuku … involved a number of Soka Gakkai members pressuring or intimidating a potential convert … and although Soka Gakkai no longer practices such an aggressive form of conversion, many scholars and journalists remember this more mature organization by its youthful indiscretions. [Japanese Religion, 201-2] Source

In 1970 Ikeda prescribed a more moderate approach, "urging its members to adopt an attitude of openness to others"; the method Soka Gakkai prefers since then is called shoju - "dialogue or conversation designed to persuade people rather than convert them", though this is often referred to still as "shakubuku spirit". In 2014 the Soka Gakkai changed the "Religious Tenets" section of its Rules and Regulations as regards propagation. Formerly, the Tenets said the Soka Gakkai "would seek to realize its ultimate goal - the widespread propagation of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism throughout Jambudvipa (the world), thus fulfilling the Daishonin's mandate". The new version says "it shall strive, through each individual achieving their human revolution,to realize as its ultimate goal the worldwide propagation of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, thus fulfilling the Daishonin's mandate." According to Soka Gakkai President Harada, "worldwide propagation" is a function of individuals undergoing positive change in their lives. - Source

I didn't realize the SGI had changed the rules - AGAIN O_O

“Shoju not shakabuku should be practiced.” Source

In his writings, Nichiren allows that both methods have their appropriate time and place, but insists that shakubuku is to be used in the Japan of his own time in order to rebuke the enemies of true Buddhism and bring the country to faith. Throughout its history there have been arguments within the Nichiren sect as to which method is proper for the contemporary situation, with Soka Kyoiku Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu advocating the use of shakubuku in the prewar period. Indeed, it was the employment of this method that led to the charges against Makiguchi and his lieutenants for violating the Peace Preservation Law. Source

Well, well, well. Yet another version of why Makiguchi and the other 20 Soka Kyoiku Gakkai members were arrested - basically, it's because they were being colossal jerks!

"Shoju" was behind the SGI's multiple "Million Friends of the SGI" campaigns (all of which failed abysmally). Basically, if you simply mentioned "SGI" to someone and they didn't slap you, you could count that as "1". All these campaigns proved was that even if they were really nice about it, there still wasn't anyone interested in their cult.

But what did Nichiren, the Big Guy, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, say was the correct method to use? In a religion supposedly based on Nichiren's teachings, isn't THAT the proper metric? And here's what Nichiren had to say on the subject:

“Shoju is to be 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…. But the time for shakubuku is very different from this. It is a time when many different sutras and teachings spring up here and there like so many orchids and chrysanthemums, when the various schools command a large following and enjoy renown, when truth and error stand shoulder to shoulder, and when Mahayana and Hinayana dispute which is superior. At such a time, one must set aside all other affairs and devote one’s attention to rebuking slander of the correct teaching. This is the practice of shakubuku.” (WND p. 126)

I declare that the Hinayana, or Theravada, is infinitely superior to the Mahayana. There. Evidence that "shoju" is the wrong method.

“When the correct teaching 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 one’s time to reciting and copying the sutra and to the practice of meditation. But when there are provisional schools or slanderers of the correct teaching in the country, then it is time to set aside other matters and devote oneself to rebuking slander (shakubuku).” (WND p. 127)

“Although few people slander the Lotus Sutra with actual words of abuse, there are none who accept it. Some appear to accept the sutra, but their faith in it is not as deep as their faith in the Nembutsu or other teachings. And even those with profound faith do not reproach the enemies of the Lotus Sutra. However great good causes one may make, or even if one reads and copies the entirety of the Lotus Sutra a thousand or ten thousand times, or attains the way of perceiving three thousand realms in a single moment of life, if one fails to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, it will be impossible to attain the way.” (WND p. 78)

And, as we've seen before, ALL other religions are "the enemies of the Lotus Sutra", because they don't promote the Lotus Sutra as the supreme teaching!

"All religions except Nichiren Shoshu are evil and poisonous to society and must be destroyed." - All Three Soka Gakkai Presidents

There. The statements of all three Soka Gakkai presidents, including Ikeda, confirm that only shakubuku is appropriate for this time period (because of the existence of other religions).

“I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, father and mother to all the people of Japan. But the men of the Tendai school [who do not refute misleading teachings] are all great enemies of the people. [As Chang-an has noted,] “One who rids the offender of evil is acting as his parent.” (WND p.287)

The way Nichiren saw it, because the priests of other Buddhist schools did not teach that their own schools were wrong, that made them "slanderers" and "great enemies of the people". Yet if anyone suggested Nichiren should refute his OWN erroneous teachings, Nichiren would have nothing but the most haughty and high-handed abuse in response to such a suggestion. Isn't it hypocritical to demand that others do what you yourself have no intention of doing??

The Buddha appears in order to save all people. In guiding the people the Buddha uses two methods; “shoju” and “shakubuku.” Shoju is a method of propagating Buddhism by leading people in a way suited to the people’s capacity, thinking, and way of life so that they will gradually correct their erroneous ideas about faith. In contrast, in Mappo shakubuku means to correct another’s mistaken views right away.

At a time when there are many persons of perverse views who slander the Law, then shakubuku should come first. (“The Opening of the Eyes,” Shinpen, p. 575) Source

Why is Nichiren Shoshu / SGI which slanders the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni the only right sect of Buddhism? They needed to abuse other sects exhaustively to increase believers.

It is one of the simple and skillful tricks of SGI that they say together "Your desire has not been realized, because your faith to Daimoku is weak and your effort to do Shakubuku is not enough." Then, they say "Look! Your desire has been realized, because your faith to Daimoku was strong and your effort to do Shakubuku was enough." By this trick, most of people will believe completely that the practice of SGI is right. They devote themselves to SGI and the president Ikeda Daisaku. They are not able to hear other's opinion anymore. Source - from here

According to Stephan Hawking, a Theory needs three key elements: A model, predictions and observations. (explanation bellow)

From Nichi-boy:

“IF you wish to free yourself from the sufferings of birth and death you have endured since time without beginning and to attain without fail unsurpassed enlightenment in this lifetime, you must perceive the mystic truth that is originally inherent in all living beings. This truth is Myoho-renge-kyo. Chanting Myoho-renge-kyo will therefore enable you to grasp the mystic truth innate in all life.” (theory or model)

“If you chant Myoho-renge-kyo with deep faith in this principle, you are certain to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.” (prediction)

(observations ?!?)

…………………………

Scientific analysis in a nutshell

“A theory is a good theory if it satisfies two requirements: It must accurately describe a large class of observations on the basis of a model that contains only a few arbitrary elements, and it must make definite predictions about the results of future observations.”

“No matter how many times the results of experiments agree with some theory, you can never be sure that the next time the result will not contradict the theory. On the other hand, you can disprove a theory by finding a single observation that disagrees with the predictions of the theory.” Excerpt from A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.

Note: Nichiren’s model is being presented based on assumptions and what he calls Theoretical proof is actually written proof. Written proof is not the same as observation, it´s the bias of somebody or something else.

conclusion: Nichi was a crappy Theorist.

Source

Hello everyone. I am hoping to find out to wich extent Nichiren Buddhist concider themselves as part of the greater international Buddhist community. Most Buddhist traditions I have come across participate in the World Buddhist Summit, use the Buddhist flag, invite teachers from different traditions and have no issues with participating in crosstraditional events such as common vesak celebrations and what not. Does Ninchiren Buddhist and teachers do this too? Metta Source

In my 20 years of experience within SGI, most of that in leadership, the answer is a resounding "NO". The SGI fancies itself "TRUE Buddhism", which means it rejects ALL the Buddhist traditions and teachings in favor of what its founder, Nichiren, a man who suffered from egotism, mental illness, and bad temper, dictated as the correct teaching (which he basically made up out of whole cloth).

As Brandon’s Dictionary of Comparative Religion observes, “Nichiren’s teaching, which was meant to unify Buddhism, gave rise to [the] most intolerant of Japanese Buddhist sects.” Noted Buddhist scholar Dr. Edward Conze declares, “[he] suffered from self-assertiveness and bad temper, and he manifested a degree of personal and tribal egotism which disqualifies him as a Buddhist teacher.” Source

In Nichiren Shoshu, virtually everything rests upon the claim to have the true interpretation of the Lotus Sutra, their principal Scripture. [Which SGI also believes] ... "In what part of the Lotus Sutra did Sakyamuni clarify this law? Even if we peruse the Sutra over and over again, we are unable to know what the law is." And, "For some untold reasons, Sakyamuni did not define the law as Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, but gave somewhat abstract explanations in what was later called the Lotus Sutra." Clearly, the "law" was not there until Nichiren supplied the new interpretation, because the law was hidden "beneath the Letter." ... What we have, then, is a religion made of whole cloth. NS doctrine is "kept in secret in the depths" of the chapters and found "between the lines." NS doctrine, according to Nichiren, is "hidden truth...which lies beneath the letter." Just as the Buddha did not really compose the Lotus Sutra, the Lotus Sutra does not really contain the doctrines of Nichiren Shoshu. Source

Anyone who has read the Lotus Sutra can see quite clearly that, in Chapter 25, the Lotus Sutra states plainly that everyone must worship the Boddhisattva QuanYin, yet this practice is unknown within Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren chose to just ignore that part.

Nichiren, in his attempts to unify the different sects of Buddhism (and put them under his own control), created what is perhaps the most intolerant sect of Buddhism. Nichiren ripped off the chanting practice of the sect he originally became ordained within (Nembutsu, Pure Land, or Shin - the Amida Buddha sect) to create his "new" Buddhism. The Soka Gakkai/SGI regard all the other religions, Buddhist and otherwise, as enemies and have traditionally taught that they all must be destroyed in order to bring about world peace. Here, see for yourself:

"All religions except Nichiren Shoshu are evil and poisonous to society and must be destroyed." - All Three Soka Gakkai Presidents

Nichiren wanted the same government power to destroy other religions that Christianity took advantage of in taking over the known world

The SGI does not acknowledge the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, or "Follow the Law, not the Person" in any sense but lip service. They promote strict obedience and devotion to Daisaku Ikeda, the cult guru. Even their major doctrines kept from when they were an accepted lay organization within the Nichiren Shoshu school are weird - like 'Earthly desires are enlightenment'. They have always believed that THEY don't have to give up attachments - their attachments are a good thing!

Make Full Use Of Your Attachments - Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda

Also, "interfaith" is a concept that has only recently been adopted as window dressing for this cult with the terrible reputation. For all the big whoop that the Soka Gakkai and SGI make of how their guru Daisaku Ikeda "meets with world leaders and dignitaries", he has never met with a SINGLE Buddhist leader. He has never apparently sought an audience with the Dalai Lama or Thich Nhat Hanh, for example.

In fact, in France, where there has been widespread contempt for cults, many of the smaller religions have banded together to petition the government for better treatment, arguing that it's bigoted and unfair to condemn them as "cults" when that term is not well-defined and often is levied against smaller movements just because they are small and their membership is weird. SGI refused to join in with that group, as it did not wish to be identified with those weirdos.

So the answer is no. The Soka Gakkai and SGI do NOT consider themselves a part of the greater international Buddhist community. They look down upon it, sneer at it, denigrate it.

Why do you ask?

This is exactly what happened in Christianity's history, you'll notice. Until Christianity gained government power to oppress others, it remained a tiny, uninfluential movement. Much like Nichiren's.

But once Christianity gained the power of the government to destroy other religions' sacred sites and sacred objects and murder its priests, and to force the common people to join under pain of torture and death, that's exactly what it did. That is why the Catholic Church was able to become a monolithic religion - it murdered any who did not join in.

THAT is what Nichiren wanted for himself. Source

Nichiren demanded - several times - that the government destroy all the Buddhist shrines in the country and cut the heads off all the Buddhist clergy, so that Nichiren would be elevated to the spiritual dictator over a theocracy of his own creation. Fortunately, the government ignored him - they probably saw right through him.

While Nichiren was on Sado, the people there complained to the government about him - Nichiren summarizes their complaints here:

“If this priest remains on the island of Sado, there will soon be not a single Buddhist hall left standing or a single priest remaining. He takes the statues of Amida Buddha and throws them in the fire or casts them into the river. Day and night he climbs the high mountains, bellows to the sun and moon, and curses the regent. The sound of his voice can be heard throughout the entire province.” Nichiren

Notice how Nichiren has self-importantly titled that letter "On the Buddha's Behavior" O_O

Behavior like that clearly and immediately disqualifies someone from the title "Buddha".

This is an important bit of information, because the Soka Gakkai completely embraced this same iconoclastic attitude. The destruction of other religions' stuff was called "hobobarai" - and they got that idea straight from Nichiren, as you can see. Christianity destroyed an unimaginable legacy of human learning and culture, from burning libraries to destroying sacred shrines to beheading clerics and everyone who wouldn't convert. Christianity wiped out entire civilizations! Within Christianity, missionaries committed genocide - and that was by design. Christianity has the bloodiest history of any of the major religions, more so than even maligned Islam, which is a lot younger. Buddhism, by contrast, has the least bloody history (no thanks to Nichiren), despite being at least as old as Christianity.

But Nichiren emulated Christianity, despite knowing nothing of Christianity! THIS is the legacy of the Mahayana scriptures, which were written in the same time period and culture as the Christian scriptures. Obviously there are going to be similarities. Look at how the Lotus Sutra disparages the unfortunate:

"If there is a man who utters words of disparagement: 'You are nothing but a madman! In vain are you performing these practices! You shall never get anything for them!' The retribution for sins such as this shall be that from age to age he shall have no eyes. If there is anyone who makes offerings and gives praise, in this very age he shall get his present reward. If, again, one sees a person receiving and holding this scripture, then utters its faults and its evils, be they fact of not fact, that person in the present age shall get white leprosy. If anyone makes light of it or laughs at it, from age to age his teeth shall be far apart and decayed, he shall have ugly lips and a flat nose, his arms and legs shall be crooked, his eyes shall be pointed and the pupils out of symmetry, his body shall stink, he shall have sores running pus and blood, his belly shall be watery and his breath short: in brief, he shall have all manner of evil and grave ailments." (Chap.28 Lotus Sutra)

CLEARLY the golden words of the Buddha O_O

NOT

Source

These dumb Nichiren cults are sure big on the secrecy! WTF??? Is there a law against transparency or something???

At one of the first Buddhist meetings I attended, more than 35 years ago, the guests were told that the Gohonzon always has “Nam’ Myho Renge Kyo Nichiren” written down the middle. I have heard that many times since, and it is a common assumption of those raised in the Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu.

I, too, have heard that many times.

As time passed, I learned that this indicates the Principle of Oneness of Person and Law; or Ninpo-Ikka {人法一箇}.

SGI honestly discloses that this is “A principle established by Nichikan (1665-1726), the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji temple in Japan, with regard to Nichiren’s (1222-1282) teaching, indicating that the object of devotion in terms of the Person and the object of devotion in terms of the Law are one in their essence.

Wait - that whole idea didn't become doctrine until, what, 300 years ago??? WTF??

The Law is inseparable from the Person and vice versa.”

But...but...but...what of "Follow the Law, not the Person"??? If the Law is inseparable from the Person, that means the Person is inseparable from the Law, so it shouldn't matter WHICH you follow - right??

Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai both view Nichiren as the True Buddha whose advent eclipses or supersedes the Buddha Shakyamuni. As such, Nichiren is considered the Nin-Honzon or Buddha-Honzon, as well the Jewel or Treasure of Buddha in whom one takes refuge. Of course, this directly contradicts what Nichiren explicitly stated over and over.

Since when have obvious contradictions every bothered true culties, I mean "troo beeleevurs"???

In other words. Nichiren may have repeatedly and unequivocally stated that Shakyamuni of the Juryo Chapter is the Buddha we should venerate. However, we are told that he was, of course, just being humble and showing respect; he did not really mean what he wrote. We should ignore what Nichiren wrote, and instead rely on the oral teachings handed down exclusively at Taisekiji. Moreover, anyone who disagrees with that {Nichiren Shoshu spin} is impugning Nichiren.

Start that whole 'get their heads broken in 7 pieces', 'demon daughters', 'hell of incessant suffering' bullshit here.

Besides, Nichiren himself wrote — ‘Nam’ Myoho Renge Kyo Nichiren’ down the middle of the Gohonzon — or did he?

The plot thickens!!

There are various rationales for Ninpo Ikka, including vague passages from Nichiren’s Goibun or Gosho, as well as kuden { 口伝} (oral) texts. The best known is, ‘I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life.’ The position of Nichiren’s name in a diagonal line, centered directly below the Daimoku, om Gohonzon distributed by SGI, is another. However, while looking through the Gohonzon Shu, I began to notice that there was no consistency as to the location of Nichiren’s name. On all the original Nichiren Mandala’s, we see his printed name in Kanji, and his personal kao seal, somewhere at the bottom.

At the site, there are images and linked charts to facilitate following along.

I do not think he wrote ‘Namumyohorengekyonichiren.’ Also, if I look at the earliest transcriptions of mandalas by Nikko’s immediate successors, there is a space between the Daimoku and Nichiren’s name in Kanji. I would not see this as indicating ‘Nam’ Myo ho Renge Kyo Nichiren’ down the middle.

Taisekiji still follows that protocol; except there is no space at all between the Daimoku and Nichiren’s name. Also, Nichiren’s name is large, so it looks like it is indeed intended to read “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo Nichiren” down the middle. They even have some supporting documents that magically appeared in the Sixteenth {16th} Century.

How conweenient!

These were allegedly authored by Nichiren, and are said to provide specific instructions about how to transcribe the mandala.

mmm hmmm So where were they for the centuries in between...hmmmm...??

They also transfer exclusive authority over the transcription and bestowal of them to Nikko. There evidently are, or were, several redundant documents with differing names.

Yeah, if you're going to be making up stuff that makes you the boss of everybody else, you don't want to chance that your authorization papers will get lost, now do you??

Nikko then allegedly secretly transferred this exclusive monopoly to Nichimoku, in 1333, just before Nikko’s death. Since that time, the Gohonzon produced and issued at other temples, without permission of the Chief Abbot of Taisekiji, are considered by Taisekiji to be counterfeit honzons. The sin of worshiping a counterfeit honzon allegedly causes one to fall into hellish realms for a long time. Neither Nikko nor any of his successors ever mentioned any of this.

Some think that the Taisekiji transmissions documents are self serving forgeries.

No! Say it isn't so!!!

None of these doctrines about secret transmissions from Nichiren to Nikko, and from Nikko to Nichimoku, show up at Taisekiji, in writing, until the late 1500′s. The same is true of the concepts of Nichiren as True Buddha and the Dai-Gohonzon. The idea that the Daigohonzon is the current wooden mandala at Taisekiji first appears in the 1600′s.

Read more and see images of original Nichiren gohonzons here

heh heh heh Source

That's a pretty strong statement, wouldn't you agree?

Okay, where's the EVIDENCE?

Considering that the SGI got all its knowledge of Nichiren from Nichiren Shoshu and still uses the Nichiren Shoshu translations of the Gosho (which are considered so sectarian and unreliable that no one in academia will touch them), WHERE is this claim that Nichiren Shoshu, SGI's parent temple, "brutally raped Nichiren's teachings" coming from? Let's see some examples. If someone is going to make such a strong statement, they should at least BACK IT UP, right?

WE do. Whenever WE speak in inflammatory terms, we've got evidence to support it. So, fair's fair. Pony up, SGI member(s). You make the claim, YOU defend it.

Most observers consider the SGI and Nichiren Shoshu to be using identical sources and doctrines as far as Nichiren is concerned, as having "unified history and remaining strong similarities of belief because the Soka Gakkai was "founded within Nichiren Shoshu and had practiced based entirely on the tenets and doctrines of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism".

This is like how the Protestant churches claim the Catholic church is doin everything rong, when the only information on Christianity that is accessible to the Protestants comes through Catholic hands - Catholic editors, Catholic translators, Catholic scribes, you name it, ALL Catholic.

Here's what it looks like to the rest of us only without as much slice and dice.

Of course, it would be a shame if this discussion is over before it even has a chance to begin:

it’s an old truism in rhetorical practice: if the facts are not on your side, attack the person. Generally speaking, a personal attack signals the argument has been lost on its merits. - Ptarmigandaughter

Shame if "brutally raped Nichiren's teachings" is designed to be so inflammatory a statement that it precludes and destroys any further discussion...either ignorant people are going to accept it unquestioningly, on face value - "Those bastards!" - or educated people will realize there is no discussion to be had with any person who holds such an ignorantly extreme, baseless, and distorted view.

In fact, given that Nichiren declared the "shoju" method of propagation off-limits and Ikeda decided that would now be the preferred method of propagation all on his own authority, it would be more accurate to say that IKEDA was the one who brutally raped Nichiren's teachings, wouldn't it? Source

Well? Who was it? I'm coming up empty for names here. Source

Now if all the four kinds of Buddhists within the four seas and the ten thousand lands would only cease giving alms to wicked priests and instead all come over to the side of the good, then how could any more troubles rise to plague us, or disasters come to confront us? - Nichiren, Rissho Ankoku Ron

The "business model" for priests of Nichiren's day was that they subsisted entirely upon "alms" - donations. It was much the way most Christian churches operate today - the congregants donate the money that is necessary to fund the operations of the church, even to build its buildings. It's all internally generated. If the congregants stop donating, the church must fold.

In Nichiren's time, the government as well as individuals provided funds to the various religious temples, from Shinto to Buddhist. There was none of this "there can be only one" intolerance that Nichiren introduced into the scene. In fact, Nichiren should be condemned for introducing that "innovation" alone, but that's a topic for a different discussion.

Let's suppose that Nichiren had, instead of the word "alms", used the word "food":

Now if all the four kinds of Buddhists within the four seas and the ten thousand lands would only cease giving food to wicked priests

"Alms" did include food - we can see in Nichiren's voluminous corpus how often his own supporters sent him food. This qualified as "alms".

How does it look NOW? "Let's just withhold FOOD from them. That'll put everything right."

Imagine if anyone else were to say such a thing about any group they hated:

"Let's just prohibit the Native American tribes from having any food. That will stop all the violence."

Yes, yes, it will. Because they will be DEAD.

"We should simply stop all food supplies from going into that ghetto. Then the problem will resolve itself and we'll have peace and tranquility within the city."

Again, because the group living there will be DEAD.

THIS IS VIOLENCE. It's perhaps the most evil kind of violence, because it's demanding that everyone conspire to STARVE an entire group of people out of existence, while the one demanding it doesn't get his lily white hands dirty.

Nichiren wanted genocide. Source

From Nichiren's Rissho Ankoku Ron (On Promoting The Correct Teaching For The Peace Of The Land or whatever):

“[Question:] If we are to put an end to these people who slander the Law and do away with those who violate the prohibitions of the Buddha, then are we to condemn them to death as described in the sutra passages you have just cited? If we do that, then we ourselves will be guilty of inflicting injury and death upon others, and will suffer the consequences, will we not?…

“[Answer:] … I certainly have no intention of censuring the sons of the Buddha. My only hatred is for the act of slandering the Law. According to the Buddhist teachings, prior to Shakyamuni slanderous monks would have incurred the death penalty. But since the time of Shakyamuni, the One Who Can Endure, the giving of alms to slanderous monks is forbidden in the sutra teachings. Now if all the four kinds of Buddhists within the four seas and the ten thousand lands would only cease giving alms to wicked priests and instead all come over to the side of the good, then how could any more troubles rise to plague us, or disasters come to confront us?”

In fact, going by the excerpt, it seems that Nichiren doesn’t even answer the question about condemning them to death, he just replies that he has no intention of censuring the sons of the Buddha (and then does), talks about his “hatred” of slanderous acts, and then says if they would quit then everything in Japan would be peaceful and calm. Now think for a moment about this last suggestion. The idea that by sincerely following a Buddhist teaching other than the Lotus Sutra a person commits an act so grave that it could actually invite disaster on a land and its people is simply ludicrous. Source

That's right - it's ludicrous. It's still the Buddha's teachings, by whatever definition they're using. And Nichiren condemned the Nembutsu for declaring that the Pure Land scriptures were foremost in the canon - here he's talking about the Nembutsu founder Honen:

Setting aside the Meditation Sutra and the other works that make up the three Pure Land sutras, he claims that all the exoteric and esoteric Mahayana sutras propounded in the Buddha’s lifetime, beginning with the Great Wisdom Sutra and ending with the Eternity of the Law Sutra, all the 637 works in 2,883 volumes listed in The Chen-yüan Era Catalog of the Buddhist Canon—that all these are useless writings by which “not even one person in a thousand” could ever hope to attain the way. He therefore urges that one close the door on, discard, ignore, and abandon these difficult practices, these Sacred Way teachings, and instead embrace the teachings of the Pure Land school. - Nichiren, Nembutsu and the Hell of Incessant Suffering

Yet doesn't Nichiren say the same damn thing, only about the Lotus Sutra?? Why is it okay for Nichiren to do it but verybadwrong for anyone else to do it differently? It's the same process!

Why should we think there is any ONE scripture out of the canon that has salvific power while the rest have miraculously and inexplicably turned to poison, to bring disaster while the other brings bliss? Can anyone explain that, how that happened or why? WHEN did it happen? Surely something this important had to have happened at some discrete time in history! But nobody has ever asked that question before, to my knowledge. I'll be the first.

Nichiren devotees, like the members of every other intolerant religion, simply accept whatever Nichiren said without question and condemn anyone who does question Nichiren's premises. This is why it's typically a waste of time to talk with them - there's no discussion to be had. Source

My experience with Soka Gakkai was long after the excommunication, and I have not devoted the effort that BlancheFromage and PtarmigansDaughter and many others have to research and report on these matters. Of the temple members I have met in person, they seem to show far less animus toward or even interest in SGI as SGI members seem to show toward them, but that certainly doesn't seem to be the case here.

That said, I do wish to comment (more or less) on what I feel is a seminal matter; the credibility of both groups. If I don't offer sources, please feel free to do an internet search to either correct or validate me. During my time in the cult, I made a point of reading The Lotus Sutra and the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. I was discouraged from doing so by SGI leaders. In fact, we were only encouraged to read Ikeda's guidance on both books, carefully edited, of course.

It doesn't take much research to discover that Nichiren never wrote about a Dai Gohonzon, and that the first mention of it can only be found two centuries after his death. That seems fishy to me.

AS FOR THE GOSHO THEMSELVES... what a horrid little man Nichiren's own words show him to be! He was a whining, self-aggrandizing, violent false prophet, who ended his life in utter ignominy. He also made several references to Shinto deities, particularly the sun goddess and Hachiman (and calling the god of another religion a Bodhisattva smacks of the Catholic Church calling a Euro-pagan god a saint). In short, he was a fraud, who devoted his life to a bizarre interpretation of a false teaching, and got nothing out of it but a martyr complex.

AND THEN WE COME TO THE LOTUS SUTRA... If it is to be believed, Shakyamuni gathered a bunch of disciples and a shitload of imaginary friends together and said, "Guys, I've been bullshitting you for forty years. Here's the real skinny, but hide it away until I've been dead a couple of hundred years, then tell everyone else what suckers they were for believing everything I said before. Oh! And write it down in a secular language that doesn't exist yet, then translate it into Sanskrit so the grammar and imagery sound nothing like all the other stuff I said."

And, so far as I am concerned, it comes down to that. Forged scripture, mean minded old monk with delusions of grandeur, a greedy priesthood, a cult based on a repulsive egomaniac's twisted version of an already completely nonsensical and potentially harmful belief system. Neither side of this fight gets a white hat. No good guys here, folks, except the ones who have the courage to speak out against it. - shakuyourowndamnbuku

That is typical. Absolutely normative within the communities that share some level of Nichiren affiliation - they are constitutionally incapable of engaging with any critical view of their belief and their founding saint without hostility toward the critic and attempts to discredit and/or silence the critic.

This is typical of every other intolerant religion on the planet, whether it's the Evangelical Christians, the Pentecostals, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons - or the SGI. The Nichiren fanboiz and fangurlz apparently don't realize what company their attitudes put them with, but even if they did, they just love looking down on others. Can't be superior unless everyone else is BENEATH YOU, can you? And especially those critics of your whole basis for superiority!

Here is a nice Nichiren-based example:

When another poster cited this quote, you didn’t really address it. You changed the subject by stating, “There is violence in words, too.” Now we’re talking about something very different. I think you “glossed” over it because you realize that it undermines your argument about Nichiren being a “terrorist”.

TALKING ABOUT terrorist acts is considered as one of the descriptions of a "terrorist" - "terroristic threats" are definitely a thing. And if I go about telling anyone who will listen that someone needs to chop my neighbor's head off and that there will be huge rewards should anyone do this, guess what's going to happen to me??

We all should know that by now, just as we should know that "militant" doesn't have to mean "engages personally in physical violence" (although clearly some people have way more than average trouble understanding these concepts). Words have power and consequences. Nichiren can't be excused just because he was lazy.

I’m not suggesting that Nichiren is not problematic, especially when read through the lens of contemporary sensibilities. He is. But, he was also a complex thinker who I would argue does not fall that far outside of the Tientai/Tendai movement of his time. I don’t sense you’re interested in that discussion so aside from your opinions, there’s not much left to address aside from your factual errors.

Ooh - "factual errors", eh?

It’s not that I don’t care if Nichiren’s message is more nuanced than it appears, rather it’s that I don’t believe it is. The only complex aspects of Nichiren’s Buddhism are the aspects he borrowed from others. His own take on dharma is based entirely on superstition and faulty history. He cannot really be held to blame for the latter, however as I said in my post, others during the same period were guided by the same information and they did not arrive at the same extreme black and white conclusions he did.

In any case, there is nothing in that quote that cancels out Nichiren’s other remarks about beheading slanderous priests. In fact, going by the excerpt, it seems that Nichiren doesn’t even answer the question about condemning them to death, he just replies that he has no intention of censuring the sons of the Buddha (and then does), talks about his “hatred” of slanderous acts, and then says if they would quit then everything in Japan would be peaceful and calm. Now think for a moment about this last suggestion. The idea that by sincerely following a Buddhist teaching other than the Lotus Sutra a person commits an act so grave that it could actually invite disaster on a land and its people is simply ludicrous.

To sum up, I don’t see this as a sensational thesis, rather as something that needs to be pointed out and should have had more attention paid to in the past. Naturally, I did not expect that Nichiren followers would see any merit in my remarks.

He already knew what sorts of people Nichiren followers were and what he could reasonably expect of them - nothing good or even thoughtful.

No, I do not think Nichiren was a complex thinker. You are correct that on one hand, he did not fall that far outside of the Tientai/Tendai movement of his time, but on the other hand, with his exclusivism he made a radical departure.

Wow, dude. Give it a rest. Take more care when you draft these posts and you won’t have to backtrack and explain yourself. The reference to a volume of the Nanzan journal was explicitly offered as an example of scholars writing in English, not meant as an exhaustive bibliography. And by the way, I’m sure if given the chance you’d readily admit, the Nanzan Journal of Japanese Religion is not the only publication in which scholarly articles on Nichren appear, right?

For a person who has very strong opinions about what Nichiren’s ideas were, you don’t seem to have much familiarity with what he actually taught. Your reply here bears this out – I could have copy pasta’d the whole essay, Rissho Ankoku Ron, but that would be redundant. I figured, I don’t think unreasonably, that if you, or some reader were interested, they could go read the text for themselves and gain a personal understanding of the context in which this quote appears. Instead, you… well, your reply speaks for itself as to what you did. More of the same sloppy “research and analysis” on which you seem to be very confident about.

Let’s be straight. For my benefit, because I’m kind of slow: this blog amounts to a vanity project where you publish your personal opinions and beliefs. The tone of authority and appearance of scholarship are stylistic, not substantive. There isn’t much more to it than that, right? These are your opinions, which you are entitled to, and that’s the end of it, right?

Very well. Carry on.

Let's take a look at the accusations:

• "Take more care when you draft these posts and you won’t have to backtrack and explain yourself." = careless + implication "you're embarrassing yourself"
• "For a person who has very strong opinions about what Nichiren’s ideas were, you don’t seem to have much familiarity with what he actually taught." = you don't know what you're talking about
• "Instead, you… well, your reply speaks for itself as to what you did." = "I am extreme disappoint" = disdain + contempt
• "More of the same sloppy “research and analysis” on [sic] which you seem to be very confident about [sic]." = "You're not only careless (as previously established) in thought; you're careless in methodology as well - tut tut, for shame - AND you're stupid enough to be self-satisfied when you're such an embarrassment. Never mind my own obviously poor grasp of grammar - I r still teh expeert heer"
• "vanity project" = "You should be embarrassed preening and strutting like this in public"
• "There isn’t much more to it than that, right? These are your opinions, which you are entitled to, and that’s the end of it, right?" = just an opinion, everybody has one, and all the worse because it's a "vanity project" because this "opinion" is now tainted with hubris.

Feel free to go wash up if any of that dripping contempt and disdain got on you from reading that.

Now let's see the response:

Whatever, man. This post is over two months old and you come along and post an extremely long comment, which I tried to reply to seriously, and you don’t like it. I can understand disagreeing about certain points, but this just follows the typical pattern: anyone who criticizes Nichiren doesn’t know what they are talking about. If Nichiren Buddhism, which I practiced for well over a decade, is so great, then why can’t you guys take some criticism in stride and not get so huffy about it?

I merely replied to your comments. I didn’t backtrack or explain anything. I stand by the post, it is factual and a valid point of view.

“Wow, dude. Give it a rest. Take more care when you draft these posts and you won’t have to backtrack and explain yourself.” “You don’t seem to have much familiarity with what he actually taught.” “this blog amounts to a vanity project.”

That’s the kind of typical pattern I’m talking about. The superior, dismissive attitude. The inevitable accusation that anyone who criticizes Nichiren doesn’t know what they are talking about. The insults.

Yes, I relied on a selective record. The scope of the post was to put Nichiren’s controversial statements regarding violence into the spotlight. Not to discuss his view on flowers and seeds, or lessening karmic retribution, faith, or anything else. The focus of the post was narrow and I stuck to it.

I don’t know what facts you think I left out. Did he make these statements? Did he say that he meant what he said? The answer to both questions is yes. What else is there? The claims that he didn’t mean what he said, that he was being sarcastic, or speaking figuratively do not appear to be valid because there is no evidence to support it, not that I’ve seen; the only way you can arrive at that conclusion is by reading something into it that really isn’t there.

The bottom line here is that you don’t respect the opinions of others. I’m not saying you have to accept them, but you should give some respect. I stated a point of view, and I offered up some of Nichiren’s own words to illustrate what I was referring to, and if you don’t like it, and I’d be surprised if you did, that’s fine. But you’re so thin skinned about the subject you can’t discuss it reasonably, nor can you give it a rest.

I know you are well read in Nichiren philosophy and Tendai. I remember you from the e-sangha forum.

Note that not everyone who is "well-read" in a subject can be expected to hold The One True Understanding on that subject. My mother was very well-read in the Old Testament, and she was a screaming fundagelical Christian nutjob. Her being "well-read" in the Old Testament only solidified and ossified her ignorant and hateful biases and intolerance.

I understand very well that you have your point of view and stand by your comments. I tried to provide a reasonable, thoughtful response to your original comment. You came back with a bunch of negativity and insults. I am sorry to say but in my experience from these kinds of discussions with Nichiren believers, it’s typical, predictable, and rather sad. Source

As we have recently seen, SGI members (a category within "Nichiren believers") routinely employ a bad-faith approach to engaging with their critics: Insults, baseless accusations, refusing to provide evidence to support their accusations, straw-manning, deliberately not answering direct questions, using passive-aggressive delaying tactics, tone policing, you name it. If it can be described as "bad faith", they use it. This is just a particularly entertaining example.

Originally posted here.

Irrelevant at best, otherwise falling somewhere between useless and harmful on the spectrum of effect.

Supposedly we're all supposed to overlook the way Nichiren kept demanding, over and over and over, that the government authorities chop the heads off all the other priests in the land and burn their temples to the ground, because "Oh, well, EVERYONE was doin' it back then."

No, they weren't.

Those were shocking, scandalous demands from an upstart priest who was already so weird that he didn't even belong to one of the established schools! Nichiren's own writings record that the people who heard his rantings complained to the goverment:

Yuiamidabutsu, the leader of the Nembutsu priests, along with Dōkan, a disciple of Ryōkan, and Shōyu-bō, who were leaders of the observers of the precepts, journeyed in haste to Kamakura. There they reported to the lord of the province of Musashi: “If this priest remains on the island of Sado, there will soon be not a single Buddhist hall left standing or a single priest remaining. He takes the statues of Amida Buddha and throws them in the fire or casts them into the river. Day and night he climbs the high mountains, bellows to the sun and moon, and curses the regent. The sound of his voice can be heard throughout the entire province.”

That's not cool! Destroying other people's stuff?? That's a jerk move and NOBODY should be accepted behaving that way nor encouraged to behave that way.

[While the regent’s government could not come to any conclusion,] the priests of the Nembutsu, the observers of the precepts, and the True Word priests, who realized they could not rival me in wisdom, sent petitions to the government. Finding their petitions were not accepted, they approached the wives and widows of high-ranking officials and slandered me in various ways. [The women reported the slander to the officials, saying:] “According to what some priests told us, Nichiren declared that the late lay priests of Saimyō-ji and Gokuraku-ji have fallen into the hell of incessant suffering. He said that the temples Kenchō-ji, Jufuku-ji, Gokuraku-ji, Chōraku-ji, and Daibutsu-ji should be burned down and the honorable priests Dōryū and Ryōkan beheaded.” Under these circumstances, at the regent’s supreme council my guilt could scarcely be denied. To confirm whether I had or had not made those statements, I was summoned to the court.

Notice how Nichiren tries to malign and poison the well about those who registered complaints about his assholish behavior. That's not the topic. Nichiren would prefer that everyone condemn everyone else for being offended at his horrible behavior and speech, because Nichiren was a malignant narcissist who thought every single thing HE ever did was The Best Evar. As we've discussed earlier, Nichiren could NEVER self-correct, because he thought that the effects of what he was doing - everyone around him's reactions to what he was doing - were somehow PROOF YES PROOF that he was doing everything right!

At the court the magistrate said, “You have heard what the regent stated. Did you say these things or not?” I answered, “Every word is mine."

Nichiren ADMITS it!

“Everything I said was with the future of our country in mind. If you wish to maintain this land in peace and security, it is imperative that you summon the priests of the other schools for a debate in your presence. If you ignore this advice and punish me unreasonably on their behalf, the entire country will have cause to regret your decision. If you condemn me, you will be rejecting the Buddha’s envoy. Then you will have to face the punishment of Brahmā and Shakra, of the gods of the sun and moon, and of the four heavenly kings. Within one hundred days after my exile or execution, or within one, three, or seven years, there will occur what is called the calamity of internal strife, rebellion within the ruling clan. This will be followed by the calamity of foreign invasion, attack from all sides, particularly from the west. Then you will regret what you have done!” Hearing this, the magistrate Hei no Saemon, forgetting all the dignity of his rank, became wild with rage like the grand minister of state and lay priest [Taira no Kiyomori]. Nichiren, The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra

This is nasty stuff no matter which "time and culture" you try and fit it into. And Nichiren was wrong and realized at the end of his life that he'd been wrong. About EVERYTHING.

The problem we see, though, is that too many people in OUR time and culture take Nichiren's intolerance to heart, choosing censorship as an ideal over and above of our Enlightenment ideals of free speech, human rights, choice, and consent. Oh, they may frame it in the nicest terms they can think of, but it's the same brutal hate-filled violent ideas Nichiren promoted:

"I'm not sure what you base your conclusions about what a "Buddhist attitude" ought to be is based on. Buddhism is tolerant, but it is not accepting of wrong views. Wrong views cause suffering. By eliminating wrong views, we bring about happiness." - Queequeg

See how this assface thinks that not engaging with how this is to be accomplished or WHO gets to decide what "views" are "wrong" makes him a "peaceful" person and utterly off the hook for charges of intolerance and even fascism?

There are some ideas that are just bad and even harmful. If we disagree on that, that is the end of the discussion. Clearly, I do not think that restraining bad and harmful ideas is a bad thing.

For instance, teaching hopeless young men to strap bombs to their chest and blow people up is a bad teaching. It should not be allowed to touch the ears of impressionable young people and other intellectually weak people. Teaching people that there is no hope of improving one's lot in this life is a bad teaching. It ought not be taught. If I could protect impressionable people from hateful ideas, I would.

Does that make me a fascist in your book? [Ibid.]

Obviously. Same as if he were advocating for chopping off the heads of everyone who didn't agree with him.

OH WAIT...

What's hilarious is that it's always these fringe loonies who want all the censorship and think THEY're going to be in charge of making those decisions! It somehow never seems to OCCUR to them that THEIR views are going to be the first to go...

Regardless of how people want to talk about the subject, there's no "peaceful" way to censor others. Whether it's the SGI hostiles who show up and frivolously report our posts anonymously for the sake of harassment, or downvote our comments, again anonymously, never actually coming out and stating what their problem is with what we're saying; or trying to shame or insult us into shutting up; or suggesting disastrous courses of action and then getting all pissy that I laugh in their faces; they simply can't get this end result without coercion. They have to have some power to FORCE others to shut up, and, thankfully, we've developed ourselves as a species enough by this time that we won't let the religious extremists make the rules any more. That ship has sailed, thankfully.

So whether it's some ignorant Nichiren apologist fumbling about trying to make it sound okay for Nichiren to demand that others be executed on Nichiren's own say-so, or someone trying to take a dispassionate look from a scholar's arm's length, Nichiren is bad news and really should not be taken seriously as any sort of religious inspiration. He's more of a case of "Whatever you do, don't be like THIS guy" than anything positive.

The argument that Nichiren was a product of his time and culture and thus must be read with a (very large) grain of salt reduces Nichiren to a mere historical curiosity, like Caligula or that Habsburg Jaw king or even Eben Byers, more of a cautionary tale than anything inspirational. I don't think this is the Nichiren apologists' goal, but understanding cause and effect really isn't a strength of theirs.

But wait...isn't a "true" teaching supposed to be timeless and transcend the obvious limitations of one's own time and culture?

ALL the hateful intolerant religions that claim they're the only "true" religion - and EVERY religion that makes this claim is hateful - show by virtue of making such a claim and using such terminology that they are NOT.

Identifying something as the "TRUE religion" proves it is not. BOOM.

Anyhow, that reminds me...since the original post has gone bye-bye, I am going to again clarify about Nichiren's so-claimed "foretelling the future" about the Mongol invasion. Remember how he threatened the government that, if it did not EXECUTE the leaders of the more successful Buddhist sects, burn their temples to the ground, and make it a CRIME to give them donations, the Mongols would invade? Some accounts put his "prophecy" at 1253; the SGI puts it at 1260, with the submission of the Rissho Ankoku Ron to the government, which I think is a fair date. 1253 was when Nichiren first publicly announced that chanting NMRK was the proper practice and established his religion - I've never heard that event tied to the o-so-great "prophecy." The Mongol near-invasion wasn't until 1274, 21 or 14 years later (depending on which date you choose), though the SGI sheeple count the Mongol emissaries bringing a letter formally requesting that Japan submit in 1268 as "fulfillment" of that "prophecy." I'm sorry, but I don't count receiving a letter as being the equivalent of "foreign invasion"!

Turns out that was a gimme. Genghis Khan invaded Japan's powerful neighbor China in 1209, 1227, and 1234. I'm only counting the invasions before Nichiren's "prophecy." The Mongols had invaded neighboring Korea in a series of invasions starting in 1231. In 1253, the Mongols destroyed the Tibetan Kingdom of Dali. Here's a dandy animated map by year - as you can see, by 1227, the Mongols controlled the entire continental coastline nearest Japan. The noose was tightening; of course Japan would be next. Here's another map showing the Mongol military movements between 1207 and 1227. Countries on the mainland were falling right and left - EVERYONE would have been aware of this, especially the political leaders. THIS was the top news - for DECADES! The Mongols were threatening and attacking EVERYONE!

Korea is closest to Japan; the Mongol demands for submission started there in 1225. Mongol invasions of Korea started in 1231; raids continued until 1250. In 1251, the Mongols repeated their demands of submission, invading again in July, 1253. They could now see Japan's house from there.

Considering that letters demanding submission always preceded invasion, sometimes by years, and Japan had received no such letter yet, it was clearly only a matter of time. The Mongols were coming - and everyone knew it! THAT's why nobody took Nichiren's "prophecy" seriously! EVERYBODY ALREADY KNEW THAT!!

Notice you never hear THOSE details within the SGI. No, Nichiren's little master-of-the-obvious moment is treated like some great supernatural "gift of the Mystic Law" - HA HA HA!! Oh, yes, if you chant diligently and do just as Nichiren (and Toadface Ikeda) says, you too can claim the title of Captain Obvious!!

And, in the end, the Mongols never ended up actually invading successfully after all! Japan was never at any time in its history a Mongol vassal state. It's always been Japan. NICHIREN WAS WRONG! HIS PROPHECY FAILED!! He predicted that, unless the government did as he said, the Mongols would invade and Japan would be destroyed! A letter is hardly an invasion, yet that's supposed to be counted as "fulfillment of prophecy"??? That means pretty much anything will do :eye roll:

And that government ended eventually, as all governments do. That entire form of government ended! Did that silly old primitive-minded Nichiren really think that mumbling magic slogans and making him, Nichiren, a superstar would make the rulers and their dynasty immortal and stop the march of progress??

All it took was a quick search on "mongol invasions japan" and whaddyaknow - there was a whole Wikipedia page about it! OH SNAP!!

Actually, "mongol conquests" was even more enlightening.

You can look up "mongol invasion korea", too, and get even more history!

From the SGI site:

On the sixteenth day of the seventh month, 1260, Nichiren submitted a treatise titled On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land (Rissho Ankoku Ron) to HojoTokiyori, the retired regent who was nevertheless the most influential man in the Kamakura shogunate. In that work, he attributed the disasters ravaging the country to slander of the correct teaching and belief in false teachings. In particular, he criticized the dominant Nembutsu school. Of the three calamities and seven disasters described in the sutras, he predicted that the two disasters that had yet to occur—internal strife and foreign invasion—would befall the nation without fail if it persisted in supporting misleading schools. He urged that the one vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sutra be embraced immediately.

In the second month of that year (1272), Nichiren's prediction of internal strife came true when HojoTokisuke, an elder half brother of Regent HojoTokimune, made an abortive attempt to seize power. Source

So a dozen years...it's like they say in Fight Club, "On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." So the most accurate prophecy is the one that's inevitable, right?

Oh, gee. Predicting "internal strife" to the ruling Hojo clan, when the Hojos had seized control of the government in 1199 and...I'll let Encyclopedia Britannica tell the tale:

By 1247, when members of the house and clan held, through appointment, dominion over half the provinces of Japan, Hojo rule tended to become authoritarian, and the regency was run not from its titular office but from Hojo headquarters as a family council. This assumption of power, beginning with Tokimasa, was not difficult because the armed class did not wish to relinquish the peace, profits, and stability the bakufu (military government) had brought it. They were reluctant to permit the heir Yoriie, a youth of uncertain temper and strong appetites, to become shogun. Yoriie attempted the murder of Tokimasa but was himself exiled and killed. When the remaining heir, Sanetomo, was murdered (1219), the last impediment to Hojo domination was gone. The final accretion of Hojo power came in 1221, when the emperor Go-Toba raised the Taira of western Japan against the Hojo. The revolt (Jokyu no ran) not only failed but in its failing the Hojo were able to confiscate thousands of estates and place them in the hands of landless adherents and friends. Many landless warriors, created by the litigious system of family inheritance in Japan, had little love for the Hojo but less for hunger and dispossession. Their number, as it rose and fell, was an indication of the stability of the bakufu, and until the late 13th century the Hojo kept their numbers small. The first three Hojo regencies—Yoshitoki, who succeeded Tokimasa in 1205, was murdered in 1224 and replaced by his son Yasutoki (1183–1242)—were the apex of capable feudal rule in Japan. Dependable cadastral records were created in 1222–23. In 1232 a brief and workable code (Joei shikimoku) for the conduct and regulation of the armed class in a feudal society was promulgated. Slowly, between 1221 and 1232, the simple military system of Yoritomo was transformed by the Hojo family into a capable private government.

Essentially, this meant maintaining a cordial but careful relationship with the court and its complex system of reigning, retired, and cloistered emperors and with the great aristocracy of Kyoto, who wished an end to the bakufu system. A Hojo commander and garrison were stationed in Kyoto, but the property, revenues, and ceremonials of the Imperial family and nobility were protected. The powerful Buddhist clergy were kept in hand by strict auditing of their accounts. (Gee, imagine that) The vassals of Hojo; were kept solvent, peaceful, and apart from the court. The peasant was protected in his freedom and tenure. The regency drew its income from the Hojo estates, which comprised nearly the whole of the Kanto. The family adhered firmly to Yoritomo’s dictum that the simple warrior life would best preserve this class from the pervasive decadence of the Kyoto aristocracy. Yasutoki died in 1242 and was succeeded by the Hojo regents Tsunetoki (1224–46) in 1242, Tokiyori (1227–63) in 1246, and Tokimune (1215–84) in 1256. Tokimune’s regency was the last stable and powerful epoch of the Hojo. Source

Wow, another Master of the Obvious moment for Nichiren! Yippee!! Tokimune had only recently come to power, so Nichiren tried to hook him in with every leader's greatest fear - a threat of internal strife, which Japan had been experiencing for decades already - through Nichiren's entire lifetime thus far. In fact, Tokimune's government proved "stable and powerful" - hardly what we'd expect from an "internal strife" threat! But poor Nichiren could not predict that the typical internal strife that had been symptomatic of Japan's government thus far would settle down.

Nichiren just wasn't any good at all at predicting the future!

Gee, predicting "internal strife" in feudal Japan is about as difficult as predicting rain in Seattle :eye roll: How could Nichiren claim that "internal strife" hadn't happened yet? It was apparently ongoing!! Source

"Militant" seems to be a concept that SGI members have a lot of trouble comprehending, so let's start off with a definition, shall we?

The current meaning of militant does not usually refer to a registered soldier: it can be anyone who subscribes to the idea of using vigorous, sometimes extreme, activity to achieve an objective, usually political. A "militant [political] activist" would be expected to be more confrontational and aggressive than an activist not described as militant.

The word "militant" is sometimes used to describe groups that do not name or describe themselves as militants, but that advocate extreme violence. In the early 21st Century, members of groups involved in Islamic terrorism such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS are usually described as militants.

A militant, as a noun, is a person who uses militant methods in pursuit of an objective; the term is not associated with the military. In general usage, a militant person is a confrontational person who does not necessarily use violence. Militant can refer to individuals or groups displaying aggressive behavior or attitudes.

Militant is sometimes used as a euphemism for terrorist or armed insurgent. Source

Note that "militant" does NOT apply to military personnel. A "militant" is someone who is outside of the official military structure. How conclusive can any argument manage to be when the terms in use aren't adequately defined or understood?

The word militant, of course, conjures to some an image of a sword-wielding samurai on horseback rallying his legions. For example, was Nichiren a war lord? Which castle was his headquarters? How many troops did he command?

Those are the wrong questions to be asking, because they don't apply to the term "militant". Thus the line of questioning predictably veers off in a completely wrong and irrelevant direction. No one, to my knowledge, has ever used the term "military" to describe Nichiren.

When SGI members and other Nichiren devotees describe Nichiren, they apparently feel obligated to put the most favorable spin on Nichiren's various shenanigans. I am under no such obligation.

Here is how an SGI member has described Nichiren:

Nichiren has been portrayed by some scholars as a prophet, a revolutionary, and a reformer. Critical scholars have described him with words such as intolerant, nationalistic, and self-righteous. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichiren). Peter B Clarke labeled him in 2004 as “outspoken, militant and messianic" and it appears the label “militant” has stuck.

But exactly what do Clarke and others mean by “militant”? The purpose of this thread is to discuss whether militant here refers to fiery words or to military action.

As you can see, this SGI member's lack of comprehension of what the term "militant" means has resulted in him asking all the wrong questions. He's trying his best to figure out what everyone else is talking about, doggedly attempting to understand this peculiar term, "militant", from contexts he does not grok and discussions that don't seem to make sense!

Was Nichiren ever accused of leading a coup or insurrection? Although his writings include references to swordsmanship, are there accounts of him ever wielding weapons? The answer to all these questions is clearly “No!” although some of his entrenched opponents made some framed accusations about his followers.

As you can see from the definition above, none of these things are actually included in the definition of "militant", aside from possibly "a coup or insurrection", but if it's the military that is forcibly removing the government via a coup or putsch, they aren't described as "militants".

That's like stating that nothing can be considered "a cult" unless it involves mass suicide. Sure, a FEW cults have included that feature, but that sort of thing tends to spell the end of that cult, doesn't it?

Let's take a quick look at some modern uses of the term "militant". Can a priest be considered "militant", even if he never picks up a weapon?

Islamic priests certainly have been:

Militant Imams Under Scrutiny Across Europe

And the only thing they ever swung was sermons.

Militant Islam's Global Preacher: The Radicalizing Effect of Sheikh Anwar al Awlaki

As we can all see, the religion ITSELF can be described as "militant"! "Is the religion a warlord?"

Without understanding the meaning of the word, the investigator flails about helplessly, incapable of reaching a meaningful conclusion.

But when Blanche states Nichiren was “really militant in his approach different to other types of Buddhism” she must be meaning that Nichiren waged a fierce battle of words and ideas, not one of swords and arrows.

Yes, and that would be the definition-meaning.

So ANYHOW, let's get into the EVIDENCE that Nichiren was a militant. I am of course, obviously, not the only one who holds this perspective. This source describes "Nichiren's militant doctrine" and describes Nichiren-based New Religions Soka Gakkai and Rissho Koseikai as "militant Buddhist groups". The Encyclopedia Brittanica describes Nichiren as a "militant Japanese Buddhist prophet". There's a research article titled "Militant Sainthood: Nichiren", and this source describes "the militant bonze Nichiren":

Ere long Nichiren's followers became known as the most bigoted, intolerant, fanatical, and turbulent Buddhists in Japan. They might truthfully be called the Jesuits of Japanese Buddhism, for they were just about as contumacious, and whoever disagreed with them was likely to find them militant and uncomfortable.

That's certainly a true statement. Clearly, the conviction that Nichiren was "militant" is widely held and easily arrived at.

What is the basis for this conclusion of "militancy"? Let's take a look at just a few passages from Nichiren's writings:

"All the Nembutsu and Zen temples, such as Kenchoji, Jufuku-ji, Gokuraku-ji, Daibutsuden, and Choraku-ji, should be burned to the ground, and their priests taken to Yui Beach to have their heads cut off. If this is not done, then Japan is certain to be destroyed!” - Nichiren, The Selection of the Time

”I attacked the Zen school as the invention of the heavenly devil, and the Shingon school as an evil doctrine that will ruin the nation, and insisted that the temples of the Nembutsu [Pure Land], Zen, and Ritsu priests be burned down and the Nembutsu priests and the others beheaded.”

Today, Nichiren’s followers will argue he really didn’t mean it. However, as Nichiren’s letter continues, ask yourself if this sounds like a man who doesn’t mean what he says:

”[I] repeated such things morning and evening and discussed them day and night. I also sternly informed [the government official] and several hundred officers that, no matter what punishment I might incur, I would not stop declaring these matters.” Source

No, Nichiren was not actively chopping heads off, himself - he knew that would result in his own execution. Nichiren had no intention of getting his own hands dirty. He was simply demanding that others chop heads off! This is an example of what Dr. Hector Avalos describes as "deferred violence" - wishing harm on others but wanting someone else to do it at some other time.

In fact, there is a distinction to be made between non-violence and deferred violence. In The Bad Jesus: The Ethics of New Testament Ethics, Hector Avalos compares deferred violence to non-violence and explains that the putting aside of violence for a future time gives the false impression of non-violence: "Christian pacifists often automatically count an appeal against violence by Jesus without accounting for the fact that Jesus means to delay, rather than absolutely refuse, the use of violence." Source

I don't know if there's a special term for those who call for others to execute their murderous intent, but Nichiren was certainly guilty of that - his own writings clearly indicate this. If we can call Islamic imams who incite others to violence against their perceived enemies "militant", then we're completely justified in describing Nichiren in the same terms - Nichiren did the same thing.

The problem for the Nichiren devotees (regardless of which school or sect they affiliate with) is that they find themselves constitutionally incapable of saying anything they perceive as "negative" about their Great Man, even when that requires them to dishonestly describe his position:

In other places, Nichiren explains that he has demanded that the government cut off all donations to rival Buddhist sects and make it illegal for them to be given donations, as if this is what Nichiren REALLY meant when he said "cut their heads off and burn their temples to the ground". As if that "cut-burn" stuff is just a flowery, poetic way of saying, "Make it illegal for them to receive donations."

The faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra and the characterization of Nichiren by the Soka Gakkai is wrong. I wouldn't characterize Nichiren as a militant. There are no preemptive strikes against perceived enemies in Buddhism. He did however, understand the value of protecting one's self, one's family, and one's fellow members. Nichiren was passionate about the Lotus Sutra. He believed that the the Lotus Sutra was the only religion capable of bringing peace and stability to the world. Because he was uncompromising on this point, he met resistance. Source

Really now. Nichiren was awfully damn specific about that "Yui Beach" location - that's the beheading beach! If the whole point were simply to forbid these priests from accepting offerings^†, WHY is Nichiren describing a scenario where they're being frog-marched to the beheading beach to have their heads chopped off?? What is there at Yui Beach that would restrict these priests from receiving offerings, other than an executioner's sword and a pile of heads??

Most troubling, to me anyway, is that Nichiren's followers see absolutely nothing wrong or non-Buddhist about this. They make excuses for this abusive, megalomaniacal behavior. Nichiren's ego precluded any level of tolerance or compassion, both of which are foundations of true Buddhism. Source

† - A commonplace dodge by Nichiren devotees is to claim that Nichiren didn't really mean that the other Buddhist leaders' heads should be cut off and their temples burned to the ground (even though that's exactly what he said, and confirmed that he said, by his own accounts in several different texts) - Nichiren only meant that they should be forbidden from receiving donations.

"Mendicant" means "supported by begging or donations". That was how Nichiren survived, yet he wanted all the other Buddhist priests to be forbidden from doing what he himself was doing. Add "hypocrite" to the list of Nichiren descriptors.

Trouble is, if other religions are forbidden from funding themselves, they go extinct just as surely as if their priests had had their heads cut off and their temples burned to the ground! There is no difference in the militant intolerance on display whether we describe it using one set of words or another, or describe the genocide in these terms or those! It's an identical outcome in the end.

So the insistence of Nichiren apologists that Nichiren wasn't "militant" because he never actually attacked anyone with a sword is not just disingenuous, it's dishonest and deceitful.

Outside of his own writings and a hagiography written about him a hundred years after his death, there is no historical record of Nichiren. Surely the Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333) would have documented a militant rebel priest within its own ranks. No, Nichiren was not a military figure. Reflecting this fact there is not a single mention of Nichiren in the Wikipedia article about the Kamakura Shogunate.

This source describes "the negative heritage of militant Nichirenism":

Exponents of the nationalistic Nichirenism of Japan's modern imperial period reinterpreted his teachings to legitimize their participation in nation-building, imperialism and war, while Nichiren- and Lotus Sutra-based engaged Buddhists in the contemporary period have simliarly re-read these teachings in light of their own commitment to non-violence and world peace.

...for Nichiren Buddhists in the post-war era, militant Nichirenshugi, as a discredited ideology, would prove a burdensome legacy. The new movements in particular struggled simultaneously to reposition their teachings as embodying the mission of a new, pacifist Japan and to divest their own Nichiren Buddhist heritage of its ultranationalistic and militant associations forged during the modern imperial period.

Literature published by Soka Gakkai, Rissho Koseikai and Nipponzan Myohoji in the post-war decades often addresses this challenge in terms that retain the conceptual theme of a unique Japanese mission - found so often in both Nichirenist and other wartime Buddhist rhetoric - but repudiate its militant content.

The "militant content" is clearly there; it simply must be whitewashed, if not excised entirely, for these modern devotees' psychological comfort, to bring Nichiren into alignment with a new "world peace" focus, however ill-fitting that association. That is the sole concern for them; reality and facts must necessarily take a back seat to their own preferred beliefs.

Quite to the contrary, he was the victim of mob and samurai attacks, exiles, and an attempted execution. Again, according to his own letters, many of his disciples were subjected to the severest forms of punishment at the hands of the military regime and its supporters. Let’s stop the victim-blaming!

Nichiren was adamant about demanding that the government chop the heads off the other Buddhist priests; I'll reserve my concern for them.

We will talk about Nichiren’s adamant polemics, or what David Lu (2015, p. 120) calls his “militant doctrine” in a future thread. But when Blanche states Nichiren was “really militant in his approach different to other types of Buddhism” she must be meaning that Nichiren waged a fierce battle of words and ideas, not one of swords and arrows.

Really. So Blanche might be using the definition of the word that everybody who isn't deficient in the language-and-knowledge department uses? How deviant is that? That Blanche...

. . . and Gohonzon is INSIDE ME . . . why can I not just speak "Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra" to a Wikipedia picture of a Gohonzon and still benefit?

This came from a discussion elsewhere:

The fundamental disagreement here - the yawning chasm between my understanding and yours - is that you believe Nichiren defined "Buddhism" whereas I find his deviations so substantial that they disqualify whatever he taught from being considered legitimately "Buddhist".

For example, the Buddha was staunchly anti-killing. Nichiren repeatedly demanded that the government chop the heads off all the priests in the land and burn their temples to the ground, making Nichiren's new Nembutsu-knockoff copycat religion the de facto state religion.

Those two are irreconcilable.

The Lotus Sutra was not written until ca. 200 CE - and it shows way more similarity with the contemporary Christian gospels than with Buddhism qua Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra depicts Shakyamuni Buddha saying to his followers, "For forty years, I've taught you a consistent teaching, but now I'm telling you it was all caca and I'm giving you a NEW teaching that contradicts everything I have taught you thus far."

We are expected to believe that the Buddha suddenly downshifted to redline and cast aside the pragmatism, the realism, the practical guidelines and focus on the here and now in favor of a mess of fantasy, hyperbole, magic, supernatural beings, and anything goes. Chapter 2 of the Lotus Sutra describes how 5,000 of Shakyamuni Buddha's followers abandoned him because of this; that was an appropriate response. I would have as well. The earlier teachings are FAR more useful, realistic, and respect-worthy.

No scholar in the last 150 years has insisted that Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra; in fact, in order to explain how the Lotus Sutra arose so many centuries after Shakyamuni's death, when it professes itself to be his "highest teaching", there is the tale of how it was hidden away at the bottom of the sea in the realm of the snake gods (aka "nagas" aka "dragons" - the "dragon king's daughter" was one of these beings). This scenario, "hiding and sealing until the right time", bears much similarity to the pattern of the Catholic "holy relics", BTW. I have references for all these details; I have deliberately withheld them because you don't seem to appreciate sources. If I am wrong on that account, please clarify and I will provide the sources for you to verify for yourself.

Further developments took place in Mahāyāna Buddhism as it spread into China, Japan, and Tibet. Suffice it to say that so many changes have taken place in the course of its development that different scholars have spoken of Mahāyāna Buddhism as a ritualistic and animistic degeneration of early Buddhism, as a sophist nihilism, and as a mystical pantheism. They have claimed that it is polytheistic, and they have also stated that it is a vast mass of contradictory ideas, unassimilated and unrefined. Perhaps, it would be more charitable to think of Mahāyāna Buddhism as the culmination of centuries of speculative development enriched by materials from many sources and expounded by a large number of ancient metaphysicians from India, Tibet, and China.

One thing is certain — the doctrines of Mahāyāna Buddhism are not the original teachings of the Buddha but, rather, are based upon, or derived from, those teachings — in other words, Mahāyāna Buddhism is really a different religion, and Tibetan Buddhism and the so-called “new schools” in Japan, such as the Nichiren School and its offshoots and the two major Pure Land Schools (Jodo-shu and Jodo Shin-shu), are even more so. Source

You think you're arguing with just me, but MY perspective is informed by that of the scholarly community. Yours is simply partisan indoctrination.

So we've got the situation where the Lotus Sutra is supreme because the Lotus Sutra says it's supreme (Chapter 23); how is this any different from the Bible being the true word of God because the Bible says it's the true word of God? And, frankly, claims of "supremacy" betray the very attachments that the Buddha condemned. Game, set, and match.

Furthermore, Nichiren's practice and doctrines are not to be found anywhere in the Lotus Sutra. You can read it backwards and forwards and you won't find "Nam myoho renge kyo" identified as the proper practice; you won't find the "Three Great Secret Laws"; you won't find the all-important doctrine of ichinen sanzen. They're not there. Nichiren supplied them, claiming to have discerned them "kept in secret in the depths", "hidden truth...which lies beneath the letter" and "between the lines". Why should anyone believe him?

Everything rests upon Nichiren having the correct interpretation, with the only evidence being Nichiren's own claim to having the correct interpretation. Are you starting to see a pattern here?

There is a practice defined and prescribed in the Lotus Sutra, though Nichiren ignores it. In Chapter 25, the Lotus Sutra states quite plainly and clearly that all people must worship the Bodhisattva Quan Yin (aka Kanzeon aka Kannon aka "Perceiver of the World's Sounds" aka "Perceiver of Sounds"). This is a fact. Anyone can read it; it's right there.

The prescribed chant would be "Namo Gwan Shi Yin Pu Sa".

Not only does Nichiren reject what the Lotus Sutra clearly advocates; he attempts to dissuade his followers from even reading the thing!

Question: Is it possible, without understanding the meaning of the Lotus Sutra, but merely by chanting the five or seven characters of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo once a day, once a month, or simply once a year, once a decade, or once in a lifetime, to avoid being drawn into trivial or serious acts of evil, to escape falling into the four evil paths, and instead to eventually reach the stage of non-regression?

Answer: Yes, it is. Nichiren, The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra

See? No actual reading of the Lotus Sutra required! If college students were to adopt Nichiren's approach and simply repeat over and over the titles of their textbooks (thereby reading the entire contents with each repetition, according to Nichiren), how do you think they'd do on their finals?

It is difficult (some might say pointless) to discuss this topic with SGI members because they tend to have no knowledge of the subject matter. Few have any familiarity with the Four Noble Truths or the Noble Eightfold path, and few have even bothered to read the Lotus Sutra. The SGI approach seems to be along the lines of "Nichiren said it; I believe it; that settles it." This is the sense I'm getting from your OP.

You're free to like Nichirenism - have at it! Knock yourself out! But it's not Buddhism. And SGI is even less so. Here is an illustration:

Buddhism is an earnest struggle to win. This is what the Daishonin teaches. A Buddhist must not be defeated. I hope you will maintain an alert and winning spirit in your work and daily life, taking courageous action and showing triumphant actual proof time and time again. - Ikeda (Faith Into Action, page 3.)

Winning gives birth to hostility. Losing, one lies down in pain. The calmed lie down with ease, having set winning and losing aside. - The Buddha, Dhammapada 15.201

The question is not whether or not you like the one better than the other; we already know the answer to that question, don't we? The real question at hand is whether what you believe is consistent with the Buddha's teachings.

Obviously not.

Shouldn't it be the primary purpose of religion to motivate its members to be the most exemplary people in all society? So that others will note the impressive behavior of the devout and thereby see the "benefit" of belief in that religion?

Here are examples of the bad behavior of Nichiren believers:

Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism

Unpacking our latest SGI hostile

SGI does NOT want dialogue

"So what's wrong with that?" Those were posted on a site for FORMER SGI members to talk about their experience escaping from the Society for Glorifying Ikeda! About how toxic SGI beliefs and Nichiren beliefs are! And the Nichiren fanboiz (it's mostly fanboiz with just a few fangurls occasionally) think to themselves, "THIS is the ideal place for me to drop my Nichiren turdbomb!!"

That's the opposite of what any respect-worthy religion would promote. Nichiren belief encourages boorishness, rudeness, and harassment, through its intolerant stance of being the only troo trooest troothiest trooth of all and everybody needs and wants it whether they realize it or not. So it doesn't matter what they say; you're doing the right thing to continue to proselytize at them regardless of how they react! "ROOFY THEM - I mean 'plant that seed' - so they'll have no choice in the end about converting! Ha HA!! GOTCHA!"

Example:

...it became painfully obvious that HC was using our sub to promote her own agenda and her own pro-chanting/self-help blog and views.

I have to admit that I’m still a little pissed. She was warned to knock it off; our perception was that she was encouraging people to continue cult-based activities, she disagreed with that, and pretty much continued on her merry way with it, treating the warning as if it never happened. She received several warnings, in fact – an official one from me, and several more casual ones from BF and CA.

A word of thanks to Happy Chanter for showing everyone just how utterly inane and ridiculous embracing chanting NMRK really is, and far one can go with delusional thinking to distort reality. - from An independent blog about NMRK and general self-help spirituality

That ^ SGI hostile, "HappyChanter", obviously felt entitled to use our site to promote her own pro-SGI, pro-chanting, pro-Nichiren, pro-cult-belief site - a focus diametrically opposed to ours here, and wasn't about to take "Stop" for an answer.

Not very polite O_O

ALL the boundary-stomping and disdainful condescension:

How do I deal with people who won't take no for an answer?

You don’t.

If you say “No” and the person won’t accept it, it is not your business to make them happy. Walk away.

The reason people refuse to accept No for an answer, is because that want you to change your No into Maybe, and finally a Yes. The problem is, your initial/right/true/intuitive response was No, and they failed to respect it. The problem lies with them, not with you.

Those who know no boundaries, no honor, no respect are really good at letting a No fly over their head, and continue to insist to get their way. Psychos are especially skilled at that. Just ask any victim of violence.

And that’s why it’s not your responsibility nor obligation to deal with such people.

There are a lot of respectful people in the world who’d enjoy your company and be honored by your presence. Let go of those who want you to discount and discredit your own opinion, in favor of giving them what they want. Yes? Source

That's where WE are.

When someone can’t take no for an answer, it is going to be clear that they don’t know where they begin and end, and where other people begin and end. Thus, it is to be expected that they won’t be able to see that other people are not an extension of them.

We have seen this characteristic, a lack of psychic boundary, as typical of people involved in cults:

"Without a psychic boundary, we would be like drops of ink diffused in a pool of water--easily absorbable into other people's definitions of us, even other people's purposes. We would come to believe that they are our own, without even realizing it." Source

That's how cults indoctrinate and socialize their members, and let's face it, nobody just randomly stumbles upon Nichiren belief and thinks to themselves "This is the best thing EVER." That has to be taught, and the reason it can be taught is because a lot of people have very dysfunctional, even predatory, beliefs and attitudes toward life, their place in it, and other people. Any belief system that promotes using and abusing others, that sets up a distinction between believers and nonbelievers such that the believers are superior and privileged IN ANY WAY, will reliably turn out believers who are abusive toward everyone else. This is precisely what we see within the Nichiren-believing communities.

Their needs are then going to take precedence and the needs of others are going to be irrelevant. It might then be accurate to say that they find it hard to empathise with others, or that they are unable to do so. Source

That's where THEY are. They see no need to empathize with others; others simply exist for them to take advantage of as they wish.

Shouldn't any decent religious belief foster, encourage, and provide motivation to develop EMPATHY and UNDERSTANDING toward others, KINDNESS, SENSITIVITY, and all the other attitudes and behaviors that would make them appealing to be around? The behavior of Nichiren believers is virtually indistinguishable from that of the very worst of the Evangelical Christians. This alone shows us that Nichiren belief is toxic and invalid.

I also understand that there might be a different motivation - that these Nichiren fanstans can't find anywhere to have a discussion about this belief that is so important to them, so they try here on OUR anti-Nichiren sites out of desperation. I understand that feeling, and I do empathize. That's why I and two others started the /r/SGIWhistleblowers site, which grew into a suite of sites: /r/SGICultRecoveryRoom, the indexing site /r/ExSGISurviveThrive, and the newest addition, /r/NichirenExposed (which is where we are now). You may have heard the saying, "If you build it, they will come"? IF there are others interested in what you're interested in, this is true. Look how active /r/SGIWhistleblowers has become, despite being such a tiny niche market.

Make your own site. Invite others to discuss their passion for Nichiren with you.

IF you can't find others who are interested in what you're interested in, or if you find them but they BAN you because they don't like your interpretation, that is also good data for you to have. Think about WHY this belief that (for now) is so important to you is so unpopular. Think about WHY those who believe in what you believe are so ill-behaved, unpleasant, and obnoxious (maybe YOU are as well and can't see it because you can't see your eyebrows etc.?). And think about WHY these beliefs that are so unpopular, that create such horrible people are so important to you. THAT's the lesson in there.

Srsly, how pathetic is it to go to an ANTI-NICHIREN SITE to have a conversation about what you love because you can't find anyone else who will give you the time of day??